art

Five Black History Month Crafts

January 28, 2023 by Annette Kaminsky 2 Comments

Five gorgeous Black History Month crafts that celebrate diversity. Easy-to-make crafts the whole family can do.

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Black History Month, a time set aside to remember notable black people and their achievements, is just around the corner. It is celebrated in the United States and Canada during the month of February. Here are five Black History Month crafts to help children engage in the celebration.

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Celebrate Diversity Butterflies

To make these striking butterflies that represent celebrating diversity, gather the following supplies:

metallic gold and bronze tempera paint
pink, black, and white paint
light pink, black, bronze, and gold glitter
black pipe cleaners and pony beads
white cardstock paper
black cardstock paper
pie tins or disposable plates
white glue
glue gun

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Steps to make a handprint butterfly craft to recognize and celebrate Black History Month.

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Making The Handprint Butterflies

To start off, pour skin-toned tempera paints into pie tins or disposable plates. You may want to add a little white to the black paint to soften its hue.

Have participants dip a hand in a paint color and press it onto white cardstock paper. I use metallic gold and bronze for two of the skin tone shades. Regular tempera paints in these hues would work fine too.

If you have the shades available, sprinkle a similar color glitter onto each handprint.

After the handprints dry and extra glitter is shaken off, cut around the edges.

Next, cut long narrow ovals from black cardstock paper to represent butterfly abdomens.

Bend black pipe cleaners in half and have participants string black beads onto them, leaving a little section open for the butterfly antennae. Twist the pipe cleaners just above the beads to make sure they stay on.

Assembling The Butterflies

Make this gorgeous handprint butterfly craft to recognize Black History Month and celebrate diversity.

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Using white glue or a hot glue gun, add black or pink pompoms to the antennae.

Then use white glue or a hot glue gun to affix four handprint “wings” onto each abdomen. The butterflies can be designed in different kinds of color combinations.

Next, glue the beaded pipe cleaners to the butterfly abdomens. Now the “celebrate diversity” butterflies are ready to be displayed!

Make these gorgeous handprint butterfly crafts to recognize Black History Month and celebrate diversity.

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Celebrate Diversity Yarn Heart

Different shades of skin-toned yarn represent diversity in this textured yarn heart craft.

Make this gorgeous skin-toned yarn heart craft to recognize Black History Month and celebrate diversity.

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Supplies to Collect

yarn in a variety of thicknesses and skin tones
8 ½ x 11-inch golden-brown cardstock paper
white glue or hot glue gun
double-sided tape
ruler
scissors
heart template

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Steps to make a gorgeous skin-toned yarn heart craft to recognize Black History Month and celebrate diversity.

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To make this gorgeous yarn heart craft, start by cutting skin-toned yarn into 7 ½ inch strips. Using different thicknesses of yarn adds variety to the craft.

Next, glue the strips of yarn in rows onto a sheet of 8 ½ x 11-inch cardstock using white glue or a glue gun. Leave a small border around the edge of the paper.

Then add pieces of double-sided tape around the edges of the paper.

Afterward, cut a large heart in the center of a second piece of cardstock.

Finally, gently position the cardstock paper with the heart cut out on top of the yarn-covered piece, making sure the double-sided tape adheres to it.

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Kindness Heart Wreath

This kindness heart wreath with cardstock skin-toned hearts and a geometric bow communicates that all lives matter and that everyone should be treated with kindness.

Black History Month ribbon and skin-toned hearts are the highlights of this easy-to-make "kindness" wreath craft.

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Black History Month Heart Banner

In this craft, skin-toned hearts are used to decorate an attractive, geometric ribbon-edged banner honoring Black History Month.

Black History Month ribbon and skin-toned paper hearts are the highlights of this easy-to-make banner craft.

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Black History Month Ribbon Heart

This heart craft takes full advantage of vibrant, geometrically patterned ribbon, and looks striking on display.

Make this stunning Black History Month heart craft to honor this important annual celebration.

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Which one of these five Black History Month crafts will you try? Let me know in a comment below.

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Black History Month Positive Affirmations

This Black History Month printable set has coloring pages with 18 positive affirmations and 4 editable pages. Many creative patterns inspired by African art are possible, all with basic art supplies. Two bulletin board headers make displaying the stunning finished artwork super easy. Download this easy-to-use printable set at my Etsy Skills N Smiles shop for an everyday low price.

