10 Fabulous Fall Craft Projects for Kids
Sunday, September 28, 2008
I adore fall, the colors, the textures and the change of season is so fun and educational for kids. I think it's a wonderful opportunity to craft with your kids, so here are 10 wonderful ideas:
1. I ran across this fantastic tutorial for fleece scarves for kids. This sewing project is reasonable, fun and practical: http://crafts.kaboose.com/cozy-scarf.html
2. Cute Mason Jar lantern to put orange Halloween candy in: http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/pumpkincraft1/l/blhalptrjar.htm
3. Need a project and some holiday decorations, then here are a few options for construction paper strings:
Leaves: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/thanksgiving/string/
Strings of Jack o Lanterns and Ghosts:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/halloween/string/
4. This craft is one my kids are really looking forward to; it's a leaf collection album. Our plan is to collect leaves while walking to and from school and paste them in our album. It includes great printable templates with some leaves all ready to identify, plus some mystery leaves.
http://www.kidzone.ws/plants/collection.htm
With some fun facts about why leaves change colors and photos (to help with identification): http://www.kidzone.ws/plants/index.htm
5. Preserving Autumn Leaves from is from a horticulturist for the Washington State University Cooperative Extension Office: http://archive.tri-cityherald.com/HOME/GARDEN/garden10272.html
6. For your "green bag", book bag or to go pick from your local orchard, here's a tutorial on a really cute apple print bag. It's easy for the kids to do and I like the finished bag enough to do it myself: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10422 .
7. Equally as stylish and yet something the kids can help out with are Corn print place mats: http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/feature/famf117tabletop/famf117tabletop3.html
8. And wow, again these t-shirts are cool enough to wear as a grown up. Simply buy brightly colored t-shirts, get out a bottle of bleach, collect leaves and go: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10018
9. If your kids like to collect items and love bugs, this is the craft for you! You can take found objects and make wonderful bugs to display around the house: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=12005
10. Then if you all like to look at and identify birds as the days grow colder, attract them with this bird cake: http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/bird_cake.htm . It's easy to make and should make for some well fed birds!
Well, that should keep you all busy for the fall with some fun, inexpensive (or free) ideas to entertain your kids and decorate in the beauty of fall.
1. I ran across this fantastic tutorial for fleece scarves for kids. This sewing project is reasonable, fun and practical: http://crafts.kaboose.com/cozy-scarf.html
2. Cute Mason Jar lantern to put orange Halloween candy in: http://familycrafts.about.com/cs/pumpkincraft1/l/blhalptrjar.htm
3. Need a project and some holiday decorations, then here are a few options for construction paper strings:
Leaves: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/thanksgiving/string/
Strings of Jack o Lanterns and Ghosts:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/halloween/string/
4. This craft is one my kids are really looking forward to; it's a leaf collection album. Our plan is to collect leaves while walking to and from school and paste them in our album. It includes great printable templates with some leaves all ready to identify, plus some mystery leaves.
http://www.kidzone.ws/plants/collection.htm
With some fun facts about why leaves change colors and photos (to help with identification): http://www.kidzone.ws/plants/index.htm
5. Preserving Autumn Leaves from is from a horticulturist for the Washington State University Cooperative Extension Office: http://archive.tri-cityherald.com/HOME/GARDEN/garden10272.html
6. For your "green bag", book bag or to go pick from your local orchard, here's a tutorial on a really cute apple print bag. It's easy for the kids to do and I like the finished bag enough to do it myself: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10422 .
7. Equally as stylish and yet something the kids can help out with are Corn print place mats: http://familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts/season/feature/famf117tabletop/famf117tabletop3.html
8. And wow, again these t-shirts are cool enough to wear as a grown up. Simply buy brightly colored t-shirts, get out a bottle of bleach, collect leaves and go: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/arts-and-crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=10018
9. If your kids like to collect items and love bugs, this is the craft for you! You can take found objects and make wonderful bugs to display around the house: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=12005
10. Then if you all like to look at and identify birds as the days grow colder, attract them with this bird cake: http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/bird_cake.htm . It's easy to make and should make for some well fed birds!
Well, that should keep you all busy for the fall with some fun, inexpensive (or free) ideas to entertain your kids and decorate in the beauty of fall.
Labels: crafts, family life
Paul Newman was one of the greats!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
He's got a few years on me, but I have always had the hots for and been awed by Paul Newman. He's a wonderful family man, a great humanitarian and an all around great guy....not to mention a fabulous actor.
