|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
 Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Tuesday Tutorial: Potted Styrofoam Orb Flowers
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.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Web wednesday: Mixed Media Frames for Kids
I recently learned about an online parenting group called, Mom it Forward. When you have sometime check out there site here. They have some awesome content, and throw great twitter parties. I recently stumbled across this adorable kids craft project they recently created. Collen from Mom it Forward created these mixed media frames, using several craft products from Plaid. This is a great project for kids to participate in, and it's fun as well. Click here to learn how to make your own mixed media frame.
Friday, February 03, 2012
Freelance Friday: DIY Mod Podge Pencils
Happy Friday! Boy am I glad the work week is coming to a close. I just returned from CHA, and I am in need of some rest and relaxation :) In case you feel like I do, and just want to unwind this weekend here is a great craft project you and your kids can create. Have your kids be the envy of all their classmates, by sending them to school with these DIY Mod Podge pencils. I found these adorable pencils on a blog called, Omiyage. To learn how to create these click here. Have a great weekend!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Freelance Friday: A Table Makeover with Apple Barrel
Tables are an item that we all have. Many are very basic in color and style. If you are looking for away to make your ordinary table more unique, then use this table makeover as inspiration for how a simple design, can still make your table really standout. How cute is this table? I love to see how people re-purpose their furniture, using craft products. I love how cute and simple this table is. The creator used spray paint, and apple barrel paint to makeover this table. I found this project on, Me and My First Grade Gang. To learn more on how this table was made click, here.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011 Monday, September 19, 2011
Monday Funday: Kids Letter Locker Magnet
Going back to school always brings up different memories for
students…some good and some, like not finding your locker in the never ending
halls of metal doors can be a nightmare. Banish those bad memories by creating
a fun and distinctive initial that will forever make your locker stand out.
Plaid Designer, Julie Lewis shows you how in these simple steps.
Gather your supplies.
Paint your initial black.
Now paint your discs black as well.
It’s now time to apply my favorite thing…glitter!
Apply black glitter to your letter…
and your discs…apply multiple coats as desired.
Trace your letter on top of your paper.
Cut out your letter.
Apply Mod Podge liberally to your letter front.
Place paper on top of letter and gently squeegee excess
glue. Let dry 20 minutes.
Apply several coats of Mod Podge over letter to seal.
Paint your letters white and let dry.
Apply Hologram glitter to letters.
Trace bottom of paper cup onto foam.
Here is what you will have…and now…
Cut circle out with scalloped pinking shears just outside
pencil line.
Cut between scallops towards center about 1/3 of the way in
to create petals.
Here they are…
Glue wood discs to foam flowers and…
letters to wood discs.
Now we are ready to finish!
Run a bead of glue down one side of letter…or along the
desired edge for your particular letter.
Place letters over glue and here is a tip…
Use your paint bottles to hold in place while drying.
Cut lengths of magnetic tape to fit your letter. Peel off
backing and stick to the back.
Finished…fun and all you!
Here is what
you will need to get started:
FolkArt® Acrylic Paint – 938 Licorice, 901 Wicker White
FolkArt® Extreme Glitter™ - 2796 Hologram, 2797 Black
Mod Podge® Gloss – CS11205
Craft glue
Black and white scrapbook paper
Wood/paper Mache letter (mine was 6 ½” tall, but use a
bigger one to fit your name)
2mm foam sheets – lime green, turquoise, hot pink, orange
Rubber squeegee
½” flat brush
Pencil
Scissors
Scalloped pinking shears
1 ¼” wood discs
1 1/8” wood letters
Small paper cup
Adhesive backed magnetic tape
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
Tuesday Kid's Talk: Personalization for Kids
 A very hot trend in the craft industry is, personalization. The reason this trend does very well with most people, is because personalized items allow for a person to feel unique. We live in a world of mass produced items, so being able to make a personalized craft is a great way to stand out and show off your individuality. While this is a hot crafting trend for adults, it can also be used for kids. Kids love their name, and personalized crafts using their names can be a great way for your kids to get in on this trend. Take this personalized cubby coat hanger. We found this craft over on Fave Crafts, and are in love with it. How cute, right? This is a perfect example of a way to have your kids make a personalized craft. This is simple, and affordable to make. Change up the colors by selecting from a wide variety of Apple Barrel paints. Click here to learn how to make this personalized kids' craft.
