Arts & crafts for holidays and special occasions

Are you looking for a great way to spend quality time celebrating with family and friends? Then creating arts & crafts for holidays and special occasions may be exactly what you are looking for. When you make arts and crafts with friends and family, you will not just have the beautiful objects to keep with you, but the memories made while creating these arts & crafts. Every year when you pull out these homemade treasures, you'll be reminded of those wonderful memories.
Of course, you are probably concerned that you could not possibly make anything that remotely resembles a treasure! Fortunately, it is not necessary to be an artist or expert in order to make high-quality arts & crafts. The best decorations are often simple crafts that you have only put time and effort into. It is the personal touch and thought that will make these simple crafts so meaningful and loved by the recipients. If you need some help in crafting your creations, there are countless resources available both online and in local craft stores to provide ideas for high-quality arts & crafts for holidays and special occasions.
Making Christmas arts & crafts for kids
More families create handmade treasures together during the Christmas holiday season than any other time of year. Indeed, many families base their holiday traditions on creating homemade ornaments each year. This is great for families with small children; as they grow, they'll be able to look back over the years and see their own growth in their ornaments.
The most popular holiday arts and crafts for children and families to make together at Christmas include cotton ball snowmen, construction paper reindeer antlers, candy cane reindeers, and of course the timeless edible gingerbread house. Another fun idea for children is to make Christmas countdown calendars.
Making Christmas arts & crafts as gifts
The most meaningful gifts you can give are those that are homemade. This can be helpful during the holiday season, when extra cash can be tight and the stores are swarming with shoppers. Also, make some arts & crafts ahead of time and keep them handy in case of unexpected guests. Popular arts & crafts during the Christmas season include photo books & scrapbooks, beaded ornaments, decorated candle jars, brooches & other handmade jewelry.
Arts & crafts for other holidays
While the above discussion has focused on Christmas, the end of December is by no means the only time of the year when people will create special holiday-focused arts & crafts. Other holidays that present excellent opportunities for creativity include Mother's Day, Father's Day, Easter, Valentine's Day, Halloween, Independence Day, and St. Patrick's Day. Special occasions that offer excellent opportunities for arts & crafts include birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, weddings, and other "milestones." While expensive gifts are often appreciated, it is frequently the handmade crafts that are remembered and cherished long after the special day.
And with each season, the home crafter is presented with a great opportunity to create seasonally-appropriate crafts. To give your crafts a seasonal glow, read the following advice. In the fall, make crafts that emphasize the vibrant orange, reds, and yellows of autumn, or those that feature apples, pumpkins, squash, and other fall fruits. Winter crafts obviously focus on the holiday season and snowfall. Light blues and whites are great craft colors for the winter. When spring finally arrives after a long winter, try using flowers as the focal point of most crafts, and rely on pastels and bright colors. In the summertime, highlight patriotism and the laid-back style of the season. Red, white, and blue will never fail you in this special season.
Where can you find arts and crafts ideas for the holidays?
The best place to get ideas for special occasion and holiday arts & crafts are arts & crafts shows. Arts & crafts shows can be found in cities and towns across America, particularly in the fall and winter. Strolling through these quaint shows can provide plenty of ideas for crafts and art for holidays and special occasions, and if you talk to the artisans themselves, you might pick up some pointers and techniques. In the summer and fall, festivals will still include interesting seasonal crafts, and can provide great ideas for your own creativity.
If you can't make it out to an arts & crafts fair, just retreat to the Internet and browse around the huge collections of holiday arts and craft designs. Or get out of the house and browse your local craft and hobby store. If you are really stuck, even looking at raw materials may trigger craft ideas. If not, these stores usually will carry books and magazines specifically tailored to holiday and special occasions crafts and art. (Most major bookstores will also carry these books).

