A Corona-Era Back To School Supply Item: DIY Mask Lanyards For Kids (Adults Can Use, Too)

diy no-sew mask lanyard for kids

The kids started school this week. It’s so bittersweet. Summer is the best, and we hate to see it near it’s end. Plus, we love hanging out with our kids. But, we’re happy they get to see classmates again, get into a routine again (that went out the window in March, thanks COVID) and learn, learn, learn. We know it’s been a challenging time for everyone. Some people are choosing to homeschool, some are heading back into the classroom, and others are doing distance learning at home. We hope your navigating this new “norm” the best you can. We are rooting for you, and sending good (and patient) vibes to everyone.

We know the mask topic brings out everyone’s STRONG opinions. We should be able to listen to others opinions, and not hate one another for them. So, here it goes. We don’t think the kids should have to wear masks all day at school. It makes us incredibly sad and mad they have to try to connect to others (and learn) when their precious faces are covered up all day. We also believe masks should be a personal decision for individuals and businesses, not a government mandate. So, it was really hard for us to accept the fact that if we wanted our kids back in school, it meant they had to wear masks all day. We’ve done all we can to keep the kids outside all summer, where they don’t have to wear them. Now, it’s a huge reality check for us. Since masks are a giant pain in the ass, and the kids are likely to lose them, we made some last minute accessories to keep the masks around their neck and not on the floor, on their desk, on someone else’s mouth, or who knows where. They are so easy with absolutely no sewing skills or tools required (and a huge life-saver), so we just had to share!

We can’t take credit for the shoelace idea. Our family friends (shout out to Karen and Bill) came up with this simple, genius idea. They took it one step further, and added a bead in the middle of the shoelace (back of the head), so it fit like a glove around the head, and you don’t even have to use the mask ear straps. We didn’t make it that far yet, but it’s on our list of things to do.

diy mask lanyards for kids

DIY No-Sew Mask Lanyard with Shoelaces

diy mask lanyard with shoelaces for kids

Materials:

  • Shoe lace, flat (make sure the width of the lace is large enough for the snap closures. We found ours at Walmart, and also used the waist tie from an old pair of shorts.
  • Dritz Snap Fastener Kit
  • Hammer
  • Masks – we bought some from Target (Cat & Jack brand) and also supported a local company we love, Aksels

Directions:

Step 1: Cut the ends off the laces. My laces were long enough, that I cut the entire lace in half for two mask straps. The length you want is a personal preference, but mine were about 17 inches.

Step 2: Carefully burn the ends of the laces so they don’t fringe.

Step 3: Add the fasteners on each end, and hammer in place. You will create two little loop on each side of the lace that snaps, and you will put the mask straps inside each loop.  These can be easily removed when you need to wash the mask, and it’s comfortable on your neck.

diy mask lanyard with shoelaces for kids

diy mask lanyard with shoelaces for kids

diy denver broncos mask lanyard for kids

If you have a child that likes to craft, or wants a really colorful DIY mask lanyard, he or she might want to try the following method, a DIY Loom Mask Lanyard.

diy mask lanyard for kids

DIY Loom Band Mask Lanyard

Materials:

Directions:

The one and only step: Make a standard loom bracelet, except longer, about 17 inches. Then, add the key ring clasp on each end, and then attach to the ear straps for the mask. Voila. So easy to put on and take off.

diy loom band mask bracelet for kids

DIY loom band mask lanyard for kids

diy mask lanyard for kids

 

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New Whipped Drink To Try: Whipped Strawberry Milk

whipped strawberry milk-whipped drink trend-pink drink

One good thing leads to another! First, we whipped our way to Dalgona, creamy coffee goodness. Now, we discovered the next whipped drink trend – whipped strawberry milk. This whipped drink is caffeine-free, pink, dreamy and delicious. It tastes like a strawberry milkshake, and it’s made with an old childhood favorite ingredient.

Visit Momtastic to learn how we made it!

 

 

Christmas Craft for Kids and Tweens: DIY Glitter Snow Globe

DIY glitter globe-holiday-craft-and-tween-gift

My son’s teacher has a DIY calm down jar in the classroom for kids to play with, or to shake when they need to calm down. Something about the way the glitter falls in the liquid is mesmerizing, and calming for kids. Like T. Swift says, “You need to calm down.” Now, there’s a jar for that. Haha.

