Handmade Anniversary Greeting Card

Home made greeting cards for our loved ones are always special,memorable and treasurable . This was given by my daughter for our Marriage Anniversary .

Materials Needed:-

White cardstock
Foam sheets
Orange and Yellow Card stock
scissors
glue stick
Green Satin Ribbon
Red Ribbon
Stamp
Red Ink Pad
All Purpose glue
Stars
Markers
Buttons

Instructions:-

Cut a white  piece of card stock and fold it in half to make a plain card. 
Cut heart from the foam sheets and  attach it to the card with glue. 
Cut 2 round circles from yellow and orange cardstocks and write "
Happy Anniversary" with markers.
On it stick bow made of small green color satin ribbon.  
Make flowers at the bottom with stamps.
Add embellishments as desired. These can include buttons, lace, ribbons, trim ,stickers ,sparkles ,stamps and other decorations.
This is a perfect card for to make and gift.  

Linking it up with Shruti's Artsy Crafts Challenge

Rock Painting ~ Bugs

Things Needed:-

    * Small stones
    * Red, Black ,yellow,green and White outdoor acrylic paints
    * Round and Flat paintbrush
    * Black Marker
    * Googly Eyes
    * Glue
    * Paper Plate for colours

Flower Power ~ Rock Painting

 
 Materials Required:-

Large rock
Pencil
Paints (Acrylic Paints or Teracotta Paints)
Paint Brushes
Water
small Cups
Plastic Palette or Paper Plate
Colored pencil (White or Yellow)
Clear Acrylic spray

Method:-

 1) Choose a rock :- Choose round or chunky rocks that will stand up on one flat end. Rocks which have smooth surfaces are the easiest to paint. When you have rock clean it and scrub it and let it dry.

2) Divide your rock:- Use a pencil to a line around the bottom third of your rock.Keep this line as level as possible otherwise your flower bowl will look uneven.

3) Paint the bowl :- Pick a colour for bowl.I painted it with light blue ( Blue + White).Use brush to paint the bowl all the way down to the bottom.Let the paint dry.

4) Paint the background:-Rinse your brush and mix green with enough black to make a very dark green . A dark colour behind the leaves and flowers will make them to stand out. Paint this colour from the top down to the bowl. Let the paint dry.

5) Draw the Leaves:- Use a white or yellow pencil to draw differnt size oval leaves.Start with a cluster at the top,then work down.Its ok to have irregular spaces between the leaves.

6) Paint the leaves:- Use a small brush to  paint the leaves at the very top of the rock. Paint some of the leaves with light green colour( green + yellow).

7) Detail the leaves:- Mix a little black with green to make dark green.Use skinny  brush to add a crease down the centre of all the dark green leaves.Use the plain green to paint the creases in the other leaves.
Use black paint to outline the places where the leaves overlap.

8) Draw the flower shapes:- When the paint is dry use a white or yellow  pencil to draw flowers in the centre and edges. Draw some flowers close together and others farther apart.Draw some buds also.

9) Paint the flowers:- Use your medium brush and white paint to fil in all the flowers shapes.Let it dry and paint the second coat if needed.

10) Add Petal Details:- An easy way to paint flowers is to paint curl in the middle of each flower with a small brush and red paint.Begin in the center each time.The spirals will look better if they are a little uneven or if there are small gaps in the lines.

11) Add Flower Buds:- Fill in any plain looking places with few flower buds. Mix pale pink by adding a touch of red to a drop of white.Use your brush to make a centre oval shape and add two smaller ovals one on each side.

12) Paint Bud Details:-Use your small brush with red paint to outline the inside edges of the two sides ovals,and one straight line up the center

13)  If you want to make your rock shiny then spray it with clear acrylic spray which also protects the paint..

Yor beautiful Flower Rock is ready :)

Source:- Painting on rocks for kids by Lin Wellford

Flower Rangoli

Rock House ~ Rock Painting

Rock House is really easy to make. They are fun to paint .Only thing is you should have rocks that have flat bottoms and flat fronts.Rocks with square tops also make good stores.Houses should have slanted or pointed tops.My daughter enjoyed painting this house.

