I'm stealing this one from the strong start program....
Black And Bright Art

Using black construction paper let your child draw onto it with bright coloured PASTELS , these are super easy for your child to work with, Mr. K is 15 months old and had a blast scribbling on the black paper...
Bright blues and Yellows and white pastels showed up the best. and if you want to keep this beautiful work of art archival and not get all smudgy , simply spray the paper with either hair spray or clear spray paint, they also make an art spray for chorale drawing this can be found at craft stores, but the hair spray works just as well and its much less expensive...

So I was "organizing" my scrapbook stuff, I was trying to get rid of stuff and I am unable to.. I have a slight "hoarder" syndrome when it comes o scrapbook and craft stuff... I might need it... you never know...
But i came across some cool stuff that I honestly havent seen in years... now all I need to do is actually print some photos... mr. K's year two scrap book is updated and scrapbooked to his 1st birthday .... 4 months ago... so I need to print out some pics...
I also realized that I need to take more family pictures.... I guess mr K has taken all the camera's focus... :)

Im also hoping to post some pictures on my blog... so stay tunned for that... :)

I am excited to have a venue to share my crafty knowlege.. I'm hoping to go through some of my art idea's and add more things .. but thus far Im having fun :)

Baby Memory Blankes....

Ok, once we have kids they acquire alot of stuff, clothing is one of those things that I keep, I look at each item and say.. " ohh I remember him wearing this"
Once we are done having Babies I'm going to make a memory blanket for Mr. K ... The material I will use is his BABY CLOTHES.... cut a square out of either heavy card stock or even a plastic lid... use this as your template, then place the square over the item you want to put into the blanket, you can get any where from 2-4 squares per item depending on the size of the item... if there is a design on the item and would like to have it be a part of the blanket make sure to center it before cutting , you will want to leave a 1 inch seam allowance around the image...
then once all of your squares have been cut out, sew them together... then once you have your blanket at the desired shape and size , line it with some quilting batting and then attach the back and sew it in place... if your a quilter you can do a more detailed quilt but if not a patch work quilt can be just as nice..
you can also use items with zippers and buttons and snaps just be sure to either line the square with another piece of fabric or sew them shut....if you leave them so they can be zipped or unbuttoned this can also be a learning tool...

(Please note the image above is one not made by me but rather another crafty mommy... I just borrowed her image till I'm able to post one of my own...)

lots of baby food Jars.....

So for some reason I keep baby food jars and now that my little man is no longer eating food from them I have amassed a larger box of baby food jars. Actually I keep any small jar I love it when the label comes off easily and if they have a unique shape I get even more excited....Anyhoo here are some Idea's of what to do with your baby food or small jars....

Pin cushion storage jar

What you will need ...
1.) kitchen sponge
2.)scrap fabric
3.)elastic band
4.) ribbon
5.) baby food jar
6.) glue

simply cut out shape of jar lid and glue it down to the top of the lid then place scrap fabric over top of lid and sponge then using an elastic band to secure the fabric , trim extra fabric away, then place ribbon around the base of lid secure ribbon with a dab of glue... then fill jar with buttons or sewing needles and enjoy...



Jar Storage ...
If you have a shop or a craft space or a garage this is a cool out of the way small item storage idea...

you will need....
*a 1X4 board or piece of wood
*several clean de-labeled baby food jars
*several 1/2 inch screws
*a screwdriver
* 4 1inch screws

*take the lids off of your jars, space them out along your board with about a 1&1/2 inch space between each jar
*using the shorter screws screw lids to the board , with the flat side of lid against the board
*then attach the board to the underside of a shelf or onto a wall with the longer screws
* then you can fill your jars with just about anything and simply screw the jars into their lids

and there you have it an out of the way baby food jar storage idea...
things to store in little baby food jars...
*sewing pins and needles
*beads
*nails and screws
*buttons
*ribbons
*sewing machine extra feet
*stickers
*small scrapbook supplies
*fortune cookie notes... ( I keep these for scrapbooking and other crafting things)

You can use larger jars like spaghetti jars if you have a larger space or want to store larger items... just use 2-4 screws to attach each lid for larger jars.


Craft Jar idea's

Recycle a baby food jar into a candy container.

