Sock Bunny

I had the pleasure of volunteering in my daughter’s class a few weeks ago and got to help out with their adorable spring craft. Try it with your kiddos!

You will need: 

1 sock

Rice

Rubberband or string

Ribbon

Permanent marker

Cotton ball or pom-pom

Button

Googly eyes

Scissors

Hot glue

Instructions:

Fill the sock with about a cup of rice. Gather the sock together and tightly secure with a rubberband or string. Fill sock with another 1/3-1/2 cup of rice. Secure the top with rubberband or string. Cut the remaining top of sock in half to form ears. Tie a ribbon around the neck portion and trim to desired length. With hot glue, secure eyes, button nose, and cotton ball tail to the face and back of the bunny. Draw on whiskers and mouth. 

Fun Spring Crafts for Kids

Spring break is a great time to explore your craftier side with your kiddos. These crafts are fun and easy for younger kids.

 Spring Placemat

You’ll need: brightly colored construction paper in 2 colors, scissors, glue 

Directions: Fold one piece of construction paper in half and cut 1” lines down the center, leaving an edge of about 1” on the sides. Cut the other piece of paper into 1’ strips. Weave the paper strips through the pre-cut lines, alternating colors. Secure each end with glue. For fun, use different colors for each family member.

Toilet Paper Vase of Flowers

You’ll need: 1 toilet paper roll, a strip of construction paper for covering the roll, green stems cut out of construction paper, flower tops cut out of construction paper, glue, scissors

Directions: Cover an empty toilet paper roll with construction paper and secure with glue. Cut strips of green paper for stems. Draw or trace flowers onto construction paper and cut out. Glue flower tops to stems and allow to dry. Glue flowers into “vase”, facing out.

Paper Plate Ladybug

You’ll need: a paper plate, red and black markers, pipe-cleaners, scissors, glue

Directions: Draw the template of a ladybug onto the back of the paper plate. Color in the template with red and black markers. (Depending on the child’s age, you can have them draw the template or you can draw it and have them color it in) Cut a pipe-cleaner into 6 equal pieces for the legs, and 2 equal, curved pieces for the antennae. Secure legs to the bottom and antennae to the top with glue. Allow to dry.

Handprint Butterfly

You’ll need: 2 pieces of construction paper (different colors) plus 2 small black strips for the antennae, marker, glue, scissors, stickers for decorating

Directions: Trace child’s hands out of one color of construction paper and cut out. Trace and cut out a long oval for the body out of a different colored paper. Attach black antennae and handprints to oval with glue. Allow to dry, and then draw on a face and decorate with strickers.

Tooth Fairy Pouch

You’ll need: 1 small favor bag (found in wedding or party supplies), glitter glue pen 

Directions: Draw or trace the outline of a tooth on the bag with glitter glue pen. Allow to dry completely. Put lost teeth in the bag under a child’s pillow and check the bag in the morning for a delivery from the Tooth Fairy!

DIY Canvas Map

I love maps. We have two map lamp shades in our living room and are lacking any wall art. Part of the reason is because we will be moving sometime this spring but I was wanting to add something to the walls. I wanted it to be map related so I search online for a cheap map and surprisingly was able to get this map for .18 cents plus 3.99 shipping. Perfect for this project.

Supplies:
24 by 36 Map
6 12 by 12 Canvases
Coordinating Acrylic Paint
Foam Brush
Spray Adhesive
Cutting board, Ruler, & Rotary Cutter


1. Paint sides and edges of all six canvases using a paint color that coordinates with your map. Allow to dry.

 2. While paint is drying, measure and cut map into 6 12 by 12 pieces using a cutting map, ruler and rotary cutter.

 

3. Spray canvas top with spray adhesive and carefully apply map piece to canvas, pressing down as you go. Repeat with 5 additional canvases. Allow to dry. 

