Kids Crafts – Tie Dye T-shirts

If you are looking to keep older kids busy this summer, how about letting them tie-dye their own T-shirts? You can go out to your local craft store and buy kids T-shirts for about $3.00 a piece or better yet, dig some out of your child’s closet and use those!

I recently did a product review for a company called Simply Spray which has these awesome spray fabric paints. Sort of like traditional spray paint but made for fabrics! These were really easy to use and it only took me 90 minutes to make a tie-dye tshirt for my nephew (allowing for drying time).

Here is what you will need to make one:

100% cotton T-shirt
Simply Spray Fabric Paints (3-5 colors)
Newspaper

You will want to do this project outdoors during a nice weather day. Lay down several sheets of newspaper. Take your cotton short and scrunch it up. Stand back about a foot or two and lightly spray your T-shirt. I left mine dry for 10-15 minutes, rearranged the shirt by scrunching it again and then sprayed on another color. Repeat that process until your shirt is done.

Note: You do not need to heat set the paint! I left mine dry for 72 hours before washing it.

Pretty easy and fast! A great little summer craft project for the kids to keep them busy.

Shelly

How To Plan Your Own Vendor Show or Craft Show

Many people who are involved in Direct Sales participate in or plan their own craft show event. Displaying your Direct Sales products at craft shows is a great way to obtain host & recruit leads and to generate additional sales for your Direct Sales business.

My good friend Chris Carroll has agreed to share some of her wisdom on craft shows this week with all of our blog readers.

Thank you Chris!

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Want to put on your own craft show? Here are some tips to get you going~

Planning an Awesome Craft Show

Are you living in an area that has limited craft and vendor shows? Have you ever thought about developing your own but wasn’t sure how to go about it? Well here is the low down on how to grow your show into a well attended event.

Prep work for an event takes place months in advance. One of the first things you need to know is what type of event are you wanting to hold. Do you want retail items or a mix of crafts and arts? Think about your target market. What type of event would they want to attend and what type of items do they want to see and to purchase? Having a Direct Sales business, we may tend to want to only have Direct Sales people there as well as retail type items. But in order to grow your event and have good attendance and interest, a good balance should be the goal. Here is a secret that I learned. Most arts and craft vendors that make their own products do not like having too many Retail items at shows. It discounts the value of their hand made goods and they cannot compete price wise with something coming out of China. That is a good rule of thumb to keep in the back of your mind when planning your show.

Next on your list of things to do is find a great venue. The location plays a big part in how many vendors you can have as well as how many customers you will attract. Parking is a big part as well and having a place for the vendors to load and unload.

Advertising is huge! When figuring your costs, make sure you take into effect some advertising costs. A lot you can do free such as signs and press releases. But sometimes an inclusion into the Classifieds is not a bad idea. Don’t forget online posting in craft show listings as well.

Finding your vendors should not be too hard to do. Attending other shows with your application and show information in hand and personally asking people to attend is a great way to grow your attendees. Mind your location and map out your spacing so you do not over invite.

Think about food booths and drink booths. Many shows I attend do not allow other beverages sold as the sponsor of the show sells those. Adding a food or beverage booth will depend on your hours, location, attendance and availability to support these types of booths. If you are planning events that say a church or non profit is hosting, most of the time that group sells the food and drinks as a fundraiser.

Use your good customer service with your vendors. Showing them that you care and want to make this experience a great day for them is very important. Remember the vendors are there to make money and that should be tops on your list. Take care of them and they will take care of you!

Another tidbit regarding your vendors would be to make sure that you do not place competing products next to each other. Place them as far a part as possible. Remember that each vendor is its own store. A retailer would not build a jewelry store next to a jewelry store so be mindful of your placement of your vendors; ie. Your customer.

Work on your next show right way. Invite your vendors to the next year’s show and ask for feedback to help you plan and make it a better function. Growing your show each year will mean a better event for everyone! Good luck and Have Fun!!!

