Canning Wind Chime: Crafting With Kids

Aug 24 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting, Crafting with Kids, Kids Can Do It Too

While we were working on the apricots, I was tossing aside all the old seals, but wasn’t able to part with them just yet. I knew that there was something that we could do… eventually. I think it’s sort of a problem… this “saving things for some future craft…” It makes for a lot of boxes of junk!

Anyhow, as we worked on the apricots, I figured out that we could make a wind chime or a mobile out of them. Here is what we did…

1) We set up a little work space for my son to hammer a hole into each of the seals. He used a hammer and a very large nail to make a big enough hole. We used two junk pieces of wood as supports over another junk piece of wood. It worked out really well.

2) We laid out all the seals and picked which ones we wanted to use. We recruited help from this little cutie, too.

3) Then we pushed a piece of thick string through each of the holes, tying a knot before each, so they wouldn’t slip down too far.

4) When we had made three long strings of seals we tied them all onto a canning ring and voila! They sure would be pretty if we painted them all, as well.

It makes a great sound – not too loud and yet still audible. Now, I just need to find somewhere to put it!

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Little Kites – Look What Mommy Made: Crafting With (For) Kids

Aug 17 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting, Crafting with Kids

And then sometimes the intentions are great.. but then the actual effort is all on your shoulders. It takes a little more hands-on work than you plan and the kids don’t actually get to do very much of the crafting. But, that’s okay, too…

Sarah and I got our kids together to create some little kites for the kids. We visited and crafted, the kids waited patiently for each little step that they could do and then enjoyed the final result, immensely.

We started out by creating our kite string-bobbin. We got the kids to wrap sewing thread around an old hair roller (sweet crafty junk re-use!!).

We cut tissue paper into a kite-shape and then used cardstock to create the cross-beams to support it. We also cut the string holder out of tissue paper, as well. Those parts were all taped together with scotch tape.

We cut out bows for the kite string, from tissue paper, as well. We also reinforced those with scotch tape. Four hands were needed to do that job.

We used a needle and thread (oh so kid-friendly) as string.

We assigned the little decorators to accent their kites with stickers; which they greatly enjoyed!

All in all, it was a really fun project, though a little bit parent-intensive for our kids (aged 5, 4, 3 and 2). Maybe next time we’ll build a big kite and it will be a little bit easier. Who’s in for trying that project??

Do you have any fun crafty projects that you want to share? Any crafty stories that bring a smile to your face? What’s the craziest craft mess you have gotten yourself into? got a picture to share? You can e-mail elizabeth@kamloopsparents.com with your crafty ideas and crafty inspirations. If it’s something you want to try making, want to make it with me? The kids and I are always up for a craft adventure!

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And don’t forget that you can enter to win a fabulous necklace being given away, here, by Dionne with Lia Sophia!

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Also, the city program guide is available online and registration starts on August 25th.

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Sheet Watercolour (Bizarre Bazaar): Crafting with Kids

Aug 10 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting, Crafting with Kids, Family Time, One Parents Perspective, Ongoing Events

Every Thursday, the Kamloops Arts Council and the City of Kamloops pair up to bring “The Bizarre Bazaar” to Kamloops residents. It’s an eclectic gathering of all kinds of artists from our community, and a great occasion to get out with the family and sample a variety of the arts. From 12 to 7pm, you can go to the Old Courthouse on Seymour Street (turn into the parking lot off 3rd Ave and drive through the lot to the back, to park) and experience all kinds of family fun!

You can tour the gallery inside the Courthouse!

You can check out the children’s play “King Arthur: Lost in Time” out on the front lawn at 1pm!

You can listen to a number of different artists performing throughout the day!

You can browse the shops and booths of various artists set up on the site!

You can participate in a Free Garden workshop from 5 – 6pm!

You can check out a Free Kids Art Workshop anytime from 3 – 5pm!

The schedule for this upcoming Thursday looks amazing!!

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Last week, the kids and I went to the Bizarre Bazaar to check out the art project. We were a little late for the theatre, but one of the players was happy to give the kids balloon animals to enjoy!

The activity of the day was creating a watercolour painting on an old white sheet, using felts and sharpies.

First, we coloured some designs with the coloured felt pens.

Then, we outlined the colours with Sharpie.

We filled in the black Sharpie drawings with as much colour as we could get.

Then, we used a paintbrush and water to spread the felt colour and get the watercolour effect.

