Sweet Simple Reading Nook
We woke to cloudy skies. Cozy sounded perfect. So we pulled out a few goodies and created a lovely reading space.
We used our old crib mattress and lots of pillows. The big ah-ha moment happened when I pulled out a sheer curtain. What a perfect roof! It is light and airy and easy to tuck behind cusions. The light filters though with just a little magic.
The kids were in love.
For less than ten minutes of construction, I enjoyed ages of shared reading. They laughed and read to one another.
To be truthful, after the reading, the tent became a horse-home and that game lasted quite awhile. Until the tired horses discovered books again.
Amazing what magic a curtain panel can inspire :)
I hope you get to make a nook of your own :)
P.S. I was inspired by these fancy book nooks- maybe one day :)
Watercolor Lanterns
As seasons change, these beautiful lanterns celebrate those darker evenings.
To make these lovely lanterns, watercolor a long piece of paper.
When it's dry, draw a line on the back about 1/2 inch from a wide edge. Fold in half to your drawn line. Fold in half again so you have four sections. Fold up along the bottom edge to make a base.
Cut along your fold lines on the bottom edge. Draw or trace shapes on each panel. Cut out those shapes to make holes.
On the back, glue tissue paper over the holes to make pretty glowing windows.
Fold the lantern again with the bottom edges overlapping to form the base. Glue along the 1/2 extra paper from that first line you drew in the beginning. Tuck that into the lantern to glue the four sides together. Let your lantern dry.
We use battery operated candles inside our lanterns. Fire can be dangerous.
These lanterns are a beautiful reminder of light. We hope you enjoy the crafting.
Many thanks to my co-teacher, Marin, for this gorgeous craft :)
Handprint Gardens
Children loved creating these gardens. A few steps steps led to wild, wonderful gardens. We are using them for Grandparents Day cards, but they would be lovely any time of year. In fact, for winter, we might make trees with fingerprint snow and bright birds. One idea leads to another :)
Step one: make handprints with green tempera paint (or acrylic, if you a brave). We made three prints of the same hand because I was working with an entire class and they needed a clean hand to turn on the faucet. At home, you could print both hands. Let the handprints dry.
Aside: I later realized we should use a color for the background- perhaps and layer of green over blue for ground and sky. Since we printed onto white paper, I used beeswax crayons to lightly shade ground and sky. The first graders painted their petals, bugs, and clouds before I shaded- both ways worked. A few children shaded their own. I had to watch that the colors wouldn't get too thick and cover their handprints. Next time, I will have them shade grass and sky first.
Step two: Add petals, leaves, and clouds. Use fingers! They loved dreaming up ways to create butterflies and different flowers like lupins. we did not use water to switch colors. Instead, we wiped our fingers clean with a paper towel. This kept the paint from getting drippy. I did supervise so they didn't start smearing too many colors together, or covering up their handprints with heavy petals. Let your colors dry.
Step three: Use markers to add embellishments. Add butterfly details, ladybug legs, and spiders.
I told them that they could only color small areas- a few wanted to cover the paper with marker. I also told them to stop when the details started to overwhelm the painting. An art of childhood creativity is learning when to say Done. For personal projects that reflect their inner vision, I let them go until they say done. But every once in awhile, I say done.
A lovely moment within their gardens were the stories they shared while they drew. In my home, I would scribe their stories to go along with the illustrations. Spiderwebs and ladybug tea parties and rainbow butterflies. Beautiful!
We are gluing the gardens on colored paper-mats and writing I love you on the other side. Another adorable addition that everyone appreciates is a few open-ended prompts, like I love when my grandparents _______ and I hope they take me to the __________ and My grandparents are good at ________.
My favorite art catches personality and the moment. My favorite art is shared with proud smiles. These gardens grow wild and wonderful.
I hope you have fun painting them!
 "Pin It")
Wish Upon a Watercolor Star
The school year begins with hopes and dreams. I love to make dreams come true. So we create beautiful crafts to catch our dreams. Focus on them. Believe in them.
