bookhoucraftprojects

Project #110: Bouncy Bugs

Bouncy Bugs by by Jennifer Kirk from Ambrosia Creative

A paper insect comes to life when it is attached to some flexible wire and bounces from a stick. This toy can be assembled in just a few steps and is made easy with a printable coloring page. My kids enjoyed "bugging" one another with their insects, so you may want to take the finished product outdoors!

You will need:
*printout or drawing of insect
*long wooden dowl
*washi or other colored tape
*copper jewelry wire, medium/light thickness
*clear tape
*popsicle stick
*spray paint (optional)

Link for downloads:
Butterfly (PDF)
Dragonfly (PDF)

Step 1:
Draw a favorite insect (butterfly, dragonfly, ladybug, etc.) or print out from template. Color and cut out.
Optional step:
Spray paint dowl and let dry. I used a lime green color.
Step 2:
Cut off an 18" piece of wire.
Step 3:
Poke a small hole about 1/4" down from the top of the butterfly/dragonfly head. Thread wire through hole and tape down.
Step 4:
Tape a popsicle stick to the backside of paper insect to weigh it down. The butterfly body is shorter, so using scissors, cut off a 1.5" piece from a popsicle stick and tape to backside. Fold insect wings up along popsicle stick. Adjust the wire by bending it where it meets the top of insect.
Step 5:
Wrap wire end near the end tip of dowl and secure with washi tape. Your bug is now ready to "fly"!

..Ambrosia Creative
..All images by Jennifer Kirk

Project #109 : Mini viewer

Mini viewer by by Véronique from Pichouline

What you'll need:
*matchbox or small cardboard box
*pictures of your kids, family, friends, favourite animals, flowers…anything you want
*pencil
*straw or wooden stick
*punch, awl or sharp pencil
*scissors or knife
*coloured paper, craft paint or stamps and stamp pad
*tape or masking tape – double-sided tape or glue

 

Step 1:
Make a paper strip with pictures using a computer program,  print it out.
The height of the strip has to be smaller than the matchbox.

Step 2:
Decorate the front and/or back and sides of the box with paper, paint, stamps or masking tape. Draw a display with a pencil on the front of the box. Cut it out. Make one size open you’ll need it to put the straws with paper strip into the box.

Step 3:
Make 4 holes in the box. Two at each side, opposite each other. You also need to make the holes at the box inside. The holes have to be the same (or little bit larger) than the diameter of your straw or wooden stick. Using a punch is the most easy way to make the hole.

Step 4:
Cut the paper straws, the length has to be bigger than the box.
Roll the paper strip onto the straw, when your at the end you tape the end on the second straw. Close the box.

Let’s turn around the straws and you can see your own movie. Have Fun!

..Pichouline         
..All images by Véronique

Project #108 : Hand Drum

Hand drum by Véronique from Pichouline

What you'll need:
*small cardboard box
*craft paint
*pencil
*cord – I used a cotton cord
*wooden beads
*wooden stick
*awl or you can use a very sharp needle
*scissors
*stamps and stamp pad
*masking tape – double-sided tape




Step 1:
Make 3 holes in the box. One in the bottom of the box, this will be used for the wooden stick. 2 holes on the left and right of the box, opposite each other, these will be used for the cords.
Step 2:
Use the masking tape to decorate the wooden stick, you can choose the colours and pattern yourself.
Step 3:
Paint the wooden beads, allow them to dry for a couple of minutes.
Step 4:
Decorate the front and the back of the box using different stamps.
Step 5:
Cut 2 cords. Make sure the beads will touch the side of your box when twisting the hand drum around. Put the cord through the hole and finish with a knot.
Thread the bead on the cord and finish with a knot.
Step 6:
Secure the bottom and the cover of the box using double-sided tape.
Put the wooden stick through the hole, you can put some glue around the hole.

 
To play the drum, twist your hand around and see and hear what happens!

Have fun!

..Pichouline          ..All images by Véronique

Project #107: Colored Easter eggs

Colored Easter eggs by Irene Hoofs from Bloesem

Here's perhaps the easiest craft project you can think of. But my 3 year old son loved it. When it comes to Holidays I am pretty old-fashioned and coloring of eggs with Easter is a simple must in my family :) I remember growing up and doing this with my mom and no w I am happy to do it wiht my sons.. It doesn't matter whether the eggs are not evenly colored... most important is let your kids do it and let them have fun playing with the colors.

what you'll need:

*eggs
*food coloring powder in different colors
*white wine vinegar
*water
* bowls, spoons
*butter

Step 1:
boil eggs for about 10 minutes
Step 2:
add vinegar, water and food coloring powder in a small bowl
Step 3:
place the luke-warm eggs into the bowl
Step 4:
turn over and over or porr the coloring over the eggs with a small spoon.
Step 5:
let them dry on a seperate tray or plate
Step 6:
once dry grease them with a little bit of butter for a nicer shine.

Project #106: April Fool's Jack in the Box

April Fool's Jack in the Box by Jennifer Kirk from Ambrosia Creative

In celebration of April Fools day, one my family's favorite days of the year, I’m happy to share this jack-in-the-box craft. Under the guise of a gift, a simple spring pops out confetti onto the unsuspecting. The kids and I worked together on this little prank for dad!