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See the blog post Black History Month Positive Affirmations Art for more infomation.

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More Celebrate Diversity Crafts

Celebrate Diversity Heart Art

Celebrate Diversity Paper Craft

Black History Month Hair Decorating Art

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[Read more…]

Paper Bag Christmas Ornaments

December 22, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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For so long I have admired art projects that involve brown paper bags or doilies. This Christmas I was determined to use both of these supplies to make paper bag Christmas ornaments. The resulting ornaments are simple but beautiful… a perfect combination.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Supplies To Collect

Supplies to make vintage-inspired paper bag Christmas ornaments. Download the free templates for these six different designs.

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To craft these vintage-themed ornaments, gather the following easy-to-find supplies:

large brown paper grocery bag
white paper doilies
thin white ribbon
white pearl bead garland
adhesive white pearl beads
white pencil crayon
pencil
scissors
glue stick
glue gun

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Make these beautiful vintage-inspired paper bag Christmas ornaments with lace paper doily accents. Free templates are available to use.

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Making The Paper Bag Christmas Ornaments

First, cut out a star, gingerbread girl, angel, heart, and each tree ornament from a large brown paper bag. Feel free to download the templates below to help with the designs.

Note: The three printables in this post are for individual and one-classroom use only.

Download this gingerbread girl and ornament template to make beautiful vintage-inspired brown paper bag Christmas ornaments.

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Gingerbread Girl And Ornament PrintableDownload

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Download this angel and ornament template to make beautiful vintage-inspired brown paper bag Christmas ornaments.

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Angel And Ornament PrintableDownload

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Download this star and heart template to make beautiful vintage-inspired paper bag Christmas ornaments.

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Star And Heart PrintableDownload

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With a white pencil crayon, outline the border of each paper bag shape.

Make these vintage-inspired brown paper bag Christmas ornaments. Download the free templates to make six different designs.

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Next, cut out shapes from white paper doilies to accent the paper ornaments. Snipping around the designs in the doilies will give you pretty lace pieces to work with.

Afterward, use a glue stick to affix them to the brown paper backgrounds.

Then cut thin white ribbon into 15 cm strips. Tie them in bows, and trim the ends to your desired length. Glue one bow to each ornament.

Next, cut white pearl bead garland into 8 cm strips. Use a glue gun to affix one strip to the back of each ornament in a loop shape.

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As a finishing touch, accent the ornaments with a few adhesive white pearl beads.

Make these six different brown paper bag Christmas ornaments with lace paper doily accents. Free templates are included.

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Now the ornaments are ready to be displayed on a Christmas tree. Aren’t they gorgeous?

How to make six different paper bag Christmas ornaments. An all-ages, beautiful recycled craft. Free templates are included.

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Paper Bag Gift Wrap

Another easy, festive craft activity with paper bags is to make decorated gift wrap. A blog post by “A Pretty Fix” titled “Four Simple Brown Paper Bag Gift Wrap Ideas” will give you lots of ideas to try.

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Related: Handprint Christmas Crafts

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December Kindness Activities Printable Set

A December Kindness Calendar and Kindness Jar are two activities to teach empathy and kindness at home or in the classroom. Download this gorgeous pastel holiday printable set of kindness activities in my Skills N Smiles Etsy Shop for a low-low price. You’ll have the December kindness activities ready in minutes!

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[Read more…]

Monochromatic Christmas Tree Art

December 17, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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This simple monochromatic Christmas tree art is completed in four different color themes. The art activity is easy to implement at home or in a Christmas art program. Finished projects display beautifully on a bulletin board or feature wall.

The color theme chosen for this gorgeous art activity is inspired by the exquisite pastel-colored miniature Christmas tree ornaments spotted on shopping trips around town this holiday season.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning activities.

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Supplies To Collect

Just a few supplies are needed for this pretty craft:

12 x 18-inch sturdy paper
magenta, yellow, teal, green, and white tempera paints
glitter in magenta, teal, gold, and green colors
large magenta, gold, teal, and light green gift bows
paint palettes
paint pots
paintbrushes
spoons
ruler
pencil
scissors
hot glue gun or white glue
plastic tablecloth

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Preparing The Tree Art Project

This monochromatic Christmas tree art project is done in pastel shades of green, yellow, teal, and magenta. The trees look beautiful on display.

