Snow is fun but even the best snow bunnies like to come inside.
Here are some easy stamps you can make with your kids where it’s nice and warm (with a mug of hot cocoa).  No need for a run to the store, these are items you may have around the house.

Toilet paper rolls

 Easy Fireworks Painting
Danya Banya

Fringe some left over toilet paper rolls to create cool fireworks.

Toilet Paper Roll Stamps
Mama Papa Bubba

These simple stamps are easy as pie, and you can get more than one stamp out of each roll too.

Toilet Paper Roller
Who’s Who and Who’s New

Use foam stickers or try string, bubble wrap or textured fabric.

Corks and bottle tops

Wine Cork Stamps
Design Mom

Go ahead and open another bottle… for the sake of the children.

Sponge Painting
Boy Mama Teacher Mama

Use bottle caps to keep hands clean(er)

Bottle Top Stamps
Paging Fun Moms

These use foam stickers and bottle tops to make a bunch of cute stamps.

Cherry Blossom Art
Alpha Mom

Or, just use the whole bottle.

Food

Apple and Celery Stamps
A Beautiful Mess

So cute you might use them for yourself (check out the gorgeous celery stamped scarf!)

Okra Stamps
This is Love Forever

I used to love celery stalk stamps, but okra may be the most adorable stamp I’ve ever seen.

Potato Stamps
Homemade Serenity

The potato stamp is a classic, but the way she cuts the pattern out of this potato stamp is brilliant.

Junk Around the House

Pipe Cleaner Snowflake Stamps
Sugar Aunts

Perfect when you’re stuck inside on a snow day.

Spool Stamps
Richmondmom

We made these DIY stamps last year and found they are perfect for little toddler hands.

Get creative with stuff around the house
Play Based Learning

Got some old junk? Gather up buttons, foam, toothpicks, wire, string… whatever you got an have a cool stamp competition.  You might come up with some really creative patterns!

Have fun stamping and show us what you made!

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Find more fantastic craft ideas on our Pinterest board.

Here’s how it works:

1. Check out the cause and supply list below.  If it looks like something you’d like to do, let them know here and the lovely folks at HandsOn will send you instructions on how to do the month’s DIY project.

2. Volunteer at home with your kids, during nap time, or get a group together and volunteer as a team (learn how to create and manage a team right here).

3. Drop it off and feel good about making Richmond a little brighter while doing something really fun.

How you can get involved this month:
Create at least 4 Lanterns for InLight Richmond

Purpose:
1708 Gallery is a non-profit arts organization founded by artists in 1978. Our mission is to present exceptional new art. 1708 Gallery is committed to providing opportunities for artistic innovation for emerging and established artists and to expanding the understanding and appreciation of new art for the public.

1708’s annual signature event, InLight Richmond, is a public exhibition of light-based art and performances. Each year, InLight Richmond invites artists to respond to a particular neighborhood in our diverse city, attracting audiences to unique areas of Richmond. InLight 2014 will kick off with the Community Lantern Parade and will feature performances, sculpture, large-format projections, and interactive projects that will illuminate pathways, walls, sidewalks, green spaces, trees, benches, building facades, and more, in and around the park. DIY Volunteers will ensure that this event is light-filled and magical by crafting lanterns that will be used in the Community Lantern Parade.

Supply List:
• 4 clean two-liter plastic soda bottle
• a utility knife
• scissors
• colored tissue paper
• school glue/Mod Podge
• paint brush
• hole punch
• string
• 4 battery votive or LED candles
• tape

(volunteers are responsible for purchasing supplies)

Sign up here

We can’t wait to see your creations on parade at InLight Richmond!

Thanks To HandsOn Greater Richmond, we’re bringing you a new activity each month that you can do any time, any place and is great for getting little kids involved in their community.

Here’s how it works:

1. Check out the cause and supply list below.  If it looks like something you’d like to do, let them know here and the lovely folks at HandsOn will send you instructions on how to do that month’s DIY project.

2. Volunteer at home with your kids, during naptime, or get a group together and volunteer as a team (learn how to create and manage a team right here).

3. Drop it off and feel good about making Richmond a little brighter while doing something really fun.

This Month’s DIY:
Birthday Cards of Cheer For SupportOne

SupportOne provides residential and community-based support services for adults with intellectual disabilities. HandsOn Greater Richmond is partnering with SupportOne for August’s DIY project to help make client’s birthdays a little brighter. Volunteers will be crafting colorful and cheerful birthday cards that will be distributed throughout the year on resident’s birthdays, making them feel even more loved and cared for on their special day.

Supply List*:
• Cardstock, scrapbook paper, construction paper
• Scissors
• Decorative tape, markers, stamps, glitter, stickers, paint, felt, stickers, string, sequins, etc.
• Adhesives: Glue, mod podge

*DIY Volunteers are responsible for purchasing any of the materials needed for DIY volunteer opportunities.

We’ve partnered up with HandsOn and will post the DIY for the month here on Richmondmom.com, but you want to get out and about, you can find more volunteering opportunities for you or the whole family on their website.

