Chapter 7: Thanks Bunches
A great way to show family, friends, and all of your special people how much they mean to you is with a handmade gift. Whether it is small and simple, or incredibly detailed, knowing that it was made by your children will certainly be the very best gift of all.
Mind Your Beeswax Candles
Homemade rolled candles are a fun and easy project to do together. Learn a simple technique and add a dash of imagination to create magical one-of-a-kind candles, which make wonderful gifts and can also become a lovely tradition for family celebrations.
Let’s Make It
Time: 10–15 minutes (or as long as you like)
Materials
• Wicks
• Scissors
• Wax paper or a laminated place mat
• Beeswax sheets for rolling (8" x 8")
• Ruler
• Butter knife
Make Rolled Candles
1 Cut a 21⁄2" length of wick for a 2" candle.
2 Set a sheet of wax paper or a laminated place mat on your work surface to protect it.
3 Place a beeswax sheet onto your work surface. Use a butter knife and a ruler to cut a strip that measures 2" x 8".
4 Place the strip onto your work surface with the 2" end closest to your body.
5 Set the wick onto the beeswax, about 1⁄4" in from the 2" edge. The wick should be flush with one side and extend 1⁄2" over the other side of the beeswax sheet.
6 Gently press the wick into the beeswax sheet. The natural warmth of your hands will soften the wax enough so the wick will stay put.
7 Use your fingers to work the 1⁄4" edge of wax up over the wick. You want it to be even and fit snugly around the wick.
8 Slowly roll up the candle by rolling it away from yourself. Pay attention as you go that the wax is rolling straight.
9 When you have rolled the entire 8" length around the wick and itself, you will have created a 2" taper candle.
10 Gently press the seam of the beeswax sheet into the candle with your fingers.
11 Once you are confident in this rolling technique, try making 8" taper candles using an entire beeswax sheet.
12 Make a whole bunch of colorful birthday candles using 2" squares of beeswax with 21⁄2" wicks.
A set of hand-rolled beeswax tapers along with simple candlesticks make a lovely gift.
|
FAQ Can we melt beeswax for dipped and poured candles? Absolutely! You can use blocks of beeswax to create dipped birthday candles and even small poured candles. Try using household items as vessels, such as citrus fruit halves, nut shells, or empty glass candle jars. There are a few safety precautions you need to take when melting wax. Have a fire extinguisher nearby and be familiar with how to use it. It is always best to be prepared—please discuss fire safety with your children in depth, and craft carefully. For detailed information about preparing wax and candle-making, visit your local library together to do some research before your next project. |
Felted Wool Soaps
Bundle some wonderful scented soap with colorful wool roving and take it for a little dip to create unique felted wool soap that is as lovely as it is useful. This project is fun and simple enough for even your youngest crafters.
Let’s Make It
Time: 15 minutes
Materials
• Towels
• Scented bar soap
• Butter knife
• Wool roving in a variety of colors
• Sheer stockings
Make the Felted Soap
1 Set out plenty of towels on your work area.
2 Fill a bowl halfway with very warm water.
3 Cut a bar of soap in half using a butter knife.
4 Take a length of wool roving and gently wrap the fiber all the way around the bar of soap just like you would wrap a present.
5 Take some more wool roving and wrap it around the bar of soap in the other direction, this time covering the ends that were not previously covered.
6 If small children are doing this project, place the roving-wrapped bar of soap into the leg of sheer stockings. Tie and cut off either end so that the soap is tightly wrapped in the stocking material. This step will help keep the roving from slipping around in little hands during the felting process.
7 Dip the roving-wrapped soap into the warm water to wet the fibers. Remove it and gently squeeze off the excess water.
8 Gently begin to rub the entire bar of soap in your hands. It will feel like the roving is slipping a bit at first, but soon the fibers will mesh together naturally, and you will feel the wool getting tighter as you work. I can best compare this process to shaking dice in your hands.
9 The soap will begin to produce lather through the wool fibers, which will help the fibers to shrink and intertwine. If it gets too soapy, you can repeat Step 7 to rinse it off a bit and continue felting again.
10 After a few minutes, you will feel that the roving has tightened around the soap and no longer slips. Rinse the soap with cool water and pat it with a clean towel to wick off any excess lather and water.
11 Allow the felted soap to dry on a towel.
12 Wrap a few soaps with a personalized note on handmade marbled paper (Chapter 3) for presentation.
Peek-a-Boo Watercolor Cards
This beautiful one-of-a-kind stationery is made using everyday art supplies. Yours can be simple and understated or bold and bright by simply varying your color palette. Kids will enjoy seeing this project quickly come together and delight in presenting their creations to the special people in their lives.
