| ISSUE 100 • 18 OCTOBER 2011 | |
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Editorial It's a very exciting day here at the Kids Craft Weekly Headquarters (otherwise known as the kitchen table)! This is the 100th issue of Kids Craft Weekly and we're celebrating with the pre-launch of an exciting new project that I can hardly wait to tell you about. But first, I feel it's only fitting to take some time to reflect on this awesome milestone. Would you believe that I've been publishing the Kids Craft Weekly email newsletter for more than five years now? It's quite extraordinary to think how quickly time passes. It's also quite extraordinary to think that this little newsletter, that started off being sent to an email list of seven people (all family and friends) has grown into something so much bigger. This issue will be sent out to more than 42,000 people from all corners of the globe. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your amazing support! I think that one of the things that has made Kids Craft Weekly so successful is that it's always been a passion project, through and through. Sure, there have been times when I've lost my enthusiasm and had a break, but always, when I've taken the time to reflect, I've realised just how much I've gained from connecting with other people who value simple and creative craft ideas. Those of you who are long-time subscribers to Kids Craft Weekly will know that I'm a big believer in following passions and acting on inspiration. As such, I'm very excited to be able to reveal a brand new passion project that I'm pre-launching today. Drum roll please.... This new project is called The Parenting Peephole and, like Kids Craft Weekly, it will consist of a simple website and a regular email newsletter. Unlike Kids Craft Weekly, it's not about craft. It's all about interesting ideas for curious parents.  The Parenting Peephole email newsletters (which are scheduled to commence in November) will be full of intriguing ideas, different views and thought-provoking stories from the front line of parenthood. There will also be interesting links and great giveaways in every issue. Best of all, Parenting Peephole isn't one of those parenting sites that makes you feel bad or tells you what you should and shouldn't be doing. It won't judge you (or anybody else). It won't provide advice. It won't make you feel inadequate or guilty. It's just... really interesting! I'd be thrilled to have you join me on this new exciting journey. To sign up for the free newsletters just pop over to www.parentingpeephole.com and be one of the first to take a peep. I'll see you over there! In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this creepy craft issue of Kids Craft Weekly – just in time for Halloween! Happy crafting and I'll see you next time!  Amber Carvan editor@kidscraftweekly.com |
These colourful little chaps are a brilliant 'discovery craft' idea. You can provide the framework for the activity and then let your little ones go crazy and exercise their creativity! You will need: • polystyrene, cut into rectangular lengths • acrylic paint and paintbrush • kids pvc glue • pipecleaners • small beads • scissors • match sticks (cut in half) • various bottle tops, cotton balls and buttons to decorate Directions: 1. Paint the polystyrene pieces and allow to dry.  2. Cut pipecleaners into two short lengths and attach a bead to one end. Poke them into the polystyrene to form antennae.  3. Poke in some colourful match sticks and glue on some bottle tops, cotton balls and buttons.  4. Keep creating until you have a legion of fancy caterpillars. I can't begin to imagine what kind of butterfly these little guys might turn into! 
While making this spider Ella learned that she can expertly thread a needle! Good timing too as she couldn't help but pull the needle off the wool every time she threaded something onto it! This is a good 'all ages' craft – younger kids will enjoy the challenge of threading the straws and older kids will be able to take this project and run with it. You will need: • a small ball of black wool • wool needle • scissors • drinking straws • beads (8) • googly eyes • kids pvc glue Directions: 1. Cut four even lengths of wool (about 30 cms in length). Then take your ball of wool, unwind it about 40 cms and thread the end through a few strands on the ball. Tie off with a strong knot.  2. Take one of the lengths of wool that you cut off. Thread it onto a wool needle and then thread it from one side of the ball of wool to the other, leaving the ends to dangle out each side. These ends will form the legs of the spider. Repeat for remaining three lengths of wool forming eight legs.  3. Cut drinking straws and thread them onto the legs. You may need to do this with the wool needle, depending on how soft/fuzzy your wool is. When you're almost at the end of the length of wool, thread on a bead for a foot and tie it off with a couple of strong knots. Repeat for all eight legs.  4. Glue on some eyes and a mouth and dingle dangle from the ceiling. 
Your little ones will love ripping and scrunching newspaper to stuff this sleepy snake. The sticky variety of velcro dots work well to hold the snake in a coiled position and also allow kids to un-coil and re-coil the snake to their heart's content. If you don't have access to any you can just use strong double sided tape. You will need • an old pair of pantyhose • stuffing (rolled up newspaper, tissue paper or rags) • red felt or piece of red ribbon • google eyes or pieces of white and black felt • stick-on velcro dots Directions 1. Cut one of the legs from an old pair of pantyhose then stuff it till it looks suitably snake-like.  2. Tie a knot in the end and glue on some eyes and a tongue.  3. Curl the sleepy snake in a coil, using velcro dots to join it together. 
I came up with this easy zombie idea after watching my son spend a good half an hour wrapping a length of cotton around some matchsticks. Like most of the Kids Craft Weekly crafts, this idea uses items that most of us have lying about at home. It also involves getting your little one to consume fruit which is always a win in my book :) Note: Astute observers may glean that my kids suddenly appear a great deal older in the photos below! That's because these pics are current while the ones above come from a good few years back. I have to say, the kids just loved making these zombies! Both of them have been carrying them around for hours now and are threatening to take them to bed. Goes to show, you're never too old to craft! You will need • a wire coathanger • an apple (half eaten) • an old sheet, cut up in strips (or gauze bandages, calico etc) Directions 1. Firmly instruct your little one that there will be no crafting fun until they've eaten at least part of an apple!  2. While they're busy munching away, steel yourself for a wrestling match with a wire coathanger. This is much easier to do if you've got some pent up anger brewing away as it will require some strength! Do your best to twist the coathanger into a shape that looks something like this:  3. Your little one should have finished munching the apple by now. Keep hold of the apple core for future use and set them to work wrapping strips of fabric around the coathanger frame.  4. When the wire frame is looking suitably zombie-fied – carefully stab the apple core onto the coathanger and voila!  5. Arky enjoyed colouring in the fabric with markers afterwards! He claims it's his new best friend :) 
In honour of this Creepy Crafts issue of Kids Craft Weekly, Diana Schoenbrun is kindly giving away two copies of her book – Beasties: How to Make 22 Mischievous Monsters That Go Bump in the Night  –
exclusively to Kids Craft Weekly readers. We got a copy of this great craft book several months ago and it has since become one of the most flicked-through items on our book shelf. I have to admit we haven't made one of them yet but none of us can get enough of perusing the pictures of the amazing, bizarre and funny creatures that Diana has dreamed up and brought to life as soft toys. Young kids will need plenty of help from crafty adults to complete these projects, but kids of all ages will get a real kick from looking at the beautiful pictures and reading about these mischievous monsters in their natural habitats. To get an idea of Diana's style you can check out her great little video trailer that she put together for Halloween. Enter the Giveaway! To go into the running for a copy of this great book, click over to the Kids Craft Weekly Facebook page, find the Beasties Giveaway post and leave a comment. The giveaway closes at midnight on Halloween and winners will be announced (and contacted) through Facebook. |
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