Potato Stamps

No need to throw out those old potatos any longer (unless your planting them of course). why not let your kids finish them off by turning them into fun stamps that can be disposed of afterwards (composted as well)

What you will need:

• Potatos (each potato will create 2 stamps)
• you can cut them to make 2 small stamps or 2 long stamps your call
• Knife
• please have a parent help you with this
• Pen/Marker
• to trace pattern to potato
• Paint/stamp medium/anything else you can use

To Start wash and clean your potatos throughly, you don't want any fibres in your paint later.

Cut each potato in half. Make the cut as clean as possible, since any nicks in the cut now will be apparent when you stamp it later.

Draw or trace the design you want as your stamp onto the potato. Keep in mind that you are going to have to cut the outline.

Cut around the shape you just drew or traced. You only need to cut down about a 1/4" or so, no more.

Slice from the side of the potato about a quarter of an inch deep towards your shape. Be careful to stop when the extra piece of potato is loose. Do not cut through your shape. You shape should protrude out from the rest of the potato. This can also give you a negative or your pattern, if you cut carefully.

Pour Medium into a shallow dish.

Dip the potato stamp into the medium and then press against whatever it is that you want to make a print on; Shirt, paper, wood, ect.

Reuse the stamps with different colors of paint after rinsing them under water and drying off completely

 

Easter Wobble Eggs

Who says easter eggs need to be made out of eggs? This is a simple craft for all ages and can be decorated with unlimited materials, just use your imagination.

What you will need:

• Plastic Eggs

• Clay - one small ball per egg

• Tape - or - glue (if you prefer)
• Something to decorate with
• We used stickers

To start you need to open your pastic egg so that you can insert the clay onto the bottom piece.  This will allow your egg to wobble.

Once you have inserted the clay into the bottom piece of the egg, attach the top and tape closed.

Thats it! all you need to do is decorate.

There are many applications that this Wobble Egg can be used for and various finishes you can apply to it, use your imagination to create anything you want!

Happy Crafting All

Paper Roll Binoculars

This is so far my daughters favorite craft we did.  She has spent more time playing with these than ANYTHING else we've done. My little explorer.

What you will need:

• 1 Paper towel roll - or - 2 Toilet paper rolls

• Construction Paper
• Glue (liquid or stick)
• Stickers to decorate with
• 2 Elastics

If you are using a paper towel roll, you will need to cut this in half.

Take the construction paper you want to use and cover the backin glue.

Take one of the rolls and wrap the paper around it.  I folded the ends into the roll to clean up the edges.

Grab 2 thin strips of paper to glue around the rolls; this will give it extra support but also make it look cooler. Place some glue on one of the seams of the rolls and stick the 2 rolls together. than wrap and glue the 2 strips around these. Once all glued place the elastics around the unit until it drys.

 When everything is dry remove the elastics and cover in stickers.

I have a young child so a string on this isn't preferable for us, but if your child is older feel free to attach a piece.

Happy Crafting All

Pipe Cleaner Rings

I have based this one off of a flower, but you can make anything you can imagine.  Please contact me for help if you need it.

What you will need:

• Multiple pieces of pipe cleaners - I used 4 full and 1/2 pieces

• Finger that piece will be worn on

Take the main colour pipe cleaner (White); should be a min. of 3 pieces for a flower, and twist together (loosely).

Twist around finger, again loosely as it will tighten as you go. fray out the ends once on your finger.

Take one end and tightly twist into a circle; this creates a petal

Repeat to all the ends

You can now pinch the petals to form a more petal like shape; though this is not required.

Now for the center of the flower. Take the 1/2 piece of pipe cleaner (yellow) and attach it to the ring on the bottom. To do this insert the end where you twisted the white pieces than twist the 1/2 piece to intertwine.

Push through the center and create another circle (tightly).

Take the last piece of pipe cleaner (green) and fold in half. unfold and twist center to the underside of the petal so that it doesn't loosen.  Once done twist each end into a circle and pinch into your leaves.

