More Wreaths From My Kitchen Table and Back Yard

Tree Fronds, Glitter, Beads and Baker's Clay Base

Natures Bounty with a Baker’s Clay Base

My holiday activities, may seem repetitive at some points, however I feel, one can never have enough ideas.

Feathers are beautiful. I have had a hard time finding ways to incorporate my massive yard collection into the wreaths. The wreath shown, may not actually reflect any holiday, however it was fun to create and explore the use of feathers, from my yard.

There are any number of ways that you can create a beautiful wreath. This one shown at the top, can be out all year long.

Let Nature Be Your Inspiration

I live at the end of a “Very Private” and gated road in Boulder Creek. We do not have many visitors and only have a small handful of land owners on this road. We do have a rental with one tenant, who has visitors from time to time.
I am sure, there are times, I look like a loony woman, wandering about the property with a bag or two in hand, collecting tiny items, branches, moss, lichens and feathers.

My daily walk is one that does not always encompass a large area, however is also a “treasure quest”.  I have had a few different individuals ask me, what I am doing. I always reply: “gathering feathers”.

Since I do feed all the birds at several stations on the property, I also ask out loud, (and yes to the birds), that they leave me some feathers, as a thank you for the food, I put out for them. The birds are often quite generous. I have watched them feeding and preening and have reaped the bounty of their gifts.
I also collect all sorts of items, from mosses, mushrooms, wildflowers, leaves to pine needle branches and fronds.

Now, for anyone who thinks I am eccentric, the bountiful treasures of nature are being used in creating the ornaments seen on my prior blogs.

With very little money to support creative activities, I can use what I have on hand and surrounding me, every day.

Being a baker, I always have the basic items on hand to create the bases for my ornaments. Having been an active artist for many years, I also have amassed a collection of items, to adorn these creative endeavors. Nature provides the icing on the cake.

In my blog posts, I have attempted to provide inexpensive activities that children, adults and families can enjoy making and doing together.

Even the slightest of object on the ground, may provide the jewel necessary to complete a project.

Let this be ‘YOUR’ inspiration to begin and you might be amazed at where the journey will take you.

More ideas to come and more enjoyment of accomplishment to share.  Please feel free to send me photos of your own creations and I will devote a blog to your work, photos and others can be inspired by that little bit of effort to fill your time and the gifts to others. I can also offer advice on where you might post to sell any of your own personal creations.

Thanks for reading this! jlhbenb@gmail.com

The Newest Batch Of Ideas for Baker’s Clay Ornaments

 

Baker's Clay with Mixed Medium and Finishing Spray to Seal

It has been a couple of weeks since I added to my blog site. This shows what I have been working on and achieved with just a few tweaks and items from the kitchen. I used the baker’s clay and several mediums to make wreaths.

Upcoming will be stars, bears, skull and cross-bones (so that all can be supplied with compatible likes and passions) and whatever comes from my over-active, creative mind.

To make these, I used the following items and ingredients:

Basic Baker’s Clay Recipe
Non-Toxic Elmers Glue
Floral accessories from craft stores
Beads
Glitter pens
Water Color Based Acrylic Paints
Beads
Toothpicks to paint with
Paint brushes
Q Tips

I think that covers it for these. Please feel free to write to me, with your ideas. I would be happy to add your ideas and stories to this blog.  jlhbenb@gmail.com

The second batch of ornaments shown here are using the baker’s clay base and nature.

Baker's Clay Base combined with Nature, Beads and Glitter, Sealed to Last Forever

Dough Art aka Bakers Clay Fun for Everyone

Part One: Beginning

Although, I have made some serious ornaments, very complicated, I am just beginning again. This shows a variety of shapes, I made and baked yesterday, to reorient myself to this activity.

 

 

 

Baked Shapes to Paint and Decorate for Ornaments

 

 

I realize that this may be an over used idea, however the concept never dies, is inexpensive and children love to mold, shape and play with any form of dough or clay, as well as some of us adults.

