rainbows, gifts and fun

So, I'm not finished with the 'art kit' kiddie gift idea. Sophia's friend's birthdays all seem to fall around this time of year--I guess we're on a roll. Thus, I have two more to share.











I thought we'd make Sophia's little friend Abby a Craft Crate. I got a little crate for $8 at Farro and thought it would look cute filled with jars. Fortunately Mum's handy used jar box was full of old baby-food jars (great size for little bits and pieces) and I was inspired--after playing around with sand art a little and trying, unsuccessfully, to dye it with food colouring--to fill them with coloured salt. Sophia and I have since discovered that coloured salt is a super fun and vibrant alternative to glitter. I'll detail the process below, but it's quick and easy and Sophia practically made it herself.

So, we filled five little jars with brightly coloured 'art salt' and I covered the jar lids with pieces of scrap fabric (see craft jar post for details on how to do this). I grabbed a couple of extra jars, one for buttons, another for two little pottles of glitter, and in the third I put a bunch of paper doilies. I've been hankering to make things out of doilies for a while so watch this space for a few activities.











That's all! I figure once all the salt has been used the jars could be refilled with other crafty bits and pieces. And really you could stick anything you wanted to in them, for me it's all about the packaging, the idea and the hours fun to be had for the little recipient. See the next gift (below) or the craft jar post for alternative things you could fill the jars with.

For a card I spray glued a doily to brown paper, folded it in half and tied the gift together with string. Cute--want one for myself.
























As for that coloured salt. I googled how to do it and found this tutorial. But Sophia practically explains it visually in the next few pics. Took a minute or so to make each colour and the process was an awesome toddler activity in itself.











We filled some jars up for ourselves and had fun making 'art' with it.























So then we got on this rainbow kick and since I included jelly in the kit below, I thought we'd make some rainbow jelly. Just for fun.

Since jars seem to be my thing at the moment we filled them with the jelly and invited Sophia's little friend Emma to share it with us. Now, I did include jelly in Ben's gift below with the intention of it being both a fun thing to make and potentially to smush and mash around a bit. Because why not, really? I didn't actually expect the girls to go there. I guess I expected more of our own jelly version of a tea party.

We were all quite civil to begin with.

















But it didn't last long.























Conclusion: rainbow jelly is art. Yummy art. :)

As for Ben's gift, I wanted to go that get your hands in and get messy route. So I made this Things to Slush Mush and Mash kit.









I Mod Podged punched circles onto the box and used my stamps to write the label. Again, see the Craft Jar post for more details on this idea. (Mod Podge is great fyi, both a glue and a sealer so you can kind of paper mache and varnish all with a couple of coats from one bottle.)











I filled the box with the following: a tube of finger paint, a bottle of pva, some playdough, a sponge cut into shapes for stamping, a few collagy bits like cotton balls, a jar of sand, a can of shaving cream (will explain) and yes, a bag of jelly.

Just to make them all look nice and coordinated I Mod Podged circles onto the bottles and cans of pva and paint etc. And we covered the jar lids with Sophia's potato stamp print work.

















And to finish it off I used the circles again as a gift tag.











So much fun to be had inside this little box. Sophia tested out the sponge stamping. Not as crisp as potato stamping, but fun none the less. And reusable, just wash out the sponges and store for next time. I would stick to plain shapes like squares, circles and triangles etc. We cut out some stars and little people and trees but you would never know it from the end result.

















Loved it though, and Sophia is so proud of all her little master pieces.

As for that shaving cream, I read in a magazine somewhere (Littlies I think) that it can be great for 'shower art' on a rainy day. Finger paint away then wash it off with the shower hose. So...











Twas great!


Well, there are a couple more toddler gift ideas for you. And don't worry, the birthday parties are only just beginning so the theme's not over yet. ;)


Thought I'd end with a few super cute pics of little Miss Emma.











And a couple from today of those two little buds sitting on potties and giggling away together like little girties. Love it!





















:)

x