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- DIY Comic Strip Frames & Boxes for Father’s Day
  June 1, 2020In our family Father’s Day is sometimes overlooked, lost in the hustle and bustle of summer vacations, family reunions, and other events. This year due to the Pandemic I don’t think we’re going anywhere. I doubt we’ll even let the kids go to the mall or the movies, assuming those places are even open. So making dad a cool gift will give the kids something to do to break up the monotony of staying home all summer. There were many great ideas out there, I even wrote a post, 12 Really Cool Father’s Day Crafts – FREE Printables, highlighting my favorites. I showed the different ideas to my grandsons, Dion and Devon, they both loved the comic book decoupage frames and boxes. Devon especially loved the frames and wanted to put his picture wearing his Captain America costume in them. Definitely right up his alley! Dion decided he’d make the boxes and fill them with candy, he knows how much his dad and uncles like candy. He’s filling his poppa’s box with coffee K-cups, his poppa’s a big coffee drinker. These ideas came from Crafts by Amanda, aside from the frames and boxes she also makes comic strip magnets. She uses comic book pages from comic books she was lucky enough to find at a garage sale for a quarter. We weren’t so lucky, we didn’t have any old comic books laying around and I didn’t want to hit the garage sales in search of any. Instead I found some free images of comic strips online (there are many, just do a google search for “free comic strip images”) and printed them to use for our craft projects, they worked just fine. I found the unfinished frames at the Walmart craft department, they cost $1.11 a frame. The paper mache boxes came from our local craft store and were $4.39 each for the large oval ones. The boxes come in many shapes and sizes and ranged in price from $1.99 on up. Mod Podge can be purchased at Walmart’s craft department and most other craft stores. We used small sponge brushes that we got from Home Depot for .54 cents each, they have them at Walmart in the craft and paint departments as well. This whole project ( 4 frames & 4 boxes) cost me less than $30 and I still have lots of Mod Podge glue and sealer left for future projects. So the average cost for each frame and each box is about $3.75. A great deal! We pretty much followed the directions found on her site but added extra coats of Mod Podge glue (affiliate link)and a coat of Mod Podge gloss sealer (affiliate link). Thanks to Crafts by Amanda we came up with super Father’s Day gifts that didn’t cost much and were very easy to make. The boys made 4 frames and 4 boxes in a couple of hours, that’s including drying time between coats! (The boys went out to play while they waited for the glue to dry, they are very good multi-taskers!) I found that working with comic strip pages is very forgiving, the print is so busy you don’t really notice flaws such as wrinkles and seams. A great craft for kids who aren’t always patient about gluing things together! *Clicking on affiliate links will take you to our Amazon affiliate. Here are instructions for the frames and boxes! Supplies for frame: Comic Books or printed comic strip images – if you are going to print them be sure to adjust the size on the printer so that the image will fill the page otherwise you may end up with a tiny image surrounded by white paper. Mod Podge Original Glue – Matte finish Mod Podge Acrylic Sealer – Matte Finish Unfinished Wood Craft Picture Frame to hold 4×6 photo Small sponge brushes Scissors Pencil Newspaper or drop cloth to cover work surfaces Directions: 1. Position the frame on top of the comic strip page as best as you can so that you can have the images you want on the frame. The boys tried to get as much of the super hero’s image on the frame as possible by shifting the wood frame around until they were satisfied that they weren’t cutting off “vital” parts. Trace frame onto comic strip page with pencil. To get the desired images you may have to trace two “C” shaped strips and connecting them when you position them on the wood frame. We didn’t need to so we just traced the whole frame and the inside part as well. Remember the rectangle you cut out of the middle won’t be placed on the wood frame. We saved those pieces for later should we decide to make them into magnets or other craft. 