guest blogging: Skip to My Lou

Howdy folks! Skip on over to Skip to my Lou for my nifty take on making marbleized prints with shaving cream. Cindy has put together an awesome thirty days of fun with this summer's skip to My Lou {Craft Camp} so if painting is not your thing there is sure to be something to delight ya! Happy Crafting!

guest blogging: The Crafty Crow

Howdy friends! This month over at The Crafty Crow, Cassi has put together a lovely series called A Book and a Craft. Being that this is right up my alley, I was delighted to be a contributor. Hop on over to check out my project based on a delightful book titled Willow's Whispers.

crafting for craft: make a play camera

This one is for your kiddos! check out the craftzine blog for the tutorial. I'll be back on Tuesday to add a proper link. Happy crafting!

links-a-dilly

As a progressive educator, I am always thrilled to pieces when I come across a kindred soul. Imagine my delirium when I found this awesome link-fest from Jenny of Let the Children Play. Bookmark her post when you get a chance, there is a lot of nifty reading to be found.

Recipe: Cake Batter Cookies

This nifty and super easy recipe has much crowd appeal. You can use any cake mix you like and your kiddos can easily help out. Links can be found over at scrumdillydilly. Have fun!

cake mix, eggs & oil

roll in powdered sugar

on cookie sheet 2" apart

bake 8-10 min

good stuff for kiddos: they might be giants

Happy Birthday Martha Graham

If you've been online today and managed to google anything, you may have noticed the awesome Martha Graham Google icon. Martha Graham was a visionary in contemporary ballet and I urge you to give your kiddos a peek into her life. If you have a chance, check out this book form the library and/or hop on over to books together for a fantastic review and more info on the collaboration between Martha Graham, Aaron Copland and Isamu Noguchi. Youtube also has a few videos of dances she choreographed here and here and a peek at Applachian Spring can be found here.

DIY: Textured Baby Cloths

This week on the long thread you will find all sorts of nifty DIY projects for you to make for your tiny ones. Kicking off the week is a project I created for them. Textured baby cloths! The tutorial can be found at scrumdillydilly but make sure to keep an eye out on the long thread all week!

Mother's Day: Mini Art Round Up

*tape it up

*water it down

*sticky fingers

Mother's Day: Make Mini Art 3

 I've got three super quick and nifty ways to art it up tiny style. These little works of art will fit nicely in Mama or Grandma's wallet and would even look just dandy displayed on the fridge or pinboard. Add a tiny frame and well then you'll have a masterpiece! Here is project number 3 for ya!

You Will Need:

*water colors

*small paint brush (bristles)

*painters or quilters tape

*an ATC watercolor pad or one sheet watercolor paper

*paint friendly work area

*white oil pastel

scrumdilly-do it!

Tape your tiny ATC paper down to a sheet of newspaper or plastic placemat using painters or quilters tape. It's really important you use one of these kinds of tape otherwise your child's tiny little masterpiece will most likely get a wee bit shredded. These two kinds of tape lift up quite nicely (they might however really stick to the newspaper). Taping the paper down will both anchor it in place and create a pretty matte once it is finished. An ATC is also called an Artist Trading Card and blanks can be found at your local art store or on etsy. If you do not have access to this tiny paper you can cut it up yourself. An ATC generally measures 2 ½ X 3 ½ inches or 64 X 89 mm.  Make sure you use a sturdy watercolor paper. It amps up the quality of your wee artist's work and keeps it nice and sturdy for wallet traveling.

Grab the white oil pastel and apply liberally to your kiddos thumb or finger. Have them press down as hard as they can wherever they choose (though an upper corner will leave a sun effect).

Next up, dip paintbrush into lightest color first and have your kiddo paint a small portion of their paper. Continue with remaining colors making sure to rinse brush in between colors. Limit their color palette to 2-4 colors and keep them in the same family so that if if and when they mix they will make a pretty color and not brown, unless brown is Mama's favorite.

Set aside to dry. If you like, you can have your kiddo reapply their colors after a brief intermission to the drying. This will add a deeper shade of color and create texture and shadows. It's all pretty nifty.

Remove taped border and enjoy your kiddo's masterpiece! Don't forget to have them sign and date the back if they are old enough, if not it's all up to you!

Mother's Day: Make Mini Art 2

 I've got three nifty ways to art it up tiny style. These little works of art will fit nicely in Mama or Grandma's wallet and would even look just dandy displayed on the fridge or pinboard. Add a tiny frame and well then you'll have a masterpiece! Here is project number 2!

