Who’s ready to decorate some Easter eggs for this weekend?

The tradition of dyeing them with food coloring is certainly pretty and fun to do, but there’s nothing wrong with getting a little creative and trying some unique ways to adorn your little hardboiled canvases. We’ve been showcasing some fresh and fuss-free ideas to try this year. You can check out our post on permanent marker Easter eggs here.

Another super fun and simple technique? Using temporary tattoos! All you need are your hardboiled eggs (shells on), temporary tattoos, and a damp sponge. You can buy some designs that appeal to you or if you’re feeling ambitious, you can print graphics of your own choosing on temporary tattoo paper and cut them out (Country Living provides this link to purchase temporary tattoo paper). It takes a bit of patience to ensure you press the tattoo flatly on the egg—just hold it down with your damp washcloth for about thirty seconds. It transposes onto an eggshell the same way it does onto skin.

This is also perfect if you’re looking to maximize decoration and minimize cleanup.  It’s quick, easy, inexpensive, and looks impressive! Now that’s a winning combination. There are plenty of tattoos of butterflies and flowers to be found if you want to stick with images of spring, but feel free to pick out any tattoos you like. Maybe put a couple tattoos on the same egg to create a little scene.

Do you have any tips for mess-free, creative Easter egg decorations? Do you still prefer classic dyed eggs?

Photo: Country Living

Photo: Ramblings of a Formerly Rock’n’Roll Mum

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Happy Passover to those celebrating! Boy oh boy, the holiday sure came early this year. We’re in the midst of a spring holiday marathon with St. Patrick’s Day, Passover, and Easter on consecutive weekends.

One important tradition of the Passover Seder is Elijah’s cup. Every year, we set out a glass of wine for the Prophet Elijah and open the front door to invite him in.  I remember Seders at my grandparents’ house when I was little. Elijah’s cup was always set at the kids’ table by the front door.

Since nobody is supposed to drink from Elijah’s cup, it’s mostly for show (and symbolism), so shouldn’t it look extra special? Why not have a little craft time to make a unique, beautiful, decorative cup to welcome Elijah to the Seder?

How you choose to decorate your cup is totally up to you! The one thing you’ll definitely need is a wine glass, either from a thrift store or dollar store (glass or plastic is fine). After that, you could use yarn, sequins, gems, tissue paper, stickers, paint, glitter, or anything else you can think of! Keep in mind whatever you use, you’ll probably need some glue or mod podge, paintbrushes, scissors and a flat workspace that can get a little messy. The best way to get glue on your wine glass is to use a paintbrush and paint it on. This will ensure an even, thin layer of glue that you can wrap yarn around, press tissue paper on, or sprinkle glitter over.

Take a look at these fabulous examples from some great blogs and feel free to click the source links for full tutorials.

Photo: She Knows

Photo: The Shiksa in the Kitchen

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Hi Scribblers!

I had so much fun making these chocolate marshmallow snowmen and think you will too.  I initially came across the marshmallow snowmen on the Tatertots and Jello blog.  What a terrific activity to do with your little ones for the holiday.  I wanted to try something a little different and what could be better than frosting the marshmallows with white chocolate!  How decadent, how yummy!!   I brought them to a holiday party and the snowmen were a real conversation starter, they were also devoured within minutes of being placed on the table.  Try them, they are easy to make, your kids will love them and they make a wonderful hostess gifts too!

Chocolate Marshmallow Snowmen-Yummy!!!

You’ll need some Marshmallows – any brand will be good.  Some mini M&M’s, Red string licorice or Twizzlers makes a red licorice that pulls apart (Pull n’ Peel Twizzlers), wooden or cardboard sticks and white chocolate melts.

Things needed to make Chocolate Marshmallow Snowmen

Put 3 marshmallows on a stick and set them aside.

Marshmallows waiting for chocolate

Melt the chocolate and smooth onto the marshmallows.

Frosting the marshmallows with chocolate

Once you have frosted the marshmallows with chocolate and before the chocolate dries, add the mini M&M’s and string licorice to create the snowman’s eyes, nose, buttons and hat.

