Nail polish has been my favorite unconventional craft supply for a while now. I always have colors that I did not end up liking, or older polishes that are too thick to really use. I also love getting fun colors on the cheap from inexpensive brands.

If you’re just getting started with nail polish crafts, start with your collection, and add in a multi-pack of colors to have handy. Some nail polish crafts require special polishes. For example, some will call for a crackle effect, some a glitter. But having a rainbow of colors handy will definitely jump start you for most of these. For effects, go for a brand you trust. For solids, use up the cheap brands that you didn’t like!

14+ Fun Nail Polish Crafts

Fashion Upgrades Using Nail Polish

Upgrade an old pair of bangles in minutes! Painted bangles are so much prettier than plain ones. Notice how the texture shows right through.

These neon chain earrings by A Splendid Assemblage are genius and chic! Jewelry making skills involved are very basic and the result is awesome.

Funky and fun seashell earrings use nail polish in a surprising way! (Hint: it’s not used a a paint in this case).

Upgrade sunglasses to mimic a designer pair in a simple craft by Real Girl Runway. I can see any teen or tween digging this one!

Make a gorgeous faux Druzy bottle cap necklace as well as druzy studs, using nail polish for a beautiful gilded edge. Using glass glitter really upgrades things on these.

The possibilities are endless for these mini sunglasses charms! You can adapt it as a pair of shades for your child’s favorite Barbie-style doll too!

Turn acrylic cabochons into beautiful jewelry using nail polish in this wire wrapped cabochon tutorial!

Pair Eyewear are glasses with interchangeable toppers/fronts so that you can easily switch up your look. Snack Rules teaches how to customize your own toppers using nail polish (and other methods).

Make faux gemstone beads and then turn them into fun wrap bracelets with an easy and trendy tutorial!

Colorful Craft Corner made a super cool dragonfly pendant from wire and… you guessed it! Nail polish, of course!

This is one on the top of my to-do list! Make these minimalist color blocked stud earrings by In Honor of Design in minutes!

Make these color blocked bobby pins by  The Thinking Closet on the quick and cheap! Stack ’em up and give ’em to friends!

I was always a big fan of these washer necklaces by Sunhats and Wellie Boots. Make a bunch, wear a few at once, and give them out to friends.

Nail Polish Crafts for the home

Get crafty in the kitchen with these enameled teaspoons. What a lovely hostess or housewarming gift!

One of my favorites of all time, this dipped rainbow candle is a beauty! It uses one color at a time, with the translucent quality of nail polish really shining, and the hydrodipping technique giving a gorgeous texture.

Color code your keys with a fun idea from A Bubbly Life:

If you can create art on nails, why not make it on canvas? This art canvas by Inner Child Fun can star in the perfect gallery wall.

Use puffy fabric paint and fill in the spaces with nail polish to make pretty decorated bowls for condiments, keys, jewelry, or whatever you’d like.

Gilded agate coasters from Thou Swell are chicer than plain agate coasters and so easy to make!

These marble dipped vessels by Sugar and Cloth look like they’re made of real marble! The result is amazing.

More things to make with nail polish

This heart magnet has a beautiful enameled look thanks to nail polish. You can also make this on flat wood squares to place on a card.

Check out these chunky wooden alphabet magnets by Arts and Crackers – they are so cool. I am sure your little one will love it!

Crafting Ireland teaches how to make versatile enamel dots as used in this pretty card.

 Glitter Magnets by Finding Zest are another easy and functional craft your tween will love!

Make these adorable custom pencils for back to school, by Arts and Crackers. Click the image for the full tutorial.

The Craft Train shares this rock painting genius – use nail polish to craft ladyrock bugs! She shares some tips for using the nail polish with kids too.

You’ll want to store these marbled makeup brushes by A Bubbly Life out in the open. (A clear makeup container does the trick.)

Add sparkle to your home with glittery snow flakes by Muslin and Merlot.

Want to learn how to make jewelry out of anything (including nail polish!?) Get the book!

What nail polish craft ideas can you add to the list? Comment below!

Want more? Check up my follow-up post – featuring NAIL POLISH HACKS – alternative ways to use your nail polish (other than crafting).