Mary Amos loves arts and crafts and has been creating amazing holiday gifts and projects for years. See her exciting new ideas at Holiday Crafts [http://www.holidaycraftsweb.com], and be sure to visit Arts and Crafts for more arts and crafts fun!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_Amos

Christmas has more meaning than shopping for material things to impress family and friends. You're not really sure they will even like what you buy and you're spending money for the items when you can't really afford to. Making gifts including Christmas Cards put the joy back into Christmas. It's so much fun putting cutting things out, sticking things on, trying to think of what to write that doesn't sound corney. You're not making your own cards, you're missing out.

Find this project at Multicrafting.com

Finger Bling

Spotted these cute buttons at the craft

shop and wondered if they would make some nice bling if I glued them to a ring base. I had some ring bases at home that would do just nicely. I used a blooming great file I found in the garage to even off the bottom so they would sit nicely on the ring bases and kazam!!! Finger bling.

They were so easy to make I am not even sure they can be called crafting. The yellow sunflower used to be an earring.

Evolution

Remember the days when we made toilet roll holders? I remember making the lace covered ones that hung on the back of the door collecting dust and fading in the sun. Back when I lived in a place that had sun in the little room. A review of the evolution of the toilet roll holder wouldn’t find that men or children had suddenly discovered how to change and dispose of the roll but I can still believe in miracles. My review would involve a full circle, the handmade traditional model, the store brought little beach shack, the stainless steel shiny one with little finger prints all over it and now this… the denim shirt sleeve from a top no longer worn, a bit of lace and a couple of toilet rolls.

Halloween can still happen.

Halloween Party Games and Craft Ideas For Children
by: Clare Swindlehurst



Kids love to dress up as their favourite characters at Halloween, but these days you might not feel comfortable letting them out and about to go Trick or Treating. Why not do something a little different this year and let your kids invite their friends over for a Halloween Party? They can all get dressed up and enjoy some spooky fun in the safety of your home.

Here are some ideas for party games and Halloween craft activities to keep them entertained.

Halloween party games

1. The not so spooky Halloween parade

The little ones will want to show off their costumes so put on some mussy and have the kids put on a Halloween costume parade. Get them to do their best dance moves to the music and ensure the adults whoop, cheer, and look suitable spooked!

2. The Trick or Treat bonanza

Cut up some paper strips and on half of them write the word "treat", on the others write out a number of tricks, such as "hop on one leg", "growl like a lion" or "sing their favourite song".

Put all of the paper pieces into a hat or a pillowcase and hide some sweets and candies around the room.

At the party ask each child to draw a piece of paper from the hat. They then have to perform the trick or search for the treats.

Halloween craft ideas

When the kids have run off all their energy on the party games have them sit around the table for some quiet craft time. Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Not so spooky Halloween mask making

Have a supply of white paper plates, glue, ribbons, felt pens and other craft items ready and ask the kids to make their own masks. They can design them to be as fun or as spooky as they like.

When everyone is done with their creations pierce a hole in each side of the plate and attach a piece of elastic so the kids can wear their masks, and pose for a group photograph!

2. The great Halloween loot collection

Kids love to take loot bags home from parties so let them decorate their own bags. You'll need the same craft supplies as for the mask making, but this time they'll need brown paper bags to decorate.

When the decorating is complete let the children go back to playing and fill the loot bags with candy and Halloween themed treats, when the party is over they can take their loot bags home.

About The Author

Hosting a Halloween party in the safety of your own home is a great way for young children to take part in the festivities. Check out these great toddlers Halloween costumes to make sure they look great at the party; Dora the Explorer fans will love Boots the Monkey outfit at http://toddlershalloweencostumesideas.com/

Bling

My priorities don’t lend themselves to e

xpensive jewelry despite my desire to own precious stones delicately crafted into exquisite pieces. This means that I have to make my own. I am just a little satisfied with this piece that came in at less that $50 and took less than an hour.

Craft. Staying Sane Online.

Your frustration level is never again going to be so high that steam flows from your ears and you’re looking frantically on the keyboard for the slap button.

I am going to share with you the strategy that I and other women from around the world use to transform disorganisation and chaos into orderly.  Real women who actually have time to relax, enjoy playing with their children or hanging out with friends without feeling guilty about the unfinished budget, bills that need to be payed online, bank transfers to make, gifts to organise, emails to send, defragging the computer, backing up files, uploading photos to face book, the list goes on.

