Grandparents Day is Sunday, September 13th, a perfect time to show the grandparents in your life how much they mean to you. DIY gifts made by little hands are always the most meaningful, so I wanted to share a couple of easy Grandparents Day crafts that are sure to melt their hearts (as if the grand-kiddies didn’t do that already.)
I bought almost everything I needed from Family Dollar. I was there to get some TP, paper towel and candy (they have bags of atomic fireballs, y’all), and since I’m a bit of a lollygagging shopper, I found myself wandering around the store.
And so it was that these grandparents day crafts came to be.
This post created in partnership with Family Dollar. The ideas and opinions are mine.
Popsicle Stick Photo Flowers
When I spotted some bright and vivid-colored kitchen grippies at Family Dollar, they made me think of flower blossoms, so I decided to turn them into just that. What grandparent wouldn’t love to see their grandchild blooming every day?
Supplies:
2 packages round twist grips (in two different colors)*
Small colorful bucket*
Colored craft sticks* (I found a pkg of bright colors which will come in handy for future crafts too)
Leftover Easter grass or shredded paper*
Cardboard scraps
Paper and pencil
Low temp glue gun and glue sticks
Instructions:
1-2. Free-hand a very simple flower outline on paper to use as a template, or if you’re not artsy, search for flower templates online to print out and use. Center template over grippie and cut flower shape. The grippies are quite easy to cut, so if you hold the template in place, kids can trim between the petals.
3. Strategically place hot glue dots on an uncut grippie.
4. Carefully (because glue is hot), press a contrasting flower shaped grippie on top of glue to stick.
5. Glue the round grippie onto a scrap of thin cardboard and trim around the circle shape. Attach two green popsicle sticks onto the cardboard circle backing to serve as the stem.
6. If desired, trim scraps to make center flower buttons; attach with glue. Glue school photos or favorite pics of the grandkids to the flower’s center. Fill the pail with leftover Easter grass or shredded paper, and place the flower photos in their new little garden for gift giving!
Note: Adult supervision is required.
I Love You To Pieces Photo Frame
I remember making something similar for my parents when I was little, probably about the age I was in the oh-so-lovely school pics I used for these grandparents day crafts. But when I saw the mini puzzles at Family Dollar, I couldn’t resist using one to recreate the fun gift idea.
(Incidentally, could my mom have buttoned me up any tighter? Sheesh.)
Supplies:
Craft sticks*
Red spray paint (or you could paint them with poster paint, but I’m way too lazy for that)
White poster paint* (I got a whole set of washable colors for just $1)
Scrap length of decorative ribbon
Mini jigsaw puzzle* (100-piece size worked great)
Elmer’s Glue*
Instructions:
1. Lay out the puzzle pieces on a scrap piece of cardboard and spray paint red. Let dry (about 15 minutes) and then paint the other side and let dry.
2. Using Elmer’s Glue, glue a horizontal row of craft sticks onto a vertical row of craft sticks. Let dry. Paint with white poster paint, and let dry.
3. Free-hand or trace a heart shape onto the craft sticks.
4. Spread a layer of glue over heart shape, and glue on puzzle pieces in a random fashion while filling in the heart design. The color and texture variation in the puzzle pieces is a good thing!
5. Make a small bow in the center of a piece of ribbon. Hot glue both sides of the ribbon onto the back of the craft sticks for hanging.
6. Attach school photos or a favorite pic of the kids to the center of the heart. If desired, you can write (or have the kids write) an I love you message on it too.
Note: Adult supervision is required.
*Supplies found at Family Dollar
These Grandparents Day crafts will make wonderful photo mementos for those you love, and kids will have fun making them!