Craft Kits

My bright idea for crafts was to plan out the crafts through Epiphany, make a list of all the items I would need for each craft, then pair the materials with the appropriate templates or directions and stash them in gallon baggies.  It seems I am always throwing something together at the very last minute or not at all.  We always seem to lack one tiny, but important, item to complete the project.  Crafts are the highlight of the year for my daughter and something I know she would be doing if she went to a regular school, so I am trying to get myself organized. I've linked at every possible opportunity - this has taken big giant bunches of time to put together so forgive any errors.

               

A note that I listed our observances yesterday as our starting point for planning.  Not all of the crafts tie into those days.  We are baking special treats to celebrate as well.  For example, we will have a summer barbecue on Labor Day.  I can't think of a Labor Day craft exactly.   Unless it has to do with that fabulously fun bandanna paper from Martha Stewart Crafts.  Our saint "crafts" will mainly consist of putting together a bio page of sorts with a map, a holy card, and a quote or two.  I am ordering all the holy cards ahead of time and picking out stories to coordinate.

Before listing the specific craft I am going to list the supplies I have purchased for everyday crafting.

• sculpey
• markers, crayons, pencils
• a small chalkboard and chalk (my daughter goes through obscene amounts of paper)
• watercolor paper
• stickers
• paper punches
• card stock packs (Super Target sells these at decent prices with pretty patterns)
• glue
• paints, acrylic and watercolor
• glitter
• stamp pads and Ed Emberley's books
• Draw Write Now books

That's about all we use on a daily basis.  I am sifting through to toss dried paints etc. and will replenish our stash in early August - the deadline for all of this to be completed. 

Also: A note on felt.  I saw everyone creating these lovely felt items and felt some confusion as the felt I had always used was cheap and rather unpleasant.  I am using wool felt in all of these projects.

September:

• Paper Monarch butterflies - a Martha Stewart idea - Materials: Black card stock, tissue paper or kite paper, exacto knife - no link available, but it's like stained glass butterflies.
• Felt apple and aster barrettes (similar to this) Materials: Felt, embroidery thread, buttons or beads, barrette or bobby pin.  Also these can be attached to hair bands.  I can't find the article online, but this came from MS Kids Winter/Spring 2003
• Felt autumn leaf coasters - self explanatory, Materials: felt in autumn colors.
• Decorated Candles - We found this idea in  Crafts through the Year.  I wasn't originally that excited about it, but my daughter was so I'm ordering some supplies on this page and making it a 'first day of the season' craft to enjoy on the day of the equinox and winter solstice.
• Other Autumn Crafts
• Aster coloring page - check this site out for neat printables.
• Sculpey angels for the feast of the archangels & guardian angels.

October

• pumpkin seed mosaics Materials: pumpkin seeds, dye of some sort, glue, paper
• seashell candles - as a symbol of baptism - both my children were baptized in early October, hence this month's theme.
• rolled beeswax candles - I wrote about this last year.  I am going to place an order in late October for our Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas, and Candlemas candles.  Knorr Beeswax is the source I've used before.  Materials: beeswax sheets, wicks
• jack o'lantern eggs - think orange easter eggs - Materials: food coloring, vinegar, eggs, a sharpie - Another Martha idea.
• Autumn Leaf Creatures - Materials: autumn leaves, glue, paper (Thanks Suzanne!)
• Pumpkin craft ideas - We carve quite a few pumpkins every year, so that's our main Halloween craft, but here are some on MS.
• Pomanders - Materials: cloves, oranges

November

• Spoon Saints (Alice, of course)- Materials: wooden spoons, card stock, yarn, holy cards for inspiration
• Nut Wreath - Materials: variety pack of nuts in shells, hot glue, straw wreath form - slap it all together and stick a candle in the center for a Thanksgiving centerpiece
• Pilgrim Paper Dolls
• Pine cone turkeys - as seen here - Materials: pine cones, felt for leaves and those fuzzy wire things - what are those called?
• Thanksgiving Trees

December:

• candle making and advent wreath assembly
• I love this St. Nicholas Kit - I want to order a few of those kits.  I was worried about shipping, but I contacted the company today and they responded that the shipping from Canada on these kits is around $10.  Not too bad.  It wouldn't be terribly difficult to figure out, but the point of this is simplicity so ordering the whole kit is my first choice.
• St. Lucia crown - We are working on this now because Lucy is reading Kirsten's Surprise which talks about St. Lucy's Day.  She is cutting green felt holly leaves, I am sewing two together for a finished edge and we will eventually attached them to a wreath.  We are also going to make tiny tiny felt balls for holly berries.  I am covering some short wooden dowels with white felt to mimic candles. Materials needed: green felt and thread, small wire wreath form, white felt, orange felt for flame, red felt roving
• Yo Yo Garland and yo yo trees - There's a tutorial in the sidebar on that first link.  Lucy and I had so much fun making these last year.  And here I will name my current favorite thing to purchase.  The little charm packs sold by quilt shops.  I love having these around.  You can find a variety of Christmas packs which would be a sweet variety for yo yos.  My daughter makes little dolls out of them - and yes well obviously you can make quilts out of them too.  Materials: fabric, thread, wooden spools, wooden beads, asst. ribbon

               

• Soft Trees - made out of wool felt.  We will decorate ours with buttons and beads I have left over from other projects.  I am setting aside enough wool to make a group of three or so.  Materials: Felt, buttons, beads, or asst. ribbon to decorate - I think the Little Birds site will be taken down at some point, so if you want to make these, make sure you print off the template soon.

               

• Epiphany Garland- Felt stars as seen here to begin on the 26th.  Super easy with felt, yarn, and buttons.  My daughter is fairly confident sewing around the edge of something like that and will do well enough by herself. 

               

• Gumdrop wreath - Materials: Styrofoam wreath form, toothpicks and gumdrops
• Another Pippilotta Kit I like on that page is the Three Little Light Bearers.  This may make a fun New Year's Eve craft as it resembles the star children in Elsa Beskow's Around the Year  Materials: See St. Nicholas Kit
• Gift tag and goody boxes  - I love all the new MS stuff at Michaels.  I always wish I had cute boxes to present all of our baked goods to neighbors and family.  This year looks promising. 
• I purchased as many wooden cardinals and doves as I could find last year after the holidays and stashed them in a Christmas box.  This was my daughter's very first craft ever; painting wooden Christmas ornaments. My son will paint his first ornaments this year.  They don't have to be perfect to be cute - we attached them to a wreath for our front door. Materials needed: wooden ornaments, acrylic paints, paint brushes

This list isn't everything.  I have some kits and supplies I purchased on clearance last year stashed with my Christmas stuff.  I have no idea what is in them right now.  And my children will come up with crafts of their own.  But with these kits will cover our bases, so to speak. 

I feel the need to point out that I am not at all together at this point in my life.  All this stuff sounds really good and it's coming together, but my ability to focus flew out the window when baby #2 arrived.  Yesterday I stared at my 4 cup coffee maker trying to figure out why it only made half a pot.   I poked around for about five minutes trying to see what went wrong.  Well, nothing went wrong.  I had just already poured a cup and forgot about it.  That's pretty much my life.  These plans are an attempt to get on top of things a little.  But you know the gallon bags are the key to all of this coming together and that's the one thing I keep forgetting to buy.  All of you lovely people who comment on how amazing and organized I am - my husband (who came home to a house so messy I contemplated telling him we were robbed) thinks these comments are hilarious.

I also would like to dedicate this post to Dawn - without her inspiration my children would be sadly craft deprived.  She wrote a super craft bin post early this year that is not to be missed.  Melissa Wiley also wrote a thorough post on art supplies some time back.    Check the amazing O Night Divine for Advent and Christmas ideas. 

Whew! If anyone else want to do this - list the crafts they have planned through the first part of the school year, please do!  I would love more inspiration.

Comments

[Jenn Miller]

You are way too fabulous. Can you come and organize me? Free room and board!

[Lorri]

What a timely post- I was just thinking that I should get all my holiday craft ideas together and see what I'd like to do this year. I'm always full of good intentions, you know how it goes. Thanks for the motivation.

[Elaine]

OH MY ... what a list of ideas!

I don't think being crafty will be high on my priority list (although I love crafts) with homeschooling being so new. Hope you won't mind that I may feel compelled to take an idea or ten from you ;)

*By the way, I have moved my blog (same title, but now at blogger)

[Jennifer]

Wow! What a cool, *organized*, thing to do!
You go, girl!