Decorated Marshmallow Snowman

You’ll have to place the frosted marshmallows onto wax paper and let dry completely before serving them.

There you have it!  Chocolate marshmallow Snowmen!

I decided to put the finished snowmen onto a wreath, to bring as a hostess gift.

Chocolate Marshmallow Snowmen Ready for Gift Giving!!!

So easy and so much fun!!!

Enjoy and happy holiday!

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Most holidays have a representative candy that is the superstar for that celebration. Halloween has candy corn, Easter has chocolate eggs, Hanukkah has gelt… and Christmas has none other than… the candy cane!

Do you like candy canes? It’s funny… instead of having a bunch early in the season and getting sick of them, I avoid them for a long time. I somehow convince myself that I don’t really care for them and then eventually after being surrounded by the red and white treats for weeks, I give in and try one… and then presto! I remember I actually like them. Think of all that perfectly good time I waste not eating the peppermint delights.

Now of course candy canes are iconic for their color and shape. The red and white stripes twisting up and over the crook is a classic Christmas theme. But who’s to say we can’t change things up a little and get creative?

This very quick and simple tip is such a fun way to add an unexpected twist to your candy cane display!

Are you ready?

Here it goes…

Soften them in the oven and mold them into new shapes!

What?! How?! Well, I’ll tell ya. If your candy canes are wrapped in plastic, remove the wrapping and lay the canes out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Put it in the oven at about 300 degrees for 6-7 minutes. They should soften so you can bend and reshape them, but don’t let them melt. If you press two pieces together while they’re warm, they should also fuse together. You can break them up before baking so you have different sized pieces to work with.

Want to do it even faster? You could try the microwave! This time, leave the plastic wrapping on and place the candy cane in the microwave for about 15 seconds. If that’s not enough time, work in very small increments because you don’t want the plastic wrapper to melt.

Spell out words, make pictures, create hearts and shapes… however the holiday spirit moves you! This is also a great way to bring new life to broken candy canes. Enjoy!

Photo via Handmade Type

Photo via From Glitter to Gumdrops

Photo via Make and Takes

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O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree… no, not the real ones with pine needles that are reach up to the ceiling! How about the ones made of paper that fit right on a page? This paper tree collage is a perfect rainy day or evening activity during the holiday season.

All you need is…. paper! Well, okay… paper, scissors (or a paper cutter if you have one at home), and glue. When it comes to paper, let’s specify. You’ll need a large sheet of white paper for your background and then a variety of paper scraps that include the color green. You could use construction paper, scrapbook paper, leftover wrapping paper… whatever you like!

Cut your green paper into strips of different widths and lengths. Once you have a nice little pile, start stacking them on your white sheet, longest strips on the bottom. The rest can be random and don’t be afraid to mix your patterns and angles. Use a glue stick to adhere them down when you’re ready. If you like, you can cut out some ornaments, a brown tree trunk, and a star from construction paper to decorate your tree. Ta-da!

Quick, simple, and pretty! And your entire cleanup consists of sweeping any scraps of extra paper into a recycling bin. Display and enjoy!

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Sari Toivola (Sari): Hi! I’m Sari Toivola a Graphic Designer and Illustrator from Vantaa, Finland. I love drawing, designing, comics, history, horses and cats.   I’m working as a Graphic Designer and Illustrator and my business name is Sari ja kuva. I am also a qualificated special needs assistant and have worked with kids, so I’m really excited when I get a chance to create something for them!

Katteja by Sari Toivola

Scribble Town (ST): Thank you Sari for being with us at Scribble Town!  I like your business name ‘Sari ja kuva’ because when I did a translation of it from Finnish to English it means ‘Sari and picture’.  I started playing around with your words and found that if you put them all together (take away the i) sarjakuva means cartoon!  How clever of you to come up with that name!  It makes perfect sense why a girl named Sari from Finland should be an illustrator and comic lover.

