Colorful and Glittery Skull Craft

In the midst of what is going on in our country, I almost feel hesitant to keep posting this week.  How can I write posts about crafts, Sharpie markers, and glitter when there is so much misunderstanding, hurt, and turmoil going on?

But you know what?  This blog is my happy place. And being creative and making things with my son makes me happy.  So I'm going to keep making and posting... even while we try to wrap my mind around everything that's going on.

That being said- this Halloween/ Dia De Los Muertos Craft is from awhile back.  We're keeping  the skulls up until Thanksgiving... so I figure I could still post about them here too.

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Stapled Paper Pumpkins

Hi everyone! Sorry for the crickets around here.  We're in the midst of hosting family so things like crafting and blogging have taken a short hiatus.  Today I'm just popping in with this super easy Halloween Craft.  Simply grab staplers, hole punchers, markers, paper, and glue.  Then get to work making some funky paper pumpkins!   

Halloween Paper Cut Chains

Here's a really easy, open-ended Halloween Craft to try out with the kids after school-  Try cutting some Halloween paper chains!

 

Cute Kitty Gift Box

Who loves cats?  Who loves Halloween crafts?  Did you raise your hands for both?  If so, you'll love making this adorable kitty gift box craft!

Magical Unicorn Gift Box Craft

If you're ever invited to a unicorn-themed birthday party.... you have to try out today's craft.  Yup.  I'm living out some childhood fantasies with this magical gift wrapping idea.  Recently I turned a plain-jane gift box into a cute unicorn one! Tada!

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STEAM KIDS- An AWESOME book with 50+ creative, hands-on projects for kids!

I love doing things with my kids.  But lately it's been hard to carve out time to find, set-up, and prep fun and educational activities.  With all the buzz about STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) activities, I've been especially keen on trying out more of those too.

Maybe you're like me?  Maybe you're looking for a great resource full of easy and fun STEAM activities to try out with your kids too?

If that's the case, then I'm so glad you're here!  I'm excited to announce the launch of a brand new book- STEAM Kids!      

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Spooky Chalk Stencil Halloween Haunted Houses

Ok.  I realize that Halloween is several months away.  But I made this city skyline scene with my son and thought... wait a moment... this would be a great Halloween craft to do with kids!   Whaddya think?  The chalk gives the picture an eerie feeling... don't you think?

Oooooh!  Spooky Chalk Stencil Haunted Houses

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No-Carve Hardware Pumpkins

If you're not keen on carving a pumpkin this year, dig around the 'ol toolbox and try out this easy no-carve idea instead!

No-Carve Hardware Pumpkins!

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Spooky Monster Family Portraits

Today's art project is literally the easiest Halloween art activity ever.   (Really!) Continuing with our month long theme of Halloween Crafts,  I recently gave my son a fun art prompt- to draw a family portrait... with a twist!

Rawr!  Spooky Monster Family Portraits!

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Sparkly and Lacy Yarn Spider Webs

Looking for an unusual Halloween Craft that'll please kids of all ages?  My son and I recently made this sparkly and lacy yarn spider web craft together.  The results were really, really beautiful and the process was really unique!

Sparkly and Lacy Yarn Spider Webs

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Sparkly and Googly Eyed No-Carve Pumpkins

Are you feeling the Fall vibes?  Ready to do some easy pumpkin crafts?  If your little guy or gal isn't quite ready for carving pumpkins, then today's no-carve pumpkin option is for you!  Check out these sparkly and googly eyed no-carve pumpkins!

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6 Fun Fall Preschool Corn Activities

We love fall crafts!  Pumpkins, corn, Halloween, apples, lovely leaves, cooler weather- ahhh I love it all.   If you're looking for a simple way to incorporate some fall vibes into your preschoolers' life, check out this awesome collection of 6 fun fall corn activities!

There are science ideas, artsy ideas, mathy ideas, and even free printables too!

• STEAM Candy Corn Pop Art | Handmade Kids Art

• Preschool Corn Counting Activity with Printable | I Heart Crafty Things
• Cardboard Rainmakers | Pink Stripey Socks
• Candy Corn Pizza Craft | Artsy Momma
• Printable Candy Corn Bingo Game | School Time Snippets
• Corn vs. Popcorn Science for Kids (with Printable Graph) | A Little Pinch of Perfect

Have a great weekend, friends!

Easy and Spooky Shrunken Apple Heads!

