I Actually Own Stock In Glue Sticks
This is how I studied in college.
It’s FRIDAY! Hell to the Yeah! (Oh my god. I can’t believe I just typed that. I’m so terribly lame.) I have so many cool Christmas-y type things to do this weekend that I can’t wait for this day to be over. We have birthday parties, donuts with Santa, Christmas gatherings for the kids, and my favorite: Christmas movies all night tonight on ABC! Two Frosty movies and one new Rudolph-type movie that looks super cute.
(The 23-year-old Me is cringing right now and mumbling things about how boring I’ve become.)
Of course, I’m mildly irritated because yesterday the weathermen in the area used the “S” word and all of the stores were cleared out of bread and milk (I went and bought beer. I’m no dummy.) and the schools all panicked. Lucky, for once, the city schools decided to wait it out. They’ve been known to announce a closing the day before and then nothing happens. Which is exactly what happened last night: Nothing. Unfortunately, the daycare did not wait it out and said they’d stay closed until 9am. Meaning a certain infant and a certain 3-year old will be part of the exciting world of web hosting today!
I want to do some cool Christmas crafts this weekend. One of the teachers at the kids’ school showed me some cool (and easy) centerpieces to make. I was wondering if any of you have any cool/easy ideas. Remember the following things:
- We don’t mind messes, we actually kinda like messy projects. Gives me an excuse not to clean. “I’m not going to vacuum today because we’re working with glitter tomorrow.”
- We are not talented. And by “we” I mean, “me.” I’m good with scissors and glue. That’s about it.
- We have access to a printer so if we need to print up instructions or templates online we can.
- We have copious amounts of paper, glue, glitter and paints. Not much in the world of fabrics and stuff. I don’t want to have to buy anything new if I can avoid it.
- Crafts with photos are good for us too since we can just send pictures to Target through flickr to be printed in an hour. And I love crafts with photos! They can usually be given as gifts and I’m cheap.
So – share your ideas with me. Send me links. Help me shower my house in a storm of paper, glue and glitter this weekend! MrZ loves it when we do that.
http://www.dltk-kids.com/
The kids and I love this site. There are lots of Christmas crafts that just need a printer, crayons, glue, and scissors. And you can always add glitter! Plus, she lists the best age for the craft project.
Hope you have a fun weekend of crafts. My kids are making there teachers homemade Christmas cards this weekend. I might print out some other crafts while we are at it.
I haven’t actually tried this, but some people on a message board I visit were raving about it recently. It’s a site with templates you fold and use to cut out snowflakes. Apparently they look really impressive when finished but are fairly simple to do. All you really need for it is some paper, a printer, and scissors. But you could always color the snowflakes if you wanted. Plus, what snowflake doesn’t look better with some glitter?! http://www.papersnowflakes.com/templates.htm
What about glitter pinecones? I don’t know if you have easy (preferably free) access to pinecones, but when I was a childcare teacher, we would always douse some in glue, let the kids sprinkle on their favorite assortment of glitter, stick a few cranberries on and then, for a centerpiece, let them glue them all together by “building” something.
awww we had our snow yesterday….
have you tried doing this for NikkiZ yet…not really a craft but Elf on the Shelf? does creative sometimes “naughty” things…more like a Santa’s helper that “watches” the kids naughty/nice. But can be known to play tricks at night. People have had the elves “drive” their car and park it all wonky with a garbage can knocked over next to it. track things through the house….etc. I can find you some links if interested. I heard about it on a discussion board I read everyday.
Ooh, I’m going to be following this. I’m hosting a cookie exchange party this weekend and desperately need some inexpensive centerpiece and decorating ideas. What ideas did you get from the teacher?
I loved making tissue paper mosaics when I was a kid. Cut up squares of tissue paper in whatever colors you want to use for your project. Twist a piece of tissue paper onto the eraser end of a pencil. Dip into white glue. Affix to craft paper. Twist the pencil gently to loosen the tissue paper and lightly ‘fluff’ the tissue paper once it’s glued down. Makes great 2-D art. Might help to start with a ‘pattern,’ e.g., a sketch of a flower to help guide your tissue paper placement. I looked online and there are lots of websites with directions on making tissue paper mosaics if you want/need further help.