2. Cut out the traced shape being careful to cut the middle opening out without cutting into the surrounding piece. Should you nip a bit of the outer piece don’t worry too much about it. You don’t need to start all over, just glue it securely in place later on, you’ll probably hardly notice it. 3. Brush a light coat of glue on the wood frame and on the backside of the strip or strips you will be using. Allow to dry for 5 minutes. 4. Carefully position the comic strips onto the glue coated wood frame (place the side of the comic strip you brushed glue on to the frame – both glue coated surfaces should be together). The strip should lightly adhere to the wood. 5. Working from the middle of the frame out, gently lift off the comic strip section by section and press onto the frame to work out bubbles and wrinkles. You may have to dab on a bit more glue so that the strip sticks to the wood well. 6. When you’re satisfied with the placement and have made sure there are no wrinkles or bubbles brush on a coat of glue over the entire surface. You don’t have to soak the paper, just be sure you get the glue brushed on evenly on the whole frame. Allow to dry 10 -15 mins, or until it’s no longer sticky. We had a fan on so it didn’t take our glue to dry, it dried in about 5 minutes. 7. Once the glue is dry check the frame, you may have to trim off excess paper at this point. 8. Brush on 3 – 4 more coats of glue, allowing glue to dry between each coat. About 10 – 15 minutes drying time between coats. 9. After your last coat of glue allow the frame to dry for an hour. 10. Spray on acrylic finish. This is a job for adults to do outdoors or in a well ventilated area. If you’re sensitive to chemicals wear a mask when applying the acrylic finish, it has a very strong smell and can’t be healthy. Allow to dry at least an hour before inserting your photo. We let ours dry overnight. Supplies for box: Paper Mache Box – any shape or size Mod Podge Original Glue – Matte Finish Mod Podge Acrylic Sealer – Matte Finish Small sponge brushes Scissors Pencil Newspaper or drop cloth to cover work surfaces Spray paint (optional – in your choice of color) Directions: 1. If you want to spray paint your box before applying the comic strip you can spray paint it in what ever color you want. Allow it to dry completely before proceeding to glue on comic strips. We didn’t paint ours. 2. Position the lid on the comic strip page, try to include the images you want to apply to the lid. Trace the shape of the lid on the page. 3. Cut out the traced shape. 4. Cut out 2 strips of the page in the width you desire – you can cut them as wide ad the sides of the box or slimmer so that you will have plain edges on the top and bottom. 5. Brush glue on the box lid, sides of the box, and on the backside of your comic strips. Allow to dry 5 minutes. 6. Position the comic strips to on the lid and sides of the box. 7. Working from the middle, gently lift off the paper and work out bubbles and wrinkles as you press it on to the box. 8. When you’re satisfied with the placement and are sure you’ve worked out all bubbles and wrinkles brush on a coat of glue on the comic strips. Don’t soak the paper, just be sure the glue is spread evenly. Allow to dry 10 – 15 minutes. 9. Once the glue is dry check all sides of the box and lid. You may have to trim away excess paper so that the comic strip is even with the lid and box. 10. Brush on 3 – 4 more coats of glue, allowing glue to dry between each coat. About 10 – 15 minutes drying time between coats. 11. After your last coat of glue allow the frame to dry for an hour. 12. Spray on acrylic finish. This is a job for adults to do outdoors or in a well ventilated area. If you’re sensitive to chemicals wear a mask when applying the acrylic finish, it has a very strong smell and can’t be healthy. Allow to dry at least an hour before inserting your photo. We let ours dry overnight. Fill box with what ever you want or nothing at all, the boxes make great storage for cufflinks, coins, and other small stuff.... Read more...
