Category: DIY

10 Days of Harry Potter: Personalized Owl Craft

Are you looking for inspiration for Harry Potter themed crafts to celebrate his birthday on July 31st? Create an owl or other animal from felt cut-outs.

At Hogwarts, you can bring an animal. As J.K. Rowling’s character Hagrid states, “Tell, yeh what, I’ll get your animal. Not a toad, toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh’d be laughed at-an, I don’t like cats, they make me sneeze. I’ll get yer owl. All the kids want owls, they’re dead useful. carry yer mail an everything.'” (Rowling, 1998). So what would you bring?

Felt Owl Craft

The felt owl craft is an easy project. With a little assistance, even the youngest family members can create a personalized felt owl.

Material Needed:

  • Pre-cut felt animal shapes or felt to cut (Note: the pre-cut owl shapes are stiffer which makes gluing items on the material easier)
  • Googly eyes
  • Feathers
  • Yarn pieces
  • Material scraps
  • Tacky glue
  • Sequins
  • Paint or permanent markers
  • Pom-pons
  • Pipe cleaners
  1. Gather your desired materials.
  2. Create your personalized owl by gluing desired materials on to the felt cut-out.
  3. Allow your pet creation to dry for at least 24-hours.
  4. Display proudly.

Creating one-of-a-kind owls or other animals is the best part of this easy Harry Potter inspired craft.

 

 

Reference:

Rowling, J. K. (1998). Harry Potter and the sorcerer’s stone. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books

 

Celebrating Christmas in July

Social distancing, the news, and other regular commitments add stress and worry to daily living. Taking the time to celebrate whimsical, unofficial holidays gives you a chance to relax. Celebrating Christmas in July is all about having fun in the middle of summer. A small taste of Christmas bliss may be an added blessing.

The history of celebrating Christmas in July seems unclear with different versions of the beginning. For the most part, the origin of the unofficial celebration began at a Keystone Camp in 1933 in Brevard, North Carolina. The two-day event, July 24 and 25, had all the holiday trimmings, including Santa Claus (Milbrand, 2020). Over time, Christmas in July has grown to include marketing campaigns, festivals, movies, and much more.

How to Celebrate Christmas in July

Celebrating Christmas in July can be a smaller version of your regular holiday activities. Do you need some inspiration on how to celebrate Christmas in July? Check out the following.

  • Watch Movies: Enjoy your seasonal favorites twice a year. Watch Christmas movies or cartoons, Make the activity part of your regular family night.
  • Elf on the Shelf: Is the Elf on the Shelf part of your holiday celebration? Bring him or her out as a mid-year check-in.
  • Bake: Make seasonal holiday treats. Christmas cookies are a great addition to family night.
  • Send Cards: No, they do not need to be Christmas cards, just the sentiment of thinking of you and wishing you well.
  • Decorate: Include some holiday decorations to celebrate Christmas in July. You can either pull out all of your Christmas decorations or hang a few twinkle lights as a more subtle way to celebrate.
  • Family Meal: Make the traditional Christmas family meal or host a BBQ to enjoy the summer season.
  • Do Crafts: Make wreaths, ornaments, or other seasonal items. The best part, put these items away to decorate at Christmas.
  • Exchange Gifts: When giving gifts as part of your Christmas in July celebrations, think stocking stuffers. Small, inexpensive gifts for your child to use. Also, do not forget the dog.

Celebrating Christmas in July provides you with a chance to prepare for the holiday season. Use the mid-summer celebration as a template of the activities you want to do at Christmas time.

 

Reference:

Milbrand, Lisa. (2020). https://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/holidays/christmas-in-july

Art Ideas: Collages

When making a collage, there is no set pattern to follow. Every art collage is unique with various materials. Yes, you can make up theme collages. For instance, make a collage with all red items or one with nothing but pictures of your favorite animals. Still, each collage is a personal piece of art.

Collage Base

The base of the collage is simply the area where you glue your various objects. Everyday school glue works well for collage art projects. You can use regular glue, glitter glue or glow in the dark glue to add special touches to your art

Now, the base can be a plain piece of paper or any of the following.