These watercolor stars were a three day project with our twenty kindergarten and first grade students. On day one, we painted stars. Day two, we strung beads. Day three, we wrote wishes. Along the way, we discussed ideas. What do we want? Play, discovery, friends. What fun, imagining our wonderful year!
Of course, you can wish anytime, for any reason. A wishing star would be a lovely party favor, or a baby mobile, or a rainy afternoon craft. Endless possibilities...
How do we make them?
- Cut a star with medium or heavyweight paper. We used watercolor paper. You can draw your own, or have your child draw a star, or use a free printable like this one on Spoonful.
- Children paint the star on both sides. We used watercolor paints, giving children yellow, red, and orange colors. You could use any paints you like, or markers, or colored pencils. Decorate your star.
- Thread a tapestry needle to a long piece of crochet thread. A tapestry needle has a blunt tip. It. Is perfect for children who say, "But I don't know how to sew!" Tie a bead to the ends of the thread so the other beads won't fall off.
- Have fun beading! Add beads and sequins to make a rainbow hanger for your star.
- Punch a hole into the star. Thread the needle through, tie off, and snip.
- Children write their name on one side, and their wish on the other side of the star. Hang your star in a special place. Enjoy your dream shining over you!
I encourage children to dream for emotions more than things. They may want money for our school (they know times are difficult) or toys or more books. I ask, "Why? How would you feel?" We want the emotion, not the stuff. Because maybe we can find fun and adventures another way.
At the same time, I change my ideas to catch a moment. I have a star-wish that my daughter made when she was three. Her wish?
I want to wish for a pony
That captured her. At three. Her sweetness. And that is my dream. To create projects with children that celebrate childhood. My dreams are coming true :) Enjoy!
Hearts for Sweet Beginnings
A rainbow of hearts to start the school year. The hearts were pleasantly quick and fun to sew. I used multicolor rainbow crochet thread so the colors wove through the hearts one after another.
My boy adores orange, so I made him one in his favorite color. He had his first day of transitional kindergarten today. So I tucked a little note inside the heart and placed it in his lunchbox. I couldn't be with him because I taught my own class of students. But I felt closer to him, knowing that he had a little craft to discover in his lunchbox.
For my students, I am creating a story. Our class mascot is a small dragon. I imagine that our dragon doesn't collect gold and jewels like most dragons. No, our dragon, Sparky, collects the most valuable treasures of all. Sparky collects the treasures that cannot be bought with all of the gold in the world. Sparky collects love. And kindness. And joy. And friendship. He saves these emotions in magical glass pebbles that protect the feelings inside.
We also call these pebbles Dragon-Tears, but I don't think that will make sense within the happy story. The pebbles are not Dragon-Tears, they are dragon treasures. The pebbles fit inside the little hearts perfectly. Each student can hold one through the day. For now, we plan to keep them in a basket and put the students' names inside on a watercolored slip of paper. I am sure that students will get attached to their heart and memorize whether they have red, orange, green, blue, or purple.
Perhaps Sparky knows that our students can trusted to care for Love and Friendship and Peace. And by caring for these hearts, the emotions will be nurtured in our class community as well.
A sweet way to bring those gifts into our school year. I am excited to share them with my students. Begin well, travel in joy, learn along the way. Sounds lovely. Rainbow heart lovely.
Sending inspiration your way. I wish you many precious treasures today. :)
Fairy Beach Houses
Fairies live along the seashore befriending mermaids. And they love help with home-building, too! I see whimsical fairy homes in the woods, but not as many beach homes. My girl and her cousins found the idea enchanting. They collected treasures. And built courtyards and a moat. And told stories of the fairies who lived among feathers and sand.
We explored and found another giant creation with driftwood and kelp. What sort of fairies lived in this castle?
