If you attended summer camp at any point in the last 50 years, chances are you learned to make a god’s eye. Whether you used twigs, dowels, or popsicle sticks, the classic craft was the right blend of simple yet time consuming – perfect for keeping kids occupied and giving counselors a breather. Kids this summer are just as likely to be weaving a god’s eye as you were at their age. There’s definitely something to be said for a craft with such staying power!
Time travel isn’t the only magic that’s been attributed to god’s eyes. The objects were first made in Mexico during the 15th century by the Huichol people who used them for prayer and protection. Though today the craft’s wooden cross is sometimes associated with Christianity, the Huichol focused their worship on nature and the earth. The four points represented the elements and the hole left at the center of the weaving served as a portal to the spirit world (Sol Mexico News). Often the charms were made when a child was born and added to each year to help ensure a life of health and happiness. In a mysterious world full of uncertainty, they provided knowledge and understanding.
In the late 1960’s, god’s eyes were adopted by the counter culture movement on the West Coast. Gigantic versions of the weavings showed up at rallies and gatherings during the Summer of Love such as the Be-In in 1967 pictured below. (Refinery29)
Though it’s hard to find any information about the craft first being adopted in summer camps, it fits right in with the era’s other woven wall hanging trends such as macrame. It’s still possible to purchase tutorials from the time, like this book found on Etsy, ‘The Advanced Creative Ojo Book’.
Though they may be groovy, god’s eyes are also super graphic, which stops them from feeling stuck in the 70s. Crafters and artists have continued to reinvent them in all different sizes, starting small and working up to wall worthy. Below are some examples of our favorites.
Toothpicks and embroidery floss are the tools needed to make the craft charm sized. A bracelet full of these would be so fun! (via Concien cia Concentrica )
These layered beauties from blogger Honestly WTF are used as present toppers but are gift worthy all by themselves.
Aunt Peaches adds pom poms to cover one of the most colorful Christmas trees we’ve ever seen – she calls it granny chic.
Trading pom poms for tassels is another way to up the trendiness! (via Pinterest)
Mixing a variety of sizes and colors makes a show stopping wall collection. (via ClaireabelleMakes)
Hobby Craft blog moves off the wall and into the air allowing for a 360 degree view of a craft that truly looks good from all angles.
Pae White‘s installations aren’t made of god’s eyes but are certainly inspired by them. Her silkscreened versions float like falling leaves. Wouldn’t you love to walk through them?
There are some projects that are immediate wins, and others that make you, or the people around you, scratch your head a bit.
When I was writing Project Kid: Crafts that Go! I named the chapters after where transportation takes place…City, Country, Water, Space, Sky, etc. And for many of the chapters I crafted projects that related to these locations rather than the vehicles themselves. So for Sky, I thought…okay, clouds, sun, rainbow. Sure. Makes sense to include.
But once the book was laid out, my editor didn’t think this project really fit. I didn’t argue because I knew it would appear here one day. I still love the idea…so I’m sharing it with you today!
1.To make the sun, stretch the fabric tautly in the embroidery hoop. Trim excess fabric and glue-dot the edges to the inside of the hoop.
2. To create the cloud, you first need to make five large pom-poms. To make each pom-pom, wrap yarn approximately fifty times around an object about 3 inches wide (like a smartphone). Cut the bundle from the skein, slip it off of the object, then cut and tie a 6-inch piece of yarn tightly around the bundle. Snip through all loops until a pom-pom is formed. Give it a haircut to trim up the messy yarn. Repeat to make four more pom-poms.
3. Cut a 20-inch piece of yarn and thread it in a zigzag fashion through the center of all five pom-poms, stacking two pom-poms on top of the other three. Use safety pins to attach the cloud to the sun, making sure to grab the joining yarn in the pin.
4. To make the rainbow strands, cut three 12-to-18-inch pieces of fishing line. Cut about sixty 3/4-by-2-inch rectangles from all colors of felt—cut an even number of each color. Lay a row of felt rectangles, spaced 1/2 inch to 1 inch apart, on your work surface in rainbow order and add a glue dot in the center of each rectangle. Lay fishing line over the glue dots and sandwich it with another rectangle of the same color. Tie the ends of the rainbow strands to the joining yarn stitched within the cloud pom-poms.
