Picture / Photo Frame Fridge Magnets - Tutorial

We made Photo / Picture Frame Fridge Magnets!

 

Here is how we did it...

What you need...

Aperture Greeting cards - the kind with a ready-cut "hole" in the card like this...

Crayons or Felt tip pens

Stickers or other Embellishments to decorate the frame (optional)

 
Glue Stick

Double-sided Adhesive Tape 

Self-adhesive Magnetic Tape (we found ours on eBay)

Picture (colour-in or draw your own) - sized to fit into frame

 
or select your own Photo

How to do it...

The card has three sides - the centre with the aperture (cut-out hole) and two back flaps.

Attach one back flap to the centre card across the bottom only - using double-sided adhesive tape.

Then attach the other back flap using your glue stick - apply glue over the whole flap and press it together.

You will now have a Picture Frame with an opening at the top

Decorate the frame... some of us pencilled in a mosaic design like this...

Colour-in your picture (or draw your own) or select your photo

Insert into the picture frame

Attach a self-adhesive strip of Magnetic Tape (about 5cms) to the back of the card, about 3cms from the top 

Paula

Angela

The picture or photo can be changed as often as you like, so put the frame up onto your fridge and have fun choosing what to put into it today!

Stringing Beads - Always Relaxing and Fun!

 We had a Bead Stringing session at Mencap last week - always popular with the girls. 

Here they are showing off their new necklaces...

Watch out for a Keyring Bead tutorial! Coming up soon...

Printable Quiz - "Richard and John" Famous men - Fill in the Surnames

 An easy quiz, all about Famous Men called Richard or John!

Twenty printable Questions and Answers to ponder over...

A cup of tea and biscuit will always help to make this an enjoyable activity - a quiz that will stimulate the memory and encourage reminiscing, while having fun...

Quiz - Richard and John

If you want more quizzes have a look at my eBook...

41 x10 Easy Printable Quizzes with Answers

We Painted "Frozen" Calico Tote Bags!

 At Mencap this week we painted on Calico Tote Bags...

The choice of picture was FROZEN characters (of course!) 

But you can do any picture you like - endless choice!

So using the print-outs of Princess Anna, Princess Elsa and Olaf (Google search for "Frozen Colouring In" gave us many to chose from) we got started...

 You will need...

Calico Tote Bags-we bought ours on eBay

Fabric Paints

Brushes

A sheet of card slightly smaller than bag size.

Printed picture
 
We found the easiest way to trace the image onto the bag, was to slip the print of the picture into the bag. It can easily be seen through the calico and so the image is traced onto the bag with a soft pencil - we used a B pencil.

Slip a sheet of card into the bag before you start painting - this will prevent paint seeping through to the back of the bag. 

Remove it before the paint dries too much (within half an hour we found) otherwise the card will become stuck to the inside of the bag.

Using Fabric Paints we then painted the pictures as you can see... 


Notice Olaf has Red Soles (as seen in those famous Christian Louboutin shoes!!) 

Allow 24 hours of drying time and then iron on the wrong side to fix the colours. 

Easy to do and great fun...!

New Year A4 Posters - Printable Colouring In

Ease into 2015 with some A4 Posters

ready for you to print and colour-in 

with your family or groups. 

2015 Dog

2015 Flowers

2015 Crinoline

Thanks to Raising Our Kids for sharing their free pictures, two of which I have used in the posters.

May the New Year bring Peace to our world

 - after all, it is the only one we have...

Printable - Something for the Kids - 4 Activities!

 I have put together four activities - Word Search, Colouring-in and the old favourite  - "The School Bus"

Although aimed at the youngsters - I think the Mosaic and the Word Search will appeal to all ages...

So click on the link and have a look - print off all or just what you fancy... Enjoy!

Something for the Kids - 4 Activities

Leave me a comment if you need answers!

Printable Mosaics to Paint or Colour-in...!

Mosaics are the most rewarding pictures to paint or colour-in...! 

No matter what artistic ability you might or might not have, results from the combining of different colours can be stunning and thus a big boost to your confidence and satisfaction! 

So try some yourself, with your children or with your groups - here are two I have designed for you...

2 Mosaic Designs

For more Mosaic Designs and loads of other craft ideas, with printable templates see my NEW eBook

Simple Crafts and Activities

Also includes new quizzes and favourite games for Seniors and all ages...

My NEW eBook is out - SIMPLE CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES...!

My new eBook is out and ready for you to order -  

Simple Crafts and Activities

- saving you huge amounts of time, when preparing craft, quizzes and games for your groups. 

I have complied it with Senior Folk in mind, but a lot of the content is for all ages - for your groups, your family and yourself!

Do have a look - there is a full list of contents for you to browse through.

Loads of printable Templates (no links to go elsewhere - just all there in the eBook which is formatted in a Compressed PDF File - very easy to use)

The instructions are clear and the materials easily obtainable, with cost always  in mind.

