Got piles of old CDs sitting around? Time to purge!

CDs and DVDs are SO craftable – and such a cool, versatile craft supply!

I chose these projects out of the MANY I found for the way they really take advantage of the characteristics of a CD. Some make great use of the iridescent surface, others of the hole in the middle, and others of the plastic body…. Whatever it is, you’re sure to find something that you’ll want to try here!

You’ll want to learn how to cut CDs and DVDS for crafting before you get started – it’s quite easy!

If you don’t have CDs lying around, you can still pick up a pack before it’s too late… Look for colorful ones if you can grab those!

Decor Crafts to Make with Old CDs

These bloggers had the best ideas for repurposing CDs in fun and useful ways. Click through to each project to read the full tutorial!

1. First, check out this cool craft video featuring (and sponsored by) Wikki Stix! This is a fun activity my son and I did together. We then repeated it at a play date (his friend made a beautiful replica of my rainbow) and they spent hours at it!! Get Wikki Stix here!

2. Craft some gorgeous CD mosaics and turn it into an open-ended art project! I share two ways to do this, depending on the kind of crafter that you are.

3. Make some pretty doodle discs – it’s an open-ended craft for a huge variety of ages and skill levels. You’ll need some dish soap and black acrylic paint in addition to your CDs – that’s it!

See it in action in the video below:

4. I love these dreamcatchers by Pink Stripey Socks! What a productive and fun way to entertain children!

5. Growing up, I always loved wind chimes. But I never made them myself. This beautiful wind chimes craft by Happy Hooligans is something I would have loved to make back then (I may even try it today. I have yet to outgrow such crafts!)

6. CDs and DVDs are also great for mosaic projects. One of my favorites of all time is this birdbath by Me and My DIY. The original website seems to no longer be active, but you can find something similar here.

7. A lamp made out of CDs? Yes, please! Check out the how-to for this magnificent CD lamp by Photo Creations!

8. I absolutely adore the way Craft Your Happiness used CDs to make curtain pull-backs!  This is simply genius and has a beautiful, polished look.

9. I saw many CD clock tutorials when I was searching because of the form of the CD. This one by Morena’s Corner stood out so I decided to share it here. Making clocks is one of my favorite things to do with CDs so this is spot on!

Kids Activities & Crafts with Old CDs

10. Craft a spectacular pair of pretend glasses using shiny glimmery iridescent DVDs to get you that glamorous look you’re aiming for! This sunglasses craft shows just how cool your CD and DVD crafts can look!

11. STEAM Powered family uses an old CD to make a super cool Thaumatrope for kids. They won’t want to stop at just one because it’s just so cool!

12. Did you know that old CDs and DVDs make the perfect scales for a Chinese New Year’s dragon? Well, you learn something new every day! The size is fabulous for large scale projects (pun-intended).

13. The reflective surface of a DVD is the perfect choice for some light science for kids! This STEM project from Little Bins for Little Hands teaches you how to make a DIY Spectroscope using an old DVD and other household items.

14. Learn a little science with this CD hovercraft by Hello Wonderful! It gives kids such a good feeling to see something they made actually work. It’s amazing how many things to do with CDs and DVDs involve science and learning – in the funnest way!

15. I saw so many animals made from CDs but chose this snail from Toddler Approved to feature, because of the glow the CD gives the snail’s shell. Click on the photo for instructions, and then scour Pinterest for more CD animal ideas!

16. Lalymom cleverly put together these “ring around the rosie” spinning tops using CDs! See how here. FYI CD tops spin FOREVER and make the absolute funnest DIY toys for kids who are past the choking hazard stage.

17. Want a cheap, easy, and FUN toy for your toddler? Check out how Best Toys 4 Toddlers makes amazing use of old CDs – I am running to grab mine out now to try it with M so that I can finish up this post…

More things to do with Old CDs

18. Turn them into beautiful iridescent guitar picks using a pick punch (affiliate link)! Yup, it works on CDs too, not just credit cards. Isn’t that clever?

19. Crafts by Amanda made use of the durable plastic on DVDs by turning them into beautiful stenciled coasters. Read the tutorial to see how she made them stand up to spills too. This is pretty cool and one of my top things to do with CDs

20. Of course, a Moms & Crafters roundup can’t be complete without a jewelry craft! And this magnificent necklace by Plan B. Anna Evers takes the cake…

Update: it looks like that blog is no longer live! If you find a new tutorial, please let me know.

Isn’t it just amazing how many great uses there are out there for something we all have in over-abundance? Some of these things to do with CDs and DVDs are really functional too!

What are your favorite things to do with CDs?

Liked it? Share it! I’ve made it easy to share! Hover over the first image in this post and click the red button to pin. Or click on any of the buttons on the left of this page to share it however you’d like…

Get the book! By purchasing Moms & Crafters publications, you are supporting my blog and enabling me to keep on providing you with free craft ideas like this one. Coloring for Coffee Lovers is my most popular coloring book, but you can find all of my printed and digital coloring books here.

Loved these things to do with CDs and DVDs?! Find many many more things to make with stuff you have lying around here:

• Things to make with nail polish
• Bottle Cap Crafts
• Bead crafts
• Crafts with straws
• Balloon Crafts

The post 20 Things to do with CDs and DVDs appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

This post was originally published in August 2017 and sponsored by STABILO. It was updated to make it more relevant today!

I love crafting alongside M and I know that many of you love to bond over craft time as well.

So I designed this fun paper houses craft to be something that moms (or grandmas, aunts, and babysitters) can create together with kids of all ages.

I truly believe that arts ‘n crafts come in all sizes, and I love crafts that ANYONE can do, which is why I took this direction. You can add texture and detail and make this craft more complex.

Or, do like M did and just color for the fun of it!

I pulled out our big stash of coloring supplies, and set it up on the dining room table so that M and I can craft together.

M and I colored these using a mix of STABILO markers. M loves using the Power Max markers because it looks just like the Power markers that I use, but it’s chunkier and easier for him to grip. I love them because they’re washable, and don’t dry out for a long time, even if he forgets to cap them.

Color-in paper toys are the perfect “together” activity, because they are open-ended enough for multiple age groups to enjoy. I designed these with a mature enough style for adults but it’s still relatable for kids.

Even though they’re designed for kids, I found the Power markers to be so much fun to use! The color quality is on par with my “grown-up” markers but it has the same quality as the Power Max markers: if I forget to cap them properly, they don’t dry out for weeks!

These printable paper houses were created in a blend of whimsical and realistic styles.

You’ll find vintage homes, fairy houses, and even an apartment block!

I also included a copy of my “blank template” that I designed as the basis for these so that you can get more creative and design a simple paper house yourself.

You can leave the doors and windows as is, or cut them open. When you’re done, they are the perfect DIY paper toy, holiday display, or whatever you want to use them for! Add them to your car play or to your train set for a customizable play experience for your little ones!

You can also color them in holiday themes to turn them into seasonal decor (especially the whimsical styles!) You can see how I printed these on colored paper to turn them into printable paper houses for Christmas here!

If you’re looking for a more 3-D paper house template try using the template for this gingerbread house craft – it can be made as any type of paper houses!

Ready to get crafting? On to the printable and the tutorial!

What you need to create beautiful paper houses:

• The printables – download them by entering your email address into the form below, and then check your inbox for the PDF file! Print them on card stock.

 

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•  Markers
• Optional: a craft knife (adults only)
• Optional: glue stick

How to craft and assemble these printable paper houses:

Watch the video below to see it in action. Or scroll down for step-by-step photos:

1. Color, color, color! This part is the most fun! Use different shades of similar colors for a little extra texture.

Add your own detail, or to simplify things, combine details and color them in together.

Or, add your own detail to the blank templates.

2. Cut out your printable paper houses using scissors. If you want (grown-ups only) you can cut out details such as windows and doors. On this one, I even made the shutters open and close.

3. (Grown ups only) use a craft knife to cut slits in the lines underneath your house as pictured.

4. Fold your house on the dashed lines – those are marked for folding.

5. Insert your tabs into the slots from the outside inward. This is a bit difficult. If you pull it through from the inside of the house, it will work, but if need be you can widen the slots (it will just be less secure once assembled).

If you really want the kids to be able to complete this on their own, you can skip the “tab and slot system” and just glue the tab to the base. If you DO use the tab and slot, you can fold them flat for storage, but kids will need help cutting the slots open, and may need help pulling the tab through.

They’ll also need help if you’re doing cutout windows and doors.

Details, details, who cares? The idea is that you have the time of your life creating these paper houses and that you allow yourself and the kids to be creative while doing so.

Don’t be afraid to use color and imagination as I did when creating the templates.

What will you be using these paper houses for? Comment below!

Want more like this? Check out these adorable mix ‘n match animal blocks that are great for crafting together too!

You can also check out the printable paper gingerbread house template!

Still haven’t printed your paper houses? Print them by entering your email address below and then check your inbox! (Check your spam folder too if you don’t see it right away).

 

Download Your Paper Houses

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

send it to me!

Thank you for subscribing!

The post Foolproof Free Printable Paper Houses for kids and grown-ups! appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

This post was originally published on Jan 15, 2017 and updated for your convenience.

Hearts may make you think red and pink, but let’s just say those are NOT my favorite colors. That’s why I like to think out of the box when doing any heart crafts… But with a coloring page, where I’m starting with black and white and adding the color myself, I really get to choose. I started this one off with purple and blue.

I’m not positive yet which direction I’m going to take with this one – what do you think?

I started it off with a huge jumble of markers. If you’re not sure which to start with, you can check out my guide to coloring tools for adults here. Otherwise, I’ll share what I used for this one.

For the larger areas on the top heart, I chose my Sharpies which I have not used in forever. They lay down color very dark, more than they do on non-porous surfaces.

I then experimented with regular Crayola markers on the bottom heart. This is much more true to color BUT it really soaks and ripples the paper. Probably alcohol markers or even water-based brush markers that have richer pigment would be the way to go.

For the smaller areas I switched between Staedtler Noris club and Stabilo 88 markers. The Staedtler ones have a bit of a thicker tip so they’re not great for tiny spaces. The Stabilo ones are fineliners, so if the area is too large you’ll see brush strokes. Choosing the right marker for each job is important for great results.

In this case, because there can be lots of great options for which marker is right for what, I just used the color I preferred.

DOWNLOAD YOUR HEART COLORING PAGE FOR ADULTS:

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I hope you love this free heart coloring page for adults!

If you loved this free printable heart coloring page for adults, you’ll probably love my books and printable packets!

The printables are the budget-savvy option and can be found in my Etsy shop or on Gumroad.

My books can be found on Amazon.

More Free Heart Coloring Pages from the Coloring Tribe:

• With All Thy Heart by Arts & Crackers
• Love Coloring Page by Hattifant
• Heart Trees by Trail of Colors
• Doodle Heart by Easy Peasy and Fun

I hope you loved this free printable hearts coloring page for adults! How do you plan to color yours?! Follow along for more like this!

The post Free Printable Heart Coloring Page for Adults appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

If you asked me the ONE thing I’d love to be doing on a snow day, the answer would be staying indoors. And crafting… or better yet, coloring!

It may have taken many years for society to accept that fact that grown-ups can color too, but the world is adapting to us. And now I can spend my snow days coloring.

While there seems to be SO many Christmas coloring pages out there, there are much fewer for AFTER December, when the real winter sets in. A few fellow artists and I have gotten together and illustrated a few for you. I’ve also gathered a few more from around the web so you have your snow days set.

Of course, when you are done with these free printable winter coloring pages for adults, you can move on to coloring pages for year-round. You don’t NEED to color snow on a snow day – color what you’d like.

My favorite tools for coloring adult coloring pages:

For these free printable winter coloring pages, you should definitely give gel pens a go! Glitters, milky colors, and metallics are some what unique to gel pens, allowing you to capture some of the sparkle of the snow.

You may think that snow is white so there won’t be much to color, but you’ll want to get plenty of blues for shading.

Prismacolor Premier pencils have a soft core and are perfect for blending, which you’ll want to do plenty of on these free printable winter coloring pages. A blender pencil completes the job, without laying on extra pigment.

I love adding highlights with a white chalk marker or paint marker.

11 Free printable winter coloring pages for adults.

1. Snowflake coloring page by Moms and Crafters

A red cardinal sits atop an open mailbox, with loads of snowflakes for you to enjoy and color!

2. Snowy Mountain Country Coloring Page by Arts & Crackers

This classic country winter scene has it all – a truck, a log cabin, a grizzly… and loads of nostalgia!!

3. Penguin coloring page By Hattifant

Penguins, are cute, cuddly, and cozy, but put ’em in a sweater and I just can’t get enough! You get some more snowflakes to color as well… so heat up that hot drink and enjoy!

4. Winter Bookmarks to Color coloring page by Easy Peasy and Fun

If you want a quick, easy color so that you can spend the rest of the day curled up with a book, this one is the way to go!

5. Coffee Coloring Pages by Moms & Crafters

Coffee Cups may not exactly be a winter motif… but they should be! Yeah, I drink coffee all year round, but there’s nothing quite like curling up with a hot hot cuppa on a frigid day… especially after coming in from the snow…

Want more coffee coloring page goodness? You can buy the 25 page coffee coloring page bundle here, or get the book here.

6. Penguin Family coloring page by Trail of Colors

Add some color to this adorable little penguin family living it out in the cold!

7. Winter flextangles on Red Ted Art

Go 3D with this color-in craft! Flextangles are fun to color, assemble, and then play with – you’ll find the links to a few more in this post too (though some are special for Christmas. The main one linked is great for all winter long.)

8. Winter bookmarks by The Mad House

Want another dose of winter bookmarks? The Mad House has two here that are great for all winter (plus a Christmas design).

9. Singing birds by Trail of Colors

You might picture winter as the time when things are quiet and lifeless, but there are birds that will stick around through the snowstorms!

10. Winter coloring pages by Hattifant

You can get one for the kids and one for you free in this free bundle of winter coloring pages! Plus there’s a bonus one you can purchase if you want an extra page to color.

11. Winter coloring pages by 1+1+1=1

This should really count as 11- 22 because this bundle includes LOTS of winter coloring fun!

Bonus:

Winter Paper Toy Cones by Hattifant

I hope your enjoy your free printable winter coloring pages for adults! Happy winter!

Get the book! By purchasing Moms & Crafters publications, you are supporting my blog and enabling me to keep on providing you with free content. Coloring for Coffee Lovers is my most popular coloring book, but you can find all of my printed and digital coloring books here.

This post was originally published Jan 2017 and was updated to make it more current. I hope you enjoy!

The post Free Printable Winter Coloring Pages for Adults appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

I now have a new post in this series as well on how to stop hackers from targeting your online business!

You’ve chosen your craft, thought it through, and know that people are interested in buying, and would pay an amount that is worthwhile for you. Time to figure out how to set up an Etsy shop. But you don’t just want to set it up – you want to set it up for success!

Like any business that you launch, it can take time and money. Expect to invest a few dollars. Give yourself a budget you know you can afford – whether it’s $50 or $500/month. Yes, you do need to spend some, beyond your craft supplies, to have a return on selling crafts online, but you don’t need to go broke over it.

How to set up an Etsy shop: doing the groundwork:

• Suppliers – You will definitely need more stock than you have had until now, and you may need to rethink where you get your stuff for cost efficiency. Research wholesale suppliers, or those with bulk discounts, reliable stock, lower costs. I always bought general craft supplies on Amazon, or at Michaels, because I don’t need to make a huge order of just fabric, for example, but since you’re going more  niche here, find the one that works best for you! Check out my list of the best places to buy jewelry making supplies online.

• Legal stuff – I am not going to even start with the legalese of selling crafts online. I don’t know enough and don’t want to give legal advice since I’m not qualified. If you are selling a physical product, you are likely going to need to charge sales tax. If you are selling digital products it will depend on your state. If you live in the EU you’ll need to figure out how to go about VAT. You may want to (or be required to) set up an official business. You may want to research trademarks. I can’t give you advice on this, I can only urge you to do research on the subject.

• Branding –  You need a logo. You need an image for your new brand. You need a compelling and relevant name. Decide who your target audience is. Pull out Photoshop or Illustrator and design yourself a logo. If you have more to invest, hire a designer. I am a professional graphic designer and have special rates for Etsy sellers just starting out, so if you want to chat with me about this, you can email me at menucha@momsandcrafters – dot – com.

How to set up an Etsy shop step by step:

• Starting on Etsy – I know what many of you are thinking: is Etsy really the best place for selling crafts online? For years, I wondered the same, and experimented with different platforms. I can now verify that’s where you want to start – even if you plan to start a website.Just a few reasons I personally choose Etsy (as does just about everyone else) and I’m teaching you how to set up an ETSY shop: People trust Etsy’s payment platform with their credit card info, it’s a go-to shopping site that people go to for everyday needs, and they are around for a long time, which allowed them to evolve with our needs and create infinite resources for their huge seller database.When you want to use 3rd party services (I print t-shirts via Printful for example) you’ll find that Etsy integration is a standard. They also have a successful affiliate program, where bloggers like me earn a commission for selling products for other Etsy sellers – so we share about things we find on Etsy regularly! This comes at no extra expense to you! You also get 40 free listings to help you get your shop going!

• Build up your shop completely. Fill out EVERYTHING. Be personal. Do your about page. Work out standard shipping costs and create those.

• Take stunning photos. Consider investing in a DSLR camera – or even a better point and shoot camera. Get a lightbox for smaller products. Photograph larger products outdoors in indirect light (dawn, dusk, shade, a rainy day…)Do NOT use your camera flash. Learn how to use the macro setting on your camera. Take photography books out of the library, or read them on Kindle Unlimited. Do this on a budget by signing up for a Kindle Unlimited 30-Day Free Trial.Use Photoshop to clean up your images, brighten them, make them pop. If you’re not up for paying for Photoshop, try some less expensive photo editors. PicMonkey is a top small business pick.

• FILL UP that shop: When your shop is totally set up, create your listings. Here’s where may people make a critical mistake: they start small. But for people to find you, you want to have lots of listings. For people to take you seriously as a seller, you want to have stock. You want it to be easy to browse by category.List 100 products. If your niche is a very difficult one, list as many as you possibly can – at least 20. Consider creating some smaller “filler” product in your niche if it’s worth it.I know that pricing is a killer question for most Etsy sellers. And I wish I can give a magical formula, but at the end of the day, you’ll need to experiment. Make sure to factor all time (not just time spent making your craft – the time you’ll spend communicating with customers, maintaining your shop, answering emails, filing taxes, etc.) and all overhead costs – not just that of your materials. Here is a great article you can read on pricing products. 

How to set up an Etsy shop and an off-Etsy platform:

You do want to set up a website if you’re selling crafts online, even if it’s just a way to direct people to your Etsy shop. At the very least, you want to reserve a domain name for your shop to keep all elements of your brand intact. You also may want to CHOOSE your shop name based on which domain name is available. This is because you are setting yourself up as a legitimate, branded business for selling crafts online, not just another Etsy shop. If you’re going to learn how to set up an Etsy shop, do it right!

• How to get a website for your Etsy shop: To set up your website,  BLUEHOST is an amazing dirt cheap option for small shops just opening (especially if you plan to do most of your selling through Etsy.) You get a free domain name, super easy tools to set up your website, and inexpensive hosting. It’s the host I recommend for small websites with a very tight budget.For bloggers and bigger sites I recommend TechSurgeons (I use them) or Servously. If you’re all about quality from day one and  can spend a bit extra, go with one of these.

• How to set up a website for an Etsy shop:  – Install WordPress, find a free theme and get going! You’ll most likely get the instructions on how to do that once you set up with your host. Yes, you should still set up that Etsy shop – you can do both!

Now that you’ve learned how to set up an Etsy shop, learn tips for selling on Etsy once your shop is set up. Comment below with any questions!

The post How to Set Up an Etsy Shop – Successfully! 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.

People tend to gravitate toward their comfort zone when starting with selling crafts online. You know, that thing that you’ve made from everyone since the day you were born. That’s a great place to start, and indeed, that is the FIRST question you should ask yourself, but there are a number of questions that follow before making your decision.

8-step process for for choosing the best crafts to sell online:

Follow this step-by-step guide to nail the right craft to sell in your Etsy shop.

Pst – did you know you can get 40 free Etsy listings if you’re a new seller? Sign up here for your free listings to get your shop going!

1. Find the best crafts to sell online according to your skills:

Start by making a list of your skills sets. What do you really rock at? What have you made that your friends have raved about?

2. Demand + usefulness:

People are willing to shell out cash when they feel it provides immediate value. When it solves a problem they are dealing with, they won’t run from the dollar signs.

The best crafts to sell online are those that solve an immediate problem, have strong appeal, and are useful, rather than just a “gimmick”.

3. The best crafts to sell online are unique:

Etsy is flooded with aspiring craft sellers, especially sellers of handmade jewelry. You need to be a cut above the rest – but not just better in the quality of your craft. No one can REALLY see that your knit is more consistent in an Etsy listing. You need to be different – offer something that others in your niche are NOT offering.

4. Look at your passion for the best crafts to sell online:

To make the above work, it needs to be something you’re passionate about. Don’t sell baby things if you’re not a parent of a baby. And even more so: leave your industry open to change. If you make unique wooden toys, you CAN start with baby things, work with toddler toys, and sell wooden household items as well.

5. Passive + repeatability:

Make sure you can repeat what you make. It takes time to create a listing. It takes time to market it. If you need to do this for each item, you’ll have to raise your rates by a lot – so only go for things that are hard to reproduce if your niche allows for very high rates. Otherwise, look for something that you can repeat and keep the same listing for follow-ups when choosing the best crafts to sell online.

6. Cost vs. market value:

You also need to calculate in how much it will cost you to make each one, the availability of wholesale materials, and the market value. The best crafts to sell online are those where the cost of materials is negligible in relation to the value of the final product (which may be why so many people sell handmade jewelry – see point #3 for my answer to that.)

Check out my crafting calculator for a full workbook you can use to determine pricing, compare with similar items in the market, and brainstorm new ideas!

7. Gauge interest can help you choose the best crafts to sell online:

Start by sharing it with friends. Post on social media, or in groups – and not necessarily for sale. Just post a photo with- “I made this, what do you think?” See how people react, if they ask about purchasing it.

8. Think outside the box:

If your skill set and passion don’t add up with the above points, consider other ways to make money selling that skill. For example, if you are a whiz at knitting (which is time-consuming, doesn’t fetch a high value, and not so cheap), you might be better off selling your unique designs and patterns to fellow knitters. Etsy allows you to set up instant download listings so you won’t even need to take care of orders this way!

I sell digital downloads as my primary source of Etsy income and it’s totally passive!

4 of the best crafts to sell online:

I’m going to throw out a few ideas to get you started, but obviously choose according to your skills set (tip #1!) I just want you to follow through with my thought process in putting together the list, to see the nuance in what makes the best crafts to sell online.

But come up with your own ideas. Because you are unique and you need to be unique to make it!

1. Small Leather goods, especially unique men’s gifts:

While leather may be expensive, leather scraps are less so. People are used to paying a premium price for leather goods. Men’s gifts are hard to find. Put all that together, come up with a unique concept for your shop, and you have a great item that fits int he above categories.

2. Paper craft, sewing and knitting patterns:

Especially when selling on Etsy, a place where crafty people hang out, selling unique patterns that you designed on your own is a great way to earn on a craft that would otherwise be hard to sell.

3. Interest-based gifts:

While you might have issues with selling licensed character and sports team products, there are other interest-focused products you can create. Hot themes like unicorns and sloths are trends, so don’t build a whole business around it, but they can definitely go well. Monster trucks, life events (such as graduation) and religious products are all great, generic examples. Many people search for interest-based gifts when not sure what to purchase for someone, so that’s a great market to target!

4. Handmade decor:

Whether you work with clay or paper mache, decor is a place where people sometimes get spendy – especially when they find that perfect piece!

Done with this? Read next: How to Set Up an Etsy Shop and tips for selling on Etsy!

Learn how to stop hackers and digital safety tips for online entrepreneurs!

What do you find are the best crafts to sell online? Comment below!

Want some specific craft ideas? Check out the ideas below!

The post Best Crafts to Sell Online – Choosing Your Craft for your Etsy Shop appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

This post is sponsored by Jasco Products. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Our small garden makeover is complete and I’m so excited to share with you what we’ve done! I’m thrilled to be partnering with Jasco Products with the launch of their NEW Jasco Enbrighten LED Color Changing Landscape Lights, available online and at Sam’s Club.

When we purchased our house a couple of years ago, we knew that it was desperately in need of some TLC. It’s the eyesore of the block, and the lawn, just like the rest of the house, came “as is” – complete with a huge tangle of weeds and invasive shrubs.

But Baby Y had just been born, and family was visiting. So it waited. The next year, more life circumstances prevented us from tackling home projects.

Finally, this year we are working on making over our outdoor spaces. We started with the little garden out front.

Here’s how it looked before:

And this is what it looks like now:

A few reasons we opted to go for our small garden makeover before the lawn (and you might too):

• There was a lot of weed dumping to do, and mess to make, and we did not need to worry about ruining freshly planted grass.
• Spring is a great season for planting flowers, while in our area, autumn is better for grass.
• We are working on some larger projects (hello, patio!) in our backyard which we prefer to complete before we can call in the gardener to plant us a lawn in the front AND back.

If you’re a city dweller, you get what it’s like not to have a lot of space. Our front porch is tiny, and I wanted a little area to sit outside to watch the kids play once our grass is strong enough.

As I was completing my small garden makeover, neighbors passed by and the compliments poured in. They loved the bench, they adored the annuals planted at the back legs and the flower pot sitting on a vintage kids’ bistro chair, but their favorite part?

The beautiful Jasco Enbrighten LED Color-Changing Landscape Lights.

The new Jasco Enbrighten LED Color Changing Landscape Lights are the crowning glory of our small garden makeover – both because of the functionality they offer (lighting up our garden bench at night), and the form factor.

The oil-rubbed bronze is both beautiful during the day, and durable all year round. An easy-to-use remote changes between three white light options, sixteen single color options, as well as over 120 custom color combinations and preset color modes for holidays and year-round.

The cord is burial grade so we covered that over in mulch. You have 3 mounting options: you can mount the lights overhead, place the lights on the ground, or use the included stakes to “plant” them in the soil. We used the stakes.

We are so proud of our small garden makeover and can’t wait to share with you how we did it! Come fall, we plan to plant our lawn, and include some stepping stones leading to the bench area. When the lawn is strong enough, the kids will be able to play there and I can watch while I type out my next blog post.

Step by Step: How we completed our small garden makeover with some tips for you to try it yourself:

Watch the video below to see our process and to watch the lights in action. Or scroll down for step-by-step photos and instructions.

https://www.facebook.com/MenuchaDesign/videos/1701897366525129/

STEP 1 – CLEAN IT UP:

As you may have noticed in our before picture, our garden area was completely overgrown. Whatever better soil was laid down there before created fertile ground for loads of weeds and invasive shrubs, or “tree weeds” as we called them.

Armed with a whole slew of tools, my husband first trimmed it, then dug around it, chopped and pulled until he got up as many of those roots as possible.

We then raked away what we could of the remaining debris.

If you don’t already have a border for your garden, you may want to add that now. We already had a decorative brick border, so we skipped that step.

STEP 2 – TOPSOIL:

It may seem backwards to add topsoil before the plants were put in, but I wanted to to be spread evenly including under the bench. If I’d repeat I may put it down just around the plants (even though I wanted the soil to be good throughout for future plants too…)

STEP 3 – PLAN  YOUR LAYOUT:

It makes sense to first place your focal point – in my case the bench – and then to build out around it. I wanted something a bit more scattered and asymmetrical, but I did purchase two matching hydrangea bushes to balance things out. With the bench grounding the center, and the hydrangeas balancing things out more, I was set to add a bit of quirkiness to my small garden makeover.

Make sure to get plants appropriate for the sunlight that your garden will receive. I also recommend setting the stage with perennial plants and filling in with annuals. I chose the hydrangeas which are perennial , another azalea shrub which I hope will grow big and pretty, potted Dahlias which might not last out winter in our area, but it’s in a pot so that works for us. Annual begonias make great filler to add a spot of color.

Consider a plant stand of sorts (like the adorable vintage chair we put) to add some character.

STEP 4 – PLANT YOUR PLANTS:

Plant each plant as you laid it out according to package instructions. Since I had already laid out topsoil, I first raked away that layer of soil, and then dug a hole, placing the sand that I removed away from my garden.

I decided to get creative with the annuals and planted them around the back legs of the bench as if the bench grew from the flowers.

STEP 5 – INSTALL YOUR LIGHTS:

Follow package instructions to install your Jasco Enbrighten LED Color Changing Landscape Lights! First plan how you want to lay out your lights. Next, mount the controller. Install your lights by placing them where you want them or by digging them into the ground with the included stakes.

STEP 6 – MULCH:

Add a finishing touch with mulch (we matched ours to our neighbors’ which we had partially covered with sand while digging – whoops!)

The cable is burial grade so hide those wires!!

STEP6 – PLUG IT IN AND HAVE FUN:

Once your wires are installed, you can plug it into your outlet. Use the included remote control to play with the lights and enjoy the beautiful effects!

Have you ever completed a small garden makeover? Which garden solutions are you looking for – do you have any questions about our project? Comment below!

The post Small Garden Makeover – with a sweet sitting nook! 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.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of A.C. Moore. All opinions are 100% mine.

Make your own paper tulips with this free printable template! I love making paper flowers (you’ll find my heliconia paper flower template here) and the tulip is such a classic it deserves its own tutorial!

When we were kids, it was a real treat to go with my mother to A.C. Moore stores and pick out some cool crafting activities for the weekend.

To make these paper tulips, I used scrapbook paper from Love by Nicole, A.C. Moore’s proprietary brand that’s available exclusively at their stores.

I used a clever blend of solids and patterns for a striking-but-eclectic look. On one, I left the pattern as an accent on the inside, on the other, I let the paisley pop pattern really shine.

I also created another variation of these paper tulips where I put Premiere by Nicole alcohol markers to good use, coloring the template by myself.

These paper tulips can be collected in a vase, taped to a sheet of paper and framed in a shadow box, or even crafted around a pen as a gift!

A.C. Moore has recently partnered with Create and Craft to bring you the A.C. Moore Hour, full of crafty inspiration. You can watch it on Dish network, or stream it online.

Download your paper tulips template:

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What you need to make paper tulips:

• The template (print it above)
• Love Nicole scrapbook paper from A.C. Moore
• OR Premiere by Nicole alcohol markers
• Scissors
• Paper adhesive (such as glue dots)

How to make paper tulips – easy paper flower craft

1. Choose your scrapbook paper! I love the Love Nicole Paisley Pop pad with the two-sided paper. The solid color on the back helped me treat the pattern like a solid and choose appropriate colors.

2. Cut out your template. You have large petals and small ones, and another page with two leaves.

3. Use the template to trace your scrapbook paper. Cut out 5 large petals, and if you’d like to make a double tulip, cut out 5 small ones as well. Cut the slit at the bottom of the template too. Don’t worry about getting them too exact – they’re not identical on real tulips anyway!

4. Cut out your leaves.

5. If you prefer, you can color your template directly! I used Premiere by Nicole Design and Sketch markers.

Color your leaves as well. The color should seep through to the back if you give it good coverage. You can layer it on if you’d like!

6. When your parts are prepared, fold over the slit at the bottom, and attach the two sides, folding up an almost ninety degree curve at the bottom.

7. If you’d like to give your paper tulips’ petals more structure, you can crease them at the end or roll back the tip a bit – or do both.

8. Fold your leaf in half, starting at the pointy tip.

9. Once again, starting from the tip, roll your leaves back.

10. Create a stem! For this, I used an 8×8 inch sheet from the Morning Brew pad by Love Nicole. I started at the corner and rolled, that way I only had to secure it at the last corner.

11. Cut off the corners of your stem so that the top and bottom are both flat.

12. Attach your leaves flush with the base of the paper tulips’ stem. Let it curve a bit with the shape of the stem, and then fix the leaves so that they roll back comfortably.

13. Cut a few slits at the top of your stem about half an inch deep, and bend back the sections.

14. Time to assemble your paper tulips! Start by adding a glue dot to the bottom of one petal, and then nestle it into the other. Continue all around as pictured until your paper tulips are complete! If need be, paste together petals in more spots as needed.

15. Trying to make some double paper tulips? Double tulips have two layers of petals. To create this, repeat step 14 with your small petals too so that you have two separate flowers.

16. Now, paste the smaller flower into the larger one.

17. Another great alternative to try: make your paper tulips so that the printed side of your scrapbook paper is on the inside, just peeking out. This is my favorite version of all three paper tulips that I created using this paper flower template!

18. Finally, add glue dots to the sections of the stem that you created in step 13 and place your flower on top.

Your paper tulips are complete! Don’t you just love the bright, scrappy look they have to them?!

Make one, make three, or make five dozen. Either way, you’ll be proud of the results. Play around with different variations of the leaves, the stem, and the paper tulips themselves.

Who will you be making these paper tulips for? Comment below! Find more information about these Love Nicole products and more inspiring craft ideas at acmoore.com

The post Paper Tulips – Free Printable Paper Flower Template appeared first on Moms and Crafters.