Get Creative With the Kids This Thanksgiving Holiday

These kid-friendly activities make great gifts and family traditions and you may even have most or all of the needed items already at home.

Thanksgiving time is filled with travel, visits with family and friends and excitement as it kicks off the holiday season. Whether you are traveling and need a hostess gift or are looking for a creative table centerpiece for your own dinner, don't overlook the craftiness of your own kids. They are home from school, most likely bored and would probably have a great time doing some of these activities. Who knows, maybe they will turn into family Thanksgiving traditions. Baking is a great winter activity and doing it for Thanksgiving is perfect because you can make a lot in little time. Using this recipe and some fun cookie cutters allows the kids to help decorate shaped cookies that do not spread out or look weird after cutting and baking …

• Photos (3)

Literary Escapes

Craft Books to Keep You Busy During the Holidays

From geek to chic, you'll find plenty to do!

Whether you're gearing up for holiday decorating or looking to keep kids busy during school holidays, here are three wildly different books filled with creative crafts for all ages and levels. Martha Stewart's Handmade Holiday Crafts This book is exactly what you would expect - beautifully made, beautifully photographed, and, to be honest, kind of dizzying with possibilities. The projects run from New Year's to Christmas, with several ideas for each holiday ranging from simple to so complex that you'll need a glass cutter. I'm especially impressed with the glamorous centerpieces and other projects that will really make your holiday table shine. Try the Candy Cane Mice or Winter Wonderland Snow Globes to keep little ones busy this December…

• Photos (1)

Kids Corner: Hello, Michaels!

Perfect distraction for the kids, great for your crafting needs and conveniently located between Atlanta Bread and Kohl's.

Hallelujah, y'all! We finally have a Michaels and you don't have to brave mall traffic or cross county lines to get the art and craft supplies you (and your kids) need. The new Michaels is located at 612A W. Crossville Rd. just a few doors down from Kohl's. They have the same stuff as all the other Michaels-- supplies for jewelry making, baking, painting, drawing, polymer clay, woodburning, framing, scrapbooking, DIY weddings, kids' crafts, and much more. And although the store calendar appears empty, you can see some upcoming classes and free workshops on the Store Event page. There are even some activities starting at age 3. If you're looking for some fun craft ideas to keep little ones occupied over the Thanksgiving holidays, Michaels …

• Photos (1)

TasteFest, Craft Show and Cooking this Weekend in Roswell

Here's our guide to this weekend's best events in Roswell and beyond. Click on links for more details.

Roswell The Mountain Park Arts and Craft Show Roswell High School Tastefest Third Annual Fall Festival Cooking Demos from "The Shamrock and Peach" Alpharetta Live Music and Open Mic Nite at Menchie's Windward Alpharetta Golden Age Club Holiday Craft Sale Johns Creek Flapjack 5K St. Benedict Holiday Bazaar Cumming Heart Screens for Teens TASTE OF CHRISTMAS

• Photos (1)

You Ought to Be in Pictures: DIY Photo Canvas

The perfect craft for someone new to crafting, a DIY photo canvas also makes a perfect gift.

The gift giving season begins early for me; my stepdad’s birthday is Oct. 3 and from there we run into a headlong dash of eight more birthdays mixed in with the holidays. It’s enough to empty a couple of wallets and drive a person a little crazy. But not this year.  This year, I’ve decided that I’m going to hand make as many gifts as possible and I’m starting with this one: a large photo canvas portrait of my husband, me and the kids to give to my parents. This is the kind of gift that is perfect for grandparents; as well as being easy and inexpensive for anyone new to crafting. You can find the craft supplies at your local Michaels or Hobby Lobby, but if you’re near the Big Lots on Holcomb Bridge Road, stop in and pick up your canvas for …

• Photos (1)

Recessionival

Frugal Family: Thrifty and Thoughtful Teacher Appreciation Gifts

Let the favorite teacher in your life know she's appreciated with thoughtful gifts that cost less than $10.

With only two weeks left in the Fulton County school year, this is the time of year I’ve come to dread.  Not because my children will soon be underfoot 24 hours a day for almost three months—fortunately for me, my husband is the work-at-home parent who gets to field all the fights this summer!  My dread comes from something else:  the end-of-year teacher appreciation gift. Trying to decide what to give to express that appreciation is what I find dreadful. A tight budget dictates the gift must be inexpensive; my conscience dictates that it should be special.  And that’s where the following crafts come in.  Before you groan, believe me, I don’t want to encourage you to send your child’s teacher another “world’s best teacher” collage or iron-…

• Photos (1)