Friday, September 02, 2011
Freelance Friday: Mod Podge Kid Clipborads
Clipboards are a great organizational tool for an adult, but how can they be kid friendly? Well here's how, use miniature clipboards and some mod podge to create this fun kids' craft. I came across this project on The Mud Pie Makers. It is so simple, and creative. These mini-clipboards are so cute for kids. In case you have not seen mini clipboards around, check out Walmart or Staples to find them. To learn how to make this project click, here. 
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Web Wednesday: Chalkboard Composition Notebook
 Our crafty Mod Podge friend Amy Anderson, shared with us this project she recently found on, Much Ado About Nothing. Cristal created this adorable and very useful back to school project. A chalkboard composition notebook. Normally when I hear the word, composition notebook, I think of an old school looking notebook. This is definitely not old school! It is so resourceful. Cristal made this back to school project for her kids. It includes very easy to find materials, including Chalkboard Paint from Plaid. It is a great back to school craft. I hope this inspires you. Click here to learn how to make this creative notebook.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Tuesday Kid's Talk: Race Car Building Blocks from Martha Stewart
 Often times it can be a little bit more difficult to find crafts that are targeted towards boys. Our friends over at Brown Paper Packages, made these adorable race car building blocks for her two little ones. This is such a great project to make, and very easy to do. All the materials used were products from the new Martha Stewart craft line, available now at Michaels nationwide. This multi-surface paint line works great on wood, as seen in this project. Want to make this project for your little racers? Click here to learn how.
Thursday, August 25, 2011 Tuesday, August 23, 2011 Friday, August 19, 2011
Freelance Friday: Back to School Teacher's Gift
 So it's back to school time, and many kids want to start the school year off on the right track. What better way to impress your teacher, then by giving her a small token of appreciation. Check out this very cute teacher's gift craft we found on Giggles Galore. This type of teacher's gift can be used in a variety of ways. It can be used to welcome a new teacher at the beginning of the school year, or it could be given to a teacher as a thank you gift at the end of the year.
To learn how to make this great project click here. I would suggest using some of Plaid's Chalkboard paint in Black #2517, and some Apple Barrel paint in Bright Yellow #20513.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Teaching Thursdays: Dorm Decor
By: Candie Cooper (See more by Candie on her blog, Candie Cooper's Journal)
This morning I was listening to a story about the movie, "American Grafitti" on NPR. American Graffiti is about kids living in a small town one more summer before shipping out to college. My story is pretty much the same, except I didn't race cars at the end. It seemed like it took forever for orientation day to come. I also remember picking out things like a twin size comforter, crates, a futon and shower caddy for my dorm at Purdue. If you have someone heading to college this year, this is a great send-off gifty for the recent grad. They are stackable nesting boxes that can be tucked anywhere and hold everything from chewing gum and shots of espresso to flashcards (at least that's what mine would've held).
These are the boxes---see how they fit together so cute?
Pick out the die cuts and lay them out in the boxes. It helps to take a picture before painting so you can see how you arranged them when it comes time to Mod Podge.
Base coat the boxes in whatever colors you like---school colors would be fun too! If you look at the brushes above, you'll see a flat, angled and then another flat paint brush. The angled brush is key for getting into corners. I used Apple Barrel paints for this project because they are a little thinner than Folk Art. The boxes soaked up the paints and dried really fast.
Dry brushing is my favorite surface painting technique. It's easy and looks cool when done. Try some Silver Anniversary Folk Art paint for this step. My mom actually painted while I took pictures. Insert me saying, "now, hold still"....."ok, hold still"...."i REALLY need you to hold still." We have fun. She's the queen painter in the family.
The key to dry brushing is using a really coarse haired brush, dipping it in paint and removing most of the paint off to the side. Soft bristle brushes don't work. Run the brush along your wood surface in whichever direction you like. You can always practice on a scrap surface first.
Use Mod Podge gloss to adhere all the die cuts---this is where the photo that you took earlier comes in handy to figure out placement. Photos or school mascot bumper stickers would also be great embellishments.
Now you'll need the small and large flat brushes (see photo above) to make some stripes around the top of the boxes. The inner and very outer boxes get tiny stripes and the middle large stripes. This looks really cool when they're all together.
A tip for making stripes is to have your brush fully loaded with paint to create really solid stripes. Less paint makes for brushier stripes.
Seal all of the boxes with Folk Art Gloss acrylic varnish. This makes everything look nice and finished. Let's take a look at all the boxes....
 
As usual, I want a set of these for holding instant coffee and teas, tubes of seed beads and lip gloss. Looking at that list, I still feel a bit young at heart.
