Tag Archives: arts and crafts project

Sep22

QUILLING (IT’S NOT QUILTING): COLONIAL QUILLING CRAFT

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QUILLING (IT’S NOT QUILTING): COLONIAL QUILLING CRAFT

 

Quilling

American Colonial Crafts – Quilling with paper

 

MATERIALS:

Strips of quilling paper 1/8 inches to ½ inches in width

Scissors

Clear glue

Pencil or Q-tip

Colored paper or card stock

Light-weight paper in various colors (optional)

Ruler (optional)

 

PROJECT:

  1. Purchase quilling paper which comes in a variety of colors. Or using a ruler, measure and mark anywhere 1/8” to ½” at intervals along the length of the lightweight paper. Draw a long line along the marks. Cut and repeat the steps until you have enough strips for a design.
  2. Roll the end of the paper on to the end of a pencil or Q-tip. When you reach the end, loosen a little of the coil so you can easily roll it off the pencil. Add a little glue and finish rolling the coil to keep it from loosening.
  3. Roll the coils tightly and/or loosely depending on your design. Look at the sample above.
  4. Arrange the coils on the colored paper or card stock creating a design: flowers, butterflies, dragonflies, abstract designs. Quilled paper designs make colorful cards and can be targeted to any theme: Christmas, Halloween, Hannukah, Fourth of July, birthdays, etc. Quilled paper designs can also be framed (without glass) and hung in any room or classroom.
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Mar3

WEAVING PROJECTS: PAPER WEAVING

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WEAVING PROJECTS: PAPER WEAVING
PAPER WEAVING

PAPER WEAVING

PAPER WEAVING

PAPER WEAVING

PAPER WEAVING

PAPER WEAVING

PAPER WEAVING

PAPER WEAVING

PAPER WEAVING

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?
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Dec20

Holiday Craft: Iridescent Angel

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Holiday Craft: Iridescent Angel

Iridescent Angel

IRIDESCENT ANGEL

*MATERIALS:

2 wood hearts

Wood knob or ball

18” long pink or white ribbon

clay pot

Flesh, brown, black and white paint (2 more colors of choice)

1 11/2” brass ring

Moss

1(1/2 oz.) crystal iridescent glitter

2 jars or bowls for water

Brushes/scissors/white glue/plastic baggie

1. Paint the bottom and sides of the clay pot with two coats of white paint. Set aside to dry between the first and second coats.
2. Fill half a small plastic bag with glitter. Paint the two wooden hearts with white acrylic  paint. Place the wooden hearts in the plastic bag, tie it with a twist tie and shake. Be sure that the hearts are totally covered on the one side with the glitter. Remove the hearts and let them dry. These will be the angel’s wings.
3. The wooden knob is head of the angel. Paint it flesh or brown or black. Let it dry.
4. Paint the clay pot with dabs of different colors: pink and silver or any other color combination
5. While it is still wet, place the pot into the baggie filled with glitter. Shake well and cover the entire pot with glitter. Remove and let it dry.
6. Cut the moss. Roll the back of the angel’s head in tacky glue and then roll the head in the moss. This is the hair of the angel. Trim excess “hair” with scissors.
8. Cut a long piece of ribbon and fold it in half. Pull the loop through the clay pot and position it. Tie the ends in a large double knot and pull the ribbon completely through the hole in the clay pot.
9. Glue the brass ring on top of the angel’s head. Glue the head to the pot. Glue the hearts to the back of the pot with the glittery side facing you.
10. Enjoy the iridescent angel for the holidays!

Recycle materials: Cut pieces of paper (for example, leftover tissue, rice or wrapping paper) and glue them to the pot, overlapping the pieces so the different colors and patterns show through the layers.

Other ideas: Instead of a clay pot, use a spool of thread once the thread has been used up.
Replace the moss with scraps of yarn or ribbon for the hair
Do you have leftover clay? Roll it into a ball, let it harden and use it for the angel’s head

 

 

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Jan31

VALENTINE PAPER GARLAND

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VALENTINE PAPER GARLAND

Materials:

Paper in shades of pink, red, white and/or purple

Scissors

Pencil/eraser

Ruler or yard stick

Markers

Glue stick

Puncher for holes

Ribbon, paper twists or similar material

Heart-shaped stencils or templates (optional)

One chain link fence or interior wall (optional)

Project:

  1. Make a sign to celebrate Valentine’s Day or just make a string of hearts. Make a loop for every letter or heart and for the space between the words if you are making a sign. Make a loop at the beginning of your garland which will be blank and a loop for the end of your garland which will also be blank. For example, a sign that says “Happy Valentine’s Day!” will have 20 loops for the words (including the apostrophe and the exclamation mark), two for the spaces between words and an extra loop at each end. That would be a total of 24 loops.
  2. Use as many colored papers as you choose or use the suggested list of colors (above). Measure and cut the colored papers into ½” x 8” strips.
  3. Glue one strip of paper measuring ½” x 8” overlapping the ends. Then glue a strip of paper measuring ½” x 8” through the first loop. Alternate the colors of the paper strips until you have the required number of paper loops forming a garland.
  4. If you ae making a sign, cut paper rectangles in various colors about 1 1/2” by 3.” Make enough to spell out your message.
  5. Or cut out hearts using templates or stencils. Vary the design by cutting out small, medium and large hearts or overlap a small heart of one color over a larger heart of another color. See the examples provided.
  6. If you are sending a message, trace a letter on each paper rectangle by using a template, stencil or draw the letters free-hand. Trace or write free-hand any exclamation, question mark or symbol, too. Decorate the squares with paper hearts.
  7. Punch a hole at the top of each paper rectangle or heart. Punch a hole in the loops. Do not punch holes in the first and last loops and the loops that represent spaces between words.
  8. Cut string or pipe cleaners or similar material and loop it through the holes.
  9. VARIATION: Cut a slit in the hearts and loop it through the next loop. Close the loop.
  10. Use your imagination and glue seeds, glitter, sequins and other decorative objects! Dangle ribbon from the bottom of the hearts!
  11. Tie a string through the first and last loops and tie them on to the fence.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Jan12

