Holiday family arts and crafts projects — Spramani visiting Seattle

by Spramani Elaun

making holiday crafts with family — My daughter making a Gods eye.

Holiday family arts and crafts projects

We all say we need more time to be creative. If you have kids I know it’s hard to make this quality time when you really want to. How about treating the kids by preparing ahead of time for art and craft making during the holidays. Staying home or traveling your family and guest will enjoy your thoughtful planning. I want to give you some tips on gatherings supplies that will make it fun and relaxing to create during the holidays!

These art and craft projects can be simple to complex to make. I have so much fun when I sit down with friends and family and make things while we catch up. This can also give guest something special and fun to do while waiting for dinner.

Gathering supplies for Holiday family projects

Some light preparations will get everyone excited about making arts or crafts.

Gather items like knitting yarn, natural wool, natural felt, sewing kits and knitting sticks. There’s always someone who wants to take the challenge and try knitting or teach it to the young ones.

Include some how-to-craft books to inspire fun ideas. No craft books lying around? Splurge and buy a cool craft magazine everyone can drool over, or check out a bunch craft books at the library. Oh.. add some cool Mandala coloring pages too! You can download great patterns for free online and print on white plain paper. Mandalas are very relaxing to color. You can also find these in Barnes & Nobles if you have one near your town.

Include earthy objects

fallen leaves
twigs
rocks
dried fruit
small scraps of wood

Include basics

glue
scissors
natural twine
yarn
sewing supplies
felt
fabric scraps
pencils
pencil sharpener

Include Artsy Supplies

small acrylic paint set
drawing paper
watercolor paper
crayons
color pencils
watercolor pencils
small watercolor kit
origami paper
paint brushes
markers

Kids love helping gather outdoor natural objects

Ask kids to help make autumn decorations to spruce up tables or the main areas guest will gather. These projects can be simple collections from out-door natural materials. Any type of elements can be collected from nature. Display collections in a nice bowl, arrange on a mantle or home entrance way. Kids love exploring while on a mission to collect beautiful leaves, twigs, dried fruit, rocks or sea shells.

Many how-to-projects and ideas can be viewed on our Pinterest Pages

Arts and crafts projects

36 Nature Craft Ideas to Make!

Pinterest Pages, Even more ideas!

1. Paint jack-be-little pumpkins (non-toxic paints)
2. Pine cone collecting – paint pine cones or make pine cone art sculptures
3. Leaf foliage art – gather a collection of leaves, arrange in a picture and glue
4. Fall leaf bouquet for table center piece
5. Pine cone bird feeder – use peanut butter, bird seeds and natural twine
6. Recycle bird feeder –
7. Thankful place cards (recycle old cards, paper or brown bags)
8. Tree rubbings (place paper on rough bark areas and rub with crayons or wide color pencils).
9. Crayon leaf rubbings (use Colour Block Recycle Crayons – Fall colors)
8. Leaf Prints – arrange in different sizes, glue or frame in glass
9. Fall Wreaths – made with acorns, leaves, twigs, etc.
10. Pressed Leaf Collection (arrange in different sizes, glue or frame in glass)
11. Pine Cone Turkey
12. Leaf Catchers
13. Fruit & Veggie Prints
14. Fruit carving sculptures like pumpkins & gourds
15. Woodland Creature Sculptures
16. Framed sign with natural materials, family name or crest with twigs or acorns
17. Paint acorns or not – collect and put in beautiful bowl
18. Technicolor acorns using tissue paper (see attached website)
19. Leaf weaving with recycled paper or paper bags
20. Rock painting
21. Twig Painting (non-toxic paints)
22. Nature Mobile (use twigs, leaves, acorns, pine cones, etc.)
23. Gods eyes
24. Yarn & Wool creations
25. Felting – wool
26. Sew small felt creations
27. Needle Point
28. Finger Knitting
29. Knitting
30. Sewing
31. Nature Journal
33. Watercolor paint
34. Paint on found natural elements like bark, rocks and sticks
36. Jar collect any natural element

Happy Creative Holiday!

Spramani

One Step Further: Download My Fall Leaf Inspiration Print

I personally think the fall season can give us hundreds of art activity and project ideas, but just to make it even easier on you (which, really, is such a joy because I get to share my love of both fall and art with you!), I’m giving you a FREE Fall Leaf Inspiration Print.

You can print it out and use it on your art shelf or hang it in your inspiration gallery to during the season, or let students fill it in with beautiful colors. It seems like a simple tool, right? But trust me, it’ll lead to so many amazing, creative artworks! Download the Fall Leaf Inspiration Print by clicking here.

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