Easter Crafts

Some Greeting Card Types

2026-01-12T08:47:00.000-08:00

Greeting cards come in all types and themes: graduations, birthdays and holidays.

A greeting card is an illustrated, folded card featuring an expression of friendship or other sentiment. Although greeting cards are usually given on special occasions such as birthdays, Christmas or other holidays, they are also sent to convey thanks or express other feeling. Greeting cards, usually packaged with an envelope, come in a variety of styles. There are both mass-produced as well as handmade versions that are distributed by hundreds of companies large and small. While typically inexpensive, more elaborate cards with die-cuts or glued-on decorations may be more expensive.

Counter cards: Greeting cards that are sold individually. This contrasts with boxed cards.
Standard Greeting Cards: A standard greeting card is printed on high-quality paper (such as card stock), and is rectangular and folded, with a picture or decorative motif on the front. Inside is a pre-printed message appropriate for the occasion, along with a blank space for the sender to add a signature or handwritten message. A matching envelope is sold with the card. Some cards and envelopes feature fancy materials, such as gold leaf, ribbons or glitter.
Photo Greeting Cards: In recent years, photo greeting cards have gained widespread popularity and come in two main types. The first type are photo insert cards in which a hole has been cut in the center. Your photo slides in just like a frame. The second type are printed photo cards in which the photo is combined with artwork and printed, usually on a high-end digital press, directly onto the face of the card. Both types are most popular for sending holiday greetings such as Christmas, Hanukkah & for baby showers.
Personalized Greeting Cards: Websites using special personalization technology allow consumers to personalize a card which is then printed and sent directly to the recipient.
Reusable Greeting Cards: These are greeting cards for the budget conscious. There are two common formats for reusable cards. Firstly there are cards with slits in them positioned to hold pages. Secondly there notepad style cards where pages stick to the back of the cards. The pages that have been used for reusable cards can be removed after being received and fresh pages can be used to reuse the cards.
Musical Greeting Cards: Recently greeting cards have been made that play music or sound when they are opened. They are commonly 3D handmade birthday cards which play traditional celebration songs such as Happy Birthday To You.
Electronic Greeting Cards: (also called E-cards) Greeting cards can also be sent electronically. Flash-based cards can be sent by email, and many sites such as Facebook enable you to send greetings. More recently, services have launched which enable you to send greetings to a mobile phone by text message. Many of these electronic services offer open or anonymous chat, to enable further discussion.
Pop-Up Cards: Pop-Up Cards are normally cards that, once opened, have a picture coming outward, giving the reader a surprise. Pictures and printed messages in greeting cards come in various styles, from fine art to humorous to profane. Non-specific cards, unrelated to any occasion, might feature a picture (or a pocket to paste in a personal photograph) but no pre-printed message.
Telescoping Cards: "Telescoping in mechanics describes the movement of one part sliding out from another, lengthening an object (such as a telescope or the lift arm of an aerial work platform) from its rest state. In modern equipment this is often done by hydraulics, but pulleys are used for simpler designs such as extendible ladders & amateur radio antennae. When making paper greeting cards you can achieve this action with pull tabs or by inserting brass brads."
Swing Cards: These are cards that are engineered to have a rocking motion once they are opened up.
Pop-Up Rocking Cards: Three-dimensional cards that have the same features of pop-up books. The parts could be movable in a wide variety of ways using: flaps, pull-tabs, paper transformations etc...

Cute and Easy Pop-Up Easter Cards.

from Red Ted Artist, Maggy Woodley.

How to make a seed/bean abstract mosaic . . .

2026-01-06T12:19:00.000-08:00

My teachers sample of an abstract bean mosaic.

Seed and bean mosaics seem to go in and out of fashion. This simple craft can be used to teach young students about the qualities of texture and design at very little expense to the teacher, camp director, or an art department.

Supply List:

A heavy duty piece of cardboard or inexpensive Masonite, or recycled sheet of pressed wood
either wood glue or white school glue
pencil
Mod Podge
A wide assortment of seeds, beans, rice, nuts, and or dried items may be collected; I've listed specific varieties below.
Suggested dried beans, seeds and rice available at your local grocery store: Red beans, Black beans, Anasazi beans, Sunflower seeds, White rice, Brown rice, Pumpkin seeds, Melon seeds, Black eyed peas, Green split peas, Yellow split peas, Navy beans, Pinto beans, Wild rice, Indian corn, Lentils, Grass seed,
Suggested dried materials available at your local florist, hobby outlet, or even outside in your own backyard: Devils claw, Wheat stalks, Money plant, Sponge Mushroom, Pomegrante, Lotus Pods, Okra Pods, King Cobra Bark, Pod Oars, Pinecones, Acorns, Hazelnuts, Walnuts

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Draw a design on your cardboard or wood board
Glue the dried materials down with either wood glue or white glue in designated areas or patterns.
After the glue has dried, completely cover the entire surface with Mod Podge in order to seal it properly.

Left,Photograph of my abstract, bean mosaic up close.
Right, These dried beans were purchased at a local grocery store.

More Crafts Made With Seeds and Beans:

Here is a listing of projects using seeds, pods, nuts and beans from my Christmas blog.

