Uber creative Berna is a mom, designer & maker. She likes to come up with quick, easy, low-cost activities for her son and shares her ideas with others. She is changing the South African party landscape with digital DIY party kits aimed at regular moms to give their little ones personalised parties without breaking the bank. Enjoy her home DIY ideas to keep you and your little ones busy.
Mistletoe gift tags
As we lose ourselves in the wonderful holiday warmth of family and friends, you can help your little one make actual “mistle toes” to give to their loved ones. You can even use those as the gift tags to attach to all your Christmas presents.
You will need:
Sturdy paper (I just grabbed a paper plate, but if you have some nice cardboard use that instead)
Green paint (this is easy enough to make at home if you don’t have any available, check out my paste paint recipe)
Paint brush
Scissors
Those cute toddler feet
Pretty ribbons
Hole punch
Set up in a space that is easy to clean. Paint your little one’s foot green and press it onto the cardboard (try not to smudge). You can decide if you want to do two overlapping prints or just single ones. If there’s an awkward gap in the print you can touch with your paint brush. Once the paint has dried, cut out the prints and punch a hole through the heel and tie some red ribbon through the hole.
DIY foliage wreath
This is the perfect family activity for Christmas eve. Everyone can meander around the garden to collect various leaves to add to a simple cardboard base.
You will need:
A cardboard box
Some big pots or plates (these are just to draw perfect circles)
A Screwdriver or other sharp object to make small holes
Pretty ribbon
Pencil
Scissors or craft cutter
Neutral coloured thread.
Foliage from the garden (try to pick more hardy leaves eg. Ivy, Spekboom & bottle brush leaves)
Open up your cardboard box and draw a big circle. Now draw a slightly smaller one in the centre. Cut it out with a craft cutter. If there are any folds in the cardboard you can reinforce it with some packing tape. Now take your screwdriver and poke holes everywhere, just take care not to go too close to the edges. Once the holes are made you can start adding the foliage.
Try to go in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction. Don’t worry if everything isn’t lying flat. Once you have filled as many holes as you can reach, take the neutral thread and wrap loosely all around the wreath, multiple times if needed.
Tie a knot at the end. Now you can take your last few pretty elements and stick them through the thread instead of the holes. Tie a pretty ribbon around the one side and find a good place to hang your family creation.
DIY Cinnamon-scented playdough
This is the perfect activity to keep those little hands busy while you do all your final preparations for the festivities, especially if you’re hosting people for a New Year’s celebration. This clay is non-toxic, and smell divine, but try to discourage them from eating it as the salt content is very high.
You will need:
Two cups of flour
One cup of salt
3 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
Mix the above together, then slowly add 1.25 cups of boiling water. Let cool and start the fun, store in an airtight container when they are done.
Check out her page @schneckicreative and give her a follow for more fabulous DIY and party kits.
