Make your own LEGO cap that has REAL bricks on it – something you simply can’t purchase in the store! A bit over a month ago, I shared this amazing LEGOs T-shirt that I made for M and mentioned that I need to order more bricks to create a cap. As with many of the ideas I have, it would have taken forever for me to get to and share. But then ZURU stepped in to sponsor this post and since it was paid for, it got expedited – so now you’ve got it in time for Summer 2018! Disclosure: this post contains commissioned links.

If you have a kid who is obsessed with LEGO, you’ll understand the excitement of having something with actual bricks on them – not just pictures!

Both M and Y are obsessed with this LEGO cap, but only M gets to wear it (Baby Y is still too little…)

Creating this LEGO cap is simple. All you need is some Mayka brick tape by Zuru to turn almost any surface into a play surface compatible with all leading building bricks! We dug into M’s LEGO stash to turn this plain baseball cap into the coolest one ever.

To make this LEGO cap secure, be mindful of the following tips:

• The wider the brick surface you have, the harder it’ll be to get it to hold, because the cap seems to resist the tape. I used a very wide section – if you struggle with it, use a narrower piece.
• Originally, I tried making my M with as few pieces as possible, using larger bricks. I later swapped it out for smaller bricks . This is once again due to the heavy movement the cap gets. keep in mind that even though the tape is flexible, the building bricks aren’t. So while I LOVE the tape’s flexible property when using it for brick play, and it needs to be flexible to curve it on the cap, it still needs to be used with small bricks.  Go for bricks that fit the width of the tape – those no larger than 2×2 worked best.
•  The smaller bricks stayed in place MUCH better, even without gluing them. I did choose to glue them down since it’s a wearable item, M is very active, and Baby Y likes to annoy him and remove the bricks from the cap.

As you can see, I’ve already done all the “trial and error” with this craft so that now you can get it right the first time!

I loved using ZURU Mayka brick tape to make this LEGO cap!

It is made from a flexible premium, non-toxic silicon that cuts easily with regular scissors.

It has grid markings, so when you’re cutting a few pieces to line up in a row like I did with this LEGO cap, it’s easier to cut it evenly and align it.

It’s removable. While that meant that I DID have to glue this in place, it also allowed me to play with the positioning. It held it somewhat in place while I arranged, without accidentally attaching it permanently.

You can get it in 2 pegs wide or four pegs wide and in different colors.

It’s compatible with all leading brick brands including LEGO (which we used to make this cap).

It’s great to create new play surfaces for building bricks, as well as cool LEGO themed crafts like this one!

What you need to make a LEGO cap:

• Mayka Tape
• A plain baseball cap
• Building bricks in the standard size
• Industrial strength glue
• Scissors

How to make a LEGO cap:

Watch the video below to see it in action! Or, scroll down for step-by-step instructions:

1. Measure and cut your Mayka tape to size. Remember: a narrower area will be easier to handle.

2. Measure more rows so that your brick section is as large as you’d like it to be.

3. Remove the backing to practice your placement. Since it’s removable, it won’t be stuck in place, but it’ll hold just enough so that you can see what you’re doing!

4. Secure the ends with glue.

Tip: let it dry with a weight on top (squash the hat so that the Mayka tape section is flat under the cap.)

5. Plan your brick layout! I decided to create an M because my adorable preschooler is obsessed with his initial. Remember: smaller bricks work better. This layout shows my original layout – not the final one that works best.

6. Place your bricks as you’d like them on your cap.

And then reshuffle as needed! I decided to tweak my M design after I first put it together.

7. When you are totally satisfied with your design, glue your bricks down to make it permanent – if you want to do that. For older children and teens you don’t need to do that, as long as you used bricks no larger than 2×2 that’ll flex with the movement of the cap and the Mayka tape.

Your LEGO cap is ready to wear and be loved!

Who will you be making this LEGO cap for? What will you do with your leftover Mayka building brick tape? Comment below!

Loved this LEGO cap tutorial? Check out the crafts below:

• 14 Cool Crafts for Teens
• Summer Crafts for Teens and Tweens
• Name Keychains
• Make a Monogram shirt!

The post LEGO Cap – Create a Super Cool Cap using Real Bricks! appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

As an intro to my new series on brush lettering, I decided to share with you the best brush pens for lettering! I’ve also included the best paint brush for lettering with watercolors (check out some watercolor techniques for beginners first) or ink as well as some other cool stuff to get your started with hand lettering using brush strokes! Disclosure: this post contains commissioned links. As a Plaid ambassador, some of the products featured in this post were sent to me free of charge in the hopes I’d share it if I use it. All opinions here are my own.

I started brush lettering as a way to get things out of my system.

