Three New Printable Christmas Placemats

Here are some more Christmas Placemats to colour-in and use to decorate your Christmas table - either on the day or at your group's Christmas Party!

Three Christmas Placemats

If you want more of my designs to choose from, just enter Christmas Placemats in the Search Box (top right)

They are all ready to print and colour in - whatever the age group, just doing this together will get everyone into the Festive mood...

Still lots to do?? If you want a Christmas Countdown just click on this link...

It's Time to Make Christmas Cards!

We had a really good afternoon at Mencap Art and Craft Group, in Braintree, yesterday. Everyone very excited about the start of the Festive Season. We made our first batch of Christmas cards, using a few ready made (from eBay!) embellishments as well as cutting out our own backing paper and Christmas Trees.

Click here for the Christmas Tree Template

A bit of tinsel, ribbon or rick rack and "Merry Christmas"  and we were very happy with our resulting cards - made with much discussion as to who the recipients would be...

Tea, making Christmas Cards and lots of chat and laughter!

More Cards!

Enjoy making your own Christmas Cards with your groups!

Do send photos of your cards and crafts in to put up in Our Gallery for everyone to share...

Printable General Knowledge Quiz - All About Numbers!

Titanic

Time for another quiz I think...

Thirty questions - all the answers are numbers...No not maths! Just general knowledge questions. Things we all come across and work with, in our daily lives - have a go with your group or maybe see how many you know, best over a cup of tea!

Here is the link - can be printed out...

Quiz - All About Numbers!

If you enjoy this one, then do have a look at my Quiz eBook

Printable eBook - 41 Easy Quizzes

Perfect for winter days to keep the mind ticking along...!

Wall Mural - Autumn!

Our Art and Craft group at Mencap (Braintree) made this lovely Autumn Wall Mural - inspired by Shaun, our group leader.

Having decided we wanted a lake and a few hills in the Mural, it then followed that we needed to put in Nessie - the Loch Ness Monster...!

So this became a Scottish Autumn Wall Mural complete with Loch Ness, Nessie and don't you love the Sunset!

The whole background is made from torn pieces of coloured tissue paper glued onto large sheets of white paper. (the whole mural is about 4 x 8 foot) the trees were painted on white paper and then cut out and glued on. All the leaves were made by painting real leaves on the underside with poster paint and then pressing them onto white paper and when dry, cutting them out. All the other creatures and footballer (!) were then coloured-in and stuck on as well...

It took us three afternoons to put together but we were thrilled with the result...

More Lid Fridge Magnet Ideas!

 So many of you have asked for more ideas on making Lid Fridge Magnets so here is another batch...!

For more detail on how to put them together  - click on this link...

Lid Fridge Magnet Tutorial

Look amongst your craft stash - you will find lots of different bits and pieces that can be used to make up your unique lid fridge magnets - so be creative and have fun!

Make a Cone Christmas Tree - Tutorial!

Jo's Cone Christmas Trees from "Things to Make and Do"

And here is Mine!

I came across an excellent Tutorial on making these sparkling little Cone Christmas Trees.

After making one myself, I decided to give you the link to Jo's website "Things to Make and Do" so you could get your group busy making these decorations ready for Christmas...

Here is the link   Cone Christmas Tree

There is much more on "Things to Make and Do" so do have a browse around! 

Thanks to Jo for sharing her craft with us all...

Quiz - Movie Stars and Singers - Do you know their Birth Names?

 Just as well most of us stick with our birth names - just imagine the chaos if we all changed our names, as is common amongst Movie Stars and Singers...

However, we have to admit that Marion Morrison is hardly the name for an enduring American icon, who epitomized rugged masculinity and is famous for his demeanour, including his distinctive calm voice, walk, and height.

So by what name do we know him now??

I have compiled a list of Movie Stars and a few Singers who did change their birth names - you will  have to agree mostly in their best interest. Have a look at and see how many you know or can work out...