  • Cardboard box
  • Shoebox
  • Small wooden box
  • Piece of wood
  • Egg cartons
  • Posterboard (use different sizes or colors)
  • Card stock
  • Canvas

The choice of the base is completely up to you.

Collage Material

Finding items to glue on to your base is easy. In fact, many things are probably in your home right now.

Check out the following list below to find the perfect combination for your next collage project.

  • Yarn pieces
  • Feathers
  • Pipe cleaner pieces
  • Sequins
  • Beads
  • Fabric pieces
  • Confetti
  • Geometric shapes from fabric or construction paper
  • Beans
  • Noodles
  • Cereal
  • Rice
  • Egg or nutshells
  • Pieces of ribbon
  • Toothpicks
  • Foil pieces or strips
  • Buttons
  • Straw pieces
  • Leaves
  • Burlap pieces
  • Ric-rac
  • Small seashells
  • Cotton balls
  • Pompons
  • Stickers
  • Magazine pictures
  • Pieces of corrugated cardboard
  • Used stamps

Are you ready to start your collage project? Are you going to have a theme? Or simply begin gluing items on a base?

 

Art Ideas: Painting

Are you looking for art ideas to keep your children busy? Finding different projects are a perfect way to keep your children busy during rainy days, social distancing, and self-isolation. Art is an endless activity. One of the most accessible art projects to implement is painting. With a little creative twist, different painting activities can keep the boredom away.

Painting

Painting goes beyond simply applying paint with a brush on canvas or paper. Check out these other ideas for painting.

  • Texture Paint: Adding sand or sawdust to small amounts of paint creates texture paint. The difference in textures is a great learning tool for implementing a unique art medium.
  • Finger Paint: Use your fingers to create art. Finger painting is a fun way to create pictures. Finger paint on newspaper, magazines, canvas, poster board, or paper. Each provides different results.
  • Sponge Painting: Cut a sponge or two up into multiple size pieces or shapes. Dip the sponge in the paint to create different results.
  • String Painting: Dip string or yarn into the paint, place on paper, fold the paper in tow, then pull the string through the folded paper. The results are different every time.
  • Diluted Paint Art: Color a picture with crayons. Press hard with the crayons to apply a thick layer. Then, dilute your desired paint color with a little water and paint your entire picture. Another variation of diluted painting starts with a piece of black construction paper. Use light-colored crayons to create an image. Then, dilute white paint to finalize the project.
  • Marble Painting: Place a piece of paper on a tray or cookie sheet with sides. Dip your marbles in the desired colored paint. Place a marble on paper, gently lift the sides of the try from side to side. Your marble will create tracks with paint. Using more marbles with various colors creates a wide range of results.
  • Pot Scrubby Painting: A pot scrubby is generally a wire mesh used to wash pots and pans. The pot scrubby can come with a wooden handle, but most are just a bunch of wire. Dip the pot scrubby in paint and apply it to paper. The results will vary depending on the thickness of your scrubby.
  • Cloth Painting: Remnants from your favorite craft outlet work great for this project or a plain old t-shirt. Cut your desired amount of cloth for the project. Secure the piece of fabric with an embroidery hoop or tape to a flat surface. Next, paint a picture on the fabric. Remember, cloth paintings usually take longer to dry.
  • Nature Art: When out for a walk, collect rocks, sticks, leaves, or acorns. If you do not live near a wooded area, you can purchase rocks at your local dollar store. Next, paint on the items from your nature walk.

Painting is a fun way to pass the time. Indulging in art expands the imagination, vocabulary, fine motor, and social skills. Now the tough question, what project are you going to do first?

How to Celebrate Make Up Your Own Holiday Day

Did you know today, March 26, is Make Up Your Own Holiday day? The holiday is perfect for entertaining children at home. The best part, there is no right or wrong answer to the celebration.

Ways to Celebrate Make Up Your Own Holiday Day

Get the entire family to participate. Ask questions. Enjoy your quality time. Do you need some inspiration? Check out the list below.