Women are no longer afraid to go into their study scared off by the huge pile of chores still waiting despite attempting to get them done time after time often to walk away in frustration because of the time it takes to get one small thing completed.    

Before stumbling upon this strategy I used to dread heading to the study and would put of my obligations as long as I could.  Eventually my pile of chores would topple over and I had to pull my head out of the sand.  I tried and tried but I couldn’t invoke the magic Genie. 

I needed to get past my resentment towards the obligations and responsibilities holding a household together and making it function brought into my already busy life. 

As soon as I realised my error I made a correction and straight away turned what were previously frustrating delays into moments I now treasure.  One look at all the tasks I had to organize, and I was overwhelmed. My computer skills weren’t the best and I wasn’t sure where to start. So I didn’t start, I just procrastinated. I had to turn this part of my life around so I applied the strategy and turned my life into organized enjoyment instead of out of control chaos with this simple strategy. Since I fell upon this strategy my productivity has gone through the roof.

I’m embarrassed to say I was a computer rage-er.  Waiting on downloads, system loads, backups, file transfers at times had me so angry, bad language would flow from my mouth.  Things not under my control delaying me from my free time could get me into an absolute fury and frequently I would give up and leave those chores to pile up for another day delivering a mortal blow to my productivity. It meant another day of commitments on the back of my mind.  Another step away from achieving that ‘me time’, that ‘in their Zen Zone’ look I envied on other women.   

It's a fact – waiting takes to long.  Engaging in something enjoyable while waiting on download time, upload time, Island time, anything else taking up your time gives you back your time.  Believe it or not, having something to do while we wait is the sole purpose of mirrors in foyers and lifts.  

My strategy to overcome the frustrations I had experienced with online wait time was to craft beautiful creations.   You maybe surprised of how much craft material you have already at home.  Crafts make good gifts. Crafts items can be made from materials around the home, office, or perhaps a purchase of a few inexpensive materials will morph into a few quality gifts.  I believe the rise of craft clubs and the amount of women I see on public transport knitting or crocheting backs up my bold claims.  Happy people are immersed in creating craft.  Nothing is as self-soothing as those stolen hours immersed in the craft you adore.  The unexpected benefit I discovered is that when crafting, the frustrations of online delays are less likely to see you walk away from the computer throwing your arms in the air.  With the right projects, you can achieve what you set out to do online and craft a beautiful creation at the same time. 

htt://www.multicrafting.com

Crafting –Ready, Steady, Go.

Crafts make good gifts. Crafts items can be made from materials around the home, office, or perhaps a purchase of a few inexpensive materials will morph into a few quality gifts. Crafts made from the effort that comes from your own hand rather than store brought sends a deep message of love from the heart. 

You maybe surprised of how much craft material you have already at home. 

Perhaps the last week or so has seen you turn the wardrobes upside down saving unused clothing to use for your craft projects.  Well done!  Cleaning out wardrobes is always one of the often-delayed chores.  Instead of giving them to goodwill (although that’s also a nice thing to do) I cut off the useful bits and recycle into a gift.

Those jumpers no longer worn can be felted to make a coffee cozy and also to decorate hats, bags, tea cozies.  Nothing will go wasted with some instructions and a few projects in mind. 

Now that you have bits and bobs to use for your craft projects the question becomes how best and where to store them so they don’t just become another source of mess.

I made a craft equipment bag made from an old jumper that I no longer wore.  After felting the jumper made from mostly wool, I hand stitched pockets to store my craft tools around the outside then added a long handle so I could hang it on the doorknob in my study. 

You wouldn’t believe how easy it was to create.

One of the best craft gadgets ever invented is the row counter.  A row counter sits on the end of a knitting or crochet needle and helps keep track of where you are in the pattern.  So when you get distracted it’s easy to pick up where you left off when you come back to your project.   Row counters are an invaluable friend and can be purchased from any craft or department store. 