What you'll need:

• Baby food jar and lid, washed, rinsed, and dried
• fabric scrap
• Low temp glue gun
• Pinking shears
• Yogurt lid (or similar size)
• Pen
• coloured paint markers or acrylic paint
  
• Candy

How to make it:

1. Use the paint markers to draw on a few hearts on the side of the jar. You may wish to add a TO/FROM on the jar itself as well. Let dry.
2. If creating the fabric covered lid, then trace around the yogurt lid on the wrong side of the fabric. Cut out with pinking shears.
3. Center the fabric, wrong side down, on the middle of the jar lid. Glue in place on the top and in places on the side of the lid.
4. If creating the painted lid, then paint with pink paint. Let dry. Paint red heart on lid. Let dry.
5. Fill the jar with candy or small cookies.
6. Fasten the lid on the jar.

Votive Candle holder
using a small jar decorate the out side with paint, glitter, stickers ...what ever you like and pop in a votive candle and tah dah you have a decorative candle holder...

Add a sparkling glow to any holiday by making a sparkling votive candleholder. Kids can transform a baby food jar into the perfect gift, with a few simple crafting supplies.

What you'll need:

• Gold sparkle glue (or other colors)
• Wax paper
• Baby food jar
• Votive Candle

How to make it:

1. Tear off some wax paper and lay on work surface.
2. Squirt a good amount of sparkle glue on the wax paper.
3. Roll the baby food jar in the sparkle glue.
4. Set upright on a clean area of the wax paper to dry.
5. Add a votive candle and give as a gift for your mother or someone else special to you.

(sparkle glue can be either store bought or made at home.... home made version... equal parts glitter to clear drying glue...mix and have fun can be pre-made and stored in an air tight container)

Snow globes

What you'll need:

• Baby food jars (medium or large) or any other type of jar with a lid
• Florist clay (can be found at any craft supply store)
• Small figurine (see “Choosing your figurine” under “Helpful Hints”)
• White and/or silver glitter or fake snow
• Hot glue gun or aquarium sealing glue (hot glue is less expensive)
• Ribbon or felt (optional)
• Garland plastic greenery (see “Getting your greenery” under “Helpful hints”)

How to make it:

1. Wash and dry your jar completely, including the lid.
2. Attach figurine to inside of jar lid using florist clay. If you are using a small object, it's a good idea to build up the clay so the object will appear taller. To preview, simply place empty jar over the top of your figurine to see if you have the height where you want it. Attach any optional items with the clay (greenery, berries, etc.). Important: Use your imagination, but make sure whatever you use is waterproof and won't dissolve.
3. Fill jar with water to within 1/2 inch (1 cm) of top. Use cold water, warm water tends to cloud. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of glitter, or “ snow” into water. This measurement is based on a medium to large baby food jar. Adjust glitter amount according to your size jar.
4. Using hot glue gun, line inside of lid with glue. Insert figurine in water and screw on lid.
5. Dab lid dry if any water dripped or spilled. Apply a layer of hot glue around the rim of the lid to seal shut.
6. Let stand and dry overnight -- lid side up.
7. Decorating the lid rim is optional, and there are several ways to do it. Attach decorative ribbon with glue, use plastic holly berries for a holiday feel, or use colored felt as we have. This can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. Use white or craft glue to run a squiggly line around the felt then sprinkle with glitter and let dry. Glue on buttons, use stickers, or personalize your globe by writing your name in glue and sprinkling with glitter. You may also paint the lid rather than use ribbon or other embellishments. The possibilities are endless so have fun!

With the snow globes if you add a couple drops of liquid glycerin (available at drugstores) your glitter will not clump.

Keep your globe secure. Make sure the objects are secure in the clay, you could even glue them for added security.

Choose your figurine wisely. Choose a figurine made of a material that will not dissolve or deteriorate in water over time. Cake toppers, small ornaments with the hanger removed, miniature toys and dolls are all possibilities.

Easy-to-find greenery. You will only need small pieces so look for stems in the floral department that are on sale or inexpensive. You can also trim pieces from silk and plastic greenery, or you can even fashion your own small trees out of chenille stems. Another option is to use tiny plastic pine trees found in toy train and car sets.

Glitter tips. Before gluing or sealing the lid, make sure you have sufficient amount of glitter. Depending on the size of the jar, you may need more or less. Be careful! Too much glitter will completely obscure your figurine.

Add color and pizzazz. To make a more elaborate snow globe, add tiny objects to “ float” in the water, use a drop of colored oil to create a swirling effect or use food coloring in the water. Or, instead of using just white or just silver glitter, mix the two colored glitters. Silver tends to fall faster, the white floats more. Putting them together creates a fun effect. These are just some ideas to help you create your one-of-a-kind snow globe. Use your imagination and have fun.

