Posted By Gail Kulp,
Thursday, June 3, 2021
Updated: Tuesday, June 1, 2021
Sea Tow Foundation’s DIY Craft Time: Ocean Blue Candle Holders
Memories of summer vacations may include boating or swimming in tropical blue waters on hot sunny days. Whether you’ve planned a summer vacation getaway this year or are waiting for another time, bringing in that ocean blue color to your home décor can be a fun way to remember the water.
These ocean blue candle holders are a fun and easy craft to add some nautical-inspired decorations to your home. Enjoy!
Materials to Make an Ocean Blue Candle Holder:
Glass Bottles or Jars
Bottle of Mod Podge
Blue Food Coloring (or any color of your choice)
Water
Pourable Measuring Cup
Spoon or mixing stick
Paper Plate
Aluminum Foil
Oven-safe baking sheet with sides
Newspaper to protect work surface
Access to oven
Tealight candles
Directions for How to Make an Ocean Blue Candle Holder:
Begin by choosing your glass jars and bottles. If they have a label on them, make sure to completely remove the label. Clean them inside and out and allow to dry.
Cover your work surface with a few layers of newspaper to prevent staining. It is best to work near a sink. Also, cover the paper plate with aluminum foil for a later step so that it is ready. And also cover the oven safe baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Pour 2/3 cup of Mod Podge into the measuring cup and add 1/3 cup of water. Then, add the food coloring to the mixture until you obtain a deep color. Stir the mixture together.
Pour a small amount of the mixture into one of the glass jars or bottles and swirl it around so that the mixture cover all of the sides of the glass. Empty out any extra mixture back into the measuring cup.
Place the jar or bottle upside down on top of the aluminum foil covered paper plate and wait at least 3 minutes for the extra color mixture to drain out.
Turn the jar or bottle back to an upright position and let it set for at least 60 minutes to allow the color to return to the bottom again.
Place the jar or bottle on the aluminum foil covered baking sheet and place on the bottom rack of an oven at 170 degrees or the lowest possible temperature. Bake for 20 minutes.
When you remove the pan, be careful because everything will be hot. Also, the glass should be dry and the color should be transparent. If there is a sticky edge along the top of the glass, you can use hot pads to remove it.
Once the glass is cooled completely, you can place a tealight candle it in and put them on display.
Congratulations on making an Ocean Blue Candle Holder! Share your creations with us on Facebook and Instagram by tagging @SeaTowFoundation and using the #DIYNauticalCraftTime
If you found this article helpful or entertaining, please consider a
donation to the Sea Tow Foundation today to help us continue our efforts
to educate boaters and keep them safe on the water. You can donate
securely online at www.boatingsafety.com/donatetoday or by clicking on the DONATE tab at the top of the page.
The Sea Tow Foundation has created monthly nautical crafts to help bring your boating memories home. These crafts are easy for anyone to make and require limited tools and materials. In fact, all of the tools and materials are available at online retailers, or at a local craft store if you don’t already have the items lying around your house. Younger children may need the help of an adult for some portions of the craft project, but they can help with many aspects of the craft projects. And many of these crafts make great homemade gifts or home décor.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Monday, May 10, 2021
Updated: Monday, April 26, 2021
Sea Tow Foundation’s DIY Craft Time: Nautical Mailbox
Everyone gets mail and wouldn’t it be great to think about your boating adventures the next time you walk out to your mailbox? In this month’s craft project, we’ll be making a nautical mailbox.
Thank you to Holly Willis of Water Way Marina in Indiana for submitting her craft idea and sending in the photos and directions!
Materials to Make a Nautical Mailbox:
A large mailbox
100% silicone clear caulking tubes
Spray paint
Clear varnish spray
Screws
Mounting post
5 gallon bucket of seashells
Metal decoration such as an anchor
Directions for How to Make a Nautical Mailbox:
Begin by collecting your seashells. Get rid of any broken pieces and then rinse them off and allow to dry completely.
Cover an entire mailbox with spray paint to prevent rust. This will also provide a good surface for adhering the seashells. Let dry completely before moving to the next step.
