newspaper chains

What do you do when your child is sick in bed for the second day in a row?  Climb right in with her for a little crafting and storytelling. Using the old fashioned method of cutting accordion folded paper, we created an instant village among the snowy white mountains blankets.  We took turns making up silly tales. When my daughter was ready to return to the stack of books at her bedside, I couldn't resist snipping some little acorns. I had been dreaming of a mixed fall leaf chain, but frankly my sleepy brain (lots of middle of the night waking going on these last couple of days) and uncoordinated fingers needed something easy.

Later on, when we both felt a bit more energized, we went downstairs and applied some watercolors.

Both of us are happy with how they turned out.Quite. I get a crazy amount of satisfaction out of cut and painted newspaper, as you well know! We'll be returning to these kinds of chains even after her sore throat disappears.

With all of the big box stores out there, it's easy to forget about simple materials and traditional crafts. But you and I won't, will we? Please keep spreading the word: you've already got everything on hand... or maybe out back in those recycling bins! Now, onto those leaf chains...

wooden rainbows

I'm so glad you enjoyed the rainbow pictures earlier this week. Who doesn't stop in their tracks at the glimpse of nature's masterpiece? We're lucky to live in a valley that's blessed with lots of rainbows, and my children know the exact weather conditions, and kind of light that shouts "rainbow alert". During our hunts for those arcs of color, we've inevitably talked about the spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet (Roy G. Biv).

This has led to creating our own with crayons, markers, paint... etc. One of the simplest and most satisfying art projects we've done recently was stumbled upon by chance: painting watercolor rainbows onto wooden craft sticks. The water colors bleed into one another creating a seamless spectrum. Our countless rainbow sticks have been used for book marks, magic wands, and building materials for fairy houses. They're also considered "lucky sticks", good for tucking in pockets when going on adventures.

Such success with simple materials led us to paint watercolors on any scrap wood we could find:  the gorgeous outcome was so enticing. At the peak of this wooden passion, we rediscovered the the "Curiosity Bags" sold at our favorite local shop: Mama Goose.  Curiosity Bags are a wooden treasure trove of odds and ends, seconds, and leftovers put together by my artisan neighbor, Wild Apple.

I've shared my love for Wild Apple toymaker, Gunther Kiel, before here and here. If you live anywhere near Mama Goose, don't pass by these humble looking bags. They are not sold as toys because they might need to be sanded or could be missing a part, but we found many pieces that were gorgeous... and for water coloring:  they're pure bliss. Parent supervision is necessary for young children because some of those bunnies and sheep are so tiny (and cute).

My daughter created this play set (I love that pink goose):

So grab your watercolors and craft sticks, maybe peek into your garage for any scraps you have lying around, and count on hours of fun. You can also find inexpensive wooden shapes, animals and letters at all craft supply stores. But if you happen to be local,  run down to Mama Goose!

simple shell activities with children

 This summer my mother unpacked a very full basket of teeny tiny shells. At the end of every barn visit, she'd invite my daughter to pick a few special ones to take home.

My daughter's fascination with the shell basket led to sorting. Sorting led to identification with this handy book: A Golden Guide: Seashells of the World.

 A recipe for delighting young children often includes simple and thoughtful activities that increase fine motor skills while stimulating curiosity. This shell collection fit the bill. After several shell infused afternoons, my mother whispered "I have some larger ones, you know..." Out to her shed she went and returned with a box of shells anyone would have oohhed and aahhhed over, but imagine the little girl that had been immersed in shells for days. Ecstasy, really.

 Our next visit was filled with washing and caring for them. As I said, simple and thoughtful. With a tub of slightly soapy water, a little rag, and a drying cloth my daughter proceeded to happily wash shells for much longer than anticipated. Do you have a collection of shells? Set up a washing station:  it's worth doing.

Soon my mother introduced a little ladle and a glass vase. She discarded the soapy water and added clean water to the tub. Carefully, my daughter ladled the water into the vase. She selected  some favorite shells and dropped them in gently.

To her surprise many shells gave birth to a little water bubble... like little pearls.

