Making our own spotty shirts for Children in Need

Like lots of mums, I packed my children off to school this morning wearing something spotty in aid of children in need.  Now like lots of mums, I couldn't find anything spotty at all, so I decided that we should make some ourselves.

The boys had so much fun armed with my permanent markers and a shirt each, they made their own spotty t-shirts.

Don't they look grand?

We popped some card inside the t-shirts to stop the pen going through to the  back and then I left the boys to it.  Maxi was amazing in helping Mini.  He drew a lot of his circles for him and then the drew a line in the middle and coloured in half each/

It was a joy to watch them work so well together and whilst they did it we talked about all the children less fortunate than them in the world and decided to give away 4 toys each to the charity shop, which I dropped off on the way home from taking them to school this morning.

Autumn Craft and Activity Ideas

With the weather getting colder, now is the time to make some plans about activities and crafts you can do on the darker evenings to keep your children occupied and keep.

My friend Becky at Baby Budgeting has produced her first ebook which is jam packed full of 50 ideas of things to do with under 5's in Autumn on a budget.  I have a copy and it is a great resource for when you are struggling for ideas.  Click here to get your copy best of all it is only £1.50.

You could also do some marble painting, which doesn't have to be messy.  Why not have a go at making your own wrapping paper or make a start on some Bonfire arts and crafts. 

Wax reilef panting is always good fun and you could leave some secret messages for your children to discover.   Have fun making Chicken cards with your children.

You can make Autumn collages either with collecting leaves or if it is too wet you can colour in some pre printed ones.  Use masking tape to make a boarder round your little ones paintings or drawings, it is remarkable effective.

So there are some ideas of things to do on this half term break and over Autumn, I would love for you to link your ideas too.

Children's Craft Showcase - Dying fabric with Permanent markers

Materials

Permenant markers

Surgical Spirit (from the chemist)

Jam Jars

Plain Fabric

Elastic Band

Syringe

Method

Put your fabric over the jam jar and secure with the elastic band.  Using your pen draw a pattern on the fabric.

Circles work best, but any pattern will do.  Leave a gap between the lines for the colour to bleed.

Take a syringe and fill with surgical spirit and then drop in to the centre of the fabric.

Move the fabric to a blank area and repeat as required.

I washed the fabric after we dyed it and some of the colour did come out, but not much and then I heat set it with a hot iron.

Three for the price of One - The Gallery, Play Academy and Children's Craft Showcase

 

The Gallery this week is extra speical as it is linked with Cathy my friend over at Nuturestore and her Play Accadamy, so I thought that I would use a new Childrens Craft Showcase for this week, as it really seemed to fit the bill.

I think that this craft is pretty self explanatory, we all have bubble wrap and using it to pain on and create texture is so much fun for children.

We used our bubble wrap to make a sea on cards and on some paper.  We painted the wrap blue and green.

Then pressed it down on the card and paper.

To make a funky pattern.

We used foam shapes on the cards.

I cut out images of fish on paper and the boys painted them.

To make fish on the cards, we used the circle stickers and cut out a triangle to make the mouth and stuck it on as a tail, inspired by The Frugal Family Fun Blog.

We used tissue paper as sea weed.

This is our final art work which is gracing the wall in the dinning room.  It even has a treasure chest!

So if you have any crafty posts of things you have been doing with your children over the last few weeks then please link up below.  I would love to see what you have  been busy making and doing.

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Children's Craft Showcase - How to make paper flowers

This is a really simple way to make flowers for someone special, not for any reason, just to say I love you.  They would also make a really great gift to say thank you to any teacher at this time of the year.

Materials

Tissue Paper
Heart Punch or template and scissors
Paper Straws (Art straws - 99p from The Works)
Paper brads

Method

This is such a simple piece of craft, that Maxi actually made all of our flowers (roses) which we took with us to see The Wiggles and give to Dorothy.

Use the punch to make heart shapes out of tissue paper

With a single hole punch make a hole in each at the point end

Place you tissue paper petals on to the paper brad

Place you brad in to the end of your paper straw.