Here is the link....

Quiz - Movie Stars and Singers Birth Names

If you are looking for a supply of Quiz Material for your group, why not have a peek at my 

eBook - 41 EASY QUIZZES with Answers 
 
Most are General Knowledge, but have included others 
eg Books, Movies, Girls Names, Flowers etc    

Not just for Seniors - anyone will enjoy these!

Gorgeous Owl Felt Wall Hanging - Easy Tutorial!

A new Felt Wall Hanging for you all to make - this time we have Owls!

You will need...

An A4 size, rectangle of black felt (or any size or shape, but that is what I used)

Scraps of other colours - for the owls, branches, moon and flowers

Embroidery thread (Use three of the six strands to sew with) and needle

Buttons

Wooden dowel

Ribbon  

How to make your Owl Wall Hanging...

Turn over and pin a 2cm hem across the top of your black felt. Using a running stitch, sew the hem down - this is to slip your wooden dowel into.

Cut out your felt owls, branches, flowers and moon - here are the printable patterns...

Owls and Moon Patterns 

Owl Branch Patterns

Owl Flowers Patterns

Turn your black felt backing over and on the other side, stitch your three owls into place.

The easiest way to do this, is to first attach the owl's button eyes. Leave the thread attached at the back of the owl and then stitch it onto the black backing felt, going back through the buttons again.

Place the moon and stitch with blanket stitch (or running stitch will do fine)

 

Next, take your branches, pin them into position and using a running stitch, attach them to the black backing felt and across the owls, which will hold them and the owls in place.

Sew your buttons onto your flowers and stitch them in place. Attach the three leaves with running stitches.

Slip a wooden dowel (or garden cane does as well) into the upper hem, tie on a ribbon and hang up your Owl Felt Wall Hanging for all to admire...!

Easy to do and a lot of fun. Who doesn't love those big eyes!!

Butterfly Lid Fridge Magnets - Tutorial!

Beaded Butterfly Lid Fridge Magnet

Glitter Butterfly Lid Fridge Magnet

Another Idea for a Lid Fridge Magnet!

These little Lid Fridge Magnets are easy to make and what you decorate them with has endless possibilities - use your imagination and go for it...!



























You will need...

Lids - Plastic or metal. You will be amazed at how many lids you already have in your home! The blue one in the photo is a milk bottle lid, the white was from a cool drink bottle and the gold one, from a jam jar.

Magnetic Tape Strip - Self-Adhesive - I got my from eBay. It can be cut to size with ordinary scissors.

Self-Adhesive Circular Felt Pads - the kind you stick on furniture legs to protect your floor from scratches. Or - you can just mount your butterfly straight onto the lid, as I did in the beaded one.

Foam Double-sided Sticky Pads - these are to mount your magnetic tape on, inside the lid, so they will make contact with your fridge door. (see photo below)

Double-sided Sticky tape

Seed Beads

Glitter

Glue 

Card for the Butterfly - I cut my butterfly with a Die in my Bigshot machine. I have given you a Butterfly Template which you can use to cut out your butterfly by hand. (You can also buy ready die-cut shapes very cheaply on eBay)

How to make you Lid Fridge Magnet...

Place your Foam Double-sided Sticky Pads inside the lid and cut and place the Magnetic Strip on last, so it is level with the lid rim.

On the flat side of the lid, place the Self-Adhesive Circular Felt Pads or cut and glue on any backing you want - felt or card will do fine.

Brush glue over your Butterfly and either scatter Glitter or Seed Beads over it. Leave to dry and then, with a strip of Double-Sided Sticky Tape, attach it to the lid.

View Inside Lid, Foam D/S Pads, Magnetic Tape Strip

 


So have a look at what you have in your craft cupboard and start making 
Lid Fridge Magnets...!

Welcome Prince George of Cambridge - Three Printable Bookmarks!

