Jul26

Our Imaginations! Camp for Kids! Fence Weaving Part II

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Our Imaginations! Camp for Kids! Fence Weaving Part II

Materials:

Chain link fence

Paper – solid colored paper, patterned paper, crêpe paper, tissue paper, rice paper, construction paper, newspaper, etc. as long as the paper is pliable

Fabric scraps

Ribbon

Foil

Anything that you can use to decorate a fence

Scissors

Wire or pipe cleaners or string for attaching various elements of the design

Tape

Markers, pencils, rub down lettering or crayons for writing messages

 

A chain link fence works best. Please get permission to use it first.

Colorful, funny, serious, or informative designs can cover the entire fence or a part of it. Decorate the fence alone or with friends. Think about celebrating the project with a “weaving” party! Each of your friends could design their personal section of the fence.

Themes are popular: nature, animals, the zodiac, outer space, the sea/ocean, beach, transportation, abstract art, etc.

You can take down your fence “weaving” if you don’t like it and start again.

Weave your design vertically, horizontally or diagonally!

Use your imagination!

If you are not allowed to leave the fence “weaving’ up for a long time, take a photo of all the designs and post them on Facebook or tweet the photos to your friends and family.

Fence "Weaving"

Fence “weaving” design made of two kinds of fabric

Chain link fence banner

I Love Summer! Banner

Fence "Weaving"

Fence “Weaving”

Fence "Weaving"

Fence “Weaving”

 

Fence "Weaving" Paper Loops

Fence “Weaving” Paper Loops

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Jul20

My Big Fat Caribbean Vacation Photos II

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My Big Fat Caribbean Vacation Photos II

Click on any image to view the slide show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Jul20

Our Imaginations! Camp for Kids: Papier Mache Dragon

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Our Imaginations! Camp for Kids: Papier Mache Dragon

The craft PAPIER MACHE DRAGON is an adaption of the project “Two Masks” found in  the Reinhold Book of Arts and Crafts Techniques and published by Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, a division of Litton Education Publishing, Inc. in 1976.

Materials:

Newspaper, cut into strips

Scissors

Wall paper paste or white glue slightly thinned (Home improvement stores and wall paper stores sell wall paper paste.)

Containers for water and paste

½ egg carton

4 – 6 oz paper cup

Masking tape

Bond or construction paper

Green acrylic or poster paint or any color you choose for your dragon

Glitter, buttons, tissue paper, wiggle eyes, foil, etc

Paint brushes

Paper towels

  1. Cover your work space with newspaper. Cut a carton for a dozen eggs in half and tape it shut. Tape the paper cup to one end of the carton. (This will be the head of the dragon.) Make a long tube with the construction paper and tape it to the other end of the carton. (This will be the tail of the dragon.)
  2. Cut newspaper into strips.
  3. Read the directions on the label for using wallpaper paste. Mix wallpaper paste with water and stir. Pour into container.
  4. Dip strips into paste mixture. Allow excess paste to drip off into container. Apply to the dragon mock-up. Apply two or three layers. Allow to dry. To add more layers, apply them when the first three layers are dry. Dry thoroughly.
  5. Paint the dragon with acrylic or poster paint. Allow the paint to dry.
  6. Decorate the papier mache dragon with a variety of embellishments. Use your imagination!
Papier Mache Dragon

Papier Mache Dragon

 

Papier Mache Dragon

Papier Mache Dragon

Papier Mache Dragon

Papier Mache Dragon

 

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Jul13

Our Imaginations! Camp for Kids: Painted Rocks

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Our Imaginations! Camp for Kids: Painted Rocks

PAINTED ROCKS is an updated adaption of the project from “Painted Stones and Stone Sculptures” found in the Reinhold Book of Arts and Crafts Techniques and published by Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, a division of Litton Education Publishing, Inc. in 1976. Materials: Rocks preferably with a relatively smooth surface Poster or acrylic paints Brushes of various widths Container for water Palette or disposable smooth surface like wax paper Soap Paper Towels Newspaper or something similar to cover the surface of your work space