You Will Need:

*water colors

*small paint brush (bristles)

*painters or quilters tape

*an ATC watercolor pad or one sheet watercolor paper

*paint friendly work area

scrumdilly-do it!

Tape your tiny ATC paper down to a sheet of newspaper or plastic placemat using painters or quilters tape. It's really important you use one of these kinds of tape otherwise your child's tiny little masterpiece will most likely get a wee bit shredded. These two kinds of tape lift up quite nicely (they might however really stick to the newspaper). Taping the paper down will both anchor it in place and create a pretty matte once it is finished. An ATC is also called an Artist Trading Card and blanks can be found at your local art store or on etsy. If you do not have access to this tiny paper you can cut it up yourself. An ATC generally measures 2 ½ X 3 ½ inches or 64 X 89 mm.  Make sure you use a sturdy watercolor paper. It amps up the quality of your wee artist's work and keeps it nice and sturdy for wallet traveling.

Have your kiddo dip a clean paintbrush into their (clean) water and have them paint their taped paper with the wet brush.

Next, beginning with the lightest color first, have your kiddo dab their brush into their paint and touch it to their paper. Oooh...look at that paint travel! The wet canvas will carry their paint a wee distance following whichever small valleys have formed from the water wash. Limit their color palette to 2-4 colors and keep them in the same family so that if if and when they mix they will make a pretty color and not brown, unless brown is Mama's favorite.

Clean brush and move onto another color. Use a tissue or soft cloth to dab excess paint if it gets too wet or muddy.

Allow to dry a little bit and add another thin coat of clean water. Continue to create more layers of color. don't forget to sign the back once it has dried completely!**

**An added bonus would be to have your kiddo write their name or tiny message to the ATC paper with a white crayon before painting. If your kiddo has just begun scribbling, ask them to write their name before painting. This would be all kinds of awesome! Grandma would love this as well.

Mother's Day: Make Mini Art 1

I've got three quick and nifty ways to art it up tiny style. These little works of art will fit nicely in Mama or Grandma's wallet and would even look just dandy displayed on the fridge or pinboard. Add a tiny frame and well then you'll have a masterpiece! Here's project number one for you.

You Will Need:

*water colors

*small paint brush (bristles)

*painters or quilters tape

*an ATC watercolor pad or one sheet watercolor paper

*paint friendly work area

*scissors (optional)

scrumdilly-do it!

Tape your tiny ATC paper down to a sheet of newspaper or plastic placemat using painters or quilters tape. It's really important you use one of these kinds of tape otherwise your child's tiny little masterpiece will most likely get a wee bit shredded. These two kinds of tape lift up quite nicely (they might however really stick to the newspaper). Taping the paper down will both anchor it in place and create a pretty matte once it is finished. An ATC is also called an Artist Trading Card and blanks can be found at your local art store or on etsy. If you do not have access to this tiny paper you can cut it up yourself. An ATC generally measures 2 ½ X 3 ½ inches or 64 X 89 mm.  Make sure you use a sturdy watercolor paper. It amps up the quality of your wee artist's work and keeps it nice and sturdy for wallet traveling.

Once you have your paper taped down, cut or tear the tape into thinner and smaller bits and have your kiddo arrange them on their paper as they will. Encourage them to think of creating boxes and closed portions. These will be much easier to paint and look more organized once dry and the tape is removed.

Dampen brush and have your kiddo begin painting in each tiny box they created using their colors as they will. Have them begin with the lightest color first and end with the darkest, all the while rinsing their brush as they go. Limit their color palette to 2-4 colors and keep them in the same family so that if if and when they mix they will make a pretty color and not brown, unless brown is Mama's favorite.

If you cut the tape, the painted boxes will have clean, sharp edges. If you tear, the torn edges will absorb and carry the paint to other boxes. both have their advantages and look pretty spiffy. This won't take long at all but you may wish to have your kiddo reapply the paint once the first layer has dried as the watercolor will appear vibrant at first but fade as it dries.

Once completely finished, carefully remove tape beginning with the last piece that was placed on top of the paper. Ta-da!  Have your kiddo sign the back and date it. Lookie there...pretty, tiny, art!

More Fun from the Archives: Cinco de Mayo Piñatas

Get thee some tissue paper, crepe paper, and paper lunch bags and have some fun! Detailed instructions (sans pics) can be found here, all the way back to 2007!

From the Archives: Extending Easter Goodies

Make a memory game! That is, if you actually have any jelly beans left.

Painting Eggs, Three Ways!

* Jeweled Egg

*Cracked Egg

*Stained Glass Egg

Happy Egg Day! 

