Button Rings!

 
Do you have buttons lying around your house? Button rings are a great craft to make with the kids for themselves, for the dress-up box, or for Christmas presents!
For full directions, follow this link: http://www.pinkstripeysocks.com/2014/10/button-pipe-cleaner-rings-kids-craft.html

Dried Orange Peel and Pinecone Decor!

  It's lovely to have some unique decorations as the holidays are fast approaching! Not only can these be decorations for your abode, but they could also be used as gifts. The garland can be made as a mobile for a lovely gift!

Full directions are just a click away: http://www.krokotak.com/2014/07/dried-orange-peel-decor/

Fold-A-Fir!

Decorating for Christmas? These little origami trees have a lot of steps, but the pictures following each step makes it easy to create lots of them in any size you like! Make one or many for decorating windowsills, desktops, and more!



Click the link for full instructions on how to make your own! : http://krokotak.com/2013/11/fold-a-fir-tree/

3D Snowman

Has it snowed where you live yet? It’s getting pretty cold! If there happens to be no snow or if it’s way too cold to go outside you can make a really “cool” snowman inside the house. To make this snowman you have to cut out lots of circles and then attach them in a special way that makes the snowman 3D! 
Click the link for the full tutorial: http://savedbylovecreations.com/2011/12/3d-snowman-framed-art.html

 

Lego Stamped Indian Corn

Do you have some Lego sets that are broken and missing pieces? You can use those extra pieces you now have as stamps! How about some Indian corn? You know those ears of corn with colorful kernels that people use for fall decorations? 

Follow the link for a tutorial on how to make festive Indian corn stamped with Legos!: http://www.craftymorning.com/lego-stamped-indian-corn-craft-kids/

Colorful Turkey Glove

Here is a fun way to make a turkey out of the shape of a hand without having to put messy paint all over your fingers. All you need is a clear rubber glove, some cereal, and just a few other things. Yes, you use cereal! 

You can eat this turkey once you finish (or during) the craft! Click the link to see how to make one!:  http://momitforward.com/colorful-glove-turkey

Pipe Cleaner Chameleon

Have you ever wanted a pet lizard but nobody will let you get one? You can make a really snazzy looking chameleon out of pipe cleaners and your parents will love this one! It can’t get out of it’s cage, make a mess, and hide under the couch! Plus, this one does not eat bugs!!   

Even though this chameleon can’t change awesome colors, it still would look cool in your room hanging onto a picture frame or on a stick on your windowsill. Click the link for a full tutorial on how to make your own Pipe Cleaner Chameleon:

http://www.marthastewart.com/266158/pipe-cleaner-creatures?center=276975&gallery=274507&slide=266158

Paper Dinosaur Hat

Trick or Treat is just three nights away! Do you already have your costume? How about a dinosaur? If you're still not sure what you want to be for Halloween just click on the link at the end of this post to find out how to make a dinosaur hat with spikes that go down your back!

  Paper Dinosaur Hat Tutorial

Leaf Rubbing Tree

Here is a fun indoor fall tree that you use real leaves for! This colorful creation would be a great addition to your window sill so you can see beautiful leaves even after all the trees outside are bare! Follow the link for a tutorial: Leaf Rubbing Tree

Yarn Pumpkin

Did you know you can make pumpkins out of yarn? You won't need many supplies to make these fun, festive decorations and you can use them every single Fall for years to come!Just click the link for the tutorial to get started! Yarn Pumpkin Tutorial

Fall Leaf Garland

Do you have lots of leaves in your yard yet? Fall leaves are so much fun to collect so you can look at all the bright colors! You can decorate your room, or any room in your house with a fall leaf garland and bring the best leaves inside to enjoy! Click the link below for a full tutorial!

Fall Leaf Garland

Autumn Jigsaw Puzzle Tree

The season of Autumn has officially begun! Have you noticed the days getting shorter and the weather getting colder? The leaves on the trees are starting to change color too. The leaves that were green in the spring and summer are turning red, yellow, orange, and brown. Click the link to a tutorial on how to make a craft that uses puzzle pieces for the tree's leaves!