Somewhat Ravaged by Time and Storage Creatures Bakers Clay Ornaments

Just use your imagination and let it run wild. Remember, that children create things, no one might recognize and all creations should be praised, as long as they are not inappropriate.
Look all around you for ideas and forgotten items, that could be used in some way. Remember that pretty little tile that broke and you put the pieces in a drawer, cause you did not have the heart to throw it away? Make a photo frame and add the little wallet size  school photograph after the dough has been painted.
Did you have a mirror that possibly was dropped and now, it can bring luck to you in a pretty way? Childrens’ story books, fruit,  paintings, outdoors, animals all inspire.

Your creations and those of your child can brighten a Christmas basket for a friend or a neighbor who has been a bit under the weather, or family to generate years of memories.
This is not an activity limited to any one holiday either and even though it can be frustrating, just begin and if you get frustrated, put the dough in the fridge and begin again later. Just like at Alice’s Tea Party, with the Mad Hatter: “Why don’t you just start at the beginning and when you get to the end, Stop”.

The Bakers Clay Ornaments I am showing here, met with a few misfortunes, including being knocked over and out of the carefully wrapped containers and mice. The designs are still beautiful or fun and I wanted to share my work with others, who might enjoy it and be inspired to create from their own creative energy.  Most of these are about 20 years old and would have still been perfect, if not for the elements and carelessness of others I trusted to store them for me.

Bakers Clay Dolls and Peacock Ornaments

Basic Recipe:
4 Cups All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Salt
I 1/2 Cup Water
(Baking time preferably is 250 degrees for one hour. Many recipes state that you should bake in a warmer oven, however I have found, the higher the temperature, the more likelihood of puff pastry occurring. )

Humpty Dumpty and his two Walnut Shell Backed Humpty Ornaments

 

Illustrating the Front and Walnut Back of Humpty Dumpty Ornaments

Some Suggested Tool for Baking, Molding, Sculpting and Storing:

Wax Paper or Cellophane, Plastic Wrap, Foil
Glass or bowl of water to use as moisture to secure pieces together
Baking Sheet
Muffin tins
Aluminum Foil
Toothpicks
Sewing Pins, Optional
Wire Cutters
Scissors
Jewelry Pliers for Wire Bending
Eye Droppers
Straws
Paint Brushes
Q Tips
Sponge or Sponge pieces
Cookie Cutters,
Ornamental Cooking Tools, with different edges, fluted, etc.
Spoons,
Small Spice Bottles
Large Smooth glass or Rolling Pin
Dull kitchen knives
Garlic Press
Old Clean Toothbrush
Small containers or egg carton, something to separate your embellishment choices
Anything you think might be used as a tool, from anywhere in your house to create texture or design
rubber stamps
Potatoes can be used to create raised stamps like Rubber or Linoleum Stamps

Somewhat Ravaged by Storage Invaders Bakers Clay Fish Ornaments

Suggested Craft Mediums and Embellishments:
Craft, preferably an acrylic, non-toxic paint
Markers, generally fabric type
Glitter or Glitter Pens
Sequins
Glue or Glue Stick, Elmers in the bottle with tiny tip is good to have on hand
Pipe Cleaners
Clear Finishing or Sealing Varnish Type of Spray or Brush on Sealer
Beads
Buttons
Trims
Ribbons
Grains
Feathers
Sticks
Pine Cones
Nature’s Goodies
Pebbles
Walnut, Pecan, Acorn or other Nut Shell Halves or Collected Acorns with holes bored and the Caps
Sea Shells with a pocket
Old Jewelry or chains
Suggested Items Used to Hang the Ornaments:
Ribbon
Pipe Cleaners
Heavy Thread
Yarn
Flexible Wire
Cord
Twine

 Procedure For Making Your Bakers Clay:
Mix your flour and salt together, and then carefully add the water to form a solid ball of dough. I divide the dough into eight to four equal pieces, wrap it in cellophane, foil or wax paper.  This prevents the dough from drying out. You can also use food  storage bags or containers, just make sure the air is out of them. Keep the dough in the refrigerator to use,  when project time allows.

Beginning Your Creations:

Flat Pieces:
Using a rolling pin or a tumbler type of smooth glass, roll the dough out to desired thickness, usually between 1/8th to 1/4 inch.  You can do this on wax  paper or a clean surface. Cut into shapes and place on an ungreased baking sheet.
In order to keep some items from puffing up, prick the back or sides with a pin. This allows the air to escape and the shape to be maintained. This will not always work on the puffiness, however it has worked for most of my projects.

