As you likely know, the August 21st solar eclipse is fast approaching! (Read more about the rarity in this post!) If your town has sold out of eclipse viewing glasses and Amazon doesn’t have time to deliver them, grab a cereal box, tape, and aluminum foil and make your own pinhole viewer!

Watch the video to see how easy it is to make your own!

This is a monumentally important celestial occurrence, but make sure you explain to your kids that they must NOT look directly at the sun. It is extremely damaging and must be taken seriously.

What you need:

• Cereal box
• Aluminum foil
• Safety pin
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Black Masking tape
• 1 sheet white paper
• Glue stick
• 3 to 4 sheets black construction paper
• Wax paper
• 2 colors of dot stickers  (I used 1 1/2-inch)
• Washi tape

How to make it:

1. Trace the bottom of your box on white paper, cut out and use a glue stick to attach to the inside bottom of box
2. Cut off the two short tabs on the open end. Then, cut the ends of the long tabs to form two squares, approximately 2 inches wide.
3. Tape aluminum foil over one of the openings and cut off excess.
4. Use the safety pin to make a small hole in the center of the foil square. (You can also use a thumbtack, straight pin, or sewing needle.)

To decorate:

1. Trace the all sides of the box and top center section onto black construction paper and cut out. Set these aside.
2. Lay out eight red dot stickers and 1 blue in a 3×3 grid on a sheet of wax paper with the blue one in the center. Following the diagram below, layer blue stickers on top of the red to create phases of the eclipse. Cut off the excess from the blue sticker to create one circle for each phase. For the center blue sticker, just trim circumference by about 1/8-inch and center on top of a red sticker.
3. Transfer stickers to construction paper on box in the same grid and you’re done!

Using the viewer:

1. Bring your viewer outside and stand with the sun behind you. Aim the viewer so that the sun shines on the aluminum foil and the pinhole.
2. Look through the viewer to adjust the box until you can see a clear circle of light – NEVER LOOK AT THE SUN DIRECTLY, it is extremely dangerous and can cause serious eye damage.
3. When the eclipse begins you will see the spot of light begin to have the shadow of the moon move across.

It just occurred to me that way before these fidget spinners were all the rage, I had already invented a miniature (and wearable) version of one. (I’m not NOT taking credit here…)

I made this craft for the SKY chapter of my second book, Project Kid: Crafts that Go as a propeller ring, but when I was scrolling through pics just recently, I realized that yes, indeed, I “invented” the fidget spinner in jewelry form. Back pat, back pat.

To make your own, you’ll need the template and just a few basic items. Here’s the how-to…

• Propeller template

• Scissors

• Shrinky Dinks paper

• Markers or colored pencils

• 1⁄4-inch hole punch

• 24-gauge wire

• Wire cutters

• Needle-nose pliers

• 1 small bead

• E-6000 glue

1. Download and print the propeller template. Cut it out and trace it onto the Shrinky Dinks paper. Color the propeller and cut it out. Punch a hole in the center.
2. Bake in the oven according to package directions. Let cool.
3. Have an adult cut a 4-inch piece of wire with wire cutters and twist it around the child’s finger, using needle-nose pliers to hold the end of the wire while wrapping. (Don’t twist too tight; you want to be able to slip the ring on and off.) Leave a .-inch twisted point.
4. Slip the propeller on top of the wire point, and then have an adult glue the bead onto the wire point with E-6000 glue. Let dry, about 20 minutes. Have an adult trim any excess wire.

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Excerpted from Project Kid: Crafts that Go! by Amanda Kingloff (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2016. Photographs by Alexandra Grablewski.

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It’s always hard to say goodbye to summer but back to school shopping definitely makes the transition a little easier. As crafters we are suckers for fun supplies and there have never been as many cute options as there are now. To save you from the overwhelming number of choices, we’ve scoured all the best sites to bring you our favorite pieces. We won’t judge if you save a few for yourself.

1. Forget about initials, this cotton backpack from omy is completely customizable. 2D coloring is so last year.

2. Let your kids make a statement with these retro pennant patches from Meri Meri.

3. No lying necessary to make this Pinnochio’s nose grow. You can get your own storybook sharpener from Monkey Business.

4. What better way to hold your pencils than in a giant pencil? Meta in the best way. Via Amazon

5.  Let your kids get crafty by making their own DIY erasers with this cool kit from Creatibles.

6. Sandwiches will be safe in this ZIPIT lunchbox whose hard shell will prevent smushing, (and sharp teeth will prevent stealing).

7. Not only is this composition book from Yoobi super cheery, but for every Yoobi item bought, another item will be donated to a U.S. classroom in need. Win win.

8. Your kids are guaranteed to keep track of their pencils when they’re personalized. We may need a Project Kid set or two.  Personalized pencils from Lillian Vernon.

9. Cheeky snack boxes from Flying Tiger are sure to be spark lunch table chatter.

10. Help your kids get in the habit of hydrating with these pink and teal water bottles from Target.

11. Keep your kids’ library in its place with these adorable book ends from the Land of Nod.

12. Make sure all their supplies find their way back home with personal stickers. Minted has tons of adorable options that are all dishwasher, microwave, and washing machine safe!

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You know when you work on something so intensely and then it takes a year to come out so you have to hold onto images for fear of giving it all away too soon?

I’m so excited to show you this awesome Klutz book I worked on called, Make Mini Pinatas! I’ve styled Klutz books before, but this was the first one that I developed from its inception, crafted the projects, and worked with the super-talented Klutz team to source all of the materials for the kit.

Klutz makes such a great product—a craft book with the materials included—that makes the perfect birthday gift. It’s so satisfying for parents to be able to buy something that requires no additional materials.

Here are some of my favorite photos, but seriously, you have to get the book to see how easy it is to make these!

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As a New Yorker without a backyard, there’s no such thing as too many house (er apartment) plants. Greenery automatically gives a room good energy, but why stop there? Add a few extra smiles to your space by crafting planters with personality. All you need are a couple of household supplies you probably already have on hand – maybe even trying to get rid of. That half empty can of chartreuse spray paint that you never found another use for may be the perfect shade for a silly face. 

What you’ll need:

• Empty cans of various sizes (depending on your plants and/or canned food preferences)
• Spray paint
• Colored Duct Tape
• Parchment or wax paper
• Scissors

1. Take off the label and clean out the can. (Use a hammer and nail to make three holes on the bottom for drainage if you are not planting succulents like I did!)
2. Spray-paint your can(s). Let dry. 
3. Adhere tape strips to parchment paper to make cutting the features easier. 
4. Create your funny face planter by sticking features onto the can!