Creative play inspires grand storytelling. And long after we had rinsed the the sea salt from our hands, my girl mused about the fairy ball going on beside the moonlit sparkling sea. Hurrah for imagination. Hurrah for the sea. Hurrah for fairy houses everywhere.
Where do your children build in the summertime? I would love to hear their stories!
My Heart's Wish
Last week, I went to a teacher-gathering in the evening. My eight-year-old asked to use some felt and thread while I was gone.
"Are you sure you're okay on your own? I won't be here to help you."
"I'll be fine, mom."
A mama's dream. With a twinge of sadness that this little girl is not so little anymore. So away I went and, when I came home, she gave me her heart's wish.
She made this mama teary-eyed. I believe in the power of hearts. And wishes.
She created two small hearts. The pink one is 1.5 inches across and the pocket-heart is about two inches across. They are very simple to make. The little heart has a heart bead inside of it, no stuffing at all. She sewed the bell on, then sewed them together, sealing the heart-shaped bead inside. I doubted her idea at first. But, sure, enough, I find a great tactile comfort in feeling that little heart shape inside the bigger felt heart. The fact that the heart is sewn shut and the bead is safe and sound inside is also soothing. The jingle bell is cheerful. Again and again, I learn to trust the creativity in children.
Her larger heart is a pocket-heart. She sewed a heart shape on the back and front separately, then attached both hearts together with an open top. She gave it to me with a story that the heart is meant to be shared. I can write her little notes and then she can write me little notes and we can both write wishes. The heart keeps giving.
I hope to sew enough for each student in her class, or perhaps put a few in the mail for cousins and grandparents. I asked her where she found her inspiration and she said, "I just thought of it."
I love many things about these hearts (of course), but my treasure is the personal stitching that catches her age perfectly. We may be tempted to guide children towards neat, even stitching and perfectly cut heart shapes, but really, the imperfections shine. Even her little knots with the strings fraying are wonderful.
Children can play with felt like they play with blocks and paints. Their wishes are magical.
Thank you for sharing, Anika!
Handmade Ornaments, You Still Have Time, Really!
Only days remain, yet these ideas don't take more than an hour. You could collect the supplies in a cute bag or basket to give on Christmas morning, then share craft-time together that day and sew a memory of the holiday together.
Who can resist a well decorated tree?
Download the free pdf tutorial here
The turorial shares how to make the ornaments with very young children who sew the needle through both pices of felt at once and add decorations to both sides. For the pillow-version, children decorate each side seperately. Then children sew around the edges, leaving a space for stuffing. Add stuffing and sew shut.
Or heart?
I love shiny happy beads and sequins.
Another quick idea that keeps children busy for awhile, and makes charming decorations for tree or windows (or gift tags), is God's Eyes. Once children pick up on the wind around pattern, they are hooked and will make one after another. The Magic Onions has a lovely tutorial posted here.
Trees and grandparents and parents love handmade ornaments. Have fun!
Oh, and just to share, our fairies from the Dragonfly Class (these take more than an hour):
Sending you sparkles and magic as you enjoy the season!
Angel Collection
The angels are home for Christmas. I made these with our early-kindergarten students. Since I only see them once a week, we sewed the hats together and I assembled the rest. Their hats give them personality.
This little boy showed me that sequins with very long stitches are charming.
While this boy's fairy used many different stitches with lots of decorations. Each one became unique.
This girl put three beads on most stitches (look at the left side of the hat). She was very careful to choose a green, white, and red bead.
I hope that they will bring magic to the families who get to open them as gifts.
Sweet Angels :)
Elf Houses
Make your own Elf Houses!
Click here for the pdf directions
Last week was a fun adventure in my Dragonfly class. I made rooms and the kids brought a thousand ideas. I saw a workshops, homes, and even a dance studio!
Once we had the walls, I gave the children lots of paper scraps.
They inspired each other to keep adding more and more clever ideas. This was one of my favorite open-ended activities ever.
I helped make the beds and tables, but the rest was all their creating. And they got very creative.