You will need:
* Small box with lid
* Colorful paper
* Colorful tissue paper
* Clear tape
* Washi tape
* Hole punch
* Picture of your child (his or her face should be about 1")
* Craft knife

Step 1:
Choose two colors to use for the paper spring. Cut two strips from each color paper (lengthwise) so you have four strips total. I chose blue and yellow, so I had two blue and two yellow strips. Make sure strips are at least 1/4 inch narrower than the inside of the box -- you want to make sure the spring will freely pop out of the box. Tape together the ends of two strips of the same color paper so you end up with two long strips (one long yellow and one long blue in my case).
Step 2:
Lay the two strips perpendicular to each other forming a large L and tape the edges together. Starting with the strip on the bottom (blue in my example), fold it up and over the top strip at a nice right angle. The fold needs to be flush against the top (yellow) strip. Then fold the yellow strip (now on the bottom) up and over the blue strip. Repeat the folds over the entire length of the strip forming an accordion. At the end, tape together the loose edges so the spring will not unravel.
Step 3:
From colored and tissue paper, use the hole puncher to create confetti. I used a 1" diameter hole punch because larger confetti means an easier cleanup!
Step 4: (Optional)
With a craft knife, cut out three of the four sides of the box lid. This isn't necessary, but I thought a clamshell-type lid helped the spring pop out of the box more nicely. Secure the lid back onto the box. I used a piece of washi tape on the lid edge to gussy it up a bit.
Step 5: Stretch out spring a bit by gently pulling the ends in opposite directions. Then, compress into box and close lid. Test the spring to make sure it clears the box. When I did a test, there was some remnant paper around the lid I had to cut away. I also noticed the spring popped out differently depending on its orientation. When you're happy with the configuration, tape a picture of your child's face to the top of the spring.
Step 6: To set up the box to give, compress the spring back into the box, place confetti on the very top, then close the lid and secure with washi tape. A friendly, harmless, happy April Fool's surprise for some lucky person!

..Ambrosia Creative
..All images by Jennifer Kirk

Project #105: Circus

Circus by Véronique from Pichouline

What you'll need:
*1 cardboard A4
*pencil
*ruler
*tape (transparent – masking)
*glue
*cord – I used a cotton silver cord
*wooden stick / toothpick
*knife
*scissors

Step 1:
Cut 8 papers strips from the cardboard. The strips are approximately 1 by 29 cm.
Step 2:
Make a round basement for your circus. Tape 2 strips together.
Step 3:
Cut 4 large fence “rail” strips, height +/- 29cm. Glue them on the basement. You will use them to make the roof.
Fold the top of the large strips so that they meet and form a peak. Secure with glue or tape, leaving a small hole for the flag.

Step 4:
Cut 9 small fence “rail” strips, height +/- 4cm.
Glue the fence "rail" strips of cardboard on the basement. Leave one sight open as the entrance of the circus.
Step 5:
Make 1 flag and 2 garlands with the cord, wooden stick and masking tape. To make them, cut 2 lengths of cords and wrap lengths of tape around the cord or stick so that each one sticks to itself. Tape and glue them to decorate the circus.

..Pichouline          ..All images by Véronique

Project #104: Tiny Shadowbox

Tiny Shadowbox by Jennifer Kirk from Ambrosia Creative

Like most kids, my boys are big collectors. While it is easy displaying some of their larger treasures, I've had a hard time finding a solution for some of their tinier findings and these would oftentimes get lost. Here's one idea to store and display little special objects.

What you'll need:
* kraft favor boxes
* colorful paper (the pack I used is from IKEA)
* rope or string
* hot glue gun
* double-sided tape or all-purpose glue

Step 1:
Set aside and save the lids to the boxes for another project. Play around with different configurations of boxes until you're happy with the arrangement.
Step 2:
Choose your paper colors for lining the inside of box. Trace around the outside of the box onto paper to get the box general size and shape. Cut out paper and trim down until it fits nicely inside.
Step 3:
Using a bit of glue or double-sided tape, affix paper to inside of box.
Step 4:
Attach boxes together using a glue-gun.
Step 5:
To make the hanger, cut small holes out of the sides of the topmost box(es). The hole should be about a quarter of an inch from the back of the box. Thread rope or string through (from the outside), knot, and repeat on other side.
Step 6:
Hunt down some tiny treasure to populate your shadow box!

..Ambrosia Creative
..All images by Jennifer Kirk

Project #103: Cork Necklace

Cork Necklace by Véronique from Pichouline

What you'll need:
*3 corks - you can choose the quantity yourself, I used 3 corks.
*paintbrush
*craft paint
*knife
*cord – I used a cotton silver cord 70cm long
*awl or you can use a very sharp needle or bottle opener
*plastic needle for kids
 

Step 1:
Paint the corks in the colour you like, you can also leave one cork unpainted. I used two coats of paint.
Step 2:
You can do this for your kid: Use a sharp knife and cut the cork into 4mm-thick rounds (you can choose the thickness).
Step 3:
Punch a hole in the center of the rounds.
Step 4:
Take a plastic needle and thread the rounds onto the cord.
Step 5:
Take the two ends and tie them together with a knot and finish with a bow. Pull this knot very tight so that it will not come undone when you pull the necklace over your head. You can determine the length of your necklace by where you tie this knot.

Have fun!

