Upcycle: Decoupage Jars

I remember my cousin and I making these jars all summer. We had family and friends for miles saving every glass jar and magazine! With these simple items and some imagination, we created masterpieces to be given as gifts and used to store trinkets. We even made bug-themed jars to hold our grasshoppers and other creepy-crawlies.

It’s with some hesitation that we introduce our daughters to these jars. This might be their “Summer of Decoupage” and we’ll inflict these jars on a whole new set of neighbors!

Age range: 5 and up (must use scissors!)
Approximate time: 30 minutes to a whole summer
Difficulty Level: Beginner Crafter

Things you’ll need:
Empty, clean jars; lids optional
Mod Podge
Dish of water, paper towels, work surface that can get sticky
Foam brush
Scissors
Magazines, pictures, colored artwork, anything printed

Things to do:
1. Determine a ‘theme’ for your jar. Ideas include a specific flower, bugs, buttons. Anything you might store inside your jar makes a good theme for the outside.
2. Find pictures or words that relate to the theme and cut them out.

3. Lay out your design on the jar to get an idea of placement.
4. When you’re ready, brush a thin layer of Mod Podge on the jar where you want to place your first picture.

5. Lay the picture over the Mod Podge, starting at one end and ‘rolling’ to the other. Try to keep wrinkles and bubbles to a minimum.

6. Brush more Mod Podge over the picture to seal it to the jar.
7. Continue gluing and placing pictures around the jar.

8. Check that all artwork is covered with a thin layer of Mod Podge.


9. Allow jar to dry overnight. Enjoy!

Miniature Magical Fairy Library

There is something magical about miniatures. For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved little things, and my kids are no different. So they are loving this miniature library that I set up in our den bookshelves. Look for a box that fits snugly into your shelf. It could be an antique crate, a cookie tin or a shoebox. If you are worried about gluing paper to something antique, consider cutting cardboard to fit into the box and glue the “wallpaper” to that and fit it in to create the papered walls.

Things you’ll need:
Miniature furniture such as a table, a fireplace and chairs
Miniature accessories such as a desk set, books, a lamp, cuckoo clock and tea things
Scrapbook paper
Glue stick
Box
Scissors

Things to do:
1. Cut scrapbook paper to fit exactly against the back wall of your box (you could do the sides as well if it fits with your box).

2. Paint any unpainted furniture and allow it to dry.

3. Arrange your furniture and accessories in the room, be sure to add lots of small details to help make the room look lived in.
4. Fit the box in between books on your shelf.

Rocketship Clothespin Magnet Holder

This rocket memo holder is a great way to display works of art or memos on your fridge! Just follow these simple steps to launch into this fun project!

Things you’ll need:
Spray paint (silver and gold)
Newspaper (for the spray-paint mess)
Wood clothespins
Small wood star
Felt square
Permanent marker
Magnet strip
Hot glue gun
Scissors

Things to do:
1. Lay your wooden star and clothespin on newspaper and spray with desired spray paint. Let dry.
2. Cut out a tiny triangular rocket tip and two even smaller rocket launchers out of felt.
3. Glue the rocket tip to the end of your clothespin where you pinch it to open and close it.
4. Glue your star to the opposite end.
5. Glue your felt rocket launchers right above your star.
6. Decorate your rocket however you like! Add windows, your name, patterns, etc.
7. Flip your rocket over and glue a magnetic strip onto the back.
8. Hang your rocket on the fridge to hold memos and works of art.

Upcycle: Plastic Bag Peonies

If you’ve looked through home decor magazine this year, you’ve seen beautiful arrangements of big, peony-like flowers. Especially outdoors! They look beautiful, but we all know they will be dead within days. Wouldn’t you love an arrangement that was inexpensive, durable, and recyclable? This craft is for you! Manipulate plastic grocery bags to make beautiful blooms that can be left outside all summer.

Things you’ll need:
Plastic grocery bags; multiple colors
Pipe cleaners
An empty powdered-drink container or jar
Rocks
Adhesive tape
Floral tape

Things to do:

Make the vase:
1. Empty and clean a powdered drink container. This is your vase; decorate or paint as you want.
2. Fill vase with gravel or glass beads to give it weight. Set aside.

Make the flowers:
1. Take a plastic bag and flatten it.
a. Tuck sides into bag by sticking your thumbs into the bag and pulling on the handles.
b. Fold handles back into the bag and tape down. Tape down any other flappy things until your bag is a rectangle.

2. Accordion- fold the bag along the long edge. Set aside.

3. Repeat on anywhere from 2 to 5 bags. (More bags, bigger flowers!)

4. Gather bags together with a bright pipe cleaner and twist to secure. This pipe cleaner becomes the center of your flower. Add additional pipe cleaners to taste.

5. Add another pipe cleaner facing away from the flower center. This will become the stem.

6. Gather the flower ’stem’ in your hand.
a. Move up the flower for a tight bloom,
b. Down the stem for a big, open flower.
7. Wrap the ’stem’ with tape to secure.

8. Pull and fluff your flower to taste.
9. Arrange flowers in vase. Add cut greenery or sticks if you’d like.

10. Enjoy!

Enjoy your flower arrangement all summer long. Leave it outside and don’t worry about dead petals or icky water. When summer ends, dump the rocks in your yard and toss the flowers and vase into the recycling bin!

DIY Magnetic Fishing Game

This magnetic fishing game is a craft project and a game! Create multiple fish and fishing poles to go fishing with friends.