Let’s Make It
Measurement: 41⁄4" x 51⁄2" • Time: 1⁄2 hour
Materials
• Lightweight watercolor paper (91⁄2" x 121⁄2" or larger)
• Watercolor paints and paintbrushes
• A2 envelope (measures 43⁄8" x 53⁄4")
• Scissors
• Pencil or pen
• Glue stick (or craft glue)
• A variety of paper craft punches, such as a single-hole punch and shape punches
Make a Few Watercolors
1 Paint a few pieces of watercolor paper in any manner you like. Whether you use a lot of color or keep it subtle, this project will work just fine.
2 Consider that each watercolor painting makes one card and envelope, so create enough paintings for as many cards as you plan to make.
3 Allow the paintings to dry completely.
Make the Envelopes
4 Carefully take apart the A2 envelope and unfold it completely. Use this envelope as your template.
5 Trace the envelope template on top of one of the watercolor paintings.
6 On that same watercolor painting, trace a rectangle measuring 4" x 51⁄4".
7 Cut out the envelope and rectangle shapes. Set the rectangle aside for use in the card.
8 Determine if you would like the painted side on the inside or outside of the envelope.
9 Fold both of the short sides of the envelope inward and crease firmly.
10 Fold the bottom upward and crease firmly.
11 Place a small amount of glue where the bottom of the envelope overlaps with the sides and glue in place. (You may wish to place a piece of wax paper inside the envelope just to be sure that no glue leaks inside the envelope and sticks it together.)
12 Allow the envelopes to dry completely.
Create the Cards
13 Cut some unpainted watercolor paper into pieces measuring 51⁄2" x 81⁄2". You will use one of these per card.
14 Fold each piece short end to short end and crease firmly along the fold.
15 Use different paper punches to create holes or other shapes on the front side of each card.
16 Place a thin layer of glue over the entire inside of the front of the card.
17 Take the 4" x 51⁄4" rectangle you cut out earlier and glue it face down inside the card. Center it so that the painted image peeks out of the holes. Smooth the paper with your hands to work out any air bubbles.
18 Allow the card to dry completely.
19 Package a few coordinating cards and envelopes together to give as a gift.
|
TIP Repurpose Your Kids’ Artwork You can easily adapt this project to incorporate artwork already made by your kids. Cut out the cards and envelopes from plain watercolor paper or cardstock according to the previous instructions. When cutting out the rectangles of artwork to peek through the holes in the paper, simply choose from the wide array of artwork you have on hand by your kids. Even crayon scribbles and finger-painting by your youngest artists will translate into lovely stationery that will surely be treasured.
|
Name That Veggie Wrapping Paper
Look no further than your backyard garden or even the crisper drawer to create amazing printed wrapping paper. The process is fun for kids of all ages and produces unique results every time. Use your one-of-a-kind paper to wrap individual gifts—or better yet, bundle a few sheets to give as a thoughtful handmade present.
Let’s Make It
Measurement: 30" x 30" • Time: 1⁄2–1 hour
Materials
• White or brown Kraft paper (30" wide roll)
• An assortment of vegetables such as celery, fennel, carrots, peppers, broccoli, artichokes, and cauliflower
• Cookie sheet
• Acrylic paints
• Empty small glass or plastic containers
• Foam brushes
Set Up Your Work Area
1 Cut a 30" piece of Kraft paper for each person and set it on the work area.
2 Select a few vegetables for printing.
3 Talk about the different ways the vegetables can be used to print on the paper (as brushes stamps, rollers, and so on).
4 Make any cuts you would like in the vegetables and set all the individual pieces on the cookie sheet.
5 Determine your palette and squirt a few different colors of acrylic paints into individual small glass or plastic containers.
6 Place individual foam brushes beside each of the paint containers.
Start Printing
7 With a small amount of paint on a foam brush, apply a thin, even layer to the surface of one of the vegetables.
8 Put down the brush and bring the vegetable over to your sheet of paper.
9 Press, brush, or roll the vegetable onto the paper and see what design you come up with. Experiment with color combinations and compositions as you go.
10 Continue printing on the paper until you are happy with the finished piece.
11 Set the paper aside to dry.
12 Try creating a paper printed entirely with one vegetable, but in different colors.
13 A fun idea would be to print with a variety of vegetables and write multiple-choice questions about the vegetable prints with a permanent marker.
Wildflower Gift Garden
A tiny garden of wildflowers can brighten any day. This project is as simple as planting a few seeds in a container, setting it in a sunny spot, and watching them grow. As the seedlings mature, transplant them into your outdoor garden or give them to someone special to brighten his or her day.