..Pichouline

Project #102: a Treasure book

Treasure book by Véronique from Pichouline

what you'll need:
*you can choose between glassine bags, paper bags or envelopes  - you can choose the quantity yourself, I used 10 bags.
*scissors
*glue stick
*tape
*cord
*magazine, craft paper or coloured paper
*treasures


Step 1:
Cut of the closure flap of the glassine bag.
Step 2:
Choose a nice picture, kids drawing  or a graphic design from a magazine, you'll need it to make the cover of your book.
Measure the size of 2 bags and cut the cover out, it's better that you cut it out a little bit bigger.
Fold the cover in half.
Step 3:
Glue the entire frontsize of the first bag on to the back of the front cover side. Glue the other bags to eachother, but only in the middle over the total length of the bag, so you get an "accordeon".
Step 4:
Punch a hole on the right side of the front & back cover.
Step 5:
Use some tape to attach the cord onto the book.
Step 6:
Let you beloved one find some treasures, he or she can keep everything he or she likes.
Step 7:
You can decorate the cover with a stamp, picture or whatever you like.
Step 8:
You can make a lot of varieties playing with colours, words & designs.

Have fun!

..Pichouline

Project #101: Color Kaleidoscope Wheel

Color Kaleidoscope Wheel by Jennifer Kirk from Ambrosia Creative

Here's a simple project that is a craft and rudimentary lesson in color theory all wrapped in one.

What you'll need:
*self-sealing laminating sheets or pouches
*tissue paper in cyan, magenta, and yellow
*a CD or DVD for tracing
*metal brads
*permanent marker

Step 1:
Using permanent marker, trace around the DVD/CD onto laminate sheet. Mark a dot in the center. Cut out circle, making sure to cut inside the line (so that marker line is cut off), and cut center dot out. Use the tip of your scissor, a craft knife, or hole punch if you have one long enough. Just make sure this center hole is large enough to accomodate your metal brad. Repeat all of Step 1 so you have two circles.
Step 2:
Make a small stack of all the colors of the tissue paper and cut out various shapes. These will eventually be layered on top of each other, so have multiples of each shape in all three colors (eg. a cloud in cyan, magenta, and yellow, etc).
Step 3:
Unpeel laminate circle. Set aside the non-sticky side for sealing later on, and lay the other part of the circle on work surface, sticky-side up. Carefully stick on tissue paper shapes. My younger son free-styled this part, placing shapes arbitrarily, whereas my older son created a pattern. The laminate is very sticky and unforgiving, so your child may need your steady hand for help! We made a couple mistakes, but built any wayward tissue pieces into our pattern.
Step 4:
When finished, seal up your circle with the non-sticky side you set aside earlier. Now lightly (I used just two small pieces) tape this circle down to your work surface, just to keep it steady and in place for the next step.
Step 5:
Expose the sticky side of your second circle, setting aside the non-sticky side for sealing later on. Sticky side up, lay the circle down on top of your previous circle. Remember making multiples of your shapes in Step 2? Carefully stick on same shapes to align with the shapes on the circle below. This is essentially a duplicate of the first circle, but use different tissue paper colors. Here's where the lesson in color theory comes in; your child can see how adding a blue cloud on top of the yellow cloud makes it green. When all the shapes have been added in, seal up this circle with the non-sticky side you set aside earlier.
Step 6:
Remove your first circle from the tape and off your work surface. Use the metal brad to attach the two circles together and you're done! Hold and spin the circles against a light-source to get a really neat kaleidoscope effect.

Note: I made a 'kaleidoscope' myself, but my version employed three circles. Each circle had stripes in each of the three colors.

..Ambrosia Creative
..All images by Jennifer Kirk

Project #100: Faux Mirrored Tile Ornaments

Faux Mirrored Tile Ornaments by by Jennifer Kirk from Ambrosia Creative

What you'll need:
*roll of tin foil
*foam core (or stiff cardboard)
*permanent markers
*all-purpose glue (we used Aleen's quick dry tacky glue)
*glue stick
*glue gun
*string or ribbon for hanging

Step 1:
Sketch ornament shapes onto foam core and cut out.
Step 2:
Tear off a 6" long sheet of tin foil from a roll.
Step 3:
Fold foil sheet down into a long skinny strip about 3/4" wide. With glue stick, glue down the very last fold so the strip won't unravel. Make multiple strips. 3-4 covered one ornament.
Step 4:
Color strips with permanent markers and let dry. After a few minutes, cut strips down into square tiles.
Step 5:
Now decorate ornaments with your faux mirrored tiles. One row at a time, lay down a line of fast-tack or all-purpose glue and apply tiles. Along the top and sides, apply the tiles so they hang past the edge of the ornament. This way, the entire surface gets covered. Cut off excess tile along the edges once glue dries.
Step 6:
Lastly, attach a ribbon for hanging on the tree. With a sharp pencil, poke a hole into the foam at the top of ornament. Stick in the ends of a piece of looped ribbon or string, and hot glue into place. Once hot glue is hardened, your ornament is ready to hang!

..Ambrosia Creative

Project #99: Christmas Tree Photo Holders

Christmas Tree Photo Holders by Helen Bird from Curly Birds

Every year the girls and I like to make Christmas ornaments for ourselves and to send to our family spread across the ocean. This year we made Christmas tree photo holders. Each pretty tree is supported by a matchbox, which contains a little accordion book of pictures.

Materials:
*Colored card stock
*Decorations - felt balls, stickers, or glittery glue
*Matchbox
*Photos
*Glue
*Scissors
*Pen

Step 1:
Place the matchbox on the cardstock and draw a triangle for the tree – make sure the tree is big enough to hide the matchbox! If you are making lots of trees, make a pattern to draw around.
Step 2:
Cut out the triangles and decorate. We used colored felt balls, but you could use stickers or glittery glue.
Step 3:
Cut a piece of pretty paper to cover the matchbox. Attach the box to the back of the tree.
Step 4:
Cut a piece of card stock to the height of the matchbox and 6 times as long as the box. Score and fold the card to create an accordion book.
Step 5:
Personalize the accordion book with pictures, drawings or fun information about the year. Attach to the inside of the matchbox.

