Quick and easy tie-dye with Sharpie markers

Love tie-dye but hate the mess?  Here’s a quick and easy way to create the same gorgeous retro effect without all the buckets and mess.

To get started you’ll need to grab a few things:

o Package of colored sharpie markers.  These are sold at your local office supply store or in the office supply section of your grocer.  They come in a wide variety of colors ranging from red, blue, yellow, purple and so on.

o Rubber bands.  These are used in the same manner that they’d be used in a traditional tie-dye project.  They’ll be used to make bulls-eyes.

o Something to tie-dye.  This can be a t-shirt, bag, table cloth, pillow case, anything that you feel inspired to add a colorful retro feel to.

o Rubbing alcohol.  This is the key to the whole project!

o Spray bottle.  This will be used to spray the alcohol.

Taking your shirt or socks or whatever you’re going to be dying, grab a bit of fabric and wrap a rubber band around it leaving a bit of fabric poking out.  Do this as many times as you’d like.  Varying the size of the fabric inside the rubber band will create different sized color swatches on your finished project.  To create the bulls-eye pattern layer the rubber bands on the same piece of fabric, so one handful of fabric will have a rubber band an inch down, two inches down and so on depending on how many rings you want in your bulls-eye.

Now take your markers and start coloring in the gathered material.  Color it however you choose.  If you’re making a multicolored bulls-eye you’ll want to color each banded section a different color.

Once you’ve finished coloring the sections, grab the fabric and take it to a well ventilated area.  An old plastic chair, bench or even a bucket outside is ideal.  Using your spray bottle full of alcohol, start spraying the rubber banded sections.  Continue spraying until the entire shirt has been tended to.

Now you can sit back and watch.  The alcohol will start to react with the colors causing them to bleed into one another.  It’s a great and dramatic effect and it is fun to watch.  Let your fabric dry.  Once it’s dry, you can remove the rubber bands.  Launder it in cold water to set the colors.  Dry and wear.

Tie-dying with sharpie markers is a much easier, faster, and less stressful way of creating the same fabulous projects the buckets and dye powders offer and without the mess.

LOOKING FOR MORE FUN CRAFTS? EBOOKS CAN BE FOUND ONLINE AS WELL AS OTHER ONLINE CRAFT RESOURCES.

Teaching kids to crochet and/or knit

Looking for a craft to teach your children? A craft which will result in quality, usable and functioning products? A craft which will teach them focus, goal setting and accomplishment as well as design planning and follow through? Sounds like a tall order, right? Nope, the answer is as simple as teaching them to crochet or knit.

Crocheting.
Crocheting is a great place to start, particularly for younger children, because it uses a single needle. Children as young as four can be taught to crochet. Required supplies include:

o Size J hook
o Favorite color worsted weight yarn.
o Beginner pattern.

Hooks come in a variety of materials from metal to plastic. Lighter weight hooks are often easier for small hands to use effectively. It’s easier to teach a child to crochet if you’re sitting side by side so a couch is ideal, just make sure the television is off or they won’t be paying attention. It is important to note whether your child is left handed or right handed as the pattern directions will vary.

Beginner patterns are usually blankets or placemats. Remember to start small, be prepared for frustration in the beginning and set a mental time limit or create a goal – for example, let’s start with a 4X4 square so they feel like they’ve accomplished something when they finish.

Before beginning any project it’s important to master a few knots, practice them, and make your yarn skein into a yarn ball.

Knitting.

Like crochet, knitting is a great way to teach children focus, give them a sense of accomplishment, and is a great way for children to keep busy as an alternative to a television, computer or video game.

Knitting supplies:
o Size ten knitting needles
o Yarn, preferably wool
o A knitting pattern or project

Easy knitting patterns include a scarf, a potholder, or a hat. Begin like crocheting with your child sitting next to you somewhere comfortable. Sometimes it helps to have your child sitting in your lap so they can emulate your hand motions.

Like crochet needles it helps small hands if the needles are larger and if they are lightweight. Additionally, choose needles which have rounded tips rather than sharp pointed tips.

Patience is required when teaching knitting or crocheting. Knots can be difficult for small hands to master. If you become frustrated they will too. Knitting and crocheting are a fantastic way to bond with your child and to teach them the joy of crafting, the joy of creating something with their own two hands.

Five Crafts Perfect for Toddlers

Toddlers love to create things with their hands.  It’s part of their personality and what makes being a toddler so much fun. These five crafts are perfect for toddlers. Try one or more so they can create artistic masterpieces.

1.  Noodle necklaces are so easy a toddler can make them.  Of course, Mom may have to color the noodles beforehand, but the results will be worth it.

