Showing posts with label Make It. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Make It. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

1 Hour : Make It : Chick Beanbags

image via Martha Stewart

I would like to give my little seamstress daughter more practice by helping her sew this simple project. She would probably love to give them to her cousins on Easter.

Read More...

Monday, April 18, 2011

1 Hour : Make It : Easter Chain


I love Christmas chains, so I don't know why I never thought of making chains for other holidays. This one is actually made of ribbon, which makes for an extra-special feel; since Easter is so close and my ambition is so low, we'll probably make our chain out of pretty spring papers.

Find the full instructions for the Ribbon Chain at FamilyCircle.com.

Read More...

Monday, December 13, 2010

1 Hour : Make It : Button Cards


I'm using this craft at my son's kindergarten Christmas party this week. I'm sure we'll make some "practice" cards at home as well. The great thing about this project is that I can just show my kids the above photo, give them some buttons, ribbon, and cardstock, and say, "Go".

Full instructions at Martha Stewart.

Read More...

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

15 Minutes : Make It : Pasta Skeleton

So, despite the fact that I'm going to have a baby any day now, I am supposed to organize--not attend, just organize--the centers for my kindergartener's Halloween party. (Believe me, this year I am definitely the reluctant room mother. But when they lay on the guilt...)

This is one of the activities I have planned for the party: just your basic skeleton made out of assorted pasta. Very easy and self-explanatory, but if you want more details, I found them here.


Read More...

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

15 Minutes : Make It : Lunches

image via anotherlunch

Have you heard of Bento lunches? I like the ideas at the deliciously beautiful site, AnotherLunch, though I wonder if some of them would be too light a meal for my sprouting sixth-grader.

I like sending my kids with home lunches for so many reasons, but I have made the compromise of allowing them to buy lunch once a week (pizza day, of course). Amazingly, after years of this pattern they are finally tired of pizza day, and are more interested than ever in trying new combinations. My second-grade daughter is especially happy to help out right now.

I haven't fully embraced the Bento ideas just because our lunch boxes aren't the right shape. However, I have added a cold pack plastic box full of vegetables or fruits; I don't know if it's the box or the fact that the food is chilled, but the kiddos are loving it.

Read More...

Thursday, April 1, 2010

15 Minutes : Make It : Easter Printables

A few free printables I found for Easter:

A paper basket from Freshly Picked. I know I've said it before, but my daughter loves paper crafts and teeny things of all sorts. This will be tomorrow's afterschool activity.

A simple card from the talented Olliegraphic (remember her beautiful Valentines?). I really like that her designs have cutting guides on them.

Tags or small notecards from babalisme. Don't you think these are boyish enough for my sons to give to teachers and grandparents?

Read More...

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

15 Minutes : Make It : Bunny Envelopes


Here's a fun Easter craft project to make with your kids. Fill the envelope bunnies with small toys, candy or hand-written notes and deliver to friends and family!

Read More...

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

1 Hour : Make It : Natural Easter Eggs

I've wanted to try out these naturally dyed Easter eggs ever since I saw the Martha Stewart article a couple years ago. The fact of the matter is, I never prepare early enough, so we end up using the traditional dye tablets. Has anyone done this project? Do you have tips for me?

Read More...

Friday, March 12, 2010

1 Hour : Make It : Shamrock Collage

image via here
My five-year-old and I made a shamrock collage today. He loves cutting with scissors right now, so you can imagine how happy he was to work on this project.

Print out (or draw) a large shamrock shape on cardstock. Cut out and set aside. Cut out green items from old magazines or flower/vegetable catalogs. (My son opted for all vegetables today.) Glue the pictures onto the shamrock, then turn over and trim any hangover.

Read More...

Monday, March 8, 2010

1 Hour : Make It : Fairy House

image via familyfun.com

One "boring" day last year, I took my daughter out to a corner of our backyard and showed her how to make a fairy house. We used sticks, bark, and leaves to make a simple abode, but she then spent another hour or so collecting all sorts of natural building materials for expanding and decorating. Now that the weather is turning nice again, she's making a variation: leprechaun houses. In fact, I even found pieces of bark in her backpack--she said she needed supplies for leprechaun houses on the school playground.

