Summer Fun Club 12

I just have so many pictures for each SFC, I can't group them in posts!  But this one will be quick, mostly pictures.

So.  You know Queen Anne's Lace?  It's a weedy flower, related to a wild carrot, grows on the side of the road.  One morning last week we pulled over and cut some for that day's Summer Fun Club meeting.

After Poppy was down for her nap, we broke out the food coloring, and made jars of different colored water.  Then we put one flower in each jar.  

Did you ever do this as a child?  So simple and cool.  We discussed very briefly the science here, why we put flowers in water, how they use it, where it goes, etc.  Then we put them on the coffee table and left them for a few days.  (Note for next time: place on a tray on the coffee table - little spills ended up staining.)

Next, we took some thick paper, thick paint, and more Queen Anne's Lace, and did some flower printing.

I'd never done this before and wasn't sure how it would turn out, but it was pretty cool!

Then the colored water reminded me of this Art Tuesday project we did last year, so I got out the coffee filters and mini scone pan, and we did some color dipping.

Two days later, our flowers had started turning the colors of their water.  The turquoise and purple worked the best, followed by orange, green and yellow.  Another day later, the colors were even more vibrant, but they were also falling apart, so we tossed them.  But it was such a fun and fascinating project for the girls, I think we will definitely do that one every summer.

Art Tuesday: Kinetic Art

A few weeks ago, Ginger, Poppy, and I were stranded.  We'd brought the van in for some repairs, and it was going to take several hours longer than expected.  I had a backpack of activities neither of them wanted to do, no stroller, and the unpleasant discovery that the gumball machine the girls have come to associate with getting the car fixed was no longer in the waiting area.  We were in a part of town I didn't know well, but it was a beautiful spring day, so I whipped out the mighty iPhone and searched for anything interesting within walking distance. 

Turned out there was a library just two blocks away, so we meandered over and spent the better part of a morning lounging on beanbags, playing with puzzles, and reading lots and lots of books.  Poppy's not picky.  If she can reach it, and pull it off the shelf, it's her new favorite, and she insists on me reading it aloud while she goes to pick another. 

One that she brought me was Alexander Calder and His Magical Mobiles.  I love mobiles, and Calder has a huge one at the National Gallery, as well as a room of other smaller mobiles and sculptures.  So while the mechanics labored away, chuckling at how much they were going to charge me, and the girls built and demolished towers of foam blocks, I got a quick primer on the artist behind the balance, and I knew what I wanted to do for our next Art Tuesday.

Rouge Triomphant, 1959-1963

Of course, when I went back to my library, they didn't have the same book, not in the entire Arlington system.  Grrr.  But, just to show some examples of his work, I did check out The Essential Alexander Calder and Alexander Calder and Contemporary Art: Form, Balance, Joy.

We started the afternoon discussing what a sculpture is, and how it is made.  Then we talked about moving sculptures, then hanging sculptures, or mobiles. 

Cone d'ebene, 1933

I showed a few examples and we briefly discussed the concept of balance, and how it is achieved.  Then we broke out the supplies - markers, glue, paper, beads, feathers, googly eyes, string, and of course coat hangers - and each child set to work with the charge to make at least two creations to hang and balance.

You never know how Art Tuesday is going to go.  Paint, markers, and glue are often big hits, but sometimes the projects are too hard, or too easy, too narrowly defined, or too broad.  Plus each child's interest level is a moving target from month to month.  So you never know.  We just try things and see what happens.

I'm happy to report that our Kinetic Art afternoon was a booming success.  Attention spans reached record lengths, and creativity flowed like the rivers of beads that spilled onto the floor and scattered in all directions.  Everyone got to make something that was unique to them.  And I finally found something good about my totally weird entry light fixture: it's perfect for hanging mobiles.

*And speaking of mobiles, if you grown-ups are feelin' crafty, here are some clever ones you can make for your next party, or...whatever!

Art Tuesday: Easter Garland

 Art Tuesdays kind of fell apart after the holidays, but we've still done some projects here and there.  Spring break was the perfect time to try out some ideas I've been saving up, including this paint chip Easter egg garland from Modern Parents, Messy Kids.  Except their messy kids must be older, or less messy, than mine because that is some smooth cutting at their house. 