Glitter is fun, especially when it’s contained, and there’s something magical about snow globes this time of year. So we combined the two for the cutest DIY glitter snow globe. This time of year is crazy, so if anything, no matter how simple, can help kids (or adults) calm down, it’s worth trying. Plus, these make adorable gifts for friends for kids and tweens. Let’s get this glitter party started.

DIY glitter globe-holiday-craft-and-tween-gift

DIY Glitter Snow Globes

Materials: 

Instructions:

Step 1: Fill the snow globe about 1/2 full with warm water.

Step 2: Add the glitter glue. I used 1 bottle for all three snow globes, and all got equal amounts. So, 4 tablespoons of glue per snow globe is a good start. In a mason jar, which is larger, you can use 1/2 cup glue.

Step 3: Add 2-3 drops food coloring. I used similar color glitter glue, food coloring, and glitter – all green tones. But, you could see how it turns out with multi-color glitter and glue. Don’t use more than 3 drops food coloring with these smaller globes, or you won’t be able to see the glitter.

Step 4: Add the glitter. I added about 2 tablespoons glitter per snow globe. You can add more or less if you want. There wasn’t much of an exact science to this. I used fine glitter in all of them, and added star glitter in some as well.

Step 5: Fill the remaining space in the snow globe with warm water, until it’s almost fill (leave a small space at the top so you can still shake it). Push in the inner seal in the globe insert, and then add super glue to the inner rim of the screw top, and then screw it on.

DIY glitter globe-holiday-craft-and-tween-gift

Step 6: This is optional, but you can customize each snow globe you make for friends with vinyl or stickers. We used our Silhouette Cameo to make vinyl words and mini stars for an extra magical touch.

Finally, shake and watch that glitter swirl, and then fall. Merry Christmas, everyone!

DIY glitter globe-holiday-craft-and-tween-gift

DIY glitter globe-holiday-craft-and-tween-gift

 

 

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DIY No-Sew Maleficent Costume

DIY maleficent costume

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We love Maleficent around here, especially our girls. We still haven’t seen Maleficent, Mistress of Evil, and can’t wait to watch it. When Jessica’s daughter said she wanted a homemade Maleficent costume, we were a little hesitant because it looks intimidating, but after we shopped around and got creative without a sewing machine, and with plenty of duck tape, and a trip to Target and the vet’s office, it all worked out magnificently.

We know Halloween is less than one week away, but this can easily be done within one day, maybe two for the paint to dry! You can do it!! If not this year, put it in the files for next year. We may have the horns you can borrow. wink wink

You’ll Need:

Directions:

Costume
The best part about the top, skirt and shoes is that you can wear all year-long! I hate buying costumes that are worn once, and never re-worn. Now that my kids are older, they don’t dress up like they use to, so I like buying everyday clothes that can be transformed into a costume. Most of her outfit is from the Girls Cat and Jack line from Target.

diy maleficent costume

Maleficent Horns
Cut 5 to 6 inch strips of duct tape. Begin to wrap around the small Maleficent horns. You will just wrap and wrap until you build a larger size. Maintain the shape of the original horns, but this step will make them thicker. You don’t want them too big, or it will be top heavy. But, they need to be somewhat large for effect. Once the horns are set, add hot glue to the bottom of them, and glue to the headband. Now, begin to wrap duct tape around the base of the horns and the headband. Wrap, wrap and wrap some more, until the horns and sturdy on the headband and it looks like one unit. When it’s done, put on the swim cap, and then add the headband/horns.

diy maleficent horns

Maleficent Staff
This was a really fun prop to make. We got messy, and it kept the kids entertained. We found a stick outside, but it was just too small, and didn’t have much texture. So, we texturized it with newspaper and paper mache. We cut small strips of newspaper, and once we had our “glue” or flour and water mixture (1 part flour, 1 part water), we dipped the strips in the mixture, slid off the excess with our fingers, and wrapped it around the stick. We made some parts bumpy by twisting the newspaper, and other parts smooth by wrapping it tight. At the top, we tried to create a little “nest” effect for the green, glowing magic stone. You can do whatever you want with the paper mache, which is the beauty of it. We let it dry for two days, then spray painted it black.

