For me, sunflowers are the epitome of happy. They stretch and lean towards the sun, they are bright and cheerful. We love checking out the sunflower fields in our area, and I know my daughter would love to create some fantastic sunflower crafts as well. These sunflower crafts for kids ideas are all super cute and really look like a great way to spend an afternoon crafting with your kids!

When I visited Europe as a child, I remember being struck by the Gothic stained glass windows, and particularly the rose windows found in so many cathedrals- for their symmetry and massive scale. So this year as we've been homeschooling through the Middle Ages, I found myself wanting to help my children interact a little with the beauty of Gothic stained glass somehow. I liked the way this project allowed my children to do their own work but create pieces that were unique and presentable. I had envisioned helping them a great deal, but found that the the art mediums at both stages of the project were very forgiving. My six-year-old and four-year-old made their windows almost entirely on their own. I think an older child could include finer detail and could maybe be more creative with the project. Materials: Glass rectangle from a small picture frame Black fabric puffy paint with a fine tip Acrylic paints Clear liquid glue Procedure: 1. Find a simple outline of a rose window online (a google image search produces lots of options), resize it to fit your glass rectangle, and print onto paper. 2. Place the paper with the outline underneath the glass rectangle. Trace the outline of the rose window onto the glass using the black puffy paint. There will probably be more detail on the outline than is possible to include in the tracing. I let my six year old decide which lines to trace and which to ignore. If you do a little research you can easily find the technical terms to describe the different kinds of shapes in your particular rose window. For example, my six year old's window included a central roundel, and trefoils around the outside of the wheel. It's ok if your child doesn't have a perfectly steady hand with the tracing or if the lines run together at some places. The black puffy paint looks like lead between the panes of glass, and wobbly-ness is actually a pleasing effect here. Also, you can touch up major mistakes with a paper towel. 3. Allow the puffy paint outline to dry. (At least three hours). Mix acrylic paints with clear gel glue on a palette. There is no exact ratio to follow. The finished color on the glass will be more or less opaque depending on the amount of glue. Different amounts of transparency in the same window can be pleasing. Just make sure the glue is thoroughly mixed with the glue before painting with it. If you paint with a little bit of paint that has no glue mixed in, the finished product will have brush marks instead of the smooth look of stained glass. Make sure all the panes in the window are thoroughly filled with paint for best results. Allow to dry overnight. I love these! They cheer me in my kitchen as the light shines through them on the window sill there. The fact that stained glass is beautiful only when light shines through it reminds me of this fact: "God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin."* They are a gentle reminder to me to stay in fellowship with Christ during the day! I John 1:5-7 Get 10% sitewide when you shop at Access Hydroponic. Valid until November 2013!

I have an easy way to Gather Fabric that will give you even gathers. Even better, you will not have any broken stitches or tangled threads.

I’m sure at some point in your teaching life, you have found yourself with an extra 5 minutes to spare. Not enough time to get started with something new, but too much time to waste. I created these 5 minute time filler cards that you can place on a ring and pull out when needed. ... Read More about 5 Minute Time Fillers

We have another fun project for your kids (or you) to do during the hot summer months, this time we are sharing a fun summer agamograph template with you. Making an agamograph is really, really

Sleeve designs can be a little bit intimidating. Drafting them is kind of a science on its own, and it’s hard to imagine what shape you need to start with if

This Claude Monet craft for kids is a fun way to make art in your homeschool or classroom! Children will enjoy creating a fingerpainting that mimics his style.

Integrate art and literacy with no prep or background knowledge with step by step tutorials for art history and art around the world!

What are pre writing shapes and how and when should you be “teaching “ your toddler? Toddler from drawing scribbles to actually writing? Pre writing shapes...

Instructions to make an easy homemade kite. We have made many, many kites over the years but this method produces the best fliers and the happiest faces!

Well, it’s been awhile since I’ve joined in here at Itch to Stitch. I’m a teacher and back to school time is a crazy, exciting, hot mess as I’m sure many of you know. Do you know what else used to be a hot mess for me?! Removing serger seams! Honestly, I didn’t used to […]

Remove grease stains even after they are set and have gone through the wash using common household items #diycleaner #greasestains #removegreasestains #laundrytips

Here are some printable center signs for your Pre-K or Preschool classroom. I have a free set of signs available, but the set of center signs in my

Discover a treasure trove of free preschool printables. Get access to a wide range of activities, from counting to lacing cards, and more!

Find over 100 fun and engaging busy bags for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarten and elementary kids, too — perfect for on the go!

In the world of quilting, there are tons of quilts that have Flying Geese blocks. Actually, my quilt pattern, the Framed Folk quilt has a bunch of them so I figured I’d put this flying geese tutorial…

Are you new to machine quilting? You may have made tied quilts for a while and now want to explore machine quilting. I’ve seen a lot of advice given for how to machine quilt but I think mos…

Research shows that giving toddlers and preschoolers quiet time can boost mindfulness, attitude, and your child's creativity. Here's how to get started.

Refocus classroom management in your classroom by using these 10 tips for positive behavior management. Watch your students' behavior transform!

When I found out I was having a little girl, I knew that I HAD to make her a dollhouse quiet book. Making a dollhouse quiet book was quite different from making activity-style quiet books like I ha…

When we started working our way through all of the letters of the alphabet, we decided that we wanted to create something that we could hold onto and look

Cut a CONTINUOUS strip of BIAS TAPE (from one small square of fabric)....a quick way to cut up some bias tape, without wasting fabric!

Specifically created to help chronically disorganized moms budget, meal plan, clean and automate their home routines so they can finally get organized while learning what to let go.

Open when letters for boyfriend / girlfriend / wife / husband, for your best friend, for your child, mom or dad, for ANYONE! PLUS an example letter that you can use as inspiration.

Free printable fall worksheets and activities for teachers and parents. A roundup of best fall articles with free printables!

You will be sure to catch the Aloha spirit with these super fun Hawaiian crafts and activities for kids! Mahalo!

This post will provide you with all the resources and tutorials needed to learn how to embroider pet portraits...

In this post I present an easy way to remembering M1R and M1L increases. The trick is to always pick up the strand from back to front with the needle that points in the direction you want the increase to lean into. I also propose handedness-neutral terms for M1 increases.

O'Keeffe's paintings make great inspiration for kids' art projects, so let's check out 10 of the best Georgia O'Keeffe projects for kids!

So the weather is starting to get cold and it’s time to bring out the hot packs in my house! I have several hot packs in various shapes and sizes for warming me up or soothing sore muscles over the winter. I also love to gift hot/cold packs. It is just something everyone can use! […]

It's time for some fun geography hands-on learning! I love mapping activities and have put together a fun printable set to build a city map. This fun printable set is 15 pages long and includes 5 different

There is just something about Spring that gets me in the mood to let the kids get really messy. Perhaps it is the fact that we can now do art outside. Or maybe it is the fact that the warm spring sun has melted the ice from my mind and I can think clearly. Because

Letter L Crafts Introducing the letters and the letter sounds should not be that boring and stressful. Children should not miss some fun and...

Could you use short and meaningful Bible studies that you could print out? Explore these free printable Bible lessons for children.

What is the best way to digitize photos? Here are the various options available; find out which one is best for your needs!

Need Cub Scout gathering activities ideas for your next den or pack meeting? Find them here! Learn why they are important and how to use them.

Life has been flying for me the last couple months, and I just realized that TOMORROW is General Conference! Holy Cow, can it really already be that time of the year! Anyway, so I thought that I would look for some games for my children and share them with you. 1. “Don’t Eat Me!” […]