Easter Printables

Over on the Sketchables this week we are sharing Easter Printables.

First I created a memory card game with an Easter Egg Hunt theme.  I miss hunting for Easter Eggs - my teenagers are long passed that tradition and we don't have many small ones in our family - everyone is growing up. I still dye eggs, sometimes the teens join me.  Teens are funny, they don't want to be treated like kids but there is something comforting about holding on to those childhood traditions.  

And since I had all these fun icons from the card game I decided to design some cute little cupcake toppers too. Hmm, vanilla bean cupcakes.  My only regret - no jelly beans to include in this photo.

Download the printable Egg Hunt Memory Game here and the cupcake toppers here.

Hugs and Kisses Necklace: A Valetine Project for Families

Here is a fun project you can do with the kids tomorrow after school or anytime really - we need hugs and kisses year round!

Supplies:
white polymer clay
small letter rubber stamps
toothpick or thick wire
liquid acrylic paint
paint brush
paper towels
7.5 mm jump ring
18" chain or ribbon
flat nose pliers

Skill Level: Easy
Recommend Age: 7 & up

All supplies can be found at your local craft store.

Directions:
1. Roll a large pea-sized piece of clay into a ball.
2. Flatten the ball with your finger slightly, turn it over and flatten more.  Do this 2-3 times until your charm is about 1/4" thick. (2b) Don't worry about being picky about the sizes.  *See the note below if you are working with younger kids.
3. Gently stamp the letters into the clay.
4. Pick a hole at the top of the charm with a toothpick or thick wire. Bake according to the manufacturer's directions and let cool completely.
5. Brush on a coat of paint and rub off the excess with a paper towel. (5b)  The darker color will stay in the stamped area and paint will stain the over clay a pretty light color.
6. Open the jump ring with the pliers and your finger by pushing the jump ring open. Always open jump rings by pushing them away or toward you.(6b)  Don't open them by pulling them apart.  Slip the jump ring through the charm (6c) and close the jump ring.(6d)
7. String the chain through the jump ring.

Safety Tips:
Polymer clay is safe for kids, but I recommend following a few safety tips.

• Cover the table with plain paper.  Clay can ruin furniture surfaces, so don't let it sit on your dining room table! 
• Bake the clay according to the directions on the package and do not burn it. 
• Use a disposable tin pan to bake your clay or a pan that will be for the clay only.  Do not use kitchen items for food once they are used with the clay.
• Wash hands after working with the clay.

*If you are working with younger kids, work a little larger - it's easy for small hands to work with bigger and thicker pieces.  If the piece is really thick skip the jump ring and tie ribbon or yarn through the hole to make a necklace.

Design Tips:
Use letter stamps to create initial necklaces - perfect for slumber or birthday parties!

Try using automotive sandpaper in 800 grit to rub off some of the paint for a different look, like the example on the right.

Winter Scene

This is a small print that I created to stamp on shrink plastic.  You remember Shrinky Dinks, right?  Well I wanted to create a series of pendants using my images.  Can't say I love them, but I do see some possible ornaments in the future using the shrink plastic and rubber stamps.  Fun stuff!  My daughter quickly talked me out of a sheet and we enjoyed watching it curl and shrink in the oven with our creative efforts. 

The image is from a trip home to Michigan last year and joy upon joy, there was snow!  I have to say, I do miss the chill and the frost.  There is magic in a wintery holiday. 

Let's Get Crafty!

You may not know that I'm a well published designer in the jewelry/bead magazine world.  In fact, I have a jewelry how-to book proposal out in the publishing world at the moment awaiting it's fate.  (Fingers crossed, knock on wood.) 

I've had the idea for a kid's craft book in the back of mind for a while and have often been told I should write one. Something just clicked this week and I ended up writing up the outline and possible projects for one.  Yeah!    So while I work on sending out submissions and marketing my work, I will sneak in a few minutes here and there to work on this project too.  Fortunately after a few years of publishing credits, writing crafty directions is as easy as pie. 

So here is tip for illustrators, want work but don't have art directors beating down your door just yet?  Create your own!  If you aren't up for writing a book, kids magazines are always looking for illustrated puzzles & games.