Start An Art Journal

Have you heard of Copic Markers? These markers offer smooth color lay down with the ability for smooth shading perfection. They are loved by crafters and mixed media artists because of their performance and versatility. This marker system, along with other art media, was used to create this art journal page. For more specific details on how this page was created please visit my blog www.retrodolly.net. Be sure to leave me a comment when you stop by because it's a great way to begin our Crafty Community friendship!


Art journaling is the most popular form of mixed media today. It is a creative process that provides healing and restores hope. I would like to encourage each of you to begin an art journal. Your journal can begin using a sketchbook and colored pencils or (140 lb) watercolor paper strong enough to handle paints, water, mod podge, and other messy mediums. You will find this process a wonderful way to love yourself and appreciate your journey!

Pine Cone Fish Craft for Kids - Great to go with "The Rainbow Fish" Book!

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The other night we collected TONS of pine cones at our local park. We decided to "descale" some of the pine cones to make fish! We used needle nose pliers to grab the "scales" individually on the BOTTOM of the pine cone. You'll want to find a pine cone that looks like this on the bottom so that you can easily pull the pieces off.

Once you get about 1/4 up the pine cone it gets really difficult so we just switched and started pulling pieces off of a new pine cone at this point.

Put all of your "scales" in a dish!

Since my kids are small I lightly drew a fish outline on their papers for them. My oldest son got pretty creative and used glitter glue pens to trace the outside of his fish - I was pretty impressed! Then we just covered the entire inside of the fish with liquid school glue and laid the "scales" from the pine cone inside!

On one of the fish we glued a few pom pom balls above it to look like bubbles were coming out of it's mouth. We glued a googly eye on each fish and cut a small red pipe cleaner for the fish lips! 

Once everything is dried you can also let your kids paint the fish "scales" with different colored paint and make it a craft to go along with the book The Rainbow Fish! 

Want to find more fun crafts, activities, and experiments for kids? Come on over to Surviving a Teacher's Salary to see our educational selection! We're also on Facebook and Twitter!

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Sweeten Up Your Wardrobe: Simple DIY Doily Stencil T-Shirt

Whether you're a Valentine's Day person or not, this T-shirt craft is too cute and quick to pass up! Kids will love this simple way of creating their own, unique shirt.

Although I do have a fair number of red shirts (it's our school color, and every Friday is school spirit day), I don't have any Valentine's-specific ones. So when I saw this craft idea in the February issue of Disney's Family Fun magazine, I knew I had to try it and share it with you all!

Read the full tutorial on my blog here.

Alphabet Trading Fun

Artist Trading Cards are pieces of art measuring 2 ½ X 3 1/2, which is the same size as a playing card used in decks of cards. This is a great way to repurpose those decks of cards that mysteriously end up with a card missing. Thrift shops are also a great place to snag piles of playing cards for just a few pennies. Artist Trading Cards are created to trade. It’s fun to make tags, mini books, or wall art with the cards received from other artists. I am currently in an alphabet ATC swap and here is my contribution for letter "F".

ATC's are fun for adults or children to create. You can read more about Artist Trading Cards along with step by step instructions on how this Funky Friends card was created over at http://www.retrodolly.net/.

Pine Cone Flower Craft for Kids

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Here is an easy and cute pine cone flower craft for kids and even great for handmade cards or scrapbooking! You'll need paper, one green pipe cleaner per flower, pine cone "scales" (use needle-nosed pliers to pull off) and a pom pom in your choice of color. 

I started by glueing my pom pom ball on the paper. While it was drying I positioned the pine cone "scales" around it to make my flower shape and then glued each one down with liquid school glue. Then I took my green pipe cleaner and twisted it to make a flower stem - you can do this with our without the "leaves" on it depending on what you want it to look like! Then I glued down the "stem". 

These would be such an awesome idea for a spring craft, a Mother's Day gift, or a Get Well card!

We'd love to have you stop by to find more crafts, activities, and experiments at Surviving a Teacher's Salary! We're on Facebook and Twitter too!!

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Valentine's Burlap Candle

Valentine's Day is fast approaching!!

here's an inexpensive little candle craft for ya...

xo Melodee 

New Author Christy Shaw

Christy Shaw is our newest blog author and she is excited to be part of our growing Crafty Community. She will introduce herself below:

My name is Christy Shaw and I enjoy sharing my enthusiasm for creativity on my personal blog http://www.retrodolly.net/. Retro Dolly is a nickname I received from an elderly man in my church, it stuck, and I love it! The name captures my eclectic personality and affirms I was born in the wrong era. I enjoy being a mother to my beautiful daughter, who I lovingly call Mini Dolly, making sure she explores every creative opportunity to develop her own personality. I have enjoyed years of teaching fourth grade and have now accepted a position as teaching pastor at a church in my home town. I love organizing and sorting, 80’s music, driving fast, clean sheet night, thrift shopping, high heeled shoes, and am totally obsessed with vintage jewelry! I’m afraid of the dentist, dogs, and close talkers. I hate to cook but love to eat Mexican food.

