Making 'Doodle-balls' (LOVE them...as do the tweenies)

It was after-school art session number 3 yesterday.  The heat was on.  The children were tired as, (am sure its the time of year) so out came the choccy biscuits (SO not homemade however good my intentions) as a bribe  treat to bolster them all up for some making.

I actually needn't have bothered with the biccies, the children LOVED the activities this week.  We made Christmas Decorations, the green Decorations from this tutorial (See below) and also...(See even more below... we made Beaded Hearts...

 

The Session practically ran itself and the children found it impossible to tear themselves away.  Its incredible how much these offerings engage them.  They LOVED doing them and loved watching them.  The immediacy of the making definately had a part to play here - they could see their makings coming along nicely every step of the way.  To find out how to make hearts, click here.

Further to the beading and sequins, I also ran an option to make a 'Doodle-ball'  I think the idea of these is truly inspiring and love the way it stretches out our thinking about drawing.   Pure thanks to these fabulous people at Accessart for coming up with the idea.

Righto, a 'Doodle-ball' is just that, a ball covered in paper that you can draw on and all over, letting your thoughts wonder as they will.  They are FAB for active learners and can be added too at anytime...just pick them up and carry on.

To make a Doodle-ball you need:

A hand-sized ball.  A tennis ball or Christmas dec is good, try to remove the nobbly bit first though.
Glue, PVA is best
Mid-sized paint brush
Paper, cut up into double-stamp sizes
Pen or Pens for drawing..

Gather your wares together...

2.

Take your small pieces of paper and layer them onto your ball, all over until its completely covered. Two layers is great too.  Lashings of glue here until the paper is flat with no sticky-uppy bits!  Then dear hearts, when its fully covered pop it into the airing cupboard or on a radiator to dry.  Don't do any drawing until fully dry..

3.

Here we have our ball fully covered and about to dry.

3.

Once your ball is dry it's good and ready to go.  Begin drawing and let your drawing go where it wants to go.  Enjoy the process, its a lovely way to draw.

Here is a 'Flower Ball' made by the originators of this fab idea at Accessart.

Enjoy x

Beading, Bonding & Birthdays...making 'Hearty Hang-ups'

My favourite time of year.

It's getting to be crafty time, I mean all those delicious events that need celebrating...Halloween, Guy Fawkes and all the things to get ready for the Red Guy to come on the 25th December...my idea of bliss, my husband the opposite (bah humbug grumpus mcflumpus).

So...kicking it all of is my DS's 8th birthday on Monday...aaargh.  Stress.  10 boys for tea, so it's making we shall do.  Monday's weather is looking good so am thinking that a picnic tea in the park might well do, but for now...am planing a 'make-along'.

Am thinking bats.  Bats for Boys.  Making Halloween Bats.  Good for being in season (Darling) good to take home (Happy Mums & Dads) and great to make (happy children).

Have the materials and the plan so oft I go.  Will let you know how we get on.

In the meantime...I have my beautiful nieces and nephew here today alongside my own too.  Organisation is the key and in fact, the day has flown by so fast that am willing the two big ones to come back from swimming now, to cram in the pizza/movie and popcorn part of the plan which is scheduled to start at 4.45...must...stay...on ......schedule!

This mornings activity however was a rip-roaring success.  The tines (ages 4 & 5) made airplay necklace pendants complete with tons of beads kneaded into them, and the older gals made beaded heart pendants complete with hangy bit.  Both went down mighty well.

So with that in mind, I decided to record it to pass on the (mega basic) idea.

Enjoy.

'Making Hangy Beaded Hearts'.

Brill for:  Ages 7 or 8 years up.

Whats needed?

Wire, gardening is fine.

Beads..

Seed beads...(little tiny weeny beads to put between the bigger ones)

Scissors

1.

Gather your stuff altogether and get comfy.. 

(Little hint..pop your beads in a plate or summit easy to pick & choose from

2.

Make yourself a tiny wee loop at the top of the wire to stop the beads coming off as you put them on!  

Then, (this is the important bit) take a seed bead (that is the tiny ones) and put between each big bead.  This does two things, a:  looks very pretty and b:  beefs out the big beads beautifully.  Making your bead collection last twice as long.

Keep beading until your line is about the length of an adults hand, in a line..big bead, then a little one.

3.

Once you are there,make a circle & tie up the ends together by winding and winding.  

Now you have your beads on the wire, you can make the heart shape..remember to make a kink at the bottom of the heart... to really make it sharp and obvious its a heart.

Once we have our beaded hearts, fill up the remainder of the wire with the seed beads and then bend over into a loop, fastening at the bottom.

We are finished and it looks...

Perfecto.  Wonderful as a window decoration, a Christmas tree decoration or for wrapping up and giving as a personalised gift.

Well done x