Hey teachers are you looking for a great simple kids craft? Create these potted Styrofoam orb flowers. Kids are guaranteed to love this project. Create this at school or at home. Apple Barrel paint goes very well with any Styrofoam surface. Enjoy!

 

PLAID Supplies

·       Apple Barrel ® Gloss™ - Pumpkin Orange, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Gloss™ - Light Blue, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Satin Cream, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Apricot, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Aquamarine, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Haystack, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Caterpillar, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Khaki, 2 oz.

 

Other Supplies

Styrofoam balls – four 1 ½”- three 1”- one 3” cut in half, Found branches, Clay pot 3” x 3 ½”, Glue, Moss, Foam spouncer ¾”, and Flat brush ½”

Instructions

1.    Paint clay pot with Pumpkin Orange.
2.    Apply one each of the remaining paint colors to Styrofoam balls with spouncer. Let dry.
3.    Glue Styrofoam half ball inside pot.
4.    Insert branches into painted balls and then into pot with glue.
5.    Top with moss to finish.

 

Happy Monday, and Happy President’s Day. You know it is never to early to begin teaching your children to reach for the stars. Encouragement, and inspiration can be huge positive factors that will guide a child down a fulfilling, and happy path. Let them know that there is no limitation on what they can achieve. This inspire plaque is a great way to remind them of what they can be. This is a great plaque to create with your child. Motivational words can go a long way. Create this plaque today, and hang in a place your child can see it easily everyday. This plaque was designed by, Holli Long.

 

PLAID Supplies ·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - White, 2 oz. ·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Leaf Green, 2 oz. ·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Hunter Green, 2 oz. ·       Plaid ® Wood Surfaces - Letter Packs Cursive

Other Supplies

Small Rectangle Wood Plaque, 8 X 10” Stencil Pack Blanks, 5/8” Stencil Brush, Medium flat brush, Small flat brush, Ribbon, Scissors, Craft knife,
Circle template, Cutting mat, and Craft glue

Instructions

1.    Paint plaque Leaf Green. Paint edge Hunter Green.

2.    Paint letters and circle shape White. When dry, use a fine liner brush to paint the peace sign on the wood circle shape. Set aside to dry.

3.    With your craft knife, cut polka dot pattern out of the stencil blank. Paint the polka dots White on the front of the plaque.

4.    When dry, glue the letters and peace sign on the front of the plaque.

5.    Attach the ribbon with craft glue or hot glue on the back of the plaque.

 

Alone or together, this gang of love bugs will sweeten your Valentine’s Day! OMG! Have you ever seen a cuter Valentine’s Day craft? I would bet you haven’t until now. These love bugs were created by one of our very talented designers, Julie Lewis. With Apple Barrel paint, and styrofoam the possibilities are endless. You and your kids are sure to have a blast creating these love bugs. So adorable, and would make a wonderful Valentine’s Day gift. To learn how to make these, click here.

 

By: Candie Cooper (To see more of Candie's work visit her blog, Candie Cooper's Journal)

Valentine's Day is about a month away!  This is a project especially geared for little ones, but I had a ton of fun making it so let's just say it's for kids of all ages. ;)  It's carefree and fun, no skills required.  Do you like it already?

You will need:  Apple Barrel paints in pink, light pink and purple, pink Martha Stewart glitter paint, paint brushes, a canvas in desired size, Mod Podge, and paper doily hearts.  You will also need a frame to fit your canvas.

Base-coat the canvas in desired color and then while it's still wet, let your child do the painting with a lighter color (i.e. dark pink and light pink).  I channeled my inner 3 year old here.
 

As the layer's dry, you can add the purple.  Here's where you have to be careful, because if you put the purple on, while the pink is still wet, you may get a "muddy" look.  You know the one.  I plugged in a hairdryer next to where I was working to quickly dry the colors.
 

Add a touch of sparkle with Martha's glitter paint.  This stuff is so fun!  Look at what it does to the surface in the next photo!

Just the right touch!  It is shiny when it dries, but don't worry because the Mod Podge in gloss will make everything shiny.
 

Lay the paper hearts however you wish on the canvas.  Here's one idea I thought about.  You can also use big paper hearts!

