I am So very happy that Thanksgiving occurred early this year. This means I have an extra week to get my act together for Christmas. I have done NO Christmas shopping! No Black Friday. No Cyber Monday. Nothing!
My 4 nephews and 1 niece all belong to the same family. I have already decided that I wanted to get them a group gift this year. A gift card to the movies. Something kids in large families might not always get to do.
BUT. I thought I would make each one of them a small gift to open on Christmas, because opening something is fun!
My 6 year old nephew Adam will be the recipient of this map. I think he has the biggest imagination out of the group!
This treasure map is on a piece of floppy canvas. These come in about 12 in a tablet from the art department of the craft store. I ” googled” treasure maps and studied some of the images before drawing this map. I sketched it out on the canvas with a pencil then used water color and puff paint to decorate it.
I really love using watercolors. I fell in love with this painting method when I was in college.
On almost all of my children’s crafts I use Puffy Paint to decorate. All the black you see on this treasure map is puffy paint. I feel like that is the finishing touch.
My nephew Adam is very special to me. My husband and I got engaged just a few weeks after he was born, so he has always known me as ” Aunt Kristen”. Two other gifts that I have made Adam in the past includes a Homemade Detective Kit and a Movie Gift Set . I hope he will enjoy this one just as much. Adam has two older brothers, one younger sister and one ( almost two) younger brothers. I know that he will share this with his siblings during imaginative play.
This is an easy toy to simply roll up and put away! This canvas is much more durable then paper. Perfect for little kids to play with!!
Now I have to think up homemade gifts for the rest of the kids! Wish me luck!
I LOVE this! I am planning a pirate party for my daughter’s third birthday and the only request she has given me is for a ‘real map to fold up’…I had no idea what I would do but I think now I just may have an idea! Thanks for sharing this!
http://mommysordinarymagic.blogspot.com
Pirates and treasure maps are big thing in our house…especially acting out the stories my daughter watches on Jake and The Neverland Pirates. I hadn’t thought of using canvas to create a map… thank-you for the great idea.
[...] this awesome treasure map that Kristen from Make The Best of Everything Made, just follow the map link You may also [...]
This is great!! Love pirates:) Just posted on Craft Gossip!!
http://lessonplans.craftgossip.com/?p=7290
Oh, jeeze. My son is so into treasure maps and I may need to make one of these for him this year. If you have a sec this weekend, I would love for you to share at Get Schooled Saturday! http://too-much-time.com/2012/11/get-schooled-saturday-50.html
xxx
Kim @ Too Much Time On My Hands
[...] the past, Adam has received a Homemade detective kit, a Red Box movie kit and a Pirates map from me. As he turns 7, I know he still enjoys these gifts that help him play pretend. [...]
[...] AND i totally love this version…buy some light canvas and paint source [...]
[...] Map Tutorial at Make the Best of Everything Blog “My 4 nephews and 1 niece all belong to the same family. I have already decided that I wanted to get them a group gift this year. A gift card to the movies. Something kids in large families might not always get to do. BUT. I thought I would make each one of them a small gift to open on Christmas, because opening something is fun! My 6 year old nephew Adam will be the recipient of this map. I think he has the biggest imagination out of the group”…. Read more [...]
I love it! And canvas is a great idea, it won’t break or tear like paper would…
[...] This is a handmade treasure map encourages imagination in kids. It is made with canvas instead of paper for durability. Get the instructions at Make the Best of Everything. [...]