I needed a hobby that was touch and go – easy to pick up and put back down. While I DID get carried away with the calligraphy, using dip pens and ink wells, I also developed a new cool skill:

• I started a lettering diary which I will share about later in this series (Update: you can learn more about the lettering journal here!)
• I started having fun creating menus and shopping lists
• I suddenly rediscovered doodling, covering any and every surface in fun brush lettering.

I wanted to finally share the skill. I’ve been posting some videos on my Instagram feed but some of you have been asking for more. So I decided to share it with you.

In this brush lettering tutorial series, I’m going to go about it step by step. I’ll be sharing the following (the order may change):

1. The best pens for lettering
2. Brush lettering books to really get you learning
3. Basic brush lettering tutorials – some strokes you need
4. Free Printable Brush Lettering practice pages
5. Brush lettering fonts to practice with
6. and more cool tips!

If there’s something that you don’t see here that you’d like to learn, just let me know!

The best brush pens for lettering:

I’ve tried a number of pens and brushes. I’m a serial craft supplies buyer – it’s a separate hobby, you know! Starting a new hobby  means I buy EVERYTHING related to it. Some worked better than others and I figured I’d share my experiences here.

This list is in order: the best brush pens for lettering are first, followed by the second best, and so on. If you get only one, get the first, and so on.

The lettering brush pens that every beginner should try first:

The Pentel Fude Touch Sign pens are an absolute must for beginners. I didn’t start with these but I went right to them once I started because I saw that these were absolutely the best brush pens for lettering beginners.

Here’s why:

• They are so easy to control. When you’re learning brush calligraphy, you’ll find that controlling how your brush moves is the first step towards nailing it. The Pentel Sign pens have a firmer tip than others, but it still moves, giving you those thin up strokes and thick down strokes.
• They come in an assortment of sizes. I started with the fine point.
• You can also get them in many different colors – either individually or in multicolor packs.
• They are great for when you’re doing longer runs of text too.

They are available on Amazon but the individual ones are cheaper here.

The best brush pens for lettering in fun colors and wide strokes:

I tried a number of my “adult coloring” brush markers that I had used for creating pretty textures, but I actually found those hard to use. The ones that translated over to brush lettering and gave me a smooth, controllable stroke were the tombow dual brush markers.

Since these are also art markers, you can get them in 96 different colors!! They also work as watercolor markers – you can blend them using a brush and water. This is how people create those cool ombre designs.

You can get them here, or, if you’re buying single colors, get them here.

See it in action! The sepia pen below is the Pentel Fude and the blue is the Tombow Dual Brush:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjTTeUxF3HO/?taken-by=momsandcrafters

More of the best brush pens for lettering:

Once you’re past the “beginner” stage, you’ll find that your preferences might change. The best brush pens for lettering listed above are focused on what’s easy to control. If you don’t need easy anymore, here are a few favorites:

• For permanent ink: Sharpie Brush. I don’t recommend using these on paper – they get dry quickly – but they are perfect for when you want to decorate non-porous surfaces (such as glass) with brush lettering

• For a drier stroke: Prismacolor Premier Illustration. Brush markers come in dryer and wetter tips. If you prefer something dryer (and neater!) these are the perfect choice.  If you like that dry, textured brush lettering look, go for the Prismacolor Premier Illustration Brush Tip markers – not to be confused with the dual tip art markers. The Illustration markers come in a brush tip too, and are less “wet” than others, so you get that grunge look (and, of course, they’re great for regular lettering too!)

• The best watercolor markers: Winsor & Newton Watercolor Markers. If you like a watercolor look but need to keep it neat, these have a stunning watercolor effect and don’t make a mess. They are easy to manipulate and fun to use!

• For an ombre effect: Sharpie Stained. While these are actually sub-par fabric pens, they make AMAZING brush lettering pens because of the firm brush tip that has enough give to create wide strokes with pressure. They also have a translucent quality to them which means that you’ll get

The best paint brush for lettering:

Alright, are you ambitious enough to do some lettering with… an actual paintbrush? You can use the brush with ink or watercolors and it’s actually easier than you might think – although it’s not as neat. I actually started off with a paint brush!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BidUthSFJFy/?taken-by=momsandcrafters

Here are some pointers for getting started!

The best paint brushes for lettering:  You’re looking for round, pointed brushes to do your lettering (unless you’re looking to mimic the look of flat calligraphy rather than brush pen calligraphy – then go for a flat brush). A longer and larger brush (size 4) will be harder to control but will offer you more variety in your stroke. Longer brushes are also great for larger-scale lettering such as signs.

A shorter, smaller brush (size 0-1) will be easier for you to control when just starting out. I found that even a very small brush gave me good variation while practicing and didn’t require too much effort.

