The Woman’s Day Kids’ Craft Magazine has pages full of boo-lightful Halloween Crafts.  Four of these craft pages are dedicated to fun spider activities.  After looking through these activities I decided there is a simple kids’ craft I’d like to share with our Bella Friends. 

 Muffin-Cup Spiders

Items you’ll need:

• Thin elastic cord (or black yarn)
• Large colored paper baking cups (find cups in purple, orange, black or Halloween print)
• Tacky glue
• Sewing needle (or paper clip {straightened out})
• Chenille Stems (black {add orange if you prefer two toned legs})
• Low-Temp Glue Gun
• 10mm movable eyes
• 2” length of 1/8”-wide red ribbon

Directions:

Tie knot at one end of desired length of elastic cord (or yarn).  Use needle to pull cord through center of one baking cup.  Apply thin line of glue along bottom outside edge of a second cup.  Then, press second cup inside first (with cord threaded through center).

Cut chenille stems in half and glue to inside of each side of cup (For two-toned legs: twist 2 colors of chenille stems together, then glue to cup).  Use tacky glue to attach movable eyes and ribbon for mouth.  Bend Legs.

Are you looking for a fun Halloween’s craft for you and your little ones?  Maybe something that could double as a front porch or table top decoration? Give this easy Witch Hats Craft (by Kaboose) a try~~~

What you’ll need:

• 2 sheets of black construction paper
• 1 sheet felt (green, orange, purple, or red)
• Strip of black felt
• White craft glue
• Scissors
• Tape
• You could use colorful piping, feathers, and sequins too! Be creative.

How to make it:

1. Roll 1 sheet of black paper into a cone. Secure with tape (see image).
2. Trim the bottom of the cone so that it will stand up on the table.
3. Use a cup or jar as a guide and cut out a circle from black paper large enough for the hat brim.
4. Glue the cone to the circle and set aside to dry (see image).
5. Cut ¼” or ½” strips of felt and glue them around the cone.
6. Cut a strip of black felt to go around the base of the cone.
7. If you like, cut a bat out of black felt and glue to your hat.

Happy Crafting!

Camberley

I saw this adorable kids’ craft idea on WomansDay.com and I thought I should share it with our Bella Fans.  (I apologize for those of you with young lads; however, maybe you could make spider suspenders, shoelaces or ties)

SPIDER BRACELET & EARRINGS

Materials:
7″ of beige Velcro sew-on tape
Fabric glue
Black covered wire
Eight 1″ black pompoms: 6 for bracelet, 2 for earrings
Sixteen 4 mm movable eyes
Elastic thread
Earring backs

Instructions:
Cut 7″ strip of loop (smooth) side of Velcro in half lengthwise. Cut a 1″ piece of hook (rough) side in half lengthwise and glue to wrong side of loop piece.

Cut four 2″ pieces of wire for each spider; glue under pompom; curl wire. Glue on eyes. Glue 6 spiders to Velcro.
Thread short piece of elastic thread through bottom of each remaining spider. Tie or glue other end to earring backs.

To see more great Halloween kids’ craft ideas from Woman’s Day, click here. Or visit www.womansday.com.

Happy Crafting!

Camberley

Oh, Martha. You never cease to amaze me with your ingenious ideas. 

This week I stumbled on the cutest kids’ craft idea over on MarthaStewart.com  – Pumpkin Bird Feeder. I know I don’t have any “mini-me’s” , but I will definitely be making this craft sometime soon (after I’m done with my wreath).

For a seasonal supplement to your regular bird feeder, cut a 3- to 5-pound pumpkin in half; scoop out, leaving a 1/2-inch thick wall. Cut a 1/2-inch-deep groove in the rim for pumpkin seeds. For perches, poke holes and insert twigs. To hang, knot two lengths of twine together in center; tack knot to feeder bottom. Fill with birdseed. (via MarthaStewart.com)

Have a wonderful Saturday!

Here is another Woman’s Day Back-To-School craft you can do with your kids to get them excited about learning.  These cute Pencil/Scissor Holders can be used on their desk at school or home. 

Decorative Pencil Holders

Materials

• Tin can
• Sandpaper
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Printed paper (i.e. gift wrap or an enlargement of a color photograph)
• Scissors
• Spray adhesive (Elmer’s has a good one)

NOTE: A recycled can is perfect for this project. Sand the upper edge first!

Directions

1. Rinse and dry an empty tin food can. Sand the upper edge to smooth interior surface.
2. Measure cup circumference; add 1⁄2 inch. Measure cup height. Measure, mark and cut a piece of printed paper to these measurements.
3. Spray adhesive on wrong side of paper, then smooth onto sides of cup, working from center out to eliminate air bubbles.

Happy Crafting!

Camberley

Chalkboard paint is all the rage now a days.  Especially black chalkboard paint.

Mark Olson

If you don’t have room in your house for this kind of chalkboard paint treatment – don’t be sad.  You can spend time with your little ones creating personal chalkboards. 

There are many chalkboards paint colors you many choose from, so don’t feel confined to your typical green or black.

via Apartment Therapy

Here’s how it goes…..

PERSONAL CHALKBOARD

Materials:

Plywood (cut into any shape)

Frame (optional – just make sure they plywood will fit inside frame)

Sandpaper

Chalkboard Paint

Tacky Glue

Decorating Accents (i.e. buttons, ribbon, photographs)

To begin sand and seal plywood.  Then, apply at least 2 coats of Chalkboard paint (follow the manufacturer’s instructions)

Once paint has dried apply desired decorating finishes. For example, add a button border, add good quality ribbon to help hang the chalkboard, glue a photograph in the top corner, frame the board in a nice frame….the possibilities are endless.  Be creative and see where it takes you!

via Home Made Simple 

Happy Crafting!

Camberley

Are you looking for a fun craft to do with your little ones today?  Would you like to do a craft that will get them excited about reading?  Well then, I recommend creating BOOKMARKS! 

Here’s how you do it…

Bookmarks

Keep track of your favorite books with this handy bookmark

From WomansDay.com

Instructions:
Cut 2″ x 10″ strips of Fun Foam for base of bookmark. Cut additional shapes, such as face or star. Use decorative scissors if desired.

Glue shapes to one end of strip. Decorate shapes with markers, movable eyes, pompom nose, yarn and hair.
Write names of books you’ve read on base strip.

Now that your kids are back in school (or about to start school), are you concerned they won’t drink enough water once out of your watchful care?  How about doing a fun kids’ craft to get them excited about HYDRATION! 

While flipping through my Woman’s Day Cool Kids’ Craft Publication, I stumbled upon cute, practical and easy craft – WATER BOTTLES.

Water Bottles

Add a splash of style to your water bottle

  MATERIALS:

• Paint Pens (metallic, glitter or dimensional)
• Water Bottle
• Stickers (optional)
• Sewing Trim (optional)
• Charm on a ribbon (optional)

Instructions:

Use paint pens to write inspirational messages (another idea = the child’s name/hobbies) or draw designs on the bottle.  Be sure to allow time for ink to dry as you rotate it.

Decorate the bottle with your favorite stickers.

Hang a charm on a ribbon or sewing trim and tie to bottle top, for more pizazz.

Have fun Crafting!

Camberley

Recently we purchased the Woman’s Day Cool Kids’ Crafts publication.  In the Back To School section of this magazine, there are a couple of creative kids’ crafts.  One craft that I found to be especially cute and clever is called “POCKET IT“.  Here’s how it goes:

POCKET IT

Create a place for your pens right on your notebook

Materials Needed:

• Pocket from old pair of jeans or other piece of clothing
• Notebook with colorful cover
• Tacky Glue (they recommend Aleene’s Original)
• Paint Pens, Buttons, Sewing Trim and Stickers (optional)

Instructions:
Cut away small pocket from an old pair of jeans or other piece of clothing. (Leave the back, so the clothing stays intact.)  Attach pocket with tacky glue to the front of notebook. Let dry.

Once the pocket has dried, let your child decorate it to their liking with crafting supplies (i.e. paint pens, buttons, sewing trim or stickers). 

Have fun!

Camberley