Use Mod Podge to adhere the hearts to the canvas.  Have you tried the Mod Podge brayer?  It smooths out all the air bubbles and wrinkles.  Very handy!
 

Optionally, you can use a paint marker to add initials, date, or sentiment.  Artists of all ages can sign their work, right?!  
 

You can leave it like this or paint a frame to match.  

 

Ta daaaa!  Sweet Heart Valentine's Art!

Get your own Mod Podge Brayer right here:  http://www.createforless.com/Plaid+Mod+Podge+Tools+Brayer/Squeegee/pid173914.aspx

By: Candie Cooper - To see more crafts from Candie, check out Candie Cooper's Journal.


2012 is almost here! I can't believe it either! Like many of us, I grew up watching Dick Clark celebrate in Times Square (rarely awake to actually see the ball drop though). This New Year, you and your kids can bring the famous Times Square tradition to your home with this easy project.
 

You'll need a foam disc in desired size, paint and a stiff brush. You can use any color of Folk Art or Apple Barrel paint you like.  I opted for classic Apple Barrel White in Gloss. I've mentioned this before, but Apple Barrel rocks for painting foam surfaces!


I like to squirt out a spiral of paint directly onto the styrofoam and then dip my brush in water while spreading the paint around. The water helps the paint to seep into the foam pores even more, creating a nice coat.
 
Fiskars and Martha Stewart punches are handy to create polka dots and snowflakes on the ball. I used old wrapping paper and scrapbook paper in layers. Tiny mirrors and crystals can be added for sparkle.


Use Mod Podge to glue the layers together. To glue the final pieces onto the foam, use cool temp hot glue. Also if you look just next to the Mod Podge, I hot glued a hook into the foam so it can hang.



Find some sparkly ribbon and tie it to the hook and hang it up! You could also set it in a book shelf if you've no great places to hang it.


I added a little bauble above it from the dollar store just for fun. Stay tuned for another fun project to light your New Year's Ball up! And just for fun, here's an article about the history of the New Year's Ball via TIME:  
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1867116,00.html

Check out this great kid friendly Christmas project. Isn’t the snowman and reindeer so cute? This is a perfect project to create on a cold winter’s day. Grab your craft supplies, and get ready to have some fun. See how to make this project by following the steps below.

 

PLAID Supplies

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Pool Blue, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Pink Parfait, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Bright Red, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - White, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Black, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Nutmeg Brown, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Leaf Green, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Pewter Grey, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Pumpkin Orange, 2 oz.

 

Other Supplies

6” Terracotta pots
4”-4x4 wood posts
2” Pieces of landscape timber
White chenille stem
Electric blue yarn
Small wood circles
Felt scraps
White thread
Hot glue
Ice glitter
Small sticks
Spray sealer
Sandpaper
Adhesive brown felt

Instructions

Snowman:
1. Hot Glue the wood block to the bottom of the pot.

2. Base-coat the clay pot and the wood block with Pewter Grey. Base-coat same pot and block with White. When they are dry lightly sand to create a distressed look.

3. Paint the two wood blocks with Pool Blue. When they are dry, hot glue the yarn to them as shown. Hot glue the chenille stems to the tops of the yarn wrapped wood blocks. Wrap the yarn around the stems adding a few hot glue dots to secure the yarn.

4. Paint the wood circles Black and add White dots to create the look of buttons.

5. Paint the bottom of the pot Bright Red. Add White dots and sprinkle glitter on the dots before the paint dries.

6. Paint the sticks White. Add Pool Blue stripes and Bright Red polka dots. Lightly spray the arms with sealer and sprinkle with glitter.

7. Stitch the felt scraps with the white thread and add yarn to the ends.

8. Paint the eyes Black and the carrot nose Pumpkin Orange.

9. Hot glue the earmuffs, scarf, arms, and buttons to the snowman.


Reindeer:
1. Hot Glue the wood block to the bottom of the pot.

2. Base-coat the clay pot and the wood block with Black. Base-coat same pot and block with Nutmeg Brown. When they are dry lightly sand to create a distressed look.

3. Paint the wood block with Black and then Nutmeg Brown. When they are dry, hot glue to the face of the reindeer as shown.