Food

Turn mealtime into a celebration. For example, a simple pasta dinner can quickly turn into a spaghetti celebration.

  • Placemats: Get creative. Make placemats out of construction paper or draw designs on plain notebook paper.
  • Decorations: Ask your children to draw or create decorations for the special holiday. Make a centerpiece for the table.
  • Create the Mood: Use your Christmas or special plate settings. Cut around the edges of paper plates to make distinctive designs.
  • Add a Treat: Bake a special dessert. Yes, cookies count.

Animal

Pick an animal to celebrate for the Make Up Your Own Holiday day. A wild animal, an ocean dweller, stuffed animal, or your favorite pet can be part of the celebration.

  • Draw: Use crayons or markers to draw a picture of the animal. Drawing is a great way to expand your child’s imagination. (Yes, you can draw too.)
  • Paint: Use watercolors, acrylics, or make your own paint to create a picture.
  • Story Time: Ask your child to write a story about the animal. If your child is young, write the story down.
  • Research: If celebrating a wild animal or a dinosaur, spend some time researching. Where does the animal live? How big does the animal get? What does the animal eat? Each answer is a great way to learn.

Place

Celebrate a place. The location can be anywhere in the world, outer space, fictional lands, or entirely imaginary.

  • Real Places: Learn about a different country. Base your evening meal on the country’s culture. Get creative. Do crafts about the country. Or simply just research and learn.
  • Outer Space: Learn about the planets, moon, black holes, or the stars.
  • Fictional Worlds: Celebrate the fictional places in your child’s favorite book or movie. For example, J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone introduce the reader to Hogsmeade. The fictional village is a perfect fictional location to celebrate Make Up Your Own Holiday day.

Movie or Book

Create a celebration focusing on a film or book. How many times have you watched the movies Frozen or Frozen 2? Or how many times have you or your family members read the Harry Potter series? Books and films are a fantastic resource to make up an unofficial holiday. The celebration can be as simple as watching a movie. Or elaborate as turning the entire day into craft activities, food, and fun.

Remember celebrating Make Up Your Own Holiday can be an excellent way to entertain your family while at home.

Family Night: New Year’s Eve

Are you staying home with your family on New Year’s Eve? Use the evening for quality time, host a family night. An impromptu family fun night will turn your New Year’s Eve into a lasting memory.

Ideas for Your New Year’s Eve Family Night

Not only does this New Year’s Eve ring in a new year, but it also brings a new decade. Celebrating with your family is a perfect way to usher in the new year.

Food

Party food is essential but does not need to be elaborate.

    • Pizza: Order pizza. Or make homemade pizzas to fit everyone’s exact tastes.
    • Finger Food: Make finger sandwiches. Even peanut butter and jelly sandwiches cut into fours is an excellent treat for New Year’s Eve.
    • Sweets: Bake cookies or brownies.
    • Celebration Cake: Make a 2020 cake. The cake does not need to be fancy. A simple cake with white frosting and 2020 in writing does the trick.
    • Ice Cream: Create a sundae bar. A gallon of ice cream, different toppings, and whipped cream make a simple sundae bar for the entire family to enjoy.

Drinks

Serve different family drinks for the evening activities. Of course, water should always be on the menu. But consider sparkling cider or punch for a midnight toast. Homemade hot cocoa is another delicious idea to add to the celebration.

Activities

Plan different activities leading up to midnight.

  • Games: Play board or card games. Sitting together and talking is great for quality family time.
  • Do Crafts: Make paper crowns or hats for the New Year’s Eve celebration. Create themed decorations or art.
  • Movies: Binge-watch your favorite movie or series until midnight.
  • Scavenger Hunt: Hide clues throughout your home to lead to a final treasure.

Making Memories

The best part about spending New Year’s Eve at home is making lasting memories.

