a little ART CAN'T HURT

first friday crafts

we hosted goshen's first friday free kids crafts a few days ago.
i lost track of how many kids we had but our last one didn't leave the shop until after 9pm!
thank you to all the volunteers! 
we couldn't have done it without you!

thank you to 5orangepotatoes for the mask template! 
i can't remember where i found the recycled pumpkin project but i think it was on the crafty crow.
such fun blogs to visit!



as you can see on the window in the background, i've named our class and studio space 'art at the garage'. we had our first crafting birthday party (for twelve 5 & 6 year olds) last saturday with a few more already scheduled! our studio space is in full swing!
 
december's first friday craft will be a gift you make and give as a christmas present. 
we're also getting ready for a day of making gingerbread houses....
what classes or workshops would you like to see us have?
i'd love to hear your ideas!

 
 

pumpkin carving

no matter how many times you clean out a pumpkin, it's always kind of icky.
  
 
i held a pumpkin carving class that i gutted 10 pumpkins for - but it was worth it!

 

 

who doesn't love to use a drill and make a mess?
it was fun to share and try new designs and have a chatty time!
i tried out something new to make the carved pumpkins last longer:

equal parts pure lemon juice & water

mixed together in a spray bottle you coat the entire pumpkin, inside and out.
kind of messy, but so is the carving process.

the pumpkins will dry overnight but still kind of be sticky to the touch.
they lasted about 7 days kept inside.

i didn't use the lemon juice solution on this pumpkin....

and it only lasted a weekend. 

if anyone has any ideas about how to make pumpkins last longer please share!
 

art @ the garage

Two weeks and fifteen children later our crafty workshop is done.

We had the 'Art @ the Garage' Open House during a First Fridays night.

Each one of these creative little buggers is a marvel! 

LOVED every minute of it!

Our hors dourves consisted of grapes, goldfish crackers & mini oreos!

YUM! Oh, and a few kids (including all three of mine) made it into the local newspaper too - you can't top that when you're a kid!

Sweetie Wynn looked like Pebbles from the Flintst*nes when she put this necklace on!

The snowglobes turned out alright but it's a one-on-one kind of project, not for a group.

There's nothing like a little sewing knowledge when it comes to fixing a blown seam on a teddy bear or backpack! I strongly urge you to have your kids try their hand at embroidery and stitching! It's how my kids pass the time in the car quite often - it really promotes patience and eye-hand coordination.

marble painting

Super fun.

Super easy.

You can do this craft with your eyes closed even!

STEP 1: Assemble your supplies.

STEP 2: Drop in the paint, throw in the marbles & roll!

STEP 3: Remove your marble art from the bin, wash out the bin and repeat STEP 2.

STEP 4: Let painting dry and display as you please! Enjoy!

***NOTE: Don't forget to wash your marbles afterwards***

easy as 1 - 2 - 3

STEP 1: You assemble the supplies.

STEP 2: You rip, paint, shredd, cut and melt.

STEP 3: You knot and display.

**STEP 4: You give credit where credit is due.**