• Mix together ½ cup vinegar and a few drops of food coloring for each color you would like.
• Soak various kinds of noodles in the various colors.  Allow them to dry on pieces of wax paper.
• When dry, your child can string the noodles onto pieces of yarn.  Tape one end to make stringing easier.
• Tie the ends together to close the necklace and let your child wear it with pride.

If you don’t feel like coloring the noodles, you could use colored cereal between the noodles to give it some pizzazz, or just make cereal necklaces, instead.

2.  Paper plate maracas are easy and fun for toddlers, particularly if they like to make noise, and almost all toddlers are experts at that.

• Have your child decorate the bottom of two paper plates with whatever items you feel like giving them.
• Mom, help with this step: Staple the edges of the two paper plates, insides facing together.  Leave a small opening for the beans.
• Place 5-6 dried beans or rice into the opening and then close it up.
• Put tape over the pointy side of the staples to be sure no one gets snagged on them.
• Turn on some music and let the kids join in!

3.  Let your budding artist create by making edible finger paints with sweetened condensed milk and food coloring.

• Mix together small amounts of the condensed milk with a couple of drops of food coloring.
• Give the child a sheet of paper on which to create their work of art.
• Don’t worry if they put the paint in their mouth, it’s yummy.
• Wash their hands quickly to keep the food coloring from staining their hands.

4.  Pompom caterpillars are furry friends you won’t mind finding in your toddler’s pocket.

• Get three pompoms, the same size, in varying colors.
• Glue the pompoms together in a line.
• Glue on the wiggly eyes.
• Mom, you may want to hot glue the caterpillars onto a clothes pin with a magnet and use them to show off your child’s other artwork.

5.  T-shirts with painted handprints are more than just a craft.  They are a snapshot to help you remember your child when they were little.

• Get a new t-shirt in your child’s favorite color.
• With fabric paint in a shallow bowl, allow your child to place their hands into the paint. Immediately help them put their hands on the t-shirt.
• As an alternative, they could place their thumbs or fingers in the paint and place several prints together to form a caterpillar.
• Help your child wash their hands thoroughly with soap.
• When the paint has dried, use paint markers to write the date and name on their t-shirt.  Finish off the caterpillar by drawing on a face, feet, and antennae.

Making crafts with your toddler can be a highlight of your day.  These five crafts, perfect for toddlers, may be enough to spark new creativity in your toddler, and in you.

Fisher-Price Digital Arts and Crafts Studio

Product Name: Fisher-Price Digital Arts & Crafts Studio
Rating: 8
Where to buy: http://www.amazon.com

Description: Designed for children ages 4 to 9 this arts and craft studio plugs right into your home computer and gives your children hours and hours of fun art and craft activities to do all on their own.

Review: Being a mom of 3 very lively children I wanted to find something they could do that would occupy their time, but would also help them learn to use their creativity. Knowing Fisher Price I felt I could find just that with them. I found this great studio and it keeps the kids occupied for hours.

This wonderful invention plugs right into my home computer. It has 85 different projects that my children can tackle with very little struggle. It’s easy to understand for all of them and they have fun making and creating all different types of arts and crafts.

Included in this studio is the base that the kids can see their creations come to life on. It also includes CD software and a USB cable making it easy to set up and use. The software includes over 250 different colors, 300 stampers and over 70 scene starters. There is no end to what the kids can make and do.

The stylus is capable of being used as a pencil, a stamper and even more. With things such as connect the dots, party hats and greeting cards, my children can make things that amaze them and all our family and friends. It’s so easy for them to use, which makes it fun.

There are things such as coloring pages, flying airplanes and leaping frogs they can play, color and create. The software that comes with this studio is just filled full of all types of different activities. You can also purchase other software that can take their creations to new levels. Their imagination can run wild.

They also can save and print their creations with no problems. Best of all you have parental controls so nothing on your computer can be jeopardized by those inquisitive little minds and fingers. They have total control of their own table and pencil while you have control of the PC.

Children need to be able to let their imaginations go and to use that imagination to create their own ideas. This studio allows them to do that. I no longer hear “I’m bored.” or “Why can’t we watch TV or play video games?” For hours and hours of fun, try this arts and craft studio. Your children will be glad you did.

Kid Crafts on Earth Day

Did you do any special Earth Day crafts today? I worked on some unfinished projects I have (didn’t finish just yet) and had a good day hanging out with my kids and nephews. They were more interested in playing outside then crafting so I have a few things planned for this week. When I was growing up my school celebrated Earth Week with different events each day and I like the idea of continuing that along.

1. Inexpensive Artwork - Have your children paint or draw a picture using paints, crayons, markers, colored pencils or just a regular number two pencil. Turn their drawings into artwork by either cutting the paper down after or before they get to work and putting it in a frame. I have found that kids love this idea because after they are creative, their paper is hung up for all to see. It’s a step up from the fridge!

