photo credit: Simply LA

It seems we never have enough hours in a day. And then trying to get the whole family together is next to impossible. And when we do all get together it is normally in front of the TV. And that gives us little opportunity to bond and enjoy each other. But if you can sit down and get creative with each other that makes your quality time priceless.

You may think that crafting as a family not an option, specially if there are many years between your children. But there are some projects that you can do with family members can all enjoy. I have included just a few ideas of crafts the whole family can enjoy together.

~ Fabric painting and tie-dying ~ You can make custom tshirts that the whole family can wear with pride. Tie-dying is easy enough for your younger kids, but the teenagers will also enjoy creating them just as much. Fabric paint is another option when it comes to decorating clothing or fabric. The paint comes in super easy to use bottles that makes it very easy for the young and the old to use.

~ Making Beading Jewelry ~ You can string some beads together and make anything from necklaces, to anklets. Although this project may not be the best for young children because of the risk of them sticking the beads in their mouth and swallowing the beads. You may find that you can also pick up plastic needles that make it much safer for those little hands and larger beads make things much easier. Your older children will probley prefer to use the smaller beads to create something much more stylish.

~ Creating A Family Scrapbook ~ This is a great project for the whole family to participate in. The smaller children can help pick out the pictures while the other kids can help with writing the information next to the photo and attaching the photos and embellishments to the page or paper.

~ Clay Crafting ~ You can create so many things out of clay. You can create beads, figurines and many other objects. Clay is great for about anything including holiday decorations, gifts and decorative containers.

This simple crafts are a great way to get the whole family involved in making something great and having fun making memories. These projects are good for all ages.

Want to get your kids’ creative juices flowing? The IlluStory Make Your Own Story Kit winner of multiple awards, including Family Life’s Best Learning Toy Award and the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award is sure to do it!

This kit is sure to bring out the best of your child’s creativity even if they aren’t fond of writing or drawing. The kit includes instructions, creative writing tips, paper and markers for adding illustrations adding up to one great story. But the fun doesn’t stop there, the best part is that your child can send his completed story to the company, and he can become a “published” author as the company will put his words into professional typesetting, bind the book in a hard cover, and return it to him. Imagine the look on your child’s face when he sees his completed published literature! What a great way to encourage literacy.

These books not only look quite authentic they also include an “About the Author” page, title and a dedication page. Your child’s cover art is laminated on the front, along with the title of his book and his name. It’s pretty safe to assume he’ll be showing his masterpiece off to friends and family for quite some time.

The kit sells for $19.95 which includes publishing one copy of your child’s book. More copies of his book can be purchased at an additional fee for grandparents, other relatives or friends. Only one book can be created from a single kit. Refills are not available. So don’t be surprised if your child wants to write another boo. If he does you’ll have to purchase another kit.

For young ones, the IlluStory Make Your Own Story Kit is a great tool for encouraging writing and art skills. For parents and grandparents, it gives you a beautiful keepsake to treasure for years to come.

When planning a crafting project, one of the most basic yet most difficult decisions to make is what colors to use. There are just so many beautiful colors to choose from! Review these tips and ask yourself these questions to help lead you in the right direction when it comes to color scheme selecting for your projects:

* Who is the project for? If it’s a gift for someone, what is the recipients favorite color? Incorporate their favorite color along with some complimentary colors to make it special for them.

* Is this project for a special occasion? For a wedding try adding or using the color theme of the wedding, this will add a sentimental touch. For a baby shower, the standard boy (light blue), girl (pink) and gender neutral (pastel green and yellow) colors will work. Most holidays have certain colors associated with them or that come to mind which can be used.

* What is your project theme? Is it a nature item, or something in a futuristic theme? Using colors that are commonly associated with a project’s theme is a nice, safe approach.

* Are photographs being used? Sometime they present a bit of a challenge brining in colors that are beyond your control. Find a color that won’t clash with what’s in the photograph. Take hints from the photo itself. What colors stand out? Or if the photograph is just too busy looking consider reprinting in black and white.

* Where will the finished project be displayed? If it’s a personal item for your home, or for a close friend or family member home, look around the room for color suggestions. If you’re creating the item for sale, consider what common colors are most used in those rooms.

* Have you been inspired by another design? If you’ve seen something that had an interesting color scheme, try using it on a project.

