Showing posts with label painting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label painting. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

2 DIY Cardboard Fourth of July Hats!

Fourth of July is in a couple of days.  Now if you're like me, you probably just realized that fact just this week.  (Oh wait... am I the only one is in a perpetual time warp and constantly forgets what day it is?)  This year we plan on seeing fireworks with Chuck and I thought it would be fun to whip up some cute Fourth of July Cardboard Hats for us to wear.  Can you believe that these 2 hats were made from cereal boxes, toilet paper rolls, and corrugated cardboard?

2 Easy DIY Fourth of July Hats!

Make 2 cardboard Fourth of July Hats with the kids!

(This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support!)

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Cardboard and Pom Pom Soccer Game

Are you watching the World Cup?  Hubby's been keeping track of the games, but Chuck and I haven't been paying too much attention to the scores.  However, because it's soccer season, I still felt inspired to make something soccer-related.  So that's why I crafted this mini cardboard and pom pom soccer game for us to play.

Cardboard and Pom Pom Soccer Game

make a cardboard and pom pom soccer game
(This post contains affiliate links.  Thank you for your support!)


Thursday, June 26, 2014

Make Bubble Prints! (from 101 Kids Activities)

Note this post contains affiliate links.  Thank you so much for your support!

About a month ago, I received a free copy of 101 Kids Activities to review.   It was written by the amazing kid blogger duo Rachel and Holly from Kids Activities Blog.  These ladies are like the queens of kid fun and I was super excited to see what they had in store.  101 and activities?  Wowzers.  

After looking through the book, I can definitely say that it is an awesome go-to resource for anyone who wants to battle kid boredom.  (Which seems to be especially prevalent in the summer... right?)  The activities are super fun and use everyday, affordable materials.  Here's an example of one activity that Chuck and I tried out from the book- bubble prints!    

Make Bubble Prints!

Let's make Bubble Prints with kids


Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Summer Paper Plate Crafts

It just hit me this morning that July 4th is next week.  Next week. Summer is just flying by!  Ahhhh!  So I feel the need to do some summer crafts and that's why I made these super easy paper plate crafts.  I dunno about you, but when I imagine summer, I see outdoor picnics, grill outs, and beach adventures.  These activities usually involve disposable paper plates... which are such a great item to craft with because they're super cheap and super versatile.

Fun Summer Paper Plate Crafts for Kids

Easy Summer Paper Plate Kids' Crafts (Mask, Watermelon + Doughnut Purse)

(This post contains affiliate links.  Thank you so much for your support!)

So these are my summer inspired paper plate crafts.  They're super easy to make, colorful, quirky, and just scream SUMMER FUN!


Monday, June 16, 2014

DIY Agate and Mexican Blanket Painted Frames

I love crafting and making things with Chuck.  But sometimes, I also like to sneak away and paint things by myself.  So at night while he sleeps, I pull out random things and paint them.  Today's post is about one of those nights... and one of those secret painting sessions.  You see, I originally purchased 2 frames for Chuck to paint as gifts... (like he painted this frame here).  But then I couldn't resist their siren call and ended up painting them myself.  The designs were inspired by my love for colorful Mexican blankets and this super easy DIY Agate Watercolor Artwork.

 DIY Agate and Mexican Blanket Inspired Painted Frames

DIY painted Mexican blanket and Agate frame
(Note:  This post contains affiliate links.  Thank you for your support.)


Wednesday, June 11, 2014

DIY Cardboard Cactus Construction Set

Full crafty admission:  Yesterday I was taking Chuck to the park and saw a lovely clean box in the back of our building.  Not sure how this happened, but suddenly I found myself mumbling, "It's mine, my precious, my own" repeatedly until Chuck reminded me that he wanted to go play.  Then, of course, I snapped out of my gollum state.  But you can bet your sweet Aunt Petunia that when we came back home, I grabbed that box and skedaddled back to our apartment.  Why?  Well, I wanted to make a Cardboard Cactus Construction Set, of course.  Why? (You might ask again.)  Well, because cardboard is cool and cacti are cool... which makes this cardboard construction set cool to the uber cool power.

DIY Cardboard Cactus Construction Set

DIY Cardboard Cactus Construction Set


Tuesday, June 10, 2014

"One in a Melon" Father's Day Card

Father's day is coming up!  We're gearing up over here by making cards and buying hubby yummy things to eat.  Yesterday I shared this super rad and easy to make toilet roll Father's Day card.  Today I'm sharing a punny Father's Day card with you.  It's a watermelon card (with matching watermelon envelope) that reads "Dad, you're one in a melon!" inside.

"One in a Melon" Father's Day Card

(Hee hee hee, so punny.)

easty "one in a melon" father's day card
(This post contains affiliate links.  Thank you for your support!)

