Craftivity Corner

Allison McDonald
Creative crafts, book suggestions, and tips to make time for learning in your busy day.

archives

May 28, 2011
My 5 Favorite Stores For Craft and Activity Supplies
I am not sure if I mentioned here how my now 4 year old son had a major aversion to shopping at a very well known and much loved craft supply store, let's call it Michelle's... well because I live in a small town and there aren't many other options I have become very savy at where I can get supplies. Here are my favorite. Hardware Store - it's my favorite place for paint chips ( great fun for collages), paint brushes , glue and painter's tape. Grocery Store - paper bags for paper, dish sponge for a paint brush, apples for stamps. The list goes on and on. Office Supply...
Arts and Crafts
May 27, 2011
Cupcake Garland - Perfect For Last Minute Celebrations
I love cupcakes and one thing I always have on hand are cupcake liners . Well this easy garland uses them to make fun last minute ( or well thought out) decorations for your celebrations. I made this one to celebrate a fun day we'd had, nothing major , no need for balloons but as every stay at home parent knows that when you don't look at that clock until 5 minutes before backup arrives you have had a great day. So celebrate! You will need some ribbon, cupcake liners ( I used 2 sizes), scissors and double stick tape. Start by cutting a piece of ribbon . Poke holes through the middle...
Party decor
May 26, 2011
Personalized Pencil Case - Fast and Frugal
All kids love seeing their names on things but personalization is expensive, well usually. This is a frugal way of making plain old pencil cases personal without having to break the budget. You will need a pencil case - any old one will do. You will also need some sticky back foam letters. You can get them most anywhere , including the dollar store. Write your name, write what is inside, write anything you want but make it unique!
Arts and Crafts, Frugal
May 25, 2011
Roll With It - Caster Painting
Part of teaching kids about creativity is going along with the thoughts of " I wonder if I could ..."  Like  finding things and using them for things they aren't meant to be used for.  I was looking for an old book in our garage when I saw some old discarded casters just sitting on the shelf. They'd gone to a bed we'd long gotten rid of. Immediately I knew my son would love them, and knew what I wanted to do with them. I wanted to paint. So ... we did.   You will need some casters or anything else with wheels - like toy car, a pastry wheel...look...
Arts & Crafts
May 24, 2011
Rainy Day Fun
My kids are 3.5 years apart in age and while that will be no sweat when they are 23 and almost 27 , at 11 months and almost 5 the gap is big, huge even. Already my daughter follows after my son , grabs at his toys and he yells for help knowing that I may be angry if he grabs things back from her too forcefully. Imagine my complete joy when on a really rainy day ( we live in WA state so you can imagine for us to call it rainy it's like a monsoon) we built a fort. I know it's not rocket science but it was something new for us and something that despite their age difference that they...
Building Forts, fun, Siblings
May 23, 2011
Shatter Proof and Super Cheap DIY Cupcake Stand
If you are a regular reader you know that my daughter's birthday party is coming up. I have been testing out decoration ideas, craft tutorials etc... and sharing it here. Well while reading the fine print about the venue ( a park) I had already signed a contract for I noticed that all dishes must be shatterproof plastic or paper. I had  a great idea for these pretty cupcake stands but my dreams were dashed... and as it turned out my wallet ( and probably my husband) can thank then because this idea is shatter proof and cost me next to nothing. You will need a plate and bowl - ours...
Birthday Parties, Crafts, DIY
May 22, 2011
Easiest Party Favor Ever!
My son is obsessed with Batman right now and he is convinced that all kids need Bat rings so if ever they are in trouble they can use it to summon Batman and get help. What I like about this simplest craft ever idea is that it works with any theme. As long as you have small enough stickers and enough milk plugs you are set. All you need are the plugs that come in cartons with screw caps and stickers. Pop the sticker on the plug. I told you it was simple. However simple things are often met with the biggest, widest, most electric smiles. I know this was.
Batman, Character gifts, Loot Bags
May 21, 2011
Great Books For Babies
We love books at our house, we have many, take many out of the library and since my daughter who is 11 months old got mobile have been fixing many of them. She tears books and it seems like no matter how careful we are some book gets left down where she can grab , rip and tear. While at our local bookstore yesterday we saw these Industrutibles books. I bought one on the spot. The books are super simple ours Creep! Crawl! by Kaaren Pixton is simply a picture book of bug paintings. They are bright and big and best of all baby proof!   I didn't plan on this post( and it's by no...