Do Halloween crafts rock your world?  Yes!?  Awesome.  They totally rock mine too.  Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year.  Costumes, magic, candy, gross things, spooky things—I love it all!

Tomorrow is the first day of October and I’m trying to squeeze in as many Halloween crafts as I can before the month is over.   Today I’m sharing a really neat Halloween activity that also doubles as a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) activity too.  We’re making shrunken apple heads! 

Super Easy and Spooky Shrunken Apple Heads

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(Ha! My husband was weirded out my this little guy, but I think he’s just adorable.  Look at that toothy grin!)

Make Monster Sculptures with kids!

Looking for a fun Halloween activity for preschoolers?  

Why not set up a monster-making factory in your dining room?  Yup.  This fun art and craft activity is a great way for kids to be creative and gear up for the upcoming holidays.  (Hooray Halloween!  Woo-hoo!)

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Living in Southern California, I have a tough time appreciating seasons.  I mean, we’re still in the 70s-80s here.  The leaves are green…. I'm still wearing shorts and sandals.  It just doesn’t quite feel like fall.  So this monster-making activity really helped us get into the fall spirit.

DIY Halloween Treat Containers

The other day I was cleaning out our old sand toys... when the thought hit me.  Hey!  These buckets would make great Trick-or-treat containers!

(Funny when inspiration strikes, right?)

Hyper Colorful Painted Paper Plate Flowers!

Lately I've been enamored with paper plate crafts.  We always have a ton of cheap, white paper plates lying around and they're the perfect canvas.  A couple of days ago my son was sick and we stayed home all day.  Fortunately, we kept ourselves busy with Lego, lots of book reading, and two paper plate crafts.  We had such fun painting, I thought I'd share our crafts here.  Here's our first paper plate craft-

Hyper Colorful Painted Paper Plate Flowers

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So what do you think?  I'm in LOVE with how these flowers turned out.  Really, really, gorgeous.  And, (even better), they're really easy to make and paint too!  

DIY Bat Signal!

Does your child love superheros?  We've officially entered the superhero phase!  Yay!  Chuck was Super Man for Halloween.  Now he constantly requests to wear his favorite Batman shirt... with a clip on tie (go figure) and requests superhero books from the library.  I really wanted to encourage his imagination with a fun superhero craft, but wasn't sure what I could easily (and cheaply) make.

Awhile back I made him a no-sew Superhero cape that he still wears around the house.  But after remembering that I had a bunch of red contact paper lying around, I realized that I could also make him a DIY Bat Signal too!

DIY Bat Signal!  Ka pow!

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Candy Mosaic Art with Kids

Do you still have leftover Halloween candy?  Eeek. We do.  This week's Creative Preschooler theme is food!  With Chuck's current aversion to painting, I thought it would be fun to use our excess candy and make art with it!  So we made ourselves some lovely, colorful candy mosaic art!

Make Candy Mosaic Art with Kids!

It's always special to make art with non-traditional materials.  Some of my favorite food-art projects include our colored salt art, tortilla art,  gumdrop flowers, cornstarch sidewalk paint, and homemade watercolor paints!

DIY Recycled Terrarium

Do you craft with cork?  While I love making cardboard crafts, lately I've been trying to push myself a bit and try out new materials.  Last weekend I picked up these funny shaped cork plugs at our local Art Scrap store because they reminded me of mushrooms.  So I painted them, gave a couple to Chuck to play with, and placed one inside a lovely DIY Terrarium made from recycled materials.  

Make a Terrarium from Recycled Materials!

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I love the idea of creating small, beautiful, magical worlds.  This would certainly be a wonderful fall craft for kids.  Oooh, wouldn't they look lovely as kid-made Thanksgiving centerpieces too?  

Ok!  Let's put on our fairy wings and let's get making!

2 DIY Duct Tape Bug Costumes

Looking for some last minute ideas for DIY Halloween Costumes?  I've recently been embracing duct tape as a crafting material.  So I tried using it to make 2 really easy eleventh hour Halloween Costumes for Chuck.

2 Easy Bug Duct Tape Costumes

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Why use duct tape instead of paint?

Before I got on this duct tape streak, I would have probably just painted these costumes.  You can get some really neat and clean designs painted using freezer paper stencils. But, I really like the idea of using duct tape because you don't have to wait for paint to dry, AND, you can use the shirts over again for something else (which is a big plus in my book!)

Ok.  Let's get making!