Get more ideas to help you start a fairy house at FamilyFun.com.

Read More...

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

1 Hour : Make It : Early Garden

image via familyfun.com

My daughter has been asking when we can plant seeds and I know that with the spring-like weather, I'm also eager to grow something. So, this project from Family Fun is exactly the thing we need to get going on our indoor garden. We have a couple packets of flower seeds and I want to try some herbs as well.


CRAFT MATERIALS:
Clear 2-liter soda bottle
Small flowerpot
Potting soil
Seeds
Saucer
Craft stick marker

1. Cut the top from a clear 2-liter soda bottle.

2. Find a flowerpot that fits inside the dome. Fill the pot with potting soil, then plant the seeds according to the packet directions. Tip: Consider planting herbs, such as parsley and basil, that can be transplanted outside once the weather warms, or grass, which grows fast and is fun to trim with scissors.

3. Place the pot on a saucer and poke in a craft stick marker. Slip the dome over the pot. Be sure to water the soil when it looks dry.

Read More...

Saturday, February 13, 2010

1 Hour : Make It : Heart Bouquet


Note to self: Make these with my daughter for Valentine's Day next year. This is right up her alley. Actually, I think we'll make a couple for our own family celebration.

Scroll down the page at Martha Stewart to find instructions.

Read More...

Friday, February 12, 2010

1 Hour : Make It : Valentines to Color

image via upupcreative
So here are the (free) printable Valentines my 1st-grader chose for her class. We printed them out (four to a page) on slightly textured cardstock; since she wanted mostly elephants and just one page of sneakers, I simply selected those pages in the print instructions. She absolutely loves to color and spent a good hour carefully coloring and writing out names on a couple dozen of these beauties.

Print out your own at Up Up, The Blog.

Read More...

Thursday, February 11, 2010

15 Minutes : Make It : Heart Envelopes


Clever folding. I wonder if my daughter would like to make these for her class. If not, I'm sure her creative little mind will find other reasons to give away these heart notes.

Read More...

Friday, January 29, 2010

15 Minutes : Make It : Snail Valentines

image via zakkalife

I think these will be perfect for my 5-year-old to create and give away. Find the free printable template at ZakkaLife.

More printable valentines here and here.

Read More...

Thursday, January 28, 2010

1 Hour : Make It : Valentines

image via olliegraphic

I like the printable valentines that we can find on the internet these days. A friend showed me this one, available to customize and purchase at the Etsy shop, Olliegraphic. You can make a girl or boy, then choose hair, eyes, skin color, saying, etc. Then (after paying), you just print out as many as you want. Love it.

I'm looking around for more printable Valentines and I'll post my favorites over the next couple weeks. Let me know if you find great one!

Read More...

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

1 Hour : Make It : Write a Letter

image via here

January 8th through 14th is Universal Letter Writing Week. Use this as an opportunity to help your kids learn the art of a handwritten note. Create a letter writing station with notecards, pens, crayons, markers, envelopes etc., and let them create handmade thank you notes for friends and family. It's the perfect time to thank others for holiday gifts or just write a quick note to say thanks.

Read More...

Monday, January 11, 2010

15 Minutes : Make It : Snowmen on Sticks

image via familyfun.com

We like to make these seasonal snowmen for snack-times. Healthy and fun: that works for me. (I will not be giving a skewer to my almost-three-year-old; instead, I will arrange his snack on his plate. Still fun, yet no potential for danger in the hands of that little tornado.)

Find the easy instructions here, at familyfun.com.

Read More...

Monday, January 4, 2010

15 Minutes : Make It : Paper Snowflakes

image via Martha Stewart Kids winter 2002

So Simple. So Fun.
Makes for a great activity for those snowy and cold days.

Read More...

Friday, December 18, 2009

15 Minutes : Make It : Christmas Bow Wreath

image via realsimple.com
Purge your saved bow collection by making this easy wreath with the kids. We made one last year and put it up in the playroom.
Supplies:
paper plate
glue and scissors
Christmas bows

How To:
Cut out the center of the plate. Glue the bows around the remaining plate rim. Hang where the kids can see their creation.
(via realsimple.com)

Read More...