Handmade Bandaids for Teddy Bears and Stuffed Animals

by Lois Breneman - Heart to Heart

Every Teddy bear and stuffed animal has "pretend" scrapes and boo-boos every now and then.  A sweet little gift or surprise for your young child would be to make a few simple Bandaids for them.  These bandaids will help your child to express compassion as they care for their stuffed animals.

Supplies to make a Bandaid:
Beige felt or fleece
White felt or fleece
White Velcro tape (sticky side only)
Needle and thread (or sewing machine)

1. Directions (Follow the photo above as you do the following:)
2. Cut beige felt in the shape of a large Bandaid -- 2 to 3" long.
3. Cut a square of white felt and sew around the edges in the center of the beige felt Bandaid.
4. Cut two small pieces of the sticky side of Velcro and sew them on each end of the Bandaid.

An older child could make Bandaids as a craft to give to a younger sibling or younger friend or relative.  It's commendable to teach your children to make some of their gifts and this is a perfect example.

Check out many more handmade gift ideas in the topics on the right sidebar of this blog as well as under the Christmas tab at the top.

Easy Origami

Compliments of Red Ted Art

Paper Box with Lid

Colorful Toy Spinners 

Easy Origami Paper Fan

Easy Origami Boomerang (Kirigami Paper Toy)

Easy Paper Tulip Origami 
 
Easy Melon Corner Bookmark
 
Easy Butterfly Corner Bookmark

Easy Penguin Corner Bookmark 

Easy Panda Corner Bookmark

Easy Fox Corner Bookmark

Easy Paper Heart Corner Bookmark (Kirigami)

Easy Origami Paper Cups


Paper Origami Hearts

Seashell Utensil & Napkin Holder

Provided by Free Kids Crafts http://www.freekidscrafts.com/seashell-utensil-and-napkin-holder/ This Seashell Utensil and Napkin Holder is a perfect and useful decoration for your beach themed party. It is pretty and a recycling project too. Supplies: Small Seashells Sand Clean, Dry Quart and Pint Food Containers with Lids Tacky Glue Low Temp Glue Gun Instructions: Spread a thin layer of tacky glue around the bottom half of the food container. Roll in sand. Shake off extra. Let dry. Hot glue the lid to the bottom of the container to create a small rim around the bottom. Hot glue seashells all around. Use pint size container to hold napkins and quart size to hold plastic utensils. This project was created by Terri, Betty, Jamie or one of the talented staff members at MakingFriends.com. They have been created exclusively for publication on FreeKidsCrafts.com with supplies you'll be able to find around your house.

No-Sew T-Shirt Pillow Covers

Note from Lois:
     This is not only a great quick and easy no-sew project for adults, but for children as well - even boys!  Who doesn't like to tie knots?  It's a perfect weekend project to do together!        
     Repurpose a favorite T-shirt or transform a tired old pillow you already have.  Or purchase a pillow form at JoAnn Fabrics!  Not only will a T-shirt work for this project, but fleece would be perfect as well.
     If you do sew and have an embroidery machine, a large embroidered motif sewn on a new T-shirt or fleece would be beautiful, transformed into a beautiful pillow!
     Why not teach your children how to make their own gifts? Either a T-shirt pillow or a plain or embroidered fleece pillow would make a great gift for teachers and friends when your children attend birthday!

 To see a video of instructions from Tip Hero:
http://tiphero.com/pillow-covers-without-sewing/

 


Spring cleaning also means it’s time to clean out your old spring wardrobe, too! If you have a stack of old t-shirts that you’ve decided need to go, we encourage you to donate any and all clothes that you no longer want – but what about that t-shirt with the hole in the armpit or the tear at the collar? You can’t donate those! Don’t worry, you don’t necessarily have to throw those t-shirts away. With this fun, simple craft you can turn those t-shirts into adorable pillowcases in a snap! And guess what? You don’t even have to do any sewing. Magic. Watch the video below to see how you can accomplish this simple DIY.

