Babyccino Kids: Daily tips, Children's products, Craft ideas, Recipes & More » Crafts

Potato Stamps

Celina in Montreal — Thu, 03 May 2012 06:00:24 +0000

Last week I was so caught up with my sewing projects I forgot to write a post for you — so sorry! For my last project I decided to sew up some one-piece pajamas for the kids from some organic cotton I had. The kids and I collaborated — the kids got to choose the fabric color and an animal for the all over print, and then we created a potato stamp together.

As my daughter napped, my son and I got to work; we printed the all over pattern on the pajama fabric and it was so much fun we even stamped on a t-shirt. It was only later I had the idea to add little bow ties with a green sharpie pen.

If you are looking for a potato stamp tutorial, here’s one from one of my favourite blogs — Llevo el Invernio or here is a really easy tutorial by Homemade Serenity which uses cookie cutters. Careful it’s addictive — I had so much fun, and I now want to print everything in my home…

And if you are curious and would like to see what else I put together last week, everything is on my flickr.

-Celina

Stitch ‘n Kids: the Sewing Machine

Esther in Amsterdam — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 06:00:40 +0000

Last year we gave Sara a sewing machine for Christmas. She was five at the time, and had always shown an honest interest for sewing (she would almost sit on my lap when I was busy with my machine). So after reading up on the best age to give a child her (or his!) first sewing machine, and not finding a very clear answer, we decided to just go for it — if she would still be too young, she would certainly grow into it at some point.

I’ve rarely seen a child so excited by a gift as Sara when she opened her package, and her sewing machine is still one of her most treasured possessions. So, what does she sew? First of all, she still needs a lot of help. Preparing the machine (inserting the bobbin, leading the thread through the machine, pulling it through the needle etc) is something she can’t completely do herself just yet. But she’s getting quite good at cutting the fabric, pinning it together, and sewing straight lines. So far she’s made lots of little pillows, an easy thing to make (with fast results) and a great present for her friends (doll’s cushions!), or teachers and grandparents (pin cushions!). Simple bags are a step up from the pillows and she needs a bit more help with these. She also made a little dress for her little sister’s doll, and this was something we did together according to her design, and it turned out really nice!

All in all, I think we made the right decision to give her the machine fairly early. In case you’re interested, Sara’s machine is a Janome Sew Mini de Luxe.

xxx Esther

Stitch n’ Kids: Easter decoration

Esther in Amsterdam — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 11:00:05 +0000

With a few sheets of felt and a 6-year-old daughter who now masters the blanket stitch, we’ve had some fun creating the above Easter decoration! If you feel inspired, you can download a template for the bird and the egg-cozy here. (You can also quickly make the egg-cozies on the sewing machine, if you have one.)

xxx Esther

Stitch ‘n Kids — DIY Easter chicks from pom-poms

Esther in Amsterdam — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 12:19:35 +0000

I remember making little chicks like these as a child! The idea is simple: make two pom-poms of different sizes, one forming the body and one the head, and sew them together.
Do you recall how to make pom-poms? Cut out two rings from thin cardboard: a big circle (about 8,5 or 3 1/2″ Ø) with a smaller circle (1,5 cm or 1/4″ Ø) cut out from the middle. To make it easier for children to wind the yarn around the disk, you can cut out a thin wedge from the ring. Start winding yarn around both the rings, until the entire cardboard rings are covered with a few layers of wool (a 4-year-old child should be able to do this).

Now the tricky part: holding the wool together in the centre (pinch it!), cut the wool in between the two layers of cardboard (sharp scissors help). When done, tie a piece of thread in between the two circles and make a firm knot. If you want to sew the pom-pom to something, leave the ends. For the chicks, I didn’t use thread but pipe cleaner to tie the wool together. I left the ends of the pipe cleaner, they became the legs of the chicks! Now remove the cardboard, and there’s your first pom-pom! Repeat the exercise with smaller rings (about 5,5 cm or 2 1/4″ Ø) to make the heads of the chicks (I used smaller pipe cleaner for the beaks). You can make the pom-poms extra fluffy by keeping them in hot steam for a second. Last step is to sew both pom-poms together, and glue on goggle eyes (I used a hot glue gun for this). My kids love their chicks!

xxx Esther

PS Yellow wool would have been more appropriate but I didn’t have any around…

Easter crafts

Esther in Amsterdam — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 09:52:05 +0000

If you’re stuck for Easter inspiration, check out this compilation of fun craft projects featured by Parent Map! (Including our cute and easy-to-make bunny masks!)