  • Photo Booth: Create a photo area. Use a blanket, sheet, shower curtain, or large piece of material for a backdrop. Place different props out. The accessories can be homemade. Make a point to take pictures every hour leading up to midnight.
  • Time Capsule: Create a time capsule. Ask your family or friends questions. For example, what do you want to do when you grow up? The question is simple. But when opening the time capsule, you may find the answer amusing or inspiring.
  • Make Memory Cards: Index cards work well for this type of activity. Ask each of your family members to write out favorite moments in 2019. You may need to help younger children. Encourage drawing. Each card is a perfect addition to a scrapbook or photo album.

Regardless of how you celebrate, enjoy the evening with your family. You only get to ring in 2020 once in your lifetime.

Simple Christmas Stockings for Your Dog

Dogs are an essential part of any home. Millions of pet owners treat their four-legged companions as part of the family. Including all of your pets in various activities is a normal part of celebrating. The Christmas season is no exception to the rule.  Dogs and other pets get holiday gifts, Christmas attire, and much more.

When we begin decorating, Christmas stockings are part of the holiday decor. Including your dogs in every aspect of the Christmas season is fun. Placing Christmas stockings for your dogs does not need to be a costly addition to your decorating budget.

Decorating Christmas Stockings for Your Dogs

Start by gathering the necessary materials. Remember, these stockings are for your dogs. You know the best stocking to fit their personalities.

The stockings do not require a lot of items to make.

  • Christmas Stocking of your choice. (Note: I found mine at the Dollar Tree. The price was great. The dog on the front was perfect for this simple craft. They also carry cat ones if anyone wants to make a Christmas stocking for their beloved cats.)

  • Glitter Glue or Fabric Paint
I found this glitter glue at Wal-Mart

Next, simply start outlining the stocking’s features with the glitter glue. Use the glue to write your dogs’ names on each of the stockings.

Outlining the stocking with glitter glue. Use thick lines.

Let dry overnight. Then, hang the stockings as part of your Christmas decor.

 

Going Back to Hogwarts

“Whether you come back by page or big screen,

Hogwarts will always be there to

welcome you home”

~J.K. Rowling

For fans of the beloved J.K Rowling’s Harry Potter series, September 1st represents going back to Hogwarts. Celebrating the return to Hogwarts can be fun with the following activities for you, your family and friends to enjoy.

Host a Craft and Activity Day

Gather your family or friends and enjoy a craft day. Creating Harry Potter inspired crafts is easy with the help of Pinterest or Internet search.

Searching for activities, you can make a wide range of crafts including:

Make a wand with wooden craft sticks, hot glue, and paint.
  • Make a wand
  • Holiday ornaments
  • Coloring pages
  • Owl crafts
  • Create potions
  • Suncatchers

    Melt pony beads on old pizza pans to create large Harry Potter inspired sun catchers.

Harry Potter Inspired Recipes

Create a Harry Potter inspired meal, beverage, or snack. Search Pinterest, some of the recipes include:

  • Butterbeer
  • Pumpkin Pasties
  • Pumpkin Juice
  • Chocolate Frogs

Listen or Read Harry Potter

Simply spend the day relaxing. Spending a day immersed in the Wizarding World, listen or read your favorite Harry Potter book.

Host a Movie Marathon

Call your friends to watch your favorite Harry Potter movie or host a family movie marathon.

For Harry Potter fans, celebrating the day is like visiting an old friend. Consider doing one or combination of activities to enjoy the day.

Boredom Busters: Creating a Summer Bucket List

School’s out! Now, what is the first thing you hear –“I’m bored.” Consider creating a summer bucket list with your children to help chase away the boredom. Keep in mind, the list should be ideas you are willing or able to do.

Creating the Bucket List

Make the summer bucket list a family project. Use a notebook or purchase a poster board to write out your ideas. Consider using a different colored marker for each child. Allow each family member to come up with different activities. Of course, younger children may need help with the writing part of the project.

Summer Bucket List Ideas

Summer bucket lists can be simple everyday items to planned vacation adventures. The choice is up to you.