Three Dimensional Pieces:
Roll into balls or any other shape and create your own creatures. You can use shells as a base. Attach separate pieces of dough by adding a little water and securing with little presses using a dull knife, small spoon or toothpick. You can also use the toothpick, if you need extra support for holding pieces together.
With some types of creations, you do not need to fully put the object together and can glue on added pieces later, in the same way you might add, beads, buttons or some other embellishment.

If you need to support a shape or creature, form a mold from aluminum foil or use a small muffin tin for support.

Creating Ornament Hangers:
If you are going to use wire for a hanger at the top of a more three dimensional item, you will need to cut a small piece and twist the ends together, forming an oval loop and poke that into the top of your creation. You can add glue to increase support of the wire, not pulling out, once your project is finished.

If you are going to use another type of material to hang the ornament such as heavy thread, yarn or ribbon, you will want to create a small hole in the top of the ornament, usually about 1/8 to 1/4 inch from the edge. Remember it needs to be more than a prick, sometimes, in the event that the dough does puff and close the hole.
Another option, would be to simply glue a ribbon onto the back of the ornament and not poke a hole or use a wire.

Baking:
Bake your dough pieces in the 250 degree oven, checking within one half hour, for the smaller pieces. The objects or creations  should be fully hardened in about one hour. Let cool completely, possibly over night, as any added moisture,  might soften the dough.

Decorating:
Using your gathered collection of paints and embellishments, begin the process of decorating. Paint your surfaces first, allowing to dry completely between any coats or color upon color. Once dried, you can add with glue anything you want to add. Let that dry completely before picking up, so that nothing slides.

Peanut Butter and Bird Seed Feeders Using Additional Materials

This is a group of additional ideas for creating bird feeders, using materials found in the yard or around the house. Each project is simple and fun.  Just a simple word of warning, though, they look beautiful, they only last about two days in my yard.

Bark Bird Feeder

 

 

Materials for the First Feeder Made from Bark or a Tree Branch:

Bark or Branch will work also
Peanut Butter
Bird Seed
String

I was lucky enough to find bark that had holes bored by Woodpeckers. If there are no holes in the bark, make an attempt to bore a  hole with a sharp tool. If a child is making this feeder, please have adult supervision for use of any sharp objects.
If a hole cannot be bored, simply tie the string tightly around any portion of the bark, leaving a long lead to make a loop at the top of, to hang.
Coat the bark with Peanut Butter and roll it in the Bird Seed, completely covering the bark and patting it down to secure.
Hang from a tree limb, hook or hook on a tree.

Three Dimensional Paper Plate Bird Feeder

Flat Paper Plate Bird Feeder

Paper Plate Wreath Bird Feeders Materials:

Paper Plates
String
Non Toxic Glue or Glue Stick
Peanut Butter
Bird Seed

Cut the center out of two paper plates for both types of wreaths. For one of the wreaths, glue the two cut outs together with a pocket in the middle. For the flat type of wreath, simply glue two paper plates together to create a stronger form, for the bird seed and peanut butter.

For both types of wreaths, you will need to punch a hole at the top to attach a string to, to hang.

Once the glue has dried for the forms, tie the string to the hole for hanging.

Spread peanut butter on both sides of each wreath. Coat with bird seed.

For the three dimensional wreath, there will be a pocket in the middle, that holds additional loose bird seed.

Hang from a branch or hook on a tree.

Close Up Of Egg Carton Cup With Peanut Butter and Bird Seed

Egg Carton Bird Feeder

 Materials for the Egg Carton, Three Tiered Feeder:

Cardboard Egg Carton
String
Large Beads, Optional
String or Yarn
Peanut Butter
Bird Seed

Cut the desired number of cups from the cardboard egg carton and trim as desired.
Poke a hole in the top of each carton cup.
Cut your string, desired length and thread thru each hole, securing positions with a large bead or heavy knot. Leave enough string at the top to loop and hang.

Coat the outsides of each carton cup with peanut butter and roll in the bird seed and hang.