With that said please tell us more about yourself.  What are you up to these days?

Sari: At the moment, I’m doing different kind of works for small companies, associations and private persons. Drawing and designing isn’t only work for me, it’s also a hobby and a lifestyle.

Wonderland by Sari Toivola

ST: What do you like most about illustrating?

Sari: Drawing is creative and the most natural way for me to express myself. By drawing you can mix reality and fantasy, only sky (and your own imagination) is the limit. It’s also rewarding to draw for some specific purpose where illustration is supposed to be a part of the big picture and support, for example, a text. I’m always trying to create something a bit new and bring the subject a new point of view. I also want to express feelings through my pictures, hoping they will touch the viewers as well.

ST: What is your favorite place to create?

Sari: Most of the time I work at home but some days it’s also nice to go to a nice coffee house and work there. It totally depends on my mood… If I’m tired I’d rather stay at home but sometimes it’s good and healthy to go outside and then I usually pick a nice place with some background noise which helps me concentrate.

ST: What art techniques or tools do you like to use?

Sari: Mostly I draw digitally on the computer using a mouse and a few programs, but I also use pencils and markers for sketching. I usually start a new work by drawing and sketching by hand. Then I scan my sketches and finish the work with a computer by drawing the lines and coloring.

ST: Where do you get your inspiration from?

Sari: I get my inspiration from every day life, people, animals, and nature. I’m also very into European history of arts and culture. This is one of the things that inspires me most.

ST: Do you have a craft, piece of art, or art technique you can share with our Scribblers for them to make at home? Any tips would be great!

Sari: I have been working with an intreresting technique lately called “Taikataikina,” which translates to “Magic Dough.” Everyone can make it, you just need some wheat flour, salt, water and cooking oil. You can handle it like play dough or clay and it can be harden in a regular oven.

Instructions on how to make Taikataikina aka Magic Dough:

Taikisnaamio or Magic Dough by Sari Toivola

3 dl wheat flour

1½ dl salt
1½ dl water
(dl= deciliter)

1 spoon of oil

If you like you can also add a hint of food colouring to the dough for more color.

Mix all the dry ingredients together and then add water and oil. Fold the dough until it’s smooth and then start creating.

If you don’t use all the dough at once, keep the rest of the dough in fridge so you can use it later.

Finished artworks can be harden by heating them in an oven about an hour in 125 celsius degrees. Hardened works can be painted and varnished by using water colours, acrylics or permanent markers.

Sari Toivola's Taikisnaamio or Magic Dough going in the oven

This dough is very easy to make and simple to work with. It’s 100% non-toxic, so it’s also suitable for small children. And it is cheap and can be hardened at home without any complicated or expensive equipment.

Here are a couple of photos of fresh Magic Dough Masks waiting to get cleaned up and colored.

ST: What a great idea, Sari! Perhaps the Scribblers out there could make their own Magic Dough and send in pictures of their creations. We can post your Magic Dough sculptures on the Scribble Blog. I’m definitely ready to get my hands all floured up and turn 2D into 3D!

Here's what Felipe, Christian, M, & Pierre look like with color! Painted by Sari Toivola

After the Magic Dough creations bake in the oven you can paint them.  To the left are Felipe, Christian, M, and Pierre with rosy lips and faces full of color.

For more info about Sari and her artwork please have a look at www.sarijakuva.fi.  I’m sure she’d love hear from you!  In Finnish you can say “moi” or “hei” for hello. Hay is not just for horses in this part of the world

Thanks Sari for all the inspiration you have given us!

Scribblers, don’t forget to send in jpegs of your Magic Dough creations to info@scribbletown.com. Can’t wait to see what you’ve come up with!

Kissalumiukko "A Snowman Cat" by Sari Toivola

Kameleonttilinnut ja neljä vuodenaikaa "Cameleon birds and the four seasons" by Sari Toivola

My Life and Ego by Sari Toivola

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Hi Scribblers,

The holiday season is here!  It’s a favorite time of the year for me, crafting, baking, decorating, holiday parties and shopping, shopping, shopping!!