Then they realized their fairies and elves could live in the houses. How cool is that?
And my daughter stayed after school with her friends. She said a gnome lived in her house. Couldn't they make gnomes?
Of course.
And every gnome needs a disco-dance room in his house.
Elf houses quickly became elf-town. And elf-town is ready to celebrate the holidays. Happy holidays!
Plush Ornaments
Our kindergarten class sewed these ornaments with Asia. They are simple designs that chlidren love to create.
Lovely decorating!
Christmas Fairies
These faires were created by our kindergarten and first grade students at the Nevada City School of the Arts. We provide guidance, but they provide the magic :). Each fairy becomes a sweet reflection of the child who created her (or him). We made seventeen over the past three days. We hope you enjoy this glimpse of Fairyland.
Using the Waldorf tradtion of allowing children to imagine the faces . . . this boy liked his fairy to keep his fairy whimsical. I used to leave all of the faces blank, but students walked away and drew a face with the nearest pencil, then came to me crying when it wasn't what they imagined. So we compromise and I draw faces for most students.
And one Christmas Goblin (my student's words as he wanted red eyes)
Happy Holidays!
The tutorial to make the girl versions of these fairies is available in our Etsy shop. If you're interested in the boy version, send me a conversation through Etsy and we can figure out a way to help you (I haven't created his tutorial yet :)).
Many thanks to Miss Becky, Miss Marin, and Asia for helping make Fairyland possible!
Paper Lanterns
Winter in our Dragonfly kindergarten/first grade class is filled with fun and fancy projects. We are happy to share ideas. These tutorials are quick because we're all busy in the winter season. Feel free to ask questions. Enjoy!
To make these lovely lanterns, watercolor a long piece of paper. When it's dry, draw a line on the back about 1/2 inch from a wide edge.
Fold in half to your drawn line. Fold in half again so you have four sections. Fold up a few inches along the bottom edge to make a base.
Cut along your fold lines on the bottom edge. Draw or trace shapes on each panel. Cut out those shapes to make holes.
On the back, glue tissue paper over the holes to make pretty glowing windows.
Fold the lantern again with the bottom edges overlapping to form the base. Glue along the 1/2 inch extra paper from that first line you drew in the beginning. Tuck that into the lantern to glue the four sides together. Let your lantern dry.
For the handle, we punched two holes and the children finger-knitted a chain to tie onto the lantern. We don't have our own finger knitting tutorial (yet) but I liked this one by Moonbeams and Applesauce. You could also braid or tie a few strings in a bow.
We use battery operated candles inside our lanterns. Fire can be dangerous.
These lanterns are a beautiful reminder of light during these dark nights. We hope you enjoy the crafting.
Many thanks to my co-teacher, Marin, for this gorgeous gift :)
Sew Sweet Felt Ornaments
Hurrah, the holidays are here! In our home, we celebrate each year with a hand-crafted ornament. They show us the years in a story. "I remember making this!" my daughter said with excitement.
This is very impressive since she painted it when she was one :)
This year, we are sewing. My three-year-old sewed the beads and sequins on his tree.
Can you guess his favorite color?
I know he'll be reminscing about this tree in future years. And we want to share the fun. You can download the tutorial for these very easy felt ornaments. Children get to decorate both sides so it is a perfect first project for children learning to sew. Older children can trace other shapes around cookie cutters and get fancy with their stitching and decorating. We hope that you enjoy the craft!
Happy Holidays!
Click here to download the PDF tutorial
All tutorials are property of Forest Fairy Crafts for family crafting. We are happy to share the tutorial on your website if you link back to us. For other uses, please contact us. Thank you.
The Moment
Why I Sew with Children, Part 1: The Moment
It happens every time. I might be threading the twentieth needle, or cutting out the thirty-first piece of felt. And I wonder, "Why am I doing this?" Just about any other project would be easier. Painting, gluing, drawing. None of those risk injury.