Wishing you a great back to school season, I am...Candie
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Tuesday Kids' Talk: Budget Crafting for Families
Many people don't realize it, but crafting can at times be costly. All the supplies you use begin to add up. The glue, trim, paint, and tools, can all begin not only to clutter up your home, but also clean out your bank account. Don't worry there are ways to be more budget conscious when it comes to crafting. Below are some helpful tips that will lessen the strain on your spending.
Use found objects from your backyard
There are several resources to use as craft supplies, just in your backyard. Are you in need of pine cones, stones, sea shells, or sand? Well your in luck many of these natural resources are simply just a few steps away from you. Before you head out to craft store, just look outside first to see what supplies maybe right at your fingertips. Recruit your kids to help you look for craft supplies outside. Reuse and Recycle
With the recent economy being in such turmoil the past few years, many people have begun to reuse and recycle many items. Why not do the same for crafting? Like most people, you probably clean out your closets, and gather up old clothes, nick-nacks, jewelry, and other things to donate. Well that's great, but before you get rid of anything take a second look, and check to see if you can use any of these items in craft projects you plan on making. What else can be recycled for your
crafts? Old magazines are perfect for scrapbooking. Old Christmas and
birthday cards can be cut up to create new greeting cards, gift tags, or
even special wrapping paper. Take a look at these old items with a new
eye, and you’ll be surprised at what you can save. Make A Shopping List I am sure you have heard this one before, mainly mentioned when people go to the grocery store. Well the same can be said when going to craft store. If you plan before you go shopping, it will help you stick to your plan and be less tempted to get off your initial shopping list. Thus you will not make any impulse purchases, that could make you over spend on necessary items.
Discounts One of the best ways to save money on almost anything is to never pay retail. Always look for coupons, or shop when discounts are going on at your local craft store. Also don't be afraid to shop online. There are huge savings you can get in on, online. There are several online discount codes and coupons. We here at Plaid offer several online promo codes and discounts. Click here to see what's on sale now.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Monday Funday: Pencil Box
By: Candie Cooper - See more of Candie's crafts on her blog Candie Cooper's Journal
When I was in about sixth grade, my grandma let me set up a little table outside her store to sell my crafted wares during a local festival. I had a little bit of this and that, but one of the things I remember were decorated pencil boxes. The recessed rectangle in the top makes them perfect for embedding whatever you like. So, gather up your buttons, trims, papers, and what not!
 
Cut a piece of funky paper to fit inside the rectangle and Mod Podge in place.
 
Collage stickers and more papers and use the Mod Podge to put those in place also. Who doesn't smile when they see a sock monkey? Shape hole punches and sequins would also be fun here too.
Once your Mod Podge is dry, you can fill the recessed area with Dimensional Magic! This is my first time using Dimensional Magic over here, so I'll tell you my favorite things about it. It gives you a resin like finish, it's non-toxic, and it dries really quickly. For this project, give it about 6 hours (for smaller projects 3). You can use it on jewelry pieces too.
*If you have a dog that sheds like a maniac, you may want to put a hood over your project so it stays dust and fur free while it dries.*
Once the Dimensional Magic is dry, you can add ribbon trim around your border. Maybe even a couple of buttons? You can never go wrong with buttons, honestly.
Now you've got a sweet box to hide all your treasures in! Mine is going to house my favorite colored pencils.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Teaching Thursdays: Back to School Locker Pencil Holder
 It's that time of year again. It's back to school time! A great way to get your kids excited to return to school, are crafts! I found this adorable locker pencil holder over on, Makes and Takes. Have your kids make their own school supplies. It allows them to be creative, and allows you to save a few bucks. This project is very easy and simple to make. It is the perfect organizing tool for your kids locker. This is a great project to make in order to not only keep your pens and pencils organized, but it also allows for easy access. This is also a project that can be reused over again for the following school year, or even around the house.
Supplies you will need:
- clean, empty tin can, label removed
- felt
- decorated or color cellophane
- tape
- hot glue gun
- alphabet beads
- embellishments, such as buttons, beads, thread, etc
- 5 button magnets
Click here to see the step by step instructions on how to create this great back to school project.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Great Last Minute Father's Day Gifts
 When I picked up my son from school today he proudly showed off the project he made for his dad. I thought it was so cute and easy that I had to share it. All the kids did was Mod Podge tissue paper to tin cans. That's it! They each got creative with the colors they used and the way they placed the paper on the cans, and each one was a little masterpiece. Best of all, this project can be done in about an hour, not including drying time. The teachers printed out "I love, you, Dad! Happy Father's Day 2011" and the kids glued it to the top of the can. They also printed out a little saying for the side: "When I am at school, or when we are far apart, you are always in my heart. So here are some hugs and kisses for when I am away to remind you that I love you every day."  You know what is in the tin? You guessed it! Hershey's hugs and kisses candy. So sweet and simple, and Dad is sure to love it. If you're looking for other last minute projects to do with the kiddos, check out our sister blog, Paint Me Plaid, and PlaidOnline.com. Have a Happy Father's Day!