* Think outside the box. If you’re going for a formal look stick with traditional colors, but if you want to make your project unique and fun, use whatever happens to strike your fancy at that moment. It’s your project, make it uniquely you.

Color is an important element of any project but there is no right or wrong color to use for a given project. Go with your instincts and use the color scheme you feel is best.

Mod Podge is a crafter’s stapel. It’s a glue, a sealant, and a finish all in one product.

You can buy Mod Podge in several finishes and varieties, making it great for a wide range of projects. Just look at what you can do with it:

Dress up a denim jacket – Mod Podge is probably the last thing that comes to mind when it comes to customizing clothing, but Fabric Mod Podge was specifically designed for such applications. It might be a little stiff for a thin t-shirt, but for items denim and canvas sneakers it’s great. It’s also good for adding your own touch to blankets, pillows, fabric lampshades, and other household items.

Jewelry box – Easily transform an ordinary shoebox into a unique jewelry box. Glue scrapbooking paper to the outside of the box and lid with Mod Podge, coat to finish, and add some coordinating ribbon and you’ve got yourself a one of a kind jewelry box.

Make jewelry – Mod Podge is ideal for adding accents to handmade jewelry. It can be used to glue on patterned paper or fabric, coat to seal and finish.

Use it for scrapbooking – Create your own scrapbook embellishments using Mod Podge. There is a Mod Podge specifically designed for use with paper crafts which can be used to seal your photos or add a nice finish to your pages.

Make custom mousepads – Why pay someone else to put your photo or artwork on a mousepad when you can easily do it yourself. It’s a cinch to do it yourself! Just buy a plain mousepad and use Mod Podge to glue your picture to it. Add embellishments for a special touch, then coat it to finish.

Create beautiful picture frames – Decoupaged picture frames make beautiful home décor and treasured gifts. All you have to do is add some pretty fabric, customize it with lettering or embellishments, and coat with Mod Podge.

Create a faux oil painting – If you have a poster, photograph, or canvas project that you’d like to look like an oil painting, Mod Podge can do it. This is a great way to use up Mod Podge that you’ve let set out too long, because its thicker texture is just right. Or you can buy some Brushstroke Mod Podge, which was created for this specific purpose. Simply brush it on as though you were painting the picture yourself, and your project will look like an oil painting.

Make a plaque or sign – Whether you want to create an award for someone or make a welcome sign for your front yard, Mod Podge can help. It’s ideal for decoupaging, and you can use outdoor Mod Podge to create a water-resistant finish for projects that will be kept outdoors.

Jazz up your wood furniture – Add a decorative touch to bookshelves, chairs, tables, and more decoupaging with Mod Podge. Classic Mod Podge is sufficient for many projects, but if you need a durable finsih, Hardcoat Mod Podge works best.

Decorative switch plates – They are quite popular among decorators. You can easily make your own. Covering them with fabric or paper and coating with Mod Podge will make them fashionable.

As you can see Mod Podge is the one product every crafter should keep on hand.

photo credit: merfam

Silk flowers are a wonderful way to add low maintenance beauty to your home.  Silk stays bright and colorful for years and silk flower arrangements are ideal for those who were born without a green thumb.  They’re also an excellent way to have the warmth and beauty of flowers without having to replace fresh flowers on a regular basis.

Many hobby, gift and flower shops offer a selection of gorgeous silk flowers ranging from a simple daisy to an elegant orchid.  A wide variety can be found which provides endless opportunities to create flower arrangements to suit your home and your personal tastes.

To get started making a silk flower arrangement there are a few supplies necessary.  They include:

o Floral foam
o Hot glue and hot glue gun (for adhering the foam to the bottom of your vase, basket or container)
o Moss to cover the foam
o U shaped floral pins to adhere the moss to the foam
o If you’re working with a basket as a container, line it with newspaper first so the foam doesn’t fall through the basket weavings.
o Wire clippers

Once you have acquired the necessary tools and equipment there are a few simple designs to begin and experiment with.

Triangle arrangements.  This is one of the steadfast standbys in floral design.  The shape of the final product will resemble a triangle.  The height of the design is always more than the width.  Begin by establishing the width and height with some of your smaller greenery and/or flowers.

