Mixed media altered art 3D..A Fairy Home

For some days now I have been planning to make something with this 5 ltr plastic water jar. . . Finally I was inspired by the fairytales I read out to my kiddo and decide to make this..

I simply cut and carved out the plastic containers, folding plastic in ways to make it appear in different shades I used a drawing marker, cutter, glass paints, acrylic paints, pollen sticks  used for making flowers, mseal, PVA glue, varnish and  beads and other embellishments.

Below are some of the work in progress pics...

This is what I started with

WIP



birds nest

Add caption

French window

Fairy Home
 



Final look



I have two uses in mind for this...Place tea lights in it and make it a lamp shade or plant a indoor plant to make it a planter (I have made enough air circulation cuts and water proof too!)...Ah!...Im torn between these two ideas...What are your suggestions for this fairy home?

As a planter

As a light hanger

Gift wrapping idea

Time for bday returns gifts!

 

For years we have purchased school stuff, toys, tiffin boxes etc as return gift. This time I wanted to try something new and fun that my and the other kiddos would enjoy. We decided on gifting the kids a pair of activity sticker books ( I see that the kids love these illustrations, activities, stickers and stories) with a coloring set. But a simple plain Jane wrapping would make it monotonous. What is more fascinating than balloons, patterns and load of imagination!

 

This is what we finally gave.

 

It pretty simple and quick to do still attractive and fun.

 

We used loads of patterned papers (which I bought online from ebay), balloons, paints, tapes, ribbons/ lace. Also I like the mdf call outs  (enjoy a current 5% discount on lulupu.com bubbles wood veneer )  as they make these gifts personalized.

 

The balloons are blown small and then painted with acrylic colors. For the spider I twisted the balloon to make a head. You could also make a snail, tortoise etc on a pebble or stones patterned paper (which I couldn’t find. Actually I was keen on using white and any single colored paper so that it doesn’t steal the thunder of the balloon creature)

 

 

For the legs I used wire. After wrapping the books and the crayon set, we decorated the packet with crumpled ribbons to give it an edgy  effect while for the spider we used lace (making it webby!). We used other embellishments and charms for decorations. Although I could picture all , we made sets of lady bird, beetle, colourful spiders and bumble bee

 

And we finally made 17 of them, with each persons’ name written on the call out mdf.

 

The kids were extremely glad and comparing their insects and decorations.

 

 

animal friends  http://greatimpressionsstamps.blogspot.in/2014/07/july-challenge-animal-friends.html

 

http://pinkgemchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/challenge-123-animals-anybirdsteddy.html

 

BGC 54, lets get Kiddish http://beyondgrey.blogspot.in/

Super cool candy

Woohoo... check out this super cool candy.....



click on the link
http://yourscraphouse.blogspot.ch/2014/07/nouveau-give-away-july-2014-juillet-2014.html

Mixed media learning Toy Box

I have been planning to this for a while now and now that its done, I am (with my kid) super excited!.....

 I got a huge cardboard box from a local grocery store which fit perfectly into the cupboard where I stock toys and books. I have been wanting to work on a project which will teach my toddler alphabets and make it a fun utility box. Inspired by the rain, I decided to go with a frog theme. Working on each side of the box was like working on 6 pieces of huge canvas.

To start with, the box had very useful cuts meant to carry the box when heavy, I decided to make it the mouth of the frog. On either side I have a female and male frog. Have used loads of Patterned paper, pearl embellishments, glitter liner, ribbons, Heart & bubble call out MDFs, beads. As you must have noticed, the eyes of the frogs are old contact lens cases (in which I have put beads which wobble when the box moves!...)

 To start with the female frog…I have used my fav flora fauna pp to make her suit, have used another set of checked PP to make her eye lashes and  have inked and stamped the butterflies. I have outlined her with pearl stick and ofcourse the pearl necklace...

 

 

The ribbon in her mouth is not just a tongue but is an aid for my kid to pull out the box easily from the cupboard.