4. Hang in your living room or another place in your house to enjoy. 

(I didn't measure very well and my spacing isn't perfect but since we will be moving soon, it didn't really matter)

DIY Glitter Shoes

I love wearing flats. My favorite pair of flats were silver but after years of wear, they are no longer wearable. They are still in my closet as I don't have the heart to throw them out but they aren't going to be wore anytime soon. Last week, when I started subbing, I stopped at Target on my way home from work and picked up a brand new pair of black flats. I already had the same shoes but the ones I had were getting worn on the outside and had a few spots of them. I decided to change those flats into glitter flats and now I just love them and can't wait to wear them out!

Supplies: (plus a shoe box or something to pour the glitter over)

How to glitter your own shoes: 

1. Combine Mod Podge and glitter in empty cup. I didn't measure how much I poured in but you will want to make sure you use a lot of glitter. (Note: I only used this method for the first two coats, although it could be used for all coats)

2. Begin by painting on glitter Mod Podge mixture onto shoe. Cover all areas of shoe you want completely. Then, Allow 20-30 minutes to dry between coats. You may continue this method until your shoes are glittered to your liking.

OR

3. What I ended up doing was brushing glue onto the shoe, different sections at a time and then pouring the glitter over the shoe until the shoe was completely covered and full of glitter.

4. Once dry, cover shoe in final layer of Mod Podge to seal.

Note: If doing this again, I would recommend taping the bottom of the shoe and filling the inside of the shoe so that it doesn't get covered in glitter. There will be glitter everywhere when doing this project!

**I am slightly worried about tracking glitter everywhere and have even gone outside and stomped around to try and lose as much glitter as possible before wearing them out in public. To my surprise, I have hardly lost any glitter when "stomping" around so I guess only time will tell. 

I plan on wearing my new shoes this weekend when we go and see The Vow. I'll let you know how much glitter I lose along the way :)

DIY Swiffer Wet Jet Pads

Over the weekend, I found this great tutorial to make your own REUSABLE Swiffer Wet Jet pads. We recently bought a swiffer wet jet when we moved into our house here. The floor in our kitchen is tile and seems to always be dirty, no matter what I do. When we first moved in, my husband and I actually scrubbed the floor on our hands and knees, trying to get it as clean as possible. With that being said, cleaning the floor using our Swiffer is fairly expensive as the pads cost a lot of money. I was super excited when I found this great tutorial. 

On the morning that I made these, I cleaned the floor in the kitchen using the actual Swiffer pads. Even though I had already cleaned the floor, once I was done making these, I wanted to try them out. I was in shock how dirty the pad was after cleaning the kitchen. I really believe that these work much better than the Swiffer pads. 


If you are looking to make your own, be sure to check out DIY Diva's Tutorial: here (It's really easy to follow)

Materials:
Gerber pre-fold padded cloth diapers
Velcro (soft side only), 2 9inch pieces of Velcro per pad
Pins, Thread, Ruler, Sewing Machine

**Each cloth diaper will make 2 reusable pads.**

 

Valentine Yarn Wreath

Looking for a simple craft for a February spruce-up? This simple yarn wreath provides a touch of Valentine’s spirit and color.

You’ll need: a heart-shaped foam wreath base, yarn (I used multi-color yarn), a hot glue gun, a strip of ribbon, and embellishments. I found all of my supplies at Hobby Lobby. 

To begin, use hot glue to secure the ribbon strip to the top of the heart in a loop (used for hanging the wreath). Attach the beginning of the yarn to the bottom of the heart with hot glue and begin wrapping around the wreath, pushing the yarn close together so that you can no longer see the white base.

Keep wrapping. (Hint: When you come to a stopping point, simply glue the yarn down where you stopped to avoid unraveling.) On the top and bottom of the heart, the yarn will need to be securely glued in order to maintain its form. (Make sure to pull out the secured ribbon for hanging)

When the yarn completely covers the wreath base, snip off the end and attach with glue.

Play with the embellishments to decide on a layout; then use hot glue to secure to the wreath.

Allow your wreath to dry and hang. 

