Tag: craft

DIY Photo Holders – Craft-a-Long

Posted on by Motley Kids
a photo stand with butterfly and flower

DIY Photo Holders

This easy-to-make photo stand came about because the Motley Kids needed somewhere to put some pictures Grandma sent in the mail! 

We did ours with a Garden theme, but you can build yours any way you want…spaceships, rockets, even Birthday Llamas (watch the video)!

 

…crafting offline? Download a PDF of the instructions here…

Supplies: 

  • Clothespins (we used 3) 
  • Craft sticks (at least one per clothespin) 
  • A clean dry rock from outside (it should fit in your fist)
  • Air-dry or modeling clay
  • Glue guns or double stick foam tape
  • Felt or cloth scraps, chenille stems, paper, stickers, and markers to decorate with 
  • Scissors 
  • Paint or markers for clay decorating

Steps to Make It

  1. Mold your clay around your rock (this makes the picture holder heavy). You want to have extra clay in front and back
  2. Glue or tape a clothespin (clip opens up) to your craft sticks
  3. Decorate as desired
  4. Stick your craft sticks into the clay in the back of the rock
  5. Have your Responsible Adult break a craft stick in half. Decorate the smooth parts (leave the bottom clear)
  6. Stick the half sticks into the clay in the front of the rock
  7. Let dry and then paint your clay or decorate with markers!

Winter Holiday Snowflake – Craft-a-long

Posted on by Motley Kids
craft stick snowflakes

Snowflake Craft!

It’s the winter holidays, and snow is in the air! We aren’t having much luck with the actual thing here at Motley Headquarters, so we decided to make some snowflakes of our own! Craft along with us in this video tutorial or just follow the instructions below!

…crafting offline? Download a PDF of the instructions here…

Snowflake Supplies

  • Craft sticks (you’ll need three per snowflake)
  • Opaque paint (acrylic or tempera will work) and paintbrush
  • School glue or Mod Podge
  • Glitter or mica powder
  • Small cups (disposable is best) for mixing glitter glue
  • Sequins, pompoms, and other snowflake sparkles
  • String or twine
  • Scissors
  • A paintbrush you don’t mind getting glue on
  • Glue Gun or Tacky Glue

Steps to Make It

  1. Hot glue or tacky glue three craft sticks together in the middle to make your snowflake base
  2. Tie your string with a knot to make a loop
  3. Hot glue or tacky glue the string to the back of one of the top craft sticks to make a hanging loop
  4. Paint your snowflake a nice wintry color like white, blue, purple, or whatever you like
  5. Set aside and let your paint dry a little bit so it’s sticky
  6. Put some glue or Mod Podge into your small cup and add enough glitter (we know these are vague amounts, but glitter is like hot pepper—everyone likes a different amount)
  7. Use your glue brush to brush glitter glue on your snowflake
  8. Add sequins or other bling while the glue is wet
  9. Let dry completely before hanging!

 

 

Sock Dragons – Craft-a-long

Posted on by Motley Kids
a sock dragon

Sock Dragons

We’re making cozy pets to keep us company in the winter! Come join us in this craft-a-long and make a sock dragon of your very own! 

 

…crafting online? Download a PDF of the instructions here…

Supplies: 

  •  Socks (any sock will do, although kids crew socks are about the right size)
  •  A large cup for filling your dragon with
  •  Rice or Beans, about 2-4 cups per dragon
    (unless you are using men’s socks, in which case you may need more)
  •  Tulle for wings
  •  Felt or cloth scraps for flames
  •  Buttons or googly eyes for eyes
  •  Markers to decorate your sock
  •  Sequins, pompoms, and other dragon decorating bling
  •  Scissors
  •  Glue Gun or Tacky Glue
  •  Warm Dragon Variant: Needle and thread

Steps to Make It

  1. Fill a large cup with rice or beans
  2. Stretch the top of the sock over the cup and hold it on while you turn the cup upside-down.
    All the rice should fit in your sock.
  3. Hold your sock open end up and lay it down carefully to keep the rice from falling out!
  4. Use a glue gun to glue your dragon flame onto the inside edge of your sock opening.
  5. Glue the sock opening shut so that the flame is in the middle.
  6. To make wings. take 1-3 strips of tulle about 12-18″ long and tie them together in the middle with a knot to make fluffy wings
  7. Hot glue the wings on the dragon’s back — be careful, tulle lets hot glue through
  8. Glue buttons or googly eyes onto your dragon’s head (or anywhere else)
  9. You can use yarn, tulle, felt, or cloth scraps to make a tail. 
  10. Use sequins, markers, and any other bling you have to decorate your dragon!

Warm Sock Dragon Variant:

  • Use a needle and thread to attach the tongue and close your sock dragon’s mouth (you may want to do two rows of stitching to prevent rice leakage)
  • Make sure your dragon’s décor is microwave-safe (no metallic sequins! Use lace not nylon tulle! Use thread to attach everything!)
  • Make your dragon warm by putting it in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds (depending on microwave power)

Arrr! It’s Craft Like a Pirate Day!

Posted on by Motley Kids
a pirate hook made from a cup and foil

Craft Like a Pirate

September 19th is International Talk Like A Pirate Day!
In honor of this completely made-up holiday, the Motley Kids are going to craft like pirates!

Captain’s Hook

A handy hand for a pirate king! In this craft-at-home, we are going to make a pirate’s hook from aluminum foil and a plastic cup.

Pirates didn’t all have hooks for hands. But being a pirate was a dangerous job, and some pirates really did lose a hand or a leg. Today, people who have an amputation (where doctors remove a part of the body) can get a prosthesis (a replacement part) that’s made just to fit them. Some people get their favorite sports team or TV show printed on their prosthesis. But a long time ago, some people really did use a piece of wood or a metal hook to help do the job of a missing leg or arm.

Our pirate hooks are just for play! We won’t be cutting anyone’s hands off today, and just to be safe we’re going to have your Responsible Adult do the dangerous work.

You will need:

  • A disposable plastic cup (“Solo cup”)
  • A pair of sharp scissors or a sharp knife (for your Responsible Adult)
  • Aluminum Foil (heavy duty if you have it)

Making Your Hook

1. Have your Responsible Adult use the sharp object (carefully) to cut an X into the bottom of the cup. This is going to be your anchor.a tube of aluminum foil

2. Roll up your aluminum foil (shiny side OUT) into a stick. Make it about as thick as your pinky finger.

3. Fold your aluminum foil stick in half and stick the ends into the X in your cup so the folded end is pointing up.

4. Bend the ends INSIDE the cup outward to keep them from coming out and give you a handle.

5. Bend the ends OUTSIDE the cup into a hook. Reach into the cup and hold the bent ends.

Ahoy, Matey!