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First, select 12 x 18-inch sturdy paper for the art project. I used manila and manila tag and both kinds worked well.

With a ruler and pencil, draw a long, narrow triangle on each sheet of paper. The triangles should fill the whole page.

Next, cut the paper triangles out.

Then mix a variety of shades of magenta, yellow, teal, and green tempera paint in small pots by adding various amounts of white to each color. For each hue, the shades should range from light to dark.

Tips:

To warm up the yellow just a little, add a drop of red to the hues.
To make teal paint, mix a little yellow into blue paint. Or use teal tempera paint straight out of the bottle.

Afterward, spoon different shades of each color into paint palettes. Each palette should have shades of one hue only. Include a little white tempera.

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The Monochromatic Christmas Tree Art Process

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To offer this tree painting project, cover an art table with a plastic tablecloth.

Choose one monochromatic color scheme to work with.

Then set out a triangular-shaped paper tree, filled paint palette, and brush for each child participating.

Invite participants to paint their tree, using as many shades of the chosen color as they can.

When the trees are fully covered and the paint is still wet, let little artists sprinkle similarly toned glitter on their projects. They will love this part of the process.

After the paint has dried, use white glue or a hot glue gun to affix a matching gift bow to the top of each tree. As an alternative, glue silver or gold bows on the trees.

On another day, pick a different paint color and offer the Christmas tree painting project again.

If there is time, complete the tree art in all four colors.

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When finished, display the painted trees together on a wall. They are sure to be admired!

Note: The paint colors used for this art project also make awesome ombre Christmas trees.

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Related: Christmas Tree Art

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December Kindness Activities Printable Set

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[Read more…]

Corn Syrup Paint Sunflowers

November 18, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you can probably tell that I like both sunflowers and corn syrup paint a lot. I regularly post sunflower activity ideas and frequently feature corn syrup paint art. These corn syrup paint sunflowers perfectly showcase the beauty and appeal of this shiny, glossy paint. Prepare to be wowed!

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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This shiny, corn syrup paint sunflower art project is easy-to-do and looks gorgeous displayed. A free sunflower template is available to download.

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Supplies To Collect

For this easy-to-do, pretty painting activity, gather the following supplies:

white corn syrup
blue, red, and yellow food coloring
sunflower seeds
baby food jars
paintbrushes
teaspoons
8 ½ x 11-inch white cardstock paper
green construction paper
scissors
glue stick
glue gun
pencil
sunflower template
plastic tablecloth

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Making The Corn Syrup Paint Sunflowers

There is always white corn syrup in my art supply collection, as I love using it in painting activities. But you can substitute light corn syrup instead.

Steps to make glorious, corn syrup paint sunflowers using a taste-safe, homemade, two-ingredient recipe. Download and use the free template for this art project.

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First, pour the corn syrup into three baby food jars, or paint containers you have handy. Add a few drops of red, yellow, and blue food coloring to one jar and mix it with a teaspoon to make a shade of brown. Add a few drops of yellow to another and stir. Mix red and yellow colors into a third container to make orange.

Note: The more food coloring drops you add, the darker each hue will be.

Next, trace and cut leaves and stems from green construction paper.

Afterward, cut cardstock sunflowers from a template. Feel free to download and use the sunflower template included in this post.

Download this sunflower template to make gorgeous corn syrup art.

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Sunflower PrintableDownload

This printable is for individual or one classroom use only.

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Then set out the paper sunflowers, brown paint, and seeds on a table covered with a plastic tablecloth. Invite participants to paint the circular middle of their sunflower brown, and press in seeds.

Next, set out the yellow and orange paints and brushes. Ask everyone to paint the petals of their sunflower. They’ll love using this bright, slick, translucent paint.

Gorgeous, glossy sunflower art made with a taste-safe, two-ingredient homemade paint recipe. This art project looks stunning when displayed.

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As soon as the artists are finished, move each decorated sunflower onto an 8 ½ x 11-inch white cardstock background, or a cardstock color of choice. Adhere it with a glue gun. Then with a gluestick or glue gun, add a green paper stem and leaf.

The corn syrup paint is thick and sticky, and completed sunflower art projects should be left to dry for a few days.

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Displaying The Corn Syrup Sunflower Art

These syrupy sunflowers have a shiny, firm finish when dry, and look beautiful displayed. The art is somewhat transient, as the paint will melt and drip in hot, humid conditions. But I have had a piece on display for over a year and it is still looking fabulous.