Chuck LOVES eating watermelon and hubby enjoys my punny humor, so this was a perfect card to make.  We had lots of fun painting the card and drawing inside.   

Monday, June 9, 2014

Toilet Roll Father's Day Cards

Toilet paper roll crafts- you either love them or hate them.  We're on the love camp over here.   Since we go through tons of rolls of toilet paper (tmi?) they're practically a natural resource.  So with Father's Day coming up, I had to incorporate them into the holiday somehow.  And that's how these toilet paper roll Father's Day greeting cards came about.

Toilet Paper Roll Father's Day Greeting Cards


toilet paper roll Father's Day Cards
(This post contains affiliate links.  Thank you for your support!)

I think these guys are so neat because they're 3D cards that stand up on their own.  Plus, they incorporate Chuck's artwork and cute looks. Hubby is a sucker for both, so he's going to love these guys!


Thursday, June 5, 2014

Homemade Body Paint Recipe (2 ingredients Needed!)

Last week I shared a simple 3-ingredient homemade body paint recipe. While we had fun trying it out, I kept wondering if there was another way to make homemade body paint.  Turns out there is!  I peeked around the internet and found this neat series of body paint recipes.  The author shares a couple recipes that involved using washable white paint (which I kind of felt weird using on my skin...)  and one that involved using two ingredients that I already had on hand.  

2 Ingredient Homemade Body Paint Recipe



how to make homemade body paint


Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Melted Crayon and Watercolor Frames (Kid made gift)

Do you ever feel like life is moving at a super fast speed and you are just being pulled along for a ride?  That's what I've felt these past two weeks.  We battled an illness, hosted a good friend for a couple of days, and celebrated my sister's graduation.  Oh yeah.  We've also been preparing for our move to California later this summer.  Ahhh!  (More on that later.)  So today's kid-made crayon and watercolor frame was actually made quite a few weeks ago.  I'm excited to finally be posting it today.  I love how easy the it was to make and how lovely it turned out.  (This would definitely be a great kid-made Father's Day gift!)  But, I can't take full credit for the idea.  I originally spotted the idea on fellow Rockin' Art Mom Twodaloo's Crayon Resist Photo Display post.  And she was originally inspired by Artful Parent's Melted Crayon on Wooden Blocks post.  (These two ladies are super creative, so definitely check their blogs out!)


Kid Made Gifts- Melted Crayon and Watercolor Frames



(This post contains affiliate links)

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Corn Husk Paint Brushes

Last week my sister brought over a bunch of corn.  I roasted them in the oven with their husks on and they were yummy.   But as I cleaned up, I kept wondering if there was anything I could do with the discarded husks.  Last summer I used my husks to make a corn husk doll.  This time I tried my hand at making some corn husk paint brushes, since Chuck has been so keen on painting lately.

Corn Husk Paint Brushes

how to make corn husk paint brushes
(Note:  This post contains affiliate links.  Thanks so much for your support!)

Last time he really enjoyed making abstract art with cardboard.  This time he found it funny to paint with brushes make from food.  Now if you're eating a lot of corn too, your kids might like trying out this activity too! 


Saturday, May 24, 2014

American Flag Hand print Heart Art

The older I get, the more I appreciate the men and women that serve in the armed forces.  They are much braver that I will ever be, and I'm so thankful for the sacrifices that they and their families make.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  In honor of this Memorial Day, I tried to come up with an easy, kid-friendly craft that could somehow capture my love of America and my thankfulness for those who sacrificed their lives to protect our country. 
    

American Flag Hand print Heart Art

American Flag handprint Art

The hands are painted like an American flag and placed in a heart shape, representing my love for America.


Friday, May 23, 2014

Make Homemade Body Paint

A couple of days ago my sister came over to visit.  Chuck and I were super excited for her to come.  She also enjoys making things so I wanted to try Paging Fun Mom's homemade body paint with her.  I ended up not following their recipe and just winging it.  It still came out and we had lots of fun painting homemade body paint on ourselves.

Make Homemade Body Paint

how to make homemade body paint

 (Note: This post contains affiliate links.  Thanks for your support!)

You just need three ingredients to make this creamy (and very moisturizing) body paint.  Just FYI- it has a completely different consistency then real body paint and it's not meant to stay on.  But that was ok with us.  We ended up painting our pictures, wiping off our artwork, and then painting something else.  Interested?  Let's get making!


Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Watercolor and Crayon Resist Notebooks

Even though I don't like clutter, I'm also a secret horder of two things.  One is cardboard.  (Happy sigh.)  The other is Chuck's artwork.... which is a growing problem because we keep painting and I never know what to do with the art that I like.  I hang some up in his room.  I turn other pieces into new artwork.  I also use some for cards and stationary (see here , here, and here for some of my favorites)  Goodness, I even turned one into a magnetic fishing game!  Well recently I began turning his artwork into lovely little handmade notebooks.  