..Curly Birds..

Project #98: Paperbag Wreath

Paperbag Wreath by Teri from Giddy Giddy

It's time to start decorating the house with holiday cheer! Here's a simple and colorful holiday wreath you can make with kids. This only requires recycled paper bags and a little bit of cardboard - materials that are easy to find and entirely eco-friendly.

What you'll need:
*Cardboard
*paper bag,
*water based acrylic paint
*scissors
*tape

Step 1:
Cut a circle wreath out of cardboard and paint if desired.
Step 2:
Now paint paper bags with various colors / let dry / cut strips in various desired widths.
Step 3:
 Place strip on wreath, making sure to bow it out so that that an arc is formed by the paper. Tape it in place on the underside of the wreath.
Step 4:
Repeat this process until you cover the entire wreath.
Step 5:
Now your wreath is almost done; You can add a personal touch by adorning it with paper flower, paper ribbons, buttons, or a written message.

..Giddy Giddy..

Project #97: Feed the Ducks

Feed the Ducks by Helen Bird from Curly Birds

Feeding ducks is such a simple activity that has been loved for generations – make the day extra special with a sweet ‘Feed the Ducks” bag.

What You’ll Need:
*Pre-made cotton bag (available at craft stores)
*Felt and contrasting fabric
*Fusible fabric paper (I used pellon)
*Iron
*Cardstock
*Pencil + Permanent Pen
*Scissors

Step 1:
Draw a simple picture of cute ducks – cut out the drawings to make a pattern
Step 2:
Using the directions, iron the fusible fabric paper on to the fabric
Step 3:
Put the pattern face-down on the attached fabric paper and draw around the design
Step 4:
ut out the fabric design and use the directions to adhere the fabric design to the bag
Step 5:
Use a permanent pen to add eyes to the ducks
Step 6:
Fill with bread and spend a fun afternoon outside.

 

.. Curly Birds

Project #96: Vellum Paper Mache Igloo

Vellum Paper Mache Igloo by Jennifer Kirk from Ambrosia Creative

With cooler weather coming upon us, I'm ready for some winter themed crafts with the boys. This project involves one of my favorite mediums, vellum paper. With its translucency, applications are almost endless and this project was an experiment to see if it would paper mache well. As a forewarning, this project is very messy, but my kids enjoyed the tactile experience of getting their hands dirty! So be prepared to make a bit of mess and to work on this project over the course of a couple of days.

What you'll need:
*All-purpose glue
*Glue gun
*Balloon
*Vellum paper torn into strips, various lengths
*Oatmeal canister wrapped in plastic wrap (optional)

Step 1:
Create paper mache glue by mixing entire contents of glue bottle (I used a 4oz bottle here) with 1/4 cup of water in a bowl. Set aside.
Step 2:
Stabilize inflated balloon in another bowl. Use a couple pieces of tape to make it extra secure. Draw outlines for the bottom of the igloo and for the doorway.
Step 3:
Dip strips into glue mixture, making sure to completely saturate paper. Slide off excess glue and lay strips over surface of the balloon. Try to keep to one layer -- makes for a quicker drying time -- and aim to have the pieces criss-cross and overlap. Optional step: If you're feeling ambitious, make a doorway to the igloo. For the mold, I used a round oatmeal canister wrapped in plastic wrap. Allow everything to dry until hard (I had to wait overnight).
Step 4:
Slowly deflate balloon. It will stick a little to the inside of the igloo, so do this step carefully!
Step 5:
Trim off the marker lines.
Step 6:
If you made the igloo doorway, attach using a glue gun and trim off any excess. While gluing, it helps to use a bowl again to hold the igloo steady.

I found a small string of battery-operated lights at the store that we used to illuminate the inside of the igloo which gave it that extra cool factor for the kids.

..Ambrosia Creative

Project #95: Creepy-Face-Changer for Halloween

DIY: Creepy-Face-Changer by Teri from Giddy Giddy

Here's a Halloween project that is both silly and creepy...if you like that sort of thing! Well, we sure do! We've made vampire faces, and gross zombie heads. But this was the "safest" to show you!
My daughters can't stop giggling over this.

Here are the instructions:

step 1.
Print out 2 copies of your child's portrait on cardstock paper. The higher the resolution and photo quality, the better.
step 2.
Cut face out of the background. this will serve as the front of this creepy face changer
step 3.
Cut out eyes as well as lower lip/chin with x-acto knife.
step 4.
Create the pull tab from cardstock/  in a shape of a T and in relative proportion to face.
step 5.
Align the top photo above the pull tab so that eyes appear in the correct place. Now tape chin to lower part of pull tab.
step 6.
Create the new eyes and mouth/teeth by drawing and coloring them directly on the tab.  We created these bugged out eyes and silly teeth using markers and colored pencils.
step 7.
Cut out a back piece that matches the shape of the head.
step 8.
Align pull tab between the front and back pieces so that eyes and mouth all line up. Now that you've sandwiched the tab in between, tape back and front together.
step 9.
Pull the tab to see face transform from cute to....whoa... creepy!

Enjoy Halloween!

..Giddy Giddy..

Project #94: Halloween Suncatchers

Halloween Suncatchers by Jennifer Kirk from Ambrosia Creative

With Halloween coming up in just a few weeks, the boys and I have wasted no time in starting some projects. Wanting to do make some decor more colorful than the standard black and orange, I turned to the Mexican holiday, Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, for inspiration.