Materials Needed:-

Rock
Pencil
Palette or Paper Plate
Paint of Your Choice ( I used Acrylic Paints)
Paintbrushes
Cotton Swab (Optional)
Black marker
 

How to Paint:-

1) Pick a rock :- Rocks for buildings should have flat bottoms and flat fronts.Houses should have slanted or pointed tops.Scrub the rock clean.

2) Draw the design :- Use a pencil to sketch the door in the center of the rock.Draw square or rectangular windows on each side of the door so that the tops line up.Make a third window near the top.Draw two straight lines along the front,sides and the back for the roof.If Your rock is thick enough,add windows to the sides of the rock.

3) Paint the walls:- Your house may be any color you like.I painted the front,sides and back of  house with brown paint  leaving the doors , windows and roof unpainted.

4) Paint the roof :- Paint the roof but not the area under it , which is called the eaves.I painted my roof light green.
Other good color combinations are white walls with a dark green roof, light blue walls with a navy blue roof , yellow walls with a brown roof ,and red walls with a white roof.

5) Paint the windows:- Yellow windows make your house look cheerful and cozy.If your walls are yellow,paint the windows orange or a dark colour.Use your small brush and make the edges of the windows as straight as you can.

6) Paint the door :- Use a small brush and paint to neatly fill in the shape of the door ,keeping the edges smooth and straight. If there is a room ,add a doorstep below the door.

7) Paint the eaves:- Paint a yellow line under the roof for the eaves.

8) Add black outlines:- Use black paint and the skinny brush or a black marker to outline the door,windows ans doorstep.Make a cross in each window. Straight lines in the corners help make the house look square.

9) Paint Flowers:- Paint flower stems under each window with green colour.Let these lines dry and then add red flowers to the tops and middle of the stems.

Now your Rock House is Finished!

Source:- Painting on rocks for kids by Lin Wellford

Mehndi on my daughter's hands

Message Rocks ~ Rock Painting

Rocks can carry messages!I love rocks. My daughter also loves rocks very much.Rocks that are hand painted you can keep for yourself and place in strategic places to inspire you.That Painted Rocks with messages can be given to loved ones, friends, people you care for.

Amaze your Friends with special rocks painted just for them ! My Little Girl made this to give as a gift for her classmates on Valentines Day.She had fun writing her classmates names on rocks and giving them away.This is a fun project for kids, teens, and adults!

Materials  Needed :-

• Smooth clean stones
• Acrylic paint
• Paint Brushes
• Mod Podge (optional)
• Water
• Plastic Cup for Water

Instructions:-

1. Wash your rock to remove dirt. Dry it with a towel and then let it air-dry for 15 minutes.

2. Paint the rock with your desired colour. Let it dry  completely.Once that is dry, paint the rock with another layer. It gives a nice rich color that way.

4. Then turn the rock and paint it and keep it for drying.

5. Once your paint is dry you may wish to put a coat of Mod Podge on as a sealer.

6. So just go ahead and brush it on nice and thick...don't worry, it dries clear! Let them dry completely.

 7. Once everything is dry,You can start writing the message  you might like on your rocks...the sky is the limit just use your imagination! Let it dry completely.

You can write messages such as:

• Rock on
• You rock
• Love
• Hope
• Smile
• Laugh
• Hugs
• Cheers
• Thanks
• You can also write your Friends Names

Apple Collage

This is Quick to make and great fun for younger children. This apple collage is a great autumn craft. Your child will enjoy this easy apple collage craft.My daughter made this when she was in kindergarten.

You will need:

Scraps of red paper (tissue,construction paper, junk mail, wrapping, glazed paper etc)
Small scrap of green paper or green crayon /marker
Glue
Paper plate
Black marker/crayon
Pencil
White paper

Method:-

First take a white paper and draw apple in a plate.
Then take a red paper.Tear it into small pieces.
Paste them into the outline of the apple.
Cut out leaf and a stalk from the green paper and glue it OR color the leaf and the stem with green crayon or marker and the plate with appropriate colors.