The larger flowers, the ones with the biggest circumference, will be positioned lower to give weight and visual focus to the arrangement.  Fill in the space as necessary to create the desired effect.

Vertical arrangements.  With a vertical arrangement the tallest flower should be three to four times the height of the vase.  That means if you use a vase that is 5 inches tall, the tallest flower should be 15 to 20 inches tall.  Fill in the space as necessary to create the desired effect.

Horizontal arrangements.  For this arrangement use a shallow container or vase.  Generally greenery is used to establish the flow of the piece with it being positioned fairly symmetrical on both sides.  Focal flowers are positioned in the middle of the arrangement with all flowers and greenery being arranged so they droop over the edge of the vase.  Fill in the space as necessary to create the desired effect keeping in mind that the arrangement is horizontal and no height needs to be added.

Every design discipline has a few steadfast rules and flower arranging is no different.  Experts recommend:

o Keeping space between the flowers to avoid an overcrowded effect.
o Using flowers and greenery in all stages of development.  From bud to full bloom.
o Gently bending the flowers and opening and separating petals and leaves for a more natural look.

A silk flower arrangement can last many years with proper care and cleaning.  An ozone free aerosol spray cleaner is the fastest and easiest way to preserve your beautiful arrangement and help it retain its vibrant color.

FOR MORE UNIQUE CRAFT IDEAS, CHECK ONLINE RESOURCES.

Girls seem to love scrapbooks, and who can blame them?  It gives her a chance to create a personalized book for all her memories.  You purchase a small scrapbook and allow her to fill it up.  She may surprise you by adding some journaling in it, too.  Stickers and other embellishments make them more individual.  The sky is the limit on what she can do with a scrapbook.

Polar fleece blankets have been all the rage. Your older child, girl or boy, may like to create one of these.

• Decide how big they’d like the finished blanket to be, and then add 12 inches to the length of the fabric if they would like to create a fringe for it.  They may choose all one color, or use two contrasting colors for variety.
• Make sure each piece of fabric is the same size and shape.  Trim any excess fabric off where needed.
• Lay the fabric out in front of you, wrong side up, so that it is horizontal.
• Draw a vertical line on the fabric, going up 6 inches from the cut edge.  Do this with both ends.
• Now create horizontal lines going from the vertical line, ½ inch apart, on each end of the fabric.
• Cut along the horizontal lines to make the fringe.
• If you’re using two pieces of fabric, tie the corresponding fringes together to join the fabric and create one blanket.

Let your older child create their own “treasure” box by decorating an old cigar box.

• Find a wooden or heavy cardboard cigar box, with the hinge intact.
• Using craft glue called “Modge Podge”, paint a thin layer of the glue onto the surface they are working on.
• They can decorate the box with photos from magazines, handwritten notes, or whatever they like.  Then paint at least three coats of the glue over the paper, allowing it to dry thoroughly before adding the next coat.
• When it’s dry, they can add other embellishments to make it entirely theirs.

Painted flower pots have been popular for years. This could lead your child into a new business, or just allow them to release their artistic nature.

• Purchase small terracotta flower pots and the dishes that go with them.
• With an acrylic paint, decorate the outside of the pot however they like.
• Decorate the dish in a similar fashion so they obviously go together.
• Your older child can plant something in the pot after it has dried, or fill it with something else. The choice is theirs.

Just because your child is growing older, doesn’t mean that they cease enjoying crafts.  These are just a few of the many crafts an older child may enjoy.  There is also cross-stitch, painting, drawing, and a myriad of others.  Encourage them to spend some time creating; they’ll probably be glad to have the creative outlet.

photo credit: amy_b

Wise parents and child care givers know the power of a well stocked craft closet.  Rainy days, sick days, and those extra long school breaks can wreak havoc on even the most patient parents.  A well stocked craft closet can save babysitters, grandparents, and even parents when those two little words are uttered, “I’m Bored.”  The words are enough to send children and parents alike into tears.  Imagine having the ability to reach into your magic craft supply box and pull out a craft to keep your children busy and to entertain them when they’re seemingly incapable of entertaining themselves.