Winter is a time when clothing is packed away and summer clothes brought out from storage to take their place in the closet.  I always find myself sneezing for a couple of hours after slipping into a jumper that hasn’t been worn for a good few months.  I could take the time to air the garments but an even better idea is to store a lavender scented sachet in the space bag along with the jumpers.  That way when I pull them out they have that beautiful scent I adore. 

Scrapbooking has become a craze and for a very good reason.  Scrapbooks are a collection of clippings, photos, and mementos of people we love and experiences we have enjoyed. Putting together old memories preserves the history of a family and scrapbooking helps us to store up history for the family members we don’t have yet.  By collating the photo’s we love we can show new coming relatives what type of person we are and some of our favourite memories are captured an immortalized. 

New Multicrafting.com Competition

Winter will be here sooner than we think.  Get prepared with this Foux Fur hot water bottle cover.

WIN: This Animal Print Hot Water Bottle Cover

Yes, that's right, we're giving away this Sensational Animal Print Hot Water Bottle Cover. Enter Hot Water Bottle Cover competition into the email header. Simply email the answer to the following question with your name and email to alena@multicrafting.com.au. Multi-crafting ideas are designed so you can create while you are ________________________ ___________? One entry per person. This COMPETITION can be transferred so you can forward this email onto friends, colleagues and family so they can take advantage of it and enter the competition too.

Offer Expires: 30 September 2011

http//www.multicrafting.com

Which craft is right for you?

Which Craft is Right for Me?
by: Emma Snow



Diana discovered the joy of pottery after suffering a terrible divorce. Taking a seat at the wheel with a lump of clay, she felt an immediate release. Her mind cleared and her heart rate slowed down. She was able to relax in a way she hadn’t for weeks. “Better than therapy—and medication!” she happily reported to her doctor after her first day at a community education class, where she went on to make friends with fellow potters, further enriching her life.

For Kris it was counted cross-stitch. The repetitive motion of the needle passing up and down through crisp cloth put her in a near-meditative state, the way yoga does for some. In this state Kris was able to work out solutions to her daily challenges. “It was like the ideas dropped into my mind out of the sky,” she told a close friend.

Shawn found furniture restoration to be wonderfully soothing after a stressful day at the office. The raw scent of wood loosened him up, and he was surprised how satisfying it was to sit down at a table he had restored himself.

Such is the world of DIY. Discovering the right craft for your personality and temperament can be a reward that transforms your life.

The crafting world is as wide and diverse as a tropical rainforest. Each crafting activity has unique benefits and challenges. You could spend your entire life just trying out different crafts. While this may be fun, it can be expensive and frustrating. Should you desire to narrow your search down, this article will act as your guide by investigating the world of crafts as they fit into five spectrums. If one activity doesn’t suit you, take heart. Crafting is for everyone—you are bound to find that perfect match.

1. Short-term projects vs. long-term projects.

Do you have a need for immediate gratification? If you do, you might prefer cake decorating, ceramics, candle-making, lotions-n-potions, or cut-n-paste projects (scrapbooking, collage, and decoupage), which deliver results relatively quickly. Conversely, if you are known to possess the patience of Job, needlecrafts and quilting may be your thing. (Although quilting by machine cuts down the time dramatically). If you like long-term projects, pottery and gardening are also excellent choices, since they involve several steps.

2. Fastidiousness vs. playfulness/ looseness

Needlecrafts, baking, and jewelry-making require a meticulous and careful eye, whereas cooking, gardening and cut-n-paste projects are more appropriate for the playful type. Keep in mind that many activities can go either way or are best for those who can balance a bit of each quality.

3. Planner by nature vs. spontaneous to the core

If you don’t mind doing a little math, counted cross-stitch, knitting, and crochet are great activities. Needlecrafts, quilting and sewing also require planning and pattern-reading. If all this sounds too boring or frustrating and you prefer to jump headlong into projects as soon as you feel an urge, cut-n-paste, candle-making, ceramics, or pottery may be a better fit.