 I loved this project because it was:

1 - Not really that messy
2 - Collaborative; ALL THREE girls could do something
3 - Quick

4 - FREE (thank you, Home Depot)

It appealed to each girl in a different way, which is just the best kind of activity.  Ginger has been really working on scissor skills this year, and cutting eggs was just challenging enough without being frustrating.  Hazel is a smooth cutter, and also enjoyed putting the cut-out eggs in numerical order, and helping string them.  Poppy loved all the colored cards, and holding scissors for probably the first time.

 And me?  I liked making a pretty, homemade, seasonal decoration with my girls that I will have no qualms throwing out because we can - and will - just make it again next year.  Or sooner than that - no one ever said egg was the only shape you could do this with.

Paint Chip Easter Garland

What you need:

• An Easter egg cookie cutter or other template
• Sharpie or pencil
• Scissors
• A stack of paint chips (about 3-4 per rainbow color)
• Twine

 We got our paint chips at Home Depot because the Behr ones are nice and wide.  But once we started cutting, I realized something I hadn't noticed at the store (might have had something to do with being in Home Depot with three kids.)  Some of the cards (the medium and dark ones) have FOUR colors; some (the light ones) have THREE.  Most of ours had four - oh, well - but I think the three-ones are better because then you only have one white line going across your egg instead of two.  But it doesn't matter that much.

 What to do:

Trace the egg on the back of the paint chips, making sure it's not where the words are.  I also numbered them before handing them off to the girls for cutting because that makes it easier to put them back in order than eyeballing it. 

 Cut out all the eggs.  Punch two holes in the narrow end of each egg - I had a small heart-shaped hole punch in the Crazy Box - I think a small punch is better than a regular three-hole punch.

 Thread twine or yarn through the holes - I used my baker's twine; MPMK used waxed cotton but I'm not sure what that is - maybe dental floss?  That would work.

Hang it up to show the world!

Art Tuesday - Graham Cracker Houses

Gingerbread and/or graham cracker houses are a must-do holiday tradition for us.  We usually buy a gingerbread house kit somewhere and make it, but I think the little graham cracker ones are more fun.

Among other reasons, they're fun because it's a chance to buy fun, colorful candy you would never buy for any other reason.  For once, it's about looks, not taste.  Threw in a little fine motor work, having the kids cut Twizzlers to size as needed.

Ginger was dying with anticipation as we waited for our friends to arrive.  We happened to have some frosting left over from our Wilton gingerbread house kit, so I didn't have to make any for this activity, but if you want to make these, be aware you can't use regular canned or homemade buttercream frosting.  You need something with meringue powder/powdered egg whites to make it like glue.  You can get meringue powder at Michael's in the cake section, or powdered whites in the baking aisle at the grocery store.  When I make it from scratch, I use this recipe. 

I made the houses the day before so they would be nice and dry and sturdy for decorating.  A tip on making graham cracker triangles for the front & back of the roof - if you try to cut them out of the package, they will crack.  Lay crackers in a single layer, cover with a damp paper towel, and microwave for about 10 seconds.  This gets the crackers just a little soft.  Cut crackers diagonally with a serrated or very sharp knife to make triangles.  Allow to cool and dry out before using for houses. 

Since completing the project, the girls have been using their houses as additions to our Little People nativity set; the characters travel between the stable and the houses.  Which reminds me of Mortimer's Christmas Manger - you gotta read it if you love nativity sets and/or gingerbread houses. 

And strangely, some of the candy has been mysteriously disappearing from day to day.  I wonder where it's gone...

Art Tuesday: Paper Bag Turkeys

 Fall and winter, and especially the holidays, just lend themselves to arts & crafts, don't they?  I have been working on making Poppy's stocking this year, and for this fiber-arts-challenged Mom, that is a feat.  But Art Tuesday continues to be a balm and creative beacon in our otherwise busy, busy weeks. 

In November, the week before Thanksgiving, we made these paper-bag turkeys.  I will direct you here for the instructions, and just let the pictures and a few comments tell the rest.

We put the "white meat" popcorn in a Ziploc bag so the brown paper wouldn't get greasy, and stuffed some tissue paper in on the sides.

We discovered Poppy loves cashews.

The "stuffing" was made of chocolate chips, craisins, almonds and cashews.

The "dark meat" that went in the legs was caramel corn.

Ta-da!!!