- Should You Get Your Kids a Dog for Their Birthday This Year? 5 Considerations to Make
  May 17, 2020Undoubtedly, receiving a puppy on their birthday is any kids’ idea of the perfect present. However, should you get them a puppy as a surprise? Will they be able to care for your pet for the years to come? It is undeniable that welcoming a pet into a household has wonderful benefits, from making your family more social to helping you adopt a more active lifestyle. However, before rushing to the nearest breeder, there are some considerations that any parent should do. Don’t underestimate these, as they can genuinely make a difference in the experience you will live with your dog for the years to come. Photo by Kai-Chieh Chan from Pexels https://www.pexels.com/photo/portrait-of-a-smiling-young-woman-with-dog-332974/ Getting your kids ready to care for a dog A dog can change the life and habits of a family, which is something to keep in mind before introducing a dog into a household. Even if you are fully conscious of these changes and ready to adapt, you should avoid surprising your little ones with a puppy for your birthday. Instead, getting them to participate in the process can help them adapt to the idea of having to care for someone else. Something that you should communicate with your children before adopting a pet include: The necessary change in habits – dogs, especially when they are still puppies, might need a precise routine to follow, which might not be the ideal for you. Indeed, a puppy might need to walk very early in the morning or late in the evening. Your kids should be aware that this is something they might have to attend to, even if it does not fit their schedules. Training – a young puppy will not be house trained at the moment of adoption. You might be fully prepared for it, but your kids should learn to do their part towards it. Compassion and care – a dog is a lifelong present that can drastically change everybody’s lives in your household. Your kids need to understand to treat him or her as part of the family and with respect. Indeed, dogs, especially when they are still puppies, are highly responsive to their surrounding environment. Their owner’s behavior can shape their personality and have a significant impact on their attitude. Ultimately, as ASPCA suggests, pets should be gifted only to individuals that have expressed the desires of owning one, and they are familiar with the responsibilities that come with it. If you are giving a dog to children younger than 12, you should be ready to take full responsibility for training, development, and care. Educating your kids Undoubtedly, a dog can fill any children and adults with joy from the moment of bringing him or her into the household. However, your children need to understand that a dog is not a toy to play with until it becomes cumbersome to care for him. Statistics and choices While it might not be the easiest of subjects for a conversation with your kids, they should be aware that 6.5 million pets end up in shelters every year just in the US. Speaking about these types of statistics might help them make a conscious choice regarding adopting a pet and sensibilize them to such topics. Spraying and neutering. Preventing pets from reproducing is another way to control and limit the number of animals abandoned and currently in shelters. It is essential, especially if your family cannot care for more than one pet at a time. Microchips and collars Caring for a dog might also mean that you have to take precautions in place if an excited puppy gets lost on your daily walks. If found by someone else, they need to have the pet owner’s contact details to return it. Pet safety and emotional care Lastly, it is vital to instill in your child the importance of treating your dog with care and compassion. Indeed, these loving creatures might be their best friends for the years to come and bring considerable benefits to their development – such as reducing anxiety and providing protection. However, the relationship should be mutual and based on emotional care. A pet comes with responsibilities. If you have already decided that your family is ready to welcome a dog, you should not underestimate the responsibilities that come with it. As we have seen, in the case of children younger than 12, you might have to take full responsibility for the dog’s development. However, as your children get older, you could consider splitting the pet care duties. You might decide to ask your children to feed or walk the dog once a day if this is possible. Alternatively, your little ones might be in charge of picking up the dog’s toys and reorganizing them. These might seem little tasks at first, but they can help any family deal with necessary daily tasks. Moreover, you can use this time to teach your children to be accountable and assume their responsibilities. All this might represent a steep learning curve for the whole family, but it will be worth it! Photo by bin Ziegler from Pexels https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-dog-beside-little-girl-1364756/ A shelter dog vs. a breeder dog After clarifying all the points above, it is time to decide on the adoption process. Purchasing a dog from a breeder and adopting it from a shelter has pros and cons. Adopting a dog from a shelter A shelter dog is usually older and sometimes hybrids of mixed-breeds. These characteristics might prevent you from enjoying the puppy stage and have you deal with pre-existing issues. If you are not sure about the dog’s behavior and character, it can be dangerous to expose your kids to it. Indeed, if you don’t know how the dog can react in certain situations and what are triggers that can spike episodes of aggressiveness, you should speak to an expert first. However, sometimes, in shelters, you can find well-behaved and trained dogs that belong to a specific breed. While they might still be older than a puppy, this choice can reduce the number of dogs euthanized each year. Finding a breeder On the other hand, deciding to purchase a dog from a respectable breeder allows you to have the first choice on its pedigree and breed. In turn, these characteristics help you choose the right dog for a family with kids. Wisely picking a breeder is essential in this case. Indeed, many breeders mainly focus on breeding puppies to increase their incomes. Such unethical practices can be highly detrimental to the health of the parents as well as for the puppies. However, others are sustainable and knowledgeable and aim at breeding only healthy and high-quality puppies. If you have opted to purchase a dog from a breeder, head to this page to find a highly respectable breeder. Picking the breed and the puppy The choice of what dog to get has to take into consideration many factors. Aside from your budget and financial status, you should evaluate the size of your flat or house, as well as the time availability. Some breeds might be more kid-friendly, and some dogs might require a much higher level of exercise than others. Ultimately, while contemplating your kid’s opinion, you should speak to the rest of your family and experts before making a choice. When picking a puppy from a litter, remember that the puppy might become excited if the people around him are, and also, kids tend to make their choices based on emotions. Instead, it is vital to make this choice logically to find a puppy that matches your needs perfectly. ... Read more...