I’m not going to tell you you need anything fancy or cool, because I really just started with what I had in my collection.

I used these brushes  and found that the different sizes worked for different needs. It’s cheap and a great starter set to see what you love!

Watercolor paints:

Use a simple pallet such as this one to give you that beautiful artsy feel that watercolors lend.  You can see my friend Stefanie’s feature of the best watercolor paints or just go with this great beginner set.

Ink:

I love brushing with India Ink as a an alternative to watercolors. Use India Ink on paper and for smaller projects.

For larger scale projects (such as wood signs, etc) where you want more of a paint that’s permanent and high quality, the new FolkArt brush lettering paint is the perfect choice. It comes in cool brown, black, and white, as well as metallics.

More brush lettering tools and equipment you might want:

Paper:

Marker or watercolor paper (depending on what you’re using)  OR mixed media paper for a budget-friendly alternative. These papers won’t bleed like card stock sometimes does, but you can give regular card stock a try to begin with.

Black paper – if you want to try light on dark!

Dot paper – if you like subtle guides for your lettering, get a dot pad for practice

Vellum – great for when you want guides but don’t want to draw it on your paper, or for when you want to practice your strokes over other lettering

Lettering practice pads and workbooks – I’ll be elaborating more on books in the next post, but you may want to grab a workbook too!

I made some free printable brush lettering practice sheets for you as well!

Other pens and brushes:

Dip pens – these are so much fun, and while they won’t qualify as brush lettering, they are great for other lettering uses

White pen – I use a high quality white gel pen to add accents

Water Brushes – many brush calligraphers will swear by these pens with built-in water tanks

Drawing pens for outlines and accents (the linked set comes with the white accent pen too!)

Fineliner pens for fake brush stroke – if you prefer to have one hundred percent control of your wide strokes and narrow strokes, you can use fineliners to create your own “brush” effect.

Other drawing accessories:

Ruler and compass – for drawing straight and circular guides

Pencils, good eraser – for drawing and erasing your guides.

What are the best brush pens for lettering according to you? Have you tried any lettering brushes yet? Comment below!

The post Best Brush Pens for Lettering – Make your Brush Calligraphy Amazing! appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

Hi there! I’m Stefanie from Simple Acres blog visiting again to share more on watercolor art. I have enjoyed creating watercolor art for 4 years now and am excited to share with you everything you need to know to get into the medium as well. I was so excited to get to share with you the best watercolor paint sets for beginners , must have watercolor materials for your stash , and the best instructional watercolor books to learn watercolor. I am going to share some really simple beginner watercolor techniques I think you will enjoy.

In this post I am sharing some of my favorite watercoloring techniques that I use.

7 watercolor techniques for beginners to learn:

1. Creating a watercolor wash:

Creating a simple wash is great for backgrounds, sky, water and so much more! To create this technique all you need to do is mix plenty of paint in your water container and stir. Use a thick brush to paint a broad stripe across the top of your paper, then continue this until you have covered the entire page.

2. Lifting off paint:

This technique involves simply removing some of your paint while it is still wet with a scrunched up tissue, cotton swab, or sponge. Different tools create a different effect due to their surface. Simply lift off some of your paint from your wash while it is still wet.

3. Wet on wet:

This is a technique where you wet your painting surface first with a brush just damp with water. Then you add paint to the moistened paper creating a result where the paints bleed together so that it is very blended.

4. Resistance painting:

This is such a fun way to get extra creative with watercolor. For this technique you can just use white crayon to make designs on your paper and then apply a watercolor wash over it. There are more advanced materials to use for this such as masking fluid.

5. Splatter:

This technique is one of my favorites! I finish most of my pieces with splatter. To do this all you would do is wet you brush liberally with water then paint and then tap the stick of the brush on an outstretched finger over your painting. Every time you tap you will leave small paint sprinkles on your painting.

6. Blending:

I often use this technique as I am adding detail to my paintings. I take a dryer brush and apply a dark stroke of paint, then I remove the paint from my brush and blend the color out using a brush wet with water only. It is a form of blending and shading much like sketching.

7. Black ink drawing:

I love adding detail to my paintings with extremely fine black water resistant and permanent ink. Simple paint your watercolor art and then once dry go back and add your drawing and doodles with your ink pen.

These are some of my favorite watercolor techniques for beginners to teach others when they are starting out. For some simple projects or to get your “feet wet” in watercolor you may enjoy this very simple resistance watercolor project, kids art transfer watercolor project or watercolor tree project.

I am an art enthusiast and art teacher when I am not creating content online. You can check out my art on my Instagram account and follow along at Simple Acres Art.

What are your favorite watercolor techniques for beginners? Comment below!