He will be missed.
Labels: inspiration, ponderances
I HAD to blog these! They're wonderful!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
I'm busy writing articles today for both Divine Caroline and Posh Mama! Yay! However, in surfing the net, I found this by Amelia:
Holy cow, these are fabulous! I just can't quit looking at them! Be sure to visit her shop on Etsy! I notice she's taking orders for Christmas and I just can't imagine a more thoughtful gift for your dogloving friend.
She also has a blog and I'm SURE I'll be checking in regularly! (have I mentioned I love needlefelting? Ha, ha!)
Labels: inspiration, needlefelting
Aye ye mateys! It's International "talk like a pirate day"!
Friday, September 19, 2008
So, in honor of International talk like a pirate day, I found these while looking around the web:
The kids are home today - teacher "work day" (don't even get me started on my rant on that) and so we've been talking a lot about "walking the plank" and other pirate-y things!
So, if you're not home with kids - then go stitch something pirate-like! :)
Labels: family life, inspiration
Read till the end of the post...lots going on!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Happy Wednesday! lots going on, so much that I didn't have time (gasp!) for Tacky Tuesday - so it will be back next week!
The first HUGE news is that I've posted the photos of the Denver Art Museum Crazy Quilts. I'm going to be adding more and more background information on them, but that ended up in a couple of spots, so I'm hoping to add as I go along here. I really wanted you gals to have a chance to see them as soon as possible. I've added a handy tab at the top of my blog for "quick access" and also I loaded them at full size so you are able to click on the magnifying glass and zoom up on it and move it around.
I was SO excited to be able to get the Crazy Quilt International Group in to see these 5 quilts (and tea cozy) that normally live in the halls of the collection room at the Denver Art Museum. They were SO sweet there, pulling them out and letting us look at them for 2 hours! It was wonderful!
So, in case you haven't already left the post to go look at them, here are some previews:
Last night was our Stitch night for the RMCQ group and I'm not even tempted to put my photos of my stuff here with these gorgeous quilts!
Last - and the reason I told you to read to the end, is the LOVELY ladies of Posh Mama are blogging at the Martha Stewart show today! Yay! It's not on in my area until 6pm, but you should peek in at it! I'm sure it will be wonderful! I will totally admit I still love Martha - she's stuck it out through thick and thin and she's definately a survivor in the crafting world! If you haven't joined Posh Mama, I must urge you too...it's not just for "Mommies", it's for everyone and it's a spam free fun, supportive group of great gals!
The first HUGE news is that I've posted the photos of the Denver Art Museum Crazy Quilts. I'm going to be adding more and more background information on them, but that ended up in a couple of spots, so I'm hoping to add as I go along here. I really wanted you gals to have a chance to see them as soon as possible. I've added a handy tab at the top of my blog for "quick access" and also I loaded them at full size so you are able to click on the magnifying glass and zoom up on it and move it around.
I was SO excited to be able to get the Crazy Quilt International Group in to see these 5 quilts (and tea cozy) that normally live in the halls of the collection room at the Denver Art Museum. They were SO sweet there, pulling them out and letting us look at them for 2 hours! It was wonderful!
So, in case you haven't already left the post to go look at them, here are some previews:
 |
| From 5 Crazy Quilts at the Denver Art Museum |
 |
| From 5 Crazy Quilts at the Denver Art Museum |
Last night was our Stitch night for the RMCQ group and I'm not even tempted to put my photos of my stuff here with these gorgeous quilts!
Last - and the reason I told you to read to the end, is the LOVELY ladies of Posh Mama are blogging at the Martha Stewart show today! Yay! It's not on in my area until 6pm, but you should peek in at it! I'm sure it will be wonderful! I will totally admit I still love Martha - she's stuck it out through thick and thin and she's definately a survivor in the crafting world! If you haven't joined Posh Mama, I must urge you too...it's not just for "Mommies", it's for everyone and it's a spam free fun, supportive group of great gals!
Labels: Blogging, Crazy quilt, Denver, Posh Mama
Productive weekend, but still waiting on a big update
Monday, September 15, 2008
I spent the day yesterday away from the computer - hooray! So I have a lot to show for it. I made HUGE progress on my journal cover. I think today (or tomorrow at the latest) I'll be done and I'm finally happy with it (I know, shocking). My friend Rhonda pointed out the spider web in the center...which is actually part of Judith Baker Montano's fabric design, but I put gold metallic thread over the top, added a spider and WAY down in the corner is a tiny black fly. Missy C felt it was important that the spider have something to eat! So we did a few black french knots and used clear beads for the wings (all her idea). I thought it was pretty clever. I can't wait to show you what this looks like ON the journal!