 

For the male frog have used a simple checked pp, call out MDF, Stamped image clock

 

The box sides, I have worked with  alphabet F; ie; frog, fly, five flowers, feet. Have added loads of pp, ribbons and embellishments

 

 

The other side I have worked with alphabet  L; Leaf, lunch, lazy, lick, lake….Once again have used pp, ribbons and embellishments.

 

On the top 2 flaps I have used decoupage techniques and collage.  I have worked with

alphabet M (This flap is by personal fav); Melon, Mango , Music , Magazine.

 

 

 

Alphabet B (My kid’s fav) ; Boy, butterfly, ball, blue

 

 

 

 

Here’s a  pic of the box from side and top view.

 

 

 

Top view

And this is my final sigh, organizing work completed!

Linking to

 

BGC 54, lets get Kiddish http://beyondgrey.blogspot.in/

 

Imaginations http://blog.imaginationsonline.com/ pattern paper, pearls, dies, ribbons, butterflies

 Fruity www.thecraftingcafe.blogspot.com

 

 

Kraftzone Challenge PP, stamped image, embellishment http://blog.kraftzone.in/

http://fairytale-challengeblog.blogspot.se/2014/07/95-furmitvon-kindern-vorwith-from.html

http://corrosivechallengesbyjanet.blogspot.se

animal friends  http://greatimpressionsstamps.blogspot.in/2014/07/july-challenge-animal-friends.html

 

http://pinkgemchallengeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/challenge-123-animals-anybirdsteddy.html

 

Durga Radiance

Artwork 25" x 31" inches made on tin which radiates strength and grace ...

Custom made using embossing, glitter, distressing and misting techniques.

 

Love this candy #1..here have a look

Create Something Catchy Challenges: Time for a candy #1: Hello lovely people.. Hmmn.. enjoying the weather? well.. oh yeah! It's pouring here like hell since morning and I'm loving it.. &...

The much ado about Star lantern….

Last Christmas my daughter turned 1 year old. I remember she used to cry while teething, vaccination etc and there was only Yesterday one solution….Take her to the balcony and point out to a Star lantern hanging in our neighbors house. . .  Now she is far bigger (I mean by 6 months) but her love for star lantern has only grown. So, yesterday I decided to hang a star lantern in our balcony. But where do I find a star lantern in this season when the monsoon is ready to kick in and all shops are displaying only raincoats and umbrellas……….An easy solutions I thought…make a star lantern. . . I also involved her in the project (allowed her to color and stick glitter…..

 

And here it is….

 

You can download this layout if you like. You will need five of these

 

 

You will need card paper (You can experiment with different colors and prints)

 

 

The five side cut-outs…. (At this stage you can punch holes, paint etc all before sticking)

 

 You need paper , glue and thread to hang it. As per the layout , the dotted line is where you must fold the paper inwards like a cone. Apply glue on the pink line. Stick the pink flap to the next cone forming a chain. The last one you can keep open if to want to insert a bulb. You can insert a thread at the sticking joint if you want to hang it .  And the lantern finally

 

Kids creativity workshop...an art synergy

Every 3-4 months I conduct a Kids workshop where kids of different age bands work together on art and crafts for a series of days when they learn about drawing, painting, paper crafts, basic craft techniques like collage, gift packing, card making, simple origami, basic quilling, flower making, stamping, misting , embossing etc.....These sessions are great especially because kids come with no reservations and are always willing to unlearn, not copy and think unique.


Add caption

However, this was the first time I had kids below the age of 4 attend this one day session. Of them 3 kids (including my own) were between 16 to 19 months, who cant speak, read or write (while their mommies were sitting in the room n chit chatting). I thought to myself it would be challenging to get them to do artwork. But I was wrong, they were wonderful. I am completely amazed at them and myself!

Here is the final artwork they produced.


With the toddlers I used safe non toxic colors with special toddler grips, and home made paints like turmeric (haldi), Spinach (palak), beetroot extracts and their hands/ feet.

For the kids above 2 years let them use crayons, paint brush, gum/glue.


