Things I Can't Say

Tips and Tales from an Introverted Mom

Crafts for the Uncrafty Mom

A few weeks ago, my kindergartener was given a homework assignment.

Create a replica of a thatched roof home in Peru.

Um, what?

Google was my friend as I tried to figure out what on earth one actually looked like. And then I turned to facebook for how on earth I was actually going to accomplish this. Yes, how *I* was going to do it: let’s face it, this was mom homework.

I naively suggested making bricks/stones out of playdoh and using hay for the roof. Where did I think I was going to get hay from?

Thankfully, some crafty moms came to my rescue and gave me helpful suggestions.

And viola, the finished product:

peru homes

Yes, my kindergartener helped. Though he thinks he did the whole thing by himself.

 

Afterwards, I ‘fessed up on facebook and twitter that I’m so uncrafty that I hadn’t even owned a gluegun and had bought one just for this project.

And oh, how you responded.

Either by telling me that you didn’t own one either and how uncrafty you are, too… or by telling me just how many glue guns you own and how often you use them.

It got me thinking.

Now, I in no way, shape, or form want to do projects like that thatched roof all-day project.

But, I’d like to do more crafts with my boys. I have no problem letting them color or paint or play with playdoh, but it’s pretty rare that we actually make something.

I want to change that.

So, my idea is this:

Moms who *are* actually crafty will sent me the directions for a simple craft. Nothing that requires a fortune be spent in the craft store or supplies that most moms don’t already have on hand. A craft that even us uncrafty moms can do.

And then the boys and I will make the craft and post the results.

I’ll also share other links from whoever is my boss… craft instructor for that post, to other ideas they have for things you can do with your kids.

Since I’m jumping into the world of crafting as a noncrafter, I might take this a little slow. You won’t see Crafts for the Uncrafty every week, but you will see them here  as a regular feature, starting with the first one next week.

I’m excited about trying something new and I hope you are, too!

Comments

    • School is more accelerated in general. Last year in second grade, my daughter had to choose a rainforest animal and create it out of only recycleable items. That was difficult!

  2. I remember getting a project like that where I had to make a covered wagon for the unit.  However I didn’t tell my parents until last minute and they made me scramble around the house and do it myself because I waited too long.  I’ll never forget that!!

  3. I like crafts but I have to admit to not doing well when crafting with my kids.  Maybe I do not prep enough before hand.  Maybe I expect too much.  Maybe I need more patience.  I would like to change it though so I do enjoy doing little projects with them.

  7. Oh my gosh, say what? That is a ridiculous assignment! Also, I’m not crafty – at all! Homework can be so hard sometimes!

  8. Oh I love this new feature! I love crafting with B, and seeing what his little mind creates. If your looking for someone to share a craft I have a few I wouldnt mind passing on! 🙂

  9. For someone who isn’t too crafty I think you did an awesome job hun.. much better then I would have. Which is why as a rule most crafts like this are Daddy’s terrain.

  10. What a fun idea for a feature here!

    I do like crafts, and had a whole list of them from when I was a preschool teacher. But for whatever reason I have pushed that aside with my boys. I would love to start doing some simple crafts with them again.

    • I didn’t know you were a preschool teacher! If you dig out any crafts you think would be good- please send them my way! 

  13. A great idea. When the kids were little and I was home, I was more crafty, but know I just don’t have time (although I do own a glue gun). In fact, because I work at my kids school, The Girl’s teacher *may* haven’t gotten a post on her fb page about making a certain coworker do crafty homework… someone *may* haven’t threatened to cut off her coffee supply!

    • LOL 

      I do hate assignments like this- but I want to try some simple crafts with the boys.

  14. I’m not the most patient person when it comes to crafting, even worse when comes to helping the kids craft.

  16. Your hut looks great! My boys and I do art projects all the time, but they like it best when I just give them a bunch of supplies and let them make a big mess. They aren’t as enthusiastic when we try something structured.

    I also do crafts with my Cub Scouts. I find I’m really bad at anticipating how long it will take. EIther it’s so complicated we can’t get it done in time, or it takes us half the time and the kids are all saying, “What are we going to do now?”

  18. Your hut turned out great! I actually have creative crafty ideas – but often putting them to form turns out slightly disastrous. Which is why we don’t do as many crafts as we might otherwise. I get disappointed!

  21. I am the person that looks for the link at the end of a craft post to just buy it already made but never finds one 😉 This should be fun to actually give it a shot myself.

  22. Great job on the house!

    I realize I’m probably dating myself, but I really wish Kindergarten was like it was when I was in it.  I remember coloring all morning and playing with our pet rabbit.  Then I went home for a nap.

  23. I’m so going to steal these ideas off of you…b/c I try to craft but it’s not natural for me LOL. I need all the help I can get! Great idea Shell 🙂

    • It seems like a lot of us aren’t crafty- so hopefully this will be good for us! 

  24. What a great idea! I am the most uncrafty person to ever live, so I will love seeing what projects you tackle on here. I’ll have to take notes for when our kids are older so I don’t always just hand them crayons and coloring books. 🙂

  26. What a great idea! I’m so excited. I love all your ideas 🙂 Good job!!! (Wait! You are creating another community!) – you are so good at this!!!

  27. I have always wanted to craft with my daughters, but they are flying through the air running, leaping, spinning, people. The boy looks like he will be a big crafter, as long as there are very detailed instructions and he can make sure his is exactly like the one in the photo.