Use the silicone clear caulk to adhere the metal decoration to the mailbox first and allow to completely dry.
Starting with the larger shells as the base, glue the seashells to the mailbox as close to each other as possible and then fill I the gaps with the smaller ones. Put the glue around the back edge of the shells only and glue on one shell at a time.
When all of the seashells and decorations have been glued on, allow the glue to dry completely. Make sure that none of the seashells are falling off or loose before the next step.
Apply a layer of clear varnish spray to seal everything and ensure it will be okay once it is mounted outside and exposed to the elements. Make sure to use the spray outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.
Attach the mailbox to the support post or bracket and enjoy using it to get your daily mail!
Please note that you’ll want to add another coat of spray about once a year to make sure the shells stay in good condition.
Congratulations on making a Nautical Mailbox! Share your creations with us on Facebook and Instagram by tagging @SeaTowFoundation and using the #DIYNauticalCraftTime
If you found this article helpful or entertaining, please consider a
donation to the Sea Tow Foundation today to help us continue our efforts
to educate boaters and keep them safe on the water. You can donate
securely online at www.boatingsafety.com/donatetoday or by clicking on the DONATE tab at the top of the page.
The Sea Tow Foundation has created monthly nautical crafts to help bring those boating memories home. These crafts are easy for anyone to make and require limited tools and materials. In fact, all of the tools and materials are available at online retailers, or at a local craft store if you don’t already have the items lying around your house. Younger children may need the help of an adult for some portions of the craft project, but they can help with most of the personalization of the crafts. And many of these crafts make great homemade gifts or home décor.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Wednesday, April 14, 2021
Updated: Thursday, March 4, 2021
Sea Tow Foundation’s DIY Craft Time: Nautical Wall Art with Toilet Paper Rolls
There is one thing that everyone has – toilet paper. While there may have been some shortages and difficulty in finding this commodity last spring at the beginning of the pandemic, these items are back in stock now. You may need to wait a few months to collect enough empty rolls to do this project, but you can bookmark it and come back when you’re ready. In this month’s craft project, we’ll be making some nautical wall art using toilet paper rolls.
Materials to Make Nautical Wall Art with Toilet Paper Rolls:
Toilet Paper Rolls
School Glue
Pencil
Ruler
Scissors
Clothespins or binder clips
Paper to cover table
Spray paint
Large piece of cardboard (not shown)
Directions for How to Make the Nautical Wall Art with Toilet Paper Rolls :
Flatten each of the toilet paper rolls and cut them into 4 equal parts about 1 inch wide using scissors. You don’t need to be exact in your measurements, but you can use the ruler if you really want to.
Place the cut rolls onto a flat surface and create a pattern that you like. We decided to create an anchor design. This may take some time as you move the rolls around and experiment with different layouts.
Glue the rolls together wherever they are touching and hold the rolls together with a clothespin or binder clip until the glue has dried. You may need to do this in shifts if you don’t have enough clothespins or binder clips for all of the spots.
Allow the glue to dry for a few hours before removing the clips. Check connections to ensure that everything stayed together and, if necessary, apply more glue.
Take the final glued piece outside and lay on a large piece of cardboard. Apply the spray paint evenly across the entire surface. You will need to turn it over and spray both sides once the first side has dried and it is possible that you will need to apply a second coat.
Hang your nautical wall art for all to see!
Congratulations on making Nautical Wall Art with Toilet Paper Rolls! Share your creations with us on Facebook and Instagram by tagging @SeaTowFoundation and using the #DIYNauticalCraftTime
If you found this article helpful or entertaining, please consider a
donation to the Sea Tow Foundation today to help us continue our efforts
to educate boaters and keep them safe on the water. You can donate
securely online at www.boatingsafety.com/donatetoday or by clicking on the DONATE tab at the top of the page.