This shiny, corn syrup paint art project is easy to do and looks gorgeous displayed. It's an all-ages art activity everyone will love to try.

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More Corn Syrup Paint Art

As mentioned earlier, I feature lots of corn syrup paint activities on this blog. You may be interested in:

Textured Octopus Craft

Sea Star Art

Sea Turtle Hatchling Art

Painted Turtle And Lizard

Spooky Hands Craft

Sunflower Heart Craft

All these art projects yield gorgeous results.

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[Read more…]

Gadget Printmaking Poppy Art

November 10, 2022 by Annette Kaminsky Leave a Comment

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It started with a large dot print made with a pie pan, tempera paint, and a paintbrush. The intent was to make a simple red poppy print with a black round center. But afterward, I decided to add paint markings with gadgets to add more color and definition. The result is super striking gadget printmaking poppy art that’s easy and fun to do.

This poppy art is perfect for a Remembrance Day project. Red poppies are a symbol of lives lost to war since World War I. They especially serve as reminders of this each year on November 11, the Remembrance Day holiday in our country.

How to make stunning gadget printmaking poppy art.

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Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

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Poppy Art Supplies

Gadgets used as painting tools make interesting prints, and you can find them all over your home. Here are the gadgets I use for this large-scale art activity:

9-inch round cake or pie pan
Jumbo circular bubble wand and tray
ground meat chopper
spools
bottle sponge brush
round sponge brush

A few simple supplies complete the list of items needed to make poppy art:

tempera paint colors in bright red, yellow, green, pink, and orange
12-inch x 16-inch sturdy white paper
green construction paper
green marker
ruler
scissors
glue stick
flat plate or tray

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Gadget Printmaking Poppy Art Steps

Simple steps to create beautiful poppy art with a gadget printmaking technique. The art project introduces participants to a new and unusual way to paint.

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First, lay out a large sheet of sturdy paper on a table.

Next, pour red paint on a tray or flat plate. Dip the bottom of a round cake or pie pan in the paint, and press it down on the paper background to make the flower head.

Then dip a bubble wand into orange paint and press it in the middle of the dot. The bubble wand tray holds the paint perfectly for this step.

Afterward, press a sponge bottle brush into the green paint, and make a print in the center.

Then dip a spool into black paint, and press it into the very center of the flower.

Bubble wand, sponge bottle brush, and spool paint prints add color and definition to this gadget printmaking poppy art project.

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Next, draw on a stem with a green marker. If desired, use a ruler to keep the stem line straight.

Finally, cut a simple leaf from green fadeless construction paper, and glue it onto the stem.

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Poppy Art Color Variations

The gadgets and paint colors used for enhancing the red poppies can be varied. In this art project, a bubble wand, bottle brush, and two spools are the gadgets used.

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A ground meat chopper paint print adds detail to the flower center below.

A bubble wand and ground meat chopper paint print add color and definition to this gadget printmaking poppy art project.

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Remembrance Day Poppy Art

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This next project employs the bubble wand tray for the large dot print. The tray is not as big as the cake or pie pan, so can be used with a smaller-sized paper base. And it has a scalloped edge, adding character to the poppy dot. This design is my pick for the official Remembrance Day art project for this year.

For the flower center, dip a round sponge brush or small round sponge into black paint, and press it in the middle of the red dot print. Then press a sponge bottle brush into yellow paint, and make a print on top of the black circle. Finish off with a black spool print in the center of the flower.

Tip: Letting the red and black paint dry for a few hours helps the yellow sponge bottle print stand out and remain bright.

Create this beautiful Remembrance Day poppy art with a gadget printmaking technique. The art project introduces participants to a new and unusual way to paint.

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More Gadget Printmaking Poppy Art Ideas

Instead of using only red for the large flower petal dot, introduce a few more color choices, such as yellow and orange. The colors will blend in nicely to make red-orange hues, adding shading and texture.

And since poppies come in a variety of colors, you could choose an entirely new color scheme for this project.

Bubble wand, sponge, meat chopper, bottle brush, and spool prints add highlights and detail to the poppy flower art. And the gadget painting technique introduces participants to a new and unusual way to do painting and printmaking.

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More Remembrance Day Art Projects

Remembrance Day Butterfly Craft

Remembrance Day Poppy Art

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