Autumn Jigsaw Puzzle Tree

Sponge Ball Splatter Paint

Did you make the sponge ball craft that was posted on the blog in August? If you did, you can use those sponge balls for this craft. If you didn't already make your own sponge balls, there are directions in this tutorial as well. It's pretty awesome that something you used to help cool you down in the summer can be used in the fall to have some fun making a crazy looking painting! Just follow the link for a full tutorial! Sponge Ball Splatter Paint

Marble Painting

Have you been looking at a lot of plain or lined white paper for your homework the past few weeks? did you know you can use marbles to create brightly colored designs on a piece of oak tag? Make yourself a few sheets of marble painted paper and use them during your free time to draw on, write a poem on, or whatever you think would look awesome! These paintings look so cool, you could even just hang them in your room without adding to them!

Follow the link for a full tutorial! Marble Painting Tutorial

Chocolate Pencil

Most of you are back in the swing of things at school. Wouldn't it be fun to have a chocolate pick-me-up at snack, lunch, or when you get home in the afternoon? You can make these chocolate pencils ahead of time and share them with friends for a fun treat!

Click the link to see how make a delicious chocolate pencil!: Chocolate Pencil Craft

Constellation Flashlight

It's been getting dark out a little earlier each night ever since June 22nd. Sometimes, even though it's dark out, you can't see the stars because it's too cloudy. You can make your own constellations inside with some construction paper and a flash light! Just click the link for a full tutorial on how to make your Constellation Flashlight!: Constellation Flashlight Tutorial

Recycled Soda Bottle Apples

School is starting again very soon! Wow, summer went by so fast! If you need a neat little container to hold your school supplies you can make one that looks like an apple. It almost looks good enough to eat!
Click the link for a full tutorial: Recycled Soda Bottle Apples

Bubble Prints

Did you know that you can make your own stationery with leftover bubbles that you may have? It's really easy to do and you only need a few household ingredients!
Just click the link for a full tutorial on how to make your own bubble printed paper!
Bubble Prints

Sponge Ball

Want a really fun way to cool off in the summer heat? Make these Sponge Balls for some soaking wet fun with your friends! The great thing about these is that you can use them over and over again because they don't pop like water balloons!!

Sponge Ball Tutorial

Jester's Hat

Have you been reading the Jester's Joke each week during our Summer Reading Program? Jesters did more than tell jokes during Medieval times they had many different talents and would entertain at royal parties.
 Follow the link for full tutorial on how to make your own jester's hat:Jester's Hat Tutorial

Fire Breathing Dragon

A fire breathing dragon?!?!  Okay, okay, this dragon doesn't breathe real fire, but it does look pretty awesome and is a lot of fun to pretend with! Click the link for a full tutorial on how to make your own fire breathing dragon!: Fire Breathing Dragon Tutorial

Herald's Bugle

How would you like to be a Medieval Herald? Back in Medieval times many people did not attend school and never learned how to read. Even if you could read, manuscripts were all hand written which took quite a long time to do and Gutenberg did not invent the printing press until the mid 1400s, nearly the end of the Medieval era, so a herald's job was very important!

A herald was appointed by the king to stand in the center of town and make special announcements to the whole kingdom! Often a herald is portrayed carrying a long horn or bugle. He would play a fanfare on his bugle for getting the attention of the King's subjects to announce important news or to announce the appearance of the king.
Click the link to make a Herald's Bugle of your own!: Herald's Bugle Tutorial

Marshmallow Catapult

We have been having so much fun during our Medieval themed Summer Reading Program. This morning we made marshmallow catapults!! They are pretty awesome! If you didn't get the chance to come to the library and make one, here are the instructions so you can make your own at home!

