droolicious : crafts

7 Days of Dad: Can You Picture This?

JeanneSager — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:01:00 GMT

He ponied up for Mother's Day, so now it's time to get cracking on how to make Dad's day. Lucky for you, we were wondering too. So we're offering up seven days of what we'll be giving the guy who reads bedtime stories and changes stinky diapers.

Pictures of his little munchkins always make Dad's day, but do you think he really wants another t-shirt he'll have to shove to the back of the closet? Another coffee mug with their mug?

Greet him on Father's Day morning with a giant canvas made from his favorite pic. The folks at Shutterfly take art-worthy shots to the next level of presentation with high quality prints wrapped around immense wooden canvases (my husband's only words? "wow, just wow" when he saw a pic I picked of our daughter remade as a 20 x 30 shot for our wall). They'll take dad's appreciation for art to another level too.

A few tips:- depending on what size canvas you're going for, pre-crop your images so you get exactly what you want. Remember: a lot of today's digital SLRs do not take a standard size photo, so you can leave it up to Shutterfly, but they will have to do some adjusting to make it fit the canvas. Also, key in on the focus in your pictures - at 20 x 30, mistakes show up big time! You want to pick a picture that reprepesents the best of your kids' scrapbook.

The canvas prints are on sale until June 16. At $50 off, now's the time to get one, so check them out at Shutterfly.

Want to save a little dough and still go the photo route? Shutterfly's 252-piece puzzles give him something to do WITH the kids. Their photo is superimposed on a sturdy cardboard sheet, then cut to make a game for the whole family. At $24.99, it's easy on the pocketbook and did we say it gives them something to do? That's priceless!

A few tips: choose a photo that's VERY colorful. Monochromatic photos or those with a lot of one color in the background make for a major puzzle challenge. The pieces are small, so this is for your older kids (age four at the minimum - although it depends on your child's puzzle skills).

Check out more gifts for Dad this week on the 7 Days of Dad.

Needle Noodles Crocheted Curiosities: Heed the Call of Cthulhu!

Aaron Burgess — Mon, 04 May 2009 15:30:00 GMT

Betcha never thought H.P. Lovecraft's gargantuan cosmic horror could make such a cute kids' toy, huh? Well, in the hands of Etsy crochet-master Needle Noodles, Cthulhu ($15) is just one of the bizarro-world entities that've translated to real-world playthings.

Made with a cotton/acrylic blend yarn and filled with polyester fiberfill, the thing-that-cannot-be-described measures around 3.5" tall and comes complete with glow-in-the-dark polymer-clay eyes. As with most of Needle Noodles' goodies, it's not recommended for kids under 3 due to small or breakable parts, but the seller says you can get in touch to inquire about other items that might be better suited to littler ones.

Speaking of which, Needles Noodles' creations don't begin and end with the ghastly: From snuggly manatees to play sushi, there's a whole range of crocheted cuteness available at the seller's Etsy shop.

Stamps Of World Famous Structures From Muji

Chris Ford — Mon, 04 May 2009 13:30:00 GMT

My girls are big fans of the New York City In A Bag from Muji, so I recently checked out what other cool stuff they might have for kids, and these stamps jumped right out at me. Kind of like the CIty In A Bag, each stamp is of a different famous structure around the world.

My favorite is the Eiffel Tower (pictured), but there are seven others to choose from - including Tokyo Tower, BIg Ben, The Statue of Liberty and (of course) the Empire State Building. The actual patterns the stamps themselves create are kind of a simple outline of a skyline view of the building, which I happen to like much more than any sort of individual representation of the building would have been. And the best part is each are only $5.75, so if your kids are into artwork and crafts it's definitely something to check out.

Famous building stamps (various), $5.75 from Muji.us

Tutu That You Can Do

JeanneSager — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 16:04:00 GMT

I'm here to put an end to the mystery of the endless layers of tulle in your little girl's tutu.

Kerri's Kreations sells a line of tutus that are dripping in little girl, but she's done one better for the parents who always want another challenge.

Due to popular demand (and hundreds of questions from parents like me who can't make heads or tails out of all that tulle), Kerri's rolled out a set of instructions, available for purchase straight from her site, that detail how to make your own pettiskirt (yes, they're the same thing).

"Late one night while doing some research, I came across a thread on a sewing forum with several woman asking for advice because they were extremely frustrated with the instructions posted on Martha Stewart's Website," Kerri explains. Gee, we can't imagine how anyone could be befuddled when faced with trying to Martha-ize themselves (snort).

"I offered some advice and some condensed instructions and answered a few questions," Kerri says. "Next thing I know, I start receiving e-mail after e-mail with questions from women needing instruction or advice about making the skirts."