Decorate your own shield — a knights’ party

Esther in Amsterdam — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 15:00:22 +0000

For Pim’s ‘knights’ themed birthday party last week, we had the idea of letting the boys decorate their own shields. I always like to do something a bit creative with the kids to offer some ‘downtime’ before the more active games we played later. My husband had made 8 shields out of thin beech plywood, with bands (from cheap winch straps), and rivets. He used a round plate to make the design, and an electric jigsaw to saw out the shields. I was impressed by how fast he made them, by the cool-looking end results, and by the sturdiness of the shield! Oh, and the materials we used were really cheap — I think we didn’t spend more than 10 euros for the 8 shields together.

Shields in the making

The finished shields

I printed some different images of coats of arms like dragons, lions, and unicorns, and bought carbon paper (didn’t know it still existed, but it does!). As a first party activity, each boy transferred a drawing onto their shield using the carbon paper. Taping the printed paper and carbon paper to the shield helped to keep everything in place. The magic of tracing the drawing and automatically transferring it to the shield kept them interested! Afterwards, they used markers to colour and personalise their shields. I was so impressed by their concentration — they loved this activity and were so serious, and so proud of the results!

Transferring the design using carbon paper

Colouring and decorating

Of course we couldn’t resist sewing 8 tunics for the knights the night before the party (including a tiny one for Ava!), and to get a few plastic party helmets to go with the outfit. (Swords were forbidden — for obvious reasons…)

Baby knight

Games (or ‘knight’s challenges’) included: Obstacle course in the kids’ bedroom (under the bed, over the bed, jump 10 times, somersault, etc.), pin the fire to the dragon’s mouth (like pin the tail to the donkey), mastering the yoga warrior pose, and killing the piñata dragon (finally they were allowed to use a sword!). All the kids got a score card around their neck, and each time they had surpassed a challenge they earned a sticker. Only with a full card did they earn their official ‘knight certificate’, which, printed with a Medieval type font on brownish paper and with burned edges, looked impressive enough!

Pin the fire to the dragon

The party bags (do you remember the stamp we made?) and the knight certificates

It was a fun party and the kids loved it! We were pretty exhausted though. I’m glad I don’t have five overactive 5-year-old boys in our house every day!

xxx Esther

A knights party invite — lino printing

Esther in Amsterdam — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:00:43 +0000

For Christmas my thoughtful husband gave me a set of lino cutting tools and some card-size sheets of linoleum. Do you remember linoleum cutting from when you were a kid? The smell of linoleum brought me right back to the craft room of my primary school in the countryside — amazing, the memories smells can bring back to you.
With Pim’s 5th birthday fast approaching I had good reason to make a stamp: the party invites! Pim had been requesting a knights party, so I asked him to draw a knight for me. I transferred his knight to the piece of linoleum — you can trace the drawing on tracing paper using a soft pencil, put it face down on the linoleum and rub so the drawing transfers on the stamp, or use old-fashioned carbon paper (another thing from the past).

After having cut out the stamp, which takes a bit of time but is extremely relaxing, you can ink the drawing using block printing ink and a little roller, and press down on a piece of paper. A rolling pin works well to press the stamp down evenly. Carefully lift the lino up and let dry. Done!!

You can also print on fabric using fabric paint — the possibilities are endless…

That was fun! And I already know how I’m going to decorate the party bags!!

xxx Esther

Paper City Paris

Emilie in Paris — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 06:00:18 +0000

I love living in Paris — it is beautiful, full of life and love and so much fun to explore. If you don’t happen to live in Paris, have a look at the downloadable Paris Paper City, from one of my top favorite children’s craft blogs Made By Joel. Just download the PDFs and you too can start exploring Paris, even if you live on the other side of the world. Have an explore around the Eifel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and a local boulagerie. There is even the sweetest little downloadable Citroën to drive around your city.