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Copyright Chris Carroll All Rights Reserved

Chris Carroll is a sales professional that has made direct sales her business of choice and enjoys sharing with others. You can sign up for tips on managing and increasing your business at her site http://DirectSalesTalk.com .Y ou can also find her at her business site http://ShopOnYourSeat.com .

Kids Craft – Mini Felt Play Cookies Project

I love making play felt food items for my little grand daughter and you can easily make them too. With this particular project, older children can easily make them or you can make them for them. Please use adult supervision while making this craft project.

This mini felt cookie project is quick, easy and very inexpensive. Here is what you will need:

Dark Brown, Medium Brown, Tan & Vanilla Colored Craft Felt
Embroidery Floss to match felt colors
Blunt Tip Embroidery Needle
Scissors

For my pattern: On a piece of paper, I drew 2 1/2″ diameter circle and cut it out. This will serve as your cookie pattern.

From desired colored of felt, cut out 2 felt circles. From a different color of felt, cut out little circles that are about 1/4″ in diameter, these will serve as your chocolate chips.

Using 2 strands of embroidery floss in your sewing needle, use little hand stitches and attach the ‘chocolate chip’ circles to one side of one piece of cookie felt. Fasten Off.

Pick up your second piece of cookie felt and place it wrong sides together with your first circle. Using 2 strands of embroidery floss, whip stitch the 2 circles together. Fasten floss off.

You have now made a little felt cookie.

You can glue magnets on the back side of them to make them into refrigerator magnets or the smaller children can use them in their kitchen playsets.

Have fun!

Shelly

Home Sewing Box Essentials

When it comes to putting together a home sewing box or kit, it is important to be prepared for all of those home mending jobs.

You can store your mending items in a large metal tin, a shoe box, rubbermaid or plastic bin or go out and purchase a box that is specifically made for housing sewing supplies.

Here are the items I feel that every home sewing box needs to include.

1. Sewing Thread (Basic Colors) – white, black, brown, red, green, yellow, orange, tan
2. Needles – various lengths and tips
3. Straight Pins – one box of pins (I prefer rust-proof pins)
4. Measuring Tape
5. Scissors – I recommend a high quality pair of fabric scissors
6. Buttons – You will want to stay stocked with various colors and sizes of buttons
7. Safety Pins – I recommend various sizes in both silvertone and goldtone metals
8. Seam Ripper – Every good sewing box needs a great seam ripper tool.
9. Needle Threader – Even if you have great eye sight, a needle threader can save you precious time when you are in a hurry.
10. Iron-on Patches – I keep white, black, denim, navy, tan and brown iron-on patches in my sewing box at all times.
11. Fabric Glue – If you are in a hurry and need a quick fix, you can hem a pair of pants or fix a seam with a few dabs of fabric glue.
12. Thimble – Protect your fingertips and invest in a good thimble.

What kind of items do you like to keep in your sewing box so that you are always prepared for mending emergencies?

Shelly

How To Make Felt Valentine’s Day Refrigerator Magnets

When it comes to making Valentine’s Day crafts with older kids, this is a quick and easy project that will cost less than $1.50 to make. I recently made this project with a group of girls that range in age from 8 to 11 years old.

Here is what you will need:

red and pink craft felt
red embroidery floss with blunt tip sewing needle
2″ wide piece (strip) of magnet
scissors
paper patterned heart measuring 3 1/4″ wide by 2 3/4″ tall
disappearing ink marker
all-purpose craft glue

Pattern: You can just free-hand a heart pattern by folding a piece of paper in half and cutting it into a heart shape that measures approximately 3 1/4″ wide by 2 3/4″ tall.

Trace your heart pattern onto a piece of red felt. Using scissors, cut off 1/4″ around the edges of your paper pattern and then trace the smaller heart that you just made onto a piece of pink felt using a disappearing marker.