If you’re a novice crafter and you’re a bit worried about sewing, this is a perfect DIY for you! You’re still upcycling the fabric and making it into something cute for your home, but with no need for a needle and thread. If the t-shirt you’re transforming doesn’t match your decor or if it’s a color or pattern you know a friend would like, this is such a thoughtful, customized gift for a housewarming or birthday!

Let’s break down the steps of this DIY:
STEP 1:
Place the pillow in the center of the t-shirt, where your middle section would be, and cut around the pillow. Make sure to leave a few inches of fabric on all sides.
STEP 2:
Cut frayed edges around the two pieces of cut fabric.
STEP 3:
Put one piece of t-shirt fabric under the pillow and one on top.
STEP 4:
Knot the frayed edges of the top and bottom fabrics all the way around.

And just like that, you have a fun, clean-looking pillow case to display in your home! And you did it all yourself, you crafty person, you!

Owls - A Toilet Paper Tube Craft

by Lois Breneman - Heart to Heart - 2016

 

There are so many cute crafts that can be made with empty toilet paper tubes, so you might want to save them for crafts with your children or grandchildren.

Tape a piece of craft paper (plain or designed) around the toilet paper tube.  

Fold, score, and bend down the top to form the ears.

Cut out feathers with paper and glue only the top section.  Start at the bottom to glue on the feathers, overlapping as you go up to the top.

Glue on the nose in orange, yellow, or brown.

Glue on large googly eyes.

Glue on contrasting wings, tucking them just under the eyes while the glue is still wet.

For more detailed directions, go here.

Dragonfly Craft

by Lois Breneman - Heart to Heart - 2016

This was a fun craft to do with my two grandsons, ages 5 and 8.

First twigs were collected that could be used as the body and antenna for the dragonfly, then maple tree "helicopter" seed pods were collected for the wings (two large and two smaller wings).

The four wings for each dragonfly were painted and allowed to dry before gluing them to the twig with a glue gun. 

For more photos, go here.

"I Spy" Mat

A cute craft for parents and grandparents to do with children!  This looks easy and would be a great idea for traveling with kiddos. 

 /www.icanteachmychild.com/2010/12
/easy-gift-for-kids-i-spy-mat.html 

 Thanks to Barb Campbell in Mississippi for this tip!

Tissue Paper Sunflower

http://www.freekidscrafts.com/tissue-paper-sunflower/   This sunny Tissue Paper Sunflower was designed by the FreeKidsCrafts Team to bring sunshine into your room. Supplies White Cardstock or Heavyweight Paper Yellow Tissue Paper Black Sunflower Seeds or black tissue paper Tacky glue Scissors Newspaper Paper Plate Instructions Click on Printables and print out Sunflower Pattern.  Cut out and place on newspaper. Cut Yellow Tissue Paper into small squares and crumple up. Put small quantity of tacky glue on paper plate and dip crumpled tissue paper into it.  Place glue side down on yellow leaves of sunflower until all the leave are covered.  Spread tacky glue on black portion of sunflower and cover with sunflower seeds. If you do not have sunflower seeds, use crumpled black tissue paper.  Make a whole bouquet to brighten your bulletinboard or room.

Egg Carton American Flag Craft for Kids

To find this and more Independence Day crafts, check out the All Free Kids Crafts site which encourages sharing. http://www.allfreekidscrafts.com/Kids-4th-of-July-Crafts/Egg-Carton-American-Flag
Egg Carton American Flag Craft for Kids

If your family eats a lot of eggs save those big egg carton boxes! There are so many craft ideas to make with them such as this American Flag. It's a fun art project for the kids to make on Memorial Day or the 4th of July!

Materials Needed:

• 18 count egg carton
• Red, white, and blue paint
• White paper
• Scissors/ Paintbrush

Start by painting the 4 egg carton cups in the left corner blue. Then have the kids paint red stripes in all the "crevasses." After the red paint dries, grab some white paint and cover the tops.  Have the kids free-draw 4 stars and cut them out (just flip them over to cover the pencil marks). Glue them to the blue part of the flag and you're done! Add some ribbon on top to hang it up if you want.

