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 Using
old t-shirts to make tote bags, making your own candles, stenciling
walls or borders, and making holiday decorations are just a few of
the many projects that families can do together.
T-Shirt Tote Bags
There are many creative uses for clothes the children have outgrown.
For example, old T-shirts can be made into tote bags that do not
require any sewing.
First, you will want to cut a rounded scoop shape on the neckline
and sleeves.
Once you have determined how deep you want the bag to be, cut a
fringe at the bottom. Each strip of fringe should be about 10
centimeters long and 3 centimeters wide. The next step will be to
pull down each strip. Grab each strip then tie the aligning front
and back pieces together.
To secure the knots, take the first top strip and tie to the bottom
strip from the neighboring pair. Repeat this step for every strip
until you have tied all the strips. If you do not like the fringe
look, you can turn the bag inside out for another style.
See how to make these t-shirt bags in this YouTube video
Let's Get Crafty:
DIY no sew T-shirt tote bag
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp61jijGYbU
Candle Making
To make candles without having to boil water or use hot wax,
consider using sand and granulated wax.
The Kalamazoo Candle Company website describes four simple steps for
making these candles.
Before you get started, you will need a mason jar or other clear
glass container and Dixie cups to pour the sand in. Then get either
bags of colorful sand and a votive candle or bags of colorful
granulated wax and a wick.
The first step is setting up a workspace. For easier cleanup, a
newspaper or tablecloth is helpful. Then you should pour the sand
into individual Dixie cups for each child making a candle. The
Kalamazoo Candle Company says, “if using granulated wax, make sure
to have pre-cut wick strands ready.”
In step two, the container needs to be set up. A votive candle
should be placed in the middle of the container if you are using
sand. The sand will then be poured around the candle. The wick will
be placed in the center of the container if you are using granulated
wax. The wax will be poured on top of the wick.
The third step is to start pouring. You may need to
show children how to do it. The sand will need to be poured in
circular motion around the container to provide a layer of color.
When you select a different color, repeat the step. Either form a
pattern of colors or just be creative with the design.
The last step is cleaning up and just requires pouring the sand or
granulated wax you did not use into the containers and throwing away
your cups.
Already made Candles can be decorated by using paint markers to draw
a variety of cool shapes and designs on taper candles.
Stenciling walls or borders
Stenciling a wall or border can add a decorative touch to any room.
You will need a stenciling brush, dry cloth, or newspaper, acrylic
or wall paint, painter's tape, tape measure and stencil pattern.
The Family Handyman website provides the following step by step
instructions.
For the first step, you need to tape up the stencil, positioning it
at the height you want and marking the top edge. When you have
chosen the height, make an outline around the room with chalk or
pencil. For the best spacing, “measure the easy stencil pattern and
mark the actual repetitions on the wall” varying space, as
necessary. Use painter’s tape to hold the stencil when you have laid
out all the marks.
Step two will be to load the bristles of the stenciling brush with
paint and use a dry cloth to get the excess paint off.
Step three is to “apply the paint to the stencil
with light dabbing and swirling motions until the stencil area is
covered. Start from the edges and work towards the center, making
sure to hold the stencil pattern.
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Step four is to check the work and fix mistakes such
as smeared paint. If you accidentally wipe off some of the area you
stenciled, you can do a touch up using the stencil.
Step five is to apply a second color if needed for the design. If
you use even more colors, go back, and add them after you apply the
second color.
Once the stencil is completed, the Family Handyman says, “you can
create a dramatic effect that is impossible to achieve with a
wallpaper border.”
Another way to decorate the bedroom is to make paper flowers.
The first step is fold cupcake liners in half then cut out petal and
fringe shapes. Next, fold a piece of floral wire in half and twist
it around for a fake flower stem. The wire should be poked through
the center of three to four paper liners. Finish by wrapping floral
tape around the base of the liners and bringing the tape all the way
down the stem.
Creating holiday decorations
With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming, you can make many different
homemade decorations.
Pinecones, orange felt, googly eyes and feathers can be used to make
turkeys. Just cut the feathers in half and glue them to the back of
the pinecone, then glue on the eyes and add the felt to make the
beak.
Branches can be put in a vase to make a little tree. The family can
then write what they are grateful for on paper leaves that will be
tied to the branches.
Christmas wreaths can be made using craft sticks and ribbon. The
article 50 Easy Christmas Crafts says “Stock up on small and large
craft sticks, then have the kids paint the sticks three different
shades of green. Glue the sticks to a 12" foam wreath, overlapping
and mixing the shades of green as you go.” Finally, glue a red
ribbon to the top of the wreath.
Pre-cut wooden ornaments can be painted and wrapped in colorful
yarn.
Clear ornaments can be filled with small objects such as miniature
bells or green ribbon. Another way to decorate a clear ornament is
to pour a tablespoon of craft paint into the ornament and shake the
ornament until the whole inside is covered.
These are just some of the many ways to keep kids busy by doing
projects on days where it is too cold to play outside.
Sources
50 Easy Crafts for Kids to Boost Their Creativity. Good
Housekeeping.
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/
home/craft-ideas
“50 Easy Christmas Crafts for Kids.”
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/
holidays/christmas-ideas/g34112389/
christmas-crafts-for-kids/
“Sand Candle Making For Kids (in 4 Easy Steps)”
https://kalamazoocandle.com/blogs/
learn-about-candles/candle-making-for-kids
“How To Stencil Patterns on a Wall.” The Family Handyman.
https://www.familyhandyman.com/
project/simple-wall-stenciling/
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