It's hard to get kids to write Thank You cards for the gifts the receive.  So, I created a set of Green Monster cards that were kid friendly.  You can find them in my  Artfire shop.
http://www.artfire.com/ext/shop/product_view/6851528

Craft Tip of the Day - Felt Bead Boards

When doing beadwork with a large group of kids, individual bead boards can be expensive and are not usually available.  A piece of felt or fleece works great. A 9"x12" piece is large enough and the beads stay put.  They are also very portable and can be packed up or carried from place to place with ease.

Hi! I'm Back

Hi, I'm back.  I've been away for awhile, working with my kid's groups and setting up my shop on Artfire.
I hope to bring you some great craft tips and projects as well as my thoughts and comments.
Stay tuned.

Paper Plate Crafts - Scarecrow

Paper plates are an inexpensive background for many craft projects.   This Scarecrow is one of many that can be done at home or with a large group.   The patterns are simple circles, triangle, squares and rectangles.  They are easy to cut out for all age groups.   I've used large googley eyes, but contruction paper or markers are fine.  The project can be hung with yarn, cord or raffia.  This Scarecrow looks great on a door or wall and can be used for Halloween, Thanksgiving or any Fall events.

Racing Cars - Great Project for Scouts

I recently purchased a Racing Car craft kit for my K-3 after-school craft group. The project was meant to be a racing car magnet. The finished product was pretty small; about 5"x2". It was also a pretty quick project. I decided to make it into something a little more substantial. I took some leftover cardboard picture frames and we added the cars to the front, along with some racing flags (cut out of contruction paper). I also used some heavy poster board to make door knob hangers. The kids loved making them, especially the boys who are sometimes reluctant crafters. The checkered flag I found on the internet and made small copies so they'd fit on both.

All in all it was a pretty successful project.

Materials List for Ghost and Haunted House

Materials list:
Construction Paper - Blue, Black, Yellow, Orange, White
Card Stock
Black Marker
Wiggly Eyes
Hole punch
Yarn for Hanging

The overall project is 9 3/4"x 8". You can use leftover materials for this. Recycled cardboard works great. For large groups I recommend using shirt cardboard which comes in a pack of 50 from a craft catalog. It's about $9.00 and lasts a long time.

This Halloween decoration looks great on a front door or window. It also makes a wonderful party decoration.

Halloween

Here's a craft project that is great for scout groups, after-school groups or crafting at home with your kids.