Fingerprint Art

 
Materials Needed:-

* Paper
* Ink pad / Paints
* Markers

 Instructions:-

 # Roll your thumb over the ink pad or paint .
# Make a print by firmly pressing the inked thumb against the paper. Use different fingers to make prints of various sizes.
# Wash your hands and allow the prints to dry for a few minutes. Then draw funny faces or animals and other details on the prints.

Milk Carton Ginger Bread House

If you are looking for an easy gingerbread house to make with kids,in the classroom or at home then a milk carton gingerbread house is perfect for you.Milk carton gingerbread houses are easy for kids to make and fun to put together.This  Christmas craft allows kids to be hands on and involved from the very first step- no waiting around for mom or dad to complete the complicated prep.As your child's imagination is stimulated, his motor skills will receive a boost!Yesterday my daughter's class was having Christmas Party. There they made and decorated this no-bake Ginger bread house.

Materials Needed:-

Milk Carton
Graham crackers
Frosting / Icing
assorted candies
Small candies
M&M's
Gum drops
Red Hots
Peppermints
Candy canes
Pretzel Sticks
Mini Marshallows
Cherrios
Paper Plate
plastic knife
shredded coconut / coconut powder
News paper
Cookies
Sprinkles

How to build:-

# A few days before the activity, We rinse out the milk cartons and let them dry.Otherwise, a sour-milk will come out of milk carton.
# We used milk carton as the base of the house.
# First gather all needed materials and get organized before beginning to assemble milk carton gingerbread houses with your kids.
# Its best to have all of your candies ,pretzel sticks,cookies and gingerbread house decorations in individual
bowls or in a big paper plate separated each thing.
#If you are using homemade icing, prepare it ahead of time. Always cover homemade icing as it will dry out
quickly.
# Cover the tables where kids are going to make ginger bread houses with newspapers.
# Place a milk carton on a paper plate.
# Smear Frosting onto the side of your milk carton, covering all 6 sides.
# Stick on the graham crackers across the angled tops of the cartons to make the roof and 4 sides to make the walls and press firmly to attach.
# Using the frosting as a glue have kids decorate the gingerbread house with candies.
# Use green candy as shrubbery for the front of your house.
# You should have variety of candies on hand to use to decorate gingerbread houses. Look for unique candies.
# Sprinkle coconut powder / Shredded coconut all around the house as snow.
Be creative !Use your imaginations.If desired create detailed designs.

This is reaching Artsy Craftsy's  Edible Crafts  event and  Christmas Craft Event 2010 

Light Bulb Reindeer

Making a light bulb reindeer can be a project for the whole family to enjoy.This project can be great winter art project / Holiday Project for kids in the classroom.With a few simple craft supplies and some hot glue, you can make a reindeer.My daughter made this one with little bit help of me.
                  You might need to use tools that require adult supervision, such as hot glue gun and scissors. If so, these can be replaced by textile glue and safety scissors. Make sure you ask your parents or teachers help.

* Age Guideline: 6 Years and Up

* Time Required: 40 minutes (Does not include drying time)

Materials Needed:

* Light Bulb (You can use Burnt on Light bulb also)
* Newspaper
* Paint (Acrylic Paint brown)
* Ribbon
* 3/4-Inch Red Pom-Pom
* Craft Glue or Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
* Paint Brush
* Scissors
* Googly Eyes or black markers (to draw your own on)
* 2 glitter gold Pipecleaners

Instructions:

1. Cover the table with newspaper where kids are going to paint.

2. Place paint brushes, paint, Paper plate with brown acrylic paint.

3. Paint the light bulb with brown paint. Let the paint dry completely.

4. Paint lightbulb with a second coat and let dry completely for 2-3 hours.

5. Put a dots of hot glue and glue the googly eyes. Glue on the red, pom-pom nose.

6. Bend each pipecleaner in half, then bend and twist them to form two antlers as pictured, then hot glue the

antlers at the top.