How to mosaic a bird house . . .

2026-01-06T12:10:00.000-08:00

I purchased this prefabricated, wooden birdhouse

from a craft store called Michael's. It is an actual

birdhouse that may be used outdoors.

This mosaic birdhouse can be hung outside if you would prefer. My mother kept it inside in her sunroom.

Supply List:

Selection of mosaic tiles, glass marbles, tiny mirrors, seashells...
Cement grout
Elmer’s wood glue
Plastic-like gloves
Old damp rags or paper towels
Prefabricated wooden bird house
white acrylic paint 8. burnt umber acrylic paint 9. bucket of clean water

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Glue the tiles directly to the surface of the prefabricated wooden bird house.
Let the applied tiles dry over night to ensure that the glue has hardened.
Check to see if the glued tiles have stuck to the surface permanently. Some of them will, some of them may only seem temporarily attached. The application of this step is necessary to help the tiles to stay in place before grouting them primarily.
Mix the grout solution according to the directions on the label.
Wear gloves if the label says that it is necessary.
Gingerly apply the grout directly onto the surface of the tile work. Make sure that the grout does get pushed into as many of the cracks as possible. This is a bit messy.
Wash your gloves thoroughly and you may put them back on or choose to remove them all together at this point. Be cautious about this removal however, some people do have mild skin allergies to grout and will develop a rash when coming in direct contact with it when its wet.
Now your going to delicately wipe down the surface of your tiles with a damp rag or paper towel. You will be throwing these towels away.
If you wish to rinse and squeeze out a sponge or towels as you work, keep an old bucket full of water for this procedure. Do not wash this contaminated water down a sink! Grout will collect in pipes and harden. You will need to pour this old water down a sewer pipe outside or simply find an area of your yard where you may dispose of it. Grout won't hurt an old leaf pile or the ground where plants are not growing.
You want your project to look clean on the surface of the tiles when you are finished. The cracks between the tiles should also be completely filled with grout.
Leave your mosaic project out over night to harden properly. If you see remaining grout on the surface of your tiles after it has hardened, you may go over the surface of these tiles with a light weight sand paper and damp sponge again.
You may wish to seal the exposed wooden areas with a tough varnish if you choose to hang your bird house outdoors.

More Crafts About Birds:

Craft a Mosaic Tea Tray

2026-01-06T09:10:00.000-08:00

Handmade mosaic tea tray with lovely scones.

These tea trays are perfect for serving up your favorite tea and scones. I recycled these 1950's ceramic tiles that I found inside of an old cabinet. It seemed a shame to throw them out. I am sure that these would be quite expensive if I were to purchase them today.

Supply List:

Selection of mosaic tiles
glass marbles
tiny mirrors
seashells
Cement grout
Elmer’s wood glue
Plastic-like gloves
Old damp rags or paper towels
Prefabricated wooden tea tray
white acrylic paint
bucket of clean water
soft paint brush
acrylic varnish sealer

Left I recycled 1950 bathroom tiles to mosaic a prefabricated wooden tea tray. Right, A close-up
of the period tiles.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Glue the tiles directly to the surface of the prefabricated wooden tea tray. Let the applied tiles dry over night to ensure that the glue has hardened. Do not check to see if the glued tiles have stuck to the surface permanently. Some of them will, some of them may only seem temporarily attached. The application of this step is necessary to help the tiles to stay in place before grouting them only.
Mix the grout solution according to the directions on the label.
Wear gloves if the label says that it is necessary.
Gingerly apply the grout directly onto the surface of the tile work. Make sure that the grout does get pushed into as many of the cracks as possible. This is a bit messy.
Wash your gloves thoroughly and you may put them back on or choose to remove them all together at this point. Be cautious about this removal however, some people do have mild skin allergies to grout and will develop a rash when coming in direct contact with it when its wet.
Now your going to delicately wipe down the surface of your tiles with a damp rag or paper towel. You will be throwing these towels away. If you wish to rinse and squeeze out a sponge or towels as you work, keep an old bucket full of water for this procedure.
Do not wash this contaminated water down a sink! Grout will collect in pipes and harden. You will need to pour this old water down a sewer pipe outside or simply find an area of your yard where you may dispose of it. Grout won't hurt an old leaf pile or the ground where plants are not growing. You want your project to look clean on the surface of the tiles when you are finished.
The cracks between the tiles should also be completely filled with grout. Leave your mosaic project out over night to harden properly.
If you see remaining grout on the surface of your tiles after it has hardened, you may go over the surface of these tiles with a light weight sand paper and damp sponge again.
With a soft brush wipe on gently a wash of white paint on the exposed wood and then seal it with a varnish.

More Crafts for "Tea Time" Play:

Apply a faux metal finish to an egg...

2026-01-06T08:56:00.000-08:00

A Repoussé Easter Egg technique.

High school kids might enjoy this egg decorating project. It is certainly a bit more complicated than most Easter egg crafts.

