Tag Archives: Painting

Toddler Crafts: Painted Tree Garland

IMG_1211

Jax and I made some decorations this week. We don’t have our tree yet, but we’ve enjoyed bringing out some of our Christmas items early. Jax asked to do some painting, so I put together a little project for him.

We started with a roll of craft paper from the dollar store. I rolled out some and used paper tape to mark off a bunch of triangle shapes. I set Jax up with paint brushes and crafts paints in red, green and silver. He had a lot of fun painting all the triangles!

At the end, I helped him do some drip painting to add some silver dots. We set our paintings aside to dry, and I let him paint some $1 wooden ornaments he’d picked out at the craft store. We also used a dollar store foam ABC puzzle as stamps and stamped out “peace”, “love” and “joy”. Jax found the letters we needed and helped press them onto the paper.

Decorating Ornaments

Today after breakfast, I pulled off the tape and cut out all the triangles. I set us up at Jax’s school table with baker’s twine, green and red paper and a glue stick.

I cut out red and green triangles to match our little trees, as well as shapes to match the backs of the words. Jax helped me put glue all over the backing papers then we pressed them together with the twine sandwiched between.

We did a pattern of three trees followed by a word. I have a nice pile of trees leftover that will become gift tags on gifts going under the tree.

I wasn’t sure where to hang it at first. I wanted it on the stairs, but Jax thought it would be great to tug on there. So, it ended up hung on the wall in the foyer.

Too Tempting…

Jax was very proud of himself! He keeps reading the letters to me and and asking what the words mean. Well done, little man!

Jax’s 20 Month Painting

It is so, so pretty outside! The husband is cooking chili (My apple butter can wait till tomorrow. Chili, yum!), sun is shining and the baby finally took off his cranky pants.

We took advantage of the warm fall weather to do Jax’s 20 month painting. This time I added a sea sponge and showed him how to blot with it. He did a couple times, but them switched to using it like a brush with big strokes. We used autumn paint colors (mostly because that is all I have left!)

Jax’s 19 Month Canvas Painting

We were delayed in doing Jax’s monthly painting. First there was a hurricane which soaked the ground, then flooding in the area from heavy rains. We had a tiny window of one afternoon where the ground was finally dry (my knees actually still got wet!) before more storms rolled through.

Jax seemed to understand that we were going to paint when I told him he was going to “dip dip and paint!” When I handed him the paintbrush he dunked it in the paint right away and started putting it on the canvas. I let him choose the paint bottles, but I vetoed the burnt umber. I have to keep the colors similar because he blobs them on so thick and smears it around. Brown would just turn it all into a big mess.

When he was all done, he accidentally stuck his hand in a paint plate and laughed. I showed him he could finger paint, so he added a bit more color that way. Once I paint the edges, we’ll add it to his gallery. I need to create a second section and fill all the frames with some of the pictures he’s been coloring lately.

I know we are going to cherish all these canvas paintings as he grows up. Do you have any childhood artwork you cherish?

Jax’s 18 Month Painting

Two hands? Why not!

We are keeping up with our monthly canvas paintings and I’ve really noticed a difference now that Jax is 18 months old.

He recently mastered dipping his food into sauces and dips. He calls it “di di” (dip dip). I laid out four plates of paint for him (hiding the bottles – he gets very distracted if he sees them), handed him a paint brush and told him to dip dip. And, he did without hesitation. He had a lot of fun dipping then making a few paint strokes before choosing a new color. It really looked like he was starting to understand he could paint a new color when he dipped in one first.

At the end of the painting I helped him make hand a foot prints on it to have a record of how big he was at 18 months old. Then we cleaned up together, with me washing him off and him splashing in the tub of water.

It came out great and he had so much fun! I’ll be hanging it on the wall as soon as I paint over the staples on the edge of the canvas.

Finished painting

Party Craft Ideas

Craft Table

To continue with my party themed week, I want to show you what has become a big part of most of my parties: crafts!

For the same party as the rainbow cupcakes, I decided I wanted to have crafts for everyone to enjoy, since I love to be creative. It was a huge hit! Because the party theme was puppies, rainbows and anything girly, I chose paint-your-own bobble-head dogs and flocked jewelry boxes you can color in, both from Oriental Trading. At our Halloween parties I have had ceramic pumpkins, wooden treat boxes and coffins to decorate. When I hosted a money-themed party for a friend, we painted piggy banks!

Probably the most in depth craft project I’ve done at a party was last year. Despite having a 5-month-old, I was determined to do tie dye!

We set up in our empty front room (now the playroom) since it was extremely hot out and due to storm. I put down a tarp and set up the prep station and the dye station. The prep station had a bucket od solution to pre-soak items in and a bucket of water for rinsing. There were plenty of rubber bands and some instructions on how to fold and tie shirts that I’d printed out. The dye station had plastic gloves (from the dollar store) and lots of paper towels! I put trays lined with paper towels down and guests could set their shirts down as squirt the dye without it getting all over.

Tie Dye Party

The dyes and bottles were all purchased from Dick Blick Art Supplies. The dyes were professional quality and worked best if you let them cure for 24 hours. So I printed little take-home instructions and had plenty of freezer bags and Sharpie markers so everyone could pack up and label their projects.

It was a blast and we kept dying until we ran out of things to dye!

Jax’s July Painting

I hope everyone had a safe and fabulous fourth of July! Jax and I celebrated by nursing to the sounds of fireworks going off around our neighborhood. The noise didn’t seem to bother him, so maybe next year he’ll be able to stay up and watch them.

This weekend we did his second monthly painting! This time I painted the canvas yellow for him, then we poured paint onto the canvas and he used both brushes and his fingers to make a beautiful mess. It had to dry overnight because he piled on the paint, but it looks great!

He had very little paint on him this time. I think he is figuring out that it goes on the canvas – not his belly button!

 He also did a mini painting as part of the prize in our first giveaway. I think it looks adorable…

Finished Paintings