They look fantastic!! It was a fantastic project and what a fun idea for a way to create! If you wanted to have the colours stay in the watercolour, you could get something to bond the colour to the fabric, as well.

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Don’t forget that there is a great family event happening on Saturday, August 14th! David Williams, from TRU, will be leading a kid-focused tour of the Horticulture Gardens at TRU. Bring some water and a hat and maybe a picnic lunch, as we meet at House 10 (by the CAC) at 10am to start our tour. Please RSVP if you are planning on attending, just so that we can guess how many hand lenses we need to provide. However, if Saturday morning rolls around and you are looking for something to do, you are welcome to just show up, as well!

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Make Your Own Moon Sand: Crafting with Kids

Aug 03 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting, Crafting with Kids, One Parents Perspective

So, this past week my daughter and I had a little one-on-one time. This time has been all too rare, as of late, and we made the best of it. We got red food colouring (“PINK”) and we made some “moon sand” and got dirty.

Have you seen “Moon sand”? It’s sand that just feels a little softer than regular sand and it clings together a little better so you can build really cool shapes that will hold up a little better. The packages of moon sand don’t give you much of a bang for your buck. They are about 4$ for less then 2 cups of sand. the stuff feels so neat and is so much fun to play with! But, when I found the recipe to do it yourself, I thought I would share it with you. Though, we are not experts at this, we will definitely try again to see if we can perfect it. As most of this moon sand ended up all over the front walkway and then in our garden bed, I know that we will have lots of chances to make it better.

This was a great project because it was really really inexpensive (only about 7$ and I can make moon sand until my arms wear out from stirring with the huge bag of sand I got).

I went to the hardware store and bought some play sand (because it’s cleaner), then got a box of corn starch and some food colouring.

We mixed the food colouring into 1.5 cups of water to attempt to colour our sand. There was a lot of colouring added, with only little final result, much to my daughter’s chagrin.

Then we mixed in 3 cups of corn starch. It made some great “goop” to enjoy along the way.

Then, when that was all smooth, we added 6 cups of play sand – one cup at a time, stirring it all in, each time.

It was tough work to get it all in and all the clumps broken down. But, when that was done… we enjoyed it.

We even found a whole bunch of crazy sand tools to play with!

This sand can be stored in an airtight container to be used again, later. According to the recipe, it needs a little “revitalizing” with a few more tablespoons of water, each time.

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What Do You Want To Do? (Edition #2): Crafting With Kids

Jul 27 2010

Posted by Elizabeth as Adventures in Parenting, Crafting with Kids, Family Time

So, after the crafty-wannabe post from last week, we did get crafting! We made some toilet paper roll flowers and we also had the kids create comets. But… where is my camera cord?? So, sadly, I leave you picture-less with these last two projects. I found someone else who had made the sponge balls, though. Check them out!

Here are another few projects that I want to do. Which do YOU want to do?

Do your kids like drawing with chalk? Mine sure do. Since “moving” (because, technically, we aren’t really moved, yet) to the new house we haven’t yet decorated our sidewalk. I just stumbled across another way to create on your sidewalk with sidewalk paint! I have tried out something similar, but didn’t have much success. This one looks great and I can’t wait to try it.

Making a Yo-Yo Balloon sounds like a great idea for a hot summer day. Then, if it breaks.. nobody gets upset!

The kids and I always like working with clay and play dough. This cornstarch clay looks like lots of fun. Then, pressing things into it to make pendants.. cool!!

I hadn’t thought of using aluminum foil to play and create for hours… my kids might be a little young, though. My 5yo son would probably get right into it but I think my 2yo daughter might just try and eat it. Maybe I will save that one for after lunch.

What fun to use scrap wood to make driveway or garden markers.

Want to get a little (or a lot) messy. I have some shaving cream art fun up my sleeve, but add a little glue and it hits a whole new dimension!

Lastly, here’s a gorgeous bird feeder, too. I can’t wait to get building with my kids! Another way to do this one, would be just to hit up a thrift store and then up-cycle a tray into a bird feeder! Decorate it to your little one’s content then leave it for the birds to enjoy, too!

There are so many amazing and creative ideas out there. What do you want to do??

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Don’t forget to check out the great giveaways we have going on, at KamloopsParents.com. There is a great set of Norwex facecloths, here – from Charlene Marshall. Also, a fabulously refreshing 30-minute massage from Hands on Health. Lastly, a bag of Rockin’ Green Laundry Detergent from Lil Monkey Bums. And, in case you missed it… you can get extra entries on facebook, too!