Choose a theme . Make your snow globe for any occasion or theme such as Halloween, birthday, sports, holiday, Victorian and beach (seashells). You can also make two and give one away as a gift.

Save your felt scraps. This craft is a perfect example of utilizing small felt pieces that were left over from other projects so remember to save those scraps.

Spooky Jars....

For Halloween this year I saved about 30 little jars of different sizes and shapes and filled them with all sorts of "witches brewing" items... they were used as display and to be honest I was very proud of them, I covered the ops of the jars with scrap fabric, tied some scraggly yarn around the neck and attached a label of what concoction was inside the jar...
what was on display???.....
Dragon scales.... dried potatoes from a scalloped potato's in a box
Ogar Toe nails... dried apricots
Mummy skin.... Water , two drops of brown food colour and some cheese cloth
powdered fairy wings... glitter mixed with some salt
powdered neut ... green powdered bath salt
Viper Blood... Tabasco sauce.. used the same jar to...

you can pretty much do what ever you like if you want to use it again next year I highly suggest using dried things or liquids in tightly lidded jars, and keep in a dark cool place , dont use products that require refrigeration.

not as messy as it could be...

Press and Paint
this is a great and some what tidy way of finger painting , Place your paper down onto a cookie sheet or deep baking pan, then squirt a few shots of colour then cover with a piece of saran wrap or even a plastic grocery bag, then let your child push and move the paint around... then when your done pull up the saran wrap and you will be left with a cool abstract painting, if the saran wrap is fairly smooth you can leave it in place it will just take a little longer to dry...

Pudding Painting
this is a fun finger painting exercise for kids who have a tendency to eat the paint.. you can use brushes or just fingers.. you can also add a few drops of food colour to vanilla pudding if your after a little more colour...
this teaches motor skills and its a good messy time with easy and yummy clean up..


PAPER FLOWERS

Make these flowers from your toddler's handprint (on paper) and stapled it to a straw

You will need :
* Any plain coloured papers or construction papers
* Pencil
* scissors
* Green pipe cleaners (or straws)
* Tape or glue
*stapler

Trace your toddler's hand on the coloured or construction paper and cut the tracing out. Curl each of the fingers around a pencil. Then, using the palm of the handprint, form a cone (with the fingers curling outwards). Glue or tape the cone together.

Staple the flower to a pipe cleaner or a drinking straw. On a green construction paper, draw some leaves, then cut them out. Staple or tape the leaves to the straw.

You can make an entire bouquet of flowers from this toddler craft for a great gift.Grand parents love these...

Fine art with toddlers.....

So I love to paint and draw and hoped to pass this along to my son, Crayola makes some cool toddler markers and they work.. we like the giant triangle markers the best Mr. K can hold and scribble to his hearts content....
BUT.. getting to sit down and colour in one spot is a challenge so I figured out a way to make him sit still and draw... I put him in his high chair and tape down a piece of paper to the tray on his high chair , and give him some crayons and WASHABLE markers.. and he goes to town... I've tried this with some of Mr. K's friends and it works well...
I also have made a scrap book that I keep all of his works of art in.. its simple just an old three ringed binder and I tape his masterpieces in it... I make sure to date it with his name and age ... I try to do one art project for this book a week....

Running with glitter

with prompting from my friends and family I've decided to write a blog about one of my favorite things... CRAFTING


I'm mostly writing this blog so I have one place with all of my crafting finds and idea's... so this blog may be a little disorganized it will be more of a list of things to do with your kids and how to make things and such.. I will also post links to site and idea's for crafty things.. Please feel free to add idea's or comments or ask questions....
ohh and Mr. K is my son... born Sept 30th 2008

here is cool way to start off my blog... did you know you can dye macaroni???
well you can ,its great for "bead" projects or to use as glued on decorations....

Things You'll Need:

* Assorted Macaroni and Pasta Shapes
* Large Zip Top Freezer Bags
* Food Colouring
* Rubbing Alcohol
* Wax Paper
* You and Your Child's Creativity!

How To Dye Pasta For Crafts

Step 1

Fill a freezer bags with assorted shapes and sizes of macaroni so that you have a good variety in each bag. Put down newspapers or table cloth to avoid any stray messes.

Step 2

Pick out the colors you want to dye your macaroni shapes.

