Summer Sunflowers to Print and Paint!

This beautiful Sunflower was grown and then photographed by my sister in Hampshire...

 Using some very clever software, I converted the flower photo into a sketch and put together the "Summer Sunflowers" you see below...



and then I painted it with my watercolours

Because the sketch is already shaded, it was very easy to paint - I used two colours of yellow for the petals and two shades of brown for the centres. A few small dots of white and picture painted...

Have a go at painting it with your group - here is the sketch for you to download and print...Click here for Summer Sunflowers 

Be creative - have fun!

A Flower Pin Cushion to Make!

These Pin-Cushions are not only easy to make but very practical to use as they sit well on your work table and can hold a lot of pins and needles!

You Will Need...

Cotton / Polycotton fabric scraps

Thread and needle (sewing machine if possible)

Toy / Cushion Polyester Fibre Filling
Embroidery thread and a long needle
2 Buttons


How To Make...
Cut two circles from your fabric approx. 18cm diameter (can be same fabric or two different designs)

Place the 2 circles together, with right sides facing.

Stitch around the outer edge leaving a gap of about 5cm. This is better done on a sewing machine as will be stronger, but can be done by hand if necessary.

Turn the circles right side out and stuff with your filling - pack it well to make a firm cushion.

Stitch the gap closed, by hand.

Thread a long needle with all six strands of your embroidery thread and make a knot at the end.

Push the needle through the middle of your cushion and then loop it over the side and back into to centre, pulling it tight to form the "petals" of the pin cushion. Keep doing this to form 6 "petals"

Finish off with a few double stitches in the centre to hold the thread firmly in place, but do not cut the thread yet!

Using the same thread, stitch on two buttons, one on either side. This will cover up all your stitches and your knot!

Hope you enjoy making your pin cushion!

May Calendar 2011 - May Marigolds!

Here is your May Calendar - ready to print and colour-in, with your group.

Click here to download 

Orange and yellow flowers for May - I thought we would have a change from Red, White and Blue!

A Colourful Quiz!

Have just spent an hour, having fun, making up a quiz...!

All the answers are a colour!

You can download and print it - Click here.

Have fun putting in the colours with your groups... I wonder how many will remember all the 7 colours of the Rainbow?

Have given you a sheet of answers just in case...

Easter Bunny - Paper Plate Craft!

Easter Bunny - made by Thomas

More Easter craft! This will keep the younger ones busy, but also a novel way to dress up a gift of an Easter Egg to give to a child...

You will need...

2 paper plates

Paints or other colouring pens or crayons

Card for the Easter Bunny

Glue

Glitter, stars etc (Optional)

Small Easter Eggs (Optional)

How to Make it...

Print the Easter Bunny - Click here for template

 
Trace Bunny onto card.

Cut out the Bunny.

Cut one plate in half.

Paint the Inside surface of the whole plate and the Underneath surface of the half plate. 

Thomas painted the whole rim, but you can paint just the top half of the whole plate, as the bottom half will be covered up.

Paint the Bunny.

Let the paint dry.

Apply glue and glitter/stars if desired. (Thomas insisted he wanted the Christmas glitter on his plate!)

Apply glue around the bottom half of the rim of the whole plate.

Attach the half plate and peg together.

Leave to dry.

Pop the Easter Bunny in his pocket and a few small Easter Eggs will fit in too!

Enjoy the Easter break with your family and friends...!

A Fridge Magnet using Mod Podge!

Have just got my first jar of Mod Podge!

Decided to start small and after watching the experts on YouTube I gave it a go!

I used a playing card as the mount and then Mod Podged on a print of the gorgeous little Victorian girl.

A few more coats of Mod Podge and a bit of lace, buttons and two shiny pink beads and there it is - on my fridge!



April Calendar - The Royal Wedding!

April is a special month, as we celebrate the marriage

of Prince William to Kate Middleton, on 29th April 2011.

If you would like to download the calendar template, so you can print it out for your group to paint or colour-in, then Click Here. 

For extra "bling" try sticking acrylic beads onto the crown -for "crown jewels"!

TUESDAY 29.03.011 Here are some of the April calendars we did at our Day Centre today...

We had a lot of fun this morning with our April Crown Calendars! 

It seems that most of our members are involved in some sort of celebrations on the Big Day - including of course, watching on TV, our amazing British Pageantry at its best, as the Royal Wedding takes place in London...

Face-Cloth Easter Bunny!

Sue made these Easter Bunnies for us today, at our Day Centre and immediately had orders for 8 more!!

So we decided, that this was a good way to make funds for buying craft supplies - for future crafting projects...

To make the Easter Bunny you will need...

A Face-cloth

Ribbon

Eyes

Double-sided sticky pads

A small Easter Egg

To make... 

Fold the face-cloth in half forming a triangle. 

Roll the face-cloth from the points towards the long edge. 

Then fold this in half and place the Easter Egg in the centre of the fold. 

Tie the ribbon around the "neck" of the bunny. 

Tie another bow higher up, to create the bunny "face" and the "ears" above. 

Using the double sided sticky pads, attach the eyes.

A lovely Easter Gift - for any age group! 

See another Easter posting with new ideas!