Supply List:

a plastic egg
aluminum foil (The type you buy at a grocery store)
black acrylic paint
white glue puff paint (any color)
masking tape
Mod Podge
soft cloth or tissue

Step-by-Step Instructions:

First cover the surface of the entire plastic egg with masking tape until none of the surface is left bare.
Use you puff paint to draw a swirl pattern around the entire egg.
Let parts of the design dry as you proceed.
Once you are finished and the surface is completely dry, this could take some time, brush the white glue to areas of the egg while applying the aluminum foil.
Take care not to rip the foil and do not layer more than one sheet.
Use your finger tips to press the foil down into the surfaces of your design over and over until you are satisfied with the overall effect.
Now let the egg dry completely and then brush a watery layer of black acrylic paint onto the egg's surface.
Wipe away the paint with a soft cloth or tissue so that the raised areas made by the puff paints are shinier than the crevices of the design. Let the egg dry.
Apply Mod Podge to the finished surface when done.

More Egg Crafts:

Assemble a birch bark bird feeder...

2026-01-06T08:41:00.000-08:00

This bird feeder is easy to make because you start with a prefabricated wooden bird feeder. I made it many years ago while camping at Arcadia. I collected the bark from a peeling birch tree in the woods and glued it to the bird feeder, simple as that!

Supply List:

prefabricated wooden bird feeder
wood glue
small stones, about 30
large rubber bands or twine
hot glue and hot glue gun

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Make sure the surface of the wooden bird feeder is clean before your begin.
Glue strips of birch bark to every surface area of the feeder excluding the "floor" of the feeder.
You may need to wrap twin or rubber bands around the exterior of the feeder to help keep the bark from sliding off while the wood glue dries.
After the bark is dry, hot glue the stones onto the floor of the bird feeder with a hot glue gun.

More About Birds:

How to craft a shell covered mosaic box

2026-01-06T08:21:00.000-08:00

Although this craft is simple in its application, the design work used in such a project may be very complex. The key here is to work slow if you should choose to use a cardboard box to decorate instead of a wooden one. Otherwise, the walls of the box could warp while your work is drying.

I gave a gift of pencils and paint brushes to a family member using the box to store
the craft items inside.

Supply List:

wood glue
a bag of tiny stones shells
a sturdy box with a lid

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Lay out your mosaic supplies and determine the pattern that you would like to use in the creation of your decorative gift box. I chose to arrange these tiny shells in a simple floral design.
I used wood glue to adhere the shells first to the surface of my box lid.
Then I let this dry overnight.
Then I carefully applied the wood glue to small areas of the lid and covered these with my tiny stones.
These areas were approximately two inches in diameter. Let each area dry completely before proceeding to the next application of stones. Again, this will help prevent the surface of your lid from warping.

A few close shots of the surface of my gift box: left, is a side view, right,
a top view of the floral shell pattern.

More Ways To Use Boxes In Crafts:

How to Craft a Tile Mosaic Angel

2026-01-06T07:24:00.000-08:00

The tiled angel that once hung in my
mother's garden room.

My children made this mosaic angel for their grandmother long ago. It once hung on the wall behind her African violet collection.

Selection of mosaic tiles
glass marbles
tiny mirrors
seashells
Cement grout
Elmer’s wood glue
Plastic-like gloves
Old damp rags, paper towels, sponge
Sturdy prefabricated paper mache angel form
Bucket of clean water

Step-by-Step Instructions:

First you will glue your tiles directly to the surface of the prefabricated angel with Elmer's wood glue. Let the applied tiles dry over night to ensure that the glue has hardened. Do not check to see if the glued tiles have stuck to the surface permanently. Some of them will, some of them may only seem temporarily attached. The application of this step is necessary to help the tiles to stay in place before grouting them only.
Mix the grout solution according to the directions on the label.
Wear gloves if the label says that it is necessary.
Gingerly apply the grout directly onto the surface of the tile work. Make sure that the grout does get pushed into as many of the cracks as possible. This is a bit messy.
Wash your gloves thoroughly and you may put them back on or choose to remove them all together at this point.
Be cautious about this removal however, some people do have mild skin allergies to grout and will develop a rash when coming in direct contact with it when its wet.
Now your going to delicately wipe down the surface of your tiles with a damp rag or paper towel. You will be throwing these towels away.
If you wish to rinse and squeeze out a sponge or towels as you work, keep an old bucket full of water for this procedure.
Do not wash this contaminated water down a sink! Grout will collect in pipes and harden. You will need to pour this old water down a sewer pipe outside or simply find an area of your yard where you may dispose of it. Grout won't hurt an old leaf pile or the ground where plants are not growing.
You want your project to look clean on the surface of the tiles when you are finished. The cracks between the tiles should also be completely filled with grout.
Leave your mosaic project out over night to harden properly.
If you see remaining grout on the surface of your tiles after it has hardened, you may go over the surface of these tiles with a light weight sand paper and damp sponge again.
The color of grout you choose to use with this project will also make a big difference in it's appearance so think about it awhile before beginning.