Also From the Author, Illustrator and Designer

I am not exactly sure how to generate interest in this blog site. I also have four other sites, that are available to be read and viewed. I contribute to “Boulder Creek Insider” and edit and write: Fir Grove Designs; Flooded Creek Designs; Alone is Not and Illusion and Whalebone Gulch Recipes.

Please take a moment to view these sites, when you have the time. Thanks for dropping by to glimpse at the one side of my world, I truly enjoy.

Creating a Play Kitchen Area from Simple, Inexpensive, Household Items

(This is a good, fun rainy day activity, during the monsoon season of our beautiful coastal rain forest area.)

With any form of role playing or pretend, always stress SAFETY and the importance of not using what is learned on REAL appliances.

Children love to role play and mimic the actions of adults. The following is a simple plan to create a small kitchen, that is safe and can be easily put away, when not being used. Some of the items can be used for other things, when no longer playing or stored away all together and brought out on another rainy day.  Most all of the items when no longer in use, can be recycled, as well.

Pre-Planning and Preparation:

Sit down with your child/children and talk about this project with them. With some paper and pen or crayons, draw a simple plan, with slight detail to what you want to build. This gives your child the experience of planning and designing. In addition, the child will be working with shapes and spacial concepts.

Write up a list of items with your child/children that you think might be used as props to create or simulate the room you are planning, such as a kitchen. (This will spark creative energy from your child as you formulate what items you see every day as ordinary into imaginary, matching or resembling the real thing.)
Plan a trip to the nearest retail store, which has boxes for free. You can check with anything from a grocery store to a hardware store, in your area. Let your child assist you in picking out the boxes, carrying them and taking them home.
Pick up several different sizes of boxes, possibly about three apple or fruit type with lids for added strength and durability.

Look around your own kitchen and take note of items that you can easily do without. Some of my suggestions are:
Aluminum or paper type pie tins or bowls, Large, Medium and small.
Cardboard tubes. (toilet paper, wax paper, foil, etc, paper towel tubes, any size that would normally be discarded or placed in recycling)
Heavy flat cardboard pieces in various sizes.
Empty spice containers, both the plastic bottles and the metal containers.
Popsicle sticks
Containers that would be tossed out, from items such as peanuts, plastic peanut butter or jelly type jars.
Lids from spices or just about anything, that can be converted into dials.
Old but somewhat clean sponges.
Clean squirt type bottles, such as from soaps or condiments.
Heavy or strong Masking tape, or similar.
Once you have collected all the items that you might need and have drawn up a simple, basic plan, it is time to construct your play area.
One or for heigth box, will be needed to construct a stove. You can let your own imagination run somewhat wild with this or you can keep it simple. With a small child you will want to make sure that the heighth of the stove is appropriate and it may take more than one box.

There are several ways to make the stove top. With a large round bowl, have your child position the bowl where the burners will be and trace around the outer edge to create a full circle. Remember that how many burners is up to the imagination. The burners can be just flat such as newer flat top ranges or cut out with a pie tin insert to create a gas or older electric range. (refer to illustrations or photographs)
Because you want to also teach safety, you will want to make the temperature knobs be attached to the front of the stove. (If you do this with them at the back, the child might not understand that in real life, it is dangerous to reach across a stove top and play with the knobs.)
If you want to make an oven/stove with an openable front door, use two boxes stacked one upon the other and the top box will need to have a cut out for the door.

Cut Out Oven Door: If you want to make this more contemporary, cut out a small square in the front of the oven door and tape wax paper or cellophane, clingy wrap to the opening to simulate an oven door window.
Use small lids from jars or spices to create temperature dials.

I will continue to add both photographs and drawings to this idea soon. So, keep reading and please send me your feedback. Thanks.

Orange, Lemon or Grapefruit Shell Bird Feeder

(This is another realtively inexpensive, good activity for and adult and a child to do, together. It requires a reasonably sharp tool and adult assistance.)