Step 3

Add about a teaspoon of rubbing alcohol to each bag of macaroni and several drops of food coloring desired to each bag depending on how much pasta you are looking to dye. then add in the pasta Make sure the bag is securely closed and shake so that the coloring and alcohol sufficiently cover all of your macaroni.

Step 4

Make sure that the macaroni is sufficiently covered to your satisfaction and let the bags sit closed for about fifteen minutes. This will allow the dye to soak into the pasta further and make deeper richer colors.

Step 5

Lay out the newly dyed pasta in a dry kid and pet safe" area for your macaroni to dry overnight. Use large sheets of wax paper on cookie sheets and shake out the pasta to dry, dispersing large groups so that you have some breathing room between pieces. I like to do this in a well ventilated area The alcohol will evaporate overnight leaving just the neat colored pasta that you can use for crafts, decoration, I like to use ribbon and make necklaces and bracelets out of them so fun and creative....


using regular food dye is great and remember if you need more than the basic colours.....
red and blue makes purple
blue and yellow makes green
yellow and red makes orange

Here are several different Home made edible soft play dough recipes

Cooked Playdough

you will need...

3 cups flour
1.5 cups salt
6 tsp cream of tarter
3 tbsp oil
3 cups water

1. Dissolve salt in the water.
2. Pour all ingredients into a large pot.
3. Stir constantly over medium heat until a ball forms by pulling away from the sides.
4. Knead the dough mixture until the texture matches playdough (1-2 minutes).

Store in plastic container. Should last for at least 3 months.

NOTE: This recipe is made from edible ingredients and not toxic in small amounts for children. However, a dog got sick after eating a batch of play dough. It is not intended as a food item. Please be sure to put it away after your children have finished playing.

Cooked Playdough (baking soda and corn starch)

1 cup baking soda
1/2 cup corn starch
3/4 cup water

Have your child mix the baking soda and corn starch in a pot. Use hands to make sure all the lumps are broken up. Add water. The adult should put the pan on the stove over medium heat and stir constantly. As soon as the mixture gathers together, remove from the heat. When it cools, have your child knead it into a smooth playdough.

Note: Don't over cook this playdough or it will crumble when the children use it.

Alternative Recipe for childrens playdough

2 cup cornstarch
2 cup baking soda
1 1/4 cup cold water

Gradually add water till smooth. Heat, stirring constantly until mashed potato consistency. Turn onto plate, cover with damp cloth, let cool. Knead dough.

Uncooked Playdough (salt and flour)

1/4 cup salt
1 cup flour
1/4 cup water

Have your child mix the flour and salt in a bowl then add water. Knead and squeeze the dough to make a clay consistency. You may need to add more water.

Note: Your child will find that this playdough doesn't last as long as the cooked recipes.

Kool-Aid Play Dough

The children will love the smell of this playdough!

2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups boiling water
2 packages unsweetened Kool-Aid

Mix dry ingredients. Add oil and water. Wearing gloves, knead for 10 minutes. Store in zip lock bag in refrigerator.

Notes:

1. Your hands may smell of the Kool-Aid flavor even with gloves.
2. Kool-Aid is a powdered drink mix sold in North America. Parents just add sugar and water to make the drink. The powder has both flavoring and color which makes it great for this craft.

Milk Jug bath toy.....

Using a clean plastic milk jug cut an opening at the top so you can easily scoop water, be sure to keep the handle intact.... using a hole punch you can fold the plastic just and punch hols in it... if the jug is stiff run it under hot water for a bit then dry it off and punch your holes...
This can also be used as bath tub toy storage when the bath is done...


Bottle shakers...
using clear water bottles , clean and remove labels , fill with just about anything....
water and glitter
rice
white baking flower and a pack or two of cool-aid
popcorn seeds
oil and coloured water... this gives a lava lamp like effect
to secure the lid use either hot glue or super glue.. then decorate the lid with ribbons or even coloured duct tape

Mr. K likes the song "shake it" and its also a great song to sing with Friends an learn how to share..

"shake it (baby or child's name) shake it, shake it like you can.. shake it like a milk shake and pass it to a friend....."


MAKE YOUR OWN TAMBOURINE

Teach your child how to make music from this toddler craft.

You will need :
* 2 paper plates
* Stapler
* Beans or rice
* Paint
* Stickers
* Ribbon

Take two paper plates and staple them together putting beans or rice in the middle. Let the child paint or glue or put stickers and ribbon on the outside making their own tambourine.