More Angel Crafts and Coloring For Kids:

DIY A Praying Angel Paper Wreath
My Gingerbread Angel "Peace Among Men" plus 62 other angels for kids to color here.
How to craft vintage cone angels our family The Belznickle Blog

Sketching With Crayons

2025-11-13T07:49:00.000-08:00

An unfortunate tendency in the use of certain materials that are particularly adaptable to the primary grades, is that of students and even teachers thinking that higher grades or mature work requires advanced materials. If wax crayons are used by the first grades or if a box of watercolors with only four colors are used in the primary grades, the pupil thinks it a mark of progress if the upper grades allow chalk crayons and watercolors of greater variety; and therefore will not use materials related to beginners.

With wax crayons it is possible to sketch with simple equipment,
producing a sketch that will not rub off. Sample Alpine Church by
Pedro Lemos.

This attitude should be discouraged, for after all materials have little to do with real production if the student studies correctly. One great artist said that he would use mud if it gave him the right color in painting. This may be also remembered by those educators who insist that pupils should not mix mediums. Just why some teachers should hold up their hands in horror over a problem that suggests the use of crayon and cut paper or crayon and watercolor has never been satisfactorily explained. We do know that artists from the time of the great masters to this date have used crayon and watercolor, oil-paint and gesso, pencil and watercolor, pen and ink and wash, etc. So why teach today in our schools that which the student tomorrow finds to be untrue in professional practice.

I believe that a great many delightful possibilities remain to be discovered and developed in the use of the wax crayon and those crayons that are partly wax; and that these possibilities can be found by any teacher or artist that will use them in their work. To prove this to myself satisfactorily I gave a box of eight wax crayons to a well known landscape artist and asked him to see what he could do with them. Not only were his results very good but he became so interested in the results that he has used them ever since. This same artist, by the way, produces all of his fine watercolor paintings with only six colors in his box. Two yellows, two reds and two blues. His yellows are Gamboge and Chrome Yellow, his blues are Prussian Blue and Cobalt, his reds are Crimson Lake and Indian Red.

If we can secure greater possibilities with fewer materials our whole art education will be more productive as we reach points where more materials are available. It may be a strange statement, but nevertheless the work we receive at the office from the lower grades is of a much better standard than that received from the advanced grades, and I believe that it is the result of working with fewer materials and within limitations. Too many things to work with, too many values, too many lines, result in too much detail and over-done results.

With the use of wax crayons we have a material that is inexpensive, is easily carried for sketching, does not rub and therefore is fairly permanent, and with varying papers and renderings allows for many variations.

Every material has a corresponding working surface to which it should be applied to secure best results. A rough or irregular surfaced paper is best for wax crayons. A smooth paper is not good for wax crayon as the crayon refuses to mark well and will not receive additional marks. The ordinary rough manila paper or rough white drawing paper is good. Light stroking of the crayon on the paper will result in the color being received on the surfaces of the rough projections of the paper surface. A second color pressed more firmly will color the lower portions of the paper and a vibrating quality of color is secured which can produce very pleasing effects.

In some instances the scraping of parts of the subject or the indicating of detail by scraping with a knife point produces good results.

This effect may be seen on the windmill of the color plate. An under color may be revealed by this method which will give an effect even more interesting than where there is no under color. In the use of very rough paper a sky quality of surface texture can be enhanced by spotting the open portions of the paper surface or remaining uncovered spots with a complementary or analogous color to the color first used.

The accompanying illustrations show the same subject sketched with different strokes and the results are well worth studying. A pad of rough sketching paper and a little or large box of wax crayons tucked into the vacation baggage this summer may yield a new avenue or opportunity for sketching. Why wait until a large, cumbersome box of paints and sketching paraphernalia be acquired?

The thrill of sketching is possible and good results, too, with the oft derided primary wax crayons. And the demand for these crayons has resulted in manufacturers producing them in varying palettes so that a considerable range of hues may be secured. But after all simplicity is the keynote to success with crayons, simple subjects, simple masses, simple colors and restful and satisfactory In the use of very rough paper a sky results will come.

The works of God are fair for naught

Unless our eyes in seeing,

See hidden in the thing the thought

Which animates its being.

Whoever yearns to see aright

Because his heart is tender,

Shall catch a glimpse of heavenly light

In every earthly splendor.

-Wilhelmina Seegmiller

How To Embellish Flocked Easter Eggs

2025-11-12T10:36:00.000-08:00

Flocked Easter eggs are not always available for crafting with in local hobby supply. But when these are plentiful they make for a marvelous vintage display. These are light weight and are perfect for hanging on an easter tree tool. Below are several ways you can decorate them with trim, inside or out.

These flocked eggs have holes cut out to
display a vignette inside.

Supply List:

flocked plastic eggs
soft fine Easter grass
miniature Easter novelties
lace, ribbon, rick-rack and bead trims
transparent glitter
tacky white glue
hot glue gun and hot glue

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Purchase flocked egg blanks for a hobby store or dollar store outlet.
Draw the oval shaped window with a soft number two pencil and trace around a tiny stencil directly on top of the flocked egg.
Cut away the oval shaped window by poking open the flocked egg with a tiny pair of sharp nail scissors. Cut away all of the pencil markings as these will not be easy to remove with an eraser.
Layer a thick amount of tacky glue on the inside of the egg with your finger tip.
Sprinkle in a generous amount of transparent glitter.
Tap the egg on a table surface to evenly disperse the glitter on the inside of the egg. Do this over a clean sheet of paper to collect all of the unused glitter and return it to the bottle it came from for future crafts. Let the glitter harden.
Next, glue inside of the egg opening some soft Easter grass. I used the cotton-like version of grass for this egg vignette.
Then glue in the Easter novelty: a bunny figurine, a basket of eggs etc...
Trim the outside edges of the window with tacky glue and rick-rack.
Glue on a ribbon, some lace and a pearl bead here and there.
Display your vintage eggs in an egg tree or basket.