What you'll need:
*Permanent Sharpie markers (for really small kids, you'll want to don aprons or 'work' clothes, or reserve this project for older kids!)
*Flat pieces of clear plastic cut out from food packaging/lids/containers
*Scissors, tape, and a few sheets of white paper

Step 1:
With black permanent marker, illustrate Halloween image onto a piece of plastic. ( Download Halloween Suncatchers)
Step 2:
Flipping the plastic around so that the marker side is facing down, tape plastic to a sheet of paper to protect your surface.
Step 3:
Color in the design.
Step 4:
Remove design from paper and cut out. Tape to window or glass doors so the sunlight can filter through.

My 6-year-old really loved this easy, colorful project and we both can't wait to add more characters to our Halloween crew!

..Ambrosia Creative

Project #93: Yarn Fonts

Yarn Font instructions by Teri from Giddy Giddy

 Here's a really easy project for font fanatics and craft lovers. Its so easy that children should be able to handle a single letter or shape just fine.  Now that we've tackled a few words, I think we'll start making longer messages like Happy Birthday or Have a Wonderful Day!

What you'll need..... The DIY is easy!
*All you need are yarn scraps and some pipecleaners.

step 1.  connect your pipe cleaners by twisting together and then shape your word.
step 2. Start tying yarn pieces around the pipe cleaner and then wrapping loosely several times til desired thickness is reached.
step 3. Once the pipe cleaner is covered in yarn, you can reshape the word or letter as it holds the shape even more firmly.

Have a great time!

.. Giddy Giddy..

Project #92: Making a Flower Press

Flower Press by Helen Bird from Curly Birds

Whether your first spring blooms are about to appear, or the late summer flowers are near their end, preserving your garden’s beauty can be a fun activity for any child. A home-made flower press is fun to make and can be used forever.

What you’ll need:
* 2 9x9” ply wood
* 4 1.5” ¼-20 screws
* 4 ¼-20 wing nuts
* Cardboard
* Tissue paper
* Drill
* Sandpaper
* Pencil with eraser
* Letter stamps (optional)

Step 1:
Cut 2 pieces of ply wood to 9”x9” (the kind folks at our hardware store did this for me)
Step 2:
Using a ¼” drill bit, drill 4 holes in one of the boards. Place this drilled board on top of the second board and drill through the made holes and through the next board.  As you complete a hole, screw the boards together – this will keep all the holes aligned.
Step 3:
Sand the wood to make sure there are no rough edges or splinters
Step 4:
To decorate the press, draw a circle in the middle of the top board. Using letter stamps, stamp a saying around the circle. (I stamped “PRESS ME A FLOWER”) Erase the pencil mark after the ink is dry.
Step 5:
Cut the cardboard and tissue paper to 5.5”x5.5” or fit in between the screws
Step 6:
Thread the screws through the bottom piece of wood and lay a piece of cardboard and tissue paper on top of the wood. Place the flowers on the press. (For best results, the flowers should not overlap of lay off the paper.)
Step 7:
Repeat cardboard and tissue paper layers until you have placed all of the flowers on the press.
Step 8:
Slide the top wood board onto the screws and tighten with the wing nuts.
Step 9:
Wait 2-3 weeks. And watch this space for a craft involving pressed flowers in the next 3 weeks!

..Curly Birds..
..Curly Birds etsy shop..

Project #91: Fun Paper Glasses

Fun Glasses by Teri from Giddy Giddy

My contribution this week is a simple afternoon activity: making paper eye-glasses or “fun-glasses” with kids. In our family, these are part of the costume bin.  The glasses alone canhelp transform us into little old ladies, crazy goons, movie-star, robots, etc.

What you'll need:
* 100 or higher cardstock paper that is atleast 13 inches wide
* color transparencies or clear plastic
* tape, scissors, glue & markers/paint
 
step 1.   
Measure face (temple to temple and also from temple to ear). Use measurements as guide when sketching eyeglass design on cardstock paper
step 2.   
Cut out and fold at corner temples.  
step 3.   
Decorate with paint, sequins, and also tape color transparencies for the shades/glass.

That's it. I hope you make outrageous and fantastic paper glasses!

.. Giddy Giddy..

All images by Teri, please link back to this url.

Project #90: Badminton heart

Badminton heart by Kristen Sutcliffe from New House Project

There are lots of these cool vintage-looking badminton racquets at my neighborhood thrift store, so I had the idea to make some wall decoration for my daughter's room.  I used many colors of embroidery thread that I already had at home.  You could make a simple image or your child's initial.  I chose to do a heart.

What you would need:
*various colors of embroidery thread
*wooden badminton racquet
*embroidery needle
*marker

Step 1:
Decide on your design and sketch it out.  Then use a permanent marker to mark your design onto the racquet.
Step 2:
Cut a yard or so of embroidery thread.
Step 3:
Tie the thread into a knot on the racquet.  Leave a two inch tail of thread so that you can tie the other end off when you are finished wrapping.
Step 4:
Continue wrapping thread onto the racquet until the area of your design is completely filled in.  Change colors of thread as often as you like.  A needle isn't completely necessary, but it made the job go more quickly for me.

..New House Project ..

Project #89: how to make retro postage stamps

How to make retro postage stamps by Teri from Giddy Giddy

I can still recall fondly,  playing post office when I was a kid. Now my own daughters have their own way of playing this game. There’s no more performated sheets of stamps that you had to tear off one at a time, and no more gummed backing that you had to lick.  I was feeling rather sentimental about the way things used to be, so we made a project out of making old-fashioned stamp sheets.