- Mother’s Day Crafts Kids Can Make – FREE Printable
  May 8, 2020Mother’s Day is fast approaching, this year it’s Sunday, May 10th. If you usually take mom out for brunch, lunch, or dinner I doubt it’s going to be the same this year. Most of us are still quarantined, whether self imposed or mandated. But really with the COVID-19 virus still running rampant and without a cure or vaccine in sight do you really want to risk mom’s health, and yours, by dining out? So instead of going out how about giving mom a gift instead? And what better gift to give mom than something made lovingly for her. Here are some really unique ideas that kids can make with just a bit of help from dad, aunties, or older siblings. Moms can make them too for grandmas, friends, and aunties! And if you’re like me and don’t really want to go out to shop for supplies there are some ideas here that you won’t need to. I’m sure you have some of the supplies right at home, you’ve probably been using them to keep the kids occupied these last couple of months in quarantine. If not, then just get creative and improvise! So go ahead, have fun and get the whole family involved! This is one of my favorite gifts, my grandson Devon made it for me a few years ago. His mom, my daughter, helped him make the hand print tree and write the poem. She then had it framed and Devon presented it to me on Mother’s Day. It proudly hangs in our family room. Here’s the poem, feel free to use it for your projects. For FREE printable click here This cute idea from Her Split Ends recycles baby food jars. Learn how to make it here! Give mom some of these yummy strawberry bath salts by Crafts Unleashed. And Cute Gifts for new moms. Learn how to make it here! The Keylor Family made this lovely framed silhouette. Learn how here! Cover terracotta flower posts with fabric. Learn how from Shelterness. Kids will love making these Chevron Stripe painted kitchen towels by B-Inspired Mama. Click here to learn how. Learn how to make this Mason Jar Picture Frame Vase from Home Stories A to Z click here! This cute planter recycles tuna cans decorated with clothespins. Learn how to make it from Family Chic click here! A Boy His Sister make these super cute photo flower pots. Learn how here! I love this idea of taking a picture in a frame, my daughter did this with her kids last fall! This pic was done by Moose Photography, professional photographers and posted by Cool Mom Picks But you can DIY it! You’ll need the same frame in 3-4 sizes depending on how many generations you want to include. Take a photo of the smallest member, the baby, frame that. Take a photo of the next, mom, holding the framed picture of the baby, frame that. Continue with each generation, grandma, great-grandma, etc. Be sure the pictures are all taken using the same background. This is too cute! This idea came from Tips from a Typical Mom. Just take photos of your child in 5 different poses, each pose holding a letter to spell “Mommy”. Mat and from the photos. Easy peasy! Great gift for Moms and Grandmas! These photo flowers in a card stand are adorable and easy to make. Learn how from Better Homes and Gardens. Here’s a unique way to use a picture frame from Making the World Cuter. Not only is it cute, it will help organize mom’s bathroom or dresser. Learn how to make it click here! Any grandma would love this family tree by Homemade by Jill. Learn how to make it click here! Even young kids can make these hand dotted tumblers by Pop Sugar. Learn how click here! Photo coaster also from Pop Sugar. Learn how to make them click here! Kids will love to make these fizzy bath bombs and moms will love soaking in them! Learn how to make them from Playdough to Plato. Salt dough heart footprints by Roaming Rosie on Hub Pages are a cute idea. Kids can help mix they dough! Click here for instructions. For more Mother’s Day craft ideas follow my boards on Pinterest.... Read more...
