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Charming Chompers: 19 DIY Crafts for Shark Week

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The first Shark Week aired on the Discovery Channel in July of 1988, making shark week nearly 30 years old to this date. This fact alone is a testament to our obsession as a culture with sharks. Sharks are the dinosaurs of the deep, inspiring fear and fascination in our hearts. I’ve always been a little in love with sharks and, because of this, am a huge fan of Shark Week. A whole week dedicated to those chomping, swimming fishes? Yes, please!

Shark Crafts

In order to celebrate Shark Week, we have collected a wide range of shark craft ideas. From shark crafts for kids to more adult ideas like shark tooth necklaces and crochet patterns, the Shark Week crafts below are sure to be adored by any friend of these fierce fishes. Just keep scrolling (or swimming) to see all the jaws-dropping Shark Week crafts we have to offer. They won’t bite. We promise!

19 DIY Crafts for Shark Week

Jaws-Dropping DIY Necklace

Sharky Free Pillow Pet Pattern

Shark Fingerprint Art

Super Cute Shark Afghan

Shark Week Sewing Patterns
Find even more sharky ideas over at our sister blog, SeamsandScissors.com! Jaws-Dropping Ideas: How to Make a Shark for Shark Week features 11 free sewing patterns and sewing project ideas you will definitely want to sink your teeth into.

 

 

What’s your favorite shark movie? I love Jaws.

Link Love: Woodland Crafts

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Today I set out on a mission to find woodland crafts that were not just for Christmas. I realized that I , and many of you, love the rustic and woodland look and I hate to limit these crafts to just winter (or even fall with Thanksgiving table decor).

So, I found these nine craft projects that fit the bill. These cute craft ideas are great for kids and adults depending on level of expertise. I first started searching for just animals, but I discovered that toadstools are now one of my favorite things. Plus, it gives some of these craft projects that warm “spring” feeling to them. Either way, all of these crafts are whimsical and woodland themed.

Some of these crafts can be considered nature crafts and use dried moss to give the final piece a truly woodland feel. I liked that many of these woodland craft projects were practical and not just for decoration. Practical crafts help justify the time spent on them, in many ways. It’s not always the case, but I tend to feel more accomplished when I create something that I will use all of the time while still being crafty.

I have a cottage up in the woods in Michigan and there’s something magical about just being in the woods. I’ve seen deer darting quietly in the trees. I’ve had birds wake me up in the morning. I’ve also had acorns roll down the roof followed by the pitter patter of chipmunk feet. And I’ve seen little toadstools pop up after a rainstorm. These crafts take me to my cottage in the woods and I sincerely hope they transport you to a woodland escape too!

woodland-crafts-nature-crafts

 

  1. DIY Woodland Terrariums from Ruffled
  2. Felt Squirrel Tutorial from You Go Girl!
  3. Fox Pallet Art from Lolly Jane
  4. Woodland Creature Canning Jars from Valley & Co.
  5. PAINTED DRAWER PULL TOADSTOOL TUTORIAL from Beneath The Rowan Tree
  6. DIY: Animal Jewelry Holder and Dish from The Yellow Postcard
  7. Toddler Sized Animal Stools: A How-To from Killer B. Design
  8. Foxy Wooden Cross Stitch from Lucykate Crafts
  9. Teeny Weeny Mushrooms from Pixie Hill

34 Woodland Wonders

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I love bringing the beauty of nature into my home.  From bowls of pine cones to afghans inspired by the changing fall leaves, nature is the ultimate inspiration when it comes to crafting and decorating.

The best part about nature crafts is that you can easily change out your home decor based on what’s going on in your back yard.  This budget-friendly and convenient decorating technique will ensure that your home is always decorated for the appropriate season!  For example, as snow melts and the grass and flowers begin to bloom again, this Basic Birdseed Wreath will help welcome birds back into your backyard.  You can also gather up dried branches and make this beautiful Autumn Berry Branch Mirror, which would look stunning in a living room or bedroom.

So if you’ve been interested in learning how you can use nature to help inspire your decorating, look no further.  This collection is all you need to convert your home into a woodland wonderland!

