Today we will show you how to make a really cool item that you have never made before. This project is to make a jar filled with beautiful pastel chalk…it looks like sand art, but instead with chalk. Look below to find out how to make these awesome jars…great for a Valentines Day gift or for a Cool Summer Project. Laura from Dacian Moon Handmade   will show you today how to make a cute gift for your Valentine.

How to make a Chalk Pastel Jars for Valentines Day or for Summer Fun

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

– chalk: blue, pink, green
– sugar
– small jar
– paper

Step 1.

Put some sugar on a piece of paper.

Spread it.

Rub the blue chalk over the sugar…

… and the sugar will become blue.

Use the paper as a funnel to put the blue sugar into the jar.

like this.

Step 2.

Repeat step 1 using pink chalk. Put pink sugar over the blue one.

 Step 3.

Add a layer of white sugar on the jar, then make some green sugar (repeating step 1, with green chalk).

Add the green layer over the white one, like this.

Seal the jar and the gift is ready.

Technorati Tags: chalk, chalk crafts, sugar, sugar crafts, jar, jar crafts, valentines day, valentines day crafts, summer, summer crafts, summer art

Laura · Chalk, Gifts Crafts for Kids, Jars, Summer Crafts, Valentines Day Crafts · 0 Comments

Today we will show you how to make this cute little fabric snowman. He is a lot of fun to make and even more fun to play with. On this cold Winter day, I thought this would be a great craft to share with you.

Step by step tutorial offered by Laura from Dacian Moon Handmade

How to Make a Cute Little Fabric Snowman

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

– dark blue fabric
– white fabric
– filling material (I use some cotton pads broken into pieces)
– scissors
– ribbon
– black paint or marker
– button

Step 1.

Cut a disc of blue fabric and a smaller one of white fabric.

Step 2.

Start sewing around the edges…

… like this.

Pull the thread ends …

… and fill the inside with the filling material.

Tie the thread ends.

Do the same for the white disc.

Step 3.

Put the needle and thread through the middle of white part…

… then through the middle of the blue part…

… and through the button (we will use the button to make a solid part on the base. It will help our snowman to stay.)

Get back through the blue part and the white part to fix all parts together.

Step 4.

Cut two rectangles of blue fabric, one wider than the other.

Fold the lower part on the big one…

… and wrap it around the snowman’s head (the white part)

Use the ribbon to tie it, like this. Now the snowman have a hat.

Step 5.

Let’s make a scarf now. Take the other blue fabric rectangle…

… and wrap it around the neck of your snowman, then tie it.

Make some cuts on both ends of the scarf and on the upper part of the hat.

Thus, the hat and scarf will have fringes.

Use black paint / marker to draw eyes and mouth, and your little snowman is ready.

Technorati Tags: winter crafts, snowman crafts, stuffed snowman, snowman, making a snowman, snow crafts, winter crafts for kids

Laura · Buttons, Doll Making, Fabrics & Materials, Featured Crafts, Ribbons, Sewing & Fabrics, Stuffed Toy, Winter Crafts · 0 Comments

Here is a crafts tutorial to make a Christmas tree from pipe cleaners, safety pins, and some beads. With this craft, you make a beautiful Christmas tree that is also an ornament. Use this step by step tutorial offered by Laura from Dacian Moon Handmade.

How to Make Beaded Christmas Tree Ornaments

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

– 3 pieces of chenille stem
– green, orange, red, brown crystals / beads
– blue bigger beads
– self – adhesive star
– safety pins

Step 1.

Take one safety pin. Open it.

Put crystals on it, like this.

Close the pin.

Do the same for the other safety pins. You will need 8.

Step 2.

Take 1 piece of chenille stem…

… and put one safety pin on it.

Add two in the other direction, one, two again and one. Like in the picture.

Put another chenille through the ends of the 3 safety pins, like this.

Bring the safety pins ends together.