After decorating the egg on the inside, I glued rick-rack, laces and bows to the outer shell

and edges to cover flaws and to add interest to the surfaces of my Easter eggs. I used

hot glue for this particular project.

Old-fashioned flocked Easter eggs are covered with
rickrack and bright, bold laces. Use tacky white glue
to adhere the bits of lace and trim.

How to make faux mosiac eggs using abalone shell tiles . . .

2025-11-12T09:12:00.001-08:00

These egg when finished are quite heavy; they
should be displayed in baskets or in vignettes,
not on egg trees.

Traditional mosaic eggs made from plastic manufactured eggs, grout, and tiny mosaic Mother of Pearl pieces from Michael's. These crushed tiles have been sold at Michael's for over 10-12 years and come in many colors depending upon the year.

Supply List:

large plastic egg forms for the local hobby store or dollar store
crushed abalone shell tile
wood glue or tacky white glue or hot glue if you prefer
tile grout, white
Mod Podge

Step-by-Step Instructions:

When adhering the tiles to the egg shell rough up the surface of the egg with sandpaper and then glue on the tiles using a strong bonding glue. I believe that I used wood glue for these eggs.
After the crushed shell has dried, smear on a tile grout and then use a soft damp sponge to wash away excess grout.
Let the grout harden overnight. Crafters may also use wooden eggs to replace the plastic ones if they wish.
Seal the grout with a thin layer of Mod Podge or something like it.

How to craft mosaic Easter eggs using egg shells?

2025-11-12T09:12:00.000-08:00

Photo of the egg membrane being separated

from the shell.

First you will need to collect egg shells for this craft and the number of those egg shells will depend upon your love of the craft. I collected only enough to demonstrate the process. In order to keep your kitchen clean and bacteria at a minimum, soak the left over shells in a vinegar solution. One cup of boiling water, plus two tablespoons of any type of vinegar will suffice for a gentle soak. This will also help loosen the membrane from the inner shell. The membrane should be removed for several reasons, the first being that it will help keep the egg shells from developing an unfortunate odor and the second being that the shells will adhere better when glued to another shell's surface. Above is a photo of the membrane being separated from the shell.

After the shells have been dried, break them up and soak them in dying solutions. I chose to do this with food coloring. This is the traditional recipe which includes a few drops of food coloring combined together with the ratio of vinegar and water that I have mentioned above.

Broken egg shells soaking in the vinegar solution.

After draining and drying the shells on a paper towel, you may then glue these to either hard boiled eggs or eggs that have been hollowed out and cleaned in advance. I used white school glue for this process and then covered the surface of my sample eggs with Mod Podge. You could also paint a layer of clear nail polish over the eggs if you have no other alternatives on hand.

How the mosaic process turns out after gluing the mosiac
egg shell pieces directly onto whole eggs. These eggs are
hollowed out, but you could use edible hard boiled eggs
for this technique as well.

Easter by Marjorie Goldwasser, (8 yrs. old)
The grass is turning oh, so green.
Everywhere new buds are seen.
The Easter bunny is on his way,
To bring us eggs on Easter day.

Craft a very hungry caterpillar...

2025-11-12T07:28:00.000-08:00

Caterpillar cut from crayon resist paper and leaf cut from construction papers

Above is a caterpillar craft that I taught during my student teaching. Kindergartener's spent the first day of this project coloring abstract shapes, line and colors onto white paper with crayons. Then they painted with watercolors on top of their crayon designs.

On the second day, students then traced around giant leaf stencils and cut them out of green construction paper. Then they cut elliptical shapes from their decorated papers and assembled these onto their "leaf frames" with paste. The last step was to add eyes and line details to their caterpillars and leaves with a black magic marker.

Supply List:

a large sheet of green construction paper for the leaf cut-out
white construction paper for the wax resist process
brilliant crayons
tempera paint or watercolors
a green marker

Step-by-Step Instructions:

To make the caterpillar of many colors, color stripes on the white construction paper. Leave space between the stripes without color.
Then use watery paints to layer over the wax crayon to fill in the parts of the uncolored areas.
Cut out many oval shapes from this paper to make the caterpillar.
Glue the ovals together to shape the insect's pudgy body.
Add eyeballs and nose.
Cut a giant green leaf from the construction paper.
Use a green magic marker to make veins in the leaf and cut out a few holes where the caterpillar has nibbled away at the leaf!
Add some prickly hairs growing from the top of the caterpillar's back if you wish.