 

Filling a glass jar (or vase) of shells is something many of us have done. There's a reason... it's like holding a bit of the magical underwater world in our hands. I find it just as captivating now as I did when I was little.

I always associate them with summer, but really you can spend time with shells at any time of year.

button collecting and crafting

Buttons are so much more than just little " fasteners" of clothing. As any button collector will tell you, they are rich in color, materials and style. The truly old ones are like miniature antiques and speak of art, traditions, craftsmanship and family lineage. Oh, if buttons could talk! Can you imagine the  stories of adventure and long forgotten times they might tell... from the old brass buttons on a soldier's uniform to the highly prized jet buttons which decorated the black silk dresses of the Victorian age. Or maybe they would tell a little bit of our own tale: our grandmother's buttons from her wedding dress or even the little plastic bunny button that fastened a favorite purple jumper in the 1970's (ahem, that would be mine).

When I tweeted that my children and I were sorting through my mother's button collection, the response was universal... "I remember doing that as a child!" Her collection is quite vast now, compared to the little basket I upturned onto the floor as a girl. But I still found my old favorites shining through the masses as if they glowed! My daughter actually found those bunnies!

Trays are very useful for spreading out bunches of buttons and still keeping them contained. In our case, they also kept them from slipping through the cracks of the front porch. Sorting, counting, crafting... there are endless ways to enjoy buttons together. I always love to check out Lil Fish Sudios to see what Lisa has been up to on her button mondays. Some day soon we'll make Martha's button stamps.  Google button crafts, and you'll find a plethora of ideas. And of course, Amazon has dozens of button books.

So what did we do with all that inspiration? Easy, fun, instant-pleasure kind of button crafting!
We made stretchy bracelets

After arranging buttons of choice in a pattern, string them on an elastic cord by "poking up through the pretty side and the down through the pretty side", as chanted by my girl throughout each bracelet she made. Tie it on your wrist. Petting a sleepy cat is optional.

We also created some interchangeable hair pins. In the past, I made these more permanent by sewing a button to the end of a clip: very sweet and simple. But on this day we tried using buttons with shanks, instead of holes, for immediate success.

Just slip a bobby pin through the shank and voila! Oh, look there is that bunny! Can you guess who might like to wear this little one?

Who doesn't love an instant hair accessory: a lovely bit of vintage charm to tie back tresses?  Each button will adhere to the pin differently, depending on the shank. Some will be loose, others snug... but as soon as they slide onto your hair they are fixed place like a little bit of magic. We think the center photo looks a little bit like a cluster of lollipops!

Look for button collections at thrift stores, flea markets and garage sales. Do you collect buttons, also? Did your mother? I'd love to hear some of your button stories.

castle peeps summer camp: diy travel felt board

 Lizzy House has invited  me to be counselor for her virtual summer camp revolving around weekly activities featuring her latest amazing fabric: Castle Peeps. I could spend this entire post gushing about how much I adore Lizzy... what a brilliant, funny and loving friend she is... how her beautiful fine art is even more so in person... that she is the youngest textile designer around... yeah, see I couldn't  help myself.

But let's jump right into this latest tutorial: The Travel Felt Board! You can obviously make this with any fabric, but Castle Peeps' endearing characters and whimsical castles lend themselves perfectly to this craftivity. My five year old is so smitten that she announced: everything I ever make her should now be in Castle Peeps. Five is such a passionate age, you know.

  I'm going to give you the measurements used here, but really you can make up your own to suit your materials.

Need:

rectangle of cotton 14.5 x 25 inches
rectangle of blue felt 14.5 x 25 inches
rectangle of green felt 7.5 x 25 inches
extra felt for backing
fusible webbing (optional)
handles (tip: dark colors disguise wear and tear of grubby fingers) 6 x 9 inches
snip of elastic
button
needle
thread
2  pieces of cardboard- each being slightly smaller than the board folded in half.

Make:

1. Fold handle pieces in half to make crease. Open. Fold both ends inward to center crease. Fold lengthwise again. Top stitch down both sides close to the edge.

