Gifts for Back to School

If the kids in your life have the back-to-school blues, this would be the perfect time to cheer them up with a special gift to commemorate the new school season.

Crayon Creations

Kids will be tickled pink with this easy-to-make apron that transforms into a carryall. This apron would be a perfect gift for a new kindergarten student.

Time frame: One to two hours plus one week to set the paint

Level: Moderately easy

What you need:

• Child's-size apron/carryall (found at craft stores)
• Green, red, black, yellow, and orange craft paints (Or, you could use fabric paints to avoid using the textile medium and waiting for the paint to set.)
• Foam plate
• Textile medium (if not using fabric paints)
• Piece of cardboard
• Paintbrushes
• Foam stamps (Chunky Stamps): frog, ladybug, sunflower
• Iron and ironing board
• Clean cloth or piece of material
• Pack of crayons
• Watercolor paint set

1. Wash and dry the apron without using fabric softener.
2. Place a dollop of green, red, black, yellow, and orange craft paint (about the size of a quarter) on a foam plate. Add half as much textile medium to each color and mix well. Place a piece of cardboard under the apron for a firm working surface.
3. Paint the frog stamp with the green paint. Carefully center the stamp on the top front of the apron and press down to make a frog imprint.
4. Paint the body of the ladybug stamp red and the head black. Press the stamp down on the left pocket to make a ladybug.
5. Paint the petals of the sunflower yellow and the inside orange. Press the stamp down on the right pocket to make a sunflower. Add a few dots of black in the center of the flower as shown.
6. Allow the apron to set for one week. (You can avoid this step by using fabric paints.) Put the apron on an ironing board, and place a clean cloth or piece of material on top. Iron over the material for 20 seconds on each stamped image to set the paint and make it machine-washable. (See the manufacturer's instructions on the textile medium.)
7. Place a pack of crayons in one pocket of the apron and a watercolor paint set in the other pocket.

You might want to present your gift in a gift bag along with a coloring book and construction paper.