2. Remake Jewelry -Remaking a piece of jewelry will require older kids or your help. Take a piece of jewelry you no longer wear (or found at a garage sale or thrift store) and take it apart - make a new brooch or necklace. Stringing beads is easy for children and they will be glad to help refashion a piece or two.

3. Recycle clothes into a project - If you find you have wool sweaters you no longer wear, felt them by washing in the washer and make felted projects. Betz White has a great book - Warm Fuzzies - and after finding a few thrift store sweaters, we are prepared to make a few of the ideas in the book. I am also in the beginnings of making a tshirt quilt using old college and concert shirts. Maybe you have a few items of clothing you would like to have in a quilt or small blanket - get to work this week and plan a design and start cutting the clothes.

There are many ways you can reuse or recycle items you have in your home, the next time you set out to do a craft project think about what you already have! Share other ideas in the comments, or if you have questions about the projects listed let us know!

Tsoniki Crazy Bull is the host of the Crafter Cast - a podcast for crafters and craftypeneurs - a new show is posted every Wednesday.

Growing Your Own Balloon Garden

Here’s a great kids craft idea I came across while surfing the other day and I thought I’d share it with you.

Kids’ Craft Ideas - Growing Your Own Balloon Garden

by Magrietha Du Plessis

http://kidscrafts.topknacks.com

Crafts will always be a very important teaching tool for anyone teaching little kids. Kids learn best by “doing.” Homeschoolers and especially unschoolers can use this balloon craft as part of a biology lesson. This is a wonderful kids’ craft idea, that is fun and easy to do and also a great first lesson about plants. This craft use balloons so watch the little ones, while you are doing this craft, to prevent suffocation!

All you need for this kids’ craft idea is a medium or large sized, clear balloon, a little earth and water, some seeds, a small funnel and a piece of string. Radish seeds work well, but you could use almost any seeds that are easy to grow.

Kid’s Craft Ideas Step by Step – How to make your first balloon garden

1. Don’t blow your balloon up yet! Put the mouth of the balloon over the funnel and hold it firmly in place (this is where an extra pair of adult hands comes in useful!) Tip in around a ½ cup of earth – enough to almost fill the deflated balloon.

2. Now gradually add water, via the funnel again, until the earth is wet through.
Don’t put too much water in or it will all just turn to mud and start overflowing!

3. Dry your funnel, then add your final ingredients, the seeds, into the balloon,
still holding it firmly in its upside down position.

4. Still holding the balloon upside down, so that you don’t get a mouthful of dirt,
carefully blow it up.

5. Tightly make a knot in the top of the balloon, then tie your string around it and use the string to hook the balloon garden up near a window or other well-lit place.

Making balloon gardens is a fun thing to do at birthday parties, and will keep the kids occupied and happy for ages – as long as you don’t mind the mess! On a summer’s day, it’s best done in the backyard.

Balloon gardens also make lovely gifts, the children can make them for an adult friend or relative and the recipient will be delighted – especially when they hang the balloon garden up and it grows green and lush.

Grandmothers and grandfathers especially love this kid’s craft idea – either to do with the kids (especially a granddad who is a gardening enthusiast) or just to receive a balloon garden craft as a gift. They will love that the kids will want to keep coming back to visit them and seeing how their balloon garden is growing.

When the balloon garden slowly dies off, it is a good opportunity to explain to your kids about the cycle of life, and to help them make a new balloon garden! Use this opportunity to teach them a variety of facts about nature, not only the cycle of life. Plants need water, fresh air, good soil etc. to grow. You can also work a lesson about seasons into this craft.

Enjoy your “Balloon Craft.”

Originally published on SearchWarp.com for Magrietha Du Plessis Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Article Source: Kids’ Craft Ideas - Growing Your Own Balloon Garden

Spring Flower Magnet Photo Frame

This will make a lovely gift for anyone special to you. I know as a mom, I’d love to have one or two of these for my fridge. I love Spring and pictures of my kids even more. Here are the very simple and yet fun instructions so you and your child can make their own flower magnet photo frame for your fridge or even grandma’s. I’m sure she’d love it.

Spring Flower Photo Magnet Frame

8 craft/popsicle sticks

1 photo

craft flower foamies

glue

paint (any color)

flat magnet(s)

craft glue (Tacky glue)

First you will need to paint the craft or popsicle sticks and allow them to dry. Or you can try allowing them to soak in traditional fabric dye dissolved in water and then let dry.

Then you will create the borders of the photo frame by gluing together two craft sticks and placing them in the shape of a square and gluing the top row on top of the the two side rows and the same with the bottom.

Glue your foamie flower, stem and leaves onto one side of the frame. Glue your photo to the back of the frame with a thin line of glue along each side. Once the glue has set, glue a flat magnet on to each side of the frame (if you have flat magnets) or on the top and possibly the bottom if you have thicker magnets or you think it may need two for a little extra security.