But actually,  this activity is also an excuse to have friends and family take turns contributing to a colorful and varied collage of artwork.

What you will need:
*Paper
*tracing wheel (sewing tool) (or sewing machine )
*Gluestick
*Markers and or colored pencils
*cork board


Here are the very simple instructions:

Step 1
Lightly fold paper to desired square or rectangular pattern. Remember to make the crease loose just for the purpose of making line guides.
Step 2
Cut rubber stamp block to match desired square pattern then apply blocks of color using light colored ink pad.
Step 3
Now get creative! Draw and color in mini picture on each of the colored blocks. Our entire family took turns filling up the page with our ideas.
Step 4
You can create perforation by placing paper on cork surface and applying pattern making wheel pulling straight while against a ruler. The cork surface is necessary to create clean puncture holds.(Another way is to run the paper through an unthreaded sewing machine.)
Step 5
To make gummed backing like those old fashioned stamps, apply glue stick generously to the back and let dry. When you are ready to use stamp, activate glue by applying water with finger or sponge. (glue not edible so its not for licking).
Step 6
Now play post office!



.. Giddy Giddy..

Project #88: No-Sew Twirlers

No-Sew Twirlers by Helen Bird from Curly Birds

Summer time is for dancing and twirling in the sun – how about No-Sew Twirlers to excite little feet?

Materials:
*2 Wooden ‘Os’ available from craft stores
*3 spools of ribbon
*Scissors

Step 1:
Cut all the ribbon into 53” strands.
Step 2:
Separate ribbon into 2 equal-ish piles.
Step 3:
Thread ribbon pile through a wooden O, tie at mid-way. Repeat for second ribbon pile and O.
Step 4:
Cut ribbon ends on an angle to stop fraying.
Step 5:
Twirl!

 

..Curly Birds..
..Curly Birds etsy shop..

Project #87: Toy chests

Toy chests by 101-Woonideeen

A play chest and toy in one... love it... if you would like to make one for your kids or perhaps get them involveld making one than follow these simple steps.

The materials you will need:
*4 boxes Pränt from Ikea
*A poplar plywood sheet 125 x 61 cm, 12 mm and silhouette plate.
*A poplar plywood sheet 125 x 61 cm, 9 mm and bottom plate
*water-based satin paint
*wood glue additional

Step 1
Download template 1 and template 2 of the two fronts
Step 2
Cut 2 bottoms of 56.5 × 60.5 cm in the thinnest plate.
Step 3
Saw 2 facades of 50 × 60.5 cm in the thickest plate. Look for the templates list on 101woonideeen.nl.
Step 4
Laquer the road and houses.
Step 5
Create a slit width of 1.5 cm in the bottom and attach it with the fron panels, using wood glue and screws.
Step 6
Place the boxes behind the houses. You can attach the boxes if you would like to...

..101-Woonideeen..

Styling/Design by Studio Gieke van Lon .. Images by Renee Frinking

Project #86: Button Matching Game

Button Matching Game by Kristen Sutcliffe from New House Project

My four-year-old daughter loves playing with the colorful buttons she finds in my desk, so I came up with a little game she could do with them.  This is a fun activity for preschool-aged children.

The materials you will need:
*A variety of colorful buttons
*Color photocopier
*Paper
*Pen or Marker

Step 1:
Place a variety of different color and size buttons face down on the copying plate of a color photocopier.  If you have a picture in mind that you want to make with the buttons you can arrange them accordingly.  I planned a simple flower picture, but you can do a train, robot, tree, etc.
Step 2:
Make a color photocopy of the buttons.
Step 3: 
Complete your picture with a pen or marker.
Step 4:
Place the buttons that you used to create your picture in a small dish.  Now your child is ready to play the matching game.
Step 5:
Play by placing the buttons from the dish onto the matching buttons in the picture.

..New House Project..

Project #85: CD Case fimo Labyrinth

CD Case Labyrinth by Teri from Giddy Giddy

My girls and I often draw mazes for each other. So when I was purging some old cd's, the idea came instantly to make 3- dimensional mazes.  I recalled those beautiful and large wooden labyrinth toys I've seen many times. This proved to be a  great project for adults and kids alike!
 
Materials needed:
*Fimo/sculpey bakeable clay
*Wax covered string called Bendaroos (found in craft stores)
*Recyled cd jewel cases
*Scissors & paper

step 1
Find a old unwanted CD case and remove the center CD holder.
step 2
Now you can take your bendaroos (wax covered strings) and cut and bend and create your maze The wax will stick to the plastic by pressing firmly.
step 3
You can then make tiny little round balls by rolling in your fingers. Then bake to harden. (follow instructions on the package)
step 4
I taped colored paper to back of the CD HOLDER.

 
Voila!
Super fun AND super easy. It’s a great project for kids to make themselves and then afterwards, to play with  their creations! It could be as easy or as challenging as you want. Use several balls in one maze to up the level of difficulty

.. Giddy Giddy..

