Funky Frame

I think this is a wonderful concept...maybe not for babies, but for supervised children. I could see a 7+ year old girl grabbing her watercolors, markers, crayons, and chalk to the family room to draw a new masterpiece. After, the supplies are put away in their place. When people come to visit, she proudly announces, "I drew that!" Guests praise and encourage her artistic abilities. When mom sees her feeling funky, mom suggests she draw a new picture, 'it has been a while and you come up with the best pictures.' It sounds wonderful!

Please note: There has been debate that the baby pictured could shake the roll off of it's track and be pummeled by paper. The track is pretty high up and I don't think it would hurt once it was light enough to be shaken off of its track. Others argued that the baby would draw all over the walls. We expect our babies to read in Kindergarten, but not have the capacity to "only draw in this square?" At 3 years old, Austin could comply with basic commands and directions, but I'd suggest that this be used in an active household area (living room, family room, kitchen) and for a slightly older child.

A stud finder will assure that the brackets do not fall after installation. Still, young artists should be instructed to ask for adult supervision when they need a new sheet. 

The paper roll is called a "Butcher sheet." The frame is attached longitudinally, so that the paper runs through the top and out the bottom. This frame is window-sized, which you can get for pennies at the thrift shop.

Tell me in a comment: What do you think of this idea? Go ahead and be honest if you think it's a dangerous or ridiculous idea.  I have mixed feelings about it, but I definitely would make it for my 14 year old, if he enjoyed art.

Snowflake Craft and or Gift

I saw this project on Pintrest and thought, 'Yeah, I can do that!' You can apply this craft to any age from toddler to senior and the finished object is really quite cheque...or at least unique. Grandmas and aunties alike would love to receive such a one-of-a-kind thoughtful gift.

You will Need:

- Popsicle sticks

- Glue 

- Paint (brushes, water cup, palate)

- Strips of ribbon or thread

- (optional) glitter, Pom-poms, stickers, ribbon...go wild!

Tips & suggestions:

With standard-size sticks, you will use between 4-20 per snowflake depending on the design you choose. Tongue depressor sized sticks are also an option.

I used a hot glue gun, but squeeze glue is preferrable for gentle hands.

I was lazy and spray painted one side of the sticks in the yard with white paint from a previous project, but hand-painting is much more fun. 

I used leftover ribbon from my hair bow phase, but you could also use a skein of Red Heart

Steps:

First, you want to paint your sticks. If the design will be free-hanging, remember to paint both sides. Paint a few extras in case you mess one up in construction. Let them dry completely.

While the sticks are drying, you can think of your design. I had Austin assemble the remining sticks into different shapes at the table, but you could also draw different designs, test them out, and choose together. You can even break a stick in half to make super original designs (touch up the broken edges before assembly). 

Once you've chosen and tested your snowflake design, touched up any paint spots, and assured that they are completely dry, you can start assembling it. Lay the pieces out and glue them together. Our sticks laid on top of each other, so waiting for glue to dry is...keep blowing on it or use a glue gun.

Finally, you can add embellishments and accents to your snowflake. Every snowflake is supposed to be different, so it's impossible to mess up. If your snowflake is large, you might want to knot the ribbon/thread. If it's light, a double-wrapped piece of tape might do just fine.

I'm also eyeballing quite a few other holiday DIY's, like sock snowmen, felt trees, paper plate trees...There are so many lovely ideas for holiday crafting and gifting! Have you made these before? Are you planning to make them? If so, please share in a comment.