Posts Tagged "Crafts"

Etched Glass Canisters

This is one of my favorite crafts to do even as an adult!  Etched Glass Canisters are a lovely gift or organizational container, and are super simple.  Even younger girls can make these with supervision.  Older girls may get a kick out of this craft since it is a more functional craft that can be used in many ways at home, in school lockers, etc.  Etched glass is completely dishwasher safe and the etching is permanent, so these items can be used for years.  Feel free to experiment with other glassware like drinking glasses, vases, and candle holders.

A word to the wise – I have not had good luck with frosted or colored glass, so for best results stick to the clear glass.  This tutorial will tell you how to do basic knock-out style lettering, but stencil kits can also be purchased from most craft stores for around $12 for a few pages worth of rub-on single use stencils.

Materials NeededMaterials Needed:

DirectionsDirections:

  1. Using the masking tape (or blue painters tape, both work fine) to make a rectangle about half an inch larger than the encased lettering.  Spell out the desired contents of the canister inside the taped rectangle (canisters can be used for all kinds of things in the kitchen, like rice, sugar, beans, etc, or for smaller craft items like buttons, safety pins, needles, etc.).
  2. Put on the plastic gloves for protection and apply a thick layer of the etching cream, within the masked off area.  Spread the cream evenly over the entire stenciled area, being careful not to extend outside the lines.  You should overlap the making tape boundary a little, but not over the outside edge.
  3. Follow the directions on the etching cream for how long to keep it on the glass.  Usually it ranges between 30 seconds and 5 minutes, depending on desired results.
  4. Without removing the stencil, wash off all of the etching cream with tap water.  Remove the tape and letters, then thoroughly clean the glass with dish soap or window cleaner.

Safety TipsSafety Tips!

  1. Adult supervision is required when using the etching cream.
  2. Adults can allow younger girls to apply the desired stencils and take care of applying and removing the etching cream themselves.
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Clay Picture Frame & Pencil Cup Set

This can be a fun project for older girls with a little more motor skills for the modeling of the clay.  Younger girls can still have a great time with this, but the finished product will not be as polished.  You can make the frame and cup themed for school mascots, holidays, seasons, or any other theme you want to tie a craft into.

Materials NeededMaterials Needed:

DirectionsFrame Directions:

  1. Flatten a piece of Model Magic® slightly larger than the frame, about ¼” thick.
  2. Cover the frame with the Model Magic®.
  3. Decorate the frame with additional pieces of Model Magic® as desired.
  4. Allow the modeling compound to air-dry.

DirectionsPencil Cup Directions:

  1. Roll a piece of Model Magic® flat, about ¼” thick.
  2. Cover a plastic cup with the Model Magic®.
  3. Decorate the cup with additional pieces of Model Magic® as desired.
  4. Allow the modeling compound to air-dry.

Safety TipsSafety Tips!

  1. Adult supervision is required.
  2. Have tweezers on hand in case of splinters from the wooden frame.

You can also use the Model Magic® to make figures for the tops of pencils to match the set.

Quick ShoppingQuick Shopping for This Project

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Trick or Treat Yarn Wreath

This Trick or Treat Yarn Wreath is a super easy project for younger girls and just in time for Halloween.  The colors of yarn chosen can easily be changed to fit any holiday or theme, so feel free to adapt the colors!

Materials NeededMaterials Needed:

DirectionsDirections:

  1. With pliers, shape hanger into circle, then bend hook for the hanging loop.
  2. Wind yarn 20 times around the cardboard.  Slip these strands off the cardboard.  With a separate 8″ strand of yarn, tie strands together at center (see Figure 1); do not cut the yarn loops.
  3. Using the ends of the 8″ strand, tie the bundle to the ring, positioning the bundle perpendicular to the wire (see Figure 2).  If necessary, trim off the ends of the 8″ strand.
  4. Make another bundle and tie to the ring adjacent to the previous bundle.  Continue to make bundles and tie them to the wire in the same way, positioning each bundle against the previous bundle and working around the ring until the entire wire circle is filled.
  5. Make a bow from the ribbon.  Wind yarn or fine wire through an area that can be hidden and tie or twist around wire ring.  With hot glue, attach smaller decorations.