A Delightful Dragonfly

http://www.filthwizardry.com/2012/10/autumn-woodland-treasure-sculpture.html

Please be sure to check the link above to see a delightful and beautiful dragonfly in turquoise and green!   It is made from maple tree "helicopter" seeds and twigs.  

It appeared in Family Fun magazine recently and Shanti Nordholt gets the credit for this idea.  Here's the link for the originals:

http://www.parents.com/fun/arts-crafts/kid/nature-inspired-crafts-ideas-for-kids/

Outside with Kids: 15 Ways to Play with Nature

Wonderful and fun ideas for spending time with your children!
These can also be saved on Pinterest!

http://on.apttherapy.com/3ruzRX

Previous image  Next image

Flower Stained Glass Window: Artful Parent

I don't know about you, but Fall is one of my favorite times of year. My kids and I get outside more than ever: I love the cooler temperatures and the fact that we don't have to worry as much about constantly slathering on sunscreen or getting eaten alive by mosquitos. And the colors are the absolute best! My kids are constantly coming home with collections — rocks, sticks, leaves, and yes, even pockets full of carefully collected mulch. Rather than throw out all of those amassed treasures, we often try to put them to good use. Here are 15 of my favorite crafty projects to do just that — so get your kids outside and play with some nature already!

ROW ONE

1. Leaf Insects: Modern Parents Messy Kids
2. Painted Sticks: Nature Linc Farrington
3. Flower Stained Glass Window: Artful Parent
4. Leaf Crown: Varpunen
5. Yarn-Wrapped Sticks: Aesthetic Outburst

ROW TWO

6. Nature Color Wheel: Playful Learning
7. Leaf Drawing and Doodling: Artful Parent
8. Fall Leaf Animals: Handmade Charlotte
9. Layered Leaf Art: Amanda K. by the Bay
10. Wax Paper and Crayon Leaves: Vanessa Christenson

ROW THREE
11. Clay Leaf Mobile: The Craft Train
12. Handmade Stick Boats: Minieco
13. DIY Painted Stones: Giochi di Carta
14. Nature Crowns: Small Hands Big World
15. DIY Story Stones: Paint on the Ceiling

Concentration, Following Directions, & Problem Solving for Children

A Fun Craft for Children: Rainbow Loom Bracelets

by Lois Breneman - Heart to Heart - 2014

 

At this website children can learn many different ways to form lovely and colorful bracelets to wear and give to friends: http://www.rainbowloom.com/instructions

The site shows instructional videos for making bracelets in three levels of difficulty: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced.  This activity definitely helps children to concentrate, follow instructions, and solve problems.  If they need help, this is a great opportunity to do a project together!

Although this craft has been popular for about a year now, my two older grandchildren (11 and 6 - boy and girl) and a 15 year old grand-nephew are still loving making various bracelets of many designs.  During vacation at the beach my grandchildren were each showing me how to follow several different patterns as we watched the video instructions.  They made some for their PawPaw and me to wear, and taught me how to make several designs.  Some of the easier bracelets can be made on just two fingers or two pencils, without the loom. The beautiful Starburst bracelet (advanced) was made by our grandson in an array of bright colors.

I recently found the Rainbow Loom on sale at JoAnn's for about $8, and packs of silicone bands (300 bands per pack) at A.C. Moore this week at the price of 3 pack for $2, thanks to their other grandma's instructions.  This way I can have the supplies here for the grandkids when they visit.  Why not have fun by giving it a try!

If your teens babysit, this would be a great project to take along!