Project #84: Hot Air Balloon

Hot Air Balloon by Helen Bird from Curly Birds

Although this craft only lasts a day, it is well worth doing – it provides HOURS of fun and is really quite magical. By using a really big balloon and adding a weight (or toy) to the basket you are able to control the balloon so it rises ever so slowly and always comes back down. Even a slight wind will make this balloon take off on an adventure…

What You’ll Need:
*36” helium-filled balloon – available from party supply stores or on-line
*Light basket
*Netted bag – often used to package produce like onions, avocados or oranges
*Ribbon – 5 yards
*Toy
*Scissors

Step 1:
Cut the handles off the basket.
Step 2:
Put the basket under your balloon. Anchor the balloon 6 or 7 inches above the basket by taping a string (tied to the balloon) to a table or floor.
Step 3:
Cut the netted bag to make as big of a rectangle as you can. Place on top of the balloon.
Step 4:
Thread the ribbon through a hole at the top of the basket and extend the ribbon to the nearest corner of the netting - tie to the netting. Repeat 5 more times to even distribute 6 lines around the balloon.
Step 5:
Experiment with light weight toys to see what weight balances the buoyancy of the balloon.  You want the toy to be just heavy enough to make the balloon come down ever so slowly. Tape the toy to the bottom of the basket.
Step 6:
Cut the balloon’s string close to the floor or table.
Step 7:
Rotate the balloon so the knot points up and is in the middle of the netting. Use the balloon’s string to attach the balloon to the netting.

Let the fun begin!!

..Curly Birds..
..Curly Birds etsy shop..

Project #83: Twirly Toy

Twirly Toy by Teri from Giddy Giddy

A little experimentation with wire, one of my favorite mediums,  had my children in awe. I've made a number of things for them, but this simple toy impresses them most because it is set in motion by a little nudge. This twirly toy is quite simple, but so magical for young kids to watch. I hope you and yours enjoy it as much as we did!

The materials you need are:
*wire (18 gauge is best but 19 gauge is easier for kids to work with because it is easier to bend)
*pencil
*wire cutter/plyers
*cork
*paper
(nail and hammer)

Step 1
Wrap wire around a pencil. Two inches around the pencil is sufficient.
Step 2
After you remove the spiral wire from the pencil, you can start to pull and stretch the wire so that each coil is about 1 cm apart. Although it is necessary to experiment with the distance in order to make it work for you.
Step 3
Cut  a piece of wire (approximately 3 1/2 inches long) and loop ends into small circles, then bend wire into a semicircle.
Step 4
Insert the spiral into the looped ends of the newly formed semi-circle.
Step 5
Insert one end of the spiral into a cork base. Tip: Create a pilot hole in cork with hammer and nail first.
Step 6
Now you can create a little character out of paper to twirl around the spiral. I also thought of monkeys, acrobats or spacemen for this project.  And then you use a glue gun to sandwich the semi-circle with your paper character.
Step 7
Bring the character to the very top, give it a little nudge and watch it twirl down!
Final tip: If character does not twirl down, slightly spread coils apart. If character slips down without twirling, slightly squeeze coils together

..Giddy Giddy..

Project #82: DIY dinosaurs fabric wall stickers

Fabric wall stickers by (me) Irene

My son loves dinosaurs and asked me several times whether he could stick stickers on the wall. I was not so excited about this idea so I searched the internet for a nice alternative. When I saw an example of wall stickers that I simply could iron on the wall, I knew that this was something for me. At the local quilt / embroidery shop, I found the steam-a-seam material, printed out two dinosaurs to use as templates and got some of favorite fabric: linen. I'm happy with the result, as it is perfectly solid and it looks like the real-deal to me...

The materials you will need:
* Steam-a-Seam (available in quilt shops, craft stores)
* Fabric
* Scissors
* Pencil
* Masking tape
* Iron

Step 1

Create your own image or use one of the many templates you can find on the Internet and print it out and cut it out on paper.

Step 2

To make sure that the image you like looks good on the wall use some masking tape and see if size is good.

Step 3

Place the fabric wrong side up and paste the adhesive side of the steam-a-seam material on the wrong side of fabric.

Step 4

Now place the picture with the wrong side of the steam-a-seam paper glued to the fabric. (The image is flipped to the right side forward on the wall to have.)

Step 5

Use a pencil to trace the image and cut it on the double layer of steam-a-seam and the fabric. Use a very sharp scissors to prevent fraying of the fabric.

Step 6

Place the images in the right direction on the wall and use masking tape again to hold it.

Step 7

Iron (without water) and set as the iron is hot, no steam function, gently iron over the image. You don't need to press too hard and not too long, it attaches very quickly. Of Course remove the masking tape during the ironing.

 

And that's all! You now have your own fabric Wall Stickers. I could easily take the stickers off again without damaging the wall. But for now I leave them, Lode really likes his new friends. (please note they can not be re-used)

 

..101 Woonideeen blog..

Project #81: DIY mini stamp collecting book

DIY mini stamp collecting book by Teri from Giddy Giddy

We needed a lovely display and storage solution for all the wonderful stamps we’ve been collecting. The criteria is something kid friendly and practical. But also beautiful and high quality enough that the collection can be passed down to my kids’ kids. After much experimentation, I have come up with an easy yet lovely mini book and wanted to share  the process with you.

The materials you will need:
*Cardstock paper
*2 paper maps
*Glassine envelopes
*Leather scrap
*White masking tape
*Rubber cement glue (acid free) ** It’s important that you do not use white glue as this will discolor the paper over time.
*Thin cord (leather, cotton or synthetic)
*Scissors or preferably a paper cutter.

Step 1:
Cut cardstock paper desired size.
For my example, I used 3 inches by 3 inches cardstock pages.
Step 2:
Cut map into long strips which will be used to cover the cardstock pages. 
I used a paper cutter cut 3 inch strips the entire length of the map.
Step 3:
Tape pages together using white masking tape.
Step 4:
Brush rubber cement onto cardstock and adhere precut map onto the pages.
Step 5:
Now you can glue the glassine envelopes on each page using rubber cement. I cut the envelopes to size and then oriented them so that the envelope opening is facing the center binding.
Step 6:
Using a leather scrap, I cut a little jacket for my book and sewed long strap onto it.
Step 7:
Attach the jacket by wrapping cord around the center and knotting on the exterior.

