November 2009 New Specialty Toys — Arts & Crafts

This product is designed to teach children about music as well as art. As a child colors, music is played that matches the strokes of the crayon in speed. There's salsa, swing, country or rock tunes, plus toddlers can add layers of trumpet, guitar, piano and drums over the music.

Kids can make five shaggy canines with this kit that includes pipe cleaners, novelty yarn and materials for decoration, as well as instructions, style and grooming tips, and punch-out dog carriers. The book was written by Theresa Hutnick and Megan Smith.
— When asked about the best-selling arts and crafts items in her store, Amy Barrett, owner of Lasso the Moon Wonderful Toys in Helena, Mont., told TDmonthly, “Klutz books are definitely up there.”
— “All of the Klutz kits do really well,” said Julie Vaughan, manager of Village Toy Shop in North Easton, Mass., when asked of their top selling craft kits in January 2010.
— “Klutz books are still really, really popular,” said Steve Ellerhoff, manager of Finnegan's Toys and Gifts in Portland, Ore. Ellerhoff was one of five retailers, out of 48, who listed Klutz as their top-selling craft supplier at the beginning of 2010.

Medieval play has never been more fun. Children can play as prince or princess, queen or king, and even pirate with their own huge castle. My Very Own Castle™ is a single-piece, cardboard castle that is pre-assembled and can quickly expanded for play and folded up for storage when not in use. The castle features a bright white interior and exterior for coloring fun, as well as doors and windows. Fully expanded, the playhouse measures 44" long, 28" wide, and 28.5" tall.

My Very Own House™ is a single-piece, cardboard playhouse that is pre-assembled and can quickly expanded for play and folded up for storage when not in use. The playhouse features a bright white interior and exterior for coloring fun, as well as 2 doors, 4 windows, and 2 mail slots. Fully expanded, the playhouse measures 43.5" long, 28" wide, and 35" tall.

DESIGNSTUDIOPRO is the car design modeling kit created and developed by professional clay modelers and designers working in the automotive design industry. DESIGNSTUDIOPRO will teach you the basics of automotive design sculpture using the same techniques that car design studios all around the world use. Develop modeling skills you cannot get from plastic or wood modeling kits. Design your own 1/10 scale RC car body or personal show car. This product requires adult supervision for children 12 and under. MSRP is $339.99 with inclusion of clay oven components. Watch video

This colorful apron has pockets in front for keeping supplies and is large enough to keep outfits clean. Velcro straps make it easy to put on and take off! Fits most children ages 3 to 6. Hand wash and line dry.

These little paper dolls are based on the Granza Adorable Kinders rag dolls. The dolls come on perforated cards for easy punching out. A variety of clothing is available separately. Kids can develop their fine-motor skills by cutting out the little outfits.

This colorful kit includes string, charms and wooden beads, and is packed with alphabet letter beads as well as decorative swirl beads in different colors.
— Magic Beans in Brookline, Mass., sells 50 craft kits per month by Bead Bazaar, CEO Isaac Judd told TDmonthly in fall 2009.
— Powell Phillips, owner of Phillip's Toy Mart in Nashville, Tenn., told TDmonthly in an October 2011 survey that Bead Bazaar items are their best selling jewelry and accessory products.

Ready to be personalized, this friendship scrapbook is stocked with quizzes, slumber party ideas and a foam wheel and floss to make friendship bracelets.
— Two of 39 retailers named friendship bracelets as a best seller for tween girls during a fall 2009 TDmonthly survey.
― Of 39 retailers surveyed in October 2009 about their top-selling jewelry and accessory items, one listed Forever Friends by Alex as their best seller.

Authored by Anne Akers Johnson, this book contains 200 precut strips of paper in 22 colors and patterns, plus a tool designed specifically for winding them into artful beads, whether round, straight or fancy. It also includes a bottle of glaze to polish of each bead creation, elastic cord for making bracelets, and glass accent beads. The book features color images and give pointers on style.
— Six of 39 retailers named jewelry titles and other artsy activities from Klutz as best sellers for tween girls in October 2009.
— “I consistently sell Klutz and art supplies for them,” Scott Loveless, owner of Toys That Teach in Bothell, Wash., told TDmonthly in fall 2009.