Raise the ends of the last chenille stem…

… and wrap them one around the other, to make a hanger

Bend the extra chenille to the back of the tree.

Put another one through the other ends of the safety pins…

… and add a blue bead between the safety pins.

It will look like this.

Fix the self-adhesive star on the ornament…

… and it is ready to adorn your Christmas tree.

Technorati Tags: christmas trees, christmas tree, christmas ornaments, tree ornaments, christmas tree ornaments, ornament crafts, christmas tree crafts

Laura · Beads, Christmas Crafts, Featured Crafts, Pipe Cleaners, Safety Pins · 0 Comments

Who says that you can only have candy for Halloween. Here is a great treat to use as placeholders at the Thanksgiving table. You make these cute little cornstalks out of candy corn and cardboard tubes from paper towel rolls. This is a  fun way to give treats on Thanksgiving. This tutorial is offered by Laura from Dacian Moon Handmade

How to make Candy Corn Stalks for Thanksgiving treats

Crafts Materials Needed:

– recycled paper roll
– green paint
– yellow and orange candies
– paintbrush
– scissors
– bag

Step 1.

Cut a rectangle with rounded corners out of the paper roll…

… like this.

Step 2.

Using green paint…

… and paintbrush, color the roll.

Let it dry.

Step 3.

Cut triangles on the lower part…

Like this.

Step 4.

Put the candies in the bag…

… and place it inside the tube.

Step 5.

Take the rest of tube (the part that was not painted)…

… and cut thin strips of it.

Like this.

Put them in the tube above the candies, so that a part to go over the edge, outside ..

Step 6.

Squeezes the top to remain fixed (if doesn’t work, you can tie with a cord of similar color, or you can stick it.)

Then bend inward at the bottom…

And that’s all 😀

Technorati Tags: candy corn, candy corn crafts, corn crafts, paper towel roll crafts, cardboard tube crafts, thanksgiving, thanksgiving crafts, table crafts

Laura · Candy and Food, Cardboard Tubes Rolls, Featured Crafts, Halloween Crafts for Kids, Table Decorations Crafts, Thanksgiving Crafts · 0 Comments

If you want to be a spooky vampire for Halloween, you are going to need a set of fangs for your costume. Here is the easiest way to complete your Halloween costume with vampire fangs / teeth. You will need a disposable fork and little less to complete this craft.  Laura from  Dacian Moon Handmade  will show you, step by step, how to make them.

WARNING: This is only for older kids … and make sure they know to be careful to not swallow the fangs/teeth.

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

– plastic fork
– scissors
– nail file
– straight pliers

Step 1.

Break fork tail.

Like this.

Step 2.

Straighten the edges with scissors so that it remains a convenient length.

Like this.

Step 3.

Use pliers to shorten the teeth in the middle of the fork.

Like this.

Round all edges and corners (using nail file) that will not hurt when you wear them.

Your perfect vampire fangs are ready ! 😀

WARNING: This is only for older kids … and make sure they know to be careful to not swallow the fangs/teeth.

Technorati Tags: vampire fangs, vampire crafts, halloween crafts, costume crafts, forks, fork crafts

Laura · Costumes & Dressing Up Crafts, Halloween Crafts for Kids, Plastic Silverware · 0 Comments

If you want to be unique around Halloween time, you will love this idea for painted on ghost nails. This is a perfect nail decoration for Halloween:  and these nails  glow in the dark! . Laura from  Dacian Moon Handmade  will show you, step by step, how to paint them.

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

– protective base (nail shield )
– very dark blue nail polish
– clear lacquer
– acrylic paints – silver, opaque white, white glow
– toothpick

Step 1.

Apply a protective layer on your nails using the base…

Like this. Let it dry.

Step 2.

Apply a layer of dark nail polish and let it dry well.

If color is not uniform, apply another layer. Let it dry well.

Step 3.

Put a drop of silver paint on a cardboard.

We will apply it using a toothpick.