Barbecues, popsicles, fireworks…yes, July 4th is nearly here! Whether you are marching in a parade or just running through the sprinklers in your backyard, it’s a day to hang out with friends and family and celebrate summer.
Here’s a quick little noisemaker craft that will get the kids in the spirit! This project is easy enough that kids’ can make it on their own or with little supervision. You can also use these noisemakers for other holidays…think green for St. Patrick’s day, red and pink for Valentine’s day, or multi-colored for a DIY Purim grogger!
At Project Kid we spend so much time thinking of meaningful ways to spend time with kids—creative ways, playful ways…collecting and inventing activities that will help your kids see the world with bigger eyes and more possibility. We love this challenge and we love inspiring families to unplug and create.
But there is always something in the back of my mind that tells me that I need to infuse the real challenges of our world as parents and as global citizens into this conversation. And it’s not just the fact that there are billions of kids without a fancy set of markers and a stocked craft closet, because frankly, you can exercise your imagination with rocks, string, and scrap newspaper. But rather, it’s about the families, both old and young, that are struggling on a wide spectrum of issues. The far right end of that spectrum is the current situation at our Southern borders—families who are coming into our country seeking asylum from gang violence, abuse, and sex slavery who are being met with more division, an extreme lack of empathy, and frankly, soullessness.
There is so much to read and so much confusion on what our best course of action should be—I feel this close to flying down to Texas to parade separated children in front of detained parents. But that is clearly not happening. I found this article on Cup of Jo to be clear and concise, with great actionable items for ways to help. (There’s a follow-up article here since Trump’s executive order to stop the separation of families.)
I know I am not changing the world with this post, nor am I carrying a child on my hip, helping him find his parents at a Walmart detention center. But I’m recognizing that KIDS are our PROJECTS…families are works in progress and we are all responsible for one another. Life can feel really overwhelming…health, money stress, relationships and school worries are real and can loom large when they are hovering in your life. But, as the voice behind Project Kid, if I don’t take the time to join in on these conversations, then the fun stuff—the crafts, parties and beauty—feel meaningless and empty.
I’ve felt nervous to tackle these topics here because I’m not a reporter and I know the trolls of the cyber world can be cruel, but I hope as I start to talk more about bigger issues—and I swear they won’t all be political—I hope you will join in on the conversation with advice for my audience and also for me.
Dads do their best to be role models year round, so this Sunday give them a free pass to satisfy their sweet tooth with a homemade treat. Whether Dad is a candy fan or prefers pasties, we’ve collected ten ideas that will disappear faster than you can post pictures. Sharing sets a good example, but we wouldn’t blame him if he were tempted to keep these sweets to himself.
1. Fitting Dad’s birthday candles may be a tough squeeze these days but a cake of any size will support Oh Happy Day‘s twizzler topper, above. Let Dad have his cake and eat it too.
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It’s early, Dad hasn’t had his coffee yet, but if you spell out your love in pop tarts, he’ll be sure to get the message! Whether you fill these home made pastries with fruit or Nutella, they’re guaranteed to be 100 times tastier than a card. (via Studio DIY)
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Another festive way to make your feelings clear, frost these rad dad cookies from Tell Love and Party. Use your V cookie cutter upside down for a modern typeface designy dads will appreciate.
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For a slightly subtler way to show you care, whip up these delicious vanilla waffles that will secretly give Pops his protein. Lovely Indeed includes vanilla protein powder and superfood chocolate, but Dad will be too busy licking his plate to notice.
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Paper and Stitch‘s maple bacon popcorn donuts take a little time but they’re well worth the effort. With maple glaze and bacon baked into the dough, after a bite of these Dad may swear off Dunkin Donuts for good.
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Dad’s always ahead of the curve right? At least let him think that by serving him the trendy food mash up of funnel cake ice cream sandwiches. My Recipes makes suggestions but leaves the true innovation of ice cream/candy combo up to you!
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Make dad’s his childhood wishes come true with a massive chipwich. Two rolls of cookie dough, a tub of ice cream, and some chocolate chips (plus freezer space) are all you need to construct this larger than life ice cream dream. (via Delish)
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Another treat that screams summer without the heat is this upside down s’mores cake from Good Housekeeping. The king of campfire desserts might be willing to share his crown once he gets a taste of this cake.