- Crocheted Rug – Free Pattern
  May 4, 2020Rugs are a great addition to any room. I feel that they tie the room together. That’s one of the reasons I almost always throw some kind of rug into every room, including my newly redecorated craft room/office. For that room I made this Crocheted Rug using the colors that I have in the room. By the way rugs are also a great way to hid stains on your flooring! I made this Crocheted Rug for my craft room mostly to hide spots on the carpet, but also to tie the room together. It’s super easy to make and is a great project for beginners. I used the colors that coordinated with the canvas bins I use to store supplies. I used Red Heart Worsted Medium Weight 4 Yarn in Pretty in Pink, Pink, Heather, and White; but you can use any color combination you want. I used a Crochet Hook Size I or 5.5mm. The whole Crocheted Rug is made with Half Double Crochet stitches and the first row is a foundation HDC. I love using the Foundation HDC on larger projects. I feel that it shortens the time and the work because instead of making a very long chain then HDC stitches across you do both the chain and HDC at the same time. If you’r not familiar with the Foundation HDC check out this Youtube video to learn how to make it. Once you make the foundation stitches the rest of the rugs is done in HDC except the row with the spaces in between. That one is made with HDC with 2 chains in between to make up the spaces. To keep count of the number of rows you’ve done I recommend using row markers. I find for projects like this Crocheted Rug the markers make it easier to know where you left off or if for whatever reason you need to redo a row. When you’re done with the rug you must block it before adding the fringes. Of course you don’t really have to add the fringes but I think add the finishing touches to the Crocheted Rug. The Pattern is below or if you want a printable version click here! This Article contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and decide to buy something our team gets a small commission at no extra cost to you. These commissions allow us to keep this site going to bring fun ideas to you! Thanks! Crocheted Rug Medium weight 4 yarn in 4 colors of your choice Crochet Hook Size I or 5.5 mm Finished size is 39” x 21” without fringes Row 1: 1st color (white) foundation HDC, the first 2 ch counts as first HDC , make 70 HDC total, turn Row 2-3: ch 2 ( counts as first St), HDC across, 70 HDC, turn Row 4: ch 2, HDC in next 14 st, change to 2nd color (Gray) and HDC in rest of st, 70 HDC – place marker if you want Row 5- 14: repeat row 2 Row 15: ch 2, HDC in next 18 st, change to 3rd color (hot pink) and HDC in rest of st, 70 HDC – place marker if you want Row 16 – 18: repeat row 2 Row 19: ch 5 ( counts as first st and first ch 1 space), sk 1 st, (for this first st it will look like you are skipping 2 because the ch 5 you just did is first st) *tr in next st, ch 1, sk next st*, repeat ** across, ending with tr, turn (35 tr and 34 ch 1 spaces) Row 20: ch 2 counts as 1 HDC, HDC 1st tr, HDC in ch 1 sp, HDC in each tr and ch 1 sp across, ending with HDC on top of ch 5 on row 19, 70 HDC Row 21: repeat row 2 Row 22: ch 2, HDC across until the last 6 st in row, change to 4th color (light pink), turn, 70 HDC Row 23- 27: repeat row 2 Row 28: ch 2; HDC in next 24 st, change to 1 st color (white), HDC in remaining st, 70 HDC Row 29 – 30: repeat row 2 Row 31: ch 2, HDC next 19 st, change to 2nd color (Gray), HDC in remaining st, turn, 70 HDC ROW 32-37: repeat row 2 Row 38: ch 2, HDC in 57 st, change to 3rd color (hot pink), HDC in remaining st, turn 70 HDC Row 39-41: repeat row 2 Row 42- 43: repeat row 19 and 20 Row 44-45: repeat row 2 Row 46: ch 2, HDC in next 40 st, change to 4th color (light pink), HDC in remaking st, turn, 70 HDC Row 47 – 51: repeat row 2 Row 52: ch 2, HDC across until you reach last 12 st, change to 1st color (white), HDC to end, turn, 70 HDC Row 53 – 54: repeat row 2 Row 55: ch 2, HDC in next 57 st, change to 2nd color (Gray), turn, 70 HDC Row 56 – 62: repeat row 2 Row 63: ch 2, HDC in next 20 st, change to 3rd color (hot pink), HDC in remaining st, turn, 70 HDC Row 64 – 65: repeat row 2 Row 66- 67: repeat row 19 and 20 Row 68 – 69: repeat row 2 Row 70: ch 2, HDC in next 49 st, change to 4th coLor (light pink), HDC in remaining st, turn, 70 HDC Row 71 – 75: repeat row 2 Row 76: ch 2, HDC in next 30 st, change to 1st color (White), HDC in remaining st, turn, 70 HDC Row 77 – 78: Repeat row 2 Row 79: ch 2, HDC in next 18 st, change to 2nd color (Gray), HDC in remaining st, turn, 70 HDC Row 80 – 88: repeat row 2. Fasten off at the end of row 85 Block Add fringes on both ends If you love this Crocheted Rug like we do and made one for your room share a picture with us. We’d love to see your rug!... Read more...
