LilSugar

Kidoodle: Jackson Pollack-Inspired Tees

LilSugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 05:00:22 -0700

It's time to let the inner Picasso out! Arts and crafts projects don't have to be limited to a pad of paper or a piece of pottery. When your lil one's artistic genius is calling, put them to work on a canvas they can really showcase around town - a t-shirt.

At an event held by The Children's Place last week, I was reminded just how much fun it can be to give a preschooler some puffy paint, glitter, and decorations to embellish a shirt. While companies like Ralph Lauren sell kits ($50) to create a wearable masterpiece, the process can easily be re-created at home for a fraction of the price. To see what you need for this project, read more.

Buy a plain, inexpensive t-shirt in your child's favorite color, such as these for $3.50.
Provide an assortment of painting tools, such as fabric paint tubes for writing and drawing, puff paints for creating a three-dimensional effect on the shirts, and fabric markers for coloring in areas.
Depending on the age of the kids involved, provide googly eyes and plastic shapes that can be pressed into the puff paints for some added interest on the shirt.
Let the kids have at the shirts and then leave them to dry for at least 24 hours.

Unique Crayon Shapes Get the Creative Juices Flowing

LilSugar — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 05:00:00 -0700

Empty out your craft box and start fresh with some crayons fit for lil hands. The custom made wax creations like these adorable handmade egg-kittens ($17) will inspire plenty of easel time. The creator melts down non-toxic crayons and molds them into the perfect egg-like shape before hand-carving the faces and ears.

For mamas looking to teach their children a thing or two about recycling, many Etsy sellers use recycled or upcycled wax – often the leftover stumps from a broken crayon – to create their fun-shaped coloring pieces. Check out some of our other favorite drawing options below.

Yellow Tea Bus: Cost-Conscience End of Year Teacher Gift

LilSugar — Fri, 29 May 2009 08:00:16 -0700

We all know the drill - the bell rings on the last day of school and students line their teachers' desks with boxes of candy, coffee gift cards and glass apples. But when economic times are tough and families need to stick to budgets, a creative thank-you is a nice concept that will evoke the year's memories.

Inspired by Maum's school bus tea bags, we asked our favorite lil ones to help make a yellow bus filled with tea bags adorned with each member of the class's picture. It costs just dollars to create and will invite the teacher to kick back and relax with a soothing cup once the last kiddo has cleared out his desk.

To see how to create the moving tea box, read more.

Supplies for Project:

Small box of tea bags
Scissors
Yellow construction paper
Glue
Crayons
Photos of child's classmates
Cardboard box

Directions:

Cut little "people" out of the cardboard, ensuring their "arms" are the length of the width of the box and that their "bodies" are narrower.
Closely cut out the faces of your child's classmates and attach them to the "head" of the cardboard bodies with some glue.
Cover the box in yellow construction paper and decorate it to look like a school bus - get as fancy as you wish even calling the bus line "Ms. Bruin's First Grade Class."
Cut slits in the top of the box.
Drop the "bodies" into the slits, ensuring that the "arms" stay on top of the bus, which the bodies drop down.
Attach tea bags to the bodies.
Close the box.

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Kidoodle: Flag Your Love

babysugar — Thu, 28 May 2009 10:27:04 -0700

Buying a present for a one-year-old always seems a tad impersonal since the tot hardly acknowledges the gift. Give him something made with love that he can save throughout the years. It will keep mama from having to make a tough choice at the toy shop while keeping a few dollars in her pocket.

To see how to make this simple sign to hang in the nursery or play room, read more.

Supplies for the project:

Old cereal boxes or manila folders
Glue
Ribbon
Hole puncher
Pencil or pen
Glitter
Ruler or straight edge
Newspaper
A traceable circular object like a can
Bright construction paper

Directions

Use a ruler to draw a few flags on the back of the cereal boxes.
Cut some newspaper in the same shape but about an inch bigger all the way around.
Glue the newspaper to one side of the flag. Fold the edges over and glue them to the back for the triangle.
Trace circles on the bright colored construction paper and cut them out.
Glue the circle onto the newspaper side of the flag.
Draw a letter on the circle and fill it with glue.
Sprinkle the glitter on the glue, shake it off and allow it to dry.
Once dry, punch two holes in the top of the flags.
Run the ribbon through the tops of the flags.
Put it in a cute package and give it to the birthday boy!