Such a fun way to introduce the city of lights to your kids. I love the fact that Joel has, very thoughtfully, included a brief description of all the buildings onto his PDFs, so this game can be educational too.

- Emilie

Fire breathing dragons

Courtney in London — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:00:18 +0000

This past weekend we had one of those lazy Sundays where we stayed inside all day and did craft projects, house DIY projects, lots of baking, game playing, etc. Isn’t that the best feeling, waking up on a Sunday morning with your husband and kids and having nothing you have to do that day, nowhere to go?! It’s one of my favourite feelings in the world.

We made these fire breathing dragons, and it was a really fun project. There are several ways to make them (I spotted the idea on Pinterest and changed it up a bit). To make our version, you’ll need the following:

cardboard toilet paper rolls
red and orange crepe paper
paint (green, yellow, black)
glue
wooden beads
mini green pompoms

x Courtney

Paper Wonderland

Emilie in Paris — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:00:39 +0000

The temperatures over here have dropped into the -0°celsius level, which is a rare occurence. When it does happen, the whole of Paris seems to go off to hiberate in their homes. Which is where you’ll find us, snuggled up in our house! Time for some crafting…

We were recently given the Paper Wonderland book and we are officially obsessed. With some scissors and some tape, you get to put together some of the coolest creatures and little projects I have seen. Some are more complicated than others (great when you have kids of different ages) but the end result is super cute and great to play with, so the enjoyment goes beyond just crafting. I highly recommend it!

- Emilie

Stitch ‘n Kids: finger crochet

Esther in Amsterdam — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:00:51 +0000

Do you remember doing finger crochet as a child? I recall a little boy in my class, he must have been around 7 or 8 years old, and he had made a string of finger crochet so long it could wrap around the classroom twice! I recently taught my daughter Sara and some of her girlfriends to finger-crochet, and it has started a real crocheting-mania! The girls love it, and I’ve seen all the mums walk around with finger-crochet bracelets made by their daughters! Cute.

Finger crocheting is really easy, and a six-year-old child should be able to do it. My nearly-five-year-old son Pim was still a bit clumsy and didn’t really have the patience to learn. But he made an effort (and is very proud of his little bracelet)!

xxx Esther

PS Do you remember how to finger crochet? I put a little film on YouTube here!

Big fish eats little fish

Courtney in London — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:00:11 +0000

This is another art project inspired by an image I saw on Pinterest! I knew the minute I saw it that my kids would love this one. Plus, it’s so easy! All you need are some clothespins, some card stock or thicker paper, some crayons or paint to decorate your fish, and scissors and glue. A fun project for kids of all ages — even our 2-year-old enjoyed making her fish (we drew a fish template and she coloured it in).

Also, if you’re looking for more craft projects, you can take a peek at our Crafts for Kids Pinterest board for ideas!

x Courtney

Buttonbag Craft Kits

Emilie in Paris — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:00:46 +0000

Something seems to have happend to Coco since she turned 6. It seems like she woke up one morning and her hand coordination and patience had suddenly increased. I guess she is not a little girl anymore! She cannot wait to use these new found skills and now there is a serious demand for arts and craft sessions in our house. I do try to come up with my own projects, but there are times when a craft kit is a life saver! A great example are the Buttonbag Craft Kits, which are perfectly catered toward eager 6-year-olds. The projects are simple and the results impressive. I particularly like the Winter Birds Kit and the Peg Doll Kits.
- Emilie

Stitch ‘n kids: the knitting fork

Esther in Amsterdam — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:00:33 +0000