Draw 3 lines from a corner…

… then connect them with curves. Like this.

Add a new row of curves and the spider web is ready.

Draw this spider web on every nail.

Let it dry.

Step 4.

Next we add ghosts using opaque white.

I will show on the cardboard what to do. Put a small drop of paint.

Using toothpick pull down a little to make her tail. Like this.

Let it dry a bit, then with the other end of the toothpick make the eyes and mouth. Like this.

If you can’t make the eyes and mouth this way, use a little black paint to draw them, once the white paint is dry.

So, do that on your nails, on the opposite corner.

Repeat for all the nails.

Step 5.

Add a layer of glow in the dark paint on the ghost. You can apply it with a toothpick or a cotton stick. Let it dry.

Take care if you will use black paint for the eyes and mouth, the glow in the dark layer should be applied before that.

Your nails are almost ready.

Step 6.

To protect your manicure, apply a coat of clear lacquer.

Thus colors will not fade with water. In order to remove them, use nail polish remover.

Technorati Tags: ghosts, ghost, ghost crafts, nails, nail art, halloween, halloween crafts, halloween nails, ghost nails

Laura · crafts for girls, Halloween Crafts for Kids · 0 Comments

Picture Trick-or-Treaters coming to your house, and you coming to the door. When you open the door, they see glowing ghosts behind you. They scream until they realize that they didn’t see a real ghost; all they saw was just a floating balloon. Laura from  Dacian Moon Handmade  will show you, step by step, how to make a cool decoration for Halloween: a floating ghost :D.

How to Make Floating Glow in the Dark Ghosts for Halloween

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

– balloon
– black permanent marker
– glow in the dark acrylic paint (I use orange glow paint with gold balloon. If you have white glow paint, use a white balloon)
– paintbrush

Step 1.

Put some paint on a cardboard…

… and apply it with the paintbrush…

… on the balloon.

Like this.

Let it dry well.

Step. 2

Use the permanent marker to add eyes and mouth. Let it dry.

Now, on daylight the balloon is gold, but in the dark, it glows.

Note:

If for some reason the paint is peeling, clean the balloon and repeat the steps above on the inflated balloon.

Technorati Tags: ghosts, ghost crafts, halloween, halloween crafts, halloween ghosts, balloons, balloon crafts

Laura · Balloons, Featured Crafts, Halloween Crafts for Kids · 0 Comments

You can’t have Halloween without the treats! So we might as well make them cute 😉  Laura from  Dacian Moon Handmade  will show you, step by step, how to turn a normal candy bar into vampire bats. This bat can close his wings around the candy bar.

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

– black cardboard
– little chocolate
– pen
– scissors
– paper glue
– self adhesive eyes

Step 1.

Measuring the right size, we leave 2 cm above and below the chocolate. On the sides we let 4 cm.

Cut the cardboard to the right size.

Step. 2

We measure chocolate on board, marking the corners.

Draw two lines from the upper markings to the edges, like this.

Step 3.

Draw a bat wing on the right side, based on the markings. Like this.

Draw another one on the left side.

Step 4.

Next, we will draw some feet for our bat – not too complex because you’ll find it hard to cut when is ready.

The feet looks like this, because the bat has claws 😀

To finish our design we must add the head…

… so, draw it as a half of a circle with two pointy ears.

Step 5.

Cut it out.

It will look like this.

Step 6.

Add the eyes.

Bend the wings up…

… like this.

Step 7.

Add a layer of glue on the chocolate…

… and place it on its place.

Join the wings in front and you have the cutest treat ever 😀

Technorati Tags: halloween treats, halloween crafts, candy crafts, crafts with candy, candy bats, vampire bats

Laura · Bats, Candy and Food, Featured Crafts, googley eyes, Halloween Crafts for Kids · 0 Comments

I think you’ll love this pencil pouch … He is so fierce! And when I say ‘He’, I mean Sharky…Sharky the Pencil Pouch. And he will keep your pencils safe as nobody messes with sharks! 😉  Laura from  Dacian Moon Handmade will show you, step by step, how to make it this awesome (yet adorable) shark pencil holder pouch.

