Monday, April 19, 2010

Mother's Day Gifts Kids Can Make -- Ceramic Trivets

Another post in our fun series of Mother's Day Gifts Kids Can Make -- if you haven't already done so, send your husband over here, and maybe he'll take a hint. (wink, wink!) Most of these projects will feature very inexpensive items you can find at any hardware store, so manly men don't need to make another trip to the craft store.

The girls made these beautiful hand painted ceramic trivets this afternoon, and I thought they would make wonderful Mother's Day gifts! They were super-inexpensive, easy, and FUN to make!!

We used imprinted ceramic tiles from the hardware store ($2.64 each), and I let the girls have a go at painting them with acrylic paint. They had so much fun!!

We had such lovely weather, so I had the girls do the painting outdoors.

Clara really got into it! I encouraged the girls to cover the entire tile with paint, but they didn't need much encouragement from me!

They were having so much fun that I wished I had a tile to paint too!!

This is how they looked after the girls were done painting them. I love the colors they chose!

Once the paint was dry, I used a thin brush to fill in the imprints and outlines with black paint. After that dried, Mark was kind enough to use clear polyurethane spray over them to keep the paint from chipping and add some shine to the finish. I added some self-adhesive cork pads (also very inexpensive from the hardware store) to every corner on the bottom of the trivet.

Both of the girls said "WOW!!!" when they saw them! I LOVE how these turned out, and they are so proud of their work!!

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35 comments:

Mark said...

Dear Valerie,

We need to find a little smock for Clara.

Love,
The Washing Machine & The Hair Shampooer

Unknown said...

I was just thinking "wow, she let's clara use acrylic pants already!"
Then I saw Mark's comment and now I understand . . .
The Trivets look great. Might have to add some tiles to my hardware store list.

Natalie PlanetSmarty said...

This is a great project - I like the difference between painting styles and your touches. How great that both girls love painting so much.

Christy Killoran said...

Wow! They are really beautiful! We are going to have some happy grandmas around here!

Jen said...

They turned out great and how sweet they would look in a garden.

Jen from Creative and Curious Kids!

Valerie @ Inner Child Fun said...

@ Mark -- I thought about her apron, but if I brought her back in the house after seeing the paint, she would have SCREAMED, so by then it was too late.

@ Readily A Parent -- Oh, yes, some messes are worth making! Clara LOVES to paint, and would have spent all day painting if I let her!

Valerie @ Inner Child Fun said...

@ Raising a Happy Child -- I was just talking to Mark the other day about making some updates to the sewing room so the girls can have a place to paint too. I think it would be a lot of fun for all of us!

Valerie @ Inner Child Fun said...

@ Christy -- Spoiled grandmothers here too, and we're just getting started!

@ Jen -- Wow, I love the garden idea!! :-)

An Almost Unschooling Mom said...

Very clever to use items from the hardware store!

niku said...

"Wow" is right! Those look great!

Joyful Learner said...

What a wonderful gift!

Amy's Stocking Stuffers said...

What a terrific idea!

Anna said...

What an adorable idea. I think I'm going to have to send my honey over here to take a look. Thanks!

MaryAnne said...

What a great mother's day craft idea, and I love that the materials came from the manly hardware store =)

Jennifer said...

I think I'm making a trip to Lowe's this weekend!

Valerie - have I told you before that you ROCK and that you're ideas have saved my sanity many a day! ;-)

Sherry @ Lamp Unto My Feet said...

Those are pretty! :D

Have a great day!
Sherry

Ticia said...

Oh man, my kids would love this....... Now can I remember to find them at the store.

Phyllis said...

Wow! They are SO beautiful!
-Phyllis

Bethany said...

So cute!!

Valerie @ Inner Child Fun said...

@ An Almost Unschooling Mom -- Seriously, if you ever need inspiration, a hardware store has all kinds of neat (and very inexpensive) things to craft with! I got some funny looks from people while I was shopping there, but I didn't let that stop me! ;-)

Valerie @ Inner Child Fun said...

@ Ivy -- Great! I'm sure he and the kids will be busy making all sorts of gifts!! How fun!! :-)

@ Jennifer at The Toy Box Years -- So happy to hear that!! Thank you!!! xoxo

Adrienne said...

I love them!

Clara is too cute for words.

Petula said...

Those our gorgeous.

ida said...

Great gift idea that is fun and useable for mother's day!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

I really like the way they turned out. Great idea.

Jaime said...

These look great! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful idea.

susie @newdaynewlesson said...

Great idea!

MamaBug said...

What a great idea! I will be seeing my family next weekend for my nieces communion....I am going to have the kids make these for the grandmas and aunts!!

Marie said...

These are wonderful. Inexpensive enough for me to do w/my whole group too. Thanks for the idea :)

Rachel@oneprettything.com said...

I love this idea, they're gorgeous! Thanks so much for sharing all of these giftable projects, I'll be linking.

Mama King said...

Outlining the designs in black really make them pop! Great project.

jennwa said...

That is a beautiful idea.

Janet said...

These are beautiful. Thanks for the idea.

Bonnie Weeks said...

I've been wanting to know how to do this! Thanks.

Mickymar said...

You've some true artist there! The tiles really are very nice, great for trivets!

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