DIY Glass Etching

A friend of mine told me how she had made some personalized gifts for her husband using glass etching. After she told me about it, I looked it up online and found out how easy it was so I decided to give it a try. The glass etching product was slightly expensive but luckily with a 40% off coupon, it wasn't so bad. I am very happy with the way this turned out and hope to do it to our whole wine glass collection. 

Supplies:

Wine Glass or other glass object
Glass Etching Cream (Armor Etch)
Contact Paper stencil
Foam Brush

1. If you have craft cutter, you can cut out your image or design onto contact paper or you will have to create your own design on contact paper using an exacto knife.

2. Apply contact paper stencil to wine glass. You will want to make sure that there are no air bubbles so that the glass etching doesn't seep through. As you can see from my picture, I had a bit of trouble getting the contact paper to stick to the wine glass exactly how I wanted it to. Luckily, I was able to get the contact paper pressed down enough so that the glass etching didn't seep out.

 

 3. Apply a thick layer of glass etching onto stencil according to Armor Etch instructions. You want to make sure that you only get the glass etching where you want it as it is permanent and you will not be able to remove it.

4. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes. Wash off with  water and remove stencil. Rewash with soap and water.

5. Enjoy your newly etched wine glass!

Fabric Heart Coasters

As I was trying to come up with a craft project this week, my mom mentioned these heart coasters she had made with a friend last weekend. After talking to her, I decided to run to Hobby Lobby and pick up some fabric. This project doesn't take much fabric and can be designed to fit any holiday. I am planning on making some for St. Patrick's Day and Easter as well. 

Supplies:

• Valentine's Day Fabric
• Batting 
• Thread
• Sewing Machine 
• Heart Template (I designed my own heart template using a heart cookie cutter. First, I traced it on to computer paper. Then, I decided that I wanted the heart to be a little bigger because I knew that I would lose some of it when I took a seam. To make it a little bit bigger, I just drew a heart around the traced cookie heart.) 

 Directions:
1. Cut out heart template and pin to fabric. Cut out fabric hearts. Once fabric heart is cut out, pin fabric heart to batting and cut out. You will need two heart fabric cutouts and 1 piece of bating for each coaster.

2. Take two fabric hearts, right sides together, and place onto of heart batting. Pin together, lining up sides.

3. Sew 1/4 inch around heart, leaving 2 inch gap on one of the straight sides. Turn right side out and iron.

4. Pin gap closed. Using zigzag stitch, stitch around entire heart, closing gap.

Homemade Play Dough

Since molding play dough feasts is one of my daughter’s favorite indoor activities, I’ve done a lot of experimenting with different homemade versions. This recipe, from playdoughrecipe.org, is by far the best I’ve found. It has a smooth, lump-free texture, doesn't dye your hands, and is made with simple, on-hand ingredients. I love homemade play dough because it tends to last longer, you can customize the aroma and color, and it is significantly cheaper than its manufactured counterpart.

1 cup flour 

½ cup salt

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 cup water

1 tsp canola oil

1 tsp vanilla (optional)

Food coloring

In a medium bowl, add the first three ingredients. Measure out water and combine oil, vanilla, and food coloring in the cup. (Use as much or a little food coloring as you like. I used 5 drops.) Pour liquids into flour mixture and stir with a fork until mixture is smooth and combined.

Add mixture to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and stir until soft dough forms and balls up. Remove from heat and cool. Knead periodically to encourage the cooling process. Store in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. 

Foam Christmas Tree

Sometimes the best ideas result from trial and error. My husband and I had the idea to create a foam Christmas tree together for a holiday craft. We cruised the aisles of Hobby Lobby until we came home with a collection of goodies that complimented each other. Our first attempts, however, were unsuccessful, and it took a lot of shifting and brainstorming to finally come up with a product that we both loved. Now, we have a beautiful addition to our holiday décor.

Styrofoam cone

Dowel rod

Wooden base

Green spray paint

30 feet of large ribbon

Decorative rope

Star ornament or small tree topper

Small decorative gifts

Hot glue gun

Drill

1.       Spray paint Styrofoam cone, dowel rod, and wooden base with green spray paint (or color of your choice). Allow to dry overnight.

