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All posts in children’s crafts

Posted:
December 31, 2012
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timed creative practice: pattern & collage

I am happy to say I have kept up my timed 5-minute practice experiment that I started a couple of weeks ago. It feels pretty good doing this quick practice so I am committing to  more of it… maybe for a year, maybe less. I’m not good with super long plans/commitments, I mean who knows what other interesting things might catch my attention.

By doing this timed practice, I am realizing that if I were to continue for a year, I’d end up with 365 ‘sketches.’ These could be inspiration for other work—a personal visual resource.

As I do them, I get more ideas on how to do them. For example, the past week I focused on pattern. The week before on text.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 1st 2013 I am starting a new week for this timed practice for which now I have a dedicated sketchbook.

Last week I also tried to continue with the slow art experiment but with no success, so I’ll have to try again. The problem was simply that I did not like what I was creating.

The past week I focused on pattern with a bit of collage. I incorporated the inspiration for the pattern within the drawing wherever I could. Most of the patterns were inspired by the inside design of security envelopes.

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Monday

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Tuesday

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Wednesaday

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Thursday – inspired by British designer Orla Kiely. You can just see her book at the back of the photo.

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Friday

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Saturday – inspired by pattern of a business card by mikind, a ceramic studio from Medicine Hat.

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Sunday/Monday?

Do you practice your craft? How do you practice?

Posted:
May 16, 2011
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using sheet music for button pins

I ran a Collage Button Pin Workshop this past Saturday. In the morning I went to a few thrift stores and picked up some new materials — a book of sheet music and a German language book. I always thought that sheet music would make for great material for button pins. I was glad to find the German book as I am trying to collect materials in various languages. Right now I have materials in Italian, Spanish, French, Japanese and now also German.

The button pins below are from participants in this past Saturday’s workshop. You can see the sheet music and German language already in use.

Collage Button Pin Workshop

Collage Button Pin Workshop

Collage Button Pin Workshop using math

Collage Button Pin Workshop

Collage Button Pin Workshop

Collage Button Pin Workshop

Collage Button Pin Workshop

Would you like to take the workshop? I haven’t scheduled any classes but you can now easily book a class if you can get 3 people together. Maximum of 10 people. I offer discounts for groups starting at 6 — see my craft workshops page. These workshops are fun, stress-free, and suitable for beginners and experienced artists/crafters.

You can also book a workshop for a birthday party for children or adults. More info here.

Posted:
March 3, 2011
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fun with pinwheels – here’s mine

pinwheel - paper crafts

I thought the ribbon would look neat as the pinwheel whirls around

Tuesday I introduced my new desktop wallpaper series. March’s wallpaper was a DIY project on how to make a pinwheel. Today, I’m showing you my pinwheels and I’m hoping to see some of yours too!

For this project, you can use newspapers, magazines, and most scrap paper. Check your recycling bin for ideas.

craft projects - pinwheel

here I used up a takeout chopstick

I played around with several types of paper. I used thick scrapbooking paper on its own, magazine paper, old bookkeeping ledger paper and word rubber stamps that I make available also for my collage button making workshops (next one is Saturday March 12).

craft projects - pinwheel

a circle attached to the top and held together with a rivet

These days I am doing lots of design work on the computer, so taking breaks to whip up a pinwheel is very satisfying. I get to play with colour and pattern by putting together different combinations of paper (I use a glue stick to attach two thin sheets together).

children craft projects - pinwheel

thick scrapbooking paper, edges cut with craft scissors

But getting a pinwheel to move freely is a little tricky. Sticking a pinwheel with a pin to a pencil (or a chop stick), as per the instructions,  does not work really well. After all, the pinwheel is supposed to turn with the wind.  The pin can make the attachment too tight, you have to leave room for the paper. While a fan will generate a strong ‘wind’, a gentle wind won’t probably generate the excitement you’re looking for. So, I’ve been playing and attaching eyelets and creating a modified version of a pinwheel.

children craft projects - pinwheel

a sheet of booking ledger and a sheet of magazine paper glued together

One book I saw suggested using a dowl and drilling a hole in the dowl or pushing the pin through and then using contact cement to secure the pin in place. I also used chopsticks but you have to be careful as they split easily.

children craft projects - pinwheel

rubber word stamps applied to the paper

If you make a pinwheel, I’d love to see it! Leave your link in the comments.

Posted:
March 1, 2011
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March is for Fun with Air

I am starting a fun new series for my newsletter subscribers. On the first of each month, I’ll be sending out a desktop wallpaper like the one seen here. March marks the first of the series. The wallpaper is meant to be centered on your screen leaving you room to clearly see your icons.  Click on the thumbnail below to enlarge it and then right click on the image, choose “Save image as” to download to your computer.

March Desktop Wallpaper Free

What colour will you choose to surround the image? I chose a dark gray.

I remember when I was a little girl learning in school that March was depicted as a big cloud with huge cheeks blowing out huge gusts of air. March was the month where the winds picked up and everything swirled about you. So when I saw this lesson in a vintage book, I immediately thought of March.

In keeping with my own work, each month will include a calendar and vintage illustrations or images paired with text. March’s illustrations happen to also be a DIY project. A simple and fun project for children and adults alike. I think adults especially will love taking time out to play with paper and make some cool pinwheels for the walls or to hang off the ceiling.

So, did you ever make a pinwheel? It just so happens that I never have, so I’ve had lots of fun making not one but many and I don’t think I’m finished! Check in on Thursday to see what I’ve come up with!

Subscribe to the newsletter to have a free desktop wallpaper sent to your inbox on the 1st of each month. Sign up is on the sidebar.