4. Paint the wood circle Bright Red and add White dots.

5. Paint the bottom of the pot Bright Red. Add White dots and sprinkle glitter on the dots before the paint dries.

6. Paint the sticks White. Add Pool Blue, Bright Red, Pink Parfait and Leaf Green stripes. Lightly spray the arms with sealer and sprinkle with glitter. Hot glue to the head as shown.

7. Stick two pieces of felt together and cut into the shape of an ear. Hot glue to the top of the head

8. Paint the eyes and mouth with Black.

 

By: Candie Cooper

Hello, whoooo's there?!? How about letting this little owl greet visitors at the door for this Thanksgiving?



You will need: paint brushes, Red Folk Art paint, Green Apple Barrel Paint, foam wreath, silk leaves pack, Extreme Glitter in autumn colors, Mod Podge, wood letters and owl, thick glue or glue gun.



Paint the letters red and seal with a coat of Mod Podge. I put the letters on plastic so they don't stick to the paper when dry.



The dollar store is a great place to get packs of silk leaves. Paint a coat of Extreme glitter on each leaf. Don't worry, the glitter will dry clear and sparkly.



Paint the foam wreath with Apple Barrel paint. Apple Barrel is awesome because it's a thinner paint base so it runs into the pores of the foam.



Glue the leaves around the wreath, followed by owl and F A L L letters. If you use thick glue, you may want some pins to hold the leaves in place while they dry.



How sweet is that? You can find the owl and letters in the wood crafts and surfaces section of the craft store. Happy remaining days of Fall!

Here is a unique Christmas wreath that was designed by Margaret Riley. This adorable wreath is a great Christmas project to create with your kids. Make this wreath with a mixture of Apple Barrel, and FolkArt paint. See below all the materials you will need to create this, and the step by step instructions.

PLAID Supplies

·      

      Apple Barrel ® Colors - Turquoise, 2 oz.

      Apple Barrel ® Colors - Plum Kiss, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Yellow, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Black, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Pumpkin Orange, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Grape Jam, 2 oz.

·       Apple Barrel ® Colors - Caterpillar, 2 oz.

·       FolkArt ® Extreme Glitter™ - Gold, 2 oz.

·       FolkArt ® Extreme Glitter™ - Peridot, 2 oz.

·       FolkArt ® Extreme Glitter™ - Tourquoise, 2 oz.

·       FolkArt ® Extreme Glitter™ - Purple, 2 oz.

     

      Other Supplies

4 2-inch snowmen, hat and body are pre-painted, 4 Snowflake buttons, 2 buttons of each of these colors: Yellow, Purple, Green, and Turquoise or Blue
Shank cutter (to remove backs of buttons), Clear drying glue, Foam glue, 1-1/2-yards of 5/8-inch wide wired edge ribbon, No. 8 fabric round scrubber brush
No. 10/0 liner brush, Stylus, 12 inches silver 22-gauge galvanized steel wire, 4 4 inch Styrofoam™ stars, 6 x 1-1/4 inch wreath,5 Floral u-pins
Palette paper, Paper towel, 6 inch piece of floral wire

Instructions

1. Paint each star one of the following colors and let dry: Caterpillar Plum Kiss Turquoise Yellow
2. Paint each star with Extreme Glitter as follows, then let dry Let dry: Caterpillar—Peridot Plum Kiss—Purple Turquoise—Turquoise Yellow—Gold
3. Attach stars with U-pins to wreath (refer to photo for placement).
4. Cut wire into 2-inch pieces and wrap around liner brush to curl them. Stick one end into glue and attach into top of top star.
5. SNOWMEN:  Paint hat bands of each snowman a different color to coordinate with a star.
6. Glue on buttons to coordinate with painted hat band.
7. Paint a Black scarf around neck.
8. Using stylus, dot on Black eyes.
9. Using liner brush, add Pumpkin Orange nose.
10. Cut off shanks from snowflake buttons and glue to hat on each snowman.
11. ASSEMBLY: Create a 10 loop ribbon bow and secure center with floral wire.
12. Press floral wire/ribbon into wreath.
13. Bend U-pin and place in back of wreath for a hanger. 4. Glue color coordinating snowman onto each star.

