Materials

• Black paper or card stock
• White paper
• Glue

• White paper doilies
• Tape
• Photos

Instructions

1. For each ring, first cut a 2- by 7-inch strip of black paper or card stock. Cut a white paper collar, as shown, and glue it in place. For womenfolk, glue a section of white paper doily over the collar, then glue the collar in place.
   
2. Create a hat from black and white paper, or a bonnet from a strip of white paper cut and formed as shown.
   
3. Glue or tape a photo of a guest to the hat or bonnet and then to a strip. Wrap the strip around a napkin and secure it with tape.
   

Materials

• Permanent colored markers
• Straight wooden clothespins
• Black pipe cleaners
• Craft knife

• 1-liter plastic bottle with cap
• Construction paper
• Glue
• Paper plate

Instructions

1. To make a pair of pilgrim place cards, use colored markers to draw faces on the heads of two straight wooden clothespins. Color the rest of the clothespins black. Wrap a pipe cleaner around each clothespin just below the head to create arms.
   
2. With a craft knife, cut the top off a plastic 1-liter bottle, 3 1/4 inches down from the cap (a parent's job) and discard the bottom. Remove the bottle cap and color it and the bottle top black.
   
3. For the pilgrim man, wrap a pipe cleaner around his feet and stand him up in the bottle cap. Cut out and glue on a paper hat and vest.
   
4. To finish the woman, wrap a pipe cleaner around her waist and fit her into the bottle top. Glue on a paper apron and bonnet.
   
5. Lastly, cut name tags from a paper plate rim and attach them to the pilgrims' arms.
   

What you'll need:

How to make it:

1. Place paper plate on work surface upside down and write the child's name and the date. Turn the plate right side up. Paint entire plate with goldenrod color and set aside to dry (see image).
2. Meanwhile, cut felt into 1" pieces. Use several fall colors, such as red, brown, orange, tan, gold and cream. If you made our Mosaic Family Frame, perhaps you have some pieces left over that you can use!
3. Have all of your paint colors handy and a separate paintbrush for each color. Paint the child's palm and thumb with a generous amount of brown paint. Working quickly so that the paint doesn't have time to dry, paint each of the child's four fingers with red, green, orange and yellow (see image). 
4. Have child gently place their handprint in the center of the paper plate. Gently press down on the child's hand and each individual finger to ensure a good distribution of paint.
5. Have child lift hand directly up into the air so as not to smear any of the colors.
6. Use a paintbrush to add a red gobbler and an orange beak. Let dry (see image). 
7. While the paint is drying you can glue on the pieces for the frame. Pipe glue around the outside edge of the plate and press the felt squares onto the glue, overlapping the outside of the plate. Alternate the colors to create a pattern.
8. Use black marker to draw legs and feet.
9. Use the handle end of a small paintbrush to add a dot for the eye, let dry. Once dry, use a toothpick to dot on the black.

 

Tips:

1. You can add a magnet to the back of the plate or use tape and a piece of yarn to create a hanger.
2. Always save scraps of felt and construction paper for projects such as these.
3. Instead of painting on the eye, you can glue on one wiggle eye.

Turkey Place Card Holders
Your children can help decorate your Thanksgiving table and make a gift
for relatives, with these easy to make pinecone turkeys. For an extra
touch add place cards for your family members and then they can take
the handmade turkeys home.

You'll Need:
A dry pinecone for each guest
chenille stems (pipe cleaners) in brown or tan
Craft feathers
Craft glue
Cardstock paper


Lightly dip the ends of the feathers into the glue and then insert into the back of the pinecone turkey body. Repeat until you have all of your tail feathers. Allow the glue to dry. Fold the chenille stem in half and then bend the tip a bit to make the head. Twist the chenille stem around the tip of the pine cone to create the head and neck and then twist to secure. You may want to fashion some feet with the tips of the stem to help hold the turkey in place. Using cardstock paper, cut, fold and write the name on your place card when it's time to set the table, place it in front of the turkey


Variation for an even easier craft!
You'll Need:
-A dry pinecone for each guest
-chenille stems (pipe cleaners) in brown or tan
-Pine sprigs for each setting
-Address Label stickers
Cut the chenille stems in half with wire cutters. Make a loop and twist
the ends for the feathers. Twist a brown or black chenille for the head and neck. Insert the feathers etc. into the pinecone. Use two address labels for each setting. Write the name on one of the labels. Secure the two labels together with the pipe cleaner in between them both. This avoids a messy glue situation! At table setting time, place the turkeys onto a pine sprig,
add a few nuts and your done!
Kit's Tip: I use the "fuzzy" pipe cleaners for thicker feathers.

