Crafting with Kids: Colored Glue Decorations

Bonding time with our children is essential to their well-being. Holidays are an ideal time to have fun with the kids while bonding with them.

Most younger children love to decorate. A few very simple items can make decorating the house an exciting and fun-filled afternoon in which the kids can help to create reusable window decorations for virtually any holiday or occasion.

This project should be age appropriate, of course, and depending on the age of the child participating, adult supervision is mandatory.

Items you will need to make Removable Glue Decorations include;

2 Glue guns, mini works great for this purpose (preference low temp)

Colored glue sticks

Hot glue mat or flat piece of clean glass big enough for project (picture frame glass is handy).

Pictures of specific decorations (ie. coloring book pictures, etc. of candy canes, hearts, Santa or whatever you choose)

Small box or leftover cardboard

Wax paper

The entire premise of this simple project will be to lay a picture (heart, shamrock, turkey, Santa, gift, etc.) under the glue mat/glass. Make sure you can see the outline of the picture clearly.

The next step would be to choose a colored glue stick to start with and load it into the glue gun. When ready, begin tracing the picture through the mat/glass with the colored glue. Once the outline of the picture is complete, you would allow the glue to cool. When the outline of the picture is cool you would use a different color glue stick to fill in the outline. Using an ample amount of glue will help the picture to stick together better.

Using two (2) glue guns would allow you to allow one to cool so you can remove left over glue stick while the other is being used to fill in outlines.

It may be a good idea to cut the glue sticks in half, possibly even thirds, depending on how long they are. This would prevent you from having to work too hard to remove one color of glue stick in order to use another color. It is always a good idea to keep a small box or piece of cardboard close by when you are trying to purge one color and change to another. If you are worried about having remnants of one color in the glue gun but are ready to use another color, just insert the new color into the glue gun and expel the glue into the box/cardboard until the color of choice is the only color coming from the glue gun.

After all designs have been traced, filled in and cooled completely, they can be peeled off of the mat/glass and set on wax paper until you are ready to decorate the windows.

Apply decorations to clean and dry windows in any order you wish, repositioning if necessary. To change decorations or just to remove them, peel from glass and put them back on wax paper I have had these decorations last for several seasons, it all depends on how well they are made and how you store them. To store, layer them between wax paper and lie flat in a dark dry place...a shoe box always worked well for me. It is not necessary to keep the decorations you make, you could throw them away after you are done with them. Recycling is always a good thing.

Colored glue sticks can be found on the internet if your favorite craft store does not carry them. You can also embellish your decorations with glitter or sequins...use your imagination!

Glue decorations can be used on any glass, including picture frames and mirrors. Permanent appliqués would have to be glued on. They can be used to make gifts containing glass or for Sunday School or classroom projects. The point is to have fun no matter what you are making.

Making simple decoration is a fun and easy way to spend time having fun with the kids while adding to our quality time!