7. Form a loop with a piece of ribbon, about 10- to 12-inches long and glue it on the top, back edge of your

reindeer head. This will be the hanger for your ornament.

Tip:-

1) You can also add jingle bells.Jingle bells are available at discount department stores and craft supply stores.
2) Save burnt out lightbulbs for these types of projects.


This goes to Christmas Craft Event 2010 

Fingerprint Garden

 What to do on a cold and rainy days ? How to keep our kids busy ?Get your paints and ink pads and start finger printing! Create a garden with bugs,butterflies and flowers.My daughter enjoyed doing this.

Materials needed:

construction paper ( We used white)
paints or ink pads
Newspapers to lay across the table
markers or crayons
Paper Plate or Plastic Palette
Small cup
Water
Tissue paper

How to make your Fingerprint Garden:

1) Cover the table with newspaper where kids are going to paint.
2) Take a tissue paper and small cup with water (for rinsing the hand).
3) The first thing is to take the light colored construction paper and a paper plate with a few colours on it.
4) Dab the thumb with the colours of your choice.
5) Print it on a construction paper as the butterfly's wings.
6) You also add in some flowers, leaves and the bees ,bugs  too with fingerprints.
7) Once it is all dried up ,draw some stripes and wings with markers to the bugs and bees.Draw antennas to the butterflies.
8) Draw few flowers also.Give final touch ups.
There is a  beautiful fingerprint garden with butterflies ,flowers,bugs and bees!

Fingerprint Flowers

Kids love to get messy, and allowing them to do so actually improves their motor skills and they will also have lot of fun.Allow kids to express their creativity with a finger-painting activity.My daughter made this beautiful flowers with her fingerprints.This idea can be used to make a beautiful greeting card also.

Materials needed:

construction paper ( We used white)
paints or ink pads
Newspapers to lay across the table
markers or crayons
Paper Plate or Plastic Palette
Small cup
Water
Tissue paper

 
How to make your Fingerprint Flowers:

1) Cover the table with newspaper where kids are going to paint.
2) Take a tissue paper and small cup with water (for rinsing the hand).
3) The first thing is to take the light colored construction paper and a paper plate with a few colours on it.
4) Let them dab their fingers into the paint and then put fingerprints on the paper. We can also use washable ink pads to do this, instead of paints.
5) They can make fingerprint flowers by arranging four or five or six prints in a petal formation.
6) After the paint dried we can add some final touches with markers.With the markers children can draw some stems for flowers.

Your cute fingerprint flowers are ready.

Rock Burger ~ Rock Painting

You can paint rocks to look like lots of different kinds of food. My daughter with little help of me made burger for her picnic table.My daughter enjoyed a lot painting the rock.This project is a good project for all age levels and the kids can feel really good about and use their imaginations to play with .We took this idea from the book "Painting on rocks for kids by Lin Wellford "

Materials Needed:-

Rock
Pencil
Palette or Paper Plate
Paint of your Choice
Paintbrushes
Water
Small Cup
White colored pencil
White Dimensional Paint (Optional)

How to Paint:-

1) Find a burger shaped rock. They can be big or small as you wish,but rock fits into your hand is perfect.Scrub the rock clean and let it dry.

2) Draw the bun lines:- Draw a line all around the rock, a little bit over the center.Make another line below the first line,leaving enough space for burger patty and toppings.

3) Paint the Pattie or meat :- Use your large or medium brush and brown paint to paint the meat or pattie,keeping the top and bottom edges as smooth and level as you can. Let the paint dry.

4) Mix Paint for the bun:- Use your brush to mix two drops of yellow ,one drop of white and one half drops of orange.Put a small brown on your palette and pick up a little on the tip of your brush. Add it to mix. Add touches of brown and white until the mixture is the colour of a bun.

