Focus - Crafts

A Year in Crafts
New crafts are added to our listings each month. Look in the current month for the very latest in crafting ideas. We list seasonal crafts and crafts that can be used any time of the year.

Encouraging Creativity
Creativity has many forms. It includes the small child building castles in the sandbox, the young boy setting up toy soldiers in strategic positions on the family room floor, and the teenager putting together a power point presentation on the computer. All of this involves a creative mind and a child using his or her imagination.

Gifts on a Shoestring: Creative Containers Part 1
Every year American households purchase consumable packaged products, which are emptied and thrown away. Rather than sending these to landfills, we can recycle these and make them into useful and practical gifts. With some paint or decorative paper, these can be transformed into charming gifts. Take a look at the potential gifts in your pantry or laundry room and try out one or more of these gift ideas.

Gifts on a Shoestring: Creative Containers Part 2
It amazes me the number of items my family discards. It always seems a shame to throw out containers that are reliable enough to see a product to market, if they can be used to make a useful household item or gift. Try these projects and see if you can fool your family and friends. They may never know you didn't get it from the mall!

Craft & Fun Time Recipes
Recipes to make all your favorite craft supplies from playdough to sidewalk chalk.

Retail Rejects
Use retail rejects, things that retailers regularly discard, to make Housewarming Welcome Mat, Southwestern Trivets, Decorator Wallpaper Photo Frames, and a vareity of other solutions to crafter's needs.

Creating Dollhouses From Common Materials
Pattern pages, resources and project ideas.

Holiday Gift Cards, Gift Tags and Gift Bags
The holidays are coming and now is a good time to plan ahead and take stock of the resources you have available. I'm just guessing, but I'll bet that you have supplies for holiday cards and gifts that you didn't know you had. If you have stashed away old Christmas cards, calendars, wrapping paper, or plain gift bags, you just may have a jump on the holiday rush. If these items aren't thrown out, they're put in a drawer because, "they were too pretty to throw away". Well, 'Someday' is finally here and those paper goods can be retrieved to make wonderful gifts and gift wraps.

Homeschool Craft Resources

Homeschool Craft Kits

Homeschool Craft Reviews

More creative craft ideas can be found in our Crafts Department.

Tiny Toms
This is one turkey that won't get eaten this Thanksgiving. Your kids can make a flock to decorate the dinner table -- or for all the kid guests to take home as favors.

Santa's Candy Sleighs
A sleigh made of candy---yes---from candy canes, boxes of raisins, and assorted Christmas candies you can make a sleigh with Santa.

Holiday Candy Trains
Choo-choo! Holiday Candy Trains can brighten as well as add fun to any buffet or table arrangement. More holiday decor made from candy.

Candy Cane Planter
Create this simple planter to add the final touch to a gift poinsettia.

MORE: Goodies in a Jar, Fun Fall Candle Rings, Carve a Free-Form Sculpture, Make a Papier Mache Bowl, Race With Rollers - Physics at Work!, Turkey In The Straw Storyboard, Turkey Door Hanger, Viking Longboat, Corn Husk Dolls, Friendship Bracelets, "Marbleous" Ornaments, Indian Corn, Little Gobbler

Apples Unit Study
If you're looking to try creating your own unit study, apples is a great topic for a first time, primary age unit study. Easy because there are so many resources already available that you can quickly pull together your unit study and spend little if any money in the process. Includes one possible two-week unit study created from the resources listed.

Celebrations on a Shoestring: Fall Celebrations
Fall is here and so are many occasions to have friends and family over. So, what are you waiting for? Maybe you feel overwhelmed by the very idea. You may think that it will be too time consuming and costly to decorate or make accessories. Being on a limited budget doesn't have to rain on your parade or the special events in your life. By using your imagination and items that you already own, you can create a designer look that many pay handsomely for you.

Dips!!!
Fall is fast approaching and with that comes football season. Tailgate parties are just one great place to serve these fantastic dips. These dips will be a hit at Thanksgiving at Grandma's, a New Year's Eve bash, or the next church potluck. Sally's Salsa comes straight from watching Sally make what is easily the best salsa every made.

Heirloom Recipes - Apple Treats
It's fall and the apple harvest brings us fresh apples and fresh apple cider. It's time for homemade applesauce, apple crisp, and the ubiquitous harvest festival treat, caramel apples.