34 Woodland Wonders

WoodlandWonders-nature-crafts

 

Woodland-Inspired Home Decor

Wood-Logs-Candle-Holders

Rustic Twig Vase

Autumn Berry Branch Mirror

Woodland Winter Centerpiece

Yo Yo Stuffed Pine Cones

Birch Bark Cubes

Acorn Garland

Basic Birdseed Wreath

Felt Applique Chickadee Ornament

Breathtaking Frosted Pine Cones

Faux LED Wood Candles

Rustic Nature Frame

Tree Branch Star Decorations

Woodland Nymph Candle Holders

Wood Logs Candle Holders

Woodland Wonderland Centerpieces

Stunning Rustic Log Decor

Gorgeous Glitter Pine Cone Wreath

Hanging Glass Butterfly Feeders

Nature’s Best Wind Chime

Howling Wolf Quilt

Acorn Nest Ornament

Tawny Owl Afghan

Crazy Cute Autumn Acorns

 

 

Woodland Wearables

PMCLeafRing

Acorn Pendant

Woodland Wanderer Cape

Nature Lover’s Purse

PMC Leaf Ring

Leaf Imprint Pendant

Birds Nest Pendant

Sly Fox Crochet Hat

 

 

Woodland Gift Ideas

Printable-Woodland-Creature-Bookmarks

 

Printable Woodland Creature Bookmarks

Cabled Leaf Cozy

Woodland Fairy Folk

Woodland DIY Gift Tag

Wood Logs Candle Holders

 

 

woodland-wonders

What do love most about woodland crafts?

Camping Crafts for Kids: Have an Indoor Camping Expedition

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Campfire CupcakesI’ve been camping in every corner of this country and have such great memories because of it. My family has always taken the road less traveled, opting to spend a week in the woods rather than at a resort. Sometimes if it’s raining, the wrong season, or campgrounds are too far away, it’s just not practical to go camping, but have no fear! You can still have an amazing camping experience in your own home with camping crafts for kids, edible crafts for kids, and even bug crafts for kids to make the experience authentic.

Turn your living room into a tent, your kitchen into a river, egg cartons into ladybugs, and don’t forget about the essential campfire!  Here are some great camping crafts for kids from AllFreeKidsCrafts to do indoors on your own camping expedition.

If you have an entire weekend to spare, try this awesome Indoor Camping Expedition craft. It has food, crafts, and even a skit to perform so that you can get the whole camping experience.

 

Campfire Craft Projects for Kids Glowing Campfire Craft

The first thing you need is a toasty campfire! No campsite is complete without one, and you will want something to warm your feet while you are stargazing. Try this great Glowing Campfire Craft to create the effect of a real fire that kids will love. If you’re getting hungry, then the sweet treats in the Edible Crafts Campfire is a camping craft for kids that will fill your tummy. It even looks like real red and yellow flames, but I promise that they won’t burn you when you take a big bite.

Other Campfire Crafts for Kids:
Starlight Tin Can Lanterns
Twirling 3D Star
Rockin’ Tic Tac Toe Homemade Game
Dreamy Dreamcatcher
Campfire Hats
Painted Walking Stick

 

Edible Crafts for KidsCutest Cookie Campers

Next you’ll need something to munch on. S’mores are a classic camping treat, but if you’re in the mood for something different, then I have just the snacks for you. Try the Cutest Cookie Campers snack to create a realistic camping scene with a tent, little campers and a campfire all made out of yummy food. Sweet treats always go over well with kids, so make Campfire Cupcakes as a camping craft for kids with a sweet tooth.

 

Bug Crafts for Kids

When you go camping you are staying in nature, and that’s where lots of little critters live. Spiders may seem creepy crawly when you see them on the ground, but once you make them yourself, you will realize that they aren’t so bad. Try making the Creepy Bottle Cap Spiders project and you will see that spiders aren’t so much creepy as they are cute.  Cute Carton Ladybug Crawlers are another great way to introduce kids to the outdoors through camping for kids.Cute Carton Ladybugs

Other Animal Crafts for Kids:
The Very Cuddly Caterpillar
Carefree Coffee Filter Butterflies
Spidey Cents
Investigating Insect Habitats
Egg Carton Caterpillars
Flower Petal Butterflies
Beaded Butterfly Beauty

 

What is your favorite part about camping?

 

Get Back to the Outdoors with Nature-Inspired Crafts

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Do you miss seeing green grass and hearing birds chirp? Winter’s on its way out, but if you want to get a head start on welcoming back spring, the answer is closer than you might think. The editors at AllFreeChristmasCrafts have had all winter to find ways to help you, and now, we’re excited to share some nature-inspired crafts that will brighten up your home with freshness and color.

Homemade Wreaths

Wreath crafts are popular for any time of year, and they can easily bring a touch of color to your door. You can make something more abstract, like a Bird’s Nest Wreath, which is durable enough to last all year, reminding you of springtime no matter what time of year it is. You can also learn how to make a wreath using actual nature like with this Boxwood Berry Wreath. The design is festive for winter, but green enough for spring. If you don’t want to use real materials, but still want a realistic design, there are also colorful alternatives like those used in the Festive Nature Wreath.