Here’s a list of the super handy craft supplies for those moments when having an activity is an absolute must!

o Tempera paint
o Glue – clear or white glue is best.
o Construction paper
o Tape (Lots and lots of tape)
o Crayons
o Markers
o Glitter and or glitter glue.
o Hole punch
o Safe scissors
o Pipe cleaners
o Ruler
o Clay – the kind that doesn’t dry out is ideal.
o Cookie cutters
o Felt or foam sheets and shapes
o Paint brushes

It also helps to keep a folder full of easy to make crafts.  That way all you have to do is pull out the craft instructions and supplies and an afternoon will pass quickly by.

Of course, all of those supplies can take up a ton of space.  A plastic organizer, cart with drawers or even an organizer designed specifically for crafting are a great way to store supplies without having them take over the home.

On top of the staples of a good craft supply kit, there are a few around the home supplies families can begin collecting.  It’s a great way to be environmentally conscious and to inspire your child’s imagination. Collect and reuse:

o Bottle caps
o Buttons
o Cereal boxes
o Straws
o Egg Cartons
o Scraps of fabric
o Old magazines for collages
o Popsicle sticks
o Paper towel and toilet paper rolls
o Wrapping paper
o Bows and yarn
o Tin cans
o Newspaper
o Sponges

Rainy days, cold weather days, sick days and good ol hang around the house days are brightened when children are engaged and creating fabulous works of art.  A well stocked craft supply kit will make it much easier to have those moments and to make it easy for children to avoid those two dreaded words.  Make sure you have plenty of space to store their artwork and don’t forget to leave room on you refrigerator!

KEEP YOUR CRAFT CLOSET FULL OF THE NECESSARY CRAFT RESOURCES TO MAKE ANY DAY RAIN OR SHINE A FUN FILLED ONE.

photo credit: paperfairys

Buttons are easy to collect.  A jar stored in the laundry room can collect dozens each year.  They come attached to new clothes, and often show up in the strangest of places.  So what can you do with all of those buttons?  Make great projects with your children!

Here are seven fun things your kids can make with all those extra buttons:

1. Button People.  Buttons with two holes make great faces.  A swatch of fabric glued onto cardboard can be cut to make the clothing, pipe cleaners or cord can be made into arms and legs and string can be cut and glued to make the hair.  Grab a flat backed pin, glue it to the cardboard and you have yourself an adorable button person who can be pinned to bags, shirts, or a long ribbon to hang.

2. Button Flowers.  Buttons have the perfect shape for the center of a flower.  Give your children several pieces of brightly colored construction paper, glue, scissors and a few buttons and see what kinds of spring bouquets they can come up with.  To get really fancy, give them string to glue to the paper beneath the flowers as a stem.

3. Sock Puppets.  No sock puppet is complete without a pair of button eyes.  Grab an old sock, extra felt for mouths, arms and legs, yarn for hair, and your children have the tools to get creative and put on their very own puppet show.

4. Flower pots.  If you have a collection of like colored or like sized buttons, grab a hot glue gun or craft glue and decorate pots to give them an upbeat polka dotted flair.

5. Button tree.  Small holiday trees can be purchased at your local hobby or craft store for less than $.25.  Small buttons can be glued onto the tree to create a lovely wintertime or holiday table centerpiece.  The more unique the button, the more interesting the centerpiece.

6. Cards. Buttons can be arranged to create an abstract design or an image and glued onto heavy cardstock.  For example a collection of buttons arranged to resemble a clutch of balloons might be the ideal card cover for you’re a child’s birthday card.

7. Robot.  Wrap a few small boxes with tin foil and stack them to resemble a robot with the smallest box on the top for the head.  Attach paper towel tubes also wrapped in foil to the body.  Buttons can be glued on for eyes, technician’s panel or other robot-like decorations.  Grab a can of metallic paint to add a more technical feel to the buttons.

Button projects are a great way to keep your children happy and occupied on a rainy day.  They invigorate their imagination and provide a very good use for those growing button collections.

WORKING WITH BUTTONS CAN BE A LOT OF FUN.  THEY CAN EVEN BE USED TO DECORATE GIFT PACKAGES TO CREATE A UNIQUE GIFT BOX.

photo credit: juca pitanga

Sometimes it’s ideal to set the children down at the table, give them a craft to work on and then enjoy the focused peace and quiet that lasts for about five minutes! Other times, it’s more fun to have the entire family get involved in a craft project. It creates a sense of togetherness, shows your children that you enjoy focused time with them, and the results of the project can be appreciated and enjoyed by everyone. Here are a few family craft projects to consider doing as a family.

