Any ideas for me?

09-25-2006, 10:03 AM

I'd love to start doing more creative, fun things but I just don't know where to start. Any ideas for me? Any ideas on how to get started - LOL?

I've done some scrapbooking in the past and I used to really enjoy drawing and painting, but it's hard b/c I find that I need to be in the right frame of mind, have time, etc.

belinda · 09-25-2006, 10:24 AM

Are you looking for more long-term type projects that will take you awhile to complete, or, are you looking for something you can work on and be done with it in a short period of time?

Scrapbooking is an on-going project. You really don't come to an 'end' unless you complete a year or a book.

Which is where I'm losing my motivation. But, I agree, scraping is one of those things that I have to be in the mood for in order to do, or, it just doesn't work out.

09-25-2006, 10:33 AM

I don't know, really - LOL. Maybe something that I could do and be "done with" is more what I'm looking for? Not really sure......the last thing I did was a book for DH filled with pictures of him and DD together. I called it "Daddy's Book of Special Days". I got the idea somewhere online (the Baby Bargains website, maybe?) but the person who posted had the idea of having the child do a page or 2 every year (for birthdays, Christmas, etc., any other "Special Day" for years and years. I thought about doing handprints for this year since DD can't draw yet. I thought it was such a great idea but then realized that was too "long term" for me - LOL - so I decided to do a book of special days from the first year :) I put together a bunch of pictures of DD and DH together and used number stickers. I came up with 10 special days and the last page said something like "and more to come....."

09-25-2006, 10:35 AM

Now that I think of it....one of the things I've been wanting to do is make a book for Claire with pictures of the relatives (maybe a collage for the wall, too)

belinda · 09-25-2006, 10:39 AM

I'm not too sure what you could do at this age. I'm trying to think and am drawing a blank. When Zachery hit Kindergarten, I took all of his great artwork from over the years (and katelynn's) and made a collage that I have hanging in the playroom as 'artwork'. I just poster frame that came with cardboard with it, attached the artwork to the poster board and added the frame. It's a really cute collage to look at. Even has their hand and feet prints and how old they were when it was done.

Lisa · 09-25-2006, 11:33 AM

Im actually doing an ongoing project with the artwork that Kaitlyn does in daycare, yes even at this age they are helping them with artwork. They use finger paints and crayons already. She tries to eat the crayons and the fingerpaints are actually made from something edible(homemade recipe they use, they color it with different things like Koolaid and fruit juice) so that if they lick off there fingers they dont get sick. I took all the artwork and ran it through a lamination machine and then used a hole punch to put two holes, one on each corner and bound them with colorful ribbons so you can open it like a book, because it is encased in lamination, she can look at it and play with it and it wont get messed up. She likes to look at it and im sure as she gets older she will love to see what her first artwork looked like. I created 2 books like that already. I didnt want to have them too big so that they were bulky so I put about 10 pages in each.

09-25-2006, 11:45 AM

Belinda and Lisa - Those are great ideas. Thanks!

Maybe I'll try doing some art projects with her

Lisa · 09-25-2006, 11:49 AM

Kaitlyn loves to play with the finger paints, Crayola make there color wonders finger paints that will only color on there specific paper, on anything else(carpets, clothes) they are colorless, you could try those to see if she will even play with them. At first kaitlyn wasnt so sure of the stuff on her hands and would shake them trying to get the paint off of them, but now she goes to town. I will try to search for the recipe for the homemade finger paint as well.

09-25-2006, 11:54 AM

Thanks, Lisa

I appreciate it!

Lisa · 09-25-2006, 12:04 PM

Or you could do playdough

Home Made Playdough, (non-edible playdough)

1 cup flour
1 cup of water
1/2 cup of salt
2 tablespoons Cream of Tarter
1 tablespoon of Oil
Cook this ingredients until it forms an item in the pan. Pour it out onto a Tupperware lid. Cover with damp cloth. Add food coloring if you like. Store new playdough in the fridge in an airtight container. This is non-edible playdough

Kool Playdough

3 cups Flour
1/2 cups salt
2 Koolaide packages
2 cups Boiling water
Mix dry ingredients together. Add boiling water. Knead on floured board can add flour by sprinkles until desired consistency. This playdough will last for a long time when stored right.

Peanut-Buddy Play Dough (edible)

3 1/2 cups Creamy Peanut Butter
4 cups powdered sugar
4 cups powdered milk
3 1/2 cups corn syrup
Mix ingredients by hand. Share. Can decorate with sprinkles, M&Ms etc.

Oatmeal Buddy Dough (edible)

2 cups smooth peanut butter
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups powdered milk
2/3 cups Honey

Optional-Rice Krispes, Coconut Sprinkles, Chocolate chips, Red hots, etc...
Mix ingredients until combined. Wash hands. Lay down wax paper. Let them play. Store in air-tight container.

Frosting Playdough (edible)

1 can Frosting Mix
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup peanut butter(smooth)
Mix together until it reaches your wanted consistency. Enjoy!