Now here is what they did  simultaneously but independently (I couldn't capture all pictures as I was too involved with the children at times, plus my hands were messy with veg colors.

This is how beautifully the toddlers smeared haldi all over a huge sheet...The other kids pointed out that their finger traces looked like tree barks or animal stripes...

I taught the 2.5 yrs old drip painting which is a form of abstract art where you intentionally pour paint in some spots and turn the canvas too let it flow on its own.

 

 

After practicing on this sheet of paper she ddid the same on the haldi smeared paper to create black / red trees effect (when you mix spinach green and beet red in equal proportion you get black..they discovered it!)

 

Initial session to get the kids acquainted to each other

 

 

In the mean while the 3 year + olds made some random sketches, paintings etc.

 

 

 

Then finally came the fun part. They cut the pieces to their own imagination and stuck it together and color over it using similar techniques. The team (without speaking) mutually decided to let the eldest 4 year old take over this job....

 

The leaves that you see are not painted but are vegetable prints made from a cut okra (bhindi) and little gourd (tindora)

 

......And finally what a beautiful piece of art they put together. . . This was a great learning from me, them and their mothers (especially some who thought their kid didn't like arts and craft)...It was great to see the otherwise helter skelter kids sitting in one place, taking inspiration from each other and producing this beauty of synergy..Will do something similar soon. I hope you feel inspired too



 

Wall clock............My successful Plastic experiment...

Loved the outcome, its different, light in weight and chic....

So much plastic lying all around.  I was looking for more ways to innovate. I wanted to experiment with the Polystyrene (eg, yogurt container, Kids chocolate packaging) type of plastic in particular since it has a low heating point. So I collected all sorts of these plastic packing materials, cut them into small bits (if you have a shredding machine, it will be far easier)....Now the challenge is to heat it. You and me know that when plastic burns it leaves dangerous fumes. Hence I just wanted t heat it and not burn it to attain certain flexibility.

So I gathered several packaging materials, orange, blue, green, white, non opaque as you can see. Arranged them in a grouped pattern and packed it tightly in a round aluminum baking tray lined with a baking sheet. I left it on the terrace in the hot scorching sun for 5 hours (which helped the material drastically soften. With a magnifying glass (if u remember as kids we did this a lot in school) I concentrated the sun rays in certain areas which cased the material to nicely merge into each other as you can see. This activity already merged the particles into one sheet after which I simply painted, decorated and varnished it. I worked with a local watch shop to get the clock movement in place.

Unfortunately I didn't know this would turn out this good, it was just an experiment. So I dint click step by step photos. However for those of you interested I found a similar technique online . http://www.atomicshrimp.com/st/content/plastic_moulding_2


However if you do not want to go to this trouble you could simply work with ready made reisin granule you get in online shops.

Warning: This process does leave harmful gas and has been performed in a well ventilated area using a respiratory mask.

Wow...A hot air balloon

I wanted the kids to do something new. So the challenge was to use any household material to make something different and the change the look completely (that’s how I work in my recycled projects)..So no converting a container into another container, no painting CDs (unless they use it further as something else) and doing something they have never seen before (no copying). The best part about kids is they are honest and wont do a google search to get ideas….So I had a 4.5 year old and my 18 month old work on this (she tears, colors, sticks, does finger printing, learns, entertains and is a handy craft companion)…..They had exactly 45 minutes, which with kids usually extends as u have to persuade them to stop. They keep changing their mind, adding on and the final stage never seems to come.

 

They picked a lot of materials but some I had to take back as they aren’t meant to be recycled like the TV remote and my house keys (Though I wondered what they would do with it!)...Anyway, here are the materials they used….an old plastic shuttle cock, a broken plastic racquet, a burst cloth ball, pins, threads, paper and paint, scissors, some old broken bunny hooks, ribbons, glue.

 

 

 

I think this is brilliant……..A hot air balloon (they dint know that’s what its called, but they had seen it on TV)….I would never think of this. They also attached a string behind to hang it.

