Things to Make and Do, Crafts and Activities for Kids - The Crafty Crow

Alphabet Glue Giveaway Winners!

The five winners of Alphabet Glue are:

Susan who said, "We love alphabet glue.  It would be great to win!  
Thanks for the chance!" 

Fran who said, "Awesome magazine--thanks for the opportunity
to win a copy!" 

Rebecca who said, "Would LOVE to win a copy!!!" 

Jen who said, "Thank you for the chance to win a copy! Great stuff!!" 

Jaclyn who said, "Looks like fun!!!" 

Congratulations everyone!

Alphabet Glue is a downloadable e-magazine for kids, and their
grown-ups, who love books! If you homeschool, or are just looking
to extend your child's education at home, then be sure to check out
all the issues of Alphabet Glue for lots of fun activities. 

New Alphabet Glue Volume 16 Giveaway!!

There's a new issue of Alphabet Glue out
and we're giving away 5 copies!

Volume 16 is as amazing as the first 15 issues and focuses on
winter explorations in science, art, reading, and writing. You'll
find detailed booklists to go along with each topic too. The
Flock Migration Mobile is so beautiful in silhouette and I know
the Frozen Bubble Paintings will be a big hit with all ages. 



Alphabet Glue is a downloadable e-magazine for kids, and their
grown-ups, who love books! If you homeschool, or are just looking
to extend your child's education at home, then be sure to check out
all the issues of Alphabet Glue for lots of fun activities. 

If you would like to enter this giveaway for a copy 
of Alphabet Glue Volume 16 then leave a comment on this 
post by midnight PST Saturday, February 1, 2014. The five 
winners will be announced on Monday, February 3, 2014. If you 
are reading this on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or in your 
email you will need to visit this post on The Crafty Crow 
blog to enter your comment for eligibility. Winners will be 
chosen using the Random Number Generator. Only one 
entry per person. This giveaway is available worldwide. 

*Comments are moderated to prevent spam so don't 
worry if your comment doesn't show up immediately. 

Good luck everyone!

Home Depot Gift Card Winner and #DIHWorkshop Info!

This post is published in partnership with The Home Depot. All opinions are my own. 

The winner of The Home Depot $100 gift card is Anna, who said, "I signed up and can't wait to attend! This looks like an awesome project to make." Congratulations Anna! 



This past week I helped to lead a Chore Chart Do-It-Herself Workshop in Nampa Idaho and had a wonderful time meeting the other leaders and the attendees. They had a fantastic set-up and a great turn-out.


Besides learning how to make the chore chart, there were snacks, giveaways, and swag bags! 


They even made me my own orange apron painted with my name and The Crafty Crow logo - so cute!

These free workshops are especially designed for women and called Do-It-Herself Workshops. You can click here to see the current schedule and to sign up online. You can also keep up to date through social media like Pinterest and Twitter by using the hashtag #DIHWorkshop. 

Thank you to The Home Depot for providing the gift card for this giveaway and The Home Depot Nampa ID for a wonderful evening! 

Coming soon - a tutorial for a chore chart of my own design that I can't wait to share with you! 

Art Lab For Little Kids Giveaway Winners!

The two winners of Art Lab for Little Kids: 52 Playful Projects for Preschoolers are Bethany who said, "I am a new preschool teacher who loves doing crafts with my little ones. This book would be an awesome way to bring new ideas into my room. Thanks." and Elizabeth who said, "I would love to win this book! I plan preschool programming at a public library, and this would be such a great resource. I love Art Lab for Kids, and this looks just as great!" Congratulations, it sounds like the books will be put to good use! Thank you to Quarry Books and Susan Schwake for providing the books for the giveaway!

Art Lab For Little Kids Book Giveaway, Review & Excerpt!

Art Lab for Little Kids: 52 Playful Projects for Preschoolers by Susan Schwake is a follow-up book to the wonderful Art Lab for Kids that I reviewed here and is geared towards a younger set of kids. It is a series of 52 art lessons, one for each week of the year, that are open-ended so they can be enjoyed over and over again. 


The book is divided into six sections; the first one is all about setting up your art space and a list and discussion of materials. The next five sections cover the techniques of drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, and mixed media.  


Susan's many years of experience teaching art shine through in the helpful tips scattered throughout the book and the organization of the lessons. Each lab begins with a list of materials and then has step-by-step directions and photos on how to proceed. I really like the "Think First" part of each lab that gives adults and children things to think about before starting their work to get them in the right mindset. 


With 52 lessons, this could be your art curriculum if you homeschool or even if you just want to enrich the art curriculum that your child's school provides. The materials are all basic art supplies with a few additions of common items found in the kitchen or office, so, it's very accessible, even to those adults that feel artistically challenged. 

As with Art Lab for Kids, prominent artists are featured in each lab to provide inspiration and a great jumping off place to take the lesson further. 