  • Have a bonfire
  • Make S’mores
  • Have a water balloon fight
  • Go to the zoo
  • Ride in a canoe
  • Have a slumber party
  • Get an ice cream cone
  • Go hiking
  • Have a pool party
  • Sleep in a tent
  • Listen to music in the park
  • Go to an amusement park
  • Go to the library
  • Volunteer
  • Ride a roller coaster
  • Go for a bike ride
  • Go skateboarding
  • Make root beer floats
  • Bake cookies
  • Paint rocks
  • Have an arts and crafts day
  • Have a Harry Potter movie marathon
  • Pick strawberries
  • Go to a lake
  • Go for a walk
  • Make art with sidewalk chalk
  • Go swimming
  • Visit grandma and grandpa
  • Day road trips
  • Visit an art gallery
  • Go to a museum
  • Go to a sporting event
  • Go to a splash park
  • Go to a fair or festival
  • Make homemade popsicles
  • Make a fort
  • Go fishing
  • Go to petting zoo or local farm
  • Have a family game night
  • Cook a meal together
  • Take swimming lessons

If you are uncertain on the type of activities, become a tourist in your town or surrounding towns. Use an Internet search. Local activities often get overlooked. Providing you a chance to join in on the fun on a weekly basis, community activities are free or minimal costs to participate.

National Scrapbook Day

Every year, the first Saturday of May is dedicated to the creative world of scrapbooking. National Scrapbook Day or National Scrapbooking Day is a celebration about preserving memories, family trees, parties and normal everyday life. The only limit is your own imagination. A scrapbook can be as lavish or simple.

Supplies for Scrapbooking

Scrapbooking supplies can basically be a wide range of material. Finding your likes and dislikes may take some trial and error. If you are first starting out and uncertain where to start, consider purchasing a scrapbook kit. Generally, a kit will contain the basic supplies to get you started. Or simply stop at your local craft store and pick out whatever catches your eye.

Some of the basic scrapbooking material may include:

  • Scrapbooks, Extra Pages
  • Markers, Pens, Pencils, Crayons
  • Crafter’s Tape, Adhesive Squares, Designer or Washi Tape
  • Clear Glue, Glitter Glue, Glue Sticks
  • Die Cut Embellishments, Die Cut Machine
  • Stickers
  • Scissors or Decorative Edge Scissors
  • Rubber Stamps and Ink
  • Designer Paper or Card Stock
  • Designer Envelopes
  • Newspaper Clippings
  • Photos
  • Artwork

Scrapbooking Themes

Creating scrapbook pages or albums may be difficult in the beginning. The themes are endless.

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

  • School Events, School Year, First or Last Day of School, Day Care
  • Sporting Events, Practice, Game Day
  • Anniversary, Engagements, Weddings,
  • Birthdays
  • Baby Showers
  • Birth of a Child
  • Church Events
  • Getting a New Pet, Celebrating Your Pet’s Birthday or Holiday
  • Holidays
  • Vacations
  • Rainy or Sunny Days
  • Day In Your Life
  • Movie or Game Night
  • Changing Seasons
  • Family History
  • Parties
  • Swimming Pool Fun or Lessons

Celebrating Scrapbooking Day

Are you wondering how to celebrate scrapbooking day? Here are a few ideas to celebrate the unofficial holiday.

  • Do Something: Scrapbooking is all about capturing the moment. Go to the park, a local event, outdoor concert, or trip to the farmer’s market.
  • Do a Photo Session: Create a scene or go outdoors to take pictures of your children, partner, friends or pets. Use the photos as part of your next scrapbook.
  • Go to the Craft Store: Find the perfect items for your next scrapbook.
  • Give as Gift: Purchase a scrapbooking kit for a friend, give one to each of your children to record summer fun, or provide one for a family member.
  • Host a Party: Throw an impromptu gathering. As friends or family members over to share afternoon tea and create scrapbook pages.
  • Family Time: Creating a scrapbook is the perfect way to get your family involved. During the creative process, ask your children the best part of the event. Recording answers may provide you with a long-term memory.
  • Share Ideas: Show off your creative side on social media.

Scrapbooking is fun and easy to create. The end result of the creative endeavor is a lasting treasure.