November 2009 New Specialty Toys — Arts & Crafts

Children fill in animal templates with colored beads, then mom or dad irons them to fuse the beads together to make a permanent toy.

Mama K's Aromatic Play Clay is an all-natural play clay scented with organic essential oils and available in six scents, including soothing lavender, relaxing chamomile and tension-easing bergamot. "I'm confident there is no other product like Mama K's Aromatic Play Clay currently on the market," Mama Made It owner Kari Erickson-Valenzuela told TDmonthly. "It is high quality, 100-percent natural, gluten-free, beautifully colored using only natural ingredients and subtly scented for aromatherapy with the highest quality organic essential oils. It's lovely." Awards: 2009 Goddard Systems Best Green Toys Under $30.00. Launch date: 2009.

Crazyoleez blend various colors of crayon into a single decorative shape, for a distinctive artistic experience while coloring. Other shapes and sizes are available.

Jewel Tone Tie Dye kits offer an assortment of two-tone color combinations colors with easy-to-follow instructions that allow anyone to create sophisticated variations on 3 tie dye patterns popular in today’s fashion world. Each kit includes enough products for two shirts: two applicator bottles with coordinating Procion MX dye colors, soda ash dye fixer, gloves and rubber bands. Jewel Tones are available in 7 beautiful color combinations: Amber, Amethyst, Emerald, Onyx, Ruby, Sapphire, and Topaz. Awards: Parent's Choice Award 2010. Launch date: February 2010.

This kit has a unique tie dye method designed to get the best Camouflage look. Complete, easy-to-follow instructions the Classic Camo pattern and ideas for creating 3 other dye patterns are included. The kit contains two applicator bottles of Procion MX dye, one container of dye for immersion bath, soda ash dye fixer, gloves, rubber bands and will dye up to four shirts. Launch Date: January 2010.

Designed as an educational, fun and easy-to-use puppet making kit, SPP! Chinese New Year Edition puts the power of creation in the hands of the child. It provides a balance of structure and creativity as it leads kids through the process of creating five large, one-of-a-kind stick puppets with the Chinese New Year theme. It could be used for school projects or for parties or family nights. The kit includes five blank corrugated bodies, 10 blank arms and legs, five blank heads, five themed faces, five sticks, 20 fasteners, five sheets of decorative paper, 50ml glue, an informative synopsis of the Chinese New Year, and directions. Kids assemble the puppets, make the clothing, and complete the puppet characters with the included themed faces, photographs or hand drawings. The stick puppets stand 14" tall and have movable arms and legs. They are packaged in a 12” hang bag. This product is made in the USA. Launch date: October 2009.

Kids create a 9” sparkly Christmas tree, then color Shrinky Dinks ornaments with the included color pencils, bake them, and then hang them on the tree. The kit includes 30 ornaments, eight colored pencils, a hole punch, metallic stars, ornament rings, a star-shaped tree topper, silver metallic tree branches, metallic foil paper for wrapping the base of the tree, and a pre-assembled tree base.
— Two of 40 specialty retailers mentioned Shrinky Dinks when asked about best-selling hobby products in fall 2009.
— Two other retailers named Creativity for Kids as a best-selling hobby brand in their stores.

Each single-color mini pack is designed to introduce kids to the texture and possibilities of PlayFoam. The collection includes six colors, which may be used as party gifts or stocking stuffers.
— PlayFoam small bricks have been consistent best sellers for the last two years at The Parent-Teacher Store & Toys Too in Louisville, Ky., Owner Kimberly Kopatz told TDmonthly in fall 2009.

Somewhere between sand and clay in texture, Moon Sand can be molded, shaped and squished. It never dries out so kids can re-shape it and play with it time and time again. With this kit, kids use molds to create amusement park stands, children and bumper cars. There's even a roller coaster and spinning jet ride. When play is finished, everything fits inside the snap-shut carrying case. It comes with three 10-oz. bags of moldable Moon Sand (colors may vary).

The Bling By Number Card Design Set includes materials for creating handmade greeting cards. The set includes eight cards and envelopes, four postcards, 50 cut-out shapes and 100+ stickers, plus glitter glue, sequins, gems and more. The Bling by Number line is designed to be error proof and provide professional-looking results every time. There are easy to follow “Bling by Number” instructions and design ideas to get girls started on their way to creating their own personalized card collection. "It gets the creativity going for girls and shows that 'hand-made' can also be glam, fun, and many different materials can be used to achieve the final piece," Sarah Koth, PR coordinator for Fashion Angels Enterprises, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2009.

Girls can create a portfolio book of fabulous fashion creations with a little glitz and glamour flair, using the 50+ stencils and create red-carpet-worthy designs. Launch date: August 2009.
— Kim Emigh, VP of E-commerce at Growing Tree Toys in State College, Pa., told TDmonthly in a Fall 2012 survey that Fashion Angels Fashion Design Sketch Portfolios were one of their best selling tween products.

Girls can create a portfolio book of fabulous fashion creations with Flower Power flair, using the 50+ removable stencils to create funky Boho-Chic designs. "Girls can focus their designs to a certain theme, and this one happens to be boho-chic look that is very trendy right now," Sarah Koth, PR coordinator for Fashion Angels Enterprises, told TDmonthly. Launch date: August 2009.

Girls can create their own stickers using the 100-percent Cool Sticker Maker machine. Kids can create a custom sticker from their own drawings, magazine pictures, photographs and more. The kit includes the sticker maker machine, 15 stencils, and 8' of sticker tape. Refills are available. "The machine is compact, so it is great for slumber parties, camp and to take on the go. Plus, the fact that just about any weight of paper material can be used to make into a sticker is a great feature," Sarah Koth, PR coordinator for Fashion Angels Enterprises, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2009.