Safety TipsSafety Tips!

  1. Always supervise young girls when using the hot glue gun.

Here are the figures I referred to above:

 

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Sand Art Magnets

Sand Art Magnets are a great project for Daisies, Brownies, and even Junior Girl Scouts, but the project can take up to an hour, so if your meetings are only half an hour long, you might want to do the painting during one meeting and the sand embellishing during the next.  This is a messy project with the sand, so be sure to have smocks or old adult shirts ready to minimize the chance of stains on the girls’ clothes.  You will also want to have old newspapers down on the tables to make clean up of the excess sand easier.

This is an easy project to theme.  Standard unfinished wooden shapes can be bought in multi-packs but you can also go to craft stores to get larger unique shapes one at a time, such as horseshoes, flowers, animals, etc.   For example, if the girls are in the process of learning about insects for a badge, you can easily get bees or ladybug shaped wood piece to paint.  Using a theme will also help limit how much paint and sand you buy to keep to the colors of the theme and project – for instance you don’t need purple if all the girls are making bees or ladybugs.

Materials NeededMaterials Needed:

DirectionsDirections:

  1. Use the foam brush to paint the shapes in the desired colors.  Let the paint dry.
  2. Use the paint brushes to paint lines of glue onto the painted shapes where you want the sand to adhere to.
  3. Sprinkle the sand onto the wet glue and shake the excess sand off onto a newspaper or scrap paper to catch the sand.
  4. Repeat steps 2 & 3 for each color sand you use.  It works best to use one color of sand at a time to avoid mixing the sands together.  Start with the darkest and end with the lightest.
  5. Once the glue is completely dry, attach magnets to the back of each and let dry before using.  You can glue individual craft magnets onto the wood pieces or use magnetic strips with adhesive backing.  Usually the strips come in a roll that can be cut into pieces the right size.

Safety TipsSafety Tips!

  1. Make sure to use glue that is kid-safe.  Not only does it work the best, but you don’t want to use a toxic glue.
  2. For added stability in the magnets, an adult can use a hot glue gun to attach the magnets.
  3. Look at the packaging for the acrylic paint and make sure you’re using a non-toxic, kid friendly paint.  If you cannot find kid-friendly acrylic paint, ask someone at your local craft store for a recommendation on a non-toxic paint that will work for this project.

Consider how thick the wood pieces are before deciding what kind of magnet to use.  You want to make sure that the magnet won’t fail when stuck to a refrigerator – nothing is worse than a girl bringing home her wonderful creation only to put it on the fridge and have it fall to the floor and break 🙁

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Foam Water Bottle Holder

With all the outdoor activities that girl scouts do, it’s important to bring along a lot of water to stay hydrated.  This is a great craft for a meeting before a camping or hiking trip.  Remember to get a variety of foam stickers so the girls’ creativity can run wild with different designs to fit their personalities.  The alphabet stickers are important for personalization, but if the girls would rather just use stickers to personalize the bottle holders, you can always write their names on the bottom of the can hug with a permanent marker.

There’s not much mess involved with this project – just the paper backings from the stickers that need to be cleaned up at the end of the meeting.

Materials NeededMaterials Needed:

DirectionsDirections:

  1. Cut three 24″ pieces of ribbon.  Braid the ribbons together to create the handle.
  2. On opposite sides of the can hug, punch 2 holes for attaching the handle.
  3. Thread the braided ribbon through the holes and secure with a knot.
  4. Remove the paper backing from the foam stickers to decorate the bottle holder as desired.

Safety TipsSafety Tips!

  1. Always observe the children when using scissors.

Try looking at craft stores for the pre-made can hug.  If you cannot find one, use foam sheets and glue to make one.  Use a standard 16 oz. water bottle to judge the correct size.

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