Craft Caravan giveaway

My son is a bit young for crafts, but I was once I child myself, as well as a babysitter extraordinaire and Grade Five teacher. So I know crafts, people.

And when I discovered this lovely little Vancouver-based business called Craft Caravan that sends kids’ crafts kits straight to your home every month, I said YESSSSS. Because despite knowing crafts, I kind of stink at them. And it appears that Craft Caravan may be the answer to this rare area of weakness I have. Allow me to explain.

1. I need to go shopping in order to do crafts. I hate shopping. Hate it. And the only person who seems to hate shopping more than I do is a certain someone who arches his back and howls like he’s being tortured every time I plunk him in a shopping cart. Plus, the amount of selection available at a craft supply store like Michael’s tends to overwhelm my senses. I usually end up leaving unable to find what I need, but inexplicably with something I don’t need at all, like pumpkin lights in May or a discounted Christmas cards in August or a $30 tole painting brush. Which means that Friday’s art class is going to be nature sketching! Again! Remove shopping form the equation altogether when someone else DOES IT FOR YOU. Hallelujah!
2. If I do succeed at the shopping expedition, I never end up with exactly what I need. I usually spend a mint to make sure that everyone will have enough sparkly ribbon or tissue paper, but no matter how diligently I plan, I either end up with mountains more than I need or I run out. Never the precise amount. Craft Caravan sends exactly what you need for your specific project: there’s no waste, and no running to the store at the last minute. Much like Goldilocks, I like it when things are juuuuuuust right.
3. Crafts are a great way to help develop your young child’s fine motor skills (gluing, coloring, arranging, and so on) and to encourage creativity. Craft Caravan has the sweetest ideas: a harvest moon garland to celebrate the autumn, wind chimes, and this month, a rainbow mobile. Frankly, I can’t come up with that kind of educational fabulousness on my own.
4. We don’t get stuff in the mail any more. Except Visa bills. Always the Visa bill. But kids never get anything. What could be more exciting than a shiny green envelope sent to their door every month just for them, filled with creative delights? Not much, except maybe Disneyworld. And this is a whole lot more affordable ($9.99 a month!) and lineup-free.
5. If you enjoy partaking in a little bit of parental competition, you will look like quite the super parent when your two-year-old brings a beautiful homemade card to the birthday party. See, Craft Caravan has card-making kits, too. “Oh yes!” you can tell everyone. “Jayden is very artistically gifted! And I am always organized with the necessary supplies in order for him to express himself creatively!” Then you can waltz away and ignore everyone rolling their eyes behind your back. Who cares! You’re SUPER MOM!

Send an email to carlyjansutherland@gmail.com with “Craft Caravan” in the subject heading no later than February 14th for a chance to win a card-making kit. Everyone will wish they were you.