4. Space available

Do you affectionately call your apartment a cupboard? If you need an activity that takes up little space or can be cleaned up in a jiffy, yarn and needlecrafts can be tucked away in a basket or a drawer. Baking and cake decorating use what you probably already have in your kitchen, and jewelry only needs a modest tackle-box with little compartments for beads and tools. But perhaps you have a room or a whole basement where a hobby could take up a permanent residence? Pottery is such a hobby. If you quilt by hand you will need a room where a fairly large frame can be set up (unless you only want to do baby quilts). A table for laying out and cutting patterns is required for sewing, and most people don’t appreciate having to lug out the machine every time you want to work on a project. (However, it can be done.) Lotions-n-potions, and candle and soap making can be done in the kitchen as long as precautions are taken, but ideally they need a separate space, since you are using dangerous chemicals that you don’t want to accidentally mix with food. Gardening is ideal if you have a nice-sized yard, but many green-thumbed apartment dwellers find cultivating the space around their windows, on their patio, or even potted indoor plants a satisfying diversion. Don’t lose heart if you don’t have space for an activity that interests you—just sign up for a community class!

5. Available funds for expenses

Each craft has a range of what you could pay for the activity, depending on your taste and willingness. If you are picky about using only hand-dyed, organically grown 100% wool yarn, you are going to pay a lot more than someone who works with an acrylic yarn available at the closest Woolworth’s. It is a good idea when just starting out to borrow someone else’s equipment, or use inexpensive supplies until you know it is an activity you are going to stick with. Then you can slowly replace your supplies with quality items that you appreciate. On average, pottery and sewing require more expensive equipment to begin, while you can garden, cross-stitch, or cut-n-paste on a shoestring budget. Yarn crafts are the cheapest activities to try, since they don’t require a lot of expensive equipment to start. Again, a class might be the best investment for the more expensive hobbies.

If you still aren't sure which craft is right for you, talk to other crafters about why they enjoy their craft. Ask if you can join them one day to see if it is something that appeals to you. Be patient with yourself as you begin each new activity--nothing kills the excitement of trying something new more than impossibly high expectations. Don't worry--as you continue, your skills will improve. You will also know better which activities suit you best.



About The Author

Emma Snow is a creator at Craft Kits http://www.craft-kits.net leading portals for crafts and creative individuals.

Top 7 Benefits of Joining a Craft Group

By Melody Jones

 

We've been experiencing a craft renaissance in recent years. More than ever, crafters are pursuing a wide variety of crafts, have easy access to high quality materials, and realize the benefits of making crafts part of their lives.
For many, making craft projects is a solitary activity, often enjoyed as a stress-reducer, a way to make handmade gifts, and because it's fun. But the current crafting renaissance has sparked new groups all over the United States, giving people a way to enjoy their hobbies in a social atmosphere.
Groups are available for nearly every type of craft including knitting, crocheting, scrapbooking (often called crops), cross stitch, quilting, beading, general crafts, and more. A quick Internet search in your area should reveal local groups as well as crafting retreats, cruises, and seminars.
Groups range in size and scope, from small senior groups at local churches to large multi-age gatherings in metro areas, from a tight focus on one type of craft to those that celebrate crafting in every form. Participants enjoy a variety of benefits.
Benefits of Craft Groups

1. Camaraderie and friendship. Working on craft projects in a group setting allows a natural flow of conversation about techniques or problems, but just as often about everyday struggles and triumphs. Friendships are easily developed. Craft groups also travel to fairs and classes together.
2. Space to work. Even for those who have their own craft rooms, being able to set up shop in a large area with spacious work surfaces makes it easier to complete projects and to socialize.
3. Community service. Craft groups often take on local community service projects as a way to give to others. One of the more well-known efforts is to crochet or knit blankets for children and infants in hospitals.
4. Improve skills and knowledge. A group environment is a great way to learn new skills in your chosen craft, and to get help with problem areas. Veteran crafters love to share knowledge and are happy to help.
5. Get projects done. For those who love crafting, but don't always complete the projects they start, a craft group provides the environment, encouragement, and consistency to do just that.
6. Expert craft teachers. Some craft groups are able to recruit expert instructors to teach intermediate and advanced techniques.
7. Access to training materials. Larger craft groups often keep a library of books, manuals, and videos that anybody can use to improve crafting skills.