Book Recomendations
May 18, 2011
Planter Pinwheel
I love pinwheels that you can pop in your planters to add some kid made pizzaz! They are simple to make but be prepared to help young kids when they are pining the corners down. You will need some paper, a big milkshake straw, a large brad, hole punch.scissors and anything you want to use to decorate the pinwheel. Start by coloring the paper, it's hard to see in the picture but the paper is colored all over. Flip your paper over. Make lines from the corners into the center. Add dots on one side of the lines. Punch holes in them. Cut along the lines. Punch a hole through the straw....
Arts & Crafts
May 17, 2011
Books For When Grandparents Are Sick
Let's Talk About When Someone You Love Is In A Nursing Home by Diana Star Helmer is a really important and frank look at all the things kids can expect to experience when they visit loved ones in a nursing home.  This book doesn't sugar coat things and gives answers to questions I never even considered like the smell, food and what activities you CAN do while visiting a nursing home.    Always My Grandpa : A Story for children about Alzheimer's Disease by Linda Sacco PhD is such a great book and if your family has been affected by this heartbreaking disease you...
Book Recomendations
May 13, 2011
Stationary Aisle Bugs- Great for Traveling
I love finding ways of making crafts with a minimum of materials so that even when little artists are away from home they can still have fun and create. For these you only need 4 things; a paper grocery bag ( or any paper), stationary labels, scissors and a pencil or marker. Cut your bag and start creating. We made bugs - super easy and fun this time of year expecially if you are traveling because bugs are a little different when you are away from home, so after making this you can go find some new to you bugs.  Hotel ice buckets make great containers for bug hunts if you didn't...
Crafts
May 11, 2011
Paper Plate Flower
  I love this craft not only is it beautiful and uses common materials, it's great fine motor skill practice too! You will need markers, glue, tissue paper, a paper plate , scissors and ribbon. Start by coloring your flower ( paper plate) Next rip small pieces of tissue paper off and crumple into balls ( thyis was the kids favorite part). Glue the tissue paper balls in the middle. Cut the ribbon into short pieces and glue along the edge. Let dry.
Arts & Crafts, Flowers
May 10, 2011
Van Gogh Inspired Cupcakes
For my husbands birthday he has to take treats into his office... yeah I always thought it was weird too but it gives me a chance to bake with my son which I love. When I asked my son what sort of cupcakes we should make he saif "Yellow Flowers, maybe like Van Gogh."  They look more like daisies but they were well recieved! hmmm Well this is what we made. You will need cupcake mix, chocolate icng, yellow and brown candy melts, 2 squeeze bottles and wax paper. Bake your cupcakes. While they bake melt your candy melts and pop them into the squuze bottles. On the wax paper make...
Art, Cupcakes
May 9, 2011
Daisy Painting and Color Mixing
I have talked about having our house up on the market and for us that means lots of fresh flowers - one of my favorite perks to selling our house. Well when these gerbera daisies started to wilt I grabbed some yellow and red paint to have some fun and learning too. You will need paint ( any two colors will do), a plate , flower and paper. Use your flower as a brush printing it over and over to mix the colors. Beautiful and educational.
Arts & Crafts
May 7, 2011
Last Minute Mother's Day Gifts
There are a ton of great Mother's Day ideas out there but these four are awesome and need to be shared! How stunning are these votives from Frugal Family Fun Blog? I love everything Valerie does with her girls but wow these are a fave! Send cards to your friends on Mother's Day? YES!!  Read why Michelle does over at Everyday Celebrating. How perfectly simple, no matter what your home decor is this vase from Make and Takes  will make it even more beautiful. Last but not least this shout out is a little personal sine my mama calls me Sunshine - I had to share these...
Mother's Day
May 2, 2011
Art into Mother's Day Gift!
This year we are making mugs for our Grandmas with my son's art work on it and this cake in a mug recipe inside!  Here is the how to. Start with some fun - not everyday paints. We used some kid friendly craft paints. The reason I said not everyday is because for something special like this you want your child to feel special while making it. Paint! Take a picture of the painting . Upload the picture. Pop over to a photo gift website and choose a plain white mug that is microwavable if you want to include the recipe. When it arrives Write out the recipe on pretty paper and use the...
Mother's Day