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Reward your Pops with a lollipop award. Though the sweet will soon disappear, he can hang his ribbon proudly for all to see. The House that Lars Built shares the how-to.
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And finally, father’s day wouldn’t be father’s day without a pun, or 12. If dad’s on a roll, ketchup to him with these tricky treats. He’ll be sure to relish Handmade Charlotte‘s hot dog eclairs and hamburger cream puffs.
If you had to guess what’s on someone’s mind, how would you break it into seven categories? That’s what the 19th century study of Phrenology was—the belief that different areas of the brain controlled different character traits, thoughts, and emotions. Over the years, this belief has been debunked, but you may recognize famous posters like this one that hold a certain kitschy appeal.
For this last-minute Father’s Day craft, let the kids predict what is on Daddy’s mind with this super-fast craft that uses father-phrenology-project-kid-fill and self-adhesive laminating sheets that allow you to use dry-erase markers. Since daddy’s mind changes day to day, you can easily erase a section and change it!
Say “Happy Father’s Day” and give the gift of helping Dad make up his mind!
Print out the free template and lave the kids color in the “head space.” The pdf has a fillable field at the top to add his name.
Laminate the front and back and trim around the edges.
Glue the corners of the phrenology chart to the felt.
Glue the dowels to the top and bottom edge.
Tie twine or string to the top edges of the dowel and knot or glue to secure.
(Optional) To give it that old-school science poster feel, glue a piece twine tied to the wooden ring to the bottom. You can also use a key ring if you don’t have a wood ring handy.
Golf, neckties, BBQ, and fishing. You know what those four things have in common. Someone once decided that all fathers around the country are represented by these categories. While I love a good rib and some kicked-back fly fishing, I kind of refuse to make this holiday, and the DIY gifts, all about these cliches.
What it’s really about is kids, love, and the appreciation of the men in their lives. With some help from our friends at Kid Made Modern, we made these very simple photo holders, using materials from the Metal Mash-Up Craft Kit and some stones from the backyard.
Set it up with some of your favorite photos and leave it on his desk or bookshelf, or switch out the inserts from time to time with notes, homemade coupons, or new photos.
1. Cut out 2 semi-circles and a triangle, about 1 1/2-inches tall, from the adhesive-backed metallic paper. The semi-circles are upper-case Ds and the triangle is the A…all to spell DAD! Set these aside.
2. Cut a 12-inch piece of wire and wrap it 2 to 3 times around the rock. Twist the end tightly to secure. Use a pencil to make a small coil at the opposite end.
3. Trace the Ds and A onto scrap paper. Peel off the backing of the adhesive-backed metallic paper and adhere it to the wire. Use the scrap paper letters to help hold the letters onto the wire by sticking them on the back.
4. Insert notes or photos into the small coils and surprise dad with a beautiful display next to his Sunday morning coffee!
This post was sponsored by the always fabulous Kid Made Modern.
I think we can all agree that the best Mother’s Day gift is the handmade kind (or a professional massage). I love writing about Mom’s Day craft projects because, if you didn’t know, I’m a mom. And there is SO much beyond the macaroni necklace in the craft space these days. Of course I will wear anything and hang anything proudly, but we can’t keep it all. Eventually I snap a pic and the object either goes to recycling or, if it’s super sweet and my nostalgia gets the best of me, it gets put in a drawer to look at when my kids are heartless teenagers.
So basically, Moms, I have your back. That’s all I’m saying here. And I think we can all agree that a painted basket purse throwing it back to the 1960’s would make the cut.
This basket comes from the brand-spanking-new Paint-a-Picnic Craft Kit by Kid Made Modern. The kit comes with a wooden picnic basket, wooden picnic food, paint, brushes, glitter, and a sweet gingham bandana to use as a picnic blanket. The sweetest sentiment about this project is that you can literally share this with your kids. You can carry it to a springtime barbecue and they can use it to play picnic on the floor of your living room.
We added one special twist to this basket that makes it so right for moms everywhere…a place to put a flower. Because honestly, who doesn’t want to carry a fresh flower on their handbag?
1. Paint your basket. We took a photo of the basket and printed it out so we could try out different designs. Once your basket is painted, you can stop here and be done or keep going to step 2.
2. Paint your beads or use ones in the color that you need. Hot-glue them onto the basket following your pattern (a grown-up should most definitely do this).
