Kids Art: Magazine Collages and gift

Over summer break the kids and I did this art project.
I was inspired by a picture my nephew did for my mom that hung in her guest room while I was there recently.
Actually I was there to pick up my nephews and niece to come visit us for a week. 
We did this project while they were here.
I love many things about this project.
I loved that even the 5 yr old could do it all by herself.
I loved that it kept them busy for a long time…some of them a few days even.
I loved that it involved lots of cutting and pasting…not too messy, but messy enough for the kids to enjoy. 


We used my old magazines, old kids magazines and catalogs.
They poured over all of them finding just the right things that interested them.
It took Micah the Perfectionist a while to really get into it.
I even tried helping him and making suggestions when I came across a picture. 
I even found a big green bean (family joke…he didn’t think it was funny).
After they glued down all their pictures onto a canvas with mod podge, we glued down letters to spell their name.
They love their new artwork and they are all hanging in their rooms.


And it was the daddy’s bday.  So we collaborated and made him his own.
I’m thinking this will make great grandma and grandpa gifts as well.
We’ll be doing some more for sure!

Mommy n Me craft: Little Bear in a Box

Maressa and I made this little Bea the Bear in a box for a friend's birthday.
Maressa drew the bear with fabric markers on a small piece of white cotton.


We added a tiny bed in a box and a tiny blanket and tiny bunting  for decoration.
Bunting is just some washi tape and bakers twine.


This idea was mostly inspired by a drawing she made the day before of all these adorable colorful bears.
Also inspired by this kids art stuffies project and putting bear in a box by this adorable project.
So first I had Maressa draw and color a bear on a piece of fabric.


Now she wanted me to take a picture of her with her picture...lol


Then I put the drawing face down on another piece of white fabric and sewed around the outline of the bear.  I didn't want this super detailed so I just went widely around the corners and curves.


I left a hole in the bottom and then pulled the bear right side out and stuffed it.
Then I hand sewed up the bottom hole.


Course after the gift was made, everyone wanted a tiny stuffed friend.
Maressa made 2 bears...one for her one for big sister.
Micah wanted to draw his own and of course made a dog.
Zachary made himself a lizard.

No boxes for their friends yet.  I may surprise them with one soon.  :)

Woodland Birthday Party

Finally getting around to showing you the party for miss little 5 yr old.

I'll let you check out the pics and if you want some details I'll add them to the bottom.  :)

DETAILS:

Decor:

Lots of Christmas trees, curling ribbon, silk leaves, wasabi tape, owls, stuffed woodland animals we had on hand, little bit of bunting.

Glitter and moss paper mache number five.

Hanging lantern owls idea from here.

Activities:

*Painting mini bird houses--$1 a piece at Michaels

*making wood slice pendant necklaces--wood slices from here

we used stickers and rubs to decorate them and hung them on wax twine

*playing in 'forest' with animal masks-- used faux bois contact paper from Lowe's on an empty dishwasher box for a 'wood stump'

I sewed masks for each guest inspired by these

 *woodland scavenger hunt--free printable here

I made sure there was something representing each item in the party rooms

*big brothers read them all a couple of books

*activity table with pine cones, stones, beans and other sensory stuff with mini animals

Food:

Owl cupcakes

hedgehog doughnuts

Veggies n dip, fruit salad, Pirates Booty, cheddar bunnies, dried banana chips.

If I forgot to include something or you have a question, feel free to email me!  :)

Easy globe ornament

We made these fun ornaments in a couple of the kids holiday parties at school.

I was inspired by this one on Parents.com, and changed it up a tiny bit.

I used small paper plates and clear punch cups.

I traced the cups on the plates and cut out the circles.

Then used glue dots or hot glue to adhere the miniatures to the plate.

You can use any tiny miniatures.

I had these trees on hand and tiny reindeer and ballerinas I had used once on cupcakes.

I even used some snowman cupcake picks and just broke off the pick part.

After the miniatures are secure, we used craft glue around the edge of the plate.

Using a sharp needle, I threaded bakers twine in the top of the plastic cup.

Then I placed a small handful of plastic fake snow in the cups.

Then I placed the plate with glue on top of the cup.

Let the glue set.

Then turn it right side up.

If you want to add a pipe cleaner trim, put glue around the outside edge of the cup.

Regular pipe cleaners are just the right size.

Put ends together and over lap just a tiny bit and twist together forming a circle.

Place circle over the cup and push to the bottom onto the glue.

The most fun is you can shake it and the loose snow moves around.

Maressa's 4 yr old class and Micah's first grade class loved making these!

Kids Art Ornament

Maressa, 4 yrs, wanted to make a special gift for a very good friend of hers at school.

They've been bffs since meeting in 3 yr old class last year.

I guided her into making a cute ornament.

I figured that way, her friend can remember her early friendship even when they will part ways.

I was inspired by these adorable ornaments

 (will do the self portrait idea with all the kids for grandparent gifts too).

I had gathered these mini embroidery hoops maybe last year?

So we had all materials on hand...the best kind of DIY.

Maressa was set on making a fairy.  And something sparkly with glitter.

Before we started I had her practice her fairy drawing on a piece of paper.

Then I cut some soft white twill fabric.

Then I traced the inner hoop with a fabric crayon on the fabric and taped it down.

I gave her fabric crayons to draw her picture and color it in.

Then I used a paint brush to brush on fabric glue and let Maressa sprinkle on fabric glitter.

Then I used fabric markers to add the Merry Christmas and the to and from.

It was a simple and quick project and turned out just adorable.

She can't wait to give it to her friend tomorrow.

DIY Gifts your kids can make

I rounded up some of my favorite projects we've done over the years that kids can do with a little help.

I love to have my kids help make their teacher gifts and they proudly tell their teachers of their part.

And sometimes my kids want to give their friends a gift.  I don't mind, but we do homemade gifts in those cases.

FOR TEACHERS

Handmade soap

Mod podge pencil can and hand sanitizer

Gourmet candy apples and marble magnets

Peppermint sugar scrub

Stamped dish towels

Stamped sticky note cubes and notepad covers

FOR FRIENDS

Glitter horse art

Personalized tin lunch boxes--fill with art supplies or small toys

Fridge magnets

Beaded bracelets

Art pillows

 I was thinking this idea could be turned into a cute 'Best Friends' shirt or something else cute and tween girlie.

Glitter playdough.

Simple stamped kids apron.

Mod podged blocks.

Mod Podged mini notebooks

Backpack buddy.

Jingle bracelet.

Decorated wooden frame.

Fairy wand.

Young sewers can tackle a pencil case with help.

Or a tote.

Art can be added with fabric markers or use a cute printed fabric.

FOR THE GRANDPARENTS

Blank books can be filled with kid art.

Hand painted plates.

Could be cute Christmas dessert plates.

Maressa made an adorable ornament to give to her very best friend this afternoon.

Will share on Monday.  :)