The Sea Tow Foundation has created a monthly nautical craft to help bring those boating memories home. These crafts are easy for anyone to make and require limited tools and materials. In fact, all of the tools and materials are available at online retailers, or at a local craft store if you don’t already have the items lying around your house. Younger children may need the help of an adult for some portions of the craft project, but they can help with most of the personalization of the crafts. And many of these crafts make great homemade gifts or home décor.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Thursday, March 4, 2021
Updated: Monday, March 1, 2021
Sea Tow Foundation’s DIY Craft Time: Life Jacket Fabric Wreath
Spring is here and it is time to check your life jackets to make sure they are in good shape for the boating season. We’ve talked about how to inspect your life jackets and even how to donate your kid’s outgrown life jackets, but we haven’t talked about what to do with them when they are not in good shape and need to be discarded.
In this month’s craft project, we’ll be making a life jacket fabric wreath for your door or wall using damaged life jackets that can no longer be used for keeping you safe on the water. And, as the spring season and holidays are upon us, we can think of this as a fun spring wreath!
Materials to Make Life Jacket Fabric Wreath:
Damaged life jackets
Foam craft ring
Ruler
Sharp scissors
Tacky glue
Plastic plate
Knitting needle
Paper to protect table
Wooden Craft Sign (optional)
Other fabric scraps in coordinating colors (optional if life jackets don’t produce enough fabric)
Directions for How to Make the Life Jacket Fabric Wreath :
Remove the fabric from the life jackets using scissors. Depending on the size of the life jacket and the amount of fabric, you may want to have other fabric scraps in other colors. Multiple colors are better than a single color for this wreath design. Save the straps for hanging the wreath at the end. Also, if the foam is in good shape, save that for a future craft project.
Cut all of the fabric into approximate 2-inch squares using the ruler and scissors. You can also use a cutting board and rotary cutter if you are a frequent fabric crafter.
Place protective paper on the table and arrange the craft ring on top. Pour the glue into the plastic plate and place nearby along with your piles of fabric pieces.
Take a piece of fabric and wrap it around the end of the knitting needle. Dip the end into the glue and then poke the glue-covered fabric into the foam ring and remove the needle.
Repeat step 4 all along the wreath covering the front and sides by alternating colors of the fabrics. Once finished, allow the glue to dry overnight. The glue will dry clear.
Use one of the life jacket straps to wrap around the top for the wreath to hang.
Add a wooden craft sign to the wreath using pins, if desired.
Enjoy the wreath and remember the good times you had in those life jackets!
Congratulations on making a Nautical Wreath! Share your creations with us on Facebook and Instagram by tagging @SeaTowFoundation and using the #DIYNauticalCraftTime
If you found this article helpful or entertaining, please consider a
donation to the Sea Tow Foundation today to help us continue our efforts
to educate boaters and keep them safe on the water. You can donate
securely online at www.boatingsafety.com/donatetoday or by clicking on the DONATE tab at the top of the page.
The Sea Tow Foundation has created monthly nautical crafts to help bring those boating memories home. These crafts are easy for anyone to make and require limited tools and materials. In fact, all of the tools and materials are available at online retailers, or at a local craft store if you don’t already have the items lying around your house. Younger children may need the help of an adult for some portions of the craft project, but they can help with most of the personalization of the crafts. And many of these crafts make great homemade gifts or home décor.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Updated: Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Sea Tow Foundation's DIY Craft Time: Nautical Coasters
Everyone knows that the best boating memories are the ones made out on the water. However, being out on the water isn’t always possible because of the weather, work and school schedules, or millions of other things going on in our lives.
With that in mind, the Sea Tow Foundation has created a monthly nautical craft to help bring those boating memories home. These crafts are easy for anyone to make and require limited tools and materials. In fact, all of the tools and materials are available at online retailers, or at a local craft store if you don’t already have the items lying around your house. Younger children may need the help of an adult for some portions of the craft project, but they can help with most of the personalization of the crafts. And many of these crafts make great homemade gifts!
In this month’s craft project, enjoy your hot or cold beverages at home while remembering the fun you had on the boat!