Here's an excerpt from Art Lab For Little Kids, Lab 2 Crayon Fun. After you experience coloring on sandpaper, you can transer your images to fabric to enjoy another way! Click on the images to enlarge. 



The Giveaway!

To enter this giveaway for Art Lab For Little Kids leave a comment on this post by midnight P.S.T., Saturday, August 3rd. The two winners will be chosen using the Random Number Generator and announced here on Monday, August 5th. You must be a U.S. resident and 18 years old to enter this giveaway. Only one entry per person. 

Disclosure:
I received a copy of this book for review purposes but all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links which means if you make a purchase through one of the links then I will receive a small percentage of the sale without it costing you a penny more, so thanks!

Sewing School 2 Giveaway Winners and Reusable Snack Bag Tutorial

The two winners of Sewing School 2: Lessons in Machine Sewing! are Annette who said "I love the first sewing school book. This is sure to be great!" and Stefanie who said "My daughter loves crafts and is now showing interest in sewing! This book would be awesome to help her get started!!" Congratulations!  

Thank you to Storey Publishing and the authors, Amie Petronis Plumley and Andria Lisle, for providing the books!

Get ready for back to school lunches with this free tutorial for a reusable snack bag excerpted from Sewing School 2!

$100 The Home Depot Gift Card Giveaway, Twitter Party, and DIH Workshop News

[Post and giveaway sponsored by The Home Depot, but all opinions are my own. Please see below for additional disclosure.] 


There are lots of good things going on with The Home Depot this summer! Have you ever been to one of their in-store workshops? They are now expanding their Do-It-Herself Workshops to more stores where you can learn a variety of skills and techniques for home improvement and projects to keep things running smoothly at home.


Pinterest-Inspired DIH Workshop!

On August 15th, Martha Stewart has teamed up with The Home Depot for a Pinterest-Inspired DIH Workshop to make this chore chart just in time to get things organized for going back to school. You can register in the store but they've made it easy to register online too.

Twitter Party!

Also, on August 1st (not too far away!), at 8:00pm E.S.T., there will be a Twitter party with The Home Depot and special guest, Martha Stewart! I'll be there too and we'll talk about getting crafty with chore charts and other do-it-herself projects. Mark your calendars now, I'd love to see you there!

The Giveaway!

Click here to register online for The Home Depot Pinterest-Inspired DIH Workshop held on August 15th and then come back here and leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway for a $100 The Home Depot gift card. Comments will close at midnight P.S.T. on August 14th. The winner will be chosen using the Random Number Generator and announced here during the week of August 16th.

Disclosure:
The Home Depot partnered with bloggers such as me for their Twitter Party and DIH Workshop program. As part of this program, I received compensation for my time. They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about any product mentioned in these posts. The Home Depot believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. The Home Depot’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations. 

Sewing School 2: Lessons in Machine Sewing Book Review & Giveaway!

What a thrill to be part of the blog tour for Sewing School 2: Lessons in Machine Sewing! I loved their first book, Sewing School: 21 Sewing Projects Kids Will Love to Make, and was honored to not only be included in the blog tour, but I was also asked to contribute an endorsement blurb for the back of the book! That's a first for me and I couldn't have been happier to oblige since I'm a big fan of both books.


The first Sewing School was all about sewing by hand, Sewing School 2 is all about sewing by machine. The projects are organized in a step-up manner, meaning each project builds upon the skills learned in a previous one. There are 12 lessons in the "Getting Started" section and then a "Pop Quiz" where kids can put their skills to the test with three sewing accessory projects. After completing those, you know you'll be able to do all the other projects in the book. Cool, huh? Let's take a look at some of the projects...

Tag Along
Kids will love picking fabric for their Tag Along - just think
of all the cute Japanese prints to choose from! 

 

eHold 
Make a cover for your tech gadgets... super
for boys and girls, useful, gift-worthy, and
perfect for tweens. 

Patchwork Scarf
This is the last project in the book -
what a great gift for your handmade
holiday this year! 

 I checked the reviews on Amazon in preparing this post and was happy to see that the reviews were all positive, yay! One reviewer wished the book had information about choosing a sewing machine for kids which was a surprise because, well, there's a whole chapter just on that, even a recommendation for the Janome Sew Mini! Anyway, I asked Amie if she could give me the condensed version of what to look for when shopping for sewing machines for kids: 

The authors, Amie Petronis Plumley and Andria Lisle, have tons of experience teaching sewing to kids and they've taken their time to present each project with step-by-step instructions and photos. There's also neat little tips, notes to adults, and a review of skills needed for each project. 

I love that kids are encouraged to "Make It Yours" with suggestions for details that can be changed or added to make it unique to the child. That's the thrill of learning to sew after all, customizing and designing patterns that are exclusive to you!