My passions for “artful expression”, along with tragic personal experiences, are my primary motivation for maintaining an active blog. It’s my desire to encourage others to pursue creativity as a means of art therapy. My blog consists of neat & clean projects demonstrating crisp corners and perfect symmetry along with mixed media projects that demonstrate a grungy mess with a touch of personality. You will find projects to do with children, unique ideas for your next party, organizational tips.

My love for COPIC Markers has allowed me to find a different level of relaxation through coloring, shading, and air brushing, all while listening to my favorite tunes. Rubber stamping and digi images are the perfect platform for COPIC coloring and I can’t wait to share some of my favorites. Extended COPIC training inspires me to be a continual learner of new techniques and color trends. These markers were put to use quite often while I was a design team member for Eat Cake Graphics. My dream of becoming a published artist came true when my complimentary issue of Stamper’s Sampler arrived in the mail! Boy, was I shocked!

I consider this opportunity to hang out with you on Crafty Community an honor and it will be great fun to get to know each of you!

Check out my new craft corner!

Come by my blog and see what I made!

IKEA Hackers Crafts!

Have you seen this website?!?

{click on the image to get to it}

It is a website that allows everyone who purchased an IKEA item & personalized and/or repurpose it!!!!

They share their creations with others!

There are some awesome crafts & projects on there!!!

Here are some fun ones!

          Work Space for 2                     Inexpensive Wall Decore                       Lamp Makeover

  

Catch All Cork Board Calendar         Doll House

 

Check them out!

Have you done something like this before?!?

 

Celebrating Chinese New Year

My kids and I enjoy celebrating Chinese New Year. 
Hop on over to grab some kid-friendly recipes and fun ideas!

Is it a polar bear? Yes!

I cannot say I am a "crafty girl". I am just a teacher -aunt that want to make her niece have a bit of fun while learning. That's why I came up with this idea.

are you wondering what animal is this?

yes! A polar bear eating his lunch!

You need a box, white and black paper, glue and a lot of imagination :)

You also need a dice or a spinner. Let your kids roll the dice (or spin the spinner) and feed the polar bear with his favourite meal...fresh fish!

I'm new around here!

Hi Friends!
Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Denise and I write a little blog called Sunny Days in Second Grade. I've been teaching for 17 years and I'm also married to another teacher, so we talk shop - a lot! I also have a Teachers Pay Teachers store so I spend lots of time developing items for my store and freebies for my blog. Long before I started my blog and TpT endeavors, I was a big crafter. I spent many weekends selling my goodies at local craft shows, in local stores and even had my own Etsy shop. Although I still have a deep, deep love for crafting, I think spending my time on all things education related has kind of moved into first place. However, craftiness is still a big part of me and I've found lots of ways to incorporate my love of crafts into my classroom. As you can see, this blog is the perfect fit for me!

Here's a shot of my happy place. This is my craft room (when it's all neat and pretty, which is definitely NOT the norm...)

Here's a "vintage" post from my blog to give you an idea of how I blend my love of crafts with teaching and school related things. Click {HERE} to see how I altered the Altoids tins in the pictures below. They make perfect gift boxes and they're great to store small pieces for games.

I'll be popping in from time to time to share some of my crafty creations, so I'll see you soon.
Stay crafty, my friends!

Valentine Fun!



Join me on my blog for some Valentine Fun!

Join the Flower Market

The Flower Market

Michigan's Premier Florist

I'm excited to bring to our Crafty Readers a brand new site that will cover so many great tips and ideas for gardening and table centerpieces.  This is a brand new site - so please join me in becoming some of the first followers.  The owner plans to post special offers on jewelry, arrangements, and even offer video tutorials on a 'how-to' series.

Right now, the page is brand new and still being developed - so join now!

Click here to become a Follower through Google Friend Connect!!

Arts and Crafts Classes for Kids

Hop on over to learn about arts and crafts classes that may be offered at locations near you and where you can grab an educator's discount.

 And you can see why Ace of Cakes has some serious competition. :)

How to Prevent Earbud Tangles with Old School Friendship Bracelet Knotting

I swear, I put my earbuds in my bag wound up so nice and neat, and in the ten minutes it takes to get from home to school, they somehow get themselves into an intricate pretzel of frustration that I can't even begin to deal with until I've had my first cup of coffee.

One way to prevent earbud tangling is to make the cord thicker, and AT wrote about achieving this through string-knotting à la preteen summer friendship bracelets.

source

I did this project today and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the way it came out. This would be appropriate for preteens and up, or that precocious young crafter who's already into friendship bracelets. Also could be used to make a unique, cheap gift for a friend or sibling.

Read the full tutorial on my blog here.

Hobby Lobby Winner Announced!

Congrats to Lucky Number 29

Hobby Lobby: #29 Elizabeth FuninRoom4B@gmail.com

*Winner: Please email me by Sunday, January 22, 2012*

please include your name and which gift

Treasured Tip - Personalization!

I came across this Pin on Pinterest this afterboon and fell in love! 

Even I can do this!!!!!

 I have soooooooooooooo many ideas running through my head on how to use this great tip!

Personalized Items!!!

How to paint letters Perfectly!! Who woulda thought?!?! Genius! :)

Click on this link for the full blog post on the "how-to" steps.

I'm thinking that my next crafy project will be a toy box to replace my doggy's overflowing toy basket!

Looking forward to a free moment to tackle this project!

What do you think?