 

 

Prince George of Cambridge - 22nd July 2013

 Great Britain welcomed the arrival of a special new baby on 22nd July 2013 - George Alexander Louis, who will be known as Prince George of Cambridge.

To help you celebrate this happy event, I have put together three printable bookmarks for you to download, print and colour-in.

Either print directly onto card or if on paper, cut them out and stick onto card. Best if they are laminated when completed (sealed into a plastic sleeve) - will then last for years!

Either leave them plain or punch a hole in the top and thread ribbon or cord through to make a loop or a tassel.

Here is the link...

Prince George Bookmarks

Enjoy and Celebrate!

Mencap celebrates 60th Coronation Anniversary!

Queen Elizabeth 11 - 60th Coronation Anniversary

We spent the last few Thursdays, at Mencap Braintree, putting together a wall-hanging, to celebrate 60 years since our Queen was crowned!

We started with a piece of wooden garden trellis and Shaun, our Art and Craft teacher, cut out a large paper crown. The crown was layered with pieces of kitchen foil, glued onto the paper with PVA glue. 

We attached the crown to the trellis with large "drawing pins" and left it to dry out.

We then sprayed the crown with a can of gold paint and while still wet, we sprinkled a bit of gold glitter over the surface. Gems were then stuck on and the "ermine cuff" made using toy stuffing - again glued on with PVA glue.

A photograph of the Queen and a gold "60" (also sprayed and glittered) was attached.

Lastly we wound the tissue flowers we made a few weeks ago onto the trellis around the crown...

Using wooden trellis as your "frame" why not make your own wall-hanging to celebrate something happening in your country, or even to celebrate a family or group occasion... Have fun!

Printable Quiz - Anagrams of Countries and Cities of the World - Printable

  As always, I see quizzes are one of the most popular, sought-after posts on my Blog - so have put together a mixture of Anagrams of Countries and Cities of the World for you all to puzzle over! Not over simple, but all the countries and cities are well known.

Quiz - Anagrams of Countries and Cities

Let me know by posting a comment if there is any particular craft and activity you would like to see more of...helps me to decide what to post for you next!

Meanwhile enjoy the Anagrams Quiz...

Simple Garden Flowers

Petunias

Just wanted to share some shots of flowers that my other half, Billy, has grown in our small Essex (UK) garden. All simple, common flowers, but the colours are bold and beautiful... 

So enjoy them with us!

Oriental Poppies and Oxeye Daisies

Oxeye Daisies

 

Viola

Tissue Paper Flower Tutorial - the Easy Way!

Why are Tissue Paper Flowers so satisfying to make...? 

Especially now when tissue papers come in so many lovely, fresh colours. Do buy good quality tissue paper for your flowers - a bit of body in the paper will keep your blooms crisp and holding their shape. 

The picture above are my own Tissue Paper Flowers. These I made, following the tutorial by "The Craft Patch" - here is the link... Tissue Flower tutorial

Adjust the size of your sheets of tissue paper, if you want to make your flowers a different size or fullness - I ended up with four 8 x 4 inch sheets for each of my flowers.

Using our tissue flowers we (at Mencap Braintree) are going to make a wall display for the Queen's 60th Coronation anniversary - when it is finished I will put it on my blog - should be in the next few weeks...

Until then, have fun making your flowers!

Three Bookmarks to Print and Colour In

 

So many of you have asked for more Bookmarks so here they are...

Three Bookmarks Template

If possible print the Bookmarks straight onto thin card, but if your printer won't take card, then print onto paper and glue the bookmarks onto your card. Better to glue after colouring-in is completed!

Finishing... If you can laminate the bookmark, this will give the Bookmark greater durability. Also a hole punched in the top and a piece of cord or ribbon threaded through, will give your Bookmark added appeal....

If you want more Bookmarks (previously posted on this Blog) just type in BOOKMARKS into the Search box on top, right hand side.

A lovely little gift for family or a friend who enjoys reading!