Friday, May 06, 2011
Fun Family Crafts -Bean Bag Toss
Our friends Chica and Jo always have fun and different ideas for using Plaid products. Take for instance this bean bag toss game that they created using old jeans and a little Apple Barrel Paint. What a great idea for spring break, field day, family reunions and just general summer fun. Get instructions and more photos here. 
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Eco Friendly Crafts - Pirate Ships
 If you have a stash of old milk cartons hanging out in the recycling bin, you'll love this seaworthy (or at least bathtub-worthy boat) craft project idea. These fun pirate ships are made completely with objects from around the house (use straws and scrap paper for the sails). The even cooler thing is that the boats float, so you can take an armada of ships to your favorite tub or kiddie pool. Find instructions here: Craftprojects.com
Friday, April 22, 2011
Happy Earth Day - Kids' Crafts Roundup
 Just in time for Earth Day! Here is a roundup of our favorite earth-friendly craft projects for kids. The easiest and most wonderful way to make earth day everyday is by simply reusing and re-purposing household items and crafting is a great way to do that. Check out our favorites earth day crafts below! Grass Head Guys
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Spring Crafts for the Family - Tulips!
 I love this time of year for a lot of reasons, but I especially love all of the beautiful flowers in bloom. My favorite if course is tulips. Silly Eagle has a great kid-friendly tulip craft project that you will love as well. See the easy tutorial here.
Friday, February 11, 2011 Thursday, December 30, 2010
Baby, it's cold outside...easy winter crafts
 All across the country, there has been record-breaking cold weather-blizzards, snow storms and general chilliness. So with schools generally closed for the holidays or inclimate weather, now's a great time to break some fun winter ready crafts. We love these simple-to-make paint stick snowmen made by Crafts by Amanda. Check out her full post here.
Thursday, October 14, 2010 Monday, October 04, 2010 Monday, September 27, 2010
Stiffy Ghost Ornament
There is nothing more fun or easier than using Stiffy-Plaid's fabric stiffening product. Looking to make ghosts or mummies for Halloween?
This is the product for you! Check out this ghost ornament and modify the instructions to fit your project!
   
Monday, July 12, 2010
My Pet Rock
For whatever reason, my boys love collecting rocks. It isn't unusual for me to remove several of them from their pants when I'm about to do laundry, and if I'm not careful they occasionally will make it into the wash. I don't really no why they love rocks so much, but I do think this project is a great activity and a way to transform a picked-up rock into a true 'pet-rock'. This is a great activity for camp crafting, and fun to do with themes as well like animals, aliens and people. Enjoy!
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Spot the Dog made with STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam
You are sure to love this cute little pup- and if you look closely, you'll see he is made with a few egg-shaped Styrofoam pieces and other cut outs. This is just one example of the many animals you can create with foam and Apple Barrel Paint.
Monday, June 07, 2010
Summer Craft for Kids -More Crafts with Foam
We're in love with Apple Barrel Colors and STYROFOAM™ Brand Foam for Kids Crafting. So much, in fact that we've created a whole swarm of animals and insects out of foam. Visit Plaidonline.com to get directions for all our animals. These make great cummer camp and party crafts.
Thursday, June 03, 2010
Summer Crafts for Kids - Space Fun
This project is super fun and great for younger kids. Plus, it uses items found around the house. Apply this 3-D diarama idea to create all kinds of projects, like farms, villages or sea scenes.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Summer Crafts for Kids - Pencil Flowers
Cute and easy fun for little kids. This project is great for smaller kindergarten aged kids and is really fun. Just use small paper cups, a few pencils and foam. They make cute gifts and party favors, too!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 Thursday, December 17, 2009 Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Easy Crafts for Kids- Santa!
December is counting down and it is getting closer to Christmas! As the big day approaches and the kids go on Christmas break, keep them busy with easy crafts that don't take a lot of time, but are fun to do and easy to clean up after. Check out this adorable Santa Claus project from About Kids Crafts, made with Acrylic paint and popsicle sticks! See it here!