Confirmed participants will receive 3 hours for submitting materials prior to 4pm, Monday, September 15, 2014.

Here’s how it works:

1. Check out the cause and supply list below.  If it looks like something you’d like to do, let them know here and the lovely folks at HandsOn will send you instructions on how to do that month’s DIY project.

2. Volunteer at home with your kids, during nap time, or get a group together and volunteer as a team (learn how to create and manage a team right here).

3. Drop it off and feel good about making Richmond a little brighter while doing something really fun.

This month’s DIY: Decorate Bags and Boxes for Hilliard House

Mission:
Create at least 5 bags and 2 boxes. There is no maximum. Expect the total project to be done in about 3 hours depending on the number of items made and the number of people you have volunteering with you.

Supply List*:
• 5 paper grocery bags
• 2 empty copy paper, banker, or like-sized boxes (16.5 x 8.5 x 12.5 inches)
• Scissors
• Wallpaper, contact paper, wrapping paper, construction paper, scrapbook paper, decorative tape, markers, stamps, glitter, stickers, paint, etc.
• Adhesives- Glue, mod podge

*DIY Volunteers are responsible for purchasing any of the materials needed for DIY volunteer opportunities.

About the Hilliard House:

Hilliard House assists homeless women and their children to build their capacity to live productively within the community. Hilliard House not only provides immediate, on-site shelter and services, but also works to places families into permanent housing in the community as quickly as possible, thus shortening stays in shelter or, in many cases, eliminating shelter stays altogether. Research shows that this “rapid rehousing” approach is a more effective way to address homelessness and based on the principle that when people are in stable housing, other parts of their lives also stabilize. Most clients are provided basic supplies and goods to help them transition into their new lives. DIY volunteers will be decorating bags and boxes to transport these items and provide some much needed cheer and encouragement.

Which is why I really love how HandsOn Greater Richmond is providing volunteer opportunities for both me and my kids that fit perfectly into my chaotic life.

Each month HandsOn has a DIY project you can do any time, any place (or you can even plan on doing it one day, but then really do it a couple days later).  Find out more about HandsOn Greater Richmond’s DIY Volunteering initiative here.

We’ve partnered up with HandsOn and will post the DIY for the month here on Richmondmom.com, but you want to get out and about you can find more volunteering opportunities for you or the whole family on their website.

The May DIY is for the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

Check out the cause and supply list below.  Once you express interest in participating, you’ll be given instructions on how to do that month’s DIY project.

This month’s DIY is in honor of National Mental Health Awareness Month and volunteers will be making “thank you” and “thinking of you” cards and stress balls for the families and caregivers of those living with mental illness. (Read more about NAMI here)

 

Supply List*:
• Balloons
• Rice
• Plastic sandwich bags
• Scissors
• Construction paper, scrapbook paper
• Markers, stamps, glitter, stickers, paint, etc.
• Glue

*DIY Volunteers are responsible for purchasing any of the materials needed for DIY volunteer opportunities.

How To:
1. Express Interest here in the project to HandsOn. We’ll send you all the instructions needed to complete the project.
2. Every person who plans to volunteer (including youth) must express interest. You can create a volunteer team to sign up your group or family members. Read about how to create and manage teams.
3. Once you’ve expressed interest, complete instructions will be sent to you. We ask that you create at least 5 stress balls, 5 “thank you” cards and 5 “thinking of you” cards. There is no maximum. Expect the total project to be done in about 3 hours depending on the number of items made and the number of people you have volunteering with you.

Confirmed participants will receive 3 hours for submitting materials prior to 4pm, Friday, June 13, 2014.

How do you teach your children to give back to the community?

Supplies:
– Foam sheet (about 50 cents per sheet)
– Wooden spool (or re-purpose old building blocks!)
– Glue (I had Mod Podge but I think Elmers would work)
-Scissors

Cut your shape out of foam and glue the shape onto the spool.
Do letters, numbers, basic shapes or if you’re good with scissors, cut out something a little more detailed.

If you have a thinner piece of foam, you may want to double up for extra cushion.

Let them dry and you’re ready to go…

Inked up, these stamps will slide a little more than their rubber counter parts, but it’s nice to have something you can make yourself (I was looking for a specific shape I couldn’t find at the store).
I doubled up so I had a stamp on each side of the spool.
If you have blocks at home, this project will only cost you 50 cents but the spools were only a dollar so even if you need to buy one it ends up being a very quick, very easy, very cheap DIY.

Pssst… like this? Don’t forget to pin it!

Follow the links to get the tutorial on how to make these creative Easter eggs.

Sharpie Dyed Easter Eggs // Housing a Forest
What makes these more fun is using an eye dropper to make the rubbing alcohol all drippy… feels like a science experiment.

Black & White Eggs // Obviously Sweet

While we’re on the subject of Sharpie eggs, these doodles look super modern yet fun with nothing but a black sharpie.