  1. Wash rocks thoroughly and dry. If rocks are very dirty, soak in a bucket of sudsy water, rinse and dry. In the meantime, cover your work space.
  2. Think of a design for the rock. Sometimes the rock suggests a design or an object. Stripes, dots, stars, swirls, circles are some ideas you can use alone or in combination.
  3. Select the paint colors and squeeze a small amount (about the size of a quarter to start) on the palette or wax paper. Squeeze white, black or brown for the base coat of the rocks.
  4. Prime the rock white if you selected lighter colors or brown if you selected darker colors. This step isn’t required but it makes the colors adhere to the rock better if there is a base coat on which to paint your design. Paint one side at a time and allow the rock to dry. Turn over and paint the other side.
  5. If you can’t think of a design, lay the paints on the surface randomly. Overlap the colors and see them run into each other.
  6. Paint one side at a time and allow the design to dry. Turn over and paint the other side.
  7. Use your rocks to decorate your desk or your bedroom’s window sill.

VARIATION: Select yarn or string in different colors and dip into glue. Wrap around the rock in different directions. Allow the glue to dry. VARIATION: Create rock creatures by gluing paper, pipe cleaners, pompom, buttons and more!

Painted Rocks Step I

Painted Rocks Step I

Painted Rocks

Painted Rocks

Painted Rocks

Painted Rocks

Painted Rock Variation

Painted Rock Variation

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Jul7

Our Imaginations! Camp for Kids: Weaving with a Simple Frame

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Our Imaginations! Camp for Kids: Weaving with a Simple Frame

The craft WEAVING WITH A SIMPLE FRAME is an updated adaption of the project “A Simple Weaving Frame” found in The Reinhold Book of Arts and Crafts Techniques published by Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., a division of Litton Education Publishing Inc. in 1976. Many important events happened in 1976.

Challenge yourself and always use your imagination!

Materials: Cardboard

String

Ruler

Pencil/eraser

Scissors

Yarn

Large-eyed tapestry needle (optional)

Ribbon, feathers,  wool and other strips of fabric, leaves, twigs, string

* At all times refer to the photo illustrations.

  1. Weaving consists of a warp and a weft. The warp comprises the vertical strings of the loom while the weft consists of the yarn interlaced through the weft. Take a piece of strong cardboard. Measure and cut ¼” incisions at regular intervals of ¼” to 1/8” on both ends of the cardboard.
  2. To make the warp: Take heavy string (i.e., kite string) and make a knot at one end. Loop the string from one end of the cardboard to the other and back up again. When finished, cut and make a knot in the back or tape the end of the string to the back of the cardboard. (Always leave a little extra string at either end.)
  3. To make the weft: Think of a theme or a design for the weaving. The design is up to you! Use a variety of materials to weave in and out as you did with the paper weaving. (The weaving below was woven with pipe cleaners and kite string but almost anything goes!)
  4. Start with about an inch and a half of warp at the bottom. Make sure strips of material alternate with each row. Roll the material into a ball if possible and pass it through the warp back and forth for several rows depending on the design. Tuck the end in the back of the warp. Do not tie a knot.
  5. Tips: Consider using a the tapestry needle to weave the yarn and string. A ruler will help you lift the warp so you can pass material through easily but you must lift every other string (see step 4.)
  6. When the weaving is finished, cut any loose thread in the back of the warp but don’t cut too close to the weft.
Frame for weaving

Frame for weaving

Preparing the frame

Preparing the frame

 

Beginning to weave

Beginning to weave

 

The finished weaving

The finished weaving

v

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Jul6

What Events Happened in 1976?

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What Events Happened in 1976?

1976 Fun Facts

From:

www.thepeoplehistory.com

http://en.wikipedia.org

www.historyproject.org

Fashions:

What was popular in 1976?

Patterned jackets

Tunic and pants

Denim separates

V-neck dress

Blazer

Wood bracelet

Checkbook clutch

Super necklace

Dressy handbag

3-strap shoe

Lace boot

Ankle-strap shoe (wedge)

Leather boot with tool work designs

Romeo slip-on shoe for men

Fonzi jacket and corduroy suit for men

Rugby pullover

Phasar watch for men.

