AnchorMommy

Crafty treasure box

January 29, 2010 by Shannon

Sometime last week, it hit me: I could really do more to introduce a little artsy crafty fun in our house. Not so much for me (although I just bought the cutest fabric that’s waiting to be turned into a new apron!), but for Kellan. Sure, he gets opportunities to work at the easel at preschool, and practice his watercoloring skills on coffee filters, but there’s not a lot of creativity going on once he’s back under our roof.

So I got an idea. I dug out an old partitioned box that once served as bead organizer in my jewelry making days. I rummaged through my big box of craft supplies and found lots of scraps — strips of ribbon, small blobs of wool left over from felting a sweater, small rolls of raffia, a handful of old buttons and pieces of yarn. I found some small bags of enriched pasta that we’re unlikely to ever eat, and dropped a few pieces into the box. Then I supplemented these small treasures with pom poms, foam stickers and googly eyes from the dollar store. Ta da! A crafty treasure box.

I sat Kellan down with sheets of paper and a glue stick, then I opened the box. It was like Christmas. “Wow!” he exclaimed. “What’s that?”

“Those are your craft supplies. You just rub some glue down on the paper and stick whatever you want on there.”

“Oh, oh, oh, oh. Okay!” With that, he dove into his craft project with gusto. He barely lifted his head to acknowledge me during what must have been a solid hour of artsy crafty bliss.

If you’re anything like me, and you have a habit of saving ridiculous small bits of craft items for use “someday,” this is the perfect way to use them up. You could also add cotton balls, regular stickers, bits of scrap or tissue paper….whatever you have around. And if you don’t have a partitioned box? No problem. I think an old egg carton would work beautifully.

A couple of cautions: be sure to buy a glue stick that is permanent. You don’t want all those little treasures falling off an hour later. Also, I think it’s best to buy glue sticks at the dollar store because those things get used up fast for this project. Look for the permanent kind. I found a three-pack for a buck.

This is a perfect bad weather activity! And it’s kinda fun for parents to do too, if you’re feeling the need for a little craftiness in your life. Enjoy!