  28. I think you rocked the little house. There are so many people that are not crafty. I think this series is a great idea.

  29. Now that my kids are older, I miss those craft times. Home-made or personal crafts were always part of our Holidays. Traditions I hope my kids keep for their families. (WAY down the road. LoL.)
    Your project turned out great. 🙂

  30. my mom is the crafty one, big time! my idea of craft is to go to the store and buy a ready made craft that you like paint or something! God help us all if I have to help my boys do a craft for school! can’t wait to see what kind of stuff you get to do!

    • You sound very much like me.

      We’ll see if I can actually do these or if they are just a disaster. LOL

  32. Hayden had to make a turkey for a project for school and I had no idea where to even start. Thankfully, I live with a crafty husband. He took over the project and we had a 3D turkey. 

    Also, we don’t own a glue gun either. 

    • My husband was going to boycott this project in protest. So, it was up to me. I glued my fingers together several times. 

  33. We do crafts on occasion, if I find something in Family Fun magazine that looks easy enough!  And my son just had to make a castle for a school project and guess who did MOST of the work… (pointing at myself, by the way…) 😉 

  34. There should be a button for “no, and I never intend to be, but I love it when others post their results, because a girl can dream”. I like the IDEA of crafts. Just not their execution, which is often a thousand times messier than I think it’s going to be.

  36. I am sooooo bad at crafting. I try with my kids but they are VERY simple things. For instance, I printed off a template of a shamrock and had them color them. Not too hard but it’s something to keep us busy and then I can hang them up!

    • Seems like a lot of us fall in the uncrafty category. The suggestions I’ve gotten so far seem easy enough though! 

  39. LOVE this idea! With a 3yo son, it can be hard to encourage him to get creative sometimes; unless of course the craft involves dirt, bugs, or somehow drenching himself and his environment in water. So I guess he’d be ok with mud crafts too!

    I’m looking forward to reading your future posts about this – so excited!

  40. I think I had a minor stroke contemplating the idea that this was an assignment for a kindergartner.  Didn’t Kindergarten used to be mostly about learning social skills and really fine tuning things like the alphabet, counting, colors, and that kind of thing.  I admit that I don’t have much of a memory of my kindergarten days, but I feel quite certain that it didn’t involve foreign countries and the like.

    Anyway, I love the idea for this feature.  I feel like I fit somewhere in between.  I can be very crafty.  Pinterest has actually reminded me of just how much I love to do crafty things.  But most of what I do is adult kind of stuff (making stuff for the home, etc) that Runt can’t really help out with.  And I haven’t gotten very creative with things to do with him, outside of the usual coloring and such.  A lot of the ideas I find tend to feel like they’re aimed at kids a bit older than him.  So, I’d love to have more inspiration of things that I can do with him.  

    • PInterest is definitely a help in getting ideas.

      Yes, a kindergarten assignment: crazy, huh? 

  42. I LOVE doing crafts and my kids have a great time, but I don’t do them as often as I should. It usually gets messy so I think that is what keeps me from doing another one so quickly. 🙂
    Can’t wait to see your new series!

  43. I prefer crafts that the kids can do themselves. Beaded necklaces, stickers, those kinds of things. Although I have been teaching my oldest how to quilt. 

  47. Great idea!! I like crafts and doing them with the kids but really it’s the mess that I don’t like. Oh… and cleaning up the mess too.

    Are you going to be posting the craft for everyone else to try too?

    • Luckily, I had a box that was a good size. So we glued rocks that we found at Michaels onto it. The roof is raffia, held in place with spray glue. 

      Used an exacto to cut the door and windows. It was a pain! 

  49. First you did a great job on that project! Some of the school assignments drive me crazy. And what a fun idea for a new meme– I am sure I have some old Time for Tots ideas I can throw your way and I plan on trying to get it going myself as my kids are always asking when we are going to do another Time for Tots day

  50. Such a cute idea! I can handle simple crafts, but tend to look up resources for things beyond the normal cutting, painting, gluing. I look forward to this one!

    • I have to look for ideas, too. I’m cheating by having people send me ideas now- with them knowing that I’m not crafty, so they’ll go easy on me! 

  51. I’d say I’m a craft-hack. Some things I can do well, others I stumble through. I’ve gotten a lot of inspiration from Pinterest.
    Love this idea.

    • Pinterest has so many fun ideas- but I have no idea which I can actually do and which are way harder than they look! If you have any ideas, send them my way! 

  52. I fall under the category of thinking I am craftier than I am.  Yeah the results aren’t always pretty.  

    My girls LOVE a project, but they also make a huge mess.  My son I can’t even get close to arts and crafts which is probably one of the reasons it has taken his handwriting so long to develop -see lack of fine motor.

    I can’t wait to see your projects.

  56. Seriously?! That teacher had to know the parents would totally be the ones doing that project.
    Looks like it came out great though! And I love your idea. If I think of something I’ll send it your way!

  59. sounds awesome! so is this goign to be a link up? I am soooo uncrafty and my daughter loves to do crafts

  63. OMG I love this! This is pretty much a post aimed specifically at me. So looking forward to seeing what crafts come up on this.

Trackbacks

  3. […] who are good at crafts, but are looking for easy crafts to do with your kids, it’s another Crafts for the Uncrafty! This week’s craft comes from Greta at Not Enough Patience and Never Enough […]