One of the easiest animals your child can make out of clay is the snake. Have her roll it out on a piece of paper; the more bits of different color the better. This seemingly simple exercise can give your child a lot of confidence in her ability to create. There is something magical about taking a thought or concept and making it appear in reality.
Who knows? You may have a budding Michelangelo on your hands!
I think everyone should write. Doesn’t everybody have a unique story to tell?
To me, some of the most interesting stories are the true ones, told by neighbors and friends. It would be a good idea for children to keep a journal, just for themselves. Think what a treasure trove of memories and ways of looking at the world this will be once they’re adults! Writing is a unique way to record your thoughts no matter the age.
And believe me- writing creatively is indeed a craft, a skill that can be developed by anyone. Try it yourself sometime- you may be surprised how enjoyable it can be.
If you need inspiration for that first sketch, try looking out the window to the nearest tree or bush! Or draw your pet cat, curled in a ball on the couch. Artists throughout history have created images of nature .
Animals and plants are rich in texture and design- perfect for the budding artist’s sketch pad. Don’t worry a bit if your first efforts are disappointing. Every step you take to capture life with your pencil is another step towards becoming an artist- someone who can see what’s there and interpret it creatively.
Did you know that drawing well is really just a matter of really looking? If you pay attention to what you’re drawing by really noticing the proportions, the texture and the space it’s occupying, then chances are you’ll end up with a good likeness of your subject matter.
The next time you have to wait for your wife or your husband while they putter around in the store, you can be busy sketching the trees or the buildings around you. You’ll be surprised how adept you get at noticing things!
If you keep a pad and a pencil to draw with near at hand, then opportunities will arise and you’ll end up with a visual recording of your life. How about that for a different kind of journal?
All you have to do to create your own designer dog collar is some fabric glue and some trim from the fabric store. I know these days fabric stores can be a little hard to find, but I would imagine there are some good online stores to purchase trim from.
Just be sure that the width of the trim matches the width of your collar. The rest is so easy. But wash the collar first because it will have a coating on it that will prevent the fabric glue from sticking to it.
Once you glue on the trim, you can step out and proudly show off your new “designer” doggie wear! (I know it’ll be hard to wait, but be sure the glue is dry before you put the collar on your pooch!)
I just saw a wonderful idea for a cat toy! You can use a garden glove and tie a strip of yarn on the end of each finger tip. On the end of the yarn, the part that dangles down, tie a jingle bell! Your kitty will love attacking the yarn and your fingers will remain safe.
For the playful dog, fill an old sock with 2 or 3 squeakers, and stuff the rest of it with some fiberfill. You can decorate the outside with some felt scraps for eyes. Just make sure you use a nontoxic glue to fix it to the sock. Or better yet, embroider the eyes on! It’s not that hard, and you will end up with a very clever piece of play art for your canine companion!
Have you heard of this product? Apparently it’s made from recycling film! The silver particles are suspended in clay, which then burns off when the piece is fired in a kiln.
I think this sounds like a wonderful product, much easier to learn than creating wax models and working with molten silver. Sterling silver jewelry is so beautiful, I’m glad there’s a way for the layperson to enjoy working with it. Just keep in mind you still have to have a kiln to fire your completed art work.
But why not give it a go? You might discover some amazing untapped talent for creating precious metal jewelry!
It’s not difficult to create your own dried flowers. The best time to pick them is in the morning, but be sure any condensation from the night before has had time to evaporate in the sun.
The best flowers for this purpose are fully open, past the bud stage. Long stems are the best.
You can bundle them together by their stems, tying them with string or a twisty tie from a bread bag. Hang them upside down in a place that’s dry, like an attic. They shouldn’t be in direct sun or the colors will fade sooner.
When they’ve completely dried, put them in attractive vases all around the house. A mantle or shelf is an especially nice location to display your natural creation!
You can make your own necklace from melon seeds! It isn’t hard; all you have to do is wash the seeds you get from a watermelon or cantaloupe then string them using a waxy thread like dental floss.
It works best when the melon seeds are damp because it’s way easier to pierce them with the needle.
String them up then hang them to dry. This would be a great project during the summer to get a jump on some home-made holiday gifts! Inexpensive gifts , especially when crafted from the heart are fun to receive.
It’s not too difficult to learn some basic embroidery stitches from a book. Most kids over the age of 8 or 9 have the dexterity to hold a needle and run it through cloth in a few basic stitch types.
Sewing by hand is a handy skill to have anyway. And once the basics are down, you can create some masterpieces in thread! Embroidery thread comes in a rainbow of colors; it’s relatively inexpensive and not too hard to come by.
Purchase some muslin and an embroidery hoop- these are indispensable. Draw something in pencil on your muslin- a tree, a house, a pet or anything you want- even a simple design. Now outline your work with some simple stitches. You may end up with something worthy of framing! At the very least, you’ve created something on your own instead of following some other artist’s design.
Good Job!