The Project Runway Rockstar Style Fashion Design Sketch Portfolio lets girls create a look for their favorite musician or their own future rock band. Girls use the stencils to start the design, then follow the instructions for inspiration and how to shade the design to make it look like it was done by a professional. This portfolio includes 40 fashion design sketch pages and 50+ stencils. "The stencils that can be easily taken out, and popped back into the portfolio (so they won't get lost!) will help girls start their designs with a real shape and form to work with," Sarah Koth, PR coordinator for Fashion Angels Enterprises, told TDmonthly. Launch date: August 2009.

The Project Runway Make-Up & Hair Design Sketch Portfolio allows girls to create their own hair and make up looks on pre-printed Fashion Angels model sketch pads. The set includes removable plastic stencil cards with more than 100 shapes to start girls creating the next wild hair color streaks, what color lip gloss will be the next hot trend, or how to wear make-up and hair to a rockin’ concert. The book also has easy-to-follow instructions on how to draw like the pros with shading techniques and funky details. Launch date: August 2009.

The Project Runway Fashion Design Sketch Portfolio allows kids to create their own portfolio book of clothing and accessory designs on the pre-printed Fashion Angels model sketch pads. The set includes removable plastic stencil cards with more than 100 shapes to start girls on their way to creating finished looking designs. The book also has easy-to-follow instructions on how to draw like professional designers with shading techniques and funky details. "The sketch portfolio has an awesome section in the front that walks kids through how to do different shading techniques so they can make their drawing look realistic and three dimensional. The stencils can be taken out, and placed back into the portfolio so kids won't lose them," Sarah Koth, PR coordinator for Fashion Angels Enterprises, told TDmonthly. Launch date: August 2009.

Girls can challenge their skills, or their friends', as a fashion accessory designer by creating new, fresh accessory looks worthy of any runway. They use the accessory challenge spinner to give them the elements, and then take inspiration from the design guide and sketch. "Girls love purses and shoes, so this kit will challenge them to come up with some outrageous designs. This kit is just like the television show, with an unusual challenge to create the designs around," Sarah Koth, PR coordinator for Fashion Angels Enterprises, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2008.

This patent-pending kit of nearly 1,000 beads features various colors that each represent a letter, number and space, so that kids can create bracelets and other accessories with their own secret messages to be decoded. The kit includes 20 decoder cards, 15 feet of lacing with closures, labels, and instructions.
Awards: 2010 WTS "What The Stuff" Five Star; A TDmonthly Classics Award for being an all-time favorite toy.

Past videos: Product Demonstration

Ever wonder about the techniques make-up artists use to create the extreme looks you see on the runway? Girls can learn to do fun high-fashion make-up with this deluxe studio set. They plan and record the high-fashion looks by using the pre-printed sketch pad. The sketch pads and make-up palette allows them to create the best looks for any face shape. The make-up style guide illustrates make-up looks throughout history to use in their own looks. "The kit includes a 21 color make-up artist palette, plus the make-up brushes and applicators so you can really get into the techniques of how to apply make up. The full color make-up guide shows all the make up trends throughout history, so girls can learn and be inspired from trends of the past and combine them for future trends," Sarah Koth, PR coordinator for Fashion Angels Enterprises, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2008.

Girls can customize and redesign T-shirts, tanks and hoodies to create their very own funky, personalized look with the Project Runway Graphic T-Shirt Design Studio Set. They can use the style guide for tips and ideas on how to redesign their clothes to make them unique works of art. The stencils, ribbons, fabric markers and Cooler Jeweler stud setting tool will get girls on your way to making the freshest shirts around for them and their friends. Launch date: 2009.

Girls can push your skills as a fashion designer by challenging themselves to create fabulous outfits suitable for the runway. The “Fashion Design Challenge Sketch Book Set” takes inspiration direct from the show’s weekly challenges. The spinner will tell girls where to start; the rest is up to them. They spin the included wheel and then design a garment based on an endless combination of challenges, such as creating a formal gown, out of corduroy, with an astrological theme in 30 minutes. This set includes a challenge spinner, colored pencils, two fashion sketch pads, a style guide and a pencil sharpener. Launch date: 2008.

This kit is based on the premise that the key to learning how to draw fashions is to understand the body shape that is under them. Girls can pose and sketch the mannequin, then gradually add on their own unique fashion designs. "The design guide show step by step techniques on how to understand proportion of the body. The posable mannequin is a nice addition to the kit for a visual item to sketch and practice from," Sarah Koth, PR coordinator for Fashion Angels Enterprises, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2008.

Girls can learn how to design and construct fashions with the Project Runway Dress Making and Draping Set. The deluxe design guide will teach basic sewing techniques plus more advanced draping methods to help girls discover the world of sewing and garment design in 3-D. The kit includes a 12” dress form, pattern, material, ribbon, needles, thread, and much more to help create gorgeous dresses suitable for any runway. "With the dress form, and all of the items needed to create a few different dress styles, it is one of the next steps in all of our Fashion Design Sketch Books. Taking design into the third dimension, so girls can learn how to create their designs on a "real" person and learning all about sewing and garment construction," Sarah Koth, PR coordinator for Fashion Angels Enterprises, told TDmonthly. Launch date: 2008.

This accessory attaches to sand and water tables and art easels, allowing a large amount of storage. It "can almost double storage capacity," according to a company representative. Launch date: October 5, 2009.