3. Dip an eraser in paint and add polka dots if desired!
4. Add some colorful tape stripes to an upcycled plastic bead or button tube and hot glue to the side of the basket as the vase.
This post was sponsored by the always fabulous Kid Made Modern.
This post was sponsored by Tobacco Free New York State as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. All opinions expressed in my post are my own.
Nothing warms my heart more than when my healthy, active kids, now 6 and 7 years old, ask “what’s that awful smell?” when referring to cigarette smoke. My super-smeller son Oliver, who can smell a fresh chocolate-chip cookie baking from a mile away, is especially sensitive to it.
As a child of the 80’s, smoking was so normal to me and candy cigarettes were a common site in the candy aisle of our favorite stores. (We used to love to puff away at them, blowing out the powdered sugar like smoke.) Even though I knew tobacco was unhealthy and my parents said not to do it, there were so many people in my life that actually did—uncles, aunts, cousins, my parents’ friends, and even our babysitter! So I grew up with a curiosity about it more than a revulsion to it. (Full disclosure…I smoked from high school and into my twenties.) But my kids have never seen anyone that that they know with a cigarette in his or her hand, and rarely see smoking in our health-conscious Brooklyn neighborhood.
When I read that the average age of a new smoker in New York is 13, and that 11.9% of high school students in the state of New York smoke, I immediately assume, well not my kids. But that kind of thinking is so naive, as I’m sure my parents thought the same exact thing. Tobacco companies spend so much effort specifically focusing on how to market to kids and how to get kids to take notice of their products with bright colors and compelling imagery. How crazy is it that 52% of pharmacies—retail operations that are considered healthcare facilities—continue to sell cigarettes behind the counter?
It’s so, so, so important to talk to your kids about the dangers of smoking early—at age 5, they can understand what it means to be unhealthy, so start the conversation now!
Take action and sign the Seen Enough Tobacco pledge to make New York a healthier place to live, work, and play.
Mother’s Day is just around the corner, May 13th, and at Project Kid we are obviously fans of handmade gifts! But while moms will always love anything their child makes for them, some things are more, er, loveable than others. Rather than presents that will only take up space, we’ve collected ideas for fun and functional crafts. For all the dads out there who want to help their kids make something that mom will not only love but use too, this post’s for you.
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When jewelry is stashed away, it’s easy to forget it exists! Kids can help form and decorate clay dishes to keep mom’s trinkets in sight and organized. Follow directions from the Project Kid blog to craft a colorful set, like the one above.
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Bouquets are beautiful but house plants will last long after mother’s day. These tiny clay cones from Frankie will add cheer to whichever corner they’re hung in.
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For the mom who loves flowers too much to leave them behind, turn the above vase idea into a mini-vase necklace! She’ll smell sweetness everywhere she goes. Via Hello Wonderful
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Dish duty should be shared by all, but when it’s mom’s turn, make it a little more enjoyable with this cute cactus print tea towel from SAY YES. The secret stamping tool is fingerling potatoes on solid white tea towels! A printed scarf could be a cute option too, don’t you think?
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Another way to bring brightness to the kitchen is by color-blocking cooking utensils. Mom will surely smile when using a painted set, like these from Earnest Home Co, which couldn’t be easier to craft.
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Little STEM experts will have as much fun making these speakers as mom will have using them. Your kids will be amazed when you show them how cardboard and cups can amplify sound, then let them personalize with paint to add patterns and colors mom will love. Follow instructions from Pink Stripey Socks.
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Moms who are shutterbugs deserve a camera strap as stylish as they are. The House That Lars Built shares instructions for swapping the standard strap with a scarf. For double DIY points, try stamping a plain scarf – perhaps with a cactus pattern?
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Protect mom’s favorite sunglasses from scratches with this soft case from I SPY DIY. Beginning sewers can practice their blanket stitch around the sweet shape which will show mom love every time she uses it.
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Cut out the chemicals and make mom a custom scent with DIY perfume. Flowers, water and essential oil will look as pretty as they smell in clear bottles with handmade tags. Via Hello Wonderful
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Even moms who are bad at taking “me time”, will slow down to use a DIY bath soak. The Kitchy Kitchen shares recipes for Soothing Lavender Oatmeal and Rosy Coconut Sea Salt Soaks, which both work as natural exfoliants.
(image credit: Lawrence Ferlinghetti)