Miscellaneous: Toys

Life-like baby doll

Toy sewing machine

Peanuts characters

Legos

Connect Four

Hair:

Long hair

Frosted or streaked hair

Afro

Farah Fawcett feathered hair

Sideburns for men

Surfer hair (tousled look)

Movies:

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest

All The President’s Men

The Omen

Taxi Driver

The Outlaw Josep Wales

Rocky

Television Shows:

Bionic Woman

Laverne and Shirley

The Gong Show

Family Feud

Charlie’s Angels

The Tony Randall Show

The Muppet Show

Monster Squad

Most Wanted

Songs:

Silly Love Songs – Paul McCartney and Wings

December 1963 (Oh What a Night) – The Four Seasons

You Sexy Thing – Hot Chocolate

50 Ways to leave Your Lover – Paul Simon

I Write the Songs – Barry Manilow

Books:

Trinity by Leon Uris

1876 by Gore Vidal

The Hite Report by Shere Hite

Headline News:

Gerald Ford was the 38th President of the US and Nelson Rockefeller was the 41st Vice-President of the US

Earthquake in Tabgshan China kills 655,000

Tidal wave in the Philippines kills 5800

First commercial Concorde flights take off

Worst drought on record hits Britain forcing the use of standpipe

Hurricane Belle hits US east coast

32 Black African nations boycott Montreal Olympics in protest to sports’ links between New Zealand and South Africa

Mao Tse-Tung, founder of the Chinese Communist Party, dies

Palestinian extremists hijack Air France plane in Greece with 246 passengers and 12 crew members

Completion of the CN Tower in Toronto  – tallest freestanding structure in the world

First Legionnaires disease affects 4000 delegates in Pennsylvania from a chapter of the

American Legion

US Bicentennial – 200 years of freedom from British rule

Earthquake in Guatemala and Honduras kills more than 22,000

First recorded Ebola virus epidemic begins in Sudan

Billionaire Howard Hughes dies at age 70

Formation of Apple Computer Company by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak

Soweto riots mark the beginning of the end of apartheid

Nadia Comenici wins three gold medals in the Montreal Olympics with seven perfect scores

Invention of the first laser printer

VHS home video cassette recorder by Matsushita is available for sale

Sports:

1976 Olympics are held in Montreal, Canada

The Pittsburgh Steelers win Super Bowl X  21-7 over the Dallas Cowboys

The  NCAA Football National Champions of 1976: the University of Pittsburgh Panthers

The Montreal Canadiens win the Stanley Cup in 4 games vs. the Philadelphia Flyers

Bold Forbes wins the Kentucky Derby

 

Here’s delicious recipe to try from 1975 -1976!

Watergate Salad

1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple (do not drain)

1 box instant pistachio pudding mix

1 1/2 cups small marshmallows

1 (9 oz) box whipped topping mix

1 cup or less walnuts or pecans

Mix pineapple in its juices with pudding by pouring pudding into pineapple. Stir.  Add rest of ingredients.

Stir by hand. Chill before serving. C.K.

from Anne’s Reader Exchange,” Washington Post, November 13, 1975 (p. C 17)

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Jun29

Our Imaginations! Camp for Kids: Paper Weaving

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Our Imaginations! Camp for Kids: Paper Weaving

The craft PAPER WEAVING was adapted from the  project “Stitches, Scraps and Haute Couture/Paper Weaving” found  in Arts and Crafts Activities Desk Book by Joyce Novis Laskin and published by Parker Publishing Company in 1971.

MATERIALS:

Large sheet of thick paper or cardboard for the frame of the mock loom

Two or three different colored and/or pattered papers cut into strips

Ribbon (optional)

Scissors

Ruler

Pencil with eraser

Glue stick or scotch tape

  1. Fold paper in half. (Choose any size paper or cardboard from 8 ½” x 11” and up.) Draw lines ¼” to ¾” apart down the length of the fold.
  2. Look at Step II below. Make incisions with the scissors, starting from the fold up to ½” of the edges of the paper. Don’t cut all the way to the end or you will cut the paper/cardboard into strips! Cut up to ½”  at each the end of the paper/cardboard and draw a line across. (In other words, leave an uncut margin at both ends.) This is the weaving “frame” or “loom.” Open the paper or cardboard.
  3. Measure and cut strips of paper to weave in and out of the paper loom. To minimize mistakes, make sure that the strips are a little longer than the width of the loom.
  4. Choose two or three different colored papers to weave through the paper loom. (Alternate ribbon with paper for a different look to the weaving.)  Start at one end and work your way up to the other end. Alternate the in-and-out pattern with each row. (Refer to photograph.)
  5. Trim loose ends and glue the ends down using a glue stick.
  6. Use your paper weaving as a placemats or give it as a gift.  What else can you do with your paper weaving?
Paper Weaving Step I