About the Author:

Stefanie is a Slovakian buffalo girl who always was country at heart. Finally as a wife, mom, artist and registered dietitian she’s planting her roots on 10 acres of dirt and tumble weeds. Her passion is to inspire & equip others toward simple living, living in the moment, with gratitude and intention, loving oneself and others with purpose and reaching your dreams with creativity and vision.

Loved these watercolor techniques for beginners? You’ll probably like these posts too!

The post Watercolor Techniques for beginners appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

When I get the family together, I love including things that make it fun, without adding extra work for myself.

It can be intense hosting 15-20 people at once, while doing most of the work on my own. I have a few tricks up my sleeve, and these are perfect for picnics and outdoor parties!

Saving  time and energy on dishes:

First of all, it’s important for me to use high quality paper goods. Even when people are seated, they tend to walk around and mingle.

And even when I DO use paper goods, I still find that I have plenty of dishes to wash, just from the cookware and serveware. Disposable plates and utensils are non-negotiable.

Since I often serve hot cooked foods, I am loathe to use plastic, which is why I LOVE the Dixie paper goods I picked up at Dollar General recently.

These coated paper plates have a Soak Proof Shield™  and are strong enough to hold greasy, wet foods. They won’t melt in people’s hands –  the material is even microwaveable! They are durable enough so that when Papa Joe moves onward to chat with Uncle Michael, his plate doesn’t collapse with all the food on it. The plates are cut-proof too so that those barbecue drumsticks will be easier to eat.

Dixie plates are 50% stronger than the leading store brand, and with five layers, they are the perfect solution to keep me away from the sink and in the party!

Keeping ’em busy:

It’s so, so important to have open-ended entertainment when pulling the family together!

I like activities that can keep people chatting, doing things at their own pace, and enjoying the picnic while still having the opportunity to DO SOMETHING.

These color-in placemats were designed just for that. They provide a form of activity for the picnic, while helping you create a disposable table setting for your guests.

I kept the designs simple enough for the kids and the non-artist, but sophisticated enough for the creative crowd and the grown-ups.

You can download your color-in placemats via the form below. Then check your inbox for the download.

 

Download Your Color-in Placemats

Sign up for updates and your download will arrive right in your inbox!

send it to me!

Thank you for subscribing!

Tip: Put out plenty of markers in many colors so that everyone will use these color-in placemats without arguing over the colors! Let’s keep the bickering to politics…

These color-in placemats were designed to be printed on an 11×14 page (double letter). Print it on a larger, commercial sized printer, or at a print shop. If you want to print it at home and you don’t have the capability to print this size, try doing it on two 8.5×11 papers and tape together on the back with paper tape.

Keeping things colorful:

Your atmosphere will create the vibe of your party – so if you want it to be cheerful, go for fun colors!

The mature pastels on Dixie paper plates are perfect for that. The patterns are sophisticated and fun (and even inspired the design on these color-in placemats). 

I also got some fun cups at Dollar General to complement the plates and to add to the splash of cheerful spring color.

I found these with the paper goods; you may find them in the special Summer Picnic display (seasonal aisle) in the center of your local Dollar General. They’ll be there through the end of July. You can get them online too.

What do you do to make your family picnic easier on you? Share in the comments below, and enjoy these color-in placemats!

The post Color-in Placemats – Free Printable Perfect for Picnics! appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

I love setting a pretty table and adding a little bling to it! For years, I’ve been creating various beaded napkin rings for different events and occasions, and I finally decided to craft a set for myself.

I FINALLY got around to it and of course, I kept it simple. I wanted something sharp, modern, and metallic to go along with my modern flatware. I love how the copper picks up the orange of the napkins (which in turn add a pop of color).

The muted blues keep it looking less like a tacky blue-orange color combination and add some subtlety.

I decided to post these DIY napkin rings on my second blog Beyond the Balagan, but wanted to share it with you here too.

Check out the full DIY napkin rings tutorial and tablescape on Beyond the Balagan!

I used a mix of large porcelain beads that I had collected over time and finally put to good use. I did not match them; I chose instead to coordinate them. I felt like this added a quirky character to the tablescape without affecting the modern touch.

I also did not attempt to match the size and shape of the copper wire rings exactly so that it can add interest as well.

I did crack a couple of beads while making this so make sure you have a few to spare!

If you haven’t yet, check out the full DIY napkin rings tutorial and tablescape on Beyond the Balagan!

Loved these DIY napkin rings? Check out the fun crafts below:

• Paper Flower Templates (with a napkin ring version!)
• Heart Napkin Fold tutorial
• Wire Wrapped Bracelet
• How to make tassel earrings

The post DIY Napkin Rings from Copper Wire appeared first on Moms and Crafters.