The benefits of joining a craft group are amazing. If you need help with a technique, want to meet other crafters, or need consistency to complete your projects, a group may be the perfect fit. If joining a monthly craft group doesn't work with your schedule, there are many annual crafting group events to choose from that provide numerous benefits as well. Do an Internet search to find the perfect group for you.

If you love to make crafts, but can't seem to find time, find your craft supplies, find your budget, or find your way to crafty fulfillment, read Melody Jones' "The Craft Lover's Success Guide: Simple Ways to Nurture Your Creativity and Actually Finish Your Projects" available at http://www.mycraftebooks.com/. All customers receive a free ebook "Simple Craft Projects to Get You Started."
Not only will you learn key steps for finding time, you'll also learn how to organize your craft supplies and stay organized even if you are a pack rat, how to craft on a budget, ways to find new craft project ideas and inspiration, and resources and ideas for learning new crafts. And - it's fun!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Melody_Jones

New Babies

We all have friends that have a baby at some time.

Cute little helpless things they are. Waiting for mommy or daddy to come along so they can reward them with their best smile.

And who wouldn't smile back when their baby is dressing in these baby uggs and matching hat.

http://www.multicrafting.com/

The boutique yarns available now are just perfect for creating the most lovable and snuggable items.   Yes snuggable is a word. I just invented it. 
After knitting the bonnet and uggs I sent these to my friend, the babies mother, she couldn't wait to see her baby looking cute as a button in her new baby uggs.

The adventures of the Hat

http://multicrafting.com/The past weekend saw me flying all over the place to spend a weekend with friends in the Blue Mountains outside Sydney Australia.  If you have been following on twitter you would know that I knitted a hat for the occasion and decorated the hat with a flower made from an old jumper I had felted.

I was so grateful for the hat because it was winter in high altitude and raining to boot so that hat did a great job of keeping me warm.

Take a look at the hat's mountain adventure. 

The Humble Tea Towel

Gone are the days of the functional tea towels that did nothing for the kitchen decor.  Manufacturers have heard the roar of women calling for quality goods that do more than wipe suds of the dishes.  Funky new fabrics have appeared and women are swiping them off the shelf quicker than you can say chocolate. 

There's more than one way to use these humble tea towels and they surely do add something to brighten up the kitchen. 

In just a few minutes this lime green tea towel (lime green has always been my favorite color) had become a new shopping bag storage spot with a long handle so it can hang on the door knob. 

http//www.muticrafting.com

Adding some Bling

If you have been following Multicrafting1 on twitter you will know that I am off to the mountains in a week and it's already been snowing in the area.  I thought I had better create a hat for the occasion as living in a warm climate, I have no need for one.  The hat was simple.  But what was I going to do to add some bling?

I had felted an old jumper using the techniques in Multicrafting the Ebook and had a shot of inspiration. 

Have a look at the results and let me know what you think.

http//www.multicrafting.com

Children's Crafts - Their Importance & Value For Healthy Development

By Maria Teresa

 