 

 

 

 

How you can do it:

Paint the shuttle cock as a basket (brown) and fill it with paper, thread, sponge or anything which is light in weight.

Put the 2 bunnies inside  (you could use any small plastic toys you may have). Now decorate the ‘basket’ with balloons, ribbons….To make the balloon they had 2 versions.

They made the head of the racquet as a base (which they also used to shape the balloon). They first made a paper balloon but realized it wasn’t sturdy enough hence they went back to their earlier plan of wrapping the cloth around it to which they could attach a pin and also hang it.

Paint some clouds and sun as decoration.. . 

 

How can you do it better:

(1)You could use a real gas/ helium balloon (the one that rises in the air) for fun and watch the basket which is extremely light in weight rise.

(2) If u like to see it as a parachute you could tie it to the shower cap and let it float down especially if you stay on higher floors and it’s a windy day!

 

 

If you make this, please share your artwork pictures in the below comment box, would love to know.


I have submitted this artwork for kids recycle challenge http://www.artsycraftsymom.com/2014/06/kid-friendly-recycled-crafts.html

Do it with the kids

As we grow up our minds our conditioned to think a certain way without realizing the restrictions they bring upon us. Try asking a 13 year old to describe a picture of a cat and ask a 3 year old to do the same. The 13 year will make u feel stupid for asking this in the first place but after insisting may sum it up saying “It has four legs, is sly, sleeps all the time and sneaks in to steal fish”…Whilst the 3 year old will give you a long passionate description. Will refer to the cat as her or him, it is not four legged but has two feet and two hands and will definitely comment on the tail. Will describe its various colors, eyes, whiskers, size, textures, habits etc….All this cause they are still in the process of discovering it. . . And that is what keeps them going. The day you stop discovering new things in your work, families, people around you, they get boring and you take them for granted…..Anyway, you deal with yourself some other time! ..But you should work with your kids to make their own life interesting, open their minds and keep the zing alive forever.

 

Its only after I had my own did Ii realize there is so much to learn from the kids. Its only after I started conducting workshops with them did I realize that they overflow with ideas and they know how to deal with them (most of us adults can’t, we need music, quick bites, a drink , a smoke or atleast company to get us going in that direction). In my creative workshops with grown- ups I teach them art and crafts, have a clear agenda to craft flowers or paint a landscape, while with kids I just enable them with art craft techniques and their minds conquer the rest. So I have decided to create a page on my blog to list things you can do with your kids. …..

Dream card

This card portrays a girl fantasizing her moments with her lover......

Here's a short poem I wrote while making the card

Flying Kisses,
Hits and misses.

The cupid strikes,
My heart abides.

The stars want to see
You dance with me,

.............I swirl , Your swirl , we swirl


When the Card (flap) is shut it appears as though she is in his arms....

But when you open it, you see she is only fantasizing....

And for those craft lovers, do not miss the silver bells, the paper folds on her skirt which swirls each time you open/shut the card,

blue and white ribbon folds and the other shiny embellishments to give a night dreamy effect

 

Floral touch, Wedding bells foil embossed with vintage scripts

I have entered this artwork in the following challenges
 

 

I have entered this http://craftycreationschallenges.blogspot.in/2014/06/challenge-265-tic-tac-toe.html challenge using the horizontal theme of Two layers, Ribbon and charm

 

Add wings challenge http://craftsandmeinspiration.blogspot.in/2014/06/june-challenge-149-add-wings.html

 

 

 Fold it challenge : http://gloriadesignschallenge.blogspot.in/2014/06/challenge-9-fold-it.html

 

Add wings challenge: http://www.scrapitgirl.net/index.php/2014/06/01/junes-challenge-wings/ 

 

Bright & Bold challenge http://www.cinspirations.blogspot.in/2014/06/challenge-269-bright-bold-colours.html

  

Men Challenge:   http://thatcraftplaceblog.blogspot.co.uk/


Love & Marriage http://catchychallenges.blogspot.in/

http://thecraftingcafe.blogspot.in/