Paper Mache Mini-Mannequin

The Artful Crafter bring us this darling jewelry holder craft. Using a paper mache mini-mannequin, you basically decoupage the outside, add wire, and embellish as you like. This is a great camp craft, though, you will have to search hard for the paper mache mannequin base.

I searched on etsy, and found one here.

I love this craft. It's pretty, it's simple and most of all, it's USEFUL!

Click here for full tutorial.

Popsicle Sticks? Okay!

Anyone that knows me, knows I have a personal dislike of Popsicle stick crafts. Given that I'm the Camp Art Lady, I should really love them, just like I love glitter. But, alas, I don't, I think stuff made out of popsicle sticks looks weird, and unattractive, and who wants that lying around the house?

But yesterday, I received a wonderful suggestion for a super cool, super pretty, super fun craft, made out of the dreaded popsicle stick. I'm so excited about it, I'm offering the link right here.

Thank you INFUSEDgoods!

Personalized Name Plaque

The kids are back to school today, so that means I'm back, looking for new fun ideas for my campers. I came across this one today, on the PLAID website (which is chock full of sweet inspiration).

Full instructions can be found here.

Initial Necklace

(Oh, how I love to find new craft websites! Crafty Chica is my latest favorite!)

This initial necklace is made with polymer clay, which is then painted with a metallic paint.

So adorable!

Safety Pin Bracelet

Here's a chic safety pin bracelet courtesy of the Crafty Chica. We've made these in the past, and I can tell you that my 15 year old daughter still wears her DAILY! This is a perfect camp craft, but careful, this is a lot more time consuming than you might expect. Allot 3 hours to complete this!

Classroom Chihuli

Blick Arts and Crafts has been around for years. I was very lucky to meet with two of the representatives at a recent camp convention. I've mentioned before that they have some of the best lesson plans and ideas for Art Teachers.

They now provide beautifully detailed video lessons on a variety of their projects. What an incredible help for the Camp Art Lady! I normally don't get to "try-out" projects prior to our summer sessions, as our materials are shipped directly to camp. With these videos, I can be more comfortable selecting projects that I feel will work within our curriculum.

The Classroom Chihuli was originally presented a year or two ago, and it's always struck me as an attractive project, but honestly, the written directions confused me! Click HERE to see the video tutorial for this beautiful project!

If you prefer, here is the PDF version of the instructions.

Eco-Friendly Shrinky Dinks

Who knew?? You can shrink recyclable plastic containers marked "6", very much the same as Shrinky Dinks...

Check out this tutorial for a very cute bracelet...

Eco-Friendly Bracelet

Glass Bead Bracelet

From Fