July Tee

Here's a fun and easy project.. Fast too. Kids might not be able to do this one because it involves bleach. This needs to be done outside. First find a dark colored shirt, cotton is best. Lay your cutouts on it.. I used stars as you can see. Fill a spray bottle with one part bleach and one part water. Lay the shirt on a plastic bag and spray it quickly with the bleach solution. It only takes a few minutes. I actully left this one a little longer than I should... it was my first attempt. Pick up the cutouts carefully and immediately plunge the shirt into a bucket of cold water to stop the bleach from eating holes in the shirt.. . Rinse well and hang to dry. Here's another we didn't leave quite so long.. this time we used an eagle cut out..... lots of fun

Penguin ornament

These little guys are so cute and so easy to make.. I used an egg shaped styrofoam ball and poked short pieces of white and black yarn into the egg with a wooden skewer. I spread glue on the egg before I poke the yarn into it. black beads for eyes and yellow felt for his little beak. He looks cute hanging on the Christmas tree.

J

Angel pin

This made the same way as the angel ornament I posted earlier but on a much smaller scale. She's a cute little thing and I always get compliments when I wear this pin.

J

Christmas Santa Pin

Here's another one we made at work... but I loved it so much I made one for myself too. I keep it with my other 'christmas' pins and haul them all out during the holidays. Love these pins because they are so lightweight. All made from felt and lightly stuffed so it will hold it's shape.

J

Ever made paper beads?

This is something I did back when I was still working.. the residents of the facility there had so much fun making them... we rolled colored paper around a pencil.. glued the tips and slipped them off. Along with some pieces of cork and plastic beads we all had fantasic necklaces.. No limit to the things one can do...

A Christmas Pin

This is a little pin to wear on ones lapel... it's lightweight so can even be worn on a blouse or a sweater. It's made from felt, lightly stuffed, glue on some felt decorations, a little bow, some glitter paint and add a pin onto the back... so easy.

How about a bookmark?

One year I made bookmarks and put them in all my Christmas cards.. they were fun, easy and added a little something special. We also made bookmarks at the facility where I worked. Cut from heavy posterboard and covered with pretty paper. I punched a hole in it for the tassle which was made from embroidery thread. I painted over the bookmark with clear sealer. Easy rainy day craft to do with the kids.

J.

Fimo Jewelery

This was so much fun... I've since given the pastel colored one away and have to say I really miss it. I think I'm going to make another one. Loved wearing that colorful little thing. These are so easy to make. You just roll them up anyway you want them, poke a hole through them with a skewer and then bake them. When they are cool you can use a sealer so they will be more durable. Then you can string them on elastic. The pastel one was made with all white fimo so I painted it... the other two were made with colored fimo so they needed no painting.
J

Christmas Cards are crafts,....aren't they?

I made this card as a sample for the craft class I taught when I was working as Activity Director in a large multi-level retirement facility.... The students were all residents of the facility. They really enjoyed making and then sending their cards.

A mouse?

Well, not really a mouse... it's a little rock I found when we were camping in Arizona... I thought it looked just like a mouse, so..... a little paint and a thread for a tail and there you have it... Rocky Mouse.

Tree Bark?

Yes that's right... this is nothing more than a piece of tree bark. You really can make something out of nothing. This was a fun project. We gathered the bark at one of the family reunions. I took it home and dipped it in bleach water to make sure there were no crawly little things in it.. a little paint and then some glossy sealer and there you have it. A neat little Christmas ornament.

Ornament...

This little ornament uses a wooden ball for the head, with the face drawn on using paint pens. Hair is just fine crochet or embroidery thread. Her body is cloth and stuffed with polyester pillow stuffing. I've made many of these and even sold some. A fun way to use up material and yarn scraps.

Christmas Angel

A round wooden ball is used for the head, drawn on features and embroidery thread hair are easy to do. I used a square of off white cotten material for her dress and glued on decorations. Her wings are wired ribbon. I've also made some of these smaller to use as Christmas pins.

Christmas Ornament

A little Christmas mouse to hang or sit on the tree... Did I tell you I love Christmas decorations? This little guy is made from half of an oval styrofoam egg. I've used gray yarn cut in short pieces and pushed into the foam with a wooden skewer. The ears are cut from felt and pushed in the same way. When finished I trim all the yarn to the shape of a little mouse. Glue on decorations. He sits on the branches of my Christmas tree..

My Nativity Set...

This is a small wooden nativity set... cut from small blocks of wood and hand painted. I've made several of these and given them away as Christmas presents.