An idea was born. You can still buy one of her sweet skirts, but you get Kerri by ponying up for her tutorial - which comes with access to her head full of all things tutu. You need at least a basic grasp on crafting to get through this one, but she breaks it all down for you - from the type of thread to buy to the type of fabric (chiffon, she explains much softer on their little kid skin than tulle, by the way - see, just why we need her!).

And when you're done, you never have to tell where all that crafting know-how came from. Just answer your friends admiration of her sweet little pile of froth with, "that old thing? I made it myself. I know a lady who could help you make one . . . "

Get the details from Kerri's Kreations for $19.95 (enter the words FREESHIP at checkout, this comes as a PDF, so there are no shipping charges).

Get Arty for Their Next Birthday Party

JeanneSager — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:35:00 GMT

If you're all about sending your kids' party guests home with something that kept them occupied through the party, you'll be stocking up at Wallaroo.

The company known for suiting up moms, dads and kids with hats has an Art Hat for kids to get their crafty out.

The cute microfiber sunhats come packed with six non-toxic paints and a brush, so the kids don't need to fight over a collective set of paints. The hats themselves are UPF 50 plus to protect the kids from the sun's damaging rays, while the little drawstring pouch they come in can be stuffed with a thank you card from the birthday kid or a few tchotchkes to celebrate the day. Or you can just call it a day with the hat, the paints and the brush - a full goodie bag, and you didn't have to spend a day hitting up craft and dollar stores to get it done.

Get them for $20 at Wallaroo Hats.

Make Those Fingerprints Unique

JeanneSager — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:05:00 GMT

Every fingerprint may be unique, but those handprints every kid brings home from nursery school all seem to be cut from the same drab mold.

How do you make your kid's handprint look different? Grab the paints and let them at it.

Child to Cherish replaces drab with fab with their Decorative Handprint Kit with Paint Set. The plaster mold is easy to mix up, and just as easy to cast their print. Set it aside to dry, and you've got another day's art project with the kids already planned in advance: because now it's time for them to get decorating.

The non-toxic watercolor paints included are easy wash when they get a little carried away, and the painted up prints are will get granny's water works a flowing on Mother's Day.

Get it for $12.99 from Child to Cherish.

Octomom Gets Arty

SunnyChanel — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:00:00 GMT

With her pockets full of money from online exclusives, interviews and photos, Nadya Suleman, aka Octomom, did what those flush with funds do, they go shopping. Although Suleman was snapped spending more than a grand at a Mac cosmetics counter, she went out and got some goodies for the kids too. Here Suleman is shown at ToysRUs purchasing a Crayola Magnetic Double Easel (although she does need one good for 14).

This easel is two sided with one side featuring a metal dry-erase board and the other a chalkboard. Also included are 77 foam magnetic letters and numbers. A large paper clip on each side will hold craft paper for painting or drawing and there are four detachable storage bins for holding art accessories. This item is an exclusive for ToysRUs and if you like to get one for your kid or kids (hopefully you don’t happen to have 14 like Suleman) you can pick one up here for $44.99.

Photo via TMZ.com

Twinkle, Twinkle Fabric

AmandaHill — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 16:00:00 GMT

If you're the crafty sort, you'll love this Twinkle, Twinkle pattern. If you look at it long enough, you can see that it has the lyrics to the famous song on the print. The fabric could be great for blankets, bibs and the like--if you are a crafter. I, personally, would muck up a homemade bib. Either way, this is an awesome fabric.

It's 100% cotton and medium home decor weight. Check it out at the A Little Goodness Etsy Shop.

Get Crafty

Heather Kuldell — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 02:00:00 GMT

Droolicious has had crush on Melissa & Doug toys for a long time from their mail box to their musical toys. The Melissa & Doug Mini Bead Set offers a compact beading kit for compact crafters. Designed for kids 4 and up, who perhaps have progressed beyond putting everything in their mouths, the kit includes three long laces for stringing up the 70-some beads. The brightly colored beads come in a variety of sizes patterns, including some oversized flowers, hearts and stars that make excellent pendants. The set costs $6.89 and comes in a wooden box.

Make Your Own Puzzle

Heather Kuldell — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 22:04:00 GMT

Whether you’re trying to occupy the kids on a lazy Saturday or you have a crew over for a birthday party, Create-a-Puzzle Kits can fill the time. Each kit comes with 12 blank, pre-cut jigsaw puzzles made of heavy cardboard that can be colored on with crayons, markers or even paint. The game makers can take their time coming up with unique images, then swap puzzles and try to put them back together.

For kids under 7 years old, select the “large piece puzzle,” which measures 4 inches by 5 and half inches and breaks down into nine pieces. For older kids, the same size puzzle breaks down into 16 pieces.

Available at Dick Blick for $5.59 for a pack of 12.