Materials

• Scissors
• Lunch-size paper bag
• Tissue paper (white, yellow, red, and orange)
• Glue stick

• template
• Sand or rocks
• LED tea light

Instructions

1. Cut a circle from the seamless side of a lunch-size paper bag. Use the cutout circle as a guide to cut a slightly larger circle from white or yellow tissue paper.
   
2. Cut skinny triangles of red, orange, and yellow tissue paper for the feathers, and cut two wing shapes from red tissue paper. Use a glue stick to affix the feathers and wings onto the tissue paper circle.
   
3. Cut a turkey body (you can download our template) from the brown paper circle, then glue it to the center of the tissue paper collage.
   
4. Line the edge of the bag's circular hole with more glue, then lay the collage circle on top. Fill the bag with about an inch of sand or rocks and nestle an LED tea light inside.
   

Bring a bit of British tradition to the Thanksgiving table!

Materials

• Scissors
• Yellow crepe paper streamer
• Toilet paper tube
• Green tissue paper

• Green ribbon
• Paper and markers to make an "I'm thankful for:" form
• Favors including a small writing implement

1. To make this corn cracker, create kernels by snipping a 1/2-inch fringe along one edge of a 4-foot length of yellow crepe paper streamer (folding the streamer a few times makes this go quicker). Wrap the streamer around the cardboard tube.
   
2. Fold a 10- by 12-inch piece of green tissue paper as shown, then roll the tissue around the tube and tie one end with a green ribbon.
   
3. Fill the cracker with favors, a small writing implement, and an"I'm thankful for:" form, then tie the other end with a ribbon.
   

What you'll need:

How to make it:

1. Lay paper bag flat on the work surface.
2. Use crayons or paint (crayons are less messy and will be much easier for younger children) to add stripes of colors to the opening of the bag, about 5-6” long (see image).
3. Open the bag and be sure to add stripes to the sides as well.
4. Cut the strips with scissors (see image).
5. Paint or color the other side of the strips. This is a little messier, so be sure kid are wearing smocks and your work surface is protected. When painting the other side of a strip, the paper may curl up on you. Just hold it flat for a few seconds and this will correct it (see image). Allow the strips to dry completely.
6. Fill the bag halfway with crumpled newspaper.
7. Gather the bag together with your hands, just under the strips, and secure with a rubber band (see image).
8. Pinch the bag, just under the rubber band, to bend the strips upward so that when the bag lies on its side, the strips will be pointing upward. Use your hands to manipulate the strips to point up; these are your turkey’s feathers (see image).
9. Cut the following from felt: Triangle – beak - orange; Heart – gobbler – maroon/red; 2 triangles – feet - brown; Bowtie – green
10. Paint the plastic spoon with tan or brown paint and let dry (see image).
11. Glue the gobbler, beak and eyes onto the spoon face.
12. Place the bag on the work surface on its side with the feathers pointing up. Make a small hole at the end of the bag where the neck and head should be.
13. Push the handle of the plastic spoon into the hole and add some glue to the opening (see image).
14. Cut toes from the flat end of the two brown triangles and dot some glue on the triangle points. Place bag body on top of the feet so glue will catch. Let dry (see image).
15. Glue the bowtie where the spoon meets the bag.

Tips:

1. For added fun, draw a sign on a piece of construction paper that says “Happy Thanksgiving” and glue to the front (chest) of the bag.
2. If you would like to keep the mess minimal, use markers or crayons instead of paint.
3. Save scraps of felt from other projects to use with projects such as this.

Its that time of year again - whatch out for those ghosties!!!  This is a great game to play in your neighborhood.  Here is how it works...

1. Print out the pdf found here. (it should print out two pages)

2. Bake some treats (ideally Halloween in theme)

3. Make 2 plates of treats and tape a ghost to each one.

 4. Deliver the plates to unsuspecting neighbors.

5. You can knock and run - or just leave them and hope they find them in the morning!

6. You can tape the ghost to your door so you don't have to make more treats.


Here is the text of the poem:


You’ve been Ghosted!
Late last night, we left you a treat.
The tradition is fun, one we hope you’ll repeat.
Take the ghost and pin it on your door,
To let others know, you need be ghosted no more.
Now it’s your duty to pass on the surprise,
To two more families, we must advise.
Gather some treats and deliver them soon,
Within two nights, under the light of the moon.
Include a ghost with each package you give,
Along with this poem for the tradition to live.

Follow this link for printables (with instructions) for a few halloween activities.

Found this site with a few fall oriented printable pages - some are colorable.  Could make a great afternoon activity for the family!

Fall Printables!

You can make these pumpkins to decorate your house for Halloween.  They are easy and fun for kids to help with.