Watercolor and Crayon Resist Notebooks


watercolor and crayon resist notebooks

(This post contains affiliate links.  Thank you for your support!)

 
These were made from from some old watercolor and crayon resist artwork... and I love them.  They're personal, lovely, and practical.  I use them to jot down all my bloggy and crafty ideas throughout the day.  And oh yeah, they're super easy to make too!  So let's get crafting!


Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Create Abstract Art with Kids

Chuck and I enjoy painting... well... just about anything.  Give this kid a brush and paint and he's good to go.  I love making art with the little guy and that's why I'm always on the look out for new ways to paint.  That's why this easy abstract painting tutorial on the awesome blog Create Art with Mel really appealed to me.  You simply use a common household item to create interesting abstract art.  Care to guess what the item is?   

create abstract art with toddlers
(This post contains affiliate links.)


Thursday, May 15, 2014

Corn Syrup Paint

Are you looking for a paint that's super pigmented and remains glossy looking when it's dry?  Well then this corn syrup paint is for you.  Chuck and I whipped up a batch of this glossy paint the other day in our kitchen.  Then we had loads of fun trying it out.  The paint is edible (although you probably don't want to eat it), has a consistency  thicker than regular paint, and looks like shiny enamel when it dries.  Intrigued?  Check out the results!

Make Glossy Corn Syrup Paint


how to make glossy corn syrup paint
(This post contains affiliate links. )

Oooooh.  Pretty.  So far we've made homemade sidewalk paint, homemade watercolor paints, and cornstarch toddler paint ... but none of those stand up to the gorgeous results of this homemade corn syrup paint.  The bright colors and gloss are fabulous.   (Yes.  I used the f-word.)  And ready for the best thing?  You could probably whip up a batch of this stuff tonight with ingredients and materials already found at home.  Let's get painting!


Monday, May 12, 2014

Toilet Roll Helicopter Craft

Chuck loves his vehicles.  Thus far we've built a toilet roll airplane, a cardboard roll space shuttle,  a shampoo bottle boat, styrofoam gliders, and a tin can car.  (Wow.  That's a lot of transportation crafts!) Since we live near the river, helicopters fly over our building on a daily basis.  So we recently added this toilet roll helicopter to our collection of recycled transportation crafts.   (Can you tell that he's modeled after Harold the Helicopter from Thomas?)


Toilet Roll Helicopter Craft 

(*Note:  This post includes affiliate links which means that I earn a small commission for every purchase made at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for your support.)    

make a cardboard roll helicopter



Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Painted Twig Wall Hanging


Painted Twig Wall Art 


Chuck's still too young to completely understand the idea of Mother's Day.  But if he were going to give me a handmade gift this Sunday, I'd venture to say that this Painted Twig Wall Hanging would probably be it.  My little guy has an eye for twigs.  Whenever we go for a walk outside, we inevitably bring back a twig, or a rock, or a leaf (luckily, he hasn't asked to bring back any bugs yet.  I might have to put my foot down there.)  Our nature collection tends to grow pretty quickly.  That's why I really like this twig wall art.  It's a beautiful way to remember walks outside, showcase his collection, and do some fun mommy-son crafting too.

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Kid Painted Umbrella (Mother's Day Gift Idea)

Lately Chuck and I have been painting... a lot... and I thought I'd take his artwork up a notch.  So I let him paint one of my umbrellas!  What?  What?  Well, it's always fun working on projects involving bigger and different objects.  Plus, Mother's day is coming up, so I thought that this painted umbrella would make a lovely handmade gift. 

Mother's Day Gift Idea- Kid Painted Umbrella

Kid Painted Umbrella- Mother's Day Gift Idea


Painting an umbrella is a great way to showcase your child's artwork... plus, it's super fun.  (Chuck also had a blast painting it.)  Rainy days are always kind of a downer, so opening up an umbrella and seeing a beloved child's artwork will surely brighten up someone's day.   Now let's get painting!


Friday, April 11, 2014

Freezer Paper Stenciled Canvas Bags

We're back from Australia!  Chuck had a ton of fun playing with his cousin.  I'll try to upload some photos next week once we get readjusted to East Coast time.  (Eeek.)  In the meantime, here's a quick post showing how I made these freezer paper stenciled canvas bags.  A couple of weekends ago, I hung out with some old college friends.  Wanting to give them something handmade, I whipped up these colorful bags. 

Freezer Paper Stenciled Tomato, Pear, and Flower Canvas Bags

freezer paper stenciled tomato, pear, and flower canvas bags
Like the designs?  I think they're happy and bright, but I can't take credit for them. I modeled the images from ones that I saw via Pinterest