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Simple, Homemade And Upcycled Smock Project

At the request of my daughter (and my delight), we do a lot of projects. A lot. Some simple and some quite messy. And when things are going to get messy, mom insists on a smock – of sorts.

Ever the “green” mom instead of purchasing a smock for art projects, I rescued one of my husband’s old undershirts from the trash. Sure it has a few tiny holes, but for an over-sized smock that covers my daughter’s entire outfit it works great. The problem – the undershirt turned smock often gets mixed back in with my husband’s undershirts in the laundry.

The need to clearly differentiate K’s smock from the rest of the pack, lead to its own project – decorating an art smock.

Materials:

  • Upcycled shirt, of any kind
  • Crayola fabric pens
  • Newspaper
  • Iron

Crayola Fabric Markers DIY Art Smock

After sliding newspaper into the shirt (to prevent color from bleeding through), I let K loose on the shirt with the markers.  Thrilled to be allowed to write on her shirt, after very clear rules about general marker usage, I sat back as she created her masterpiece.

While I waited, I also read the instructions on the package. Good thing too because the fabric markers are not officially set until you iron the design (inside out on a cool setting) then toss into the dryer (alone) for 30 minutes on medium. Zoinks that could have been a laundry disaster!

Once she was satisfied with her creation (at least for now), I set to work “setting” the design. I have a feeling this will be a work in progress and foresee future requests to add on to her smock. In the mean time, she has wearable art to protect her clothes from accidental art disasters that will no longer be mistake as just another undershirt.

DIY Homemade Art Smock for Kids Craft

(Note: Ironically, this project requires the use of two shirt smocks, one to decorate and one to wear while decorating. Because, of course, fabric markers are not washable!)

The Crayola fabric pens come in bright for darks. Although the pens we have are clearly intended for dark color fabrics, we used them with easy on a white t-shirt too.

This is an easy and fun project that is both green and practice too.

Crayola Prize Pack

Giveaway – this giveaway has ended and the winner has been contacted. 

Disclosure: The information, products and additional Crayola Back-to-School gift pack was provided by Crayola® through MyBlogSpark.

Related

Crafts, DIY art smock, craft, homemade, kid's craft, upcycle

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. keely hostetter says

    October 4, 2012 at 9:46 am

    Some fun shirts or bags for my kids

    Reply
  2. Brittany K. says

    October 4, 2012 at 10:46 am

    I would make big brother/little brother shirts & let my sons decorate them. 🙂

    Reply
  3. Debra Hall says

    October 4, 2012 at 8:54 pm

    Pillow cases are always fun

    Reply
  4. apple blossom says

    October 4, 2012 at 9:16 pm

    cards

    Reply
  5. Jan Messali says

    October 4, 2012 at 9:17 pm

    I’d like to create an art smock with my grandson.

    Reply
  6. Tonya Fullenkamp says

    October 4, 2012 at 10:19 pm

    Shirts for kids. That’s going to be so fun!

    Reply
  7. Auri Lae says

    October 5, 2012 at 5:05 am

    We have a baby due in a few weeks – I’d decorate some clothes and bibs!

    Reply
  8. LaTanya says

    October 5, 2012 at 7:26 am

    a tee shirt

    Reply
  9. Danielle T says

    October 5, 2012 at 10:24 am

    I would let my daughter and son create their own tshirts!

    Reply
  10. christine jessamine says

    October 5, 2012 at 11:00 pm

    i would love to have my kids create a fun art piece on a blanket

    Reply
  11. Tracie Trump says

    October 6, 2012 at 1:25 pm

    Love to make tshirts, my fb is Michelle Trump and my email is tracietrump@yahoo.com

    Reply
  12. Suzie says

    October 8, 2012 at 12:47 pm

    I would do special t-shirts for the kiddos!

    Reply
  13. Danielle Royalegacy says

    October 11, 2012 at 8:33 pm

    Probably a special shirt

    Reply
  14. Sarah says

    October 11, 2012 at 9:13 pm

    I would help my girls decorate shirts, aprons, anything we can find really and then give the stuff we make to family for Christmas:D

    Reply
  15. Nina says

    October 12, 2012 at 2:10 pm

    We’d personalize my son’s backpack!

    Reply
  16. Karen Medlin says

    October 13, 2012 at 11:27 pm

    a tote bag for grandma for a holiday gift

    Reply
  17. Annmarie W. says

    October 14, 2012 at 7:41 pm

    My daughter would love to use them to decorate some bandanas…and a swim bag!

    Reply
  18. Richard Morris says

    October 14, 2012 at 11:42 pm

    customized t-shirts w/my daughter

    Reply
  19. Kristi C says

    October 15, 2012 at 2:49 am

    I would create some tees to wear to the childrens soccer games.