My email is in the eBook - should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

So have a look -  Simple Crafts and Activities and place your order now for an instant download...

Printable Quiz - 12 Books with Numbers!

When researching "Books with Numbers" - my latest Printable Quiz, I was surprised to find so many book titles that do actually contain numbers... 

After a good browse, I have chosen twelve for you to put to your group - and to make it a bit more challenging I have then asked for the relevant authors...

Here it is - with Answers!

Printable Quiz - Books with Numbers

If you enjoy doing quizzes with your groups, have a look at my ebook - 
41 Easy Quizzes with Answers

Though they are aimed at Seniors, based on the knowledge of their generation, they are actually fun for any age group (unless you are looking for questions on Pop Celebs!)

So have a look - will save you many hours of the preparation involved, in keeping your group entertained!

Stringing Beads - a relaxing afternoon!

A big bowl of beads and charms and thread - 

what pleasure there is in stringing beads!

Easy and fun for all ages and abilities - 

we are going to try Loom Bands next...!

Printable Quiz - William and Thomas - What are their Surnames?

 So many famous people are called William or Thomas...

Here are twenty for you to work on, with your groups - ten of each name

 Quiz - William and Thomas - What are their Surnames?

If you want more of my Quizzes - all Printable with Answers, have a look at my eBook  41 Easy Printable Quizzes with Answers

Nothing better than a good quiz, over a cup of tea, to stimulate and share memories. Enjoy!

Our South African Wall Mural is finished...

Our South African Wall Mural at Mencap, Braintree is now complete...

The super-imposed flag on the map of SA was created by glueing on small screwed-up pieces of tissue paper and the ocean using flat sheets of tissue. 

Our class loved choosing and colouring-in the animals and of course Nelson Mandela had to be included - plus Rugby!

To complete the frame we strung coloured pasta "beads" in loops down the sides and across the bottom edge. 

Having just returned from a trip over there, I can say that South Africa is a beautiful, vibrant country with friendly people and so much to see and enjoy...

Thank you South Africa!

Some Easy Card Fridge Magnets

Card Fridge Magnets

We made Card Fridge Magnets at Mencap this week - the square boards are pieces of a floor jigsaw puzzle - we just turned them over and worked on the white backs!

The coloured card we shaped into "Labels" and punched a hole centre top.

After decorating with stickers and bling we finished some with a name, initials and a ribbon.

On the other side of the card, we stuck strips of self-adhesive magnetic tape (we got ours from eBay) and they were ready to be popped onto the fridge for everyone to enjoy!

Try making yours!

We are also making a new Wall Mural - this time on the theme - South Africa!  Having just been there for a short holiday, visiting family, it seemed a good idea to bring some sunshine back to UK! 

So watch this Blog - will be finished in a few weeks time...

Children in South Africa enjoying paddling!

Try Volunteering to Help the Elderly and Others in Your Community

When one sets out to volunteer, the main objective appears to be, to give your time and expertise to others who need it. The remarkable thing about volunteering is the gradual realisation, that actually, this is not a one-sided affair after all.

You gear yourself up to be the "Giver" and are constantly surprised at how much of the time, you are actually the "Receiver"...

The receiver, of not just of knowledge or practical know-how, although it is inevitable that you will learn the truth of the saying "The more you teach, the more you learn".

It is also the experiencing of the completeness you feel in your existence, through sharing and in giving of yourself to others.

Volunteering seems like doing some sort of work for no pay, or any other kind of remuneration. Actually volunteering should not be related to employment at all.

Volunteering is a social, community function, which should be carried out at some time by us all...as a moral duty.

There is no getting away from the fact that we need employment in order to live our lives, house, clothe and feed ourselves and our families.

But apart from that, we need to care for each other in our community, by giving of ourselves and our time, in any way we can.

No community can thrive and grow without volunteers. There is not enough money to go around to pay someone to do every job that needs doing.

A community with no volunteers, would not have many of the facilities that we take for granted, such as Day Centres, Guides, Scouts, Sports Clubs, First Aiders, Charity Shops and many more. Have a look around your local area - talk to people, search online, visit day centres, schools, hospitals, charity shops, churches - you will be amazed at how many volunteers are needed to keep your community going.

Decide on what you would like to help with. It is far better to volunteer to help with something that interests and appeals to you.

A volunteer, with passion for what they are doing, is a treasure indeed!

The world is burdened with many problems at this time - we can't help everyone, but if everyone helped someone, wouldn't the world be a better place?

Classic Books - An Easy Printable Quiz - Fill in the Adjective and Author!

This quiz should appeal to all book lovers, but especially those who love the old classics. 

Each of the ten questions has two answers - "Fill in the Adjective in the Title" and then "Who is the Author?" 

Here is the link - with Answers in case you get stuck...!

Classic Books Quiz

Enjoy the challenge and if you want more quizzes for your group do have a look at my eBook 41 x 10 Easy Quizzes with Answers