How to Make a Shark Pencil Holder Pouch

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

– a piece of denim (or other fabric if you don’t have it)
– a piece of black leather or vinyl or different colored fabric
– paints: white and black
– needle and thread
– scissors
– zipper

Step 1.

You need a rectangle piece of denim to make the shark body.  To start, cut two of the corners off. Like this.

Bring the long edges toward the center line…

… and draw a curve, like this. This will be the mouth.

Cut it out and unfold.

Sew the two edges together…

… like this, until you almost reach the end. The shark will have the stitch on his belly.

Step 2.

Take the piece of leather…

… and draw on it a tail, two lateral fins and the central fin.

Cut them out.

Step 3.

It is time to add some teeth to our shark. Flatten the body with the stitch on the middle, like this.

Place the zipper over the mouth…

… and start sewing each part on a side.

Like this.

Cut the extra zipper.

Step 4.

Now is time to assemble all the pieces. Turn it inside out.

This is the other end, where we will attach the tail.

Apply a layer of glue on the start of the tail…

and put it in place. Keep it there a bit until it is glued (take care not to glue your fingers).

Then take a lateral fin…

… put some glue on the starting edge…

… and fix it on the shark body.

Do the same with the other one…

… and with the central fin.

Like this. Our shark looks good but… it is blind!!!

Step 5.

Let’s make the eyes!  Use some white paint to make two white circles.

Like this.

Then some black to complete the eyes.

Let it dry well…

… then you can put some pencils in it 😉

Technorati Tags: sharks, shark crafts, pencil holder crafts, pouches, pouch crafts, bag, bag crafts, back to school crafts, pencil organizers

Laura · Back to School Crafts, Bags & Purses Crafts, Fabrics & Materials, Sewing & Fabrics, Sharks, Zippers · 0 Comments

Here is a unique pencil holder made from recycled toilet paper rolls (or paper towel rolls). It is also a special pencil holder  for boys, because every boy is a knight who need a castle… of course 😉 Laura from  Dacian Moon Handmade  will show you, step by step, how to make it.

How to make a Castle Pencil Holder

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

– recycled paper rolls
– scissors
– glue
– paints
– paintbrush
– rectangle cardboard box lid

Step 1.

Cut every roll in half.

Like this.

Step 2.

Use green paint to give the cap color – like grass. You also can use grey for paved roads…

Cover all the surface with paint.

Add as many layers of paint until you are happy with the result.

Step 3.

Let’s give shape to the rolls.

On two bigger rolls draw battlements and one window…

… on the other bigger rolls draw only battlements. Like this.

Cut them off.

Finally, our towers will look like this.

Step 4.

Let’s paint the castle. Mine will be white with some black decorations.

Paint them like this…

Let them dry, then draw your decorations using a toothbrush.

Step 5.

Apply a layer of glue on a tower base

… and put it in its place.

Do the same with all rolls. Let them dry well.

Now your castle is ready to be populated with pens and pencils 😀

Technorati Tags: castles, castle crafts, pencil holders, pencil holder crafts, toilet paper rolls, cardboard tubes, toilet paper roll crafts

Laura · Back to School Crafts, Buildings & Structures, Cardboard Boxes, Cardboard Tubes Rolls, Crafts for Boys, Recycling and Upcycling Crafts · 0 Comments

Most kids have gone back to school by now, so I’m sure that you’re kids have too. We thought that this would be a good craft to post because sometimes when doing school work, you need to know how much time has passed. With this timer you can check it in 30 minutes or one hour (60 minutes).  Laura from  Dacian Moon Handmade  will show you how to make a cute timer.