The post The Best Nail Polish Crafts appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

Full disclosure: I am not a 10-year-old girl. I’m a 28 year old mom of two boys and a girl who somehow comes up with things like this. But y’know being a tween girl seems to come naturally to me, minus the drama…

So while I might convert it into a key chain once I realize that I’m not going to wear these around, it’s interesting that this is what I came up with. Truth is, the silver chain style isn’t that childish – I’m sure I can adult this up… (that is SO a thing.)

I made a few styles of seashell necklace varying the colors, textures, shells and string, but I did stick to clay and shell with all of them.

The fun part was figuring out how to add texture to the clay to make it more fun.

On one seashell necklace, I simply pressed in glitter. This will only really work with glass glitter, which has more body to it. Tinsel glitter would need to be Mod Podged onto the final piece rather than pressed into the soft clay.

On the other, I scraped off shavings from a chalk pastel. I LOVE how it came out!! This also works with plain old chalk. If you use chalk, the color will come out when you seal it and it absorbs the moisture. You MUST seal it.

I actually completely redid this project now (in 2021) so that I can reshare it. On the second try, I decided to try microbeads as well. Those needed two layers of sealer to really hold them in place but do look really cool.

I used this clay from a big bucket, making this an extremely inexpensive project. To finish it off, you can use either a polymer clay glaze (like I used in the first take) or Mod Podge Super Gloss like I used in the redo.

Air dry clay is very easy to use, but it’s white (or terra cotta – don’t get the terra cotta!) In the first round, I used gouache paints to make it a rich color. In the second, I used regular craft acrylics. They both work great. It’s nice to be able to customize colors rather than being limited to the brand’s palette!

The thing with this clay is that it’s very fragile if it’s too thin. That’s why most jewelry artists don’t usually use it. You do need to make sure that your seashell necklace is think enough that it doesn’t break. I used this clay because I had no idea if I can bake the shell or not, and didn’t feel like trying…

As you can see, I switched around the way I strung each seashell necklace. For some, I used white cotton twine and a wooden bead. This gives it more of a casual feel. On another, I added a bit of chain with silver beads strung on. That’s a great way to dress it up for bigger kids (or moms?!)

One of the shells I used is painted. I had a shell leftover from when I made my seashell earrings and decided to use it in this necklace. It adds a watercolor touch and really upgrades this seashell necklace! Most of these shells were beach keepsakes but for the redo, I couldn’t find them, so I bought a bag of shells to keep in my craft room.

I kept one necklace very simple – a perfect necklace for boys too!

Whichever seashell necklace you plan to make, this open-ended craft is perfect for teen summer camp, for a beach party, or any day just for fun! If you want to get started with polymer clay, try this bonfire craft instead!

And if you love making air dry clay jewelry that’s colorful and fun, try this hair tie bracelet DIY tutorial!

Want to learn how to make jewelry out of anything? These seashell necklace are a sample project from my new book How to Make Jewelry Out of Anything!

What you need to make a seashell necklace:

• Air dry clay
• Water-based paint in your choice of colors
• Glass glitter (optional). Glass glitter has a higher quality finished look than regular glitter, so I prefer it for jewelry making crafts. It also has more substance and can easily be pressed into the clay
• Chalk pastels (for richer color) or sidewalk chalk (optional)
• A skewer, clay tool, or the back of a paintbrush – anything that can poke a hole…
• Small seashells
• Sculpey Glaze or Mod Podge Super Gloss + a paintbrush
• Cotton twine, thin chain, or similar string
• Wood or glass beads (optional)
• Something to protect your surface from the clay and paint.

How to make a seashell necklace:

1. Soften your clay with your fingers.

2. Flatten it and create a well in the center for your paint.

3.Add a few drops of water-based paint and mix it up.

4.Add color as needed, a little bit at a time. If you do too much at once, you’ll find that the clay cakes onto your hand.

Experiment with different colors for different necklaces.

5. Press it into a coin shape at least 1/4 inch thick and larger than your shell.

6.If you want, add texture in the form of glitter or pastel shavings.

7. Press your shell into the center and shape your clay around it however you want. I did round, a teardrop, and pressed against the shell.

8. Poke a hole using a skewer or the back of a paint brush.

9. Paint on two layers of glaze, allowing it to dry in between.

When you’re done, add your string, knots, and finish it off how you want.

Your DIY seashell necklace is complete! Where will you be doing this seashell craft? Who will you give this necklace to, and what variations do you want to share with other Moms & Crafters readers? Comment below!

The post Seashell Necklace – Craft with your beach shells! appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

These paper fall luminaries are so simple to make – you’ll want to scatter them all over! Make a cluster in different heights for a beautiful centerpiece on a round table. Make them the same height and place them at even intervals on a longer table.

You can use these on your autumn mantle. They look great with lights on or off, and you can add some real ambiance to your living space, even when the lights are off.

You’ll be using them with LED candles, of course, since they are highly flammable paper!

One of my favorite features of these fall luminaries: anyone can make them!

For younger kids, you’ll want to streamline it by preparing the components in advance and allow them to focus more on decorating it.

Older kids with better cutting skills can make it mostly independently. If they are not ready to use a knife, simply cut a starting hole with a knife and allow them to finish it off with age-appropriate scissors.

If you celebrate the holiday of Sukkot, these will look fantastic in your sukkah! Place them in the center and use the LED lights to add some seasonally-appropriate ambiance and festivity to your holiday meals. (And yes, they go great with these place cards too!)

What you need to make paper lanterns for fall:

• Cardstock/Kraft paper
• Colored craft papers (thin enough for light to shine through)
• Pencil
• Craft glue
• X-acto knife
• Cutting mat
• Ruler
• LED candles
• Template (opens in a new tab)

How to make paper fall luminaries:

1. Determine a size for the luminaries and use a ruler and pencil to trace the determined size on the selected cardstock paper. I’ve cut out a 6 inches x 12.5 inches piece of cardstock paper. Keep 0.5 inch as a glue tab for joining the sides. Folding the main part (12 inches) into a triangle will form a 4 inch luminary.  The luminaries I made are 6 inches tall and 4 inches wide. 

2. Leaving 0.5 inch along the short side of the cardstock paper, fold the rest of the width into 3 even parts. Unfold to create creases. Print and cut out the leaf patterns from the provided template and trace them on the middle section of the cardstock.  The template includes different sizes of leaves, so choose any size you want. 

3. Place the cardstock paper on a cutting mat and use an x-acto knife to cut out the traced leaves. 

4. Try to cut out the leaves as neatly as possible. 

5. Select colored craft papers (the papers should be thin enough to pass light). Cut them into pieces big enough to cover the cutout.

6. Apply glue around the cutout on your main lantern.

7. Place the colored craft papers on the glued part and press the papers against the glue to make sure that they are glued securely. 

8. This is how the fall luminaries should look on the front at this point.

9. Though this optional, you can apply a glitter border around the leaf cutouts. Allow the glitter border to dry. You can also decorate the other portions however you’d like.

10. Fold the lantern on the folds you made earlier in this tutorial.

11. Apply glue along the 0.5 inch tab and join it with the open end side to form the luminary. Allow the glue to dry completely. Place an LED candle inside each lantern and enjoy the glow!

Have you ever made fall luminaries out of paper? What’s your favorite way to decorate for autumn? Comment below!

The post Fall Luminaries – DIY Paper Fall Leaf Lanterns 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.

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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.

Gingerbread houses may be lots of fun to make, but there’s a slight issue involved. If you don’t plan to eat it, it seems a bit wasteful. And if you do plan to eat it, especially when kids are involved, there’s LOTS of handling… more than what (personally) whets my appetite.

In addition, it doesn’t really make for a great long-lasting display!

While the real deal is still good for a “make and eat” activity for kids, if you want something you can display for the whole holiday season, a paper gingerbread house craft is the way to go!! It’s one of my favorite paper Christmas crafts for kids that can be made differently every year.

Download the free printable template so that you get the proportions right from the start and then get crafting! You can use this template for other house crafts too.

It’s really straightforward, open-ended and fun for little kids. This version uses small foam balls cut in half that look just like candy (make sure little kids know it’s not candy – and supervise!) You can also glue on buttons, twisted clay candy canes, or whatever you want, really!

You can use the gingerbread house craft template to make paper houses of any sort (or try this template for paper houses.)

Download your free gingerbread house craft template below:

Tip: scroll to the end of this post for a printer-ready version of the craft instructions!

 

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What you need to make a gingerbread house paper craft:

• Brown cardstock
• Small Styrofoam balls – both colored and white (or paint white ones in advance)
• White paint or a white paint marker
• Paint brush
• Pencil or pen – for tracing the template
• Scissors
• Craft glue

How to make a cardboard gingerbread house craft:

1. Cut out the house and roof for your gingerbread house craft from brown cardstock, using the template to guide you. If your printer can handle the thicker paper, you can print the template directly on the card stock to make assembling it easier.

2. Have fun decorating your house! Paint on white trim, doors and windows, and anything else you want, on the house portion. Allow it to dry completely.

3. Using the template as your guide, fold the house on the thin fold lines.

4. Apply glue along the tab of the house and attach it to the other end, forming a square.

5. Paint borders and shingles on the roof. Decorate it as you wish and allow it dry.

6. Fold the roof in half along the center line of the template.

7. Apply glue and attach your roof to the top of the house.

8. Cut an assortment of white and colored Styrofoam balls in half.

9. Decorate your gingerbread house craft with the half balls that look just like candy!

Decorate the borders of the roof and the sides of the house too.

Get creative and add more until you’re happy with how it looks.

10. Allow the glue to dry completely. Your gingerbread house craft is ready to display!

Have you ever tried making a gingerbread house craft from paper? Comment below!

Print your craft instructions below:

Gingerbread House Craft from Paper

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Difficulty: Intermediate

Estimated Cost: $1

Instead of messy candy, try making a gingerbread house craft from cardstock paper! You can download the free printable template first, and use this to make any paper house craft that you want.

Print

Materials

• Brown cardstock
• Small Styrofoam balls – both colored and white (or paint white ones in advance)
• White paint or a white paint marker
• Paint brush
• Pencil or pen – for tracing the template
• Scissors
• Craft glue or glue stick

Instructions

  

↵

1. Cut out the house and roof for your gingerbread house craft from brown cardstock, using the template to guide you. If your printer can handle the thicker paper, you can print the template directly on the card stock to make assembling it easier.

2. Have fun decorating your house! Paint on white trim, doors and windows, and anything else you want, on the house portion. Allow it to dry completely.

3. Using the template as your guide, fold the house on the thin fold lines.

4. Apply glue along the tab of the house and attach it to the other end, forming a square.

5. Paint borders and shingles on the roof. Decorate it as you wish and allow it dry.

6. Fold the roof in half along the center line of the template

7. Apply glue and attach your roof to the top of the house.

8. Cut an assortment of white and colored Styrofoam balls in half.

9. Decorate your gingerbread house craft with the half balls that look just like candy!

Decorate the borders of the roof and the sides of the house too.

Get creative and add more until you're happy with how it looks.

10. Allow the glue to dry completely. Your gingerbread house craft is ready to display!

Notes

Price is estimate based on cost of making multiple products.

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The post Gingerbread House Craft from Paper – Free Printable Template 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.

Below, you’ll find a great list full of DIY gifts for Tweens that can be made by tweens!  It’s subdivided into 3 categories:

1. DIY Gifts for Tween Girls – gift ideas that are specifically geared toward tween girls.
2. DIY Gifts for Tween Boys – gift ideas that are specifically geared toward tween boys
3. DIY Jewelry Gifts for Tweens– DIY gifts for tweens that are jewelry.

Of course these are all interchangeable, but I sorted them this way to give you a starting point to find ideas that will interest your tween.

These DIY gift ideas for tweens are perfect for friends, children, or even siblings! So what are you waiting for? Scroll through this list, choose your favorites, and get crafting!

Want a non-DIY gift for your creative tween? Check out my complete list of gifts for creative kids of all ages for solutions to your own gift-giving needs!

DIY Gifts for Tween Girls 

These DIY gift ideas for tween girls are perfect for all the girls in your tween’s life.

1. Paracord Headbands by Moms & Crafters:
These sweet headbands are a new twist on classic paracord accessories! Tween girls will love the mix of beauty and utility! Paracord is relatively inexpensive and comes in cool colors too.

2. Friendship Pin Craft by Kitchen Counter Chronicle:

Tweens can show off their friendship wherever they go with these friendship pins! Inexpensive and easy, this makes a great party activity too.

3. Paper Tulips by Moms & Crafters

Make your own paper tulips with this free printable template! I love making paper flowers – and these are simple enough for most tweens to craft.

4. DIY Donut Scented Soap by Happiness is Homemade:

These scented soap donuts look good enough to eat! Plus, they’re actually easier to make than real donuts.

5. Melted Crayon Art by Mum in the Madhouse:

Art comes in many forms, and in this case, it comes with the fun of melting crayons! Teens and tweens alike will love this fun art activity.

6. Paper Flowers by Moms & Crafters:

With only a few simple items, these paper flowers come to life. These make the perfect bedroom decor for tween girls and a fun giftable craft idea.

7. Valentine Pillows by Moms & Crafters:
Let a little love in with these soft heart pillows. Making them is just as much fun as using them – and you don’t need to wait for Valentines day to give them! They are good for showing friendship all year round, and the soft fleece makes it easy to work with and fun to enjoy.

DIY Gifts for Tween Boys 

These DIY gift ideas for tween boys are great for friends, classmates, and any other boys in your tween’s life. Of course, most of these are good for tween girls too – I just separated them to make it easier to navigate this list.

8. Superhero Comic Book Magnets by Crafts by Amanda:

Grab those old comic books and turn them into something new! These magnets really pack a visual punch!

9. LEGO T-Shirt by Moms & Crafters:

There’s no better feeling than creating something new with LEGO, but why leave it to the non-functional? This fun LEGO t-shirt uses brick tape and has fixed designs that wash well and make great DIY gifts for tweens.

10. Name Keychains by Moms & Crafters

No matter if they make it for themselves or for a friend, these name keychains are a great personal touch to any tween boy’s backpack! Write with permanent markers on wooden beads for fun personalized DIY gifts for tweens.

11. Infinity Cube by Moms & Crafters:

This DIY infinity cube is a fun, inexpensive fidget toy that’s a great alternative to a fidget spinner! Plus, it’s much quieter and is actually more of a fidget tool. It only uses wooden cubes and mini duct tape, making them super frugal yet ridiculously fun DIY gifts for tweens.

12. Geometric Patterned Stamped Shoes by Happiness is Homemade:

Get your skater ready to hit the skate park with these custom shoes! He’ll be the envy of all his friends and the only one with a pair just like it.

13. Harry Potter Mini Snitch Pen by Red Ted Art:

Bring the magic to life with this tiny pen! Be sure to keep an eye on it though, the Golden Snitch has a funny way of disappearing if you’re not careful…

DIY Jewelry Gifts for Tweens

These jewelry gifts for tweens are both easy to make and stylish. Jewelry make the perfect DIY gifts for tweens because they are often inexpensive to assemble but they are so cool when finished!

14. Paracord Bracelets by Happiness is Homemade

This classic utility accessory is now a craft! Learn to knot and tie your own paracord bracelets and give them out as gifts.

15. Paper Quilling Flower Pendant by Moms & Crafters:

A great inexpensive craft, these quilled paper flower pendants are the perfect way to let creativity shine. They’re about as cheap as jewelry gets… but still seriously cool! Make it easier by starting with quilling strips.

16. Heart Hanging Jewelry Organizer by Moms & Crafters:

Jewelry boxes hide everything away. Why not show off all the cute accessories by hanging them for everyone to see? The hearts on this easy DIY jewelry organizer are made using Sugru in a family safe forumula – perfect for making DIY gifts for tweens!

17. Feather Earrings by Moms & Crafters:

This cool feather earrings DIY project teaches you how to make simple hoops from wire, bead them, and then turn them into cool boho-chic earrings.