Using a blunt tip sewing needle and three strands of red embroidery floss, hand stitch the word LOVE onto the pink heart. Once that has been completed, use three strands of red embroidery floss to blanket stitch or simple whip stitch the pink felt heart to the red felt heart. You will want to stitch around all of the edges to attach the pink heart to the red heart.

Cut an 8″ long by 1/4″ wide strip from red felt. Using the photo for reference, make an arrow from the strips and hand sew them to the back side of the red felt heart. Once completed, use all-purpose craft glue to attach a magnet strip onto the back of the red heart. Let dry for 1 hour and then your new refrigerator magnet is ready to use!

This craft project idea is copyright 2010 by Work At Home Business Options, All Rights Reserved. Please do not reprint this project, instructions or photo without our permission.

Frugal Valentine’s Day Card Holder Ideas

When our daughter was little, every year we would sit down and make our own handmade Valentine’s Day greeting card holders. Since this holder was only used for a few days every year, we would always try to make one with items we had around the house… aka…the frugal way of doing things :)

Here are a few ideas that we did over the years.

1. Take 2 foam or paper plates and cut one of those plates in 1/2. Use a hole punch to punch holes around the edges. Using some ribbon or yarn, thread the ribbon through the holes to attach the two plates together. The 1/2 plate should be the one on the front. Then use stickers, left-over gift wrap, contstruction paper, magazines, etc and let the children decorate their new card holder.

2. Take a cereal box and cut it in half. Use construction paper, stickers, gift wrap, magazines, etc and let children decorate their own box.

3. Plastic or paper shoe boxes make great card holders. Give children some crafting and art supplies and let them decorate shoe boxes to hold all of their Valentine’s Day goodies.

4. Empty round cardboard oatmeal containers. These containers are the perfect size to hold those little Valentine greetings the kids exchange at school. Give your child some craft and art supplies and let them decorate their own container.

Making your own Valentine’s Day greeting card container doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Look around your home and grab up some of your left-over arts and craft supplies and let your children spend the afternoon crafting up some Valentine’s Day Items!

Shelly

Valentine’s Day Family Craft Activities

Do you enjoy decorating your home for Valentine’s Day? Are you looking for some easy family craft activities that incorporate the Valentine’s Day theme?

When our daughter was a little girl, we enjoyed decorating our home for each and every holiday along with the various seasons…and Valentine’s Day was no exception.

Here are some crafty ideas that you can make with your children this year.

1. Cut out pink, red and white hearts (various sizes) from construction paper. Use a hole punch and punch a hole in the center top area of your heart. Thread some satin ribbon through to make a hanging loop. Give the children some glue and let them glue on some rhinestones, beads, charms, glitter, buttons etc. Then use some suction cups and hang them up on your windows or household mirrors.

2. Homemade Valentine’s Day Cards…you can make them simple or elaborate using construction paper, stickers, markers, glutter glue paint pens, etc.

3. You can make a heart banner by cutting out and decorating paper hearts from construction paper. Use a hole punch and punch a hole in the side of each heart and thread them together with satin ribbon or yarn. Then proudly hang up your banner some where in your home.

4. If you are crafting with older children, consider doing some baking. You can bake cupcakes and cakes and decorate them in a Valentine’s Day theme. Children love to add sprinkles and little candies to the frosting!

~ Shelly ~

Kids Craft Project – Beaded Felt Ornaments

This is a really easy craft project that you can do with older children and it only requires a few supplies. Since there is a little hand sewing involved, I recommend ages 7 and up with adult supervision.

I find that this is a great group project for scouts, youth groups, after-school programs etc. because they are quick, easy and inexpensive to make.

These ornaments would look cute hung off a holiday tree, garland or your holiday packages.

Supplies Needed:

Green Felt Sheets
Red 2 MM or 4 MM Round Beads
Dark Green Sewing Thread and Sewing Needle
Scissors
Red Satin Ribbon 1/4″ Wide
All-Purpose Craft Glue

Pattern: You need a 3″ diameter circle (I used the bottom of a drinking glass). Use a bottle cap to to make a 1″ diameter circle inside your large circle so that you have a wreath shape.