As for the green “stone,” roll Model Magic into a stone shape (basically a tall ball with a flat bottom). Then, paint it green, and once that paint is dry, paint a layer of Glitterific Plaid Paint. To glue it on, I used hot glue on some parts, but wasn’t sure if it would hold, so used Gorilla Glue as well.

diy maleficent costume

diy maleficent horns

Maleficent Collar
This was a tricky one, until Jodi mentioned a dog collar. Luckily I have an amazing friend (that’s you, Atlanta), and she dropped off dog collars for me to get creative with. We tried cutting it exactly like Maleficent, but it didn’t maintain it’s dramatic shape as much, so we kept it as is. We lined it with pieces of black duct tape (for color, and to soften it against the skin), and sparkly duct tape. It works great!!

Other props
Find a crow at a local store. They are everywhere this time of year. We found the wings at Michaels. But, we’ve seen them at Amazon, Spirit Halloween and Walmart.

Happy Halloween. Never let your wings get stolen from you. 🙂

diy maleficent horns

DIY Trolls Halloween Costume

trolls-halloween-costume-wig-kids-leaves

Can’t Stop This Feeling by Justin Timberlake is a song that’s been on repeat in our home all summer. Now with the anticipation of the movie Trolls {in theaters November 4), the song is being played even louder while simultaneously having a dance party! We’re so excited about the movie. Jessica’s kids wanted to be Poppy and Branch, two characters from the movie Trolls. Today she’s telling us how she made one Poppy costume and two Branch no-sew DIY Halloween costumes.  You still have one week to make this costume before Halloween – you can do it!

Materials:

  • Felt, 23 green sheets {about .25 cents each), 1 light green sheet, 3 white sheets
  • White acrylic paint, Plaid Crafts
  • Peel-n-Stick permanent fabric fuse tape {this worked well for me, but Hello Wonderful made amazing felt costumes with a hot glue gun, so that’s an option, too}
  • khaki pants, cut like shorts
  • Turquoise sweatshirt, Wal-Mart
  • Pink pants and long sleeve shirt, Wal-Mart
  • Pink glitter boots, The Children’s Place
  • Grey long underwear, Costco
  • Troll wigs, Wal-Mart or Amazon
  • Black spray paint
  • Vests, Carters
  • Velcro
  • Faux flowers
  • Scissors {good for fabric}

Directions:

Branch Costume

Cut out felt leaves. I used a leaf cut out as my template, and then I cut, cut and cut some more.

green-leaves

Add Peel-n-Stick to the back of the leaves, and begin to layer the leaves on the vest, from the bottom-up.

img_7469

green-leaves

img_7472

img_7479 img_7482

Cut the khaki pants to be shorts.

Cut green felt squares and rectangles to place on shorts to look like patches.

green-leaf-vest

For Branch, I needed a black wig, but couldn’t find one, so I spray painted a purple wig black.

The grey clothes underneath not only keep the kids warm, but it’s the color of the Trolls skin. Win-win!

trolls-costume-branch-leaf-vest

trolls-costume-branch-leaf-vest

Poppy Costume

Cut the sleeves off a turquoise sweatshirt. I used the Peel-n-Stick tape to ‘hem’ the cut seams.

Cut petals with white felt. I used a cut-out petal, similar to the leaf vest process. Add Peel-n-Stick to the back of the petals and add the petals to the bottom of the dress to match Poppy’s design.

Paint the bottom of Poppy’s dress to look like the real thing. I free-handed the design on the bottom.

trolls-poppy-dress

Use scraps from the sweatshirt sleeves to make Poppy’s headband. I used the Peel-n-Stick tape to make the headband edges more seamless.

Paint faux flowers turquoise and hot glue them to the headband. Cut small felt petals to glue behind the flowers.

poppy-troll

Poppy’s dress has a little wrap around the neck, so I used the hood of the sweatshirt to wrap around the neck. To keep it in place, I added a small strip of velcro to the hood and sweatshirt.

poppy-halloween-costume-pink-hair

trolls-halloween-costumes

GIMME’ MORE!
Check out all these other amazing no-sew costumes!

Fairy Costume | Design Dazzle
Bumble Bee | Sugar Bee Crafts
Cat | Paging Supermom
No Sew Ideas | Rachel Teodoro
Moana | Houseful of Homemade
Alice in Wonderland | Polka Dot Chair
Rain Cloud | Make It Love It
Dinosaur | Ginger Snap Crafts
Bubble Bath | Giggles Galore
Hades | House Wife Eclectic