 

Write away the winter on this snowman slate. One of my favorite winter holiday characters, is the snowman. They are just so cute to me. Here is a cute project to create with your kids. This craft project is perfect for this time of year. Not only is it adorable, but it is also functional :)

PLAID Supplies

Apple Barrel ® Colors - Turquoise, 2 oz.

FolkArt ® Chalkboard Paint - Black, 8 oz.

FolkArt ® Acrylic Colors - Wicker White, 2 oz.

 

Other Supplies
Rectangular Wood plaque
2 inch STYROFOAM™ ball
2.5 inch STYROFOAM™ ball
11 brads - 1 orange; 3 blue; 7 black
2 blue pom-poms
1 silver chenille stem
Blue and white ribbon or scrap material (for scarf)
Blue ribbon (for hanging)
Tacky glue
Hot glue

 

Instructions

1.     Paint edges of plaque with Wicker White. Allow to dry.

2.     Paint dashes around plaque with Turquoise. Allow to dry.

3.     Paint front of plaque with Chalkboard paint. Allow to dry.

4.     Paint snow along bottom of plaque and snowflake on upper right of plaque (refer to photo).

5.     Cut Styrofoam balls in half.

6.     Glue larger Styrofoam ball to bottom left side of plaque.

7.     Tie ribbon or scrap material to create scarf and glue in place; glue on small Styrofoam ball (Refer to photo).

8.     Glue pom-poms and chenille wire in place to create ear muffs.

9.     Add buttons and face with brads; use tacky glue to secure.

10. Use hot glue to attach ribbon for hanging.

 

By: Sherrie Ragsdale

To make this adorable bat pot you will need the following supplies,

Apple Barrel Paints:20226 Petunia Purple20504 Black20503 White
6” Clay PotBlack Permanent Marker1 ¾” Spouncer1 ¼” SpouncerPurple Foam Sheet Craft GluePaint BrushesScissorsPencil







Base coat the pot with petunia purple and allow to dry.



Add the eyes of the bat by dipping the spouncers in to the white paint



Add the centers of the eyes by dipping the other end of the spouncer in black and adding black dots to the white circles.



Add the mouth by using the black marker.  Paint the triangles for the teeth with white.  Allow to dry.



Mark off a circle for the face and the two triangles for the ears. Paint around the face with black. Allow to dry.



Using the pattern provided, cut out two wings from the purple foam.



Glue the wings to the side of the pot.



This is with both wings glued into place.



Using the pattern provided, cut out the feet from the purple foam.



Glue feet to the bottom of the clay pot.

By:Candie Cooper - To see more crafts by Candie, please visit her blog, Candie Cooper's Journal.

Reversible domino necklaces can be whipped up for any holiday!  You'll need Mod Podge, Mod Podge Dimensional Magic, dominos, Apple Barrel paint in Limeade, card stock, paint brush, scrapbook paper scraps, embellishments, spider paper punch, cobweb rubber stamp, black permanent ink pad, eye screws, Dremel tool with small drill bit, ribbon or elastic, beads and mult-purpose adhesive... 


Swipe some paint onto white card stock a paint brush and leave to dry.
 

 
I found this cobweb stamp and hole punch for $1 each at the super-store!  Great craft "staples."  Use a permanent ink pad to stamp cobwebs onto the green painted section.


Punch out as many spiders as you like from purple or blue scrapbook paper.
 


Cut the cobwebs to fit the back of the dominos and Mod Podge to the back side.  Repeat to attach the spiders.



Apply a coat of Mod Podge Dimensional Magic on top of the cobweb paper and leave to dry.  Be sure not to shake the DM before applying.



These super cute brads were $1 also!  Use wire cutters to remove the brads and glue on the front of the domino.



Use a tiny drill bit and Dremel tool to drill a hole in the top middle of the domino.

 

Twist the eye screw into the hole.  If the hole is a little larger than the screw, you can apply a dot of glue and push in the hole (this has happened to me if you can't tell).
 

 
Look at this perfect orange and black cord you can find in the ribbon section of the craft store!


String the domino alone on the ribbon or along with beads on black elastic.  Knot the ends and slip over your head!  Trick or treat either way!