Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Looking for some ideas for Cinco de Mayo?

You could get a pinata' (or make one, of course), or find a number of festive things at many stores. Here are a few things to try out of things you might have on hand (tissue paper, yarn, string, embroidery floss, string, stick, twisty ties, or bits of fabric:

  

God's Eye 

(A camp favorite! Hang on wall or spice up your serving table. You can make them in all shapes in sizes.)

Festive Tissue Paper Carnation 

(Mix and match colors to add color to any table setting or as festive gifts for friends. Layer tissue paper to create more festive blooms.)

Worry Doll/Quetzel Dolls

(Make a few or a whole bunch for yourself or share with friends. You can make them to look like yourself, your friends, or or family.)

Rain Stick

(Bring the soothing sounds of rain to your control.)

Enjoy the day!

Camp Crafts - 4

As part of an interview at the first camp I worked at, I took examples and pictures of things I could make, had made, and ideas I had to grow on. The picture here was one of those including a paper box, a small God's Eye, Worry Dolls, and a couple friendship bracelets (also popular worn as anklets). I even took an apron dress I had made without use of a pattern and then tie dyed in a rainbow pattern.

The God's Eye is something I learned years and years ago in Girl Scouts usually involving yarn and two sticks. This one was a small example I made using a couple pieces of broken wooden skewers and embroidery floss I had one hand. It hangs in my craft/sewing room now.

Worry Dolls, the directions included in a previous post.

Friendship bracelets, using various knots and macrame techniques were favorites among campers, counselors, and staff. There are tons of techniques and styles out there, the ones pictures using a half knot and a mix of colors of floss and embroidery floss. Camper would often start the knotted jewelry in the Craft Hall, then take them with them to finish during quiet time in bunks or other downtime through the night and evening. They would attach the end loops to toes, nails, pinned on jeans or shoe, or anything else available, including their friends.

The paper box is great for storing worry dolls or gift giving of friendship bracelets.

The instructions for a Paper Plate Drum was made while working with camping families with small children. I don't know that anyone ever used it, even thought we made a few of them.

Worry Dolls

When I first went away to take over the Art & Craft Hall at Summer camp, I wanted to take some new things with me and every summer tried to continue to bring new things to the be offered and shared. These worry dolls made from twisty ties, colored thread (i.e embroidery floss), and tiny bits of fabric scrapes was something I came up with after a bit of playing with different mediums and ideas. After making a few on my own, I shared them with my aunt, teaching her how to make the little bendable people. It was important that I could make them easily, but also that I could teach them for someone else to make. 

 

The instructions below are the original ones I made, used copies of for classes, and left behind in the master craft book. I didn't have regular access to a computer at camp, but I did have a copy machine. The instructions were hand written with actual pieces laid on the copy machine as examples and how for the front and back. A master set was in color on construction paper with pieces if twisty ties and string laid on and secured between plastic.


These were so popular and versatile that one of the kids made a little dollhouse from a Velveeta Cheese box and other odds and ends.  Enjoy!

Camp Crafts - Part 2

Basket

In this the second installment of Camp Crafts I have a few more things to share from my camp days. Camp Crafts were a great way for me to be a positive influence in a lot of k, kids' lives and to show them the process is just as important, if not more sometimes, than just the finished project. You don't have to be an artist to make your own art.

I always wanted to kids to have lots of examples. I found that if you have only have one example then most of the kids will make their finished project look as close to that one as they can. So wanted them to see there was no ONE way. I wanted them to make it their own way with their own vision.

At a camp ground I was living and working as a Craft Hall Supervisor I was able to offer basket making. It was great for adults and teens. I even got a family with a mom, her grown daughter, and her daughter's boyfriend, who ended up being the surprise with a very nice heart shaped basket.

Paper Bag Journal

Paper bag journals were something I altered and adapted to make usable for groups and camp settings. At one camp that catered to families and various groups, they were a big hit with tweens, teens, and a few very creative Girl Scout troops. We used two colored paper bags for each, a variety of colored construction paper, markers, construction paper crayons (which are more awesome than many people might realize), yarn, and fun bits of feathers, gems, and foamies. I made ones for part of the staff at the end of the summer as a good bye present (the pockets were great for tucking in feathers, magnets, and other bits from the summer).

I've made paper bag journals with my 'Ladies Who Craft" at the nursing home, as well as for personal things. (I usually use regular brown paper bags and lunch sacks.) I made one for Christmas present for my mom as a memory book after my grandpa's death. The pockets were great for tucking in extra pictures, poetry, and a copy of his obituary. A great way to utilize scrap booking techniques for little bits.

Shrinkie Charm Bracelet

At the 4-H camp we did a lot with shrinkies (you've heard of shrinkie drinks, right?) and various knotted and braided bracelets and anklets made with colored thread. The kids loved them, both the nine-year-olds, and the teens. I tried to find ways for them to use the shrinkies they made (#6 plastic, decorated with markers or colored pencils, then heated down) other than just little melted pieces of plastic. I made a shrinkie charm bracelet with a bunch of fruit and vegetable charms and bits (I'm a vegetarian) with green and white colored thread.

Once all the shrinkies where made (decorated with holes punches) and shrunk, I set them out in the order I preferred and started to work on the bracelet itself. I used a square knot like one used in macrame with thin colored thread (think embroidery thread or something similar). The combination of colors gave a nice variance.

If the bracelet in the picture looks a bit beat up, because it is. I wore it a lot at camp and used it as an example (always with the examples).

Worry Dolls

Worry dolls made from twisty ties and embroidery floss was something I came up with. I have a few sets that I had picked up from other places, but wanted to find a way to make them myself. I was inspired by the collection of twisty ties that I could force myself to throw away, my selection of colored embroidery floss, and scraps of fabric. One of my campers even made a house for them out of a Velveeta Cheese box. It kind of resembled a mini mobile home. See More!

Macrame Butterfly

Macrame and macrame techniques were a big part of the stuff I did the kids. It seemed the more retro something was the more popular it was. Bracelets, belts, and even little macrame butterflies, like the one pictured. It was nice to experiment with different types of cord and string. The Macrame Butterfly was made from actual macrame cord that was donated (like the kind you see used in planters.)

Maybe some of these will inspire you or bring back sweet memories of summer camps gone by.