- Star Wars Crochet Patterns – Round Up of Free Patterns
  May 4, 2020May the Fourth be with you! Today is, you guessed it, Star Wars Day! Disney’s acquisition of the Star Wars franchise back in 2012 pretty much ensured that there will be many more Star Wars films in our future. Along with installments of the final trilogy of the Star Wars saga we’ve been treated to a couple of stand alone movies such as Solo and Rogue One. Of course this has sparked a new generation’s interest in the franchise and is creating many new fans. The new Star Wars movies have sparked lots of conversations and speculations in our family, such as “is Rey somehow how related to Luke and Leia?” or “who is Finn? Is he Landau’s son?”. I’m sure these conversations are occurring in many households, after all every household has at least one Star Wars fan, right? As a rule Star Wars has always been popular pretty much since it first opened 40 years ago. But the new movies make the Star Wars franchise soar to even higher levels. Specially given that Disney now owns it and has been marketing each movie months before they premier. This past Christmas we ran into many Star Wars toys, puzzles, shirts, and other merchandise. In fact we bought some for the boys. I thought with the renewed popularity of Star Wars it would be a great idea to round up a few crochet ideas for Star Wars themed projects. There are many out there! This article contains affiliate links. So if you’re a big Star Wars fan, or knows someone who is, these ideas will come in handy. Courtesy of Not All Who Wander Are Lost 32 I love this blanket by Not All Who Wander Are Lost 32! I’m sure it’s a labor of love! But what Star War fan wouldn’t love it? Click here for pattern. Courtesy of Pops de Milk This Death Star Throw Pillow from Pops de Milk is another one of my faves! It would be awesome with the blanket! Click here for pattern. Courtesy of Unwrapping Mommy If you don’t want such a big project this cute Yoda Coffee Cup Cozy from Unwrapping Mommy is a quick project. All Star Wars fans will love it! Click here for pattern. Courtesy of Crochetverse Your little Star Wars fan (or maybe not so little) will love this BB-8 Hood by Crochetverse! Click here for pattern. Courtesy of Mia’s Atelier Everyone loves R2D2! Here’s an amigurumi of our favorite droid from Mia’s Atelier. Click here for pattern. Courtesy of Jen Spears on Ravelry R2D2 is a popular guy, here’s a beanie by Jen Spears on Ravelry. Click here for pattern. Courtesy of Dearest Debi Here’s something practical for Star Wars fans, a Light Saber Pencil case from Dearest Debi. Click here for pattern. Courtesy of Dearest Debi Another idea from Dearest Debi are these Light Saber Hilts, perfect for holding light saber ice pops! Great idea for a Star Wars themed party! Click here for pattern. Courtesy of That Farm Girl Teacher on Ravelry Storm Trooper Throw Pillows are super cool! Here’s a pattern by That Farm Girl Teacher on Ravelry. Click here for pattern. Courtesy of Alli Hartley on Ravelry Your little Luke Skywalker or Darth Vader will love this Light Saber by Alli Hartley on Ravelry! Click here for pattern. Courtesy of The Happy Hooker One of my favorite characters is Yoda. I love this baby Yoda hat from The Happy Hooker! Click here for pattern. Courtesy of Alu Ka on Ravelry Here’s a cute Yoda baby blanket to go with the hat by Alu Ka on Ravelry. (They call it a blanket, I would call it a snuggly) Whatever you call it, it’s still super cute! Click here for pattern. Courtesy of Geek Central Station Han Solo Amigurumi from Geek Central Station for Star Wars fans of all ages! Click here for pattern. Courtesy of Geek Central Station You can’t have Han without Leia! Here’s a Princess Leia Amigurumi also by Geek Central Station. Click here for pattern. ... Read more...

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