"Two girls A.R. and G.H., ages 9 and 11, took my puppet workshop. After graduating from the advance level they performed The Very Hungry Caterpillar all on their own without any help. A.R. plays the caterpillar and the butterfly. G.H. handled all the props. They did this video in one take, I am so proud of them!" from hagley productions

Paint and Design a Giant Egg With Watercolors

2025-11-12T07:04:00.001-08:00

This giant, bright colored Easter egg was painted using a soft camel hair brush dipped in watercolor paint. First the student used a black marker to draw her whimsical butterfly, fish and flowers. Then she painted in her picture with bright, festive colors. I have discovered that very young students produce marvelous watercolor paintings but grow apprehensive about the resulting finished product as they age. This is because the younger an art student is, the less inhibited they are about "how" their artwork looks. Their inhibitions are the unfortunate result of growing old, I'm afraid...

watercolor painted egg

Supply List:

giant sheet of white construction paper
watercolor set
a soft camel hair brush among several other sizes to try
one black permanent ink marker
pictures of fish, birds and flowers to work from

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Cut white butcher paper or construction paper into large egg shapes. The teacher may wish to do this step in advance or not depending upon the age of the students.
Give the student black permanent ink markers to draw with. You may want to cover their tables with newsprint for this step and also give them aprons. Some young students get a little enthusiastic about using these markers where they shouldn't so keep an eye on the process to avoid disasters!
Teachers can hand pictures of what students can draw on their eggs around the room too. Things like insects, birds, symbols of Easter etc...
After drawing with permanent pens, collect these.
Now give each student a watercolor set and a small jar of water plus several kinds of paint brushes to fill in all of the white areas.

Sponge Paint a Giant Easter Egg!

2025-11-12T07:04:00.000-08:00

This egg painted with sponges.

This giant Easter Egg sponge painting requires young students to use unconventional tools in the act of painting. Sponges are easy for little hands to manipulate and these hold all kinds of sticky, messy paints made from inexpensive mixtures that kindergarten teachers can quickly shake together without investing large sums of cash in a art project. Small children do not generally produce art that will be kept forever by anyone other than their parents so, it is important to use materials that may be expendable but also fun to work with. The key to developing student performance in art is repetition and inexpensive materials ensure that the activity is repeated frequently.

Supply List:

one large sheet of pastel colored construction paper
tempera paints mixed in pastel colors
simple sponges cut into geometric shapes
cover tables with paper wherever this activity takes place
give young students aprons to where
each student should have at least several trays of paint to dip sponges in while they work

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Precut large egg shapes from pastel shades of construction paper.
Mix tempera paints for students in advance
Set up large tables for young ones to work at. Cover the surfaces with newsprint; perhaps, even the floors. Put paint trays within reach of painting activity.
Children my dip sponges into the paints and print the shapes on their paper Easter eggs.
Encourage them to fill the areas, make patterns, and try different paint colors!

This video, from Nuttin' but preschool, demonstrates an excellent step-by-step process for making homemade "tempera" paints. However, if you are an artist, you know that actual tempera paints used by professionals include an egg binder. So here is an old recipe for high school students.

Crayon Resist Egg Painting

2025-11-12T07:03:00.000-08:00

This giant Easter Egg was crafted using a popular wax resist method. Young students learn to color with firm pressure onto drawing paper before painting a watery solution of colored paint over the surface of their wax colors. The paint will then leave traces of painted paper wherever the crayons have not been applied. The use of this method is very popular in grade school because it shows students how they can use several art materials in one lesson and also develops their eye-hand coordination.

Supply List:

one large sheet of white construction paper
bold crayon colors
a water color tray
scissors to cut out the egg with

Step-by-Step Instructions:

On a large sheet of white construction paper, scribble with brilliant colored crayons. Encourage young students to press firmly on the paper as they work.
Once the paper has been worked on thoroughly, show them how to dip a brush into darker versions of those same crayon colors. Wash the surfaces with watercolor and see their crayon scribbles turn into gems!
Cut out the nicest areas into large Easter egg shapes.

"Handy" Little Butterflies

2025-11-12T06:19:00.000-08:00

A finished handy butterfly stapled to the
bulletin board in my classroom.

These little butterflies made with magic markers and construction paper sure come in handy when you need a quick way to decorate your classroom for spring! Little ones can also learn the parts of a butterfly while crafting their butterflies.

Students can learn about patterns and colors with this assignment. First they will need to fold a white sheet of paper in half twice and fill in each of the four spaces with patterns of shapes and colors of particular selection. After they have completed this step, students will then need to trace around their hands four times within each square of their designed paper. Cut these hands out to form the wings of your butterflies. I stapled their wings to some simple shapes of a butterfly's thorax cut from black construction paper. You can also add a few chenille stems for antennae.

My kindergarteners were so proud of their creations. What seems to be old-fashioned to us is always entertaining to five year olds. It is one of the many blessings of being new to the world. Every little innocent thing holds some fascination for the very young.

Many of these butterflies did not make it to the bulletin board. My kindergarteners loved this butterfly craft so much, they tried to sneak their paper butterflies home! I saw them, however, stuffing their new friends into their backpacks before I could collect all of my bulletin board trim! I stapled the butterflies all over my display areas after students finished this art project. What an easy fun way to fill up bulletin boards!