How to Make Glitter Bottle Timers for Timing Reading or Homework or Time Outs

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

– 0.5 liter recycled plastic bottle
– one and a half glitter glue bottle
– some extra fine glitter
– instant glue
– hot water

Step 1.

Fill about 3/4 of the bottle with hot water.

Step 2.

Add the glitter glue…

like this.

Step 3.

Add the extra glitter.

It will look like this. You should shake the bottle until the glue melts.  Now you can play with the quantities. If you want it go clear faster, just add more water. If you want it to clear slower, add more glitter glue.

When you are happy with the result, use instant glue to fix the cap.

Shake well the timer to start it.

In a half of hour it will look like this.

When an hour is gone, the bottle is clear.

Technorati Tags: bottle crafts, glitter crafts, timers, timer crafts, making timers, back to school crafts, school crafts, upcycling, recycling, upcycling crafts

Laura · Back to School Crafts, Glitter, Plastic Bottles, Recycling and Upcycling Crafts · 0 Comments

This is a cute project for little ones – a cheerful butterfly made of napkin or a coffee filter 😀 This is perfect for Kindergarteners or Preschoolers. They can do everything on their own with a little bit of guidance. Laura from Dacian Moon Handmade  will show you, step by step, how to make it.

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

– napkin
– laundry tongs
– paints
– black marker
– paintbrush
– coffee filter or small piece of napkin
– glue

Step 1.

Unfold the napkin.

Bring the middle part together…

… like this.

Step 2.

Put there the laundry tongs…

… like this. This is the butterfly body.

Step 3.

Rub the little piece of napkin between your fingers, until it look like this.

Fold it in two…

… and stick it on the upper part of the body.

Step 4.

Use black marker to draw eyes and mouth …

and to darken the antennas.

Step 5.

Use the paintbrush to add color to the wings

like this.

When you have added all the color you want, gently smudge it.

Let it dry. The butterfly is ready.

Technorati Tags: butterfly crafts, butterfly, butterflies, coffee filters, coffee filter butterflies, coffee filter crafts, coffee filter butterfly, preschool crafts

Laura · Butterflies, Clothespins, Coffee Filters, Napkins, Painting Crafts Activities, Preschool and Kindergarten Crafts · 0 Comments

This project is perfect as a “back to school” project. It is very simple and fun, as well as a great way to store your packed lunch. This is also a great way to recycle / upcycle plastic soda bottles. Laura from  Dacian Moon Handmade  got inspiration for this craft from Creative Jewish Mom. Laura will show you, step by step, how to make this new lunch box.

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

– two 2.5l plastic bottles (the sort where the bottom looks a bit like a flower with five petals)
– scissors
– instant glue
– green felt
– pen

Step 1.

Clear the bottles – remove the labels.

Step 2.

Use the scissors to cut off the end of one bottle.

Like this.

Cut also the end of the other bottle .

Take care to cut one a centimeter taller than the other…

… so you could overlap them and they stick together.

Like this.

Step 3.

Draw two leaves on the felt…

… then cut them out.

Step 4.

Add a bit of glue on the middle of one “flower”…

… and place one leaf on it.

Add the second leaf.

Let it dry and you have an apple lunch box 😉

Technorati Tags: soda bottle crafts, plastic bottle crafts, apple crafts, back to school crafts, back to school, lunch box crafts, bottle crafts

Laura · Back to School Crafts, Bags & Purses Crafts, Felt, Green Environmental Crafts, Plastic Bottles, Recycling and Upcycling Crafts · 0 Comments

Here is a Back to School craft that you can work on in the next few weeks. Learn how to take a normal USB memory stick and decorate it with paint and random objects…turn it into a Steampunk masterpiece.You can then wear it around your neck as a special pendant necklace. Laura from Dacian Moon Handmade  will show you today how to make this cool and useful pendant.