   2. Place green felt on top of blue felt. Pin handles facing inward as shown. Pin elastic in the same direction as handles and in the center of right handle.

3. Lay cotton right side down over the felt and handles. Pin in place.
4. Sew all the way around leaving the bottom open. Now stitch the bottom a tiny bit on each side... just an inch or so.

5. Turn right side out and have a helper slide in one piece of cardboard.

6. Sew straight down the center. Then add the second piece of cardboard. You might have to cut it and/or bend it a little to slip it in. Iron and pin the bottom together. Top stitch around the entire circumference. Sewing around cardboard is slightly tricky and might cause some wee wonkiness... but that might have just been me with my daughter asking "done, yet Mama" every few minutes.

7. Make felt  castles and peeps... maybe even some clouds. Lay fabric on top of felt and cut out shapes. Stitch around the edges or use fusible webbing sandwiched between the two layers... or do both!

Felt sticks to felt. The green grass doubles as storage pockets! We love that part. Cleaning up is part of the fun. Don't forget to add a little button to the opposite side of the elastic loop. Keeps it all tucked in tight!

Ready to go! This will be accompanying us on our next road trip...

Or maybe just out to the backyard!

balancing act

~ A well-developed sense of humor is the pole that adds balance to your step as you walk the tightrope of life. ~
William Arthur Ward

Day 5 of the circus brings a tightrope of sorts... an impromptu balance beam. A place to find inner quiet, courage... to build confidence and coordination... to be silly and dramatic!

All you need:
- 2x4 between 8 and 10 feet long
- two sturdy chairs
- parasols and pretty skirts are optional

Words to live by: Get up on that tightrope. Don't look down. Find your balance. Know when to hold someone's hand... and when to let go.

Be brave!

hoops and fire rings

Hula hoops have been around since the days of ancient Greece, when they were used for exercise, to 3000 years ago in Egypt where hoops of grapevine were rolled. They were rediscovered in the 1950's and became an icon of that era. Modern children and adults still find hula hooping a great form of exercise and just plain fun. We have a hoop for each family member and a couple extras for guests. They're put to use constantly and bridge all ages... my daughter started hooping at 4, and her grandmother even gets into the action! Hula hoops are a fabulous activity for any outdoor party/gathering, whether you make them with a group or just have a bunch ready for action. Here's a link to make your own. Make several in various circumferences.

Now what's a circus without a ring of flames? Make an (almost) instant flaming hoop for daring performers and any available wild cats!  Create fire with strips of multicolored jersey cut  from various old t-shirts. Oranges and reds are perfect, but I'd love to experiment with a rainbow ring, as well.  Space them evenly around the hoop.

Dare the first tiger you happen upon to jump through...

If they won't cooperate, search out a local zebra... they're quite agreeable!

diy: juggling rag balls

Welcome to day 3 of the circus! Juggling under the Big Top is a must.  My mother's vintage rag balls were the inspiration for making some modern juggling balls with simple materials.

A little rice, an old t-shirt and a few stray socks are all you need to make your own set. They're firm, don't bounce and can be customized to the hands of the juggler!

Need:

• Old small sock (toddler size is just right)
• Rice
• Needle and thread
• Scissors
• 1-2 inch wide strips of t-shirts cut against the grain.

Make:

1. Cut toe off sock. Fill toe with rice and sew opening shut. 
2. Fold over excess seam allowance to create a ball.
3. Wind strips of fabric around and around the rice ball. Keep it tight and even until it’s the size of a tangerine. It will look wonky, at first. Keep going.
4. Tuck in the last few inches of fabric in several different spots to secure. Add  few stitches in varying spots for added durability. It's done!!

Make a set of at least three and learn how to juggle... an older child can master it, too!  Juggling has a long and rich history. Check out Annekata's latest post for more facts and links.

During these busy times, it seems like we all  have so many "balls" in the air... learning at least one way to juggle them would feel so satisfying... wink. wink.

A big thank you to Casey Benson for playing circus with us. More details on this amazing woman next week!