SPRING SUNCATCHERS

Show the children how to make

spring sun catchers 

to add color to their days

before the flowers bloom.

Even the smallest child is quite capable.

Supplies:

• waxed paper
• colored tissue paper
• glue/water mixture or mod podge
• brushes
• newspaper
• paper
• scissors
• marker

-Cover table with newspaper to protect the area.
-Lay out a large sheet of waxed paper horizontally.

-Brush glue mixture onto waxed paper. Do about a fist sized area at a time so the glue doesn't dry .

-Rip pieces of tissue paper and stick onto the glued areas of the waxed paper. It's ok to overlap colors.

-When the waxed paper is all covered with tissue paper, brush the whole thing with the glue mixture. It will dry clear. 


-Be sure to spread out any big globs of glue.

-Let dry.

-In the meantime, cut out spring shapes from paper. Some ideas: butterfly, flowers, bird. 


You can draw the outline of the shapes, freehand, or here's a hint : Find a picture or clip art on google images and hold computer paper up to the monitor and lightly trace with a felt marker.


-Lay your shape on the dry colorful waxed paper

-Trace it

-Cut it out

-Put it in your window to enJOY

A birdie pair

You can string some together to make a mobile too.
Be sure to use all the leftover scraps. You can cut free form flowers or geometric shapes or anything else you can think of.

Spring IS on its way! 

happy day!

MAKE - REVERB 10

Day 6 prompt – Make. 

What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it?

I always have a list of things to make and eventually I get to them. I am looking forward to some uninterrupted time after the holidays to get to some sewing projects. I also want to slipcover two wing back chairs in a myriad of funky fabrics.

The last thing I made was these ornaments using tissue paper and mod podge. . . this morning.

Supplies:
 Clear plastic ornaments. I got them at at a craft store. I used plastic so they wouldn't be too fragile for little hands, in case I had helpers.

Assorted colored tissue paper . . . 

and modpodge (OR homemade decoupage medium).

 Recipe to make your own decoupage medium: 
Mix 1 cup white glue with 1/3 cup water. Add 2 tablespoons acrylic varnish ( matte or gloss). Keep in container with tightly sealed screw on lid. 


Brush the mod podge on the ornament, tear pieces of tissue paper and adhere to ornament. Coat with more mod podge and let dry.  

Very easy and very fun. Invite a child to join you!
                     
        reverb 10 -- reflect on this year and manifest what's next.      


         happy day!

AUTUMN TREES, AUTUMN ART

The children were excited about our art activity today, but first we went out to explore real trees in the woodlands and by the pond. Most of the leaves have fallen and whole trunks and branches were quite visible to them.

There was still some color here and there.

The Autumn tree art was a hit. The children chose a light blue or dark blue cardstock paper for their background. 

Next they twisted long strips of 2 inch wide brown paper into their tree trucks and branches.  They cut the strips for the smaller branches.


We always try to use what we have and the strips of paper came from the bags that the shavings come in, that are used in the horse stalls. 

Their trees were first assembled, the way they wanted them, on paper and then glued down. 


They added leaves to their trees, which were scrunched up pieces of red, green, yellow and orange tissue paper.   The inspiration came from here.

                  
         AUTUMN TREE ART
                  GALLERY

I love how each tree is unique as each child is unique.

happy day!

MAKE FLOWER ART

I came across another *creative spark* this morning on the desk in the great room. Finding these sparks is like uncovering bits of buried treasure, and I never know what I will find next.

It is a flower, still in process.

She cut out a shape from a  pizza box. . . 

chose her color palette and gathered her supplies of tissue paper, modpodge and paintbrush and got to task.

She thinks she will do the leaves and stem in the same colors.

What will she do with it when it's finished? 

She's not sure, as she often creates without a particular goal in mind but finds a use at a later date, or just enjoys it as is. It's all about the creative process anyway.

Perhaps it could hang on her wall , or as part of a whole collection of flowers, or can adorn the edges of a bulletin board or frame, or on the cover of one of her journals. There are so many possibilities.

One can use any shape and any color to make your own personal art !

Why don't YOU, and your child, go and give it a try!

happy day!

PRETTY IT UP

We are conscious about using what we have and using things in new ways, and we try to think of ways to make something look better to suit us, instead of running to the store or tossing things out. We evaluate all options first. 


This is how our drab and scratched chair started its makeover. We liked its lines and it was solid and sturdy, certainly not a candidate for the trash. It just needed some zing and zest to go with our funky, colorful house.

 We just used tissue paper... in reds, yellows and oranges, Modpodge , a paintbrush , and 
an open mind to just go with the flow  :)   A great project to do while watching TV and feeling  creative.

It's not completed yet. . .  but here's a peek!

 This post is for October's Project Genesis, hosted by Suzan, over at oldgreymare, 
how we all can do our part to impact the world, no matter how small the act.

Check out other Project Genesis ideas here. 


                                      happy day!

COLOR ME HAPPY

I love COLOR. It excites me and empowers me and inspires me.

It's about this time of year when I LONG for all the COLORS to return to the earth. Each day we get closer and closer but it is still a way off ..to have all the flowers blooming in a myriad of hues.

         

           

                                 

It's days like this that we can create our own color INSIDE...
with tissue paper and mod podge (diluted glue) making our own glorious color schemes.

Tissue paper collages ...

on paper...

on a re-purposed ice cream container to use as a *home* for small manipulatives or anything else that needs fun storage.

Even young children can do a terrific job with tissue paper . . .as they did on on these glass jars ..to enjoy in the windows catching the daylight or to light with a tea candle as lanterns.

I LOVE to create with tissue paper. Children LOVE to create with tissue paper.

I love how the colors overlap and new ones are formed.

It's fun and easy

and each creation is unique.

Why don't YOU give it a try?