Children love crafts. They seem to become fixated when they are drawing, painting, cutting, pasting and working through kids crafts and activities. Kids love working with their hands. The sense of joy that children experience during the participation of arts and crafts is an unmistakable give away that something greater is going on with their learning. Why is this?
There is something in the sense of achievement children get when they are working on crafts or craft activities that involves their creativity and stimulates their imagination.
But there is so much more to this picture than a sense of achievement.
The amazing developmental benefits that children can obtain through creative craft ideas make childrens crafts such a crucial part of a child's healthy development.
Below are some of the developmental skills that a child can learn through simple craft activities.
Social Skills: Children receive feedback through observation and the modeling of their parent/ teacher. In addition, interacting with other children also teaches acceptable social skills. Simple crafts for kids can be an amazing way to engage a child through appropriate play and talk.
Fine Motor Skills Development: Crafts assist children with the development of their fine motor skills. Children's crafts and kids activities teach simple skills such as holding pencils and scissors correctly, cutting, pasting and coloring techniques.
Creative and Visual Spatial Development: Creative development is one of the key benefits that crafts and art activities offer. Through the use of creative craft ideas for kids, the choice of materials and simple task related instructions, their imagination and ability to make creative choices can develop. Children create an image of what they want to create in their task. They can transfer this image through the use of their hands and the materials into their craft work. When developed appropriately, this important skill can assist children with skills such as visualizing details, the recall of information through mental imagery, creation of living pictures and visualizing of goals. Good kids craft and activities resources with easy to implement craft ideas are an important aspect for this learning.
Linguistic Development: Another benefit crafts for kids offer is the development of a wider range of vocabulary. Through discussing the creation and work required to complete crafts, the parent can create dialogue which both increases vocabulary and creates meaning and understanding. When completing any craft activitiy, children are given further learning opportunities through observing their parent/ teacher's expressions of verbal problem solving and positive reinforcement. When choosing craft ideas for kids, childrens crafts and activities, ensure that you have quality resources which enable discussion.
In addition to the above developmental benefits, easy craft ideas for kids can also assist with the development of:
Concentration and the completion of tasks: Children's crafts assist with the development of the ability to concentrate and avoid distractions. Through the focus that is required to work through craft activities, children learn to focus on one task at a time. They learn that through focus they are able to successfully complete a task.
Skills in planning: Arts and crafts for kids assist with the development of both visual and verbal planning skills. Visual spatial skill development assists children to create plans in their mind's eye of what they want to achieve through their craft project.
Persistence and Seeing Tasks Through to Completion: Children learn the skill of persistence when completing any activity or craft project. Choosing from one of many craft ideas and seeing the task through to completion regardless of set backs is an important skill for children to learn. If developed early in life, this can assist a child with school work, project development and goal setting.
Success and Self Worth: The participation and completion crafts assist with one of the most important aspects of healthy growth and development: the experience of self worth through success. Through skills discussed earlier such as concentration, persistence, planning, creative development and visual spatial development, children learn what is required to complete a task and to create their vision through the use of their hands. Praise and feedback are important factors here when they are attempting activity or kids craft project. Assisting children if they are struggling with an aspect or completion of a task can be important. Giving praise throughout the process and at the completion of the task helps the child to learn a sense of accomplishment associated with the development and completion of projects.
Creative craft ideas for kids are so valuable for healthy development. The best part of all is that assisting children with arts and craft activities can be so simple. With creative and easy craft ideas for kids, simple materials and a sense of fun, you too can have a great time! Whether you are a parent, teacher, grandparent or nanny, kids crafts and children's activities are a fantastic way to connect with children and watch them grow and develop.







For printable craft ideas for kids and printable kids activities resources see:
www.craftsforkidsactivities.com [http://www.craftsforkidsactivities.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maria_Teresa

Adding lavender sachets to space saver bags

Winter is a time when clothing is packed away and summer clothes brought out from storage to take their place in the closet.  I always find myself sneezing for a couple of hours after slipping into a jumper that hasn’t been worn for a good few months.  I could take the time to air the garments but an even better idea is to store a lavender scented sachet in the space bag along with the jumpers.  That way when I pull them out they have that beautiful scent I adore. 

Page 28 of Multicrafting details the making of a simple lavender scented sachet.  The fabric was a dress I regretted buying after a couple of wears  and the lace is from the cuffs of my sleeves on a shirt I had similar feeling about.

Instead of giving them to goodwill (although that’s also a nice thing to do) I cut of the useful bits and recycled into a gift for a friends mother who was having an eye operation. 

http//www.multicrafting.com

Making gifts look fabulous

We have made the gifts now how are we going to present them ? 

One of the best little gadgets I have come across wasn’t even at a craft store.  I don’t even know what it’s called but it seals plastic bags and cellophane so you can make a packet to present your gift in.  I think it cost me around $14.

