Craft projects aren't just for little kids. Tweens and teens can enjoy craft projects, too; they just tend to appreciate different types of crafts. They also prefer to call it "art" instead! Here are some ideas.
1. Bud Vase
Tween and teens both can enjoy this craft. This craft has the added bonus of recycling glass. Here's what you do.
Materials:
* Slender-necked, clear glass bottle, such as a juice or sparkling water bottle
* Enamel glass paints (look at your local craft store for paints that become permanent when baked in the oven)
* Hot glue gun
* Beads, buttons, and other decorative items (you can use these decorative items instead if you can't find the paints)
Wash and dry the bottle. Using a variety of colors and brush sizes, your tween or teen and paint all sorts of designs on the outside of the bottle. Bake the bottle - now a bud vase - according to the directions on the paint bottles.
Variations:
# Use white glue instead of a glue gun; coat the outside of the bottle with glue and roll the bottle in a tray of small beads.
# Use decoupage medium and magazine cut-outs to decorate the bottle. You can use a colored glass bottle if you like.
2. Keepsake Box
This craft has a practical use in addition to being an artistic expression.
Materials:
* Empty cardboard box with a lid, such as a shoe box
* Decoupage medium (such as Mod Podge, found at craft stores)
* Assorted magazines and catalogues that your child can cut
* Paint brush
Your child can make this a free design, like a collage, or cut pictures with square edges to make a more tailored look. Once he or she has decided on the design, the decoupage medium can be applied under and over the cut-out designs.
3. Necklaces
There are lots of ways to make necklaces, but one of the easiest and most creative ways is simply with thread and beads. Here's how.
Materials:
* Spool of upholstery thread (this is thin but strong)
* Small sewing needle
* Beads, seed beads and other sizes
* Needle nosed pliers
* Necklace clasps (optional - necessary only if the necklace is too small to go over the head)
First, lay out the design. You may want a central "pendant" or large bead, or perhaps just random beads along the thread. When you're working with a central pendant, the key is to mirror the beads on either side of the pendant so that they look symmetrical on either side. The best way to do this is to lay out the design on the floor or table first.
Next, thread the needle with upholstery thread in whatever length you want the necklace to be (you can measure the design if you like). Then, poke the needle through the holes in the beads and string them in your chosen order, starting with the end beads, not the central one(s).
If you are using seed beads to space between larger beads, be sure to count each one so the spacing is even. If some beads are too small to fit over the needle, use the pliers to coax them over. When finished, tie the threads off in several square knots or attach the necklace clasps.
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