Materials to Make Nautical Coasters:
Felt paper
Sisal rope
Hot glue
Nautical stamps
White stamp pad or white paint
Black construction paper
Drinking glass
Marker
Scissors
Directions for How to Make Nautical Coasters:
Use the drinking glass to trace circles onto the felt paper with the makers and then cut the circles out. The felt will protect your tables from being scratched with the rope coasters and also serve as a guide to the size of the coasters in the next step.
Take the sisal rope and begin twisting it into a swirling circle using hot glue to secure each new curve.
Safety Note: An adult should assist with the hot glue to avoid burning fingers.
When the circle is slightly bigger than the felt circles, cut the sisal rope and secure the lose end to the circle with the hot glue. Allow the glue to dry completely while working on the next step.
Stamp the nautical stamps onto the black construction paper. As the stamp pad ink is white, it will show up against the dark paper. You can also coat the stamp with white paint and stamp directly onto the sisal rope, if desired.
Cut the stamped images out of the construction paper and glue these to the tops of the coasters. If you mess up, you can turn the coaster over and glue it to the other side.
When finished, glue the felt pieces to the back of each coaster using the hot glue. This also hides any mistakes.
Congratulations on making your own Nautical Coasters! Share your creations with us on Facebook and Instagram by tagging @SeaTowFoundation and using the #DIYNauticalCraftTime
If you found this article helpful or entertaining, please consider a
donation to the Sea Tow Foundation today to help us continue our efforts
to educate boaters and keep them safe on the water. You can donate
securely online at www.boatingsafety.com/donatetoday or by clicking on the DONATE tab at the top of the page.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Thursday, December 3, 2020
Updated: Tuesday, November 17, 2020
Sea Tow Foundation’s DIY Craft Time: Sea Salt Hand Scrub
Thinking back to those boating trips from the warm weather months might have you missing the smell of the ocean breeze and the feel of the salt spray against your skin. Don’t worry – you’re not alone!
The Sea Tow Foundation has created a monthly nautical craft to help bring those boating memories home. These crafts are easy for anyone to make and require limited tools and materials. In fact, all of the tools and materials are available at online retailers, or at a local craft store if you don’t already have the items lying around your house. Younger children may need the help of an adult for some portions of the craft project, but they can help with most of the personalization of the crafts. And many of these crafts make great homemade gifts!
With this month’s nautical craft, you can create a sea salt scrub that is perfect for giving as a gift or keeping for yourself. And this craft is perfect for little hands to make as none of the items are dangerous so this makes it the perfect craft for the holiday gift-giving season! And with Hanukkah and Christmas coming up, you'll be all set!
Materials to Make Sea Salt Hand Scrub:
1/4 cup coarse sea salt
1/8 cup liquid coconut oil
5 to 7 drops of essential oil of your choice
Dry measuring cup
Wet measuring cup
Funnel
Fork and spoon
Labels
Ribbon
Newspaper
Glass Container with Lid (4 oz container used in photos)
Directions for How to Make Sea Salt Hand Scrub:
Open the lid of the glass container and place it on a flat surface with newspaper underneath in case of spills. If you are reusing a container, ensure that it is clean and empty.
Measure out the sea salt into the dry measuring cup and pour it into the container using the funnel to avoid spilling. Please note that the demonstration photos use a 4 oz container so the portion sizes are based on that, but if you use a bigger container, you can increase the amount of ingredients used.
3. Add the coconut oil next using the spoon and the liquid measuring cup. Please note that if you are making a lot of these jars to give as gifts, you should do all of the dry ingredients before the wet so that the salt doesn’t stick to the funnel.
4. Add 5-7 drops of essential oil. We are using orange, but you could also use mint or another scent of your choice.
5. Stir the mixture with the fork until everything is well combined.
6. Wipe the edge of the jar to remove any of the scrub and then close and seal it. Attach the decorative label to the front of the jar and add ribbon along the top of the jar so that it is ready to give as a gift this holiday season.
Who will you give this to this holiday season?
