Glove Monster Crafts

November 15, 2016
Animals, Everyday Crafts, Upcycled, Winter

dragon puppet easy craft for kids

Before you know it, it’s going to be glove season, and if you’re like me, you dig and you dig and you dig to find a matching set from years’ past, only to come up one glove short.

Don’t throw the glove away…no, no no. It’s the perfect base for many-a-craft. Think turkey for Thanksgiving, 5-legged octopus, or a monster puppet like these—obviously.

Here are the instructions for the Daring Dragon, and you can head over to Ebay to find the how-to’s for the other two! (Or just invent your own!)

monster glove puppet craft

 

What you’ll need:

Materials:

Knit Gloves

 

  • Buttons
  • Rhinestones
  • Beads
  • Ribbons
  • Trims
  • Googly Eyes
  • Pipe Cleaners
  • Tacky Glue
  • Cotton Batting
  • Dowels
  • Scissors

1. Cut a pipe cleaner in half and put one half in the thumb and the other half in the index finger.

2. Except for the pinky finger, stuff the rest of the glove, including the thumb and index finger.

3. Fold and glue the pinky to the back, then glue five pointy beads onto the index finger and thumb as the teeth.

4. Cut pink yarn and glue in front of the teeth as the lips.

5. Glue on small gems and a white and black pompom eye.

6. Cut a paper straw into 1-inch segment at an angle.

7. Glue the angled edges together to create spikes. Then glue them to the “back” of the dragon.

8. Stick dowel up into the batting and glue to seal.


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Clothespin Angel Craft

November 15, 2016
Christmas, Decor, Early Elementary, Grown-Up, Holidays, Older Elementary

angel fairy christmas crafts for kids

I could live with these sweet angels on my mantle all year round.

You can also use different color boas and felt to make these into sweet fairies, sans halo of course!

What you’ll need:

  • •Clothespin
  • •Black and red markers
  • •White yarn
  • •White boa
  • •White pipe cleaners
  • •Scissors
  • •White felt
  • •1” wood doll head/knob
  • •Tacky glue

Make It!

  1. 1. Paint hair onto the wooden doll head and let dry.
  2. 2. Color the bottom 1/2-inch of the clothespin black to make the feet.
  3. 3. Wrap the clothespin with white yarn to make the body. Tie a knot in the back.
  4. 4.  and glue a short piece of the boa around to make the angel’s tutu.
  5. 5. Fold felt in half and cut a 1”-wide half-heart shape; when it’s unfolded it will look like wings. Glue a half of the pipe cleaner in between the back of the clothespin and the heart.
  6. 6. Draw eyes and mouth on, then push head onto the closed end of the clothespin.
  7. 7. Make a little loop with the other half of the pipe cleaner, bend the straight end down, and glue to the back of the head as a halo.


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Embroidery Projects for Kids

November 8, 2016
Everyday Crafts, Gifts, Wall Decor, Yarn & Fabric

embroidery for kids

I was born into a family of stitchers, on both sides. My father’s mother was an extremely skilled needle pointer, my mother’s mother excelled in knitting, but also did embroidery and crewel work, and my mom knit through most of my childhood but has now perfected her needlepointing skills. She is so good that even the backs of her canvases could be framed!

When Family Fun magazine asked me to develop a three-tiered embroidery craft, I got so excited to see if the skill trickled down to my generation. The verdict is still out…I may still be at level 2, but I had so much fun with these! If you’re looking for a satisfying and easy craft for kids, this is it!

embroidery projects for kids beginner


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Leaf Crafts We Love

November 3, 2016
Animals, Decor, DIY Home, Everyday Crafts, Fall, Holidays, Nature, Thanksgiving, Toddler, Wall Decor

lovely painted leaves from the fall

This weekend I am heading upstate for a little R&R, some marshmallow roasting, and, of course, leaf peeping! Every year that we attempt to peep we miss it by a few weeks, but I think, judging by the leaves in our neighborhood, we might hit it right on those nose.

I wanted to get right down into the crafts on the spot, so I combed the web for inspiration…and why not share it with you? (Featured image via.) 

leaf alphabet

1. I love the idea of hunting for leaves that can be collaged into little pictures. Natacha Birds created the full alphabet in leaf pictures and they are so beyond gorgeous. And they are in French which adds to the beauty!

leaf fall vehicles

2. How simple and amazing are these leaf vehicles by The Art Room Plant? These are so special I would press them behind glass and save them! (If your kid is into vehicles, you should check out my new book, Project Kid: Crafts that Go!)

painted leaf fall mobile

3. How lovely are these dangling beauties from Hello Wonderful? I love the watercolor effect on them. She painted the fronts and backs and strung them up into a lovely mobile.

fall leaf craft hedgehog

4. Have you ever seen anything as darling as this cute little leaf and woodgrain hedgehog? Image via.

diy clay imprint leaf dish

5. You can use the leaf shape for to create these lovely catchalls from DesignSponge. (Great DIY holiday gift!)

animal painted leaves

6. Put eyes on them, and leaves can turn into vibrant bugs and critters! Image via My Owl Barn.

leaf collages

7. These whimsical leaf vignettes, paired with black cut-out silhouettes, had me at hello. Found via.


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