Shopping, Shopping, Shopping!!!

Tomorrow evening is the beginning of Hanukkah. It’s the Festival of Lights and one of the most fun festivals of the year for kids! Even if your family isn’t Jewish, your young Scribbler can enjoy learning about this major winter holiday.

Hanukkah lasts for 8 nights. For each night of Hanukkah, families light one candle in the menorah. The ninth candle in the middle is used to light the other candles.

Build a Menorah

With our downloadable craft page, your Scribblers can make their own Menorahs! Click on the picture for a printout. Color and glue on a new candle for every night of Hanukkah!

For the perfect gifts for your little Scribblers, please visit Scribbleshop.com.  We’ve got a large selection of toys, games and crafts by your favorite brands, like Melissa & Doug, Alex toys, Klutz, Crayola and so much more!!  All at great prices and FREE shipping too!

Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season. Happy Scribbling!!!

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Happy Greeting Card Season! Time to grab the address book and stamps and spread the well wishes to our loved ones. Of course there’s the classic route of vacation photos or professional portraits, but those can get a bit pricey. Why not make a card that’s cute, creative, personalized, and easy on the wallet?

To make these adorable ornament cards, you’ll need some cardstock and paper, a black marker, an assortment of colorful buttons, glue, and some optional rhinestones.

On a piece of paper (cut it in half and fit two to a page), draw several ornament strings and bows with your black marker (You can also purchase a string and bow stamp, but a marker works just as well!). Then glue buttons below the strings as ornaments. If you feel like adding a little sparkle, you can glue rhinestones on top of a few of the buttons. Then just add a little message and glue the paper to a folded sheet of cardstock.

Aren’t these precious? For another fabulous homemade card idea, check out our post over at Scribbleshop. You can also frame them for simple holiday decorations. Christmas cards don’t have to be fancy or expensive to make a splash… just heartfelt and creative!

Photo via Michelle Philippi

Photo via J. Day Designs

Photo via Splitcoast Stampers

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Thanksgiving was great this year (as always)!  Loads of family, friends, food, laughter and then double gobble more of it!  The next day my family and I all went for a stroll through the park to digest our feast and we found all these fallen leaves on the ground.  I thought the branches would’ve been bare by now, but no, not yet!  We got lucky.  The fallen leaves looked like feathers to me so we had an idea to make them into Turkeys!

Meet Leafy Turkey

We glued on some googley eyes to make them extra silly, but I’m sure you can come up with something just as good without them. Oh, maybe a nut fallen from the tree?  What do you think?

I know Halloween just passed, but since I was on this kick of transforming fallen objects into artwork when I saw the stick I thought of a broom.  Put a flying lady on it and you have a witch!  What do you think a stick could turn into?  Anything is possible!  Please share with Scribble Blog your fallen object creations.

A Sticky Witch

Thank you Thanksgiving for the fun, family, and more crafty ideas : )  Gobble.

A Sitting Leafy Turkey

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Turkey Day is just around the corner! And how better to celebrate than with the mascot of Thanksgiving… the turkey! Here’s a fun, colorful, collage-tastic craft from A Girl and Glue Gun that just you or the whole family can enjoy!

Grab a stack of magazines, some cardstock (plain paper will also do the job), scissors, and glue.

On a white piece of paper, draw a simple outline of a turkey. Cut squares of cardstock and give some to each family member and let them pick a color (or a few) to be in charge of. You can make a color theme like autumn or rainbow.

Now everybody start cutting out magazine clips in their colors and cover the cardstock in them. Once all the squares are covered, cut them into the shape of feathers and one for the turkey’s body. Glue them down—start with feathers so they’re behind the body. You can use the cardstock scraps for details like feet, a beak, a wattle, and eyes.

And you’re all done—right in time for Thanksgiving. Now, no matter what you’re serving on Thursday, you’ll have the most stylish turkey on the block!

Photos via A Girl and a Glue Gun

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