Nativity - Christmas Craft at Mencap

You don't need a lot of materials to make a Nativity Scene...

At Mencap, we made this charming little group with just bits of fabric, a few toilet roll cores, buttons and trimmings.

So get going and create your own little figures - a seasonal activity that will appeal to all ages...

Use the Christmas button above to find other Christmas craft ideas on this Blog.

Click here to Make a Paper Plate Angel

A General Knowledge Quiz - Printable!

  

 General Knowledge 

Quiz

 Everyone enjoys a quiz!

Here is a General Knowledge Quiz - 15 questions altogether - some really easy and a few a bit more challenging!

Do have a go at it with your groups and enjoy the reminiscing and chat that it will stimulate...

 Here is a taster .............
 "Who was the actress who played "Pretty Woman" in the movie of the same name?


 
If you want more quizzes - have a look at my  
Quiz eBook (41 Easy Quizzes with Answers) which are printable and will keep you groups stimulated and entertained in the coming Winter months...

 

Fishy Fun! We Made a Fish Mural at Mencap!

This Fish Mural was put together over two afternoons...

Firstly we printed out fish shapes (search in Google Images for "Fish Templates" - lots to choose from there!) and after these were painted and decorated, with stripes and dots (from sponge shapes) we left them to dry and started sticking blue tissue paper right across our surface as "water".

Some pebble-printed decorative paper was used for the "rocks" and strips of green tissue stuck on as "seaweed".

When the fish were dry, we cut them out and glued them into position.

As a finishing touch we added a treasure chest, crab, skeleton, diver and submarine!

Our mural is quite large, but you can make it any size or shape you want. If everyone in your group wants to make their own "fish tank" you can size it right down to an A4 - just reduce the size of the fish accordingly...

Fish are such fun to paint - enjoy creating your patterns and choosing your fishy colours!

Decorate a Ceramic Tile!

  
We had a lovely afternoon at Mencap, Braintree (UK) decorating creamic tiles. 

We used white tiles (left over after bathroom tiling!), but any colour is fine, as long as it has a smooth surface. 

As you can see from the pictures, there are many bits and pieces that can be stuck onto a tile - easy, creative and such fun to do.

We used felt flowers and leaves, self- adhesive foil, buttons, flat-bottomed beads, wool, lace, other sewing trimmings, self-adhesive stickers, and bows.

We used tacky glue, glue spots and double-sided sticky pads to stick it all together!

There is this tutorial and more in my eBook - click here to have a look!

Completed tiles can be displayed, by standing on a plate holder or attaching to a tiled wall, with double-sided adhesive pads.

A Fun Quiz - Songs with Colours in the Title - printable!

 I have compiled an easy quiz, for you to have fun with your groups. The songs are mostly from around the 50's and 60's, so should be familiar.

Singing along with the tunes, is all part of the quiz, so enjoy...!

Click here for the Songs with Colours in the Title Quiz

Have listed the answers on a separate page, just in case you get stuck!

If you would like more quizzes aimed at the senior generation have a look at my 

eBook - 41 Easy Quiz Questions and Answers

Nothing like a quiz and a cuppa! 

Bird Collage Tutorial - with Printable Templates!

You can make a collage out of bits of coloured card or paper - even pieces of felt or lace, buttons etc.... Just make a picture or a design and have fun with your group!

For my Bird Collage you will need....

A3 card for background. (any size will do - just adapt it)

Coloured card for the birds, flowers hearts and leaves

Dark paper or card for the fence

One smallish doily for the bird wings - mine was 16cm diameter

Small shiny flat bottomed beads for the eyes and flower centres (or use buttons or contrasting card)

Piece of cotton lace (43cm) or any kind of trim will do

Self adhesive butterfly stickers (optional)

Glue stick

Double sided adhesive pads

Cello tape

How to make... 
 
Using the templates cut out the birds, flowers, leaves and hearts. (I used my Big Shot die-cutter for the flowers and hearts, but have given you templates to use instead) 

Cut your doily in half and fold each piece into three, making a cone, with the join at the back. 

Stick the join with a bit of cello tape. 

Cut a slit in the bird, on the line marked on the side of the bird and slip the point of the folded doily into this slit. 

Fix into position with a small piece of cello tape at the back of the bird.

Bird Template
 
Flower templates

Heart templates

Cut out your fence and posts - mine are 15cms high and each post about 2cms wide. 

The centre piece or "gate" is cut in one piece and shaped along the top. (easy if you fold it concertina style and cut the curved tops all at once)

Using your glue stick, stick on the fence, birds, flowers, hearts and leaves. Stick on your beads or buttons.

Using double-sided sticky pads, attach the length of lace trim along the bottom edge.

Finish off your collage with some butterfly stickers...

Have fun! 

Use a Doily to Frame Your Picture and some ACEO's!

  

Today, I thought I would give you some simple but pretty little pictures to paint or colour-in and then frame with a doily.

I have given you two pictures to download and print, but you can use anything you might already have. Here are my two pictures

Old greeting cards are also a good source of pictures, that you can cut out and stick onto your doily.

I printed my pictures on a "black and white" printer and then got out the watercolours and painted parts of the pictures. 

If you would like to see more of my watercolours (i paint ACEO's which are 3.5 x 2.5 inches in size) here is my link - ACEO

For those who have never heard of ACEO's!! ... They are highly collectible miniature pieces of art! Browse on eBay to see thousands of ACEO's on offer!

Here are three of mine!

 

We made a Wall Mural - Olympics 2012 - at Mencap Braintree

Olympic Games Mural - London 2012

With Shaun at the helm, we made a wall mural to celebrate the fast approaching Olympic Games 2012.

Shaun sketched the layout and then the Mencap Art group glued on layers of tissue paper, representing the sky, the Thames, the athletic track and the swimming pool.

Cut-outs of athletes and swimmers were then stuck on and some flowers placed, representing Summer!

Shaun then painted in the London skyline (with a little artistic licence in play, as regards the order of same!) in black acrylic paint.

Tissue clouds completed the picture - it does rain in London, in Summer!

The Olympic Rings were then placed at the top - made by Thomas (see here)

10 days to go to the Opening...!