Kids’ creativity shines with handmade holiday projects
Q. Any ideas for Christmas craft projects with the kids? I like to get them into the spirit of making or personalizing gifts.
A. Children love projects, especially when working and playing along with Mom or Dad. It’s a wonderful way to share time with your kids, and the results may surprise you. Did you know they were that artistic?
PAINTED WRAPPING PAPER There are so many ideas, but let’s start with designing abstract-patterned wrapping paper.
For this project you do need oil-based paint, so care must be taken when handling toxic paint thinner. You need a pan large enough to lay the paper you are decorating in. A plastic kitty-litter pan works well.
Begin by making a gel. In a saucepan, dissolve 1 1/2 cups of cornstarch in 1 1/2 cups of cold water. Add 3 cups water, and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring and whisking constantly. When the mixture reaches a boil, take it off the heat, and let it sit until it cools and turns into a thick gel, about 15 to 20 minutes.
While the gel is cooling, mix artist’s oil colors with paint thinner, placing each color in a separate bowl, thinning the oils until they are quite runny.
Once the gel has cooled, pour it into the pan so that it covers the whole bottom surface. Next, liberally apply your first paint color to an artist’s brush and hold it over the gel layer. Using a stir stick, tap the handle of the artist’s brush to splatter the paint over the surface of the gel. Add as many colors as you want. You can blend and swirl the colors using the wooden end of the paintbrush to make designs.
When your paint design is complete, lay the paper flat over the surface, making sure the entire piece of paper is touching the paint. Lift the paper out carefully, and carry it to the sink; then rinse the gel off the paper. The paint will adhere to the paper because it is oil. Hang the paper to dry overnight. The next morning, iron the paper, using a low heat setting, until the paper is flat.
This technique allows you to make beautiful re-usable wrapping paper — or you can cut the paper into festive shapes to use as tree ornaments.
CLOTHESLINE ART HOLDER Kids are always bringing art home from school. Although it’s impossible to keep every last piece, here’s an alternative to sticking those masterpieces up on the fridge: Make a colorful indoor clothesline for hanging the pictures.
Cut several lengths of string about 4 feet long. Color the string by dunking it into water-based paint, squeezing it out and hanging it to dry. Next, paint wooden clothespins in festive hues, and decorate them with dots or sparkles.
Hang the string on a wall — high enough to see, but low enough for kids to reach up and clip their artwork on with the clothespins. This way they can manage their own art displays.
DECORATED PICTURE FRAMES Craft and dollar stores have lots of unpainted wooden picture frames. Why not try some creative finishes to decorate these pieces?
Simplified, decoupage is the art of cut and paste. Choose a theme — for example, bugs, birds or geometric shapes. Find small pictures and cut them to fit around a frame.
Paint the frame any color you like, and let it dry completely. Next, use decoupage glue to adhere the pictures to the frame. Finally, apply three coats of acrylic varnish to seal the pictures and finish the frame.
You can use this technique to decorate other wood items from the craft store, such as little birdhouses, boxes, letters, numbers and ornaments.