Marshmallow Catapult Tutorial

Firework Painting

The birthday of the U.S.A. is coming up on July 4th! Our country will be 238 years old! Are you going to go watch any fireworks to celebrate?  You can make some pretty neat looking fireworks with pipe cleaners. Follow the link for a full tutorial: Firework Painting

Knight's Robe

Did you hear about the Summer Reading Program at Rochester Public Library? This Summer our theme is Medieval Times. There are kings, queens, castles, dragons, and knights!! You can make your own knight's robe by just clicking on the link and following the tutorial!: How to Make a Knight's Robe

Pool Noodle Lightsaber

 Here is something easy to make and fun to play with especially when you have friends over during the day after school gets out! All you need to make these awesome lightsabers are a pool noodle and a few different types of tape that are easy to find at the hardware store or you may have around your house already! Click the link for a full tutorial on how to make your own!: Pool Noodle Lightsaber Tutorial

Spiral Art Pendulum Pen

A Spiral Art Pendulum Pen is something you can build with a grown-up and use outside during the summer! You can reuse it once you build it and make beautiful paintings for your friends and family! Just follow the link for the full tutorial!: Spiral Art Pendulum Pen Tutorial

Paper Plate Dream Catcher

Summer is just around the corner!! Will you get to sleep in during Summer vacation? Whether you sleep in or not, it would still be a lot of fun to make an awesome dream catcher like the ones in the picture! just follow the link for a tutorial on how to make your own! Paper Plate Dream Catcher Tutorial

Sharpie Tie Dye

Summer is almost here and school will be out in just a few weeks! Wouldn't it be fun to have a cool, new Summer shirt that you design all by yourself? There is a very fun way you can make a tie dye shirt by using a few things you may already have at home!
Check out the link for a full tutorial!: Sharpie Tie Dye by The Art Girl Jackie

Pour Painted Pots

If you still have flower seeds to plant here is a cool way to complement the colorful blooms that will grow. You can make a rainbow pour painted flower pot! If your flowers are growing outside you could always use this pour paint technique on a vase so your flowers will have an awesome looking place to get all the water they need after you pick them and bring them in.

Click the link for a full tutorial!: Pour Painted Flower Pots

Flower Printing with Liquid Watercolors

Beautiful flowers are blooming just about everywhere now! It's kind of sad that flowers don't last very long. You can enjoy the flowers for quite a while by making prints using watercolors!
Follow the link to see how it's done! Flower Printing with Liquid Watercolors

Rain Clouds in a Jar

Well, April showers are over with but it looks like May is still going to have quite a bit of rain. Rain Clouds in a Jar is more of an experiment than a craft, but a fun way to see sort of how clouds work! Follow the link for a full tutorial: Rain Clouds in a Jar Tutorial.

Spring Palette Scavenger Hunt

They say April showers bring May flowers. There are definitely a some tulips and daffodils that have bloomed already and lots of pretty, colorful buds! Now that nature is coming back to life it would be a lot of fun to spend some time outside and have this Spring Palette Scavenger Hunt!

Follow the link to see how to get your scavenger hunt started: Spring Palette Scavenger Hunt

Easter Egg Bird Feeder

If you just celebrated Easter on Sunday then you might have a lot of plastic eggs left over in your basket. Here is a really neat craft that you can use them up with, and it will help bring some pretty birds back to your yard so it starts to look and sound like Spring again!

Just click the link to go to a full tutorial: Easter Egg Bird Feeder Tutorial

Recycled Key Wind Chime

Spring is finally here! There have been a few gorgeous days outside, but every now and then a chilly breeze can catch you off guard without your coat. You can enjoy the breezes by making this wind chime out of some old keys!

Click the link for a full tutorial: Recycled Key Wind Chime

Walnut Bird's Nest

Now that it's starting to get warmer lots of birds have started flying back from the south. I've heard birds chirping in the morning already!! Have you?  Here is a fun tutorial that shows you how to make tiny little birds that fit into a walnut shell nest! click the link for the tutorial: How to Make a Walnut Bird's Nest

Salt Dough Dinosaur Fossils

Have you ever thought about becoming a paleontologist when you grow up so you can dig up HUGE dinosaur fossils? You can make some dinosaur fossils right in your own kitchen!! Click the link for a full tutorial: Salt Dough Fossil Tutorial

While you're waiting for your fossils to dry you could stop by the library and check out our new book Fossil by Bill Thomson!

Rainsticks!