After joining a little craft group a few months ago, I’ve been making more time for sewing, knitting and crocheting. My 6-year-old daughter Sara is entranced by the idea — she loves nothing more than sitting next to me when I’m creating and always asks me when she’ll be old enough to join my craft group. She actually already does some easy sewing herself (last year we gave her a sewing machine for Christmas), and I recently taught her how to knit (and I was surprised that she was able to do it)!
I thought it would be fun to share some fun sewing/knitting/crocheting ideas with you that are easy enough for children to enjoy. The first idea is the Lucet. Have you ever heard of it? It a very traditional and really simple wooden utensil that has been used since the Viking times to ‘knit’ cords. The process is easy enough for children about 5 years and older, and Sara loves doing it. She already made a beautiful long cord — and is of course very proud! Now we have to come up with a fun project to use the cord… Any ideas?

xxx Esther

Walnut Mice

Courtney in London — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:07:55 +0000

I am wholeheartedly addicted to Pinterest! And it turns out… it’s not only a place to find a million cool products you wish you had (damn that Pinterest!) but I’ve also found loads of great craft projects I’m hoping to try with the kids. Like these little walnut mice. How cute! Originally blogged by the lilla a design blog (which has loads of cute craft ideas), I stumbled upon her images on Pinterest and decided to give it a go with my kids. The only trick, we found, was cracking open the walnuts without breaking the shells. But we managed to keep a few shells in tact and made some charming little mice. Find the full tutorial and materials list here.

-Courtney

Making pomanders

Esther in Amsterdam — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 06:00:13 +0000

As a child, my mum and I made pomanders out of oranges and cloves every year for Christmas. I love that smell, so spicy and Christmassy, so last weekend I put my kids to work. It kept them focussed and busy for quite some time! It’s such an easy and lovely project, great for all ages (even 19-month-old Ava liked to participate — pulling the cloves out of the oranges!). There’s nothing more to it than an orange, cloves and a wooden toothpick to make it easier to get the cloves in. You can make patterns or just let the kids go crazy — it won’t affect the scent of the pomanders! When finished, you can tie a ribbon around them and hang them somewhere decorative. Or, give them away as presents!

xxx Esther

Hands and Feet Reindeer

Courtney in London — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 06:00:26 +0000

Earlier this week we sat down after school and made these little reindeer. It’s such a simple, simple project, but the kids really enjoyed it (and I don’t know about you, but any easy activity to pass away the dark afternoons is welcomed in our house!). What I really love is that the little antlers (hands) seem to fit the reindeer heads (feet) perfectly, no matter the sizes. I’m thinking about making some more and using them as table place settings for Christmas dinner.

xx Courtney

Kimmel Kids forest stencils

Esther in Amsterdam — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:00:19 +0000

With all the leaves up for grabs outside (I think each and every tree in Amsterdam is now without leaves), I was thinking about this gorgeous forest set from Kimmel Kids. Made from chipboard and finished in funky colours (neon, orange and copper), these stencils are not only great for the crafting table but also are a wonderful addition to autumn and winter displays!

xxx Esther

Do-it-yourself nativity scene

Courtney in London — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 06:00:40 +0000

How cool is this DIY cardboard nativity set? What a fun craft project to do with the kids… and a really sweet way to explain the story of Christmas and the nativity. The kit comes with 20 punch-out figures on thick cardboard sheets, plus all the golden haloes, crowns and pre-cut stars. You and your kids can paint and decorate the figures and then assemble them (easily!) to set up the scene. It also includes the nativity story, in case (like me) you need a little help explaining the story. What a great activity in these cosy months leading up to Christmas. The kit is available from Little Scout (along with loads of other great gifts!).

xx Courtney

Remarkable – recycled pens and pencils

Emilie in Paris — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 06:00:55 +0000

In our house we go through an extraordinary amount of pens, pencils, crayons and felt tips, as do a lot of you I’m sure. I don’t understand what happens to them! I always feel at bit guilty throwing away broken pens and buying more and more…which is why I was happy to discover Remarkable, a UK-based eco factory who make recycled pens, pencils and stationery. The pencils we got were CD cases or possibly coat hangers in their previous life. How cool is that? They are not that much more expensive than normal pencils and it’s fun to explain to my kids that they are using a recycled coat hanger to draw with!

Check out the Remarkable shop for all sorts of stationery items.

- Emilie