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Kids'
Crafts @ Amazon.com  Welcome
Kathy to our cyber-interview here on Families-First.com.
Kathy spent twenty years as a teacher and director of nursery school programs in Oneida,
New York which gave her extensive experience in guiding children through craft projects.
She is a collector of teddy bears and paper dolls. Many of her craft projects have
appeared in Highlights magazine. We are very pleased to have Kathy join us in our
series and share some her expertise and with with us.
Joe:
Kathy, you have been a teacher for twenty years and the director of nursery school
programs in New York, where do you get your ideas for crafts?
 Kathy:
Originally, my craft ideas were to answer my need for hands-on projects for my
own nursery schools. When I first opened my schools there was very little material
available for early childhood. I would purchase a craft book and find it contained the
same crafts that the last book I had purchased contained. I like making macaroni
necklaces, but you can't do it every class for a year. I needed an entire year of fresh
ideas. I wanted to do an alphabet-based program that was fun and invloved the children in
the letter topics for the week.
 Once I started coming up
with projects
I just couldn't seem to stop. Every new idea seems to take me to another one. I do not
have artistic abilities so my projects must be simple ones. They are done with white or
blue children's glues and other realistic materials (no hot glue gun, graph paper
patterns, sewing, drilling...because I really do not feel comfortable with these things).
All I'm really doing is matching the shape of what I want to make to the shape or
shapes of recyclable materials, which are very plentiful in this country. Let a few people
know you need old neckties, puzzle pieces, socks, whatever and you'll end up with bags
full!
Joe:
 I understand that you collect teddy bears and paper dolls. Who is your
favorite teddy or paper doll and why?
Kathy:
My favorite Teddy Bear is Muffy VanderBear
and that is what I collect. This sweet little bear comes dressed for all sorts of
occassions but it is her holiday costumes that win me over. I love all holidays!
My favorite paper doll is Betsy McCall.
She appeared monthly in McCall magazine throughout my childhood. I loved reading about the
little events of her life every month. She had a dog Nosey and cousins named Linda, Sandy
and Barbara. I still have all of my Betsy McCall paper dolls.
Joe:
As an author, do you have any other favorite authors? Who and why?
Kathy:
My 9th grade yearbook says
that I want to be an author when I grow up. I have to admit that I had novels in mind when
I wrote that, not project books. However, writing children's craft books is exactly what I
should be doing. I write the books with ease and with huge enjoyment.
I can loose an afternoon working on my book and not know where the time went. I am very
comfortable in the world of children. I think that Margaret Wise Brown is
my favorite author. Her use of language is amazing. She sets a very sweet mood with
just a few charming words. I often choose her books to read when I do storyhour.
 Interview 2
with host Sue Spataro
See a FREE craft excerpt.
Melted Crayon Jars
 |
 
Craft Fun With
Sondra
Look What You
Can Make With Boxes
Interview with Sondra
more Kid
craft books
FREE craft ideas
Crafts from Your
Favorite Fairy Tales
by Kathy Ross, Vicky Enright
 
Familiar fairy tales provide the inspiration for twenty simple puppets, dolls,
mobiles, etc., using common household materials. Step-by-step, illustrated directions are
surrounded by borders specific to the tale. Adult help will be required to complete all
the projects, but little crafters can enjoy the finished products independently.
Crafts
to Make in the Summer
(Crafts for All Seasons)
by Kathy Ross,
Vicky Enright
also see
FREE craft
from this book - Melted Crayon Jars
 These easy-to-make pojects are guaranteed to succeed,
even for the youngest artists. Among the twenty-nine season related crafts are practical
items such as a mouse sunglass case, a plate fan and brown bag note cards. Among the many
things to play with are cork float toys for the pool, a bubble machine, and a talking sun
puppet. Jewelry, decorative items, and gifts complete the smmertime assortment of
twenty-nine projects,each fashioned with easy-to-find materials. |
Main Craft Library | Holiday Crafts | Craft-of-the-Week | | Recipe-of-the-Week | Dessert-of-the-Week
