Friend- I have to be totally honest with you about something.
I hate crafting with my kids. I know, I know, it’s like really awful. Since I’m a creative I thought that I would be the dream Pinterest Mom who raises up other little creatives and it’d be sunshine and rainbows AND IT IS NOT. It’s more like paint everywhere, tears and screams. And then my kids end up crying too. Like why is it so hard to be nice? And why do kid crafts make me want to pull my eyes out and sell my children?
I know that I’m not alone in this. I know because SO MANY MAMAS have told me the same thing. So if you are with me here, I have some good news– I’ve figured out some tricks to craft with your kids without losing your mind. Or at least these tricks make it easier to hide the fact that you’re losing your mind. Whatever.
And to make things even better, I brought my mini me along for the ride. She is hilarious and adorable and I don’t deserve her.
Ella’s Body Glitter:
Supplies needed:
- Aloe Vera
- Honey
- Glitter
- Small container with lid
To Make:
- Add Aloe Vera to your container. You want it to be around 3/4 of the way full.
- Add a few drops of honey to the Aloe. This is definitely NOT an exact science. We probably did something close to 1 part Honey for every 7ish parts Aloe.
- Add glitter to your Aloe/Honey mix. Start with a 1:2 ratio, 1 part Glitter to 2 parts Aloe. You can always add more depending on how sassy you want the final product. Stir slowly! And you’re done.
And in case you missed it, here is a list of the tips to help you pretend to be a “fun mom” while you sort of keep your cool during the chaos of crafting with kids:
- Disposable EVERYTHING. Disposable tablecloths, disposable paintbrushes, paper plates, wooden stir sticks, I DON’T CARE. I’m telling you people, this step is key. Maybe you love the environment and don’t want to be wasteful. That’s fine- but I’m telling you- if you do this you’ll thank me.
- Make your expectations for each project 400% lower than they are right now. These projects will be messy. And they will make a total mess. Don’t pretend like they won’t here, friend- you know the truth. And your kids probably won’t make anything that could be posted on Pinterest. It’s going to be kid-like, not Pinterest-like. That probably sounds harsh, but girl you know what I’m talking about. It’s easier to love and delight in people when your expectations are crazy low.
- Let worshipping Jesus be your focus here. He has made each of us in His image and there is a beauty in letting our kids discover their creativity that is unlike anything else. Make your craft time goal = worship. When I view it as worship and not craft time, I’m more able to let my littles DO THEM. If it’s a mess, it’s Jesus’s mess AND I STAND BY THAT.
Sure do love you, my tribe. Stay tuned for more videos soon!
What a great team effort!!! I can see the joy in both of you as you do a low stress craft, what a treat ❤️😊❤️
Friend, that’s because low stress crafts ARE ALL I CAN HANDLE. I even had to edit out a part where I lost my mind over how long it took her to put honey in the jar. It was like 2 minutes long- her putting honey in the jar. I can’t even.
I love you xoxo
Wow!! I love it! And yes is true! Worship durin craft times!
X6 homeschooling kiddos now lol!
Thanks, Star! You’re so brave and strong! xoxo
First, my fav quote from this vid……”Mess steals my joy”. Omgoodness you make me laugh. Second, also find it hilarious (sorry) that crafting w/your kids makes you crazy, cuz I tried SO hard in your young life to get you to craft w/me and you wanted NOTHING to do w/it!!! And third, ya absolutely gotta do a thousand more of these videos w/Ella cuz, omgoodness why not? A winning duo for sure!
Thanks mama! She is just the cutest. She is chomping at the bit to make more videos and that girl even did a huge promo for her upcoming shoppe that we edited out. She’s a natural and I’m beaming proud.
Great tips! We’ve all been there. Disposable things do help so much. I have also learned to expect the mess! That helps me just relax and go with it.
This is hilarious! Expectation management is so KEY! Like, don’t expect it to be as cute as you could do, don’t even try to help them…. I am so with you on this! Thanks for being real about the mess!
Thanks, Liz! Always keeping it real over here! xoxo
Lower your expectations 400%….YES!!1 LOL!!
HA! So glad you agree!!