[Chrissie]

After reading this, I think we are going to sign up for a craft class for the Fall. Just kidding, it actually made me think I could do this too, if thinking ahead was something I put a priority on. It is something like mailing birthday presents the week before the birthday and not a month after. Thanks for the inspiration. Could you tackle science now--since we sort of forgot 1st grade "science"!!

[Jen]

Your ideas are awesome. And I love the early prep/gallon bag idea. That would really save on last minute trips to the craft store.

[Jeannine]

I found you through Elizabeth Foss's blog, and I'm so thrilled by this list! This is so awesome, I can hardly stand it. I am ALWAYS looking for simple, seasonal craft ideas. How kind of you to share this organized list!

[matilda]

You are amazing and I am sure your husband agrees with that!

[Jen]

I came upon this post through Elizabeth's blog and wanted to say thank you! and that I've bookmarked your post! I don't homeschool....because I haven't got children! but do teach CCD and am planning on using some of these ideas in my class next year!

[patience]

This is such an inspiring post. I used to do so many crafts when my dd was little and now we do hardly any. I shall have to make a plan of my own for the year. Thanks!

[Alice Gunther]

Beautifully executed and organized! What creativity and planning!!!

[Melissa]

Jennifer, regardless of how "together" you do or don't feel, I just have to say that I think you are AMAZING! What a wonderful list of ideas you've got here. And I LOVE your gallon bag idea. I really need to sit down and do some serious planning myself. I, too, usually just throw things together at the last minute with things I've got on hand. I'm giddy at the idea of actually PLANNING and shopping specifically for cute little crafts! Thank you so much for the inspiration. I only got to read about half of what you listed here, (dang these demanding kids of mine!) but I WILL be back to check out all the links. :)

[Christine]

Oh what a great post. Thank you for all the planning ideas and links. My printer will be working overtime this evening!

[Cheryl M.]

Wow Jennifer! I think you're amazing and very organized. I need to do more crafts with my daughter as she loves them....maybe if I did a little craft planning it would happen. Thanks for the inspiration. I also want to thank you for inspiring me to start exercising again...your few comments on running and such have got me out there each morning working up a healthy sweat. :)

[Nina]

First off, you need to create a sidebar "link set" for all these posts. Great ideas and I know someone somewhere will be wondering what month you published it. Great material. I love all the ideas. I wish someone would write a post with such ideas for the preschool set. Let me know if you see any. Maybe, I might find myself so organized.

I have to agree that one gallon bags create the best organization. Love them!

I glad you linked to Karen's Thanksgiving Tree, I had forgotten how much I liked that idea.

The coffee bit was very funny. I am still smiling!

[Heather]

Very helpful ideas! I actually did the gallon baggie prep this last weekend and my gosh, what a ton of time it will save me!

[Kathy]

#1. They're called PIPE CLEANERS you freak. How do you know "felt leaf coaster" and not pipe cleaner?

#2. Is that ALL you have planned? Please! Get cracking, lazy!

Your (um, loving) sister.

[Celeste]

What a wonderful post. I am so motivated and excited by all your ideas! Just getting organized for all the crafts is a feat in itself!

[Kendra]

Thanks so much for posting this! I love it when someone crafty helps me since I am so craft-deficient :)

[Kristen Laurence]

I am completely speechless! How amazing are you? Beautiful, beautiful ideas.

[Grace]

oh my gosh, you are waaaaay too fabulous! that's amazing! thank you for sharing your ideas ... i am really impressed!

[Dawn]

Goodness gracious, Jenn, this is just the best post EVER!! Thank you for the dedication - you are so sweet. I hope you know I am just as inspired by you!!!

I absolutely LOVE all your ideas, and especially the way you've organized them. Can't wait to follow along! :)

[Cheryl]

You are so organized! Great job.

[Theresa ♥]

Wow, wow, wow Jenn! What an awesome post. I can't wait to sit at length and go through it again and visit the links you have shared.

[Beth]

Love this post :-) I've done craft bags in the past and they are well worth the time and effort that goes into planning and 'bagging' ahead of time. Your post has served as a reminder for me to do this again. Thanks!