2.       Measure out about 9-10 pieces of folded over ribbon to create the first ribbon layer. Hot glue the loose ends of the ribbon together and then attach to the cone, overlapping each piece to cover the Styrofoam.

3.       Continue layering ribbon, moving up the tree. Be sure to overlap ribbon so that foam cannot be seen beneath.

4.       Once layers reach the top, attach a single piece of ribbon to cover the tip of the cone. Cover by wrapping an additional piece of ribbon around the top layer.

5.       Use hot glue to attach star to the tip. (Or use attached wire to screw the star into the top)

6.       Drill a hole into the wooden base to fit the dowel rod. Fill hole with hot glue and insert the dowel. Allow to dry and then gently screw the rod into the base of the foam cone.

7.       Attach rope to the top of the tree and wrap it downwards, attaching the end with hot glue.

8.       Arrange gifts on the wooden base in desired array. Attach using hot glue.

JOY Fabric Canvas

Add this simple and easy project to your Christmas decor. 

Supplies:

3 Art Canvases of the same size ( You could also use wood boards) (I used 6 by 8's) 

1/3 yard Christmas fabric 

  3 Wooden Letters J, O, & Y 

Acrylic Paint & a foam brush 

Glue gun 

Stapler 

Fabric Scissors

1. On large surface or table, lay fabric face down. Place canvas on fabric and cut fabric  around 2 inches extra per side. That way, you will be able to stretch the fabric around the canvas. Staple and stretch fabric around canvas. Repeat with remaining two canvases. 

2. Paint wooden letters and allow to dry. Once dry, align letters on fabric covered canvas, placing them in the center of the canvas. To do this, I used my sewing ruler and laid it on the canvas while gluing enabling me to be able to make sure it was straight and in the right place each time. Repeat with remaining two letters.

 

Snowflake Votives

Using some left over snowflakes from my wreath in the previous post and some battery powered votive candles, I made some cute little accents to go with my snow theme for some easy Winter decorations.

Materials
Hot glue
battery powered votive candles
Snowflake ornaments from Walmart


Simply glue the votive to the snowflake so it sits evenly on a table. I left my hanging loops on the snowflakes in case I decided to hang the votive candles in the window or from the ceiling!

Snowflake Wreath

For less than $2 you can make this pretty snowflake wreath to add to your winter decor.

Materials:
Package of 20 3-4 inch snowflake ornaments (I found mine at Walmart)
Hot glue
Ribbon (optional)


My wreath used 14 snowflakes. I simply laid them out into a circle that looked fairly even and glued them together with hot glue.  Be sure you cut off the hanging strings from each snowflake! This wreath is probably best kept indoors. How easy is that??

Cross-stich Hoop Snowman

While browsing on Pinterest for different Christmas decoration ideas, I ran across the cutest snowman craft blogged by PitterAndGlink. She made this snowman using 3 different size cross-stitching hoops, white fabric, felt, thread, buttons, etc. I decided to make one myself to hang by our window as I hope for the first snowfall of the year. It was super simple and turned out so cute!

Check out PitterAndGlink for directions!

Christmas Star

In my quest to explore my craftier side I have discovered that I am not much of a seamstress, but I can hot glue with the best of them. This craft was easy enough for a novice and beautiful enough to hang on my door for the holidays. There’s nothing like Christmas to get you in the mood to craft!

1 styrofoam star

Coordinating yarn, ribbon, or rope

2 pieces coordinating scrapbook paper, holiday themed

Hot glue gun

Holiday buttons

Trace and cut one color of scrapbook paper to fit star face; attach using hot glue. Attach a looped piece of ribbon to the top of one star point (this will be used to hang the star). Use the coordinating paper to cover the edges of the star (covering the ribbon ends) and attach with hot glue. Arrange buttons to cover star face in desired pattern. Attach with hot glue. Let dry completely before hanging.