Trace your pattern onto green colored felt. You will need two wreath shapes out of felt for each ornament that you make. Using some dark green sewing thread, hand sew on red beads to the front side of one wreath shape.

Place two felt wreath shapes together and whip stitch the center circle closed. Once finished, whip stitch the outer edges closed. Cut a piece of red satin ribbon that measures 1/4″ wide by 5 1/2″ long and tie it into a bow. Glue this bow to the top of your ornament.

Using doubled green thread, make a hanging loop and attach it to the top of your ornament. Let it dry for 20 minutes and then its ready to be hung onto your holiday tree.

Project copyright 2009, Work At Home Business Options, All Rights Reserved.

Kids Craft Project – Beaded Wreath Holiday Ornaments

When our daughter was young, we spent a weekend afternoon crafting up some cute holiday wreath ornaments using beads and lace. You can find the craft supplies listed for this project at your neighborhood craft supply store.

The following project would be suited for children over the age of 5 with adult supervision.

Materials Needed:

6″ piece of pipe cleaner (I used clear ones)
16″ to 18″ piece of red flat edge lace that is 1″ in width
1 package of green plastic tri-beads
1 package of clear plastic tri-beads
1 flocked teddy bear measuring approximately 1 1/4″ tall
4″ piece of gold metallic cord
all-purpose quick-drying craft glue
scissors
ruler

Note: When you purchase the flat edge lace (non-gathered lace) look for a pattern that has a hole that runs along the edge so that you can thread your pipe cleaner through it.

Step 1: Cut off a 6″ piece of pipe cleaner and a 16″ to 18″ piece of lace and set aside.

Step 2: Slightly pinch one end of pipe clear and then thread on a green tri-bead. Start threading on your lace followed up by a clear tri-bead. You will want to continue this pattern for the length of your pipe cleaner. (green bead, lace, clear bead).

Step 3: Once you have the pipe cleaner filled up with beads and lace, shape it into a circle and twist the two pipe cleaner ends together. It should look like a wreath.

Step 4: Glue the flocked teddy bear onto the wreath as shown in the picture. (he should look like he is sitting inside it). Finally, take a 4″ piece of gold metallic cord and thread through the lace at the top and form a knotted loop so that it can be hung on your holiday tree.

Shelly

Holiday Craft Project – Clay Pot Toy Soldier

If you enjoy making homemade holiday craft items, I think you will appreciate this inexpensive clay pot toy soldier project.

Ages: 8 and up with adult supervision.

Materials Needed:

all-purpose craft glue or hot glue gun
1 wooden candle cup
1 1/2″ diameter wooden ball (flat ends)
3″ clay pot
two 2″ clay pots
acrylic paints: peach, red, pink, black, yellow and brown
paint brushes
clear acrylic sealer in a spray can
several sheets of newspaper (because you will be painting)

Note: If you have paint markers, you can use those to add facial details and clothing accents if desired.

Painting: Paint the wooden candle cup and both 2″ clay pots solid black. Paint the large clay pot red and the wooden ball for the head peach. Once they are dry, go back and add the details as shown in the photo to make the face, hair and clothing accents. Once your pieces are dry, spray with a clear acrylic sealer and let dry for 1 to 2 hours.

Assembly: The easiest way I found to assemble the toy soldier is by using a hot glue gun. You can use craft glue but it takes forever to dry if you have the patience for it. Turn your clay pot upside down and hot glue the head on. Once it has dried, turn the candle cup upside down and glue it on top of the head. Turn your small clay pots upside down and glue the large clay pot on top (gluing the body to the legs).

You will want to let this project dry completely before moving it around.

This craft project article is exclusive to Work At Home Business Options and can not be reproduced without our permission.

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