I use it most when I make soap for gifts as some soap needs to be wrapped so as not  to attract moisture from the air. 



http//www.multicrafting.com

Revamping an old favorite

Many of us are in a position where we can’t engage in as much retail therapy as we might like.

So how do we still get joy from having new accessories?

A little bit of creativity can revitalize the old and make it look new.  Revamping your old but very handy carry bags doesn’t have to involve great expense.  Two skeins of taffeta were enough to turn this bag with worn handles that was about to be deemed ‘too old’ and thrown out into a valuable item useful for those mornings at the market. 

  

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Gadgets that make life simple

All Multicrafting projects are designed to be put down and pick up at any time. That’s the nature of the internet, sometimes you facebook pictures upload quickly, sometimes You Tube video’s take forever to upload and finding what we are looking for can involve watching several of the wrong video’s. 

The unpredictability and delay’s of the internet are the very reason we experience levels of frustration where steam flows out our ears and why we need something to keep us from walking away and not achieving our objectives.

This brings me to Row Counters.  A row counter sits on the end of a knitting or crochet needle and helps keep track of where you are in the pattern.  So when you get distracted it’s easy to pick up where you left off when you come back to your project. 

Row counters are an invaluable friend and can be purchased from any craft or department store.    While not necessary they do make it a lot easier to start off where you left off and save you from a few frustrating moments.

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Perhaps the last week or so has seen you turn the wardrobes upside down saving unused clothing to use for your craft projects.  Well done.  Cleaning out wardrobes is always one of the often delayed chores. 

Now that you have bits and bobs to use for your craft projects the question becomes how best and where to store them so they don’t just become another source of mess.

Page 26 of my Multicrafting E-Book shows you how to turn an ordinary box into something beautiful with the simple application of pretty paper or fabric. 

Last week I managed to save a photocopy paper box from the recycle bin at work.  My plan is to cover that with some paper I brought for $2 per roll.  I have a different color for the lid of the box just to mix it up a bit.  The box is big enough to store some of the goodies I have accumulated that are currently making my study look a bit untidy. 

I will post the photo's of my progress.  Hopefully that will occur this weekend. 

Let us know how your projects are going and be sure to send in some photo's.

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A word about Supplies

You will be surprised of how much craft material you have already at home.  Those jumpers no longer worn can be felted to make the coffee cozy on Page 22) and also to decorate hats, bags, tea cosies.  Nothing will go wasted now that you have the Multicrafting E-book and many projects in mind. 

I had planned selling some unused clothing items on EBay but that would have involved lodging fees and postage.  Instead I turned them into fodder for my craft.  I felted a favourite winter jumper that had started to look abit shabby and it's now a craft storage bag that hangs on the door nob.   I stitched it together while waiting on some photo's to upload to face book.  The animal print trim was left over from a wheat bag I had made. That's the only part I didn't hand sew.  Now everything is at my finger tips.

I have plans for another jumper I felted in the washing machine.  It's going to be a flower for the new winter hat I have just finished. 

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Multicrafting competition

 



WIN a pair of One of a Kind Earrings

 

Yes, that's right, we're giving away these sensational one of a kind earrings. Enter One of a Kind Earrings Competition into the email header. Simply email the answer to the following question with your name and email to alena@multicrafting.com.au. Multi-crafting ideas are designed so you can create while you are ________________________ ___________? One entry per person. This COMPETITION can be transferred so you can forward this email onto friends, colleagues and family so they can take advantage of it and enter the competition too.

Offer Expires: 30 June 2011

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Welcome to Multicrafting Crafters Corner

This is a forum in which to share your Multicrafting success or frustrations. We would love to see photo's of your projects and hear about your journey as you craft your way to organisation.

Tips and strategies to assist others gain the same benefits are welcome.

We will address any criticisms or frustrations and if we don't know the answer to your question we will endeavour to find out and post a response as soon as we can.

As we develop more projects we will post photos here so our crafters can enjoy.

For 34 Pages of fun and creative craft products go to  http//www.multicrafting.com