Snail and Felt Bead Jewelry Project

I really hope you'll try this project. It involved using craft store purchased felt, the ones that cost about 29 cents at Michael's, and wooden beads, also very inexpensive. BUT, if you'd like to upgrade this project, you can purchase real wool felt (available online and at Joanne Fabrics) and use nicer beads. If you're really ambitious, wash old wool sweater to shrink them, them cut them up and use for the felt beads.

Okay, so here's how it works!

FELT BEAD NECKLACE

You will need: Felt pieces in various colors, really sharp needle, embroidery thread (color of your choice), rubber bands, wooden or other beads (make sure that the needle and thread will fit through hole in the bead.)

Cut three small rectangles of felt, each one a different color. (See photo) Beginning on the long end of the rectangle, roll up and trim off any of the underneath ends that are hanging out. The outer layer of felt should only be seen. Then place a rubber band close to each end to hold spiral together. See photo. (This is the part that looks like a snail!)

Little ones may need help here. Threat a really sharp needle with embroidery thread (about 30") push needle through tube, close to where the roll begins. Pull through, leaving about 12" of thread. Put a knot on the outside side of the tube. (See photo) Slide rubber band down toward the center of the tube and cut-off your first bead. (See photo) Be careful to not cut string during this process. You can add a wooden bead, as I did, between belt beads if you like. Continue until you are satisfied with the number of beads on the necklace. After adding last bead, place another knot next to it, keeping beads secure on string. Decide on length of necklace and tie ends together. (See photo)

I've also done a second version, as you see in the photos.

Remember to be like snail as you're doing this project. You must persist! And when you're finished you'll say, GOOD JOB!!

Snail

So, at the very end of my last post, I referred to my painting of a snail and it's accompanying poem, I'll Try, I'll Try. Here you'll see the poem and it's illustration. Enjoy, then go on the the next post for a snail related jewelry project. See you there.

I'LL TRY, I'LL TRY

Hard as it is, I’ll try, I’ll try.
Snails must persist, so I’ll keep my hopes high.

I’ll work and plan and scheme and prepare,
And I’ll wiggle and crawl until I get there.

And when I do I’ll shout yahoo and hup-hup,
And be proud of my self for not giving up!

(GOOD JOB!!!)

COOL FLOWERS MADE FROM RECYCLED PLASTIC MILK JUGS AND OTHER PLASTIC CONTAINERS

It's a beautiful snowy day, parents and kids home from work and school. What a great day to have some craft time with the kids!! You will be recycling plastic milk jugs, deli containers and other plastics to make these really awsome flowers. This is my first craft post. Let me know if there is some part of the directions that need clarification. I'll try my best!

Since flowers are a reoccuring theme in my amazingly fun, delightfully whimsical paintings, I thought it would be fun to make some in 3-D. Don't forget, you can see more paintings at artatdragonhill.com.

This is definately a project that needs adult help, but isn't that part of the fun, working with your child, grandchild, or in my case, incredible greatest nieces?

You will need: Washed milk jug, deli container and/or other plastic container,

Thin-point permanent marker,Acrylic paints, water container for rinsing brushes and brushes, Kraft Knife (for adult use only) and scissors,Wooden dowel or something else sturdy and thin to be used as a stem,Floral tape, piece of ribbon, pencil with new eraser end.

Remove labels and dry plastic. With the permanent marker, draw three flower shapes onto plastic, small, medium and large. (My largest flower shape is 7" dia.)

Also draw two leaf shapes with a tab that can be tucked under the floral tape when being attached to stem. In addition, draw a 1" circle to be used as the center of the flower.

ADULT HELP NEED HERE: Using craft knife or scissors, cut the shapes off of the containers. Cut an X into the center of each flower piece so it can be slipped onto the dowel. Now you can give the shapes to your child to finish the cutting with scissors.

Now comes the fun part!! Using acrylic paints, paint each of the pedal pieces a different color. TIP: The paints may be pretty transparent. Use a dab of white mixed in with each color with make it more opaque and give better coverage.

You can also add a decorative element to the pedals. I used the pencil eraser to "stamp" red paint dots onto the yellow pedals. Allow to dry completely before putting on the stem.

Slide the largest flower piece onto the dowel, next the medium and then the small. Tie the ribbon around the stem under the flower pedals. Wrap a piece of floral tape around the stem under the large pedal. Wrap several times around the dowel to keep the pedals from sliding down the dowel. Now begin wrapping tape diabonally down the stem, stretching as you go. Add leaves were desired by slipping the tabs under the tape and reinforcing with an extra round or two of tape.

Glue the round piece on top end of the dowel (I actually had a cute button that I used instead.)

This seems way more complicated that it really is! The hard part of waiting for the paint to dry!! Place your flower in a glass vase or jar and enjoy.

Okay, last but not least, I can see that I need to learn how to add images so that they have a logical order! Like snail says, I"LL TRY, I'LL TRY.

New Work, New Website and New ME!

Hi All,



We'll, it's been an entire year in the making. My website, artatdragoarnhill.com, will have a new look shortly. Look for it in about 10 days. So let me tell you about what I've been up to. The site contains fun, whimsical and vibrantly-colored paintings, AND I've also written a poem to accompany each of the paintings. Each of the poems has been inspired by a quotation by a famous, not so famous or unknown person. The painting/poem combinations are meant to inspire kids to be the best that they can be. There is also a section on the site where you'll find "activities," aka "more fun." In this area you'll find questions and activities regarding each of the poems/paintings. Most of the questions are designed to have no right or wrong answers. They are meant to help kids think a bit more about the painting and the poetry and add more enjoyment. There are currently 10 paintings/poems/activities on the website. Check back occasionally for additions.



I want to tell you that I LOVE creating these paintings and poems. My dream is to have a book containing these and more pages published. It's kind of scary and it'll be lots of hard work, but if I want the kids who read my poetry and look at my illustrations to believe in themselves, I need to heed my own advise!!



I'll be using this blog as a place where you can find lots of art projects and craft projects for kids. Some will be related to the poetry and paintings on my website. Others won't be related, but I'll include them because they will be fun, fun, fun for kids to do.

Okay, so here it is Feb. 13th and I just realized I only drafted this post, it never published! Oh well, those of you who know me know that that's ME! Here it is.









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