Our Imaginations! Paper Cut-outs: Fall/The Four Seasons Mural

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Our Imaginations! Paper Cut-outs: Fall/The Four Seasons Mural

MATERIALS:

Paper

Scissors

Pencil/eraser

Tracing paper

Glue Stick

 

  1. Research the paper cutouts of Henri Matisse. These paper works combine symbolic and abstract shapes. “I have attained a form, filtered to the essentials,” Matisse once said and this sums up his philosophy as an artist. Study the paper cutouts for color and form; www.henri-matisse.net/cut_outs.html.
  2. There will be four panels or sections for the Four Seasons Mural. The fourth and last section will be fall or autumn. Plan the design for the season. The sample shown features falling leaves. There are other symbols for fall: pumpkins, apples, corn, and other foods of the harvest, corn stalks, scarecrows, etc. Sketch your design on tracing paper.
  3. The sample features five colors: orange, yellow, dark red, green and dusty pink. The background in the sample is brown like the brown of a brown paper bag. Colors that evoke fall are orange, dark reds, dark, purples, shades of green (especially dark and olive greens), browns, gold, etc. Limit the palette to five colors as in the sample. Use patterned paper if it compliments the design or use a paper bag.
  4. Decide the size of the paper cutout. The sample shown is 4” x 6.” Cut the background paper to the size you want for the paper cutout. Orange, yellow and dark red are the color choices for the sun and the sun’s rays.
  5. Sketch the design on tracing paper. Decide the colors for each part of the design. Blacken the back of the design and flip it over on to the papers you will use. Trace the outline of the shapes.
  6. Use embroidery scissors to cut out the shapes. Embroidery scissors enable you to cut inside larger shapes.
  7. Glue the shapes down and you have the fourth section of the Four Seasons Mural: Fall!
  8. Glue the four panels down on to a larger piece of paper to form the Four Seasons Mural.

 

 

 

 

 

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Nov30

Kid’s Crafts: Joy to the World Holiday Banner

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Kid’s Crafts: Joy to the World Holiday Banner

CHRISTMAS

As Christianity became the dominant religion in Europe, Christian holidays were held alongside pagan holidays and celebrations.

Christmas has its roots in Yule, the pagan celebration of the winter solstice held in Northern Europe. The ancient Romans also held a winter festival by commemorating the temple of the god Saturn on December 17th. They called it Saturnalia and later extended the holiday festivities from December 17th to December 23rd.

Christmas, celebrated on December 25th, closes the Advent season and begins the twelve days of Christmastide celebrations.

Early Christians adopted pagan customs as well as pagan festivals and celebrations. For example, the Christmas tree is based on the pagan custom of bringing greenery into the house during the winter.

Christians began celebrating Christmas in the 4th century copying the pagans who celebrated the harvest by feasting during the winter solstice. It was a way of livening up the shortest day of the year.

As Christmas became commercialized, various symbols became identified with the holiday: Santa Claus, snow people, angels, pine wreaths, reindeer, stars, horns, the manger, and more.

Joy to the World Banner

Joy to the World Banner

JOY BANNER

Ages: 5 – 12 years     Time: one hour

MATERIALS:

Gold glitter pen                                   white felt square 14” x 20”

Beige pompom                                   Kelly green craft foam sheet.

Beige felt square                                dark green craft foam sheet.

Gold felt square                                  red craft foam sheet.

Red felt square                                   String – double the length of the dowel rod

Dowel rod                                           Pattern (optional)

 

Measure and trim the white square to 14” x 20”. Place the piece vertically. Make a loop by measuring and folding and ironing a 1” seam. Measure and fold a second 1” seam. Iron and glue the second fold. You will be inserting the dowel rod through this loop.

Trace and cut the shapes using templates or stencils or use the patterns provided below. To create the wreath, cut 21 – 22 holly leaves from the Kelly green craft foam sheet and 9 – 10 holly leaves from dark green craft foam sheet. Glue the leaves in a circular arrangement using the top ¾ of the white felt background. Overlap the leaves as you form the design of the wreath.

Trace and cut the bow and letters from the red craft foam sheet. Glue the letters and the bow to the bottom of the wreath.

Trace and cut the angel’s dress out of the red felt, the horn from the gold felt, the wings and face from the beige felt. Glue these pieces in the center of the wreath.

Glue a little moss to form the angel’s hair just below the halo. Glue pompom to show hands and feet. Using the glitter pen, define the angel’s wings and bow.

Cut the dowel rod to about 16”. Insert through the top loop. Cut string to a suitable length. Tie strings to each end of the dowel rod and hang.

Happy Holidays!

Making banners is fun for the family. You can use the banner ideas described here or you can use them as a springboard for your own ideas and designs.

All you need are some basic supplies and a love of making crafts!

Patterns for Winter Banner

Patterns for Winter Banner

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