Let’s Make It
Time: 15 minutes plus a few weeks growing time
Materials
• Empty vessels for planting, such as milk or orange juice cartons, egg cartons, coffee cans, berry quarts, and yogurt containers
• Small pebbles (optional)
• Potting soil
• Wildflower seeds
• Spray bottle filled with water
Prepare the Garden for Growing
1 Clean the vessel you will be using.
2 If using a large container with a solid bottom, place about an inch of small pebbles in the bottom for drainage.
3 Fill the vessel with potting soil, being careful not to press down the soil.
4 Sprinkle a thin, even layer of wildflower seeds on top of the soil.
5 Gently press the seeds so that they are in contact with the soil, but not submerged.
6 Use a spray bottle to lightly moisten the seeds with water.
7 Set the container in a sunny spot and moisten the seeds as needed to germinate.
8 Continue to nurture the tiny garden until seedlings develop in a few weeks.
Wrap the Garden for Gifting
9 Wrap a piece of decorative paper around the vessel. Use some of your marbled paper (Chapter 3) or veggie wrapping paper (in this chapter).
10 Give the tiny wildflower garden to someone special to transplant in his or her own garden. Be sure to include care instructions, including what type of sun exposure the flowers require. And if you are feeling extra-crafty, include a personalized garden marker (Chapter 3).
|
TIP Mini-Gardens Make Great Gifts Fill the cups of an empty egg carton with potting soil and plant a few different seeds in each cup. Create a chart of which type of flower is in each of the cups and glue the chart on the inside of the carton lid—like a box of chocolates. You can also create a mini herb garden by placing different herb seeds in each cup of the egg carton. These make thoughtful gifts for Mother’s Day or for your child’s teachers at the end of the school year.
|
Woven Woolies
Weaving on a peg loom is a simple and fun process to teach your kids. In this project, you will do the little over-under dance with bulky wool and combine your finished squares to create a variety of cozy woolen pieces to share with others.
Let’s Make It
Time: 15 minutes–1⁄2 hour per square
Materials
• Peg loom (we used a 17-peg loom)
• Bulky-weight wool yarn (100% wool, or a blend of wool/mohair or wool/alpaca)
• Crochet hook
• Zippered lingerie bag
• Mild detergent
Prepare Your Materials
1 Make sure you have enough yarn for your project. We needed about 24 yards of bulky-weight yarn to complete one square using our particular loom.
Wrap the Yarn Onto the Peg Loom
2 Tape a 3" tail of your yarn to the outside of the loom between the first and second pegs from the right on the top row.
3 Bring the yarn down in between the corresponding two pegs on the bottom row. Wind the yarn counterclockwise around the first peg on the bottom and then go back up.
4 With the yarn back at the top to the right of the first peg, bring it over the top of the first and second pegs, so that you can go down between the second and third pegs.
5 Bring the yarn down from the top again and in between the corresponding two pegs on the bottom row. Wind it counterclockwise around the second peg on the bottom and then back up to the top.
6 Continue winding the yarn onto the loom, working counterclockwise one peg at a time (as shown in the illustration). When you are at the end of the row of pegs, cut the yarn a few inches longer than needed and tape the yarn tail to the side of the loom.
7 Look at the loom with those wraps of wool running vertically.
8 Double up the end of your yarn for a length of about 18". Starting on the left, pull the loop over 2 and under 2 across the entire loom until you are able to loop it over the top peg on the right side.
9 Knot the short-tail end of the yarn over the top peg on the left side.
10 Bring the yarn down over the second peg on the left and work a loop of the yarn under 2 and over 2 (the opposite of what you did on the previous pass) across the entire loom until you are able to loop it over the second peg on the right side.
11 Even out the yarn by giving it a tug from the left side and even out the line of weaving with your fingers.
12 Continue working in this manner. When the loom is fully woven, tie a knot in the yarn around the last peg.
13 Now it is time to take your weaving off the loom. Use the crochet hook to remove the yarn loops one at a time. Pull the loop from one peg through the loop of the next one as you continue to remove them from the loom. (Most looms come with thorough instructions on how to do this.)
Felt the Squares
14 Before you go any further, please note that many things can affect the felting outcome. The type of yarn you use and tightness of your stitches have a lot to do with it, as does the temperature of the water and level of agitation. Do a test run with one of your squares first to see how much it will shrink during the felting process. Write down the measurements so you can calculate future projects.
15 Place a finished woven piece in the lingerie bag and zip it closed.
16 Toss the lingerie bag into the washing machine with an old pair of jeans. Set the water level to low, the heat to hot, and the cycle speed to fast. Pour in a small amount of mild detergent to help with agitation.
17 When the wash and rinse cycles are complete, remove the felted wool piece from the bag and flatten it to air-dry.
18 Trim off any excess threads or fuzz from the finished piece.
19 Compare measurements of the finished piece with those of the pre-felted piece and do your calculations.
Make Cool Stuff With All Those Squares
One felted square makes a lovely trivet.
We stitched together six squares using the same yarn and then felted them to create color-blocked place mats.
You can join 9–12 squares to make a super-soft and especially cozy floor mat. (Set down a nonslip rug liner underneath to prevent falls.)
|
TIP If you are up for a long-term project, make several dozen squares and put them together to create a one-of-a-kind woven wool patchwork blanket. |