..Giddy Giddy..

Project #80: Play Money

Play Money by Helen Bird from Curly Birds

Kids will love playing shop, being the leaders of their own country, and learning numbers, with this set of personalized play money.

What You’ll Need:
*Digital photograph of your child
*Computer and Printer
*Iron-on transfers
*Stiffener (I used Pellon Décor Bond)
*Iron
*Light-colored material
*Thread
*Needle

Step 1:
Size your photograph and numbers to the appropriate size and print on iron-on transfer sheet.
Step 2:
Cut 2 pieces of material 6” x 2.25” per note. Cut stiffener to the same size and iron onto the bottom material piece.
Step 3:
Follow the iron-on package directions to apply the photograph and numbers to the material.
Step 4:
Sew decorations onto note - you can also use fabric markers or fabric paint.
Step 5:
Place the decorated note on top of the stiffener and serge or zig-zag the pieces together.

What does paper money look like in your country? These notes can be decorated in so many ways – the possibilities are endless!

..Curly Birds..

Project #79: Glass etching

Glass etching by Khali from Little. Lovely.

Like most families, we’re trying to live a greener life. One of our steps towards becoming more environmentally conscious is to limit the plastic we use. That means Hunter and Charlotte don’t use plastic drinking cups. To make plain glasses more interesting to little eyes, I created designs using a glass etching cream.  These cups have now become the favourites in our household.

You’ll need:
* Contact paper
* Glass etching cream (available from craft supply stores)
* Paint brush
* Pencil
* Scissors or craft knife
* Water

Step one:
Measure the circumference and height of your glass.
Step two:
Cut a piece of contact to be the length of the circumference and height of your glass.
Step three:
Draw a design  onto the piece of contact, keeping in mind it will be the mirror image when it is transferred to your glass.
Step four:
Cut out your designs with scissors or a craft knife.
Step five:
Peel the backing off your contact paper and attach it to your glass. An easy way to do this is to lay the contact on a flat surface, line up the glass on one edge and then roll the glass over the contact paper.
Step six: 
Apply a very thick coat of glass etching cream to the areas not covered by contact paper and leave to set. (Note: Most creams will suggest waiting five minutes before washing your surface. I found better results were achieved by leaving the cream on for substantially longer – at least half an hour.)
Step seven:
Rinse cream of glass surface, remove contact paper and wash glass thoroughly in soapy water before use.

.. Little. Lovely...

Project #78: Fashion paper dolls

Fashion paper dolls by Teri from Giddy Giddy

What You’ll Need:
*Card stock paper
*Recycled magazines
*Scissors or xacto knive

Step 1: 8x12 white card stock paper. (60 pound to 90 pound paper works just fine) Fold paper in half.

Step 2: Draw the silhouette of a fully dressed doll/girl on 1/2 of the paper. The idea is to create a dress that is large enough to serve as a blank canvas. (paper dolls samples)

Step 3: Now using xacto knife (or scissors) cut out the dress, legs,  shoes and even hair.

Step 4: Next, find patterns and colors in a magazine that can then be chopped into squares, rectangles and strips. ( Fashion magazines and photography magazines are a great source for interesting patterns. )

Step 5: Now experiment and start to arrange the bits of paper inside your new DIY fashion plate and see what incredible fashion ideas you can create!

..Giddy Giddy blog..
..Giddy Giddy..

Project #77: Story Dice

Story Dice by Helen Bird from Curly Birds

Once upon a time…roll these dice and create a story based on the pretty pictures that you see.

What You’ll Need:
*Pretty Card and Paper (stickers, stamps if preferred)
*Pen
*Glue and brush
*Scissors
*Ruler

Step 1: To construct a cube, draw 6 squares (2”x2”) in a cross formation on the reverse side of cardstock. Include tabs for fitting the cube together.

Step 2: Cut out the cube, and on the reverse side of cardstock score all the internal lines.

Step 3: Using pretty paper, draw and cut out simple story subjects. Glue onto the cube. If preferred, use stickers, stamps, or magazine pictures for the images.

Step 4: Glue the cube together.

Step 5: Roll the dice and unite the pictures into a story.

..Curly Birds..

 

Project #76: The Long-Reach Gizmo

The Long-Reach Gizmo by Teri from Giddy Giddy

This is a fairly easy project with household materials.  And little engineers can get hands on experience with the concept of leverage and fulcrum...have fun.

What you will need:
*Cardboard
*Brads
*Scissors or x-acto knife
*Paint

Step one:
I cut cardboard into 8”x2” strips and poked 3 holes in each strip.  For hole placements, put one in the center and the other 2 on each outer side.
Step two:
To spark ideas for how to transform our extendable arm into something fantastic, we started brainstorming toothy animal, robotic arm, and animal claws.
Step three:
We ultimately turned our “gizmo” into a crocodile and an angler fish by re-fashioning the upper and lower strips into the animal’s head. To do this, I sketched the upper and lower jaws on paper and cut them out first.

I had to refine the design until the upper jaw and lower jaw fit together nicely when you pivot the two pieces from the center fulcrum. The final drawing of the animal’s head was traced onto cardboard and then cut with the x-acto knife.
Step four:
Next, I painted on both sides of the cardboard.  Finally, I assembled “x” shapes together and fastened each cardboard strip with metal brads.

..Giddy Giddy blog..
..Giddy Giddy..