Tag Archives: dowel rods

CELEBRATE THE SEASONS! Summer Is Fun! Mobile

CELEBRATE THE SEASONS! Summer Is Fun! Mobile
SUMMER MOBILE

SUMMER MOBILE

Ages: 5 – 12 years

Time: ½ hour – 1 hour

MATERIALS:

White felt square 36”x 36”

Orange craft foam

Yellow craft foam

White craft foam

Beige craft foam

Turquoise craft foam

Black craft foam

Moss

Black marker

White glue

scissors

String or jute or wire or thread

Dowel rods (plus cutters for cutting or sawing the dowel rods)

  1. Using the patterns provided, trace and cut the sun from the yellow craft foam, the pail from the orange craft foam, the shell from the beige craft foam, the shovel from the turquoise craft foam, and all four colors of craft foam for the ball. Finally, cut the sunglasses from the black craft foam. You don’t have to use all the patterns from the banners project.
  2. Take a small amount of moss and glue it on the top of the pail. Press down firmly while it dries.
  3. Use a black marker to draw the sun’s cheeks, smile and nose. If you are using the shell pattern, sketch a few lines on it to make it look three dimensional. Also, spell out “Summer Is Fun!”
  4. Cut two dowel rods. Tie a piece of string, jute or wire around the middle of the two dowel rods to secure them. Then, lace a piece of string, thread, jute, or wire 6” to 8” in length through the hole at the top of each shape. Tie the shapes to the dowel rods.
  5. To balance the mobile, place two or more shapes to each dowel rod and be sure that some of the shapes hang lower (or higher) than some of the others. Cut a string long enough to tie on either end of the dowel rods for hanging.
  6. Does your sculpture move? What makes it move? How is this design different from the banner design? Can you list the differences? Can you list the similarities? What is the difference between attaching the leaves on the mobile and attaching the leaves on the banner? What makes the leaves on the mobile three-dimensional and the leaves on the banner two-dimensional?
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Tissue Paper Flowers

Tissue Paper Flowers

 

Materials:

Tissue paper in a variety of colors including complimentary colors if you can find them

Scissors

Chenille stems or pipe cleaner

Ruler

Vase or tall empty container

Chop sticks or dowel rods

 

  1. Stack two pieces of one color tissue paper and two pieces of another color tissue paper.
  2. Make a one-inch fold at the short end. Turn the stack over and make a one-inch fold again. Continue to fold back and forth until the entire stack forms a strip (like an accordion).
  3. Fold the stack in the middle and cut it in half.
  4. Round off the corners of each strip.
  5. Wrap a pipe cleaner around the middle of a strip and twist it tightly.
  6. Fan out the tissue and pull on one layer at strip of papers at a time.
  7. Repeat steps 4 -6 with the second strip.
  8. VARIATION: Using the complimentary colored tissue papers, stack two pieces of blue and two pieces of orange and repeat steps 1 – 7.
  9. Continuing to use complimentary color combinations, stack two pieces of purple and two pieces of yellow tissue paper and follow steps 1 – 7.the chop sticks
  10. Using red and green, stack two pieces of each color and follow steps 1 – 7
  11. When finished making the flowers, attach them to the chop sticks or dowel rods using the pipe cleaners. Put them in a vase or jar and decorate your favorite room.
  12. Attach the various color combination flowers to gifts or the covers of photo albums and journals. Paper flowers have lots of uses!
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Ojo de Dios (God’s Eye)

Ojo de Dios (God’s Eye)
GOD'S EYE

                                    GOD’S EYE

Materials:

Chop sticks or dowel rods (12” in length)

Yarn in assorted colors

Scissors

White glue

  1. Cross the chopsticks or dowel rod in the center. Pick a color for the center of the God’s Eye. Tie securely with the end of the yarn.
  2. Loop the yarn a couple of times to secure it further.
  3. Holding the center of the sticks, wrap the yarn under and around one of the sticks a few times. Make sure the sticks don’t show by pushing the yarn together on the stick. Pull snugly.
  4. Pull the yarn to the next stick. Wrap it under and around.
  5. Continue to wrap the yarn from stick to stick by wrapping under the sticks.
  6. If you choose to change colors, tie the yarn to a stick and cut off the excess. Tie on a second yarn.
  7. Continue to wrap until the sticks are almost covered. Make the last wrap and tie the yarn to the stick. You will need extra yarn so cut this piece about 5 “– 6” from the knot.
  8. Place a small amount of glue on the end of the stick. Wrap the end of the yarn over the glue, covering the entire end of the stick. Snip any excess yarn.
  9. Make two small God’s Eyes to hang on either horizontal end of the larger God’s Eye. Use pencils or narrower dowel rods and wrap the yarn like you did in Steps 2 through 8.
  10. Make a loop. Tie it to the opposite vertical end of the stick and hang.

TIP: Small God’s Eyes make great Christmas tree and/or window ornaments. Use pencils to make these smaller Ojo de Dios.

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