 Once everything is in the right placement (whatever you desire) its time to try your ring on!

Clay Spoon Bugs

You will need some air drying clay for this project, but it is dirt cheap. i picked up a huge bucket for 10$ at micheals, and i had a 40% off coupon so i only spent 6$ on it. so keep an eye out.  You could also use modelling clay or other materials but Air Drying Clay will give you the best results.

This is a 2 stage project, so you will need something else to do once stage one of this is complete. maybe you can make a whole group of bugs to work with.

What you will need:

• Air Drying Clay; or other material
• Q-tips; each tip makes 2 legs so use as many as you want legs.
• plastic spoon

Take your plastic spoon and a ball of Clay and mold the clay to form on the spoon.

Grab your Q-tips (which have been cut in half to make 2 legs) and insert them into the stomach part of the bug.

If there is anything else you want to insert now is the time to do so, once the clay is dry you will have to glue anything else you want on.

Now set aside and allow to dry - This can take up to 2 days but generally will be dry in a day (i say 2 in case you make a VERY large bug)

 Once your bug friend has dried it is time for you to make them beautiful. you can use any colouring material you like, we used paint.

Set them aside once finished decorating and allow them to fully dry before playing with them.

Happy Crafting All

Popsicle Stick - Bookmarks

My daughter LOVES for me to read to her, but every great book needs something to save your pages.  This easy craft can be made in about 10 mins if you don't have much time.

What you will need:

2 Popsicle Sticks - large or small; it doesn't matter

Glue Stick

Tape

Construction Paper - various colors

• you can also use crayons, markers and paint if you have more time.

So to start, put some glue on the end of one of the popsicle sticks (about 1/2" to 1" down), than place second popsicle stick ontop of that.  For extra support, place a peice of tape around the top of the two sticks to help hold it together.

Now its time for your topper! you can make absolutly anything to place on top for your bookmark. Draw, cutout and assemble your topper so that you can connect it to your popsicle sticks.

Glue topper onto popsicle sticks.

Now find a book and try it out.

Nice, simple and fast.  ENJOY!

Please remember to send me your images

Felt Flower

This one is great for all ages (even for adults), you can add as much or as little to this craft as you like, and it is something you can go back to time and time again.

If your child is to young to use scissors, than an adult will need to cut out the flower shapes for them; i would suggest cutting out 4 or 5 different flower shapes so that the child can atleast pick which one they would like to use for their first flower. Otherwise just keep an eye on them while cutting, felt can be tricky.

What you will need:

Various colours of felt; you can use as many different colours as you want, but you need a minimum of 2 colours.

Liquid glue

Pipecleaner; green is standard for flowers but not required.

Exrta pieces; small objects to attached to the flower, bugs, jewels, ect.

So the first thing you will need to do is create your flower; cut out a small square from your flower colour felt.

Fold this piece of felt into half, than half again; this will allow you to cut your flower pettals and make them somewhat symetrical.

You can cut out as many pettals that you want or as little, its your flower!

Cut a VERY tiny hole in the center of your flower; this will be where we insert the pipecleaner.

Poke your pipecleaner through the hole

Once you pull the pipecleaner through, bend and twist the end and flatten it so that it will not pull through the hole you made AND so that it will not stick up once you put the center on your flower. 

After that, place a glob of liquid glue in the center of the flower (or if your my child all over the place, LOVE IT) and place the center of your flower; a small circle cut out of the second colour of felt.










Fold remaining pipecleaner in half and twist, this will make your flower stem more stable, though this step is not required if you desire a long stem flower.

Now your basic flower is done; well once you let it dry it will be.

But feel free to do more to this:

Add glue to pettals, and sprinkle with sparkles

Make and add leaves

Add multiple layers of pettals or center

Add little characters to your flower

Don't forget to send me some of your images to be posted!