Supply List:

white drawing paper
magic markers
black construction paper
white school glue or stapler
one black chenille stem per butterfly

Left, color patterns on drawing paper. Center, trace around child hands for the wings. Right,
glue or staple on black butterfly body and black chenille stems for antenna.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Fold a sheet of white drawing paper in half and then in half again. Unfold it; now your student will have four spaces to draw four different patterns with a set of magic markers.
Once students have completed their patterns, have them trace around their hands four times and cut out the four hand tracings to attach to their butterfly bodies.
Fold a small, narrow length of black construction paper in half and cut out a simple butterfly shaped body for it.
Glue or staple the handy wings to it.
Cut one black chenille stem in half.
Twist one end on each half into a little ''c'' shaped loop.
Glue the opposite ends to the top of the handy butterfly to make antenna.

Make a Lenten Card Featuring Palms

2025-11-11T23:53:00.000-08:00

Lenten cards in the traditional season's colors: purple and green.

These cards for Lent feature simple, palm leaf motifs cut from green papers layered on top of both purple and beige patterned, acid free papers. The scripture and palm leaf graphic may be downloaded and printed from The Christian Clip Art Review for this card. Use the illustrations at this blog for non-profit, personal crafts only, if you are not fund raising for your church.

The scripture reference reads, "And all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished. ....And they understood none of these things." Luke 18: 31-34

The following poem may be included with the card, it is in the public domain:

by S. D. Gardner

And this is life -- to-day we here abide,

Perchance to-morrow we must step aside,

We master not our own; no vain regret

Can change the path for us which God has

set.

Then let our footsteps be toward the light,

With loving words and deeds make each day

bright.

Let charity progress to wider plan,

Lend gracious ear to creed of every man.

A close-up look at the Palm Sunday themed card.

Make Christian Cross Cards

2025-11-11T23:46:00.000-08:00

"And he that takes not his cross, and follows after me, is not worthy of me."

Matthew 10:38

This card illustrates classic, simple lines; a hand-crafted yet formal card excellent for announcements, “Thank You” notes or sentimental letters. I outlined this simple cross clip art with a metallic, silver ink pen. Then I pasted the cross to a variety of layered parchment papers, cutting each consecutive paper slightly larger with every new pasting.

Quotes:

“The world takes us to a silver screen on which flickering images of passion and romance play, and as we watch, the world says, “This is love.” God takes us to the foot of a tree on which a naked and bloodied man hangs and says, “This is love.” Joshua Harris
“We sinned for no reason but an incomprehensible lack of love, and He saved us for no reason but an incomprehensible excess of love.” Peter Kreeft
“Christ is sufficient. We do not need "support groups" for each and every separate tribulation. The most widely divergent sorrows may all be taken to the foot of the same old rugged cross and find there cleansing, peace, and joy.” Elisabeth Elliot

Illustration: The cross of Jesus Christ was to the Greeks foolishness and a stumbling-block of the Jews. They could not see its meaning; just as I have walked out on the porch of a north Georgia home two hours before day, and in the dim starlight I could see only the faint outline of mountain and hill. I could not tell what they were. It was an indistinct picture that had in it no meaning to me. I have gone back to my room and after a while have walked out on the porch again. The sun had risen on the scene and bathed hill and mountain and valley in a flood of light, and then I looked and saw hills and mountains and valleys and streams that mine eyes had never seen before.-- "Famous Stories of Sam P. Jones."

My Christian cross graphic with
a crackled surface pattern.
Click on image to download
larger size.

Mission Quilts and Kits for Lutheran World Relief

2025-10-25T15:12:00.000-07:00

Every year Lutherans across the U.S. sew quilts and assemble kits of supplies that LWR sends to partners around the world that request them to meet the needs of people affected by poverty and disaster.

Mission Quilts were one of the earliest forms of aid that Lutherans sent through LWR to reach out to people in other parts of the world. In 2016, LWR sent $14 million worth of quilts and kits to more than 576,000 people in 21 different countries.

Get instructions for the making of quilts for Lutheran World Relief

There are five kinds of LWR Kits:

In 2013, LWR joined the United Nations Humanitarian Resource Depot, which allowed it to pre-position quilts and kits in depots across the world for rapid deployment after an emergency.

You Are God!

2025-04-10T05:14:00.000-07:00

For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God. Psalm 86: 10

The Cross by John Donne

Since Christ embraced the Cross itself, dare I

His image, th’image of his Cross deny?

Would I have profit by the sacrifice,

And dare the chosen altar to despise?

It bore all other sins, but is it fit

That is should bear the sin of scorning it?

Who from the picture would avert his eye,

How would he fly his pains, who there did die?

From me, no pulpit, nor misgrounded law,

Nor scandal taken, shall this Cross withdraw,

It shall not, for it cannot; for, the loss

Of this Cross, were to me another cross;

Better were worse, for, no affliction,

No cross is so extreme, as to have none.

Who can blot out the Cross, which th’ instrument

Of God, dewed on me in the Sacrament?

Who can deny me power, and liberty

To stretch mine arms, and mine own cross to be?

