Anything Goes Artwork

I had a surplus of odds and ends pieces of craft items that needed to be used in some fashion-and for that reason I created the Anything Goes Artwork craft project.


Need:

--any surplus craft items you need to use up (for your Captain this included a good amount of scrap paper)
--glue
--scissors
--decorations: sequins, buttons, ribbon, stickers, etc.


I started with nine 10"inch square pieces of card stock. These were taped and stapled together. Then I placed the large canvas on the deck of the ship, set out a large pile of paper/scrap paper and a tray of miscellaneous decorations including keys, buttons, feathers, sequins, etc.  Effervescent Ethel was instructed to have a go at it! Forty five minutes later we had this museum-quality masterpiece.

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Printmaking for all Ages

Source and aspiration: http://whipup.net/2011/10/27/guest-blogger-series-printmaking-for-all-ages-yarn-block-prints/


(I accidentally cut off Mickey's ears when I took this picture. Sorry, Mickey!)

Need:

-paper (we tested first on scrap paper and used nice card stock quality paper for the final product.)
-paint
-paper plate or similar for dipping the print into the paint
-items for printing: we used recycled containers in various shapes (good way to teach shapes including 2D shapes to children by the way), wrapped a long piece of yarn around and affixed with tape.
-your child's imagination
-mop and bucket to clean up. This is an easy crafty project but very messy!
-picture frame if your li'l' buccaneer has created a masterpiece by all means frame it! (*Gold gilt frame being the crew's preference.)

* https://www.google.com/search?q=gold+gilt+frmae&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.48340889,d.cGE&biw=1255&bih=1222&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=lvLIUaq1IoreigLi-ICQAw

Notes from the Ebony Oyster Crafty Crew: We didn't have too much time to be overly creative with our choice of printing material due to the fact our ship was rocking terrible like from a sudden hailstorm! Effervescent Ethel says the designs look like "Chinese words". This was our first attempt at printmaking but certainly not our last!

This project will work for all age levels and you're only limited by your imagination. Cap'n always says: "If we ain't got no buttons nor sequins thar be always paper 'n' whitewash! 

Tinkerbell Clothespin Fairy

http://www.redtedart.com/2013/04/03/tinkerbell-clothes-pin-doll/

From the quill of your fine Captain Mad Ellen 22 June 1713

Here's a craft project  that does indeed qualify as a legitimate craft fail. However, Effervescent Ethel enjoyed making this so not all was lost (no pun intended). What Tinkerbell was supposed to look like:

And here is our version:


One angry Tink!


Blast that Hook!

Eric Carle-inspired A Very Hungry Caterpillar

"On Wednesday he ate through three plums but he was still hungry."

Synopsis from Amazon-

http://www.amazon.com/The-Very-Hungry-Caterpillar-mini/dp/0399213015

'Eric Carle's classic story begins one sunny Sunday, when the caterpillar was hatched out of a tiny egg. He was very hungry. On Monday, he ate through one apple; on Tuesday, he ate through three plums--and still he was hungry. Strikingly bold, colorful pictures and a simple text in large, clear type tell the story of a hungry little caterpillar's progress through an amazing variety and quantity of foods. Full at last, he made a cocoon around himself and went to sleep, to wake up a few weeks later wonderfully transformed into a butterfly!

Brilliantly innovative designer and artist Eric Carle has dramatized the story of one of Nature's commonest yet loveliest marvels, the metamorphosis of the butterfly, in a picture book to delight as well as instruct the very youngest reader or listener. Cleverly die-cut pages show what the caterpillar ate on successive days, graphically introducing sets of up to 10 objects and also the names of the days of the week in rotation, as well as telling the central story of the transformation of the caterpillar. The final, double-page picture of the butterfly is a joyous explosion of color, a vibrant affirmation of the wonder and beauty of Nature.'

Original drawing by Eric Carle-

  To do: use your index finger (or big toe :))  to make the main body (green part) and use

your thumb to make the head (red). Add details: antennae, eyes, nose, legs. Initially this was to be
a fingerprint/thumbprint project but it quickly morphed much in the same manner as a caterpillar becomes a butterfly into a simple finger painting instead. The caterpillar's head is a thumbprint as is the plum. 

  Need:

-paint in green, red, yellow, black, purple  (for the main body I mixed together green, blue, yellow and little bit of brown. I stirred the colors together only a few times just enough to make rainbow colors with streaks.)
-sheet of white paper

-paintbrushes in various sizes for the details
-hole punch (for the plum "bite")

-crayons or colored pencils (for the legs)
-background paper (optional)
-glue
-scissors

If you don't own a copy of Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar or can't find it at your local library or bookstore, you can find it read aloud here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4HI7q38VmQ

Footprint & Handprint Mermaid

Inspiration: https://www.google.com/search?q=handprint+mermaid&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.47534661,d.cGE&biw=1255&bih=1222&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=bMewUeuOIOL-iwLDvoGwDg

Small Craft Advisory: To avoid mistakes I instructed Effervescent Ethel to make footprint and handprints on computer paper instead of directly onto the background cardstock. After the prints dried, the pieces were cut out then glued onto the 'Seafoam' cardstock. You don't have to do this, but you run the risk of meltdowns if you're working on this craft project with very young children. At least make a sample first of handprint and footprint is my best advice. You can even make extra prints for "just in case". Finally, I do intend to purchase a box frame to display this project.

Crafts used:

-white computer paper
-scissors
-clear glue
-washable paint
-paintbrushes, toothpicks and cotton swabs
-loose glitter in the colors 'multi' and 'peacock' (2 @.99 cents ea. @ JoAnns)
-sequins (swag)
-gold glitter cardstock (")
-plastic pearls: small and very small (")
-dyed seashells(")
-buttons made out of seashells ($3.49 and 40% off @ JoAnns)
-metallic ribbon (about $2.75 & purchased by the yard)
-cardstock from the Coredinations' company in the color 'Seafoam' (.69 cents)
-1/4 " wide ribbon for the border (which at this point I've opted not to use-I'll frame the picture first then decide)

It took a good amount of glue to keep the ribbon 'mermaid tails' attached.

"Aye. Mermaids. Sea ghouls, devil fish, dreadful in hunger for flesh of man. Mermaid waters, that be our path. Cling to your soul, Gibbs, as mermaids be given to take the rest, to the bone."

―Hector (Cap'n) Barbossa to his crew of the Black Pearl.

Rock Monster Friends

source: http://blog.mixbook.com/summer-crafts-for-kids-5-simple-ideas-for-diy-rock-art/

We were inspired by the facial features of Ugly Dolls™ to decorate our Rock Monsters:


These are *Ugly Dolls™.

*For ideas on how to add details to your Rock Monsters' faces go here:

https://www.google.com/search?gs_rn=15&gs_ri=psy-ab&tok=1dimudEX-1wsZnhcyt4tHg&suggest=p&cp=7&gs_id=1e&xhr=t&q=ugly+dolls&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.47380653,d.cGE&biw=1255&bih=1222&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=71SvUZnrHofgiAK3_oGoAg

Need:

-paint (we used washable neon paint)
-rocks (dusted/washed if necessary; set aside to dry completely)
-paintbrushes (wide and thin)
-glue
-googly eyes, buttons, paint or similar craft item to make the eyes
-toothpick (to paint on the facial features or use a very thin paintbrush)