Do you have a group of little faces looking up at you waiting for you to come up with something to do?  Or maybe, it is a group of little faces that you need to be just a bit quieter on a hot summer afternoon.  How about a Vacation Bible School class?  Whatever the reason, most parents have a need for crafts that are good for kids to do in the summer.  A selection of kid’s crafts to choose from that is inexpensive, safe, and easy is what you need.

Nicole Crafts is not just another craft site. It is personalized to you.  It takes about three minutes to sign up and the membership is free.  The information they collect is minimal and confidential.  Once you sign up, you have access to areas such as “My Projects,” “My Craft Box, and other useful information to increase your productivity within the site.  You may be entertaining or teaching children, but you still have a busy life; these features they provide to members are most helpful.

You start by doing searches on the projects you would be interested in - “My Projects,” is an area that presents potential crafts you may be interested in.  You can search seasonally, by a particular material, or any keyword.  I did a search on wood and found a really cute coat hanger on a plaid airplane.  I also found a windchime in another search and an easy God’s Eye easy enough for a kid.  I then marked to add them to “My Craft Box.” 

Clicking on the “My Craft Box,” now has the three crafts I have selected.  It shows the date I added the craft to my list, the difficulty level (these are all beginner ones so they would be great for Vacation Bible School) and about how long each project will take to complete.  By clicking on the photo, I then get full detailed instructions, a list of necessary materials (including a photo so I am sure to buy the right thing) and a list of supplies I will need.

Each project has a printer friendly page, an email link if I wished to send a copy to each parent (perfect for a classroom situation), and a store locator so I can find all the goodies I need for this craft.  There is also a forum to talk about crafts with others and a contact page so you can email for further information from Nicole Crafts.

This is a great site.  Were I grading it, they would definitely get an A+.  I think of all the times I have attempted to put together crafts for kids (pre-Internet) and what a fiasco it always was - this is a answer for busy parents and the kids are going to love the projects you come up with!

Nicolecrafts - Crafts For Kids

There is a risk in crafting.  Any kind of crafting.  The risk is addiction.  Actually it is not an addiction in the strictest definition of the term, but it might as well be because of the effect it has on crafters.  I can’t even count the number of resolutions I have heard on New Year’s Eve that go something like this:  “I promise I will finish my unfinished _____ (fill in the blank - knitting, crocheting, beadwork, whatever craft you like) before I buy any more projects.”  That is a resolution that lasts about a week, if that long.  Crafters are addicted, compulsive about, or just plain nuts about starting new crafting projects.

It is a self-defeating behavior but one that almost all of us are guilty of doing.  Much of it is because of how much we love what we do.  Another thing that can cause a huge WIP (work in progress) supply, is the explosion of imagination.  Once you start one thing and get going on it, other ideas begin to germinate. One thing leads to another and pretty soon you have a dozen projects with a dozen more sets of supplies to start others.  They call it a yarn stash, or a bead stash for a reason!

I have a few hints that have helped me get my “stash” and WIP list a little more under control.  I have recently made some changes that have caused a temporary swelling of the WIPs, but it will “cure” itself in a few months and then the WIP should diminish until I have a static and manageable amount of things I am working on.

• Don’t feel you should only have one project at a time going.  That is unrealistic.  You will want different projects to work on depending on your mood, whether you need a gift, degree of complexity, how portable it is, and so on.  But just a few different ones should satisfy the need for variety without overwhelming you.  And it is nice to finish something once in awhile!
• Pick one, two or three crafts that you really enjoy and are really good at.  Also give yourself room to grow.  Choose those crafts you continually can improve at.  Becoming really good at a couple things is much more satisfying than doing a lot of things just fairly.
• When you shop for supplies, keep in mind what crafts you have chosen to pursue(based on hint #2).  If you can use it within those crafts, it won’t be a waste of money or start you on another wild goose chase.
• Organize yourself.  File your patterns in notebooks, file folders, plastic bins or whatever works for you.  Categorize them so that when you want something, you can find it.
• Store supplies in an organized system.  Put yarns together and subdivide them; sock yarns should be stored with sock yarns and bulky yarns should be stored together.  Make it so that you can get to what you need quickly.
• Get small plastic storage bins and put one project in each bin.  Label the outside of the bin.  Keep something by the sofa or chair where you watch television or movies and work on that project there.  Keep one by your bed; when a sleepless night arrives, an hour of crocheting or knitting can do wonders.  If you work on crafts that are difficult to work on in certain environments, keep books around to read about improving your skills or admiring the galleries of other people’s work.
• Reward yourself.  When you complete a project, you get to do something you really want - a trip to the bookstore?  An afternoon at the movies?  There are many ways we can motivate ourselves.
• Keep a craft journal.  There are journals made for many kinds of crafting and seeing your progess and completed work is a lot of fun.  After a few years, you will see how your skills have grown.
• Give back a little.  Get involved in a charity project that utilizes your crafting skills.  Consider a swap of knitted or crocheted squares - there are swaps all over the Internet for every craft.  It is a lot of fun to meet people and exchange crafting projects.  I am involved in several swaps right now and they have been good for me in terms of keeping me focused.
• Keep a blog.  It will keep you honest.  If you are posting photos of your work and you talk about it, your readers will expect to see that progress and to see a finished project.  As a benefit, you will meet a lot of people and make some very special friends.

You will never get over craft addiction completely.  Who wants to?  Part of the fun is knowing all of the wonderful things you have waiting to be made.  Keeping it under control, however, will help your budget, your stress level, and your sense of pride all at the same time.  And that’s a pretty crafty idea!

You’ve heard the expression “a picture is worth a thousand words.”  Here’s a new one for you and it is particularly pertinent to crafters.  “A video is worth a thousand pictures.”  Leisure Arts is a company that has been devoted to crafting and crafters for nearly three decades.  For the new technological age, Leisure Arts brings to crafters free videos, or webcasts, that address techniques and the important “how-to” lessons many crafters need.

Not only does Leisure Arts have the web casts, they also have free ipod subscriptions, to keep crafters up-to-date on what is available on the Leisure Arts Web site.  This is all free and a wonderful source of valuable information for crafters.

Leisure Arts Webcasts

Free Patterns From Leisure Arts

Leisure Arts Home Web Site

Much of the joy in crafting results from the community that is formed by crafters.  Do you have a crafting community where you live?  Do you know other crafters?  They don’t have to be crafters that do the same exact craft as you; in fact, it is more interesting if crafters pursuing various interests know each other as well.  Of course, finding groups of people who do the same crafts is valuable as well because of the available information and experience.

I found a Web site that is for people who live in a city in Texas.  You may live thousands of miles from Texas and be unable to participate, but this is a great matrix to form a crafting community for your own area.  This particular set of clubs is formed around the passion of quilting, but imagine it with knitting, crocheting, painting, stained glass or any other craft; better yet, imagine it with a bunch of different crafts. 

Take a look.  I think you will like what Stitchin Heaven is doing.

Stitchin Heaven’s Quilt Clubs