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Lazarus: A Craft for Children Using a Toilet Paper Tube

Thanks to Elinor Wright for this adorable craft idea!
http://www.busybeekidscrafts.com/TP-Roll-Mummy.html

This is a super simple craft that can be incorporated into a resurrection lesson on Lazarus!  It almost resembles a Veggie Tale character.  Very cute!  Glue two large eyes near the top of an empty toilet paper tube.  Look for those movable eyes in a craft store.  In a pinch large buttons or eyes drawn on will do.  Wrap self-adhering gauze all around the tube and up over the head, leaving only the eyes showing.  Even very small children can fiddle with the little doll and wrap and unwrap him as they play with him.  Look for an adorable picture of Elinor's craft on the blog - with the gauze wrapped over the head!

 

 

Craft: Sock Snowman

 Attitude 4 Fitness/Paige Sterner's photo

How cute are these to make with the little ones?!!!!!!!!!!! 

For this craft, you'll need a pair of old socks that are crew length, or longer, rice, rubber bands, map pins with heads, buttons, any left over fabric if you want for a scarf.

First, cut off the top of the sock from the foot. 

Turn the sock inside out and attach a rubber band tightly to the top of the sock.

Then turn the sock right-side out again.

Fill the sock with rice. Make sure to pack it down as you go so the sock gets a nice round base.

Rubber band the top of the sock closed and put another rubber band 3/4 of the way to the top for the head of your snowman.

Now, decorate!
Tie a scarf around your snowman's neck and add eyes, nose, and buttons.

Use the toe of your cut socks to fashion a stocking cap. Or you could use colored argyle socks to create hats and sweaters for your snowman.

You can either sew or glue on your buttons, and add embellishments - twine, bows, ribbons, etc - as needed.

This is such a quick and easy craft - 10 minutes tops - that it would be simple to create a whole family of snowmen for your mantle!

Opa Bears

by Mary Fenzel Abramski - http://things2dob4dying.wordpress.com/ - Used by permission

When you have someone special in your life to die, it's hard to know what to do with their clothes.  Do you just throw them out?  Donate them?  What do you do with them?

After my daddy died, I had a friend ask for one of his shirts.  Daddy always wore flannel shirts with Khaki's.  I was not sure what she was going to do with the shirt but I knew it was in good hands and that she would return it back in good condition.  What I did not know is that she would turn the shirt into what is now called in our family an "Opa Bear.”

When I got my Opa Bear back I was so happy.  It was nice to have something from my father that I could give to my daughter that was usable.  Her Opa Bear has been in her bed since the day she was born!  When I see the Bear it reminds me of a lot of good memories and I'm able to share those stories with my daughter about her Opa.

Because I thought that this was such a fantastic idea, I wanted all of Daddy's grand-kids to have an Opa Bear.  I asked my mom if I could have Daddy's shirts.  Christmas of 2007 I made all the grand-kids their Opa Bears.  They LOVED them!

Since then, I have updated the pattern and have made several Opa Bears for friends/family who want to have something special to pass down from a loved one.

If you would like to see pictures of the Opa Bears, please visit my blog at http://things2dob4dying.wordpress.com/

Pumpkin Seed Fall Craft

Pumpkin Seed Pumpkin Fall Craft   www.allkidsnetwork.com    Thanks to Leslie Lobdell in Arkansas for this link!

 

Fall themed pumpkin seed craft for toddlers. Kids will enjoying making this pumpkin craft out of pumpkin seeds. They will enjoy painting the pumpkin seeds and then putting this craft together.

Autumn Kids' Crafts

www.familycorner.com
Note from Lois: Parents, I hope you will use some of these ideas to create a special fun time with their children!  My children used to love "Me and Mom" times!  Now that I'm a grandma, I love to use these ideas with our grandchildren!

• 10 Edible Play Dough Crafts for Busy Little Kids - If your
  children are at the age of preferring to eat their art
  supplies while you are trying to teach them to expand
  their creative skills, you'll enjoy these perfect projects!

• 20 Fun Ideas That Won't Break The Bank - When the
  kids get home from school, make some of these fun and
  inexpensive crafts! Not ready to spend a fortune on
  supplies? We've come up with some fun projects you can
  make with recycled materials from around the house.
  Here are some ideas to get you started!
  