    Reply
  20. Sabrina M says

    October 15, 2012 at 9:30 am

    Make home coming shirts for when my husband comes home from deployments !! We love making these !!!

    Reply
    • jen says

      October 15, 2012 at 1:12 pm

      Thank you to you and your husband for your service.

      Reply
  21. carol says

    October 15, 2012 at 10:18 am

    I would give it to my grandkids to crate a t shirt of their own design

    Reply
  22. Kelly H. says

    October 15, 2012 at 11:05 am

    I would let my daughter design her own tote bag.

    Reply
  23. Caryn S says

    October 15, 2012 at 11:50 am

    A tote bag for our library books

    Reply
  24. Monique Rizzo says

    October 15, 2012 at 12:26 pm

    Id let my daughter design some fun Christmas Tshirts.Thanks for the chance.
    mogrill12@gmail.com

    Reply
  25. Melissa JN says

    October 15, 2012 at 12:45 pm

    We want to make personalized fabric napkins for Thanksgiving!

    Reply
    • jen says

      October 15, 2012 at 1:12 pm

      What a cute idea!

      Reply
  26. Mary Happymommy says

    October 15, 2012 at 12:46 pm

    We would create a pillowcase dress.

    Reply
  27. Ann Fantom says

    October 15, 2012 at 1:51 pm

    I would let my daughter decorate her gymnastics practice T-shirt

    Reply
  28. Sabrina M says

    October 15, 2012 at 2:11 pm

    Thank you !!

    Reply
  29. Nicole D. says

    October 15, 2012 at 3:12 pm

    A fun tablecloth for the kids table at Thanksgiving!

    Reply
  30. beth shepherd says

    October 15, 2012 at 4:32 pm

    We would design shirts for grandmas from the kids

    Reply
  31. Heidi says

    October 15, 2012 at 6:15 pm

    I would create some tote bags with my girls.

    Reply
  32. Amy says

    October 15, 2012 at 6:18 pm

    some t shirts to give as gifts to grandma she loves homemade things from the grandkids

    Reply
  33. Christine says

    October 15, 2012 at 6:23 pm

    tee shirt

    Reply
  34. Donna L says

    October 15, 2012 at 8:19 pm

    I would give it to my granddaughter to have fun with it.

    Reply
  35. Linda G. says

    October 15, 2012 at 9:13 pm

    I would like to create a T shirt with my grandson

    Reply
  36. renee walters says

    October 15, 2012 at 11:28 pm

    Customized t-shirts for my kid’s!

    Reply
  37. Anastasia says

    October 16, 2012 at 2:23 am

    The girls and I would make our own, custom t-shirts! 🙂

    Reply
  38. janice says

    October 16, 2012 at 2:26 am

    tote bags

    Reply
  39. Karen Gonyea says

    October 16, 2012 at 5:39 am

    Some cool pillow cases 🙂

    Reply
  40. Denise S says

    October 16, 2012 at 7:48 am

    I’d let the kids do tee shirts.

    Reply
  41. brittney says

    October 16, 2012 at 8:21 am

    shirts for school functions!
    brittneydejajason at gmail dot com

    Reply
  42. Michelle Bryan says

    October 16, 2012 at 9:00 am

    a tote bag

    Reply
  43. Mary Beth Elderton says

    October 16, 2012 at 9:28 am

    My grands would have a lot of fun using the markers to decorate big t-shirts to sleep in.

    Reply
  44. carol gentry says

    October 16, 2012 at 9:48 am

    Christmas gifts for my grandkids

    Reply
  45. Jeni Lutz says

    October 16, 2012 at 11:36 am

    a t-shirt

    Reply
  46. Erica C. says

    October 16, 2012 at 1:03 pm

    We would decorate tote bags.

    Reply
  47. McKim says

    October 16, 2012 at 1:57 pm

    I would let the kids at my grandson’s birthday party each create a t-shirt.

    Reply
  48. Kristy Thiel says

    October 16, 2012 at 2:51 pm

    we’d create a fun pillowcase!

    Reply
  49. Stephanie says

    October 16, 2012 at 4:55 pm

    A fun night shirt for my daughter, she loves running around in her pajamas.

    Reply
  50. Jessica To says

    October 16, 2012 at 6:18 pm

    I would have my son do a shirt for his grandparents.

    Reply
  51. Brittany Shifflett says

    October 16, 2012 at 6:27 pm

    I’d have my daughter create her own design on a shirt. 🙂

    Reply
  52. Kelly L says

    October 16, 2012 at 7:32 pm

    I’d let my girls make their own t-shirts. Thanks!

    Reply
  53. Ericka says

    October 16, 2012 at 7:43 pm

    A Halloween shirt

    Reply
  54. Melanie says

    October 16, 2012 at 8:35 pm

    I’d let my 4-year-old make her own shirt. She would love it!