On the snowflake note, I made some of these 3d paper ones last year, and they are easy AND gorgeous! http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-3D-Paper-Snowflake You could also use Maxine Dangerous’ tissue paper mosiac idea to decorate Christmas trees…or you could cut out holes for the ornaments and glue different colored tissues on the back. Then you could hang them up in the windows to catch the light
Ok back in 1984 when I was 9 I painted a small log (about 6- 8 inches in length four inches high) bored a hole in it (big enough to stick a candle) and painted it white with house paint. When it was dry I daubed the top of it with liquid pva glue, sprinked some glitter then stuck a santa and a couple of other cake decorations on top. Voila! Over 20 years later my mum still uses it, brings it out each year and says ” do you remember when…”
I don’t craft so I don’t have any craft suggestions. What I do have is slack-jawed awe that your daycare put in a delay the night before a possible S-word event. Pass on this word of advice from me:
Dear daycare folk:
I live in the Great White North. We get snow all the time. If we canceled everything whenever there might possibly be snow, we would be closed from October through April. Here’s what you do the morning of a predicted storm.
1) You get up at 5 AM.
2) You look out the window.
3a) If it is not snowing, you make some coffee and go to work.
3b) If it is snowing, you call the local radio station and tell them you are closed. Then you go back to bed.
Really. It’s not that hard.
I’m with alias mother, WTH is daycare thinking? I mean, I’m in that northwestern state famous for potatoes, and in October we got over 18 inches of the white stuff in 24 hours and I intentionally went shopping since it was quiet! We don’t have school closures unless it’s blowing and the drifts are over 3 feet tall! But, we’re used to it I guess! And since I work in county government, if we’re not snowed in with a foot falling each our, I am required to show up to work, no getting out of it. Fun times!
The best ornament I ever made was using a Ball canning lid, a nail, and an angel template. Around the angel I’d punch (using a small hammer and dad’s help) holes in the lid, then another hole at the top for a hanger loop, then I glued lace around the edge and hung it with red yarn. It’s still on my tree 30 years later and my boys think it’s the coolest thing ever! Plus, it’s pretty indestructible!
Reindeer Candy Canes
Supplies
Elmer’s or a similar glue
Thin permanent marker
Pipecleaners
Mini red puff balls
Small moving eyes
Optional: Decorative items such as ribbon, bow ties, etc.
1. Place a small dot of glue at the top of the short end of the cane. Press two eyeballs on to the glue dot. Centered below the eyes place a second (smaller) dot of glue. Press mini puff ball on to the dot. Allow to dry.
2. Once the glue dries, draw a mouth with the permanent marker below the red puff ball nose.
3. Fold a pipe cleaner in half. Hook a candy cane between the fold. Twist the end of the cleaner twice. Bend the cleaner into a zig zag form or something similar to form the antlers.
4. If you have decorative items, you can add them to the long stick under the hook or to the antelers.
These look nice on the Christmas tree or attached to gifts.
I would love to see photos of the crafts you do this weekend.
My favorite wreath was made from my grand daughters hand tracings. I would send a pic but it has been broken and I need to make a new one.
Just trace the hand, make a template and cut out multiple hand of foam core (or paper if you only want it for this year) and them glue together in a circle.
Of course you can always decorate it by LIBERALLY sprinkling it with glitter.
The first thing that came to my mind was tube sock snowmen. I just took out the two that my son made years ago. I did a google search and there are a lot of variations to choose from. Ours were filled with rice and tied with thread/dental floss to make each level and they are decorated with glitter and colored glue (I think that’s what it is.)
Arun has been coming home from school with some adorable things lately – things I don’t mind actually displaying. A simple gingerbread man made out of brown construction paper….a construction paper cone with a jingle bell in it and streamers hanging out it. Fun stuff.
People freaking out over snow – it happens ALL the time here in Kansas City. It’s ridiculous.
The Toymaker.
It is awesomeness incarnate.
http://www.thetoymaker.com/2Toys.html
You are quickly becoming my FAVORITE blogger! I am so loving your posts!!
I am not crafty either. Not. At. All.
My daughter Ryleigh came home today from pre-school with a snowglobe- made out of a water bottle. put water, glitter, foil confetti, little beads etc. glue the top on (which her preschool didn’t do- I did) and shake, shake shake, instant snow globe in a bottle.
You can also make home made play-doh and use a rolling pin and cookie cutters – which I plan on doing this weekend.
Have fun !!!!
Hey, I see your shared items has the tube sock snowman. Was that before or after I commented? (I think it was before now that I look closer). I had no idea. What did you make?
This is easy… but it’s not too messy… BUT it can still get you out of vaccuming, because fleece sheds like all get out!! I love making these, they’re great. and they’re oh so warm.
http://www.allkindsofbabystuff.com/no_sew_fleece_blankets.html
The best kind of fleece to use is the blizzard fleece, but that tends to run more expensive. But Joanns will put it on sale randomly for like 1.99$ a yard or something like that. They’re great!!