Pressed Flowers Part I

source: http://www.redtedart.com/2012/06/04/how-to-press-flowers/

  This is what you will need:


-*fresh* flowers (see ^^link above for guidance)
-tissue paper or similar (I recycled tissue paper)
-heavy books
-patience!

Cost: ø


Today we picked the flowers and stems (pink elderberry flowers from our garden), placed then face down on paper and stacked books on top. Now we wait several weeks then check to see how well the flowers dried.

La Capitaine Fou Ellen dit:


"La patience est une vertu!"

To be continued...

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Metalbeard-a pirate obsessed with revenge on Lord Business...

Button Flowers

Inspiration here:

http://lilluna.com/button-flower-bouquet/

http://sewsitall.blogspot.com/2012/06/button-flower-tutorial.html

http://www.andersruff.com/custom-printable-parties/diy/ruff-draft-diy-fabric-flowers-for-a-special-valentine/http://www.andersruff.com/custom-printable-parties/diy/ruff-draft-diy-fabric-flowers-for-a-special-valentine/

http://www.instructables.com/id/Button-Flower-Bouquet/?lang=de

http://www.pinterest.com/explore/button-flowers/

http://craftandcreativity.tumblr.com/post/40341849685/buttonflowers



The majority of the buttons used to make the button flowers was from my Mother's collection and which I inherited. They are very precious to me.

Cap'n Mad Ellen made several of these button flowers:

The other day I purchased a tube of Burt's Bees' tinted lip balm at the store. I just couldn't throw away the paper tube container and started thinking about how to use it for a craft project...Then I remembered a simple button flower project for recycling the lip balm tube.

What you will need:

(Oh, how I wanted to buy that roll of pink copper wire! Next time!)  

Preparing for battle!

-buttons, both flat and shank buttons will work
-florist wire or colored copper wire in assorted colors (I used mostly 22 gauge)
-wire cutters
-small sharp sewing scissors, for removing thread from the buttons
-glue
-decorative ribbon
-small vases (we used various small containers including the second-hand purchased shot glasses from last week's dyed flowers' craft project). Other ideas for vases: recycled prescription bottles, baby food, condiment or cosmetic jars, perfume/cologne bottled or their lids, votive candle holders, etc.
-sequins and dried beans (the sequins for "soil/water" and the dried beans for weight and stability)
-other items for decorating: specialty paper, glitter foam, self-adhesive rhinestones, (glass) beads/seed beads, jewelry findings, etc. 

Cost: Varies. I only needed to purchase more colored copper wire. Luckily,  it was on sale at the craft store. Being on sale, I stocked up on colors we use the most: green, orange and silver wire. About $5 total.



The aftermath:

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Pirate Story

by Robert Louis Stevenson

Three of us afloat in the meadow by the swing,     Three of us abroad in the basket on the lea. Winds are in the air, they are blowing in the spring,     And waves are on the meadow like the waves there are at sea. Where shall we adventure, to-day that we're afloat, Shall it be to Africa, a-steering of the boat,     To Providence, or Babylon or off to Malabar? Hi! but here's a squadron a-rowing on the sea--     Cattle on the meadow a-charging with a roar! Quick, and we'll escape them, they're as mad as they can be,     The wicket is the harbour and the garden is the shore.

Fancy Ribbon Hair Tie

Effervescent Ethel received a cute ribbon hair tie for her birthday two weeks ago. It got me to thinking that a ribbon hair tie would be an easy craft project for her. I haven't decided yet if I want the ends to be uneven as seen in the photo or cut all one length. Anyhow...

A month ago I bought a yard of beautiful hand dyed silk ribbon at an embroidery shop in town ($3.95 yard). It has been sitting in my sewing box and I didn't know what to do with it. I also purchased a yard of fancy thread  (¢.75 a yard) there, too. I was lucky that the ribbon used to attach the ribbons to the hairband was self-adhesive. That one was a spool of ribbon from JoAnns and it cost .¢99. The ribbon and specialty thread were cut into 12" strips. The original store bought hair tie has 15" strips. I didn't have enough ribbon or I would have made the hair tie longer.

 

Beautiful hand dyed ribbon. 

 

Specialty thread

My "pattern" 

-ribbon in color and patterns of choice, your choice of width (I raided my ribbon stash)
-scissors
-hairband
-ruler or measuring tape
-1/4" wide ribbon for attaching the hairband and ribbon strips together (grosgrain works well and was used in the store bought ribbon tie) 
-fabric glue (Aleene's for example)
-Fray Check™
-decoration, button, etc. (optional)

Cost: varies

Note: if you're giving this hair tie away as a gift you may need to lightly press the ribbon to remove the wrinkles. Use the lowest setting on the iron to avoid burning the ribbon! This is especially true with silk ribbon or other delicate material.
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Dyed flowers

I incorporated this easy and nostalgic science-slash-art project into the current week's homeschooling lessons:

source: http://theimaginationtree.com/2013/03/dyed-flowers-science-experiment.html

Finally, I printed out a very simple (and free!) age-appropriate worksheet that shows to young children the fundamentals of how flowers grow. Unfortunately I forgot to bookmark the source. It looks like this:

    (Note: I added the sun, too.)

However, you can find similar printables here:


https://www.google.com/search?q=parts+of+a+flower+printable&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=vBN2U6CnCISAogSE0YKYDg&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1007&bih=874#q=parts+of+a+flower+printable+for+preschool&tbm=isch

Shot glasses washed, disinfected and drying

Effervescent Ethel drew a picture of all the small vases/shot glasses as soon as the flower stems were added to the dyed water.

The following day I took pictures of the dyed flowers and then instructed EE to draw the same picture except she was to color the flowers as they appear now.

Need:

-small clear glass vases or similar (I bought five shot glasses at a second hand store for .25¢ each)
-white flowers (daisies, carnations/mini carnations, mums, etc.) Be sure your flowers are very fresh!
-food dye
-water
-(optional)scissors or gardening shears to cut the stems; fingernails work, too

  Cost: $7.24 (The majority of the cost was for a whole bouquet of white daisies. You can also in most cases buy 1-2 stems of flowers if preferred. Ask your local florist. It should only cost $2-$3 each stem.)

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DIY Soap Bubbles

source: http://www.babysavers.com/how-to-make-bubbles/

And this is the recipe I tested:

Crazy Deluxe Bubbles Recipe
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons liquid dish or laundry detergent
1 tablespoon glycerin
1 teaspoon white sugar

'How to make bubbles: Gently stir all ingredients together and store in a airtight container. These bubbles have staying power! Given the right conditions you might lose sight of your bubbles before they pop!'

A last minute change of course mid-morning yesterday meant we had an entire afternoon to do something fun other than swabbing the deck (again???!!), knot tying (BO-ring!) and scrimshaw (been there, done that).  We made soap bubbles followed by a raucous duel with squirt guns!


Cost: we spent $2.00 for a 32 ounce bottle of soap bubbles and a bubble play set. I bought a "just in case" bottle of bubbles at Dollar Tree if the recipe above didn't work out. 

Effects:

 

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