• Bottle Pumpkin - Kids will love putting these super easy
  pumpkins together. Make a whole bunch of them to
  decorate for a Halloween party or to set out on the
  porch!

• Bug Village - Here's a great craft for almost NO money!
  All you need are a few sticks, some acorn tops, rocks,
  and imagination! These darling little critters have a
  home of their own in this cute craft.

• Cardboard Tube Scarecrow - This fun recycled craft
  made from a paper towel roll and scrap fabrics and felts
  is an adorable project for Fall. Gather the kids around,
  pull out the craft supplies and get cracking on your own
  scarecrows!

• Coffee Filter Sunflowers - Some of my favorite crafts are
  ones created with items that are often found around the
  house. This big, beautiful sunflower is a great example.
  All you need are coffee filters, crayons, scissors and a
  glue stick!

• Craft Stick Fall Tree - This simple craft is a great way to
  celebrate the coming of fall, even for the younger set. No
  patterns are required, just sticks, foam or felt and a little
  imagination.

• Fall Crayon Craft - I love a clearance rack. After every
  holiday, I am out hunting the bargains. In recent years,
  Halloween has emerged as the second largest retail
  holiday. That means lots of neat merchandise to amass
  |and people are decorating earlier than ever. As I went
  through my Halloween boxes, I came across a ghost cake
  pan that was free with a purchase. Ghost cakes are
  adorable, albeit a little on the large side. But who needs
  cake when the trick-or-treat candy is so plentiful? So I
  decided I needed a new idea to use the ghost cake pan.

• Fall Leaves Shirt - This adorable shirt can be made for
  either a boy or a girl. So colorful and vibrant they are
  definitely going to love it! Go even further and add their
  name for a personalized touch. Make one today!

• Feeding Station For Birds - Make this Feeding Station
  for Birds out of recycled plastic pop bottles. And don't
  miss the simple pine cone feeder for the little ones to
  make.

• Football Star Shirt - Is your child a budding football
  star? Maybe you have big football fans in your family?
  This shirt is an ideal gift and a really fun project for
  game day. Whether a fan or a player, your kids will love
  it!

• Furry Head Pencils - Terri of MakingFriends.com brings
  us this great craft. Watch 'em wiggle when you write!
  Makes a great party favor.

• Memory Collage - We all want to teach our children that
  it's not the material things in life that are important, but
  it's not always an easy lesson. One way we can begin to
  teach this is to focus on family memories in the making
  of a collage.

• Paper Bag Tree - Grab a brown paper lunch bag and
  some Autumn colored tissue paper to make this easy and
  fun tree that appears to be blowing in the wind. A fun
  craft to make with your children this Fall season.

• Personalized Pencil Case - Personalize a pencil case for a
  cool back-to-school accessory. Super easy for kids of any
  age, get your kids started on this fun project today.

• Plastic Cup Crow - So many scarecrow crafts, but what
  about the crows? As autumn rolls in and farmers work
  on their harvest, the crows will be looking for free
  goodies. Make this cute little crow to celebrate fall!

• Salt Dough Football - It's football season! Here's a fun
  craft to keep your kids busy during the game. Make this
  fun mini football into a magnet for the fridge or even a
  good luck charm for watching the game!

• Salt Dough Pumpkin Patch - Salt dough is a great
  medium for fun and creative crafting. Take this sparkly
  pumpkin patch for instance! Salt dough recipes aren't
  just for kids. Make these fun and festive pumpkins this
  Fall for your holiday decorating.
  

• School Days Pin - These crafts are easy to make and are
  ideal for back to school.

• Sukkah Plaque - Autumn is just around the corner. Be
  ready to make these fun crafts with your kids. Share
  these ideas with your child's teacher so the whole class
  can join in the fun.

• Wreath of Leaves - Autumn is just around the corner. Be
  ready to make this fun fall craft with your kids. Share
  this colorful idea with your child's teacher so the whole
  class can join in the fun.