   

Crafting with Pine Cones

There are many different natural materials that you can use in your nature inspired crafting, and we’ve found a common trend amongst crafters already existing. Pine cones are popular because they’re strong, have a unique shape, and can hold a whole array of craft materials. Christmas characters like the Felt Pine Cone Snowman Ornament, as well as other winter craft creatures like the Nature Inspired Holiday Skier, come to life very easily with the addition of fabric. Pine cones can also make for rustic decorations like the Rustic Pine Cone Light Basket for your home that you can touch up with a nice scent to make your guests feel relaxed and welcome.

   

 Projects for Animal Lovers

You don’t have to use nature in all of your nature-inspired crafts. Animal lovers know that instead, you can create a craft inspired by one of your favorite forest creatures. You can make a frame like the Wintertime Bird Frame or the Rustic Nature Frame that really put your design skills to the test. If you’re looking for something more 3D, you can recycle your toilet paper rolls to make a Toilet Role Yule Log Ornament or use real nature to make an Acorn Nest Ornament that help your home to feel more realistically nature inspired.

     

No matter what time of year it is, nature-inspired crafts are a surefire way to give your home the essence of the outdoors. Use the beauty around you as inspiration (and part) of your next craft project and enjoy the freshness these crafts bring to your home decor.

How do you include nature in your crafting?

Link Love: Camping Crafts for Kids

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Summer Camp Week

How are you enjoying the Summer Camp Week giveaways and crafts? I know I am! To continue the weekly theme, Link Love this week is full of some of the best kids camping crafts from across the web. I love being outside, and I think interacting with nature is a great way to satisfy a child’s curiosity and connect with them on a more basic level. Plus, it’s so much fun!

Click here to enter today’s Summer Camp Week Giveaway!

Just the thought of the great outdoors makes me want to explore, to experience and create nature crafts and camp crafts for myself and for the kids. I’m not sure why, but there’s something beautifully romantic about wandering the wilderness and living off of the land. Creating crafts from natural, eco-friendly materials seems to satisfy something very primal in people.

If you agree, go camping in the woods, try a hike or nature walk, go canoeing, or just go play in the forest for awhile and gather the basic materials for these fun camp crafts. These crafts for kids and adults are also phenomenal pieces to make at summer camp, where kids especially can experience nature in a way that they normally cannot at home.

I think these Birdie Burgers are a great way to bring nature right to your back door, and Wild Woodland Watercolors make the perfect rustic home accents.

If you’re looking for more easy outdoor activities and nature crafts for kids and adults, this great roundup from across the web is just the thing. Garden Inspired Wall Art is a lovely way to celebrate the outdoors and make something amazing for your home decor. Pitch your tent, take a hike, and gather some materials that inspire you from nature and get to work!

Camping Crafts Link Love

  1. Bows and Arrows from Imagine Childhood
  2. Tripod Camping Stool from Design Sponge
  3. Leafy Lantern from Here We Are Together
  4. Bird’s Nest Necklaces from Eclectic Chica
  5. Nature Walk Leaf Mobile from Small Wonders
  6. Camp Journals from Your Home Based Mom
  7. Glass Jar Lanterns from Gingerbread Snowflakes
  8. Meaningful Message Stones from Garden Mama
  9. Summer Camp Chairs from Simple Simon and Co.
  10. Nature Pressings from My Plum Pudding

Have you seen today’s Summer Camp Week Giveaway from AllFreeKidsCrafts? Click here to check it out!

Summer Camp Week, Day 1: Nature Camp Crafts + Giveaway

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Summer Camp Week

Welcome, wilderness explorers! For our first day of Summer Camp Week, AllFreeKidsCrafts.com is featuring nature crafts for kids to make at camp. We’re also giving away a copy of Hand in Hand: Crafting with Kids, a wonderful book of kids craft ideas from some of the best kids craft bloggers and designers. Keep reading for more details, and comment on this post to enter the Giveaway!

To enter today’s giveaway, answer the following question in the comments below:

Which is better for camping: the beach or the woods?

Summer Camp Week

Nature Camp Crafts

At AllFreeKidsCrafts, we’re all about getting out and exploring nature! Natural materials are the perfect base for eco-friendly kids crafts because they allow children to explore and interact with the environment in a constructive way. With these projects, the world is your craft room and the creative possibilities are endless!Enchanted Acorn Toadstools

Enchanted Acorn Toadstools from Twig and Toadstool are easy to make from acorns and paint at camp. These tiny toadstools are fun for kids to create after a fun day in the woods for a quick and easy keepsake.