Things you’ll need:
Felt squares
Scissors
Hot glue gun
Googly eyes
Permanent marker
Bakers Twine
Stick or dowel rod
2 – Magnets
Fish template

Things to do:
1. Fold your felt in half and trace your fish stencil on one side.
2. Using your scissors, cut through both sides of the felt, along the traced fish shape. This will result in two identical fish shapes.
3. Place one magnet between the two fish halves.
4. Use your hot glue gun to glue the two felt fish halves together with the magnet inside of the fish.
5. Glue googly eyes to the outside of your fish and decorate however you like!
6. To make the fishing pole, tie one end of your string to the stick (securing the string with hot glue if you so choose).
7. Tie the other end of your string to the other magnet.
8. To play the fishing game, hold your fishing pole and hover the magnetic end on your string over your felt fish. When the magnets connect, you will have caught your fish!

DIY Faux Stained Glass Vases

Stained glass vases are a great craft for kids and adults. The results can be as simple or elaborate as you want them to be. Use the tissue paper and construction paper to create a pattern, use different colors, and really make it your own!

Things you need:
Clear glass bottle
Different colored tissue paper (cut into 2” x 2″ squares)
Black construction paper (cut into 4” x 4” squares)
Scissors
Mod Podge
Foam brush

Things to do:
Prep work: Cut tissue paper and black paper into squares
1. Make sure your bottle is clean, and use your sponge brush to paint the top of your bottle with Mod Podge.
2. Apply squares of tissue paper onto the bottle where Mod Podge was applied.
3. Continue applying Mod Podge down the bottle and putting tissue paper on top. Use the sponge brush to gently smooth the tissue paper as you go.
4. Let your bottle dry completely.
5. Create your stained glass window design just as you would a paper snowflake. Take your square piece of black construction paper and fold it into a triangle by bringing one corner of the square to the opposite corner.

6. Make this triangle into a smaller triangle by folding one bottom corner of the triangle to the other bottom corner. Do this again to make an even smaller triangle.

7. After folding your paper into this tiny triangle, hold your paper where all the points meet. Cut the opposite side of the triangle so that the edge is curved.

8. Keep the paper folded and begin cutting into it with the scissors to create your design. Remember not to cut all the way down either side because the creases hold your paper together.

9. Open your paper to reveal your design.

10. Glue your paper stained glass design to the outside of your decorated glass bottle. Apply Mod Podge on top of your design to secure it and let dry.
11. Place flowers in your vase or set in front of a window to fully enjoy its sunny qualities!

Crayon Initial Artwork

Just the thing for a primary teacher’s desk or a budding artist’s room, these crayon initials look much more complicated to make than they really are. For the best results, start with a brand new package of crayons with nice, sharp tips.

Things you’ll need:
Square canvas
Crayons
Craft glue
Printer paper
Printer
Pencil
Craft knife and cutting mat

Things to do:
1. Print the letter you will use at a size that fits, but doesn’t overwhelm, the canvas.
2. Flip the paper over and, using a window or light box, trace the letter with the pencil, pressing down firmly to make a thick line of graphite.
3. Center the letter on the canvas, printed side up, and rub the pencil along the edges of the letter. This will transfer the tracing from the backside onto the canvas.

4. Lay crayons out along the top edge of the tracing, trimming or adding sections to cover all the way across, being sure to line up the tip and the flat end with the lines of the traced letter. Glue down.

5. Continue to add crayons in layers until the entire letter has been created. Allow the canvas to dry flat before hanging.

Popsicle Stick Puzzle Card

This puzzle card puts a spin on traditional greeting cards. Mix up your puzzle pieces so that the recipient can assemble their secret message before reading it. Tie your puzzle pieces with a ribbon or place them all in an envelope for delivery. This card is just what you may want to give mom this Mother’s Day to tell her how special she is!

Difficulty level: Beginner

Things you’ll need:
Popsicle sticks (I used 10 skinny sticks)
Tape
Markers
Ribbon (for tying your pieces together)

Things to do:
1. First line all of your popsicle sticks up next to one another, and tape them into place.
2. Flip your popsicle stick puzzle over so that the tape is on the back.
3. Use your markers to decorate your puzzle however you like.
4. To deliver your puzzle card, remove the tape, mix up your puzzle pieces, and tie a ribbon around your pieces.
5. Let your letter recipient assemble their puzzle card pieces to view their message!

DIY Crayon Wreath

What teacher wouldn’t love a crayon wreath to decorate the door of the classroom? Create a fun, school themed wreath that’s the perfect gift for the teacher in your child’s life.

Things you’ll need:
Lightweight wooden wreath
3 boxes of crayons
Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Things to do:
1. Lay the wreath out on a flat, protected work surface.

2. Run a bead of hot glue along the length of the crayon and press onto the wreath, lining the flat edge of the crayon up with the inner edge of the wreath.
3. Repeat with the next crayon, fanning the tip slightly out to follow the curve of the wreath but still lining the flat end up with the edge of the wreath.

4. Continue to add the crayons until the entire wreath is covered.

Pencil Flowers in a Pot

This sweet and simple gift is both fun and useful for the teachers in your child’s life. Premade flower stickers can be substituted for flowers cut from cardstock with a punch or small handmade flowers.

Things you’ll need:
12 flower stickers – about 1 inch in diameter
12 unsharpened pencils
paper grass or shredded tissue paper
4 inch flower pot

Things to do:
1. Fill the bottom of your pot with a fist full of paper grass.
2. Poke the pencils in, evenly distributing them around the pot to look like flower stems.

3. Fill in with more paper grass to help steady the “stems”.
4. Add flowers to the top of each eraser. If needed, secure with a dot of glue.