This can become a game with your youngsters.  How can they use items around the house and from daily living in other ways once these are empty or no longer good for the original purpose?

Youngsters might see how many uses they can discover for a single item, such as a margarine container, whipped topping container, peanut butter jar, plastic grocery bags, greeting cards, boxes and more.  This is a great way to get them to use their imagination and creativity, as well as utilizing the old instead of buying new.

I recall, when I was a child, making play things from old “stuff” around the house.  Money wasn’t readily available for many toys, so we had to make our own.  My grandchildren, particularly my grandson, enjoy taking boxes, containers, pieces of scrap wood and creating items to play with.  We call them “the great inventors,” and it’s exciting to see how Kara and Alex can “repurpose”  items.  I hope this creativity and resourcefulness continues throughout their lives.

Post from: Blisstree

Repurposing with Your Youngsters

• Many can be attached to mixed media pieces.
• Some can be background material for attaching others.
• Use old wood and arrange some of the relics on it.
• Some people attach keys, buttons, watch findings and similar items to quilts and fabric art.
• Glue them together for three dimensional art.
• Create memory shadow boxes of old items belonging to a family member
• String them on mobiles

The possibilities are unlimited; simply use your imagination and creativity.

Image: sxc.hu

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Projects Using Rust & Relics

What if you created a Vision Board for you and your family?

Image by Cat

Set up a corkboard in a common area. Perhaps that’s the kitchen or the family hall. This is the place where you and your family will post each one of your wishes.

Encourage the family to participate.

• Ask each one what they envision for themselves, material or immaterial. Do they desire a trip to the mountains? Do they want to graduate valedictorian? Do you envision a clean, spotless home?

• For each vision, find a corresponding image in old magazines. Cut out the image and post it on the board. For example, Dad can cut out a picture of a skiing vacation resort, Anne can post a picture of a graduate with medals, and you can cut out a spread from a design magazine.

Monitor the vision board. Do make everyone aware that just because it’s up on the board, it doesn’t mean it’ll happen right away. The vision board is a reminder of the things and experiences each one of you looks forward to. They can be goals each one of you can work for.

Encourage your children to envision experiences more than material things. It’s alright to have a picture of the latest video game console up on the board or the newest car model. But do encourage them to think about positive experiences they would like to have for themselves — pictures of their ambitions (doctor, teacher, etc.), trips (camping, joy rides), activities (picnic on top of a mountain, horseback riding).

The Family Vision Board is a good way to be in touch with each family member’s wishes. It can bring you closer too as you help one another work towards their goals.

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The Family Vision Board

I’ve got two more photos to share today, and as long as today’s thunderstorm holds off – we’ll get to them!

I mentioned yesterday that one of my favorite creativity building exercises is to think about how I would interpret an image as fiber art.  What kind of fabric would I use?  Do I use mixed media or raw fiber elements?  How about machine or hand embroidery?

These leaves were covered in a soft down, making them almost look like velvet.  Which of course, makes me wonder how velvet or velveteen would work to make this into an art quilt.  Pile fabrics can sometimes take very soft dry brushing to add subtle layers of color – perfect for adding shading to the leaves.

I love the love bright color and sheer happiness of this flower!  I think that this would be a fun piece to make using strands of novelty yarn, couched or embroidered onto the surface.  I might even use metallic threads to enhance the bold nature of the flower.

images: © C Findlay-Harder

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Using Natural Texures In Fiber Art: Part 2

Image: sxc.hu

As a teacher, writer, and historical researcher, I’ve done this on a small scale with my programs in schools.  However, I’ve wanted to reach more teachers and children, as well as home schooling parents and help with creating activities, lessons, and programs that make history “come alive.”

Yesterday, a friend called to interview me about the writing I’ve done about our local area history.  She needed this information for a research paper on developing school programs.  In the course of our conversation, she encouraged me to work on my blog, New Hampshire of Yesteryear, and continue developing the picture book, Sarah Jane’s Daring Deed, about a pioneer girl.  She saw possibilities for these incorporated into school programs.

So now I’m back to the drawing board and working on my programs and activities to expand children’s knowledge and interest New Hampshire and U S history and how it affects their lives.

Sometimes it simply takes someone’s comment and encouragement to get us back on track with our dreams.

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Encouragement to Pursue Creative Ideas

Summer festivals, gardening, farmer’s markets, the beach, camping… so many things to do, instead of sewing.

So what can you do when you want to sew, but just can’t seem to get into the studio?

How about…

• Browse through the crafts section of your local library and see if there are some interesting sewing books to borrow.  Or your favorite book store, depending on your budget.
• Spend some time exploring different sewing blogs.  Seeing what everyone else is working on may inspire a spark in you.
• Go see an art exhibit – it doesn’t have to be fiber, but checking out creative work can be good for inspiration.
• Start sketching or drawing – but try and not judge what you produce.  Just draw like you did when you were a little kid.
• Browse through a fabric store and check out their new patterns and fabric.  You don’t need to spend a mint, but a little treat can be fun for perking up a tired fabric-aholic.
• Give yourself permission to take a sewing vacation!  When you’re ready to head back into the studio, you’ll be refreshed and relaxed.

image: Stock.xchg

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Got The Summer Sewing Blahs?

My number one, all time tip?

Let the kids feel like they have say in what they’re doing!

One of the first formal art classes I took as a teenager was lead by an artist who taught by having his students copy his work exactly.  In fact, he had been teaching that way for many years.

Was I bored?  Oh yes!

I wanted to learn techniques that would allow me to create my own vision – not reproduce his.

I’ve always remembered how frustrated I was with that and try and let my students come up with their own finish product.  I demonstrate techniques – but when it comes to the final product, the kids get to be creative.

Sewing with your kids?  How about letting them “shop” your stash or chose the pattern?  Making crafts?  Why not give your kids a little more free rein to chose their own colors or put materials together differently.

It may not turn out to be the project you had in mind – but I can almost guarantee that your kids will want to keep on crafting!

image: Stock.xchg

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Sharing Crafts With Kids

1. Saving money is always a good thing!
2. Second hand shops, recycle centers (my city has a reuse center) and thrift stores can be great sources for fabric, yarn and craft supplies.
3. It’s better for the environment to find stuff, rather than have to buy new.
4. Keep your eyes open in unlikely spots – you don’t necessarily have to spend $$$ in a craft store to get what you need.
5. It can spark a creative idea to work with new materials.

Just remember, it’s not thrifty to buy stuff you know you’ll never use, just because it’s on a really good sale…

image: Stock.xchg

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5 Reasons To Be A Thrifty Collector

I wish I could give every one of you a copy of this awesome CD! But alas, only one person can win, and that person is:

Angie P!

Angie was chosen at random, and said in her comment, ” My teen likes to write. This would be an awesome book for her. Thanks!”
You’re welcome, Angie. It’s great that you are giving this to your teenage daughter and nurturing her love of writing.

Image: sxc.hu.

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Winner of Writing in the Zone

What has been your toughest call? Are you pleased with how things have turned out? Did you second guess yourself for awhile after making the choice?

As it relates to my work in mixed media, I think the toughest thing for me to decide was not to make items for sale.  I have nothing against sales…I’m as mercenary as they come…but I just couldn’t figure out a way that selling mixed media art was ever going to work for me.

So when someone contacts me about a piece that they like, my only recourse is to sell them a photographic print.  This is hardly a satisfactory solution, since the whole nature of mixed media is THREE DIMENSIONAL!  But there you have it.  My tough decision.

How about you?   What’s been your toughest choice?

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Question of the month: Hard Decisions