Paper Weaving Step I

Paper Weaving Step II

Paper Weaving Step II

Paper Weaving Step III

Paper Weaving Step III

 

Paper Weaving Part IV

Paper Weaving Part IV

 

 

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Jun23

Our Imaginations! Camp for Kids: Nature Collage

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Our Imaginations! Camp for Kids: Nature Collage

The craft NATURE COLLAGE was adapted from the project “World of Nature/Spring Mural Collage” found in the Arts and Crafts Activities Desk Book by Joyce Novis Laskin and published by Parker Publishing Company in 1971.

MATERIALS:

White glue or glue stick

cardboard any size

Scissors

Any combination of: poster or acrylic paints, brushes, fabric scraps, newspapers, magazines, photos, pen and ink, crayons, construction paper, tissue paper, brown paper bags, ribbon, buttons, etc.

Objects from nature: leaves, twigs, bark, shells, pebbles, seeds from plants, etc.

1. A collage is a composition or picture made by attaching different found objects and materials to a surface. That surface is often (but not always) flat. Like all forms of art, the first step in making a collage involves thinking. What will the collage be about?

2. Decide the size of the collage. Glue, draw or paint everything on the cardboard so it is important to decide if you want a large or a small collage. Use a large sheet or cut it in half.

3. Next, decide if you want the design to flow across the cardboard (horizontally), from the top to the bottom (vertically) or from corner to corner (diagonally).To create depth, larger objects should stand in front of smaller ones. It is smart to work from the back to the front of the collage so glue the smaller objects first. This gives the person looking at the collage a feeling of depth. “Depth” means that you can see objects in back of the objects that are in front of the scene that you are creating.

4. Collect the materials that you will be using. Different materials make up a collage.  This collage project has one main subject (nature) so collect many objects from and about nature. Photographs, drawings of objects from nature (the sun, butterflies, bees, birds, clouds, etc.) can also be used.

Use cut paper, too. Cut the paper into different shapes suggesting nature (i.e., leaves and flowers) using scissors. This will produce paper edges that are wavy, zigzagged or straight.

Or fold the paper once. Turn the paper on the other side and fold again in the other direction. Tear the paper along the fold. Continue to fold and tear the paper into shapes. This creates ragged paper edges which will look different from the papers cut with scissors.

Glue the papers down and overlap them. The layers of tissue paper will show the color and shape of the paper or board underneath and create pretty designs.

5. Glue the materials to the cardboard. If you are not sure about the design, glue them to a piece of paper like construction paper. Then, decide if the materials can be added to the collage. If you decide that you can, glue the paper with the objects to the cardboard.

6. Frame the collage and hang on your bedroom wall!

VARIATION:

SEASHELLS: Find a couple of seashells. The kinds that are sort of flat are the best for this idea. Choose two or three colors of paint and squeeze some on a palette or piece of wax paper. Brush the paint on one side of the shell. Experiment with the amount of paint. Print the shell on a piece of construction paper by rolling it and pressing. Do this with the other colors and shells, occasionally overlapping some of the shells to create a pattern. To add another dimension to the shells, glue tiny seeds or pebbles on the ends of the printed shells. When the paint is dry, cut the printed shells and glue to the cardboard along with the other objects collected. (See the Summer Camp for Kids: Nature Prints tutorial on this website for more information.)

The collage below includes a drawing of a flower, a sun print of leaves and twigs, a part of a nature print of leaves and rubber stamped leaves. Assorted cut paper was used for the background.

 

Nature Collage

Nature Collage

 

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Jun23

What Events Happened in 1971?

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What Events Happened in 1971?

1971 Fun Facts

From:

www.thepeoplehistory.com

http://en.wikipedia.org

www.historyproject.org

Fashions:

What was popular to wear in 1971? Did the cost of clothing rise from 1968?

