By Marcy Levitas Hamilton, Creator & Distributor — Made It Myself TV
Moms, summer is here! Not sure how to keep the kids occupied while they’re on vacation from school? Need awesome ideas to help your family celebrate holidays like the Fourth of July or Labor Day? Want fun projects to help yourself relax and unwind? Making crafts can fulfill all those needs, so grab your cute pens and paper.
Below, I’ve compiled some of the best craft ideas for moms this summer. Whether you’re taking some time for yourself or spending quality time with your family, these projects will be fun for everyone.
Want to know the best part? Made It Myself TV provides free online videos that explain every step.
For budding fashionistas
Does your kid love shopping for clothes or dream of becoming a fashion designer? Summer is the perfect time for them to pick up sewing. Angela Wolf’s show. It’s Sew Easy” can help your budding fashionista make their daydreams into real garments. All you need is the best sewing machine to do all the fun for you.
One particularly fun episode explains how to take existing clothes and jazz them up by adding lace inserts. Just imagine how eager your son or daughter will be to show off their new duds to all their friends come fall!
But sewing is just the beginning. Other Made It Myself TV shows feature macrame, knitting, crocheting, lace-making, and embroidery. Since handcrafts are a great way to personalize a wide variety of items, young people are expressing more interest in learning these skills now than ever. Quite frankly, these traditional crafts have become cool.
Picture frames and tie-dye
In each episode of “Creative Living with Lynn Lilly,” host and crafter extraordinaire Lynn Lilly presents a new idea for a fun craft to do with your kids. In one episode, Lynn explains how to make beautiful picture frames for photographs from cardboard boxes, construction paper, and cardstock. She even shows how kids can make decorative butterflies for their frames from an easy-to-use kit that teaches them science concepts at the same time.
In another episode, Lynn explains how to tie-dye shoes, paper, canvases, and shirts with your kids. Transcending the usual color bursts, she teaches you how to employ specialized techniques for novel, eye-popping patterns. For those who enjoy a bit of a challenge, tackling intricate jigsaw puzzles can be a delightful way to spend time together, combining creativity with problem-solving in a fun and engaging way. Nothing says summer more than an eye-catching tie-dye design!
New ways to celebrate birthdays
Does one of your friends or family members have a birthday coming up this summer? If so, expand your kids’ gift-giving repertoire beyond their usual drawings and handmade cards.
In the birthday episode of “Creative Living with Lynn Lilly,” Lynn explains how to make an adorable faux birthday cake. Using everyday items like a paper towel roll and colored paper with some help from scissors and glue, moms can help kids make and decorate their very own circular gateau.
The result is so cute, it’s sure to delight its recipient. And unlike real birthday cakes, these little darlings will never go bad. Since Lynn routinely celebrates holidays and important occasions with fun crafts, don’t forget to keep on top of her latest episodes for more.
For the future foodie
Sick of making dinner all by yourself? Recruit your kids to help! Believe it or not, most children like to contribute during food preparation. Letting them lend a hand teaches them healthy habits and culinary skills for later in life when they will be out on their own.
With the help of Nathan Huxham (aka “the Flying Chef”), your family will learn how to cook seafood and make fried rice while enjoying the scenic landscapes of Indonesia. In “River Cottage Australia,” host Paul West demonstrates how to pickle nearly anything, bake cakes, and make award-winning biscuits, among other things. Other shows feature Indian cuisine and culture.
If that wasn’t already enough, Made It Myself TV also includes educational documentaries that can keep kids enthralled throughout rainy afternoons. Subjects include everything from bees and fruit to how to grow a band or start a business.
Crafting makes memories
Making crafts results in attractive items that can be displayed or worn, but that’s not all. These projects foster kids’ creativity, provide outlets for self-expression, relieve stress, and deliver a genuine feeling of accomplishment. Nothing quite compares to the moment when someone compliments something and you get to say, “I made it myself.”
Perhaps most importantly, however, is that the time you spend working on projects with your kids is likely to turn into some of their most treasured memories.
— Marcy Levitas Hamilton is CEO of TriCoast Worldwide, a worldwide film and television distribution company. A multi-award-winning editor in New York and Los Angeles, she is the founder and CEO of TriCoast TV and the creator/distributor of apps and FAST/Linear channels worldwide: Made It Myself TV (lifestyle/craft) and Dark Matter TV (genre-based films and television). In her spare time, she is an avid crafter who enjoys Do-It-Yourself (DIY) projects to destress and unwind.