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Kidoodle: The Cheap, Easy Way to Create Window Art

LilSugar — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 09:00:02 -0700

Moms are always looking for fun, entertaining ideas to keep their tots busy throughout the day's waning hours. We were recently sent a pack of Crayola's new Window Crayons ($6) and decided to test them out with a hard-to-impress preschooler during that harried hour before dinner.

The pack comes with five basic, bold colors that easily glide onto a window or mirror surface. The variety of shades and ease with which they could be manipulated, made them an instant hit. Once our tester saw how his drawings "glowed" when the sun hit them, he went to work scribbling, writing and finally narrating a whole story while he drew. When he was through, the entire window was covered and the colors had not smudged a bit. We stepped back and admired his work before it was time for the tot to clean up!

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To see the biggest drawback of the crayons, read more.
Though the packaging claims that the crayons are washable, it took ten paper towels, and a lot of glass cleaner, to make our windows sparkle again. However, when I looked at the clock and saw that it occupied over an hour of the youngster's time, cost a few bucks and had a lot of uses left in its twistable tube, I figured they were worth the elbow grease!

Lil Tip: Make Your Own Thank You Notes and Stationery

LilSugar — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 09:00:06 -0700

It seems moms always have someone to thank - from birthday present thank yous to parents who've hosted their lil ones. Instead of spending $2 to $5 every time they need to send gratitude via snail mail, buy pretty paper at the craft store (it's usually less than $0.30 a sheet for hard card stock) and use a stamp to personalize the handmade card. If the children are around and in need of an activity, let them draw pictures along the borders for a more kidoodled look. The result is a distinctively personal, budget-friendly greeting that's more elegant than taking the Hallmark route.

12 Ways to Display Kid Art and Pictures

LilSugar — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 06:00:00 -0800

Almost 80 percent of lilsugar readers let their children decorate their own rooms, but some artistic accents need an adult touch. Thanks to encouragement from CasaSugar, I try and put thought into my children's living space and ensure their surroundings reflect our family's love and sense of fun. My children draw, paint and scribble a gallery's worth of masterpieces weekly and our photo collection is embarrassingly large so I am constantly seeking new ways to show both off. Here are some of my suggestions for turning those pieces of artwork into wall worthy decorations.

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Ecomomics: 10 Simple Ways to Cut Everyday Costs

LilSugar — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 06:00:15 -0800

There's no doubt about it, everyone is cutting back on excess spending. More than 46 percent of lilsugar readers say they or their spouse have been laid off, forcing us all to reconsider where we put our paychecks. If you are starting a family you're probably worried about what you should and shouldn't splurge on, but families with one or more young children often have the toughest battle: how to cut back on the little expenses that add up big time. Here are some suggestions for near effortless ways to reduce your family's budget and be mindful of everyday costs.

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10 Indoor Activities and Crafts for Children

LilSugar — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:00:00 -0800

Spring may be in the air and on the racks of clothing stores and drugstore Easter shelves, but most of the US is still battling rainy days. Finding constructive and engaging warm activities can be a challenge, but there are plenty of ways to keep your children entertained indoors. Here are some of my favorite ways to keep my children on the move and creative when a thunderstorm is a-brewing.

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Kiddie Soiree: Jackson Pollack Birthday Party

LilSugar — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 07:00:11 -0800

Kids love to get messy with arts and crafts projects, but most mommas temper the fun in order to avoid a mess. A NYC-based friend recently encouraged her son's friends to get down and dirty at a Jackson Pollack arts and crafts party for his third birthday. While she held the party at a local children's art museum (due to the lack of space available in her small apartment), the party could easily be recreated at home. Check out the following slides for inspiration and a sneak peek at her spectacularly creative party.

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