If you tend to look down when you walk around the block, you’ve probably noticed the hipster invasion of studded sneakers like these. What you might not know is how easy as heck they are to make!

Click over to Ebay to read the full tutorial for these gold-i-licious sneakers that I made!

A simpler July 4th decoration has never existed before this one. No paint, no wet glue = no drying time! Glue dots are my savior for tons of crafts with kids and last minutes decorations for parties.

What you need:

• red, blue, and natural popsicle sticks (in multiples of five)
• glue dots
• thin string
• scissors

1. Cut a long piece of string—the length you want you final garland to be.
2. Stick a glue dot to one end of a popsicle stick and slip it under the string, a few inches from one end.
3. Stick another popsicle stick on top of that to seal the string in between the two. Then keep forming a star by using glue dots in between the ends of the sticks to create the classic five-point star. (You may need a glue dot or two in the middle of sticks where they cross for extra security.)
4. Hang it up. And party on!

This project from my first book Project Kid was born out of two memories/bits of info. Curious? Read on.

Just want to make them? Scroll down for the how-to!

1. I used to work at a sleep-away camp, and we had a game called Hula Baloola, and the tag line was, where everyone’s a winner! So I made these decorative award ribbons with no number, no place, and no gold, silver, or bronze affiliation. They make a great gift for a mother’s day gift where you can write a name, add a heart, etc.
2. I had a t-shirt that had a screen print of a 2nd place ribbon in the top left shoulder area, where a name tag would go. When people asked me why it was a 2nd place ribbon and not 1st, I’d say because you took home first place. Cheesy? Sort of.

And now for what you really care about…

What you’ll need:

• Drink-bottle caps
• Cotton balls
• Solid fabric
• Hot-glue gun
• Glitter glue (available at Michaels Stores)
• Grosgrain ribbon
• Scissors
• Pin backs
• Tacky glue

1. For each badge, glue cotton balls into the recessed part of a drink bottle cap. Glue three to four in a larger cap, and two to three in a smaller one.
2. Cut a circle of fabric large enough to wrap around the bottle top, lay the top in the center of the fabric, cotton-ball side down, and glue the fabric to the back (top) of the cap.
3. Decorate the front of the cap with glitter glue in any pattern.
4. Cut a 3- to 4-inch piece of ribbon, fold it in half to form an upside-down V, and glue the fold to the back of the cap. Glue a pin back just above the ribbon. Wear it proudly.

What do you get when you mix rope, duct tape, and a bamboo spoon? Snakes, obviously! These little guys appeared in FamilyFun magazine a few months ago…click this link to learn some other cool animal crafts to make with rope!

What you’ll need:

• duct tape
• 1/4″ sisal rope
• floral wire
• bamboo spoon
• black marker

1. Have your child stick two 8-inch strips of colored duct tape (we used two different colors for each snake) onto parchment paper. Using scissors, cut them each into 12 1/2-inch strips.

2. Cut a 42-inch piece of 1/4-inch sisal rope into 3 equalpieces. Gather them together and sandwich a 14-inch piece of floral wire inside the bundle of rope. Peel a strip of duct tape off the parchment paper and wrap it around the middle of the rope and wire, then wrap 2 strips in the other color on either side. Repeat as desired along the whole length of the body.

3. Cut off all but 1/2 inch of the handle of a bamboo spoon. Tuck the end inside the ropes, secure with tacky glue, then wrap with duct tape. Use a marker to draw eyes onto the back of the spoon. Fold a strip of duct tape in half lengthwise, and trim to 1/4-inch wide. Cut a V for the forked tongue, then tape to the inside of the spoon.

4. Secure the snake by wrapping an 8-inch piece of tape around the end of the rope bundle.

When Ebay.com asked me to come up with on-trend sneaker decorations, I knew a cactus pair of shoes had to be made. These desert dwellers are popping up in all manner of DIY, home decor, and fashion, so I was determined to figure out a quick and easy way for kids to design their own sassy succulents…finger-stamping!

What You Need:

• White canvas sneakers
• Newspaper
• Green ink pads, suitable for fabric
• Fabric markers
• Green fabric paint and paintbrush (optional)