5) Paint the bun :- Use your brush to cover the entire top half of the bun with the bun colour. when you are finished dont rinse your brush ,but use to mix the next colour.

6) Paint a tan ring and the bottom tan:- The bun should be lighter just above the meat. Mix a drop of two of white the paint left on your brush ot make a tan.Paint a narrow ring just above the meat.Use a dry brush to soften the edge where the two colors meet.paint hte bottom bun this tan colour too.

7)Add the fillings:-Use a white pencil to sketch half round tomato slice, cheese triangles ,ruffled edge of lettuce.

8) Paint a base coat for filling:- To help the fillings stand out, use brush with yellow to paint all the shapes you
just sketched.Leave a narrow ring of brown paint showing along the tops of the fillings.Make sure edge of the
lettuce looks wavy.

9)Paint the cheese , tomato and lettuce :- Use red paint to paint tomato slices and yellow paint to paint cheese
triangles.Paint lettuce leaves with pale green colour.( yellow + white + green).

10)Dot the top of the bun:- Use smallest brush and brown paint to paint small dark dots over the top of the
bun.Don't put any around sides.

11) Add sesame seeds:- You can paint the seeds with white paint or with white dimensional paint .Touch the tip of the bottle just off the center of each brown spot then lift up sideways.A rim of brown should show on one side.When; all seeds are painted let it dry for an hour.

Pumpkin Painting ~ Halloween Crafts

Children love Pumpkin Painting . Painting pumpkins can be fun and creative.It can be great activity for kids in School at Halloween time.

Materials Needed:-

* Pumpkins, preferably mini or medium size
* Newspapers to lay across the table
* Paint and paint brushes (Crayola kids paint / Acrylic Paints
* Paper plate or Plastic Palate
* Colourful feathers
* Colourful Yarn pieces
* Scissors
* Craft Glue
* Glitters
* Small Cups
* Water

Directions:-

1. Cover the table with newspaper where kids are going to paint.
2. Place paint brushes, paint, small cups with water (for rinsing brushes) and a pumpkin at each spot.
3. Allow the childern to paint.
4. After painting allow the paint to dry.
5) you can decorate pumpkins with colourful feathers ,glitters ,ribbons or yarn etc.

Some fun pumpkin painting tips are:-

1) Children can paint a goofy or creepy faces or they could make hand prints all over the pumpkin. They could even mix colors and make a "tye-dye" pumpkin, and after the paint dries then add eyes and a mouth on it.Let the paint dry for few minutes.After that you can decorate pumpkins with gluing colourful feathers or yarn etc.

2) Stenciled Pumpkin Designs- Online hundreds of pumpkin template designs are available. Kids can use a stencil to trace a pattern on the pumpkin. They can use colored permanent markers to draw patterns.

3) Glitter Pumpkins- You can also cover your pumpkins with a coating of glitter. You can use craft glue that dries clear.Paint the entire pumpkin with glue. While the glue is wet, sprinkle your favorite colored glitter over the pumpkin. Let it dry for an hour and shake off the excess sprinkles.

4) You can also Try tracing and coloring in simple black silhouettes like bats, cats and spiders for more dramatic effect.


5) If displaying the pumpkins outside, be sure they sit beneath a covered area if washable paint was used.

Fingerprint Tree

Here's a really fun fingerprint activity. This fingerprint tree is a fantastic craft to do with toddlers or preschoolers.

You will need:

construction paper ( I used white)
paints or ink pads
markers or crayons

How to make your Fingerprint Tree Craft:

The first thing is to take the light colored construction paper and let the children draw a tree trunk with the brown marker or crayon.. (Younger children may need help drawing the trunk.) Then You are going to let them use their fingerprints to make leaves. We used washable ink pads to do this, but you can also use paints.

Use green ink on the child's thumb to make as many leaves as the child wants. After that dried I added some final touches with markers. I think it turned out pretty cute.