Temporary Tattoo Eggs // Brit + Co.
I love Brit + Co and I’m annoyed with myself for not having thought of these.

Temporary tattoos as instant Easter Eggs. Duh. You can pick up cheap tattoos at the craft store in lots of fun designs.

Ukrainian Eggs Made Simple // Design Sponge

Alright… Compared to the temporary tattoos and sharpie eggs, these are a little more advanced. They did have beautiful results though.

Easter Egg People // Mr. Printables
Check out these little guys!! So cute!  Might be too tempting to play with them…

Stamped Easter Eggs // Lovely Indeed
She gets these beautiful colors using regular old Paas egg dye.
I think I need that stamp.

Gold Leaf Marbled Eggs // She Knows

The gold leaf part is definitely a mom or older kid task, but younger kids can do the original dye job.

Confetti Eggs // She Makes a Home

If it’s a confetti something, chances are I like it.I also like how impossible this one is to mess up.

Translucent Glitter Eggs // Bliss Bloom Blog

Epsom salt, glue and plastic eggs make this a cheap & easy (but still pretty) Easter Egg.

Sprinkle Easter Eggs // Studio DIY

While we’re dipping our eggs, these sprinkle Easter eggs look good enough to eat! (Uh, but don’t)

… All those eggs leave you with left over egg cartons? Check out these egg carton crafts!

Made some amazing Easter eggs? Share them with us!  Email them to Sarah@RichmondMom.com or tag us on Facebook or Instagram!

The snow day staples: milk, bread and eggs.
We already addressed what to do with all that milk… so now, how can we keep the kids entertained with the eggs?
Well, to go along with that you’re going to need some snow day activities.
So, here are some crafty “sides” to go along with your staples.

Egg Carton Animal Noses
Baby Jungle

How cute are these?!  These super easy and fun egg carton noses are perfect for pretend play.
(Also, file this away for Halloween costumes.)

Flower Garland
Say Yes

It might be a snowy day but we’re dreaming of spring flowers.
This cute little garland would be a cheerful way to decorate a kids room.

Go All Kandinsky on them

No tutorial here, but none needed.
Get creative and colorful with your own work of art.

Egg Carton SnowflakesWhite House, Black Shutters

Easy yes, but kids will really love this one because you get to smash these babies flat!
Paint em, or leave them as is.

Egg Carton Paint PalletLearn~Play~Imagine

Alright, so the egg carton isn’t the actual craft… But I love how this clever mama used it as a paint pallet.
Create dot paintings with q-tips and when the painting is done, just toss the supplies away for easy clean up.

Bunnies vs. Chicks CheckersCreate-Celebrate-Explore

These checkers were made for Easter, but you can make any animal you can think of, spend some time making them and then MORE time playing with them.

Egg Carton Snake Puppet
Kid Spot

I definitely don’t mind having these kinds of snakes around.
Make egg carton snake puppets and use them to tell a story.

Dragon (or Dinosaur) Puppet
Life with Moore Babies

Snake puppet too easy? Or perhaps he needs a friend.
This puppet is a little more work but you definitely get “crafty parent” brag rights!

Egg Carton Bird Feeder
Ginger Snap Crafts

Ah, yes, spring… wouldn’t that be nice…

Spy Glasses
Crafts By Amanda

Make some crazy glasses out of pipe cleaners and egg cartons and take some pictures.

Egg Carton Owl
MollyMoo

These little owls are made with a half dozen egg carton, use whatever you have on hand to decorate them.

Egg Carton Sailboat
Life at the Zoo

Not sure they’ll float far, but these sailboats sure are cute!

As for us, we use egg cartons as building blocks.  They’re perfect for toddlers because they are soft and quiet. Maybe we’ll paint them this snow day so it looks like we’re buried in egg cartons on purpose.

What can you make with left over egg cartons?
Tag us on Facebook or Instagram and we’ll share your art!

]]> http://richmondmom.com/2014/03/03/craft-time-12-egg-carton-crafts/feed/ 0 http://richmondmom.com/2013/10/11/easy-peasy-fall-leaf-crafts-from-around-the-web/ http://richmondmom.com/2013/10/11/easy-peasy-fall-leaf-crafts-from-around-the-web/#comments Fri, 11 Oct 2013 17:21:02 +0000 http://richmondmom.com/?p=50047 My kids and I LOVE doing crafts, especially as the weather gets cooler.  The cool weather, autumn colors, and falling leaves are very inspirational!  However, rarely does our craft team (i.e. me, the 3-year-old and the 5-year-old)  have  (a) the patience or (b) the materials to make laborious  but beautiful things.  I’m many things, but Martha Stewart (and her hand-dipped waxed leaves) I ain’t.

Enter:  Easy peasy fall leaf crafts. Here are my favorites from around the web that ANYBODY can do, and you probably have ALL the materials in your house already!

Do you have paper?  Paint or crayons?  Glue?  Fall leaves?  Well, then, get ready to choose one of the following crafts with your kiddos and deck your house out for fall!