Shorts; tunic over pants

Two-tone dresses

Fake fur coats

Velveteen boots

Slip-ons (flats)

Bird Cage umbrella

Crocheted shawls

Double strap bag

Zipper on side of boots for men

Tyrolean-style hat for men

Striped shirts and turtlenecks for men

Shift dresses with focus seams

Maxi-dresses

Halter necklines

Trouser suits

Flared skirts

Wide sleeves

Platform shoes

Hair:

Long hair

Natural look

Feathered hair like Farah Fawcett

Afro

Miscellaneous: Toys for children

Barbie and accessories

Etch-a-Sketch

Scooter

Hot Wheels Cars

Operation

Movies:

Love Story

Summer of ‘42

Ryan’s Daughter

Carnal Knowledge

The Owl and the Pussycat

The Aristocrats

The French Connection

The Andromeda Stain

Television Shows:

That Girl

All My Children

The Odd Couple

The Partridge Family

McCloud

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

Songs:

Imagine – John Lennon

Just My Imagination – Temptations

Brown Sugar – Rolling Stones

Maggie May – Rod Stewart

American Pie – Don McLean

Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin

Books:

The Lorax – Dr. Suess

The Day of the Jackall – Frederick Forsythe

The Exorcist – William Peter Blatty

Stone Soup – Ann McGovern

Broadway:

Jesus Christ Superstar

You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown

No, No, Nanette

Events:

Richard Nixon was the 37th President of the US and Spiro Agnew was 39th Vice-President of the US

What happened to President Nixon and Vice-President Agnew after 1971?

Voting age lowered to 18 in the US

The microprocessor was invented

North Sea Oil Production in Norway

China was admitted to the UN

NASDAQ debuts

What is NASDAQ and what other organization is similar?

Border conflicts between Pakistan and India over E. Pakistan (Bangladesh)

Women were granted the right to vote in Switzerland

Federal Express was started

World population increased by 21%

Civilian government takes power in Greece

England and Ireland switch to the decimal system

Greenpeace is born

Walt Disney Resort opens in Florida

Sports:

Super Bowl V is won by the Baltimore Colts 16-13 vs. the Dallas Cowboys

Pittsburgh Pirates win the World Series 4 games to 3 vs. the Baltimore Colts

Joe Frazier defeats Muhammad Ali at Madison Square Garden to retain the World     Heavyweight Championship

Stanley Cup is won by the Montreal Canadiens 4 games to 3 vs. the Chicago Blackhawks

Canonero II wins the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes but falls short of winning the Triple Crown

Can you find out who did win the Triple Crown and when?

 

Betty Crocker’s Peach Pie recipe from 1971:

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 cup Gold Medal all-purpose flour

½ tsp. salt

1/3 cup plus 1 shortening

2 – 3 Tbsp.. cold water

Filling:

4 cups quartered, peeled peaches (8 – 10 medium)

½ cup granulated sugar

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

2 Tbsp.. whipping cram

1 egg

Topping:

½ cup Gold Medal all-purpose flour

¼ cups packed brown sugar

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

¼ cup butter or margarine, softened

Directions:

  1. In medium bowl, mix 1 cup flour and the salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particle are the size of small peas. Sprinkle cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary).
  2. Gather pastry into a ball. On lightly floured surface, shape pastry into a flattened disk. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold yet pliable. (If refrigerated longer, let dough soften slightly before rolling.)
  3. Heat oven to 425 degrees F. On lightly floured surface, roll pastry with a floured rolling-pin into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 9 inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into quarters, place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side. Trim overhanging edge of pastry ` inch from rim of plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; press edge with tines of fork or flute if desired.
  4. Place peaches in pastry-lined plate. Mix granulated sugar and ½ teaspoon nutmeg; sprinkle over peaches. In small bowl, beat whipping cram and egg with fork or wire whisk until blended; pour over peaches. In another small bowl, mix topping ingredients with fork until crumbly; sprinkle over peaches.
  5. Cover edge of pastry with 2 to 3 inch-wide strip of foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil for last 15 minutes of baking. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until top is golden brown. Cool 30 minutes. Serve warm.

 

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Jun20

Color the Flowers

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Color the Flowers
Color the Flowers

Flowers

Materials:

drawing pencils

watercolors

pastels

colored craft paper

scissors

glue

Print and color the flowers. Color the background, too. Use texture and patterns in the background and on  the flowers. Cut them out and paste them in an album or frame them and hang them on your bedroom wall.

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