DIY Life

Notebooks are a necessity for school, but your kids may not get excited about the plain white paper and solid-colored cover. Sure, they are likely to plaster the front of their notebooks with the likes of "I [heart] David Archuleta 4-eva'," but why not suggest a venture slightly more creative than that?

There are some fun ways kids can decorate their notebooks for back-to-school, and make them uniquely theirs. For instance, using spare scrapbooking supplies, your kids can make their notebooks fit their favorite theme, whether that be cupcakes or super heroes.

Or, get some stencils, gel and glitter pens, and construction paper to embellish those notebooks and unleash those kids into a decorating frenzy.

A project like this one could go in so many directions; only time and creativity are the factors. So let your kids use the backs of their notebooks for their love graffiti, and proudly show off their artwork on the front covers.

Being the mom of a toddler doesn't let me sit for extended periods of time, so I have to pick and choose DIY crafts that are not so mind intensive that I get lost in them and end up totally ignoring my child. I know that will end when she goes to preschool, and I can focus on more intricate projects.

One of the first on my list for that time will be this paper cutting tutorial. I am decent at drawing, and pretty good at sitting for a long time, when necessary. The fact is, Heather makes it very easy to fall in love with her artwork, so her "cut tut" should definitely be added to everyone's crafting "to do" list.

Heather gives instructions detailing her drawing of the design onto thin white paper, used sticky tape to adhere the white paper to a piece of black construction paper,and then sat for hours cutting out the intricate design.

This project takes extreme patience and some seriously steady hands, both of which I don't really have right now. If you happen to have that patience and steady hand, I'm sure your not so crafty friends will be amazed to receive your gorgeous gift.

[via Whip Up.]

The rich history of stained glass art is one that I've enjoyed learning about. The science of glass is fascinating in and of itself, so if the kiddies that you're crafting with aren't really kiddies anymore, then it might be worth turning this into a little art history class too. We won't be actually working with glass, but learning a bit about the origins of a given medium are always beneficial.

The actual project involves wax paper and is fool proof for your toddlers. They can make a picture or deliberate design if they are able, but scribbles will look great too so there really are no rules. This easily created stained glass look-alike is great for school age children too. They will be more detailed in their design, and you can encourage them to apply techniques they learned about while exploring the art's history. Suggest that they choose an artist or a period to reflect in their work.

Here's what you'll need:

1. Wax paper
2. Scissors
3. Glue
4. Tape
5. Construction paper
6. Crayons

After the break I'll explain how to take the few materials listed above and make a fun window decoration. The gallery shows each step along the way so make sure to check it out.