If you found this article helpful or entertaining, please consider a
donation to the Sea Tow Foundation today to help us continue our efforts
to educate boaters and keep them safe on the water. You can donate
securely online at www.boatingsafety.com/donatetoday or by clicking on the DONATE tab at the top of the page.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Monday, November 16, 2020
Updated: Monday, November 9, 2020
Sea Tow Foundation’s DIY Craft Time: Nautical String Art
Even though our busiest boating season has drawn to a close, boating does not have to end entirely. Now you can bring your on-the-water lifestyle inside your home with the next Sea Tow Foundation boating craft. Bring the entire family to participate in this fun craft.
The Sea Tow Foundation has created a monthly nautical craft to help bring those boating memories home. These crafts are easy for anyone to make and require limited tools and materials. In fact, all of the tools and materials are available at online retailers, or at a local craft store if you don’t already have the items lying around your house. Younger children may need the help of an adult for some portions of the craft project, but they can help with most of the personalization of the crafts. And many of these crafts make great homemade gifts!
In this month’s craft project, find a fun way to bring your boat inside your home!
Materials to Make a Nautical Picture Frame:
A wooden board (already sanded and stained)
Various colors of embroidery floss
Hammer
Nails (not as long as the board is tall)
Paper
Tape
Pencil
Marker
Scissors
Directions for How to Make the Nautical String Art:
Find or purchase a wooden board and measure it to determine the size. You will want your design to be slightly smaller than the board to allow for space around the edges.
Draw a simple boat or other design on your piece of paper and make sure it is slightly smaller than the size of the wooden board. After drawing the photo, mark dots every 4-5 millimeters to note where you’ll place the nails. If you are not a good drawer, you can also search for a drawing online that you like and print that out to use.
Tape the paper to your wooden board. You don’t need to tape all of the sides, just a few pieces will work to keep it from moving when you first start to insert the nails.
Hammer in the nails on each of the black dots. Start in one area and work your way around the board to fill in all of the spots. Make sure the nails are all the same height off of the board.
Once all of the nails are in, remove the paper and tape from the board.
Take one of the pieces of embroidery floss and tie a simple knot around one of the nails. Then create a frame by going back and forth around each of the nails. You can work in whatever pattern you would like and even change the color of the embroidery floss for different parts of the picture. At the end, tie another knot around the last nail and cut off any excess string.
Congratulations on making Nautical String Art! Share your creations with us on Facebook and Instagram by tagging @SeaTowFoundation and using the #DIYNauticalCraftTime
If you found this article helpful or entertaining, please consider a
donation to the Sea Tow Foundation today to help us continue our efforts
to educate boaters and keep them safe on the water. You can donate
securely online at www.boatingsafety.com/donatetoday or by clicking on the DONATE tab at the top of the page.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Thursday, October 22, 2020
Updated: Wednesday, October 21, 2020
Sea Tow Foundation’s DIY Craft Time: Cork Sailboat
It’s time to drop anchor on another Sea Tow Foundation boating craft! You don’t need to be on your boat to keep the boating lifestyle going strong. Continue to make wonderful memories from the comfort of your own home.
The Sea Tow Foundation has created a monthly nautical craft to help bring those boating memories home. These crafts are easy for anyone to make and require limited tools and materials. In fact, all of the tools and materials are available at online retailers, or at a local craft store if you don’t already have the items lying around your house. Younger children may need the help of an adult for some portions of the craft project, but they can help with most of the personalization of the crafts. And many of these crafts make great homemade gifts!
In this month’s craft project, make a fun sailboat that really floats and enjoy racing them in the backyard pool, creek or even the bathtub!
Materials to Make a Cork Sailboat:
5-9 Wine Corks
Popsicle Sticks
Foam sheets of various colors
Construction paper
Hot glue
Scissors
Knife or box cutter
Markers
Pencil
Ruler
Directions for How to Make the Cork Sailboat:
Line the corks on a table side by side and apply hot glue to secure them together. The more wine corks you use, the larger your boat will be.
Safety Note: Since the glue can be very hot, please ensure that children are supervised or that an adult takes care of this step.
Once the glue has had a chance to dry, use the knife to cut a slit into the middle of one of the center corks that is large enough for the popsicle stick to be inserted.