Keep going until you have a bunch of beautiful paper roses (we gave ours to Dorothy the Dinosaur, when the boys saw The Wiggles)

Childrens Craft Showcase - Gifts for the Teacher

The end of the school year is very nearly upon us here in England, so I have started to think about teacher appreciation gifts for MaxiMads wonderful Reception teacher and her assistance and for Mini's Preschool Teacher.

I am a firm believer in child made is best, I don't want my gifts to be expensive, just used and made with love.

So I have a selection of things that we have made previously for people that would make great gifts to say thank you to a teacher.  

Handpainted Cups

This is what Maxi made for his teachers last year and will be doing again for his current teacher.  Click on the link above for a tutorial.

Tea Cup Candles

We gave all the teaching staff these for Christmas and they were a huge hit.

Childs Drawing and bookmark

Mini has drawn a picture of his teacher and I am busy turning it into a wonderful bookmark.

Painted Plant pots

This was what we did for mothers day, but would also make a great teachers gift too.

Stamped Bags

 We made these for Nana and Grandma for Christmas, but would be easily adapted.

Please fee free to link up any other ideas you might have or any crafty makes you have been busy with.

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Children Craft Showcase - Red Ted Art

I am delighted to welcome Maggie from Red Ted Art to TheMadHouse and to present this weeks Children's Craft Showcase. 

Over at Red Ted Art, my son (Red Ted (2)) and I (Maggy (old)) do lots of crafts projects. Sometimes Pip Squeak (0) joins us. Usually we are inspired by books that we read - the tagline from another crafty mum being – story + art = great stART. I love the idea of bring books and crafts together. And some days, when I really don’t know what to make, picking up one of Red Ted’s books really does inspire! 

 So. Today, I brought out one of Red Ted’s older books:  Tell me about The Sea, by Justine Smith. We have two books in the series and also have Tell me about Baby Animals. When he was a little younger he preferred Baby Animals. Now I think he prefers The Sea. But they are both lovely books – nice simple images with things to “do” on every page (count, find, look), some nice shiny surfaces to touch, as well as some flaps to lift towards the end. Lovely for them. Lovely or you and a little education on the side!

This time we decided to make a boat!

1)    Materials: although I knew I wanted to make a boat at some point and thus bought a 12 egg egg carton, I did wing this a bit. So my photo doesn’t show all the materials needed. But to be honest, just be crafty and do what works for you! My basic materials: egg carton (12 egg & 6 egg), chopsticks (for mast), paper & paint (for sails), ribbon/ string (to secure mast & bunting), glue, scissors, blue tack, staples…

2)    We began with the sails. To be honest you can do WHATEVER you like for these. We decided to paint, as Red Ted likes painting. Also, I we use the “water technique” of wetting the paper and letting the colours run a little, as I thought it fitting with “The Sea”. However, you can re-use an old drawing, draw a new one. Paint patterns or even use a scrap of fabric! Whatever takes your fancy.

3)    Once the sails where done, I made the basic boat, whilst Red Ted ate a pair, looked at the book again and got excited! The 12 egg egg carton is ideal for a boat, as it has a raised bit right in the middle of it – perfect for a mast. Whilst he 6 egg egg carton, has a dip in the middle and the mast is a little wobblier. I just poked it through, put bluetack underneath and added some precautionary glue.

4)    The ribbon/ string helps secure the mast – I tied round the top, threaded it through little holes on the side and tied them again underneath. Seems to do the trick! Also added some blobs of glue just in case!

5)    Once dry, I cut out some sails and flags. Glued on the sails and stapled on the flags. Using clothe pegs to help keep things in place.

6)    FINISHED! And ready for play!


If you enjoyed this post, do pop over to Red Ted Art and see what we get up to on a regular basis – Get Inspired by our monthly Get Crafty or just visit for Wednesday Crafts!! We look forward to meeting you!

Maggy & Red Ted (& sometimes Pip Squeak)

If Maggie has inspired you to get crafting with your childrern, or you have any blog posts about art and crafts, then please link below.

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