Valerie Teneen of Allentown, Pa., makes time every day to craft with her children, Emily, 6, and Clara, 2. Teneen, formerly a senior software engineer, documents and shares their daily crafting sessions on her blog at frugalfamilyfunblog.com.
She gets responses, in the form of photos of her crafts that other children make and send to her, from a worldwide audience. Parents use the blog to comment and send crafting questions her way.
Emily, who just started first grade, has begun to realize her world is a bit larger than her kitchen, where the "girls" craft each day.
"Now, she's noticed that kids from all over the word are doing her crafts," said Valerie Teneen.
Teneen is a regular contributor to the NBC affiliate in Philadelphia that has been using her ideas for kids' crafts since she submitted a story about inexpensive ways to keep kids busy during the winter, she said. Almost all of the crafts she designs are eco-friendly and most are made with recycled materials.
"We make bird feeders out of about everything we recycle," she said.
Her husband, Mark, also a software engineer, contributes witty quotes to the site to keep older readers entertained.
Teneen says she hopes her readers "will discover the joy that comes from simple pleasures."
This autumn necklace was created using instructions I found at www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2010/08/quick-craft-leaf-necklace.html, where Emily provides step-by instructions. This craft is appropriate for younger children with help from an adult.
Supplies you will need:
—Small cutting board.
—Clear contact paper.
—Hole punch.
—String, yarn or ribbon.
—Small metal cookie cutters.
—Scissors.
—Leaves.
Gather some colorful autumn leaves.
Emily used an "E" from a set of alphabet cookie cutters for the first initial in her name. I used a tiny apple cookie cutter. Any small cookie cutter will work.
Press down firmly on the leaf using the metal cookie cutter on a cutting board and remove that portion from the leaf to leave your pattern. It may be easier to use a dishtowel on top of the cookie cutter, and then press down on top of that to keep your fingers from getting sore.
Measure and cut two pieces of contact paper to make sure you can totally cover the leaf on both sides. Peel the paper backing off one piece and place the leaf in the center on the sticky side of the paper. Peel off the backing from the other piece and place on top, sticky side down.
Use a hole punch to make a hole through the contact paper near the top and under the stem.
Thread string, ribbon or yarn through the hole for your personalized necklace.
If you have a craft idea or question, contact Kathy Antoniotti, Akron Beacon Journal, P.O. Box 640, Akron, Ohio 44309-0640; 330-996-3565; or via e-mail at kantoniotti@thebeaconjournal.com.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.