A Rainbow Treasure Hunt from Mamascout is a great nature exploration activity for campers, and Flower Seed Pockets help kids give back the supplies they have taken from the environment for their crafts. Kids nature crafts like these are particularly helpful teaching tools for children who are interested in science and the environment.http://cf.primecp.com/master_images/AllFreeKidsCrafts/Good-Ship-Twiggy.jpg

Have a sailboat race when you make the Good Ship Twiggy from Mini-Eco. See whose boats stay afloat with this great craft and activity for campers. Outdoor kids crafts like this are great to make with kids of all ages as a toy or an exciting game.

 

Summer Camp Week Giveaway

We are giving away a prize a day every day this week here on FaveCraftsBlog.com for Summer Camp Week. It is Hand in Hand: Crafting with Kidsso easy to enter. Just go to our daily Summer Camp Week post and comment to enter! You have 5 chances to win and a new special prize each day.

Today’s prize is Hand in Hand: Crafting with Kids by Jenny Doh, a phenomenal kids craft book featuring great crafts for kids and adults to make together.  You’ll find endless inspiration for nature crafts and more in Hand in Hand: Crafting with Kids. This book is a fantastic resource for the parents and teachers of crafty kids. Click here to read the book review on AllFreeKidsCrafts.

This beautiful craft book is full of tutorials from famous craft designers and bloggers whose open-ended kids craft projects allow for innovation and constructive, creative learning. You can win Hand in Hand: Crafting with Kids by Jenny Doh by commenting on this blog post!

Comment on this blog post and enter the to win a free copy of Hand in Hand: Crafting with Kids, then check in tomorrow morning at 10:00 a.m. CST to find out if you’re the winner!

Giveaway Rules:

  • Contest open to US and Canada residents 18+
  • One comment/entry per person.
  • Contest closes Monday, July 16, 2012 at 11:59p CST.
  • Please comment on this blog post to enter.
  • Winners will be posted on FaveCraftsBlog.com and notified by email at 10:00a CST on Tuesday, July 17, 2012.

To enter today’s giveaway, answer the following question in the comments below:

Which is better for camping: the beach or the woods?

Summer Reading and Crafting for Kids: The Giving Tree

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It’s time for kids to start on their summer reading list! If your kids aren’t overly fond of sitting down and reading, introduce hands-on experiential learning through Summer Reading and Crafting from AllFreeKidsCrafts.com. The kids crafts and art projects below will help children grasp and conceptualize important themes in the story.

The Book: The Giving Tree

The Giving Tree by Shel SilversteinImage courtesy of Amazon.com

The Giving Tree is a beautiful story of love, friendship and sacrifice written and illustrated by poet, author, artist and songwriter Shel Silverstein. One of his most famous books, The Giving Tree tells the tale of a young boy who loves a tree. The tree provides the boy with everything he needs throughout his life, while receiving nothing in return. When the boy is an old man and the tree has given her shade, apples, and even her trunk to her young friend, she is only a stump and has nothing left to give the boy except a quiet place to sit.

Important Concepts:

The Giving Tree provides open-ended lessons in selflessness, giving, love and sacrifice. The relationship between humans and nature is also a good topic to discuss with children. These concepts can be complex ideas for young readers, so creating crafts associated with the books allows children to form visual and tactile associations that will help them remember the important details of the book.

Crafting with The Giving Tree:

The Giving Tree Scenes on Cookie Canvases: These tasty treats provide a sweet and pretty canvas upon which children can draw or paint their favorite scenes in edible ink.

Story Scenes on Cookie Canvases


Hand and Armprint Giving Trees: Children can use their hands and arms to make artwork that looks like the Giving Tree. Have them draw a picture of themselves in the shade of the tree like the boy from the story.

Hand and Arm Print Trees


The Giving Tree Leaf Rubbings: Have children head outside with some homemade crayons to make rubbings of different sorts of trees. Talk about the different patterns in nature and discuss the ways we can use natural resources.

Leaf Rubbings and Dappled Crayons


The Giving Tree’s Apples: The Giving Tree gave away all of her apples to the boy because she loved him so much. Have children make these paper bag apples and give them away to the people they love. They can even fill the bags with small gifts and handmade items for a more selfless and “giving” project.

Paper Bag Apples

If you enjoyed reading about The Giving Tree and exploring these great educational kids craft ideas from AllFreeKidsCrafts.com, check in again next week for some more great ideas!

What are your kids reading this summer? I want to know! Tell me in the comments below!

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