Monday, December 14, 2009 Thursday, December 10, 2009 Wednesday, December 02, 2009 Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Easy Thanksgiving Crafts - Pilgrim Hat
Those tiny little pots that you can find in the craft store for way less than a dollar can become the perfect surface for minature pilgrim hats. These litte hats can be hung like ornaments or used as place settings on a Thanksgiving day table. However you use them, they are super fun and easy to make!
 
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 Tuesday, November 03, 2009 Friday, September 04, 2009 Monday, August 24, 2009 Friday, August 21, 2009 Wednesday, August 19, 2009 Thursday, August 13, 2009 Wednesday, August 12, 2009 Friday, August 07, 2009 Thursday, August 06, 2009 Thursday, July 23, 2009 Monday, July 20, 2009 Wednesday, June 17, 2009 Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Bugs!
Hate bugs? Check out the newest addition of
Kids Crafts Weekly for a whole lot of bugs projects you are
sure to love!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Eric Carle Inspired Cards
These beautiful Eric Carle inspired cards are easy to craft with kids. Why not read your favorite Eric Carle book and then create this fabulous Valentine's Day project? You can use Mod Podge, tissue paper and a few other materials. Thanks to Jessica of Art Smart for Kids for this project. Jessica blogs about art and education for kids and has many art and project posts. Click here to see all directions and photos for making cards.
Monday, December 01, 2008 Monday, November 17, 2008
Thanksgiving Turkey with Grateful Feathers
Help your children show how thankful they are with this great little turkey with grateful feathers. This projected was posted by Parents.com. The Turkey is made with yarn, scrabook paper and a few other supplies. See this project and other great project ideas here.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Snow Globes!
Little Elephants
These beautiful snow globes make a great group craft project as well as splendid Christmas gifts. Get details how to make 'em on littleelephants.typepad.com. The author also includes links and lessons she learned from experimenting with different materials.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Fall Craft Roundup Part I
Our first fall craft roundup includes fun, simple projects for younger kids. These project are great for classroom settings or at-home crafting. Enjoy!
The photo above shows easy-to-make recipe holders from Apples4teacher.com.
Friday, October 17, 2008 Monday, July 07, 2008
Get Ready for School!
Its almost time to start planning for school in the fall. In addition to the regular back-to-school supplies that your child will need for school, consider creating a stash of extra supplies especially for special projects, reports and extra-credit assignments. Here's a list to get you started:
- Old Magazines-Great for making collages
- Poster Board
- Mod-Podge - The all-purpose glue and adhesive is great for decoupage, assembling collages and makes a great sealant.
- Texture Paint -Check out Plaid's new texture paint, great for making models, maps and more.
- Crayons
- Permanent Markers
- Chalkboard Paint -Makes any surface a chalkboard-writing surface.
- Report Covers-Keep a stash so you don't have to purchase them each time a report is due.
- Construction Paper
- empty bottles and containers of various shapes
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
craft categories
sites we  archives
| February, 2012 (17) |
| January, 2012 (22) |
| December, 2011 (26) |
| November, 2011 (22) |
| October, 2011 (21) |
| September, 2011 (22) |
| August, 2011 (24) |
| July, 2011 (16) |
| June, 2011 (8) |
| May, 2011 (3) |
| April, 2011 (10) |
| March, 2011 (1) |
| February, 2011 (1) |
| January, 2011 (1) |
| December, 2010 (2) |
| October, 2010 (9) |
| September, 2010 (8) |
| August, 2010 (7) |
| July, 2010 (5) |
| June, 2010 (7) |
| May, 2010 (5) |
| March, 2010 (5) |
| February, 2010 (3) |
| January, 2010 (8) |
| December, 2009 (9) |
| November, 2009 (13) |
| October, 2009 (13) |
| September, 2009 (6) |
| August, 2009 (14) |
| July, 2009 (12) |
| June, 2009 (11) |
| May, 2009 (15) |
| April, 2009 (8) |
| March, 2009 (10) |
| February, 2009 (12) |
| January, 2009 (4) |
| December, 2008 (10) |
| November, 2008 (12) |
| October, 2008 (14) |
| September, 2008 (7) |
| August, 2008 (10) |
| July, 2008 (5) |
| June, 2008 (4) |
| May, 2008 (3) |
| April, 2008 (1) |
| January, 2008 (4) |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
home
about us
contribute
privacy policy & terms
|
|
|
Sign In
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|