Handmade Diwali Greeting Cards

Diwali is a festival of lights.Diwali involves the lightning of small clay lamps (diyas) filled with  oil  to symbolize good winning over evil. At night, fireworks light up the sky for the celebration. You can use this light theme to create some beautiful Diwali greeting cards to share with your friends and family during this festive season.My daughter made this greeting cards for her  grandparents.

Materials Needed:-

# Plain card stock
# Colored Papers
# Scissors
# Pencil
# Glue stick
# Letter stickers
# Glitter glue pens
# Markers
# Crayons
# Kundan / Rhine stones

How to Prepare:-

1) Cut and fold a plain card stock to the size card you want to make.

2) Use a pencil to draw a light outline of a diya, a small, round, bowl-shaped oil burning lamp . Above the diya, draw a flame in the shape of a teardrop.

3) Use letter stickers or die cuts to spell out "Happy Diwali" across the top of the card or Write a Diwali greeting across the bottom of the card cover with your glitter glue. Allow the glue to dry.

4)  Decorate the Diya with markers ,Crayons, Glitter glue ,Glitters ,Rhine stones etc.

5) Print your message for the inside of the card on a light-colored piece of paper. Cut it to fit the inside of the card and glue it to the card stock.

This is reaching Mindful Meanderings Atsy-Craftsy-November Diwali Craft

Diya Decorations

Diwali is also called as "Deepavali".Deepavali means row of lights.Diwali is the festival of lights .Diwali involves the lighting of small clay lamps (diyas) or Deep filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil.Diyas are one of the most significant of Diwali decorations and are lit to worship the gods and goddesses. People light up their houses and shops.Beautiful colorful diyas or earthen lamps of all shapes and sizes are available in the markets during diwali time. . .These Diyas are used for decorating the entire home and premises during all the five days of diwali festival.The Diyas are filled with ghee or oil. They act as fuel for the diya and a wick, usually made of cotton, is adjusted in the diya.

Here are some tips to decorate Diyas /Deep / Deepak :-

1) Just get the plain earthen lamp diyas from the market and decorate them.
2) Make your diyas look more beautiful by coloring them with different colors.
3) Paint the ordinary diyas with acrylic colors or poster colors or terracotta colours.
4) You can also paint diyas with 3-D colours.
5) You can paint the diyas and when paint is wet that time only you can sprinkle some glitters.
6) Decorate diyas with some small decorative shells, beads, sequins, glass pieces, mirrors ,golden laces, zaris ,bindis ,glitters and stick them on the edge of the diyas.
So paint the Diyas and light them around your house. The diyas on which you have done your decorations look more beautiful and stunning as you light them up.

Here are the some diyas decorated for you. :-)

Decorated with beautiful stars and kundan flowers. My friends liked it very much.

Have painted these diyas with blue and white color . Have done simple tikali work on it.

Diya decorated with terracotta paint and glitters look very beautiful.

 

So try out and decorate your house this Diwali with beautiful homemade decorative diyas. :-)

This is reaching Mindful Meanderings Artsy-Craftsy-November Diwali Craft

Tips for Rock Painting.

1) The rocks which are smooth are good for painting.The rocks which are tumbled in water such as in a river , creek ,streams,beaches and lakes are the easiest to paint.You can also use chunky rocks and pieces of field stone as long as the sides are not too rough.

2)  Always scrub your rocks before painting.Paint won't stick to a dirty rock.

3)  Never let paint dry on your brushes.

4)  You will need plastic plate or paper plate to mix the colours.

5)  Pour paint in little about the size of your thumbnail.Big  dry up before you can use them.

6)  Wear old clothes and push up your sleeves when you paint.

7)  Spread newspaper over your work area.You can wipe your brush and make test strokes on it.Also slow down a spill if you tip over your water.

8) If you make a mistake ,just wipe off the paint before it dries or let it dry and then paint over it.

9) If your painted rocks will be just for decoration indoors ,the kind of paint you use doesn't matter. If your rocks are going to be used outside then you should use outdoor acrylic paint.

10) You can use acrylic floor wax for making the rocks shiny.