Introducing the CraftSanity Kids Video Series

Hello!

I’m very excited to share a video tutorial I recorded recently with my youngest daughter, Amelia Claire. CraftSanity, the podcast, launched a couple months after Amelia was born, so she has grown up a part of this family business that has expanded through the years to include a blog, handmade weaving loom company, a magazine, YouTube channel, printshop and more. Amelia is 11 now and I’m thrilled to give her a platform to experiment, create and share her ideas with the world. Life gets really fun when our kids grow up and become wonderful and inspiring collaborators.

As I type, I know that Amelia has already recorded a second video, so this won’t be a one-hit wonder situation. And we’re hoping to get her big sister, Abby, involved in one of these kids video projects soon, too. If you have ideas for videos or products you’d like us to review, leave a comment below and we’ll see what we can do.

Ok, now I’m going to turn this post over to Amelia, who wrote the following instructions to go along with her first video:

D.I.Y. Mini Pinatas
The inspiration for these pinatas come from “The Big Book of 100 Little Activities” ($19.95, 144 pages) by Laura Minter and Tia Williams. The book is full of fun things to do. On page 64, it has Tia and Laura’s instructions to make pinatas, but I mine different by using things I had around the house.

To try my version of the project, you will need:

* 1 small cardboard tube, like a paper towel roll
* 10 2½” wide strips of paper (5 of one color & 5 of another color)
* 1 9″ circle of paper
* scissors
* a 3″ circle hand punch
* clear tape
* washi tape
* embroidery thread
* 1 embriodery needle
* something round to curl the paper around like a chop stick, wooden dowel or pencil
* small paper punch

Instructions:

1) Punch out a circle and cut 1/2″ slits around the perimeter. Fold the paper tabs created by the slits down over one end of cardboard tube.
2) Cut a total of 10 2½” wide strips of paper. Then wrap the edge of the paper with the slits around a chopstick, pencil or wooden dowel to curl. Then unroll them and and cut slits a ½” apart along one long edge of the paper strip.
3) Now tape the strips to the tube. Start on the bottom and work your why up. Wrap each strip around the tube and tape to the uncurled edge to the tube. Overlap the next strip to cover the tape of the first strip.
4) When you get to the top there will be a spot where you cannot fit one more strip of paper. So, wrap some washi tape around the top to cover the tape used to affix the last curled strip.
5) Use a paper punch to punch out little holes and feed the needle threaded with embroidery thread through and tie a knot.

And that’s how to make cute pinatas, if you want more info go to the craftsanity’s youtube channel.

Also be sure to check out “The Big Book of 100 Little Activities” By Laura Minter And Tia Williams.

Please comment below if you have an idea for an upcoming CraftSanity Kids video.