| ISSUE 60 • 11 NOVEMBER 2008 | |
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Editorial – Handmade Card Swap 2008 Great news! The Kids Craft Weekly handmade card swap is back for 2008! I know that many of you have been desperately waiting for an announcement and, thanks to your feedback (and my very helpful brother), I have managed to get things organised a little earlier this year. Through the swap, participating families send handmade cards to ten specific addresses, and in return, they receive cards from ten other families. For all of the information, and to sign up, please visit the card swap FAQ and read through the info before signing up. Sign-ups for the card swap close at 9am (Australian Eastern Standard Time) on November 18, 2008. To celebrate the return of the card swap I decided to devote this newsletter to some of my favourite Christmas card ideas. All of these ideas, and more, are featured in the revised edition of my Christmas Craft mini-book (in pdf format) which I am currently selling on the website.  Along with a fabulous spread of cards from previous card swaps, the printable mini-book features advent ideas and instructions on how to make great Christmas decorations with your kids. If you're curious you can check out the sample pages. Christmas Craft costs only $5. Please show your support for Kids Craft Weekly by purchasing a copy for your household. Thank you so much to those of you who have already bought a copy – your enthusiastic feedback has warmed my heart. Truly. Happy crafting and I'll see you next time!  Amber Carvan editor@kidscraftweekly.com PS. Keep submitting your photos to the Kids Craft Weekly photo pool on Flickr! I have selected the winning photo for the October photo competition but haven't been able to contact the photographer responsible. If this is your photo please go and check your Flickr mail because you've won! |
This card idea is perfect for very young children as it takes away all the pressure of card-making, allowing them to focus their attention on having fun with colour and texture. You will need • paper • white glue • food colouring • glitter • brush • a collection of red and green items • blank cards Directions 1. Add a few drops of green (or red) food colouring to white glue. Then add some glitter to the glue mix and stir well.  2. Collect together a range of red and green items to paste onto paper. We used green cellophane, green crepe paper strips and red origami paper torn into squares.  3. Put out a large piece of craft paper and encourage your little one to paste the red and green items all over the paper with the sparkly glue mix.  4. Once this is finished and the glue is dry, cut the artwork into squares or rectangles and glue them onto cardstock. 
I have to credit Kids Craft Weekly subscriber Tracie with this one! In the card swap a few years ago she and her boys made this lovely card which I thought was a great idea. You will need • blank cards • cotton wool balls • white glue • red felt or paper • scissors • pen Directions 1. Cut some santa hats from the felt and pull apart some cotton wool balls.  2. Then glue down the hat and start to give Santa some hair and a beard. Here's my boring adult version...  3. ...and here are Ella's awesome ones! 
These cards are messy to make but the effect is spectacular and I guarantee the kids will love it! They do cover the recipient in glitter when they open the envelope but I don't necessarily see this as a bad thing! You will need • blank cards • kid's pvc glue • a couple of different colours of glitter • christmas cookie cutters Directions 1. Pour glue into a small container or tray until the glue is about 3mm deep. Make sure that your containers is large enough to accommodate the cookie cutters.  2. Dip a cookie cutter in glue and then use it to make a glue print on the blank card. For best results, leave the cutter in place on the card for about three seconds to allow for the glue to drip down onto the card. Repeat until you have made all the glue prints that you want for that particular card.  3. Sprinkle different colours of glitter on top of the glue prints, making sure to cover all of the glue marks. Then shake the glitter off into a tray and allow card to dry. 
These beautiful felt cards feel so textured and substantial. You can use the same technique that I've outlined here to make all different kinds of cards featuring felt shapes. You will need • blank cards • felt (in green and some contrasting colours) • a hole punch • white glue • scissors Directions 1. Cut some christmas tree shapes from green felt. For best results, make a template from cardboard or trace around a tree shaped cookie cutter.  2. Use a hole punch to cut small circles from different colours of felt.  3. Stick the tree on the card. Then glue the dots on using white glue.  4. We used a star shaped paper punch to make a felt star...  6. the perfect finishing touch!  Note: For a slightly simpler version, cut a tree from green paper and use spotty stickers to decorate!  |
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