GardenMama

.:Watercolor Star Mobile ~ Tutorial:.

.: Twirling, swirling, magical watercolor star mobile! :.

We enjoyed a great snowstorm over the past few days! As the snow blew in, my family was enjoying the coziness of home while crafting! This watercolor star mobile took us a few days from start to finish, which was just perfect to occupy our time together during the snowstorm!

I am very excited to share with your our process of creating this beautiful mobile!

.: Gorgeous watercolor paintings created by my three little ones for the star mobile! :.

We chose specific color combinations to work with while creating our watercolor paintings.  On the first day we enjoyed painting with orange and yellow and on the next few days we paired blue with green and green with purple.

I find it important to choose good quality watercolor paper. We also enjoy working with tubes of watercolor paint that we add to glass jars with a bit of water.  artist-quality paintbrushes are also important for creating your paintings.  I have found this is an important element to painting, as it signals to the children that this is important work that is respected.

.: Two vintage star cookie-cutters were used as our stencils for this project :.

We selected colored pencils to match the same hues in the painting, so that when we traced the stars there would not be any obvious lines that stood out.

We chose to trace a shape onto the painting so that each star would be uniform for the final part of the project which joins the stars together with glue.

.: Tracing the stars onto the watercolor paper--one part of the process of creating the mobile! :.

.: Beautiful stars dance on the swirling painted papers, soon to become a dreamy mobile! :.

With our painting now full with stars, we began to cut each one out. I truly appreciate projects like these as the process unfolds, we look forward to re-visiting it again each day.

.: Stacks of colorful stars--just waiting for us to create with them! :.

Our stars are now cut and stacked according to our preference!

.: Choosing the first star to begin the garland that will create the mobile! :.

Carefully selecting the perfect star to begin, we sandwiched pairs of stars together with thread in the middle to create the garlands for the mobile!

.: Taking out our supplies - paper stars, gluestick, and thread! :.

.: Covering each star with glue while placing the thread in the middle :.

A gluestick worked very well. We covered two watercolor stars with glue, leaving the thread in the middle.

.: Creating a 'star sandwich' by placing a cover star on top of the bottom star and thread :.

We then placed the two stars together.  Seven stars were threaded on each piece of thread before moving on to the next garland.  Each garland was then tied securely to the underside of a medium-sized Grapevine wreath.  (You could also use an embroidery hoop but I enjoyed the natural addition of the Grapevines!)

.: Dancing, dreamy, floating stars! :.

.: We are so happy with this finished piece! It evokes such peace! :.

This mobile will be placed over my daughter's bed so that she may wish upon a star as she slumbers! I look forward to creating many more watercolor paintings with my children so that we can create a sun-mobile for my youngest son and a moon-mobile for my eldest son with the phases of the moon creating the sequence of the garland!

[Please use caution when placing your mobile near children - never place this mobile over a newborn's bed!]

.: Wishing you a time of creating sacred memories and sacred spaces within your home! :.

.: Seasonal Window Adornment ~ Tutorial :.

As the snow continues to fall we enjoy the warmth of home.  Our gaze outdoors is met with a landscape of white snow so we set our sights on adding a bit of color to our windows indoors!

With many dried pine needles left behind after the holidays, we gathered them up to recycle and craft with for a day just like today...

We enjoyed creating many seasonal wreaths of dried pine, red berries, and pinecones and hung them in the windows of the living room.  The windows are full with color and natural beauty with a backdrop of snow.

This piece of sturdy cardboard was recycled from the back of a watercolor paper pad.

 I selected a bowl just the size I wished for each wreath to be. I then placed it upon the cardboard to trace a circle.

With a cup I traced on the inside of each circle to create a ring that would be cut out.

After cutting out a cardboard ring template we were ready to begin!

Dried evergreen needles had previously been set aside from our Christmas tree as well as a few evergreen branches I have placed on our nature table. We gathered mini pinecones and some red berries that grow right outside our door for all of us to create our wreaths.

The children and I were already cozy in the living room watching the snow fall outdoors through the windows so I set out the cover of a large box for the children to use as a creating area. 

Each child's wreath was coated in glue-- and then--as if decorating a cake, they went right to play!

These little wreaths are simple to create, while also looking natural and beautiful in your windows. They can also of course be as simple or complex as you wish, enjoyed by mamas too as I always enjoy creating alongside my littles.

 

Finished with a piece of natural-colored Raffia ribbon, these wreaths add a bit of seasonal color to our days. I look forward to adapting them to other seasons as well.  We will enjoy creating new wreaths as the seasons change with dried flowers, pressed leaves, or shells.

.:Impressions In Clay ~ Giftmaking Tutorial:.

 

.: Some of the clay ornaments that were created today! :.

Inspired by a piece of pottery I had recently seen at my mother's home, I knew right away that I wanted to create a similar clean look of white pottery while using a different medium and my own designs.

.:By placing greenery on the clay and rolling over it with a rolling pin, an impression was created! :.

With Sculpey Clay (Ultra Light) as my medium, I began an evening full with creating! I chose to use a decorative piece of greenery in lieu of a natural green. It would make a deep impression into the clay and be re-usable throughout the process.
 
   .: Cutting shapes from the clay with small cookie cutters! :.

With the greenery placed on top of the clay,  I rolled over it with the rolling pin two to three times.  With a toothpick I then helped the green back out of the clay.  Next, I began cutting out shapes over the embossed clay with small cookie cutters.

.: Many of the finished clay pieces! :.

Once the ornament shapes were created, I used a toothpick to make circles in each new clay shape. Later I could thread hemp twine and beads through through the opening to create ornaments.

.: Clay ornaments hardening after spending some time in the oven :.

After cooking the ornaments in the oven, the clay is now hardened. 

  .:With hemp twine the ornaments are strung. Later wooden beads will be added:.
 

.: My daughter's lovely finished creation she plans to gift on Valentine's Day! :.

My children were very interested in the entire process and began creating their very own designs and creations.  Working alongside each other we drew inspiration from each other's process and finished works.
 

.: Many of these ornaments will be gifted on Valentine's Day! :.

These ornaments are lovely hanging in the window. I am imagining creating bookmarks and necklaces. These specific ornaments we created today are slated to be Valentine Gifts!