Tie-dye is not the only way to decorate a shirt. Printing with potatoes (or other veggies and fruits such as carrots, or apples for that matter) is an easy and fun way to create letters, polka dots, and whatever patterns and designs your kids dream up! Also, a little less messy! And you may have everything you need right now! And, wouldn’t it be fun to have a new t-shirt to show off at school?
Read MoreAs I mentioned in my last post, I love having activities lined up for summer rainy days, especially back when my kids were younger and finished with camp for the summer! These felt bookmarks are a perfect NO-SEW project to use your stash of fabric scraps, ribbon scraps, and yarn. If you can get your hands on iron-on adhesive (like Heat N’ Bond), even better! (If not, fabric glue or even regular white glue will work…just brush a thin layer to the back of each of your pieces of fabric) You can make any animal you want.
The idea here is to sandwich two pieces of fabric together and then cut them to your shape. Felt works great for this and doesn’t unravel or fray, but woven fabrics will work well too once they’re glued together!
It's about to rain here and a lot of our kids are done with camp which is exactly when I find it helpful to have a few activities lined up. And if these activities utilize stuff you already have in the house, even better!
Have you tried making crystals with your kids? It’s a fun one!
As I’ve mentioned here before, the recycle bin is my FAVORITE place to find craft materials! I made some plastic animals a few years ago for The NY Times for Kids and now I can pass a bin without plucking out a colorful plastic container! I made these planters for The Week Junior magazine!
Read MoreIn honor of Pride month, I thought I’d post some rainbow crafts, including these easy/healthy/yummy (but admittedly time-consuming) popsicles! I made these a few years ago for Fisher-Price and the how-to is in this video, below.
Read MoreI made these paper pinwheel for today's New York Times, perfect for topping a cake or cupcakes! This is part of the series of crafts I've been contributing to the incredible At Home section of the Times where the newspaper itself is the starring art supply!
Read MoreI made these simple floral pop-up cards for today's New York Times, just in time for Mother’s day! This is part of the series of crafts I've been contributing to the incredible At Home section of the Times where the newspaper itself is the starring art supply!
Read MoreI made these simple cut paper flowers for the At Home section of today's New York Times. This is part of the series of crafts I've been contributing to the incredible At Home section of the Times where the newspaper itself is the starring art supply!
Read MoreWhen Lindsay Volle was growing up in early-90s Phoenix, her dad would wake her up early once a month for what they called Donut Patrol. “We would drive down to the local donut shop,” Volle remembers, “and buy anywhere from three to seven dozen from a local shop where they packaged donuts in beautiful bright pink boxes. Then we’d drive to friends' houses and leave a box on their doorsteps. I would get to ring the doorbell and run -- like ding-dong ditch but with breakfast. We didn’t leave a note or anything, so first-time recipients wouldn’t necessarily know who brought them. That was so exciting to me! My dad understood that because my dad understood fun. Donuts are fun. Surprises are fun. Surprise donuts? Extra fun.”
Read MoreAre you looking for a pretty, springy Easter treat, or a crafty food project for spring break? These super easy and fun “watercolor” decorated cookies that I made for the current issue of Reveal Magazine are the thing! (You can use egg-shaped cookie cutters if you have!)
Read MoreAs I've mentioned here, for the past few months, I’ve been contributing craft ideas to the incredible At Home section of The New York Times. Because we’re not all able to get to stores like we once did, they have asked me to create crafts where the newspaper itself is the starring art supply. For *today's* paper, I show a super easy technique for making the classic newspaper seedling pots, so easy!!
Read MoreKnoll has just introduced a seasonal online magazine, Shu, named after their founder, Florence "Shu" Knoll. (I just learned that she was nicknamed Shu by her childhood friend, Eero Saarinen!). Florence Knoll is, as she is to so many, a longtime design hero and I was thrilled that they popped by for a visit to see how we live and work amongst our favorite Knoll pieces. (This is *not* a sponsored post.)
Read MoreAs I've mentioned here, for the past few months, I’ve been contributing craft ideas to the incredible At Home section of The New York Times. Because we’re not all able to get to stores like we once did, they have asked me to create crafts where the newspaper itself is the starring art supply. For *today's* paper, I show a super easy technique for making collaged cards for Valentine’s Day or any day!
Read MoreIn our house we have a tradition of leaving surprise messages for each other. They're usually in the form of garlands or banners, strung across doorways or along the edge of the mantel. These tube letters, from our book, Paper Goods Projects, are a fun way to display a message, no tape or string required! And they marry type and cardboard tubes, two of my favorite things! (See a “happy birthday” tube message here!)
Read MoreThis little pile is from a printed Valentine card class I taught online last week. Before the class, I was afraid that it would be too simple, not enough steps or ideas, but since I was teaching a few little-littles (and it was over Zoom), simple seemed safest. As it turned out, the hour flew by, and when I ended the class, the kids were still going! We focused on printing with items from around the house: potatoes, sponges, and our fingers! When I suggested that the kids could make anything (flowers, butterflies, balloons!) out of their printed and stamped hearts, they were off! A lesson I need, over and over again, not to overcomplicate things!
Read MoreToilet tubes to the last-minute-gift rescue! I made these toilet tube phone holders (good for hands-free watching videos or facetiming!) a while ago for The Week Junior. All you need is a cardboard tube (from toilet paper or paper towel), scissors, and some paint!
Read MoreI tend to be a last-minute holiday gift shopper. When my last-minute panic starts to set in and I’m blanking on clever gift ideas, I just need to remember my favorite trick for coming up with a personal, not right-off-the-shelf gift idea. I start with a book, usually a craft/cookbook/some kind of activity/DIY book, and I assembler a kit, wrapping it up with some tools, materials, or ingredients. So, after a trip to the bookstore, I can often find what I need at the supermarket or stationery store! These kits feel custom and personal but are so easy to put together! This year, I thought I’d round up all the posts (below) and share a couple of new gift entries! Le Big Manual is a GORGEOUS kid’s craft/activity book by my friend, Sophie Glasser. Since there are 182 projects in there, you can give almost any simple art or craft supplies with it, like a nice pair of scissors, and you’ve got a “kit”! (Full disclosure, this particular book is not the best example of a last-minute gift as you have to order it from France, but it’s so great that I had to share!)
Read MoreCardboard is one of my favorite craft materials, especially in the form of a tube! I came up with the idea for this menorah as a kid, I thought it would be fun to have something to put our gifts around. A few years ago I (finally) made it, for our book, Paper Goods Projects! A sturdy tube like the kind found inside a roll of aluminum foil or wrapping paper is ideal for this project, though a paper towel tube works fine too!
Read MoreAs I've mentioned here, for the past few months, I’ve been contributing craft ideas to the incredible At Home section of The New York Times. Because we’re not all able to get to stores like we once did, they have asked me to create crafts where the newspaper itself is the starring art supply. For *today's* paper, I made gift toppers out of newspaper.
Read MoreGifts are made even more special when you present them in a hand-embellished reusable bag! On Oriental Trading's Fun365 site, I shared six easy techniques for decorating plain canvas bags! For most of these gift bag ideas, you won't need much more than acrylic craft paint and a few household items like masking tape, freezer paper, or even vegetables! Acrylic paint is permanent on fabric when dry which makes it a great choice for these projects. Your gift recipient will think of you every time they use their cute and custom bag!
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©2015 Jodi Levine. All photographs by Amy Gropp Forbes unless otherwise noted.