Materials:

• Firm Citrus, such as Oranges, Grapefruits or Lemons
  Strong String or Twine
  Sharp Knife
  Bird Seed
  Large Beads (Optional)
• Cut off, just the upper top of the citris, allowing enough room to be able to carve out, or scoop out the pulp of the fruit, without damaging the remaining skin.
  Set aside the fruit, for a snack or salad.
  Wash the cored out shell or wipe it out with a rag or paper towel, to absorb excess moisture.
  With a sharp took, or ice pick, poke about four holes 3/4″ to 1″ from the top of the peel, symmetrically around the citrus peel.
  Cut your string or twine in about 1′ to 2′ lengths, four pieces.
  Tie the string or twine securely to each hole on the peel. Combine all four ends into one knot at the top of the string/twine, for hanging.
  If you want to make a more decorative feeder, you can tie the handles with a bead on the fruit.
• Fill the bird feeder fruit with seed and hang, from a tree.
• I have not tried this, however you may make a hanger with several tiers, by stringing the fruit together.

 

Cardboard Crafting – A Series of Projects

Part One:  Introduction to Cardboard Crafting

While thinking of ways to design an inexpensive play structure representative of a child size kitchen from cardboard, I also began to experience immediate energy towards designing all sorts of other fun things using cardboard.

Take a moment to look at the cardboard used to construct a box. Most of the boxes I looked at, in my home storage have three separate sections to the wall structure.
Exterior Thin Cardboard
Interior Thin Cardboard
Center Corrugated aka Fluted Cardboard

The fluted section of cardboard, adds strength to the boxes construction and actually comes in varying degrees of fluting and thickness, generally for purposes of protecting the products to be shipped in these boxes. This also holds true for the exterior and interior sheets of the box as well.
If you look at cardboard for crafting or framing at an art or craft supply store, you will also see that some board comes in multiple sheets, glued together. Matt board, generally offers a wide variety of colors with a neutral backing however can be quite costly to purchase and experiment with on any project.

With the idea of offering an inexpensive medium to create from, the cardboard box from the local retail store comes into my mind. Most of these boxes are free and the stores, place them in the back or outside, prior to recycling or disposing of them. Free is a very good price, when you want to be creative and have few funds to use for fun. Free is also a good price for error. You can ruin a piece of free cardboard and you do not have to feel cheated by the price you paid. Another plus, would be to look for boxes with dividers.

These are generally the type, bottles are shipped in, to prevent the glass from banging together and breaking. This is just an added cardboard bonus inside the already free box itself.

Before beginning any project, think and draw or simply sketch, what you think you might want to make. Sounds silly when you put it that way, doesn’t it? Well, sometimes the best plans, lead to other plans, mistakes lead to genius and before you know it, your little idea is evolving and you just cannot stop!

Part Two: Cardboard As a Tool for Your Crafting Project

As an initial step before you actually begin constructing anything out of cardboard, you may want to use a few pieces as tools.

Straight edges become rulers. If you know the length and width of the pieces, you can save time with some of your measurements.  Holes in the cardboard box or handle openings can be used as templates.  A box with a flap, that fold can be used to create a right angle.  The corrugated aka fluted edge can be used to trace a design.

Once again, your free cardboard box also has supplied you, with a few extras, you may not have on hand.

 

Eliminating Fear and Developing Respect and Understanding of Insects

( A simple family activity to promote time together and eliminate some fears.)

Disclaimer: I am not an expert on bugs or insects. I may use words to describe them, that are incorrect, however they are words, I grew up with. It is important to note, that not being an authority, one might do some research to discover other words, terms or traits of insects to provide more accurate knowledge. This post is simply to offer an idea for an activity.

Children learn by example. A child may have fears due to what they are shown by an adult or taught by the reactions of an adult or older child.

How many times has a spider wreaked havoc and fear, with it’s presence. When a bee is buzzing about and threatens the possibility of landing and stinging, we swat at it or try to kill it. This only annoys the flying insect more and increases the possibility of a sting or bite. (I know, I have been stung many times and fortunately do not have a severe reaction. I have also had three ticks, pulled just prior to sinking their nasty little fangs in me and numerous, flea, mosquito and spider bites. I have been bit by a horse fly at the beach, that caused my upper arm to go numb. )

One of the ways to help eliminate fear of insects is to show your child the insect, in it’s natural habitat and understand the beneficial aspects of the insect.