• Mini paper plate 
• Orange acrylic craft paint
• Yellow craft foam
• Green craft foam
• Brown craft foam
• Scissors
• Glue

1. Place the paper plate upside down on your work surface and paint it orange. Set aside to dry and repeat with a second coat if needed.

2. Cut out facial shapes (triangles for eyes and a mouth with a few missing teeth) and glue to the plate.

3. Use scissors to trim the plate into a pumpkin-like shape. Do this by cutting a dip in the top where the stem would be and trim the bottom to flatten it a bit.

4. Cut two simple oval-shaped leaves from green craft foam and glue to back of the plate at the top of the pumpkin.

5. Cut a simple rectangular stem from brown craft foam and glue to the back of the plate, between the leaves.

I remember having one of these growing up!  Easy to make but fun for the kids.

There are instructions all over for these things.  There is a link to an easy how-to at hphood.com.

Here are some written out (thanks to prairiewebs.com)

What You Need:
8 - 9 clean plastic gallon milk jugs
String
Scissors & craft knife
Glue gun
One-hole punch

SKELETON HEAD: Turn a milk jug upside down In the corner opposite the handle cut out a large pair of eyes, the mouth and two holes for the nostrils.
Make two small slits in the top of the head and tie a loop of string through them to hang the finished skeleton.

SKELETON CHEST: Slice down the centre of a jug - opposite the handle. Cut the plastic to make a rib cage. Glue the head and chest together with hot glue.

SKELETON SHOULDERS: Cut off two jug handles leaving a small collar on each end. Use hot glue to attach them to the chest section. Punch a hole at the outside end of each shoulder.

SKELETON WAIST: Cut out two spouts, leaving a 1/2 inch collar on each. Hot glue the spouts together. Glue to the bottom of the chest.

SKELETON HIPS: Use the bottom 4 1/2 inches of a jug. Cut into a pelvic shape. Glue to the bottom of the waist.

SKELETON ARMS & LEGS: Cut the bone shapes from the jugs. Tie to the shoulders and hips.

SKELETON HANDS & FEET: Trace the kid's hands and feet. Cut these shapes out of the jugs. Punch holes into the hands and feet and tie them onto the arms and legs.

For a greater effect you can paint Mr. Bones a neon color or with "glow in dark" paint so that he will glow as he greets your Halloween guests

I'll just post a link to this one so you guys can see it there!
CraftIdeas.com Plant Poke

This scarecrow with a pumpkin is a great fall decoration! 

What you need:
Glass Jar
Liner and Shader Brushes
Micron Black Craft Pen
Old Toothbrush
Acrylic Matte Spray
Blank Scarecrow Image

Acrylic paint colors used in the image:
Antique White, AC Flesh, Pumpkin, Tangerine, Georgia Clay, Pink Quartz, Bonnie Blue, Trail Tan, Yellow, Dark Forest Green, White, Black

 Instructions:

Base coat surface with 2-3 coats of Antique White.

Trace pattern onto base coated surface.

Paint pumpkin with Pumpkin paint. Shade lines with Tangerine and Georgia Clay.

Paint face, hands and feet with AC Flesh. Paint nose with Georgia Clay and shade with Black. Draw on mouth eyes and stitches with Micron craft pen. Use ratty or scruffy brush to dot on cheeks with Pink Quartz.

Paint hat with Bonnie Blue. Mix a very small amount of black with Bonnie Blue to use for shading hat. Patches are Trail Tan, criss-cross with Georgia Clay.

Paint pumpkin stem and vines with Dark Forest Green.

Use fine liner brush with Yellow and Georgia Clay for straw around feet, hands and face.

Use Micron craft pen to draw on all stitches around hat and pumpkin.

Splatter completed surface with White and then with Black using the bristles of an old toothbrush.

Sign your work! Spray your completed project with 2-3 coats of acrylic spray sealer according to directions on can.

Tip: If you are painting on jars, prepare your surface by washing the jar, completely removing all labels and glue, then giving the jar a rinse in white vinegar or rubbing alcohol. Allow the first coat of base to dry completely before attempting second coat!

This post was found at AllFreeCrafts.com and was originally designed by Amanda Formaro - Amanda is the entrepreneurial mother of four children. She is also the owner of FamilyCorner.com Magazine.

Welcome all!

I wanted to setup a simple place where I could collect craft ideas from lots of different people and share them! I thought I'd start with a fall theme - but anything will be great!  If you have any please feel free to share images and how-to articles by sending an email to craftlyblog@gmail.com. I'll try to get the information you send in up as soon as I can! If I get a lot of stuff it will definitely have to be spread over time but that would be a great problem to have!.