Display your spring photo frame on your fridge for all to see!

Ladybug Rocks

Here’s a fun little project that will brighten anyone’s day. They can be used as decorations within a potted plant or placed on a desk as a decoration. In face, if you use a large enough stone it can be a lovely paperweight. I’ve very simple to make your own ladybug. Here are the things you’ll need:

Supplies:

Smooth, round or oval rocks, large enough to paint (wash and dry them)

Acrylic craft paint

2 wiggle eyes for each ladybug you plan on making

A black sharpie marker

White craft glue (Tacky glue)

A pencil with a clean eraser or a medium to large paintbrushe

First make sure your rocks are washed and completely dry.

Paint the rocks any color you like, make them bright and cheery, not all ladybugs have to be red, get creative.

Allow them to dry. Apply a second coat of paint if they need it or even a third if necessary.

Paint the head on with craft paint. It should be about ¼ of the full rock’s size.

Then take the sharpie and make a line down the back of the center of the bug starting at the center of the base of the head.

Now dip your pencil eraser or paintbrush into the black paint to make the dots on your ladybug’s wings. Reload with paint as needed probably after each dot.

If you don’t want to mess with trying to get wiggle eyes to stick you can just paint the eyes on with white and then dot on the black pupils.

Use bright colors and have a wonderful time creating your rainbow of ladybugs.

Craft for Kids: Bead a Bracelet

Name bracelets are a fun, simple craft for kids to make and wear. It doesn’t require a lot of time or items to purchase. All you’ll need is some yarn or string, alphabet beads, scissors and a few other colored beads to accent your bracelet.

Have your child lay the alphabet and colored beads out on the table in front of them as they would like them to be on the bracelet once it’s completed. Cut the yarn or string just a bit longer than you will need for the bracelet to fit around your child’s wrist. Tie one end of the bracelet and have your child string the beads onto the bracelet. Depending on the age and ability of your child to string beads, you may consider somewhat larger beads for smaller children, as they will be easier for smaller hands. For the younger ones, you may want to either give them a hand spelling out their name in beads as they will have to put them on in reverse order or write it out on a piece of paper for them to follow, in order for it to read correctly when completed. Of course, the younger the child the more assistance they will need from you so this is also a great family bonding time activity as well.

They can either use the colored beads as separators between each letter or add them to the ends of their names for an additional splash of color and personalization.

Finally, tie the other end of the bracelet, then tie it on their wrist and snip off the extra or instead of tying a knot, you can use other fasteners, such as a hook and eye, fount at craft stores. This would allow the bracelet to be taken on and off with having to untie a knot.

Great Homemade Easter Basket Ideas for the Little Boy in Your Life

What little boy (or big boy) doesn’t love getting a basket of treats on Easter morning? But boys quickly outgrow stuffed bunnies and chicks. That does not mean they still don’t want an Easter basket. It can be fun to put together unique baskets for the sons, grandsons and nephews in your family. Focusing on their interests, and adding their favorite sweet treats, it can be pretty easy to put together great themed baskets.

Here are three ideas to inspire you to create your own homemade Easter baskets.

Sports - Whether the boys in your family play sports, or just enjoy watching their favorite team, a sport themed basket is sure to score big. Sports trading cards are always popular with young boys. Another easy idea is to use sports themed pencils and erasers; sometimes you can even find them for specific teams. If you are feeling creative, you can make cookies or candy with
cutters or molds shaped like balls, bats and other sport equipment.

Age appropriate books about their favorite sports or athletes can also be a great addition to their basket. If you buy a simple bucket, it can be decorated to fit the theme either with paint or stickers. One suggestion would be to draw lines on the outside of a bucket to look like a basketball hoop.

Vehicles - Boys of all ages love cars and trucks. A few small cars or trucks are a great gift idea. Older boys might enjoy putting together models. There are many nice snap-together models that don’t require any glue or painting. If your boy enjoys drawing, there are books that can teach them how to draw and design their own cars. Car shaped cookies and candy can be fun. Remote control cars are also a great gift. There are even a number of kid friendly movies about cars out there. A cute basket could be made from a new NASCAR trashcan.

Science - Do you have a future scientist in your family? An archeologist? Putting together a science-themed kit is as easy as one, two, three. Find a few simple things, like a magnifying glass, small telescope, possibly some rocks, . Plastic dinosaurs are always popular. There are even kits you can find where the kids can “dig up” bones just like an archeologist. Adding dinosaur cookies and bug shaped candy provide the finishing touch. A book with kid-friendly experiments done with household items can be a great gift that is fun for the whole family.

Putting together your own Easter basket is not only fun, it is a more personal gift. With some smart shopping, it can be less expensive than the pre-packaged ones as well. It is easy to adapt any boy’s interests into a nice gift for Easter.

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