Not all insects are beneficial and of course should be avoided. In my personal environment, those that need to be eliminated are ticks and mosquitos and unfortunately, yellow jackets also called “meat bees”.

Nature walks are one of the most educating experiences to understand beneficial insects. Take your child or children on a walk to see the bugs in action outdoors.

When you come across a spider web, although the spider may be hiding, there could be insects that annoy people, however are food to the spider,  trapped in its web and that can be pointed out. Bring to focus the web itself and how much work the spider has put into it’s own home to capture food to live.  Take the time to look at several different webs and the variance of structures. Point out bugs that have been wrapped in the spiders web for later consumption.
I often refer to old spider webs that cobwebs have formed on, as deserted spider condos.

Watch the bees as they land on a flower collecting the honey or pollen.

Ants, though annoying are hard workers and work as a team to sustain their own living situation. there are many different types of ants and each ant has it’s own job or purpose. You can track the path of the ants back to the home. Some ants travel extremely long distances for the tiniest reward, however they are driven with a purpose and stay the course, unless the path is altered by human or animal interference.

Once you have explored the insects in nature, take the time to go to the library or your own book shelves at home and explore the lives of insects. Sit with your child or children and study the insects, just a bit further with facts and details. Dispell myths about bugs and assist your child in proper identification of what the bug actually is. For Example:

Harvest Flys, which in reality is called a “Crane Fly”,  often are mistaken for a large mosquito and actually eat mosquitos. They are usually easy to catch and cause no harm, what so ever. This is the name I always called the long legged slight wispy bugs, however this is also a name for a much larger bug called a “Cicada”. With the “Cicada” in mind, you might also point out the sounds different insects make. In Arizona, where I resided for 6 years, the Cicada was quite prevalent, prior to monsoon or rain storms. I once went outside at night, just off my own bedroom and the patio was  covered with these beetle like bugs. It was a healthy swarm and while not harmful, quite scary to be in the presence of. Crickets sing at night and are also considered harmless, unless they descend upon a farmers field and consume it.

If you want to capture a bug, for a short time period, create a safe environment with a small plastic tub or glass jar, holes poked in the top, to allow air and some grass or sticks for the bug. Remind your child this is a very temporary home, just to be able to view the bug up close and that the bug needs to be set free to live and capture food.

Your child’s eyes will be opened with a new fascination and possibly less fear of the bug, when it appears from out of nowhere in the corner of the house or on the wall.

In my home, we do not kill spiders, no matter what the size, the spider goes outside. The only exception to the spider rule, might be a black widow. We also capture moths, crickets, grass hoppers, and beetles. If you choose to kill the bug, that is your own decision, however not necessary. Teaching the child to respect the bug and it’s benefits in the world, will teach kindness and is a simple act that the child benefits from doing. Teaching about the different times of the year the bug aka insect is most prevalent is another source of information. 

Harmful bugs should be pointed out. There is a difference between centipedes and milipedes. Worms are fun to hold, just to experience. Caterpillars can be observed in many stages from productive to destructive. What we call an inch worm might be a tomato worm, that will grow 50 times it’s size by the end of the day, if left on a tomato plant.

You might even, get out the crayons, markers or pencils and paper and start a nature book, with your child. Encourage the child to either just draw pictures of the insects or assist in writing a small story about the insects and what the child saw on the nature walk. You can keep an ongoing journal or just do a small booklet or drawing. All of these activities promote both an educational and artistic adventure, combined with quality time spent with your child/children.

If you and your child like to take photographs, download them onto your computer together and compare them to research about bugs, from other educational sites. The delight in a childs eyes, when it is all new, will spark delight in an adult as well.

This offers not just a time period when your child benefits, but you as a parent, human being, adult can feel a sense of renewal and wonder. Take advantage of that time, to bring  your own sense of joy and self worth to light. One might be amazed at how wonderful this simple journey can feel.

In conclusion, in my life, I have added silliness to the bug approach. When my son was little, and the dreaded long legged crane fly aka harvest fly, as I called them, appeared in the house, I would give the bug a name. I told my son, Jake: “OH, that is Harvey. Hi, Harvey! I was wondering where you were.”  This made it fun and not so scary.