Then I got busy and converted a whole heap of quickly ripening peaches into this:
Yay! Jelly is expensive and I'm happy to have some to fill in with the kids AND they make great gifts. According to the website I used they needed to stay like this 12 hours, then I'll flip them over, put labels on them (after a quick wipe down) and they're done. Not perfect, but close enough. Our only complaint was there wasn't enough! Ha, ha!
However, the last week/weekend was action packed and so I'm still in process of loading over 100 pictures of crazy quilts that I took the Crazy Quilt International gals for a "behind the scenes" at the Denver Art Museum. They pulled 5 wonderful crazy quilts and a tea cozy out of storage for us to drool (I mean look) at and they were amazing! If you love fabrics or stitch combinations OR just lovely textiles it's fun! I promise to post the pictures publicly in the next couple of days!
Then on Saturday we had a textile preservationist come and speak to our Rocky Mountain Crazy Quilt group (along with the CQI gals) and she gave us lots of info about preserving crazy quilts. Good stuff. I'll be putting links up on our club website.
We really enjoyed hosting the CQI ladies! What a wonderful group and I hope they come back soon!
Then I got busy and converted a whole heap of quickly ripening peaches into this:Yay! Jelly is expensive and I'm happy to have some to fill in with the kids AND they make great gifts. According to the website I used they needed to stay like this 12 hours, then I'll flip them over, put labels on them (after a quick wipe down) and they're done. Not perfect, but close enough. Our only complaint was there wasn't enough! Ha, ha!
However, the last week/weekend was action packed and so I'm still in process of loading over 100 pictures of crazy quilts that I took the Crazy Quilt International gals for a "behind the scenes" at the Denver Art Museum. They pulled 5 wonderful crazy quilts and a tea cozy out of storage for us to drool (I mean look) at and they were amazing! If you love fabrics or stitch combinations OR just lovely textiles it's fun! I promise to post the pictures publicly in the next couple of days!
Then on Saturday we had a textile preservationist come and speak to our Rocky Mountain Crazy Quilt group (along with the CQI gals) and she gave us lots of info about preserving crazy quilts. Good stuff. I'll be putting links up on our club website.We really enjoyed hosting the CQI ladies! What a wonderful group and I hope they come back soon!
Labels: art, cooking, Crazy quilt, family life
Crafting while driving
Friday, September 12, 2008
We just got back from a wonderful trip to South Dakota and I really enjoyed the time in the car stitching. Some of you may remember the book cover I'm working on. I just hated the design on the one side, I tried to dye it, and all sorts of things...finally I just edited it down and now I have this:
I also made a LOT of progress on Cheyenne's Kitty Quilt Wall hanging (the project has been downgraded. I just need to applique one more block, finish the stitching and put the whole thing together.....wow! I almost see the light at the end of the tunnel! Woo hoo! The cat enjoyed posing with it...do you suppose he sees the resemblance? Ha, ha!
Just a final note, if you haven't voted for me, will you pop over to Divine Caroline and give me a "thumbs up"....I'm only a few votes behind! :) I think you have to register, but the newsletters over there are really great! I love the "Found It. Loved It" style one - and if you know me, I don't have a stylish bone in my body! ha, ha!Labels: Crazy quilt, Divine Caroline, embroidery, quilting
Recuperating, so a totally NOT NOT Tacky Tuesday!
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
We digress while I regroup!
Ok, tell me this isn't the most wonderful embroidery you've seen. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! More description is here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rubykhan/2811826948/ - you can actually see who all the characters are.
Ok, tell me this isn't the most wonderful embroidery you've seen. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! More description is here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rubykhan/2811826948/ - you can actually see who all the characters are. So, it's a totally NOT tacky Thursday....while I regroup from my family vacation to South Dakota! :)
Tacky Tuesday - a self professed Tacky corsage
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
"Agent Lover" has posted this fabulously tacky corsage and is so proud of it, there's a tutorial:
So, if you really need some more tackiness in your life, please dive in! :)
So, if you really need some more tackiness in your life, please dive in! :)
Labels: Tacky Craft Tuesday