Swim, and at every stroke, thou art thy cross,

The mast and yard make one, where seas to do toss.

Look down, thou spiest birds raised on crossed wings;

All the globe’s frame, and sphere’s, is nothing else

But the meridians crossing parallels.

Material crosses then, good physic be,

And yet spiritual have chief dignity.

These for extracted chemic medicine serve,

And cure much better, and as well preserve;

Then are you your own physic, or need none,

When stilled, or purged by tribulation.

For when that Cross ungrudged, unto you sticks,

Then are you to yourself, a crucifix.

As perchance, carvers do not faces make,

But that away, which hid them there, do take:

Let crosses, so, take what hid Christ in thee,

And be his image, or not his, but he.

But, as oft alchemists do coiners prove,

So may a self-despising, get self-love.

And then as worst surfeits, of best meats be,

So is pride, issued from humility,

For, ’tis no child, but monster; therefore cross

Your joy in crosses, else, ’tis double loss,

And cross thy senses, else, both they, and thou

Must perish soon, and to destruction bow.

For if the’eye seek good objects, and will take

No cross from bad, we cannot ‘scape a snake.

So with harsh, hard, sour, stinking, cross the rest,

Make them indifferent; call nothing best.

But most the eye needs crossing, that can roam,

And move; to th’ others th’ objects must come home.

And cross thy heart: for that in man alone

Points downwards, and hath palpitation.

Cross those dejections, when it downward trends,

And when it to forbidden heights pretends.

And as the brain through bony walls doth vent

By sutures, which a cross’s form present,

So when thy brain works, ere thou utter it,

Cross and correct concupiscence of wit.

Be covetous of crosses, let none fall.

Cross no man else, but cross thyself in all.

Then doth the Cross of Christ work fruitfully

Within our hearts, when we love harmlessly

That Cross’s pictures much, and with more care

That Cross’s children, which our crosses are.

The Figure of Christ

2025-04-10T05:09:00.000-07:00

Monsignor Bonomelli, in a letter read at the World Missionary Conference held in Edinburgh, June, 1910, said:

Jesus has, in reality, not vanished either from history, or from the life of Christianity. He lives at all times in millions of souls. He is enthroned as King in all hearts. The figure of Christ has not the cold splendor of a distant star, but the warmth of a heart which is near us, a flame burning in the soul of believers and keeping alive their con- sciences. Putting aside certain opinions, which, honored at the moment, may possibly be abandoned to-morrow, criticism had hoped to effect a complete demolition of the conception of Christ, but what criticism really demolished was merely irrelevant matter. The figure of Christ, after all the onslaughts of criticism, now stands forth more pure and divine than ever and compels our adoration.

Rend Collective - Christ Lives In Me (Audio)

Wait And See

2025-04-10T04:44:00.000-07:00

Wait And See
by Marianne Farningham

Be not swift to be afraid;
Many a ghostly thing is laid
In the light from out the shade.
Wait and see.
Do not live your sorrows twice;
Fear is like a touch of ice;
Faith can kill it in a trice,
Wait and see.
Why expect the worst to come?
Pondered cares are troublesome,
Joy makes up a goodly sum,
Wait and see.
Better than your wildest dreams
Is God's light that for you gleams.
When the morning cloudy seems,
Wait and see.

Immortal Light

2025-03-20T23:21:00.000-07:00

Richard Watson Gilder, who died in 1909, and whose dream is now reality, wrote this beautiful prayer:

O Thou the Lord and Maker of life and

light!

Full heavy are the burdens that do weigh

Our spirits earthward, as through twilight

gray

We journey to the end and rest of night;

Tho well we know to the deep inward sight,

Darkness is but Thy shadow, and the day

Where Thou art never dies, but sends its

rays

Through the wide universe with restless

might.

O Lord of Light, steep Thou our souls in

Thee!

That when the daylight trembles into shade,

And falls the silence of mortality,

And all is done, we shall not be afraid,

But pass from light to light; from earth's

dull gleam

Into the very heart and heaven of our dream.

Divine Discontent

2025-03-20T23:02:00.000-07:00

An unidentified author writes thus of discontent:

When the world was formed and the morn-

ing stars

Upon their paths were sent,

The loftiest-browed of the angels was

named

The Angel of Discontent.

And he dwelt with man in the caves of the

hills,

Where the created serpent stings,

And the tiger tears and the she-wolf howls,

And he told of better things.

And he led man forth in the towered town,

And forth to fields of corn;

And he told of the ampler work ahead

For which the race was born.

And he whispers to men of those hills he sees

In the blush of the golden west;

And they look to the light of his lifted eye

And they hate the name of rest.

In the light of that eye doth the slave be-

hold

A hope that is high and brave,

And the madness of war comes into his

blood

For he knows himself a slave.

The serfs of wrong in the light of that eye

March on with victorious songs;

For the strength of their right comes into

their hearts

When they behold their wrongs.

"Tis by the light of that lifted eye

That error's mists are rent--

A guide to the table-land of Truth

Is the Angel of Discontent.

And still he looks with his lifted eye,

And his glance is far away

On a light that shines on the glimmering

hills

Of a diviner day.