Egg Art: Part Three

Earlier this week when we had all the watercolor supplies out, we decided to take advantage of the free time and paint supplies to make egg art three ways. Each of these three ways utilizes sturdy watercolor paper, watercolor paint, painters tape and crayons. Here is project numero dos. You can see the first project here and the second project here.

You Will Need:

*watercolor paper

*paintbrushes

*clean water

*white crayon

*ruler

*painter's tape

*cereal, cracker or cookie box

*scisssors

*watercolors

 

scrumdilly-do it! 

 Tape a sheet of sturdy watercolor to your work surface using painter's tape. This will both anchor your paper in place while you work and create a pretty matte effect once the tape is removed. Gather your cardboard egg shaped that you cut from project number two. If you did not do project number two, cut out an egg shape less than half the size of your paper from a thin cardboard container such as a cereal or cracker box.  Cut another, smaller circular shape within your egg shape. Position egg shape onto your watercolor paper and tape into place by tearing strips of painter's tape into thinner strips and then arranging atop your paper in a criss-cross pattern. With a paintbrush, begin coloring in the white space all over your paper beginning with your lightest colors and ending with your darkest colors. Do not forget to rinse your brush as you go.

 Continue painting in your white space. Use a paper towel, napkin or piece of old cloth to blot up the extra wet paint splotches.

 When paint is dry, carefully remove tape. This may take a while as your pieces will be criss-crossed all over the place. Look for the top piece of tape and move from there. If you like, Use a pen or pencil to outline the colors of your center circle.

Looks a bit like a hardboiled egg sliced open, no? It also looks a little like a pretty stained glass picture. Find a happy place for it, stand back and admire! 

Egg Art: Part Two

Earlier this week when we had all the watercolor supplies out, we decided to take advantage of the free time and paint supplies to make egg art three ways. Each of these three ways utilizes sturdy watercolor paper, watercolor paint, painters tape and crayons. Here is project numero dos. You can see the first project here. 

You Will Need:

*watercolor paper

*paintbrushes

*clean water

*white crayon

*ruler

*painter's tape

*cereal, cracker or cookie box

*scisssors

*watercolors

scrumdilly-do it!

 Tape a sheet of sturdy watercolor paper onto your work surface. this will both anchor your paper into place and act as a pretty matte once the tape is removed. Use a white crayon and ruler to create straight, criss-crossing lines all over your paper. Just go for it!

 The lines will be difficult to see but if you move your eye level down so that is skims the top of the paper you will see the lines. Point this out to your kiddo and let them talk about it for a few minutes. The nephew a-go-go really like this part. Next, take a piece of cardboard (we like reusing our cereal boxes and such for this) and cut out an egg shaped stencil. Save the egg shape part for project number three. Tape down the remaining part of your stencil over your paper with painter's tape. Your kiddo can place the stencil wherever she or he wishes. Just make sure it doesn't scoot off of the paper.

 Dip your paintbrush into some clean(ish) water and have your kiddo paint over the area inside the stencil. We're getting the paper ready to receive and carry the watercolor.

 It's paint time! Dip your damp brush into preferred color of watercolor and gently touch it to the damp paper and watched it skate around. Begin with your lightest color first while ending with your darkest color last. Lookie how nifty the white crayon lines show through the paint. Ask your kiddos if they know why that happens . You can also take a little bit of time to explain that the wax is resisting the paint and that we call this a resist painting.

 Continue adding color and more water until you are happy with the results. If you allow the paint to sit and dry a little bit before adding more of the same color or other similar color you will have a nice layered effect. Remove your painter's tape once the picture is completely dry.

 Hang in a happy place, step back and admire!

Egg Art: Part One

Earlier this week when we had all the watercolor supplies out, we decided to take advantage of the free time and paint supplies to make egg art three ways. Each of these three ways utilizes sturdy watercolor paper, watercolor paint, painters tape and crayons. Check out the pics...

Tape a sheet of sturdy watercolor paper down onto your mess friendly work surface. (we like to use painters tape) Make sure to tape all around each side of your paper. This will hold the paper in place and create a pretty matte effect once it is removed.  Draw an egg shape onto your paper using a white crayon or oil pastel. Color it in with the white crayon or pastel.  Pick a colored crayon and add a few shapes surrounding your egg shape.

 Continue adding shapes with other colored crayons or pastels. If using pastels, use your fingertip to smudge the color into the shapes. Good quality crayons will smudge as well, though not as much.

 Select a vibrant watercolor color and paint on top of your picture in a large band. Rinse brush and select another color to continue across your page. This picture used two colors.

 Continue filling your white space with watercolor. Once dry, carefully remove the blue painters tape.

 Hang in a happy place and admire!

extend yer egg dye!