    Reply
  55. Melanie Montgomery says

    October 16, 2012 at 9:09 pm

    I’d make some customized tshirts.

    Reply
  56. freebies city says

    October 16, 2012 at 9:39 pm

    a top for my little dude’s play

    Reply
  57. Harolde says

    October 16, 2012 at 10:03 pm

    A beautiful T-shirt for our granddaughter.

    Reply
  58. amy deeter says

    October 16, 2012 at 10:46 pm

    i would have my kids make some tshirts

    Reply
  59. Angela Cisco says

    October 16, 2012 at 10:49 pm

    I’d let the kids design their own t-shirts

    Reply
  60. Kayla says

    October 16, 2012 at 10:55 pm

    I’d make a new bag to carry my stuff in!

    Reply
  61. stony says

    October 16, 2012 at 11:08 pm

    I’d decorate a new bag for the kids stuff

    Reply
  62. Samantha Meyer says

    October 17, 2012 at 12:17 am

    Some fun family t-shirts!

    Reply
  63. Noreen says

    October 17, 2012 at 12:24 am

    Decorate tote for Girl Scout meetings

    Reply
  64. Deb K says

    October 17, 2012 at 4:26 am

    I would let the grand-kiddies make t-shirts

    Reply
  65. Sarah says

    October 17, 2012 at 6:03 am

    Personalized tote bags

    Reply
  66. Amy DeLong says

    October 17, 2012 at 7:10 am

    some type of halloween tees
    ardelong2(at)gmail(dot)com

    Reply
  67. Julie says

    October 17, 2012 at 9:04 am

    my daughter would like to decorate a tote
    thanks

    Reply
  68. Ciara B. says

    October 17, 2012 at 10:34 am

    i would decorate some of my son’s clothes

    Reply
  69. Kelsey Little says

    October 17, 2012 at 12:48 pm

    I would let my neice help me and we would make something for her 🙂

    shopditzydiva@yahoo dot com

    Reply
  70. tina page says

    October 17, 2012 at 1:29 pm

    design an apron maybe for gma. the kids made one for me years ago and i adored it.

    Reply
  71. Tiffany says

    October 17, 2012 at 1:39 pm

    I’d make tshirts with inside jokes for me and my friends

    Reply
  72. Chrissy Nestor says

    October 17, 2012 at 1:51 pm

    I’d decorate T-Shirts with my daughter.

    chrissylea1979 (at)gmail(dot) com

    Reply
  73. Mariah says

    October 17, 2012 at 2:01 pm

    I would let my kids decorate an apron for Grandma for Christmas.

    Reply
  74. Nikki Thoresen says

    October 17, 2012 at 2:38 pm

    a “Big Sister” shirt for my daughter and “Little Brother” shirt for her new baby brother. : )

    Reply
  75. jenny says

    October 17, 2012 at 2:56 pm

    I would like my daughter to decorate a shirt

    Reply
  76. Karine Traverse says

    October 17, 2012 at 3:44 pm

    I would let my girls decorate some of the shirt and pants they got stained and just have a fun craft day

    Reply
  77. kathy pease says

    October 17, 2012 at 5:29 pm

    we would make tshirts for my sons basketball games

    Reply
  78. Beth Palacios says

    October 17, 2012 at 6:13 pm

    I would give my daughter’s a blank T Shirt and let them design whatever their little hearts desire. 🙂

    Reply
  79. Laura Proctor Unger says

    October 17, 2012 at 6:50 pm

    I think I’d get a plain white hat and let my son design whatever he wanted.

    Reply
  80. mary gardner says

    October 17, 2012 at 7:20 pm

    i’d make t shirts with my kids

    jagar0047 at yahoo dot com

    Reply
  81. shanta spradlin says

    October 17, 2012 at 7:25 pm

    I would let my daughter design a shirt

    Reply
  82. Nicole N says

    October 17, 2012 at 7:46 pm

    My 5 year old wants to be a fashion designer so I could let her go to town on a few white shirts.

    Reply
  83. carol lewis says

    October 17, 2012 at 7:59 pm

    Christmas windows with the grandkids!

    Reply
  84. laura ari says

    October 17, 2012 at 8:00 pm

    I costume for our Halloween parade.

    Reply
  85. Sarah Harding says

    October 17, 2012 at 8:04 pm

    I think I’d have the kids make an apron for there dad

    Reply
  86. Sand says

    October 17, 2012 at 9:36 pm

    I would make holiday tee shirts.

    Reply
  87. cynthia layton says

    October 17, 2012 at 9:45 pm

    lots of t shirts

    Reply

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Hi, I’m Jen

I'm an Orlando, FL mom, a blogger and a social media junkie. I love anything crafty, Disney, Gator football, chocolate, green living, flip-flops and family movie nights.
Learn more about Jen!

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