With 24 sticks in a rainbow of colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple), kids can construct shapes and figures without the use of glue or other materials. Each Wikki Stix is 8” long.
- Sallie Kashiwa, owner of Timbuk Toys in Denver, told TDmonthly in late summer 2009 that her store sells about 80 Wikki Stix sets per month.
— Wikki Stix 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.

Paint beautiful glittery wings on this Tinker Bell Pottery figurine and join her and her fairy friends in their adventures in Pixie Hollow! This Real Pottery figure is ready to paint and display. Each kit contains a ceramic Tinker Bell figurine, non-toxic paints, glitter paint varnish, paintbrush and instruction leaflet. ©DISNEY

Sunset in bright, beautiful colors! A STRING ALONG Sensation designed by Roc Ahrensdorf. Quick, Safe and easy! Follow the pattern and string floss through holes on a pre- drilled board to create a colorful design. Kids will enjoy hours of fun, as well as provide them the opportunity to develop skills in crafting and dexterity.

This Counted Cross Stitch Princess tiara will be a great first project for kids! Have fun with Janlynn's Kid Stitch™ line. - Frame included. Each kit contains 14 count 100% cotton Aida fabric, 6-strand cotton floss, stitching hoop, needle, graph, and instructions in English & French. Finished size 3" round (7,6 cm round).

Disney Princess' "Dreams Are Blooming" Color your own pillowcase design from ©DISNEY. Kids enjoy this wonderfully illustrated pillowcase design full of everything you would want from the Princesses; castles, flowers, birds and of course Belle, Snow White, Cinderella and Aurora.

Give your kids a reason to save! Enjoy one of life's crafting pleasures and create a "U-Paint-It!" Jumbo Piggy Bank for all of your kids coins. This jumbo piggy pottery bank is ready to decorate and display! Kit comes with everything you need to paint one bank.

Design Your Own Sport Bobble Head Kits are real figurines that have not only a bobble head, but additional bobble features. Kits includes a multi bobble sports figurine and everything you need to personalize and decorate in your favorite sports team colors.

Design Your Own Sport Activities are real sporting goods items that can be personalized and played with. Kits includes a sporting item and everything you need to decorate and use again and again. Whether it's a regulation size soccer ball or an authentic working skateboard, kids will enjoy adding their own designs and having a personalized item that they can play.
— As of 1.06.2011 this product was listed as a bestseller in the Arts& Crafts section at Toysrus.com. Pros: Great for fans of sports or crafts; includes regularion size soccer ball.

"Make it Cool" Friendship Party pack. 8 Weave Wheels inside. Kids love the simple lifting and turning motions that make bracelet weaving fun and easy to do! Make them, wear them, or give them to a friend!

This easy-to-use kit allows anyone to create professional-quality screen prints on paper, fabric, vinyl, plastic, leather and more. High-quality inks stay fresh on the screen for effortless multiple applications. Well-suited for production runs, these durable inks hold up to washing and dry cleaning on natural and synthetic fabrics and are water-soluble for easy clean up.

This complete, easy-to-use kit, demystifies the ancient art of indigo dyeing.  Indigo is a natural, plant-based dye traditionally used to create resist patterns on fabric by many cultures around the world. Today it continues to be popular for dyeing denim. The kit dyes more than 15 yards (5 lbs.) of fabric or 15 t-shirts. The reusable dye bath lasts for several weeks.

The soft-edged triangular shape and jumbo size of these colored pencils naturally place little hands and fingers into the appropriate coloring position. As an added functional bonus, the triangular shape prevents these pencils from constantly rolling off the table onto the floor. Each packaged set has 12 colored pencils.

Illustrate an original book by combining gorgeous batik fabrics and fun ribbon, plus artist-quality paint and beads. With simple tips and lots of examples for inspiration, paint your favorite poem or story,  sew pockets onto a padded baby book, glue found objects onto a personal art journal or create anything else you can imagine!  Two bonus projects in every kit! Turn the box into a mailbox, birdhouse or special treasure box. The inner tray is perfect for framing your art. Ages 8 and up.

The perfect introduction to needle felting! Very satisfying and easy to do, simply poke colorful roving wool into the square canvas with a felting needle to paint four pictures of anything you can imagine! No glue or sewing required. Two bonus projects in every kit! Turn the box into a mailbox, birdhouse or special treasure box. The inner tray is perfect for framing your art. Ages 8 and up.