Yesterday I questioned myself as I told the class that we would be sewing ornaments. I was with my youngest students, fours and fives. They could barely stand still to hear the two directions. I sew one-on-one with a child while the other children play or read or draw.
At this age, the children constantly bump against me. One tipped the bowl of beads and sequins before he chose his two colors of felt. "He doesn't know where he begins and ends," I said, smiling, to the class teacher.
And I was handing him a sharp needle? And holding the felt while he controlled the needle? Holding the felt is important for the youngest sewers (see our Magical Secrets). He didn't even want to sit down. He shifted weight from foot to foot. I took a deep breath. Here we go, I thought. I handed him the needle.
He studied it for a minute. The first stitches were shaky, barely looking at the felt before pushing the needle through. He dug around in the beads, at first just to hear the noise, then with serious intenton to find his favorite colors.
And then . . . then the moment. He sat down. His feet went still. He looked at me, really looked at me, then again at his work. And for the next few minutes. He was completely focused.
We shared a lovely converstation about colors he chose for his sister and mom and dad. He took the felt from me as his confidence grew. And he sewed with intention.
This is why I sew with children.
Because life is not all about Math Facts and Sight Words. Life challenges us to be focused, invested, careful, and calm. Life challenges us to give of ourselves, to see that we can make magic.
And sewing with children lets me feel magic. That moment is magic.
Tutorial for our Sew Sweet ornaments will be posted soon :)
*Please note: I mixed a couple of students together to write the story. Magic happened with the boy in the photos, but he was not the one that tipped the bowl of sequins :). I just want to be fair and true as I share :)
Moody Pumpkins with Groups of Children
On Tuesday, I sewed the Moody Pumpkins with the youngest students at our school. I am the art teacher on those days, and their all-day teacher was a little skeptical when I said I was bringing sewing into the classroom.
"With real needles?"
Yes. Real needles.
Because this is precious.
But I don't walk into a classroom with a pile of felt and a pincusion prickling with needles. No, that would be a disaster. A big part of crafting with children is being prepared. So, to get ready for this project, I was busy the night before.
- Thread 15 needles with the outside thread (in this case, variegated rainbow crochet thread- see our Supply Hints)
- Cut pumpkins (back and front)
- Cut stems
- Cut lots of little yellow felt triangles so children can choose
- Thread needles with yellow embroidery thread for the face (though I learned that the rainbow was cute, too, when I was short one pumpkin the next day)
- Sew the mouth by knotting, pulling through, testing to make certain that it will fit, then knotting loose on the other end of the mouth so the pumpkin is ready for eyes.
- Leave the threaded needle with the pumpkin- tuck into felt so it won't prick anyone.
- On the back of the pumpkin, draw little dots for each spot the child will place the needle. This turns the sewing into a dot-to-dot, with the needle always poking into the next dot (whip stitch).
- Safety pin it all together with the smile on the outside so the children can choose their pumpkin.
- I do not try to make them all look the same. No, the fun is in unique pumpkins!
Some were tall and some were wide. All became special :)
I chose felt for the eyes on this project because it was faster than buttons. The child chose the triangles and an adult sewed the eyes on with a few stitches. We tied off the yellow thread. We sandwiched the stem between the pumpkin pieces. We used an already-threaded rainbow needle and did the first couple of stitches to anchor the stem. Then we modeled a stitch or two before handing the needle over to a child. We work one-on-one with children this young because most need us to hold the felt (see Tips & Tricks).
They sewed about 3/4 around, then stuffed the pumpkin and sewed it closed. Many students were amazed.
"I thought we had to glue it."
And, "I made a stuffie. Look, look, I made a stuffie!"
My favorite quote came from this little guy.
You can't hurry when you're sewing. The needle is sharp. Sewing is a quiet activity.
Why do I sew with children? Slowing down is precious.
Have fun! The Moody Pumpkin tutorial is here as a pdf download. All tutorials are property of Forest Fairy Crafts. Please contact us for use permission beyond sharing with friends and linking back to our site.