Make Your Own Bunny With This Kit

Lisa Estall — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:25:00 GMT

Feeling crafty? Why not make your own bunny with this Bunny Kit.

Inside the tin you’ll find instructions and materials such as felt, wool, a plastic needle, notebook and a pencil.

Click on to see what the bunny looks like...

The bunny tin is £15.00 and sold at Lapin and Me.

Oliver the Octopus

AmandaHill — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:00:00 GMT

Oliver the Octopus is an 8-legged crocheted wonder. He would make a great addition to any nursery or a great toy for your child to tote around. I love all of the colors in the combinations of yarn.

Click behind the fold to read more.

Oliver can be found at Nadia's Place, an awesome Etsy Shop. He is crocheted from acrylic yarn. His body is around 3 1/2" tall and each of his legs is 4 1/2" long. Bonus: it can be handwashed.

Make It! Custom Fabric

AmandaHill — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 21:30:00 GMT

The picture above features some of the amazing custom fabrics from Spoonflower. Spoonflower allows you to upload your own patterns and have them printed into custom fabric. If you love making children's clothing and decor, you might enjoy Spoonflower.

There's no minimum order, and the custom fabric is $18 per yard. Click on over to Spoonflower to check it out.

70% of Kid’s Aprons

SunnyChanel — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:30:00 GMT

Kids are messy. Painting, crafting and helping in the kitchen are all events that leave children’s clothing in a worse state than when they began. My kid is no exception. But now that we got her an apron, when she goes to town with her fingerpaints or helps stir the cookie dough, there is a chance her outfit will actually keep clean. If you need to keep your kids clothes in a somewhat unsoiled state, you can get a great deal on an apron here from Baby Dagny where a couple of their aprons, like the Retro Flower Apron, are 70% off (Regularly $39 now $11.70).

Stupid Sock Creatures Stomp Out the Winter Blahs

Aaron Burgess — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 19:00:00 GMT

So the kids got a boatload of new socks this Christmas and you're wondering what to do with the old, ratty pairs they've been scurrying around in since last year. Start making puppets, of course -- although if you really want to put a fun spin on the old sock monkey, try hunting down John Murphy's Stupid Sock Creatures: Making Quirky, Lovable Figures from Cast-off Socks. The book's been around for a while (you can even probably find it at a well-stocked library), and its weird, wiggly creations are a great cure for the winter doldrums.

$10.36 (normally $12.95) from Amazon.

Let the Kids in the Holiday Kitchen

SunnyChanel — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:30:00 GMT

I can not wait until my daughter is old enough to do holiday crafts and cooking with me. I’m not talking about her adorable attempts at trying to draw Santa (which honestly looks more like a beached whale), or her indulgence in binging on the gingerbread house’s decorations. No, I can’t wait until she can join me in making Ice Cream Treewitches, Mrs. Clause’s Peppermint Wonders and Sweet and Crunchy Garland or some of the other delicious and delightful recipes and projects included in the book Kids in the Holiday Kitchen – Making, Baking, Giving.

It looks like next year will be the year for our family cooking and crafting, but if your kids are old enough, pick up this book for some festive holiday cheer. This year, we all need a little extra of that. Available from Chronicle Books here. ($16.95)

Easy Weaver, Kid-Sized

Erin Behan — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 22:31:00 GMT

When I buy Christmas presents, I go for long-term appeal, toys that help make something or take a while to figure out. That's why I love the kid-sized version of the Easy Weaver (17.5 inches long, 10 inches wide and 5.5 inches high) by Harrisville Designs. The rigid table loom is designed to weave cloth and appropriate for ages 7 and up. It comes assembled and threaded with yarn for two scarves and includes a book of projects with instructions for scarves, table runners, coasters, placemats and more. Not cheap, but I found it for $79.99 at Kid Surplus.

Bargain Hunter: Craft Table

Lisa Mulcahy — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:58:00 GMT

You can’t beat this one for the price. Find out how much and where to get it.

Sometimes I think JC Penney gets a bad rap for being one of those staid department stores of the 80s, but I think they’ve done a good job of re-launching itself. Ok enough waxing poetic about my secret liking of JC Penney, this little craft table is a great buy at only $34.99! It has a holder for a roll of drawing paper and I love the cup holders for painting.

Etsy Alert! Homemade Watercolors For Your Little Picasso

SunnyChanel — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 05:33:00 GMT

I always loved the romantic/clichéd idea of an artist creating a work of genius wearing a beret, sporting a goatee and of course an artist palette in hand. Your kid probably isn’t old enough for facial hair, may not want to wear the beret but they’ll totally go for the Homemade Watercolors – 10 Color Artist Palette by Busy Little Elf on Etsy.