I'm often asked for recommendations for sewing books for kids and I'm always happy to be able to recommend Sewing School, and now Sewing School 2, as the projects and information are solid and I know the user will have success. Lots of fun too!   

Be sure to check out the Sewing School blog and all the other blogs in the tour for more information...

July 7 – Our Busy Homeschool

July 8 – scrumdilly-do!

July 9 – Crafty Moms Share

July 10 – Jane of All Trades

July 11 – Windy Lou

July 12 – Adventures of a DIY Mom

July 13 – Improv Diary

July 16 – He Sewed She Sewed

July 17 – Teach Beside Me

July 18 – All Things with Purpose

July 19 – The Crafty Crow

July 20 – Family Style School

July 21 – Such Designs

July 22 – Red Bird Crafts

July 23 – The Long Thread

July 25 - mayamade

So, are you just chomping at the bit, ready to get started on your own machine sewing adventure? Well, I've got two copies of Sewing School 2: Lessons in Machine Sewing to give away!


Just leave a comment on this post by midnight P.S.T. on Friday, July 26th to be entered. The two winners will be chosen using the Random Number Generator and posted here on Monday, July 29th. A few rules I have to adhere to: this is only for U.S. citizens and you must be 18 years old. 

I received a complimentary copy of the book to look over for this review but all opinions are my own and how I really feel, I couldn't live with myself otherwise. This post also contains affiliate ads which means if you make a purchase through those links I'll get a small percentage of the sale without costing you a penny extra - thank you!

Alphabet Glue Giveaway Winners!

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway
for a free set of copies of Alphabet Glue!
   
 

The five winners are:

Emily C
"I'd love a copy of Alphabet Glue! Inspiring reading!"

Jenn Fowler
"Yes, please! :)"

Susannah
"I love Alphabet Glue! Thanks for the chance to win-"

Cherise
"I would love to try this magazine out!"

Giedre
"I would like to win this magazine and try out !!!!!"
 

Congratulations to the winners and thank you to
Alphabet Glue for sponsoring the giveaway. Remember,
you can always get your own ad-free copy of
Alphabet Glue for only $4 here!

Alphabet Glue Giveaway!

In today's giveaway five readers will each
receive a two issue set of Alphabet Glue:
Volume Eleven and Volume Twelve!



Alphabet Glue is a downloadable magazine
for families who love books! Filled with activities,
printables, projects and plenty of inspiration, Alphabet
Glue was created in hopes of helping more families
incorporate creativity, imagination, and all things
literary into their everyday routines.

 

Some of the activities that you will find in these two
issues are: accordion books, whale of a tale story
starters, incredible inflatable eggs, pinhole viewboxes,
printable bookplates, a colored ice experiment, and, of
course, lots of great leveled book recommendations!

Besides the giveaway, Crafty Crow readers can get a 20%
discount on all purchases made between now and next
Monday (April 15th)! Just enter "crafty" at checkout!



If you would like to enter this giveaway for a two
issue set of Alphabet Glue then leave a comment on this
post by midnight PST Saturday, April 13th. The five
winners will be announced on Monday, April 15th. If you
are reading this on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or in your
email you will need to visit this post on The Crafty Crow
blog to enter your comment for eligibility. Winners will be
chosen using the Random Number Generator. Only one
entry per person. This giveaway is available worldwide.

*Comments are moderated to prevent spam so don't
worry if your comment doesn't show up immediately.

Good luck everyone!

Imagine Childhood Giveaway Winner!

The lucky winner of a $75 gift certificate to
Imagine Childhood is Lucyl who said,
"Wow this looks so fun! I want it!"
Congratulations, Lucyl!

Thank you to Imagine Childhood for sponsoring
another great giveaway and for their years
of support for The Crafty Crow!

Imagine Childhood Giveaway!

Today's giveaway is sponsored by Imagine Childhood
and one lucky winner will receive a $75 gift
certificate to this beautiful shop!


Imagine Childhood has an amazing selection of
items for children that encourage imagination and
play. Enjoy what's new in their Holiday Gift Guide!


Imagine Childhood is celebrating Cyber Monday
with a Shopping Cart Raffle where someone could win
the order they place (up to a $100 value)!

Lots going on at Imagine Childhood, plus their new
book, so be sure to hop on over and take a look!

If you would like to enter this giveaway for a $75
gift certificate to Imagine Childhood leave a comment
on this post by midnight PST Saturday, December 1st.
The winner will be announced on Monday, December 3rd.
If you are reading this on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or
in your email you will need to visit this post on The Crafty
Crow blog to enter your comment for eligibility. Winners
will be chosen using the Random Number Generator.
Only one entry per person. This giveaway
is available in the USA only.

*Comments are moderated to prevent spam so don't
worry if your comment doesn't show up immediately.

Good luck everyone!