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

– USB memory stick
– black paint
– silver metallic paint
– bronze powder
– instant glue
– a piece of thin fabric for texture (I use tulle)
– a little wheel
– bronze bead – I use a little stylized flower
– scissors
– paintbrush
– toothpick (useful to put little pieces in place)

Step 1.

First of all, remember that you don’t have to do everything we do…just use our tutorial as a guide. You won’t have the same exact materials as us…but just be creative.

Paint the stick in black.

Like this. Let it dry.

Step 2.

Cut a piece of fabric…

… and wrap it around the stick so as to form creases.

Apply some glue to fix it in place.

Like this.

Add the decorations among the creases. Glue them in place.

Add glue on every edge to fix the fabric.

Let it dry.

Do the same for the cover. It will look like this.

Step 3.

Use your paintbrush to paint the fabric in black. Also paint where the glue reached and bleached the paint.

Like this.

Prior it dry out, add a little bronze powder …

… with your paintbrush.

Like this.

Let it dry well.

Step 4.

Use the silver paint to add a metallic patina on some elements, especially the wheel.

Like this.

Also, add a bit of bronze powder on it, to keep the atmosphere.

Let it dry completely.

Step 5.

Put the cord through the hole on upper part of the stick…

And make a knot. Now you can wear it as a pendant or key chain accessory.

Laura · Back to School Crafts, crafts for girls, Fabrics & Materials, Jewelry Crafts for Kids, Painting Crafts Activities, Toothpicks · 0 Comments

This is a cool and fun project for summer. What can be more pleasant than playing with water on a hot Summer day? How about painting with colorful bubbles, just the way a fairy would. Laura from  Dacian Moon Handmade will show you, step by step, how to make this.

How to Make Fairy Lights by Blowing Bubbles

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

– plastic bottle
– 1 sock
– paints
– tape
– scissors
– liquid soap / shower gel… mixed with water

Step 1.

Cut off the lower part of the bottle.

Like this.

Step 2.

Put the sock on the cut.

Like this. You can use tape to fix it in place.

Step 3.

Add some paint on the sock.

Dip the sock in the soap / water mixture …

Then gently blow through the mouth of the bottle. Take care not to suck in air through the bottle, because of the soap and paint.

It is a fun project and you can make very beautiful fairy lights 😉

Technorati Tags: bubbles, liquid soap, paint bubbles, colorful bubbles, painting with bubbles, bubble crafts, soap crafts, fairies, fairy crafts, fairy crafts for kids, preschool crafts, toddler crafts, kindergarten crafts, painting crafts

Laura · crafts for girls, Make Your Own Toys, Painting Crafts Activities, Plastic Bottles, Preschool and Kindergarten Crafts, Soap, Socks, Summer Crafts · 1 Comment

August is here and school is drawing nearer. This is a great Back-To-School Craft … make a cute pendant with a pencil that can still be used. Laura from Dacian Moon Handmade will show you, step by step, how to make it.

How to Make Pencil Pendants or Necklaces for Back to School

CRAFTS MATERIALS NEEDED:

– pencil
– glue
– scissors
– white thick thread
– khaki thick thread

Step 1.

Apply a good layer of glue on the pencil (not on the sharpened part)

Step 2.

Begin to cover the bottom of the pencil, wrapping around it the white thread.

Let the center uncovered and make another white part near the other end.

Step 3.

If the glue on the uncovered part is already dry, add another layer. Glue the end of the khaki thread beside the  white thread, and begin to cover the other parts.

The middle one…

… and the upper one (you will go with a khaki thread over the white for that). When you reach the top, make a loop of khaki thread and put glue on it to set it on top of the pendant…

… like this.

Now you can wear it on a chain or cord and, if you forget your pencils… you can use it 😉

Technorati Tags: pencil crafts, back to school crafts, back to school, pendants, necklaces, pendant crafts, pencil necklace, pencil pendant

Laura · Back to School Crafts, Featured Crafts, Jewelry Crafts for Kids, Pencils · 0 Comments