Safety Note: Adults should handle the knife used in this step to avoid injury to children.
Draw a large rectangle on the foam sheet with the pencil and use the scissors to cut it out. Cut a horizontal slit ½ inch from the top and bottom edges. Then decorate with the markers. If using the knife, an adult should take over this step.
Slide the foam sheet onto the popsicle stick and bend to form a sail.
Draw a small triangle on the construction paper and cut it out. Glue this to the top of the popsicle stick as a racing burgee.
Insert the popsicle stick into the cork base and your sailboat is ready for the water and its first race!
Congratulations on making your own Cork Sailboat! Share your creations with us on Facebook and Instagram by tagging @SeaTowFoundation and using the #DIYNauticalCraftTime
If you found this article helpful or entertaining, please consider a
donation to the Sea Tow Foundation today to help us continue our efforts
to educate boaters and keep them safe on the water. You can donate
securely online at www.boatingsafety.com/donatetoday or by clicking on the DONATE tab at the top of the page.
Posted By Gail Kulp,
Thursday, September 24, 2020
Updated: Thursday, September 17, 2020
Sea Tow Foundation’s DIY Craft Time: Nautical Picture Frame
Everyone knows that the best boating memories are the ones made out on the water. However, being out on the water isn’t always possible because of the weather, work and school schedules, or millions of other things going on in our lives.
With that in mind, the Sea Tow Foundation has created a monthly nautical craft to help bring those boating memories home. These crafts are easy for anyone to make and require limited tools and materials. In fact, all of the tools and materials are available at online retailers, or at a local craft store if you don’t already have the items lying around your house. Younger children may need the help of an adult for some portions of the craft project, but they can help with most of the personalization of the crafts. And many of these crafts make great homemade gifts!
In this month’s craft project, capture your treasured memories spent on the boat with these easy to make nautical picture frames.
Materials to Make a Nautical Picture Frame:
Foam Board
Box cutter or sharp craft knife
Ruler
Pencil
Hot Glue
Alphabet stickers
Washi Tape
Sisal rope
Scissors
Photo for the frame
Newspaper or something to cover your table
Decorative items of your choice (seashells, stickers, twigs, colored string, etc.)
Directions for How to Make a Nautical Picture Frame:
Determine what size frame you want based on the size of your photograph. You want the frame to be wide enough to allow for decorations.
Some suggested dimensions are listed below as a guide using standard size photos and frames:
4 x 6 photo – 8 x 10 frame
5 x 7 photo – 11 x 14 frame
8 x 10 photo – 16 x 20 frame
Measure the foam board using the ruler and pencil and cut it out using the knife. Children can help with the measuring, but an adult should handle the cutting as some pressure must be applied to the knife to get through the thick foam. After the outside rectangle is cut, measure the inside area for the photo ¼” shorter than the sides of the photo that you are using and cut that out as well. The cut edges will be rough, but these will be covered up in the next step.
To cover the rough edges on the inside, use some decorative washi tape along the edge. You can find washi tape that coordinates with the colors in your photo. This is a great step for the kids to help!
Along the outside edge of the frame, attach the sisal rope with the hot glue. Warning: the glue gets very hot and can burn fingers easily, so adults should help with this step. Also, this is a good time to have the newspaper down to protect the table.
While the glue is still hot, use this time to add decorations to the frame including seashells or anything else that would need to be glued down. The children can help decorate using alphabet stickers, twigs, or they can even color the frame with markers.
Once all of the decorations have dried, turn the frame over. Place the photo in the opening and ensure it is lined up properly. Then, secure the photo to the back of the foam board using washi tape.
Congratulations on making a Nautical Picture Frame! Share your creations with us on Facebook and Instagram by tagging @SeaTowFoundation and using the #DIYNauticalCraftTime
If you found this article helpful or entertaining, please consider a
donation to the Sea Tow Foundation today to help us continue our efforts
to educate boaters and keep them safe on the water. You can donate
securely online at www.boatingsafety.com/donatetoday or by clicking on the DONATE tab at the top of the page.