That’s all for now, but if you want more, check out my full lists of crafts for tweens – or these cool crafts for teens! I also shared in the past some great birthday party crafts for tweens and teens as well as fun crafts for tweens with paper.

Got teen boys? These crafts for teen boys will cover them too! And you can find a complete list of lego gifts you can make too.

What are your favorite DIY gift ideas that tweens can make? Comment below!

The post DIY Gifts for Tweens to Make for Other Tweens appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

Contrary to what you might think when looking for Hanukkah crafts and activities, and finding the abundance of ideas out there, Hanukkah is NOT a major Jewish holiday.

On major Jewish holidays, Orthodox Jews totally unplug. We celebrate family meals, go to synagogue, don’t work, and don’t actively use any electronics.

On Hanukkah, we are permitted to work, use electronics, etc – we just have extra traditions we do, such as lighting the Menorah nightly, eating fried foods – such as these golden potato latkes, and giving the kids “Hanukkah gelt” – money or other gifts and incentives for studying Torah and living by our traditions. We also tend to throw big family get-togethers, parties, and other fun events.

While most holidays are more dinner-focused – we’ll cook huge sit-down meals twice for every day of our holiday – Hanukkah is more “casual”, you can say, leaving me more room for creativity.

For this reason alone, I absolutely love Hanukkah.

While browsing through my blog, you’ll find lots more ideas for Hanukkah than any other Jewish holiday because I have the time for creativity.

You can check out my full list of Hanukkah crafts and decorations as well.

Meanwhile, I hope you have fun with these DIY Hanukkah window clings!

You can use Hanukkah window clings in two ways. Either, do what I do and place them on a window or mirror where you’d like them to be.

Update! This post has moved to my Jewish blog to make it easier for browsers!

Get the Hanukkah Coloring Bundle for Adults for some nostalgic coloring fun!

Print the instructions to make Hanukkah window clings

Hanukkah Window Clings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Difficulty: Intermediate

Make this beautiful Hanukkah window clings and stained glass gallery wall art!

Print

Materials

• The template, printed out here.
• Gallery Glass paints in your choice of colors
• Simulated Liquid Leading
• Leading Blanks (I didn't have this so I used stencil blanks instead.) If you are planning on making these in frames, you can skip this and make it directly on the glass of the frames.
• Toothpick
• Optional: Frames, painted in your choice of color, with the backs removed and the glass intact

Instructions

1. Place your blank over the template you plan to trace.

2. Trace your stencil outline with the liquid leading. Allow it to dry overnight. Tip: the more complex the design, the harder this stage will be.

3. Fill your spaces with an even layer of window color. Use a toothpick to make sure your color goes all the way to the simulated leading. Any holes can weaken your project and make it tear when you pull it off. Fill in all the holes on your artwork. Keep in mind that the color turns translucent and looks darker when it dries.

4. Allow your Hanukkah window clings to dry completely before removing them from the blank. Dry time will depend on your environment, so test it and remove it slowly, waiting longer if needed.

Place your Hanukkah window clings wherever you'd like them to be, and enjoy seeing them all Hanukkah long!

  

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Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  5 Hanukkah Coloring Pages for Adults
• 
  Plaid Enterprises, Inc. PROMOGG002 Gallery Glass Holiday Suncatcher Set
• 
  Color-in Chanukah Postcards

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Find More Hanukkah Crafts and Activities Below:

This craft was made as part of the Multicultural Kid Blogs Hanukkah blog hop. .

All Done Monkey on Multicultural Kid Blogs: The Ultimate List of Hanukkah Crafts for Kids
Moms & Crafters: Hanukkah Window Clings – Faux Stained Glass (you’re here!)
Melibelle in Tokyo: Channukah and a Case for Light
Coffee and Carpool: 8 Days of Hanukkah Kindness Activities
Mommy Evolution: Hanukkah Books for Preschoolers
Juggling with Kids: Personalized Dreidel Gifts

The post Hanukkah Window Clings Templates – Faux Stained Glass appeared first on Moms and Crafters.

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.