Spring is here according to the calendar, even though it was very cold again this morning. Slowly weather is starting to get warmer and it will be snowing less and less. Instead of snow we will get rain! You can make the sound of rain inside your house with something called a rainstick! Follow the link for the tutorial: Make your own rainstick

Toilet Paper Roll Flower

Spring is only two days away!! Sure, outside doesn't feel like Spring at all yet, but inside you can decorate your room with a flower...made from toilet paper rolls! Click the link for a short tutorial: Toilet Paper Roll Flower
The tutorial itself doesn't have too may details, but here's an idea: In the picture it looks like there is a pompom in the center of the flower. If you decide to add a pompom you could give it a small spritz of perfume so your flower has a sweet spring smell!

Shamrock Bell Pepper Print

St. Patrick's Day is a little less than a week away! You'll surely have the luck o' the Irish with this fun craft! It is so simple but SO much fun (and so yummy to snack on the extra pieces)!! For Shamrock bell pepper prints you only need a few green things...
follow the link for a full tutorial!: Shamrock Bell Pepper Prints

Maple Syrup Taffy

It hasn't snowed for a while now. Maybe Spring is finally on it's way! When Spring is on it's way that means it's maple sugaring season. Delicious! You might need to dig just a little to get some good, clean snow for this delicious winter snack, but it will be worth it!
 Follow the link for the full tutorial on making Maple Syrup Taffy!

Paper Cup Anemometer

March is almost here!!! Spring feels so close even though the temperature dropped back into the 20s after being so mild all weekend. But you know what they say about March. "In like a lion and out like a lamb."

You can be ready for the beginning of March and it's almost-spring-like blustery days by making your own paper cup anemometer for measuring the wind speed! Just click on the link for a full tutorial: Paper Cup Anemometer

Glitter Paint Snowman

Snow is in the forecast yet again!  Making a glitter paint snowman may not sound all that interesting, but wait until you see what you use to paint with!! You could also use beads and googly eyes to give this sparkly snowman some 3D features! Just follow the link to find out how to make this shimmering snow guy or gal! Glitter Paint Snowman

Woven Felt Heart

Here is a wonderfully creative way to give a Valentine to someone you love. A woven felt heart!!  Not only does this Valentine look really neat, it is also a basket which makes it perfect for adding a card or candy! All you need to make it is felt and scissors. No glue required! (Unless you add a handle) Hurry up and make a few today! There are only 3 days left until Valentines Day!
Follow the link for the full tutorial: Woven Felt Heart Tutorial

Popsicle Stick Photo Puzzle

A craft that you can have fun with even after you make it is a Popsicle Stick Photo Puzzle! You only need a few items to make this craft. (The hardest part is waiting for the mod-podge to dry!) You can put numbers on the popsicle sticks for hints when you're putting the puzzle back together, or leave them off for an extra challenge! For a full tutorial just click on the link: Photo Puzzle

Macaroni Snowflakes

It has been so cold outside! If it's too cold to play outside in the snow you can make your own snowflakes inside...out of pasta!!! You just need some pasta, of course, and also some glue, glitter, and you can also use white paint if you like. Follow the link for a full tutorial!: Macaroni Snowflake Tutorial

Cardboard Comb Painting

Here is a different way to use finger paints! Instead of using fingers, a grown up can cut some different designs out of pieces from a cardboard box. Watch and see all the cool swirls and zig-zags you can make with these combs! Follow the link to see some really neat pictures of this craft!

Cardboard Comb Painting!

Ice Mandala

Here is a really "cool"  craft that takes a little bit of patience, but the end results are really fun to see! To make ice mandalas you can use a disposable pie plate and almost anything you can think of for decorations. Follow the link to a brief tutorial and lots of great pictures for some ideas!

Ice Mandalas

Mess Free Finger Painting

If it's way too cold to go outside and you're looking for a fun, quiet indoor activity try mess free finger painting! You've probably got all of the items you need on hand. All you need is white paper, masking or painter's tape, freezers bags, and paints!
Follow the link for a full tutorial: Mess Free Finger Painting Tutorial