Vertbaudet, the international children’s fashion and interiors brand, is giving one lucky child between the age of five and 12 the chance to design the party outfit of their dreams – and see it turned into reality!

Children can use felt tips, crayons, paint, collage or whatever else they like to create their designs – anything goes! There are templates for both boys and girls that can be downloaded from Vertbaudet‘s website. Entries can be drawn directly onto the A4 paper, and they must be submitted either online or by post by 15th September.

The winner being announced no later than 15th October. The winning design will be turned into a finished product for the winner, and will also be sold in the Autumn/Winter 2012 Vertbaudet catalogue. The winner will also receive a Nintendo Wii and game, as well as £350 to spend with Vertbaudet.

This time you can save 10% off anything from the Stocking Fillers range with code VMXS10 by 30 Nov.

Here is more info on the range from Crafts4Kids:

Children’s Stockings are part of the Christmas tradition and much loved by kids of all ages, so if you need some ideas to give to Santa that won’t break his bank and that will inspire the kids then have a look at our Stocking Filler collection – great stocking filler gift ideas for boys and girls from across the Crafts4Kids range and all great value at under £8.50 – perfect for small gifts for the kids friends, nieces, nephews, cousins and the like too!

Also on sale right now is the Djeco Toys and Games range which is 10% off. Djeco Toys is a French toy brand that offers exquisite children’s creative art and craft sets and traditional games for kids.

Djeco offers some really cool toys, like the Djeco Felt Tips Draw a Fashion Show, a colouring and drawing set for older girls:

Currently they are offering 15% off all Klutz books. Here are some of the top sellers:

Chicken Sox Hand Art, age 3 to 6
Was £6.99, Now £5.52

Klutz Big Bubbles, age 9+
Was £8.99, Now £7.22

Paper Fashions, age 7 to 13
Was £12.99, Now £10.19

Window Art, age 9+
Was £14.99, Now £11.89

Drawing for the Artisically Undiscovered, age 7 to 13
Was £12.99, Now £10.19

Children aged 2-8 years are invited to enter a creative drawing competition for a chance to create their very own design to be sold in Laura Ashley stores and on-line. The winning designs will also win a £250 Laura Ashley giftcard plus there are also some fantastic runner-up prizes to be won.

The two winning designs will be sold as part of the new Girlswear collection launching Spring/Summer 2011 with 100% of the profits from every competition t-shirt sold going to Barnardos children’s charity.

To enter, get your crayons, pencils and paints out and start drawing on an A4 piece of paper using one of two themes: A day at the seaside or a picnic in the park. Click here for the entry form.

Please post entries to:
Laura Ashley T-Shirt Competition
27 Bagleys Lane, London, SW6 2QA

EZ writes Creature Comforts and describes it as a blog “about celebrating the tiny details that make life so amazing and looking to find beauty in the unexpected.” Her daily inspiration posts are lovely and she also shares her etsy finds, favourite artists, mood boards, DIY ideas and her own beautiful pictures. You can even browse her blog by colour!

Elle Decoration UK recently featured EZ and she gave us a peek into her studio. Gorgeous, no?

You can really get lost in her site. Just remember not to make it feel bad about your own, less beautiful life! It’s meant to inspire you!

Here are a few of my favourite posts:

DIY: Repurposed Tins as Magnetic Organizers

Free Download: Printable Party Bunting and Cupcake Toppers

Colour Crush: Bright Pink

One Good Thing: Message-in-a-Cookie Cutter

Inspiration Daily: 6.25.10

Other sites I’ve been loving include Domestic Sluttery, Make and Takes and Old School.

The “best” entries will be featured in a gallery on the site (I have a teensy issue with “best” here because when it comes to childrens’ art, well, who is to say what’s best…) and each month a professional designer will also pick a winner for the grand prize. This month you could win entry to the National Space Centre for a family of four plus £225 towards travel and spending money.

You can submit your entry here. That is Beth from Derby’s entry from the gallery in the main above. Well done, Beth!

Keep reading for some of the best offers.

Yay!!

HobbyCraft Craft Scissors – 8 inch Only £1.84 (was £3.69)				Sirdar Juicy DK 50g Yarn Only £1.79 (was £3.59)
HobbyCraft 50 Pack of Pastel Fab Foam Sheets Only £3.49 (was £6.99)				Derwent Academy 24 Colour Pencils Only £4.99 (was £9.99)
Reeves Acrylic Painting Set for Dummies Only £14.99 (was £29.99)				HobbyCraft A4 Paper Cutter Only £18.99 (was £33.99)

This time round, we’re doing seaside-inspired “sand” art. You’ll need plenty of table salt, powder paints or chalk, paper or plastic disposable cups, clean and dry glass jars and some ice lolly sticks or stirrers (a few extra lifted from Starbucks will do).

1. Line up about half a dozen cups and pour a good portion of salt in each cup.

2. Add a different colour of paint powder to each cup – or scrape a stick of chalk with a knife. Mix well.

3. Fill your jar with one colour at a time by pouring carefully or spooning in.

4. Use sticks to push the salt into patterns as you layer and/or tilt the jar as you pour in the salt.

5. Fill to the tip top to prevent the salt shaking around in the jar and put the lid on tightly.

Optional: paint the jar lid and decorate with stickers.

Yay! Colourful, summery sand art!

1. Start with large potatoes. Wash, dry and cut them in half.

2. Draw the shape you’d like to stamp on the inside of the potato. Remember to keep it pretty simple because you will have to cut out the shape.

3. Carve out your shape carefully, about 1 cm deep.

4. Dip the potato half in paint and stamp away! Use poster paint for paper paintings or try fabric paint on a t-shirt.

5. Rinse and dry completely before switching paint colours.

Another fun twist on this idea is to make stamps from fruit and veg and turn them into people! Check out the project below and with full instructions at Kaboose.

This is an easy-to-organise activity that children are sure to love. Plus, once you have helped carve the potato shapes, it also requires very little supervision, so you can get on with all the chores you’re sure to have, or relax with a game of foxy bingo. There’s no limit to the potato shapes you might try, and children are sure to be amused for hours!