Family Tree Projects: Family trees are an excellent way to connect with your heritage and to teach your children about where they come from. Family tree projects can be created by making a collage from copies of old family photos. Depending on the age of your children you can also create a mural taking your ancestry back as far as you can. Smaller children will enjoy placing names or pictures on cut out green leaves and positioning them on a felt tree or a hand drawn tree.

Garden Crafts: Garden craft projects are exceptional because they not only allow your children to create something permanent they teach your children about growing and taking care of the planet. Projects can be as simple as creating small seedling planters and painting or decorating the containers to creating elaborate yard art. Bird baths, luminaries, stepping stones, and wind chimes are all fun projects for the entire family.

Pinatas and other holiday crafts. Pinatas are a blast to make and even more fun to tear apart. Family members can join together to create a fun family decoration and party favor for an upcoming celebration or use the piñata as an excuse for a celebration! Pinatas require a balloon, paper mache tools, paint and candy or party favors inside. Children can be involved in the entire process while parents oversee it or parents can join in and get arm deep in sticky paper mache – it’s fun! Of course letting it dry is the difficult part and a piñata usually takes several days to make. However the end result and the smile on your children’s faces as they dive for the goodies as they tumble out is more than worth it.

Other holiday crafts include Christmas tree decorations, Halloween masks, and Earth Day tye dye t-shirts!

Family crafts are a great way to spend a rainy afternoon, a fantastic way to create a holiday tradition and always a superior way to connect as a family and give them memories and love.

EVEN YOUR TODDLER OR PRESCHOOLER CAN ENJOY AGE-APPROPRIATE CRAFTS.

People enjoy crafts of all kinds.  Some take up little space; some take up a lot.  Some crafts need very few supplies, and some require enough to fill a cabinet or more.  Whatever the crafts, if there is more than one person in the family, creating the perfect craft area in your home is probably something you all only dream about.

Crafts like sewing require quite a bit of space.  You need to have a sewing machine, ironing board and iron, an easily accessible space for notions, and space to store fabric and patterns.  Dad and the kids have their own crafts.  Wouldn’t it be great to have one room where all of this could be located?

Begin by deciding which room you will turn into a craft room or if you will have to add one to your home.  If you have a room to use, measure it and draw the room to scale on graph paper.  Measure each piece of furniture that will go into the room and transfer those to the same scale size; cut out each piece so you can try different room arrangements without having to move heavy furniture.

One recommendation would be to divide the room into zones.  If someone is interested in painting, they will want to have access to direct sunlight.  Sunlight wouldn’t be so important to someone who was scrapbooking or putting together models. Create a painting zone nearest the windows.

Be sure to have plenty of overhead as well as task lighting in the room.  Each task requires lighting for close tasks as well as something more general.  Lamps that can be adjusted for specific tasks would be a good idea.  Do you have enough wall outlets or do you need to add more?

Work space will probably be a premium concern.  Someone who sews would need a place for the machine as well as space to spread out fabric when cutting out patterns.  Of course, that area could be used by someone scrapbooking, as long as they weren’t trying to do so at the same time.  The longer the flat surface, the better it would be.  If it were long enough, it might be able to accommodate two crafts at one time.

Seating would be another area to consider.  Comfortable chairs are a must, especially if you’re sitting for long periods of time.  However, you don’t want to get lounge chairs.  Something that is ergonomic and practical would be best.  You want to be comfortable while working on your craft, but not so comfortable you fall asleep.  Good quality office-style chairs will probably do nicely.

The final component is where to store everything.  How much of the supplies needed for each craft can be stored on shelves rather than in cabinets on the floor?  Peg boards, wall-mounted organizers, and multiple shelved units could store a good amount of things.  What about putting strips of metal along the walls near each work area?  These would be a handy place to hold scissors, little jars to hold beads or buttons, and more.  The options are limitless if you think about it.

Crafts are an important part of our lives.  They help us relax and give us a creative outlet.  They help us to dream.  If they’re so important to us, why is it we don’t enjoy doing them more often?  Having a great space designated just for crafts might be the answer your whole family is looking for.  Think about the benefits, and then create the perfect craft area for your home.