This kid’s watercolor set is “made entirely with ingredients out of the pantry!” Although the maker does warn that the paints can be a bit powdery, they claim they are a safe alternative to the kind you pick up at the local five and dime. It also comes with three paint brushes. All for the low, low price of $8. Now that’s a pretty good deal for the ingredients for a future masterpiece.

Knife-Free Pumpkin Decoration

alibaba — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 16:55:00 GMT

I must confess, I’ve always thought of carving jack o’lanterns as kind of a grown-ups’ craft. Kids get to participate in helping to design the jack o’lantern’s face, but the actual crafting part – the carving – involves hacking up a slippery object with a sharp tool. Not exactly kid stuff. Personally I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a little fearful of handling sharp knives, especially in front of avid young audiences, and that’s why I’m thankful for items like the Leaps & Bounds Pumpkin Decorating Kit. Even if you’re still itching to carve that pumpkin up to make a pie and roast the seeds, a kit like this allows your little guys an opportunity to do the hands-on decorating themselves. And if nothing else, keeping them busy decorating their own pumpkins will provide you with a little less ruckus while you focus on cutting up your jack o’lantern without causing a reason for a Halloween trip to the emergency room for stitches.

Available on the Leaps & Bounds website for $14.95.

Eric Carle Lacing Cards

alibaba — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:43:00 GMT

I’m excited to post these lacing cards because I get to write about two of my favorite things – Portland and illustration! Posh Boutique on NW 11th in the Pearl District of Portland, OR has a very tasteful selection of clothes, furniture and toys for families. The lovely ladies who run this shop really go out of their way to keep the stock eco-friendly and educational… so very Portland of them! One toy in stock caught my eye when I was last there… these gorgeous Eric Carle lacing cards. If the name doesn’t ring a bell, Eric Carle is the brilliant illustrator behind such children’s classic books as The Very Hungry Caterpillar. We’ve featured lacing cards on the site before, but if you’re unfamiliar with them, they’re easy crafts for tots that build color recognition, hand-eye coordination and motor skills. And when they’re this beautiful, you can hang them on your child’s wall when they’re done. These are recommended for toddlers age 3 and up.

A set of 10 cards is available from Posh Boutique for $14.95.

Rainbow Jack O’Lantern Light

alibaba — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:20:00 GMT

I live in Brooklyn where it’s a surefire bet that your lovingly carved jack o’lantern is going to be smashed to bits in the street by neighborhood big kids if you dare to set it out on your doorstep. But for those of you Halloween-lovers who go the extra mile for this holiday, check out this automatic jack o’lantern light that rotates – get this – a dazzling rainbow of colored light! As it runs on AAA batteries, there’s no chance it will, say, topple over and start your living room on fire, as a candle might. And despite its clear seniority in the safety category, I think it’s also a winner in the fabulous category. In fact, I might keep one of these in my office cubicle after Halloween for our rare Thursday afternoon Happy Hours. Who doesn’t want a revolving rainbow of light in their front window in October?

The Deluxe Amazing Rainbow Pumpkin Light comes in a set of 2 for $9.95 from Leaps & Bounds. And it is amazing.

Retrolicious: Bob Ross for Kids Painting Kits

Heather Kuldell — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:07:00 GMT

If the phrase “happy little trees” tugs at your nostalgic heart strings, behold Bob Ross for Kids painting kits. The paint-by-numbers kits feature Ross-approved landscapes such has “Mountain Stream,” “Winter Barn,” “Beacon by the Sea” and “Wilderness Bridge.” Folks who are watchers rather than doers, may prefer the vast library of the TV shows available in DVD or in retrolicious VHS.

D.I.Y. Block Photo Kit

Erin Behan — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:35:00 GMT

This D.I.Y. project seems perfect for parents who want their kids to make something for grandma but don't really have the time, or expertise, to set up the project themselves. For $25 at Elsewheres, you get two kits to make two block photo projects. The kits include eight woodblocks, foam brush, sandpaper, photosafe glue, sealer and instructions. All you need is one adorably cute 4 x 6 photo. And for you made in the U.S.A. die-hards, the kits are made in New York.

Hat tip: Better Living Through Design

Picnic Table Craft Table From P'Kolino

Chris Ford — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 23:08:00 GMT

We've written before about the kids funiture from P'Kolino, and now they've got a new activity table for kids that matches the rest of their collection. It looks fun and modern, but is a picnic-bench type of table best for you?

I can imagine this type of table being perfect for some playrooms. In apartments or other places where space is at a premium, this might be the perfect solution. But in my house, one of the best aspects of the activity table is my kids can take the chairs and move them around. Not to mention the fact that I've sat down at the table once or twice myself. Plus, with the bench attached to the table, it would have been hard for my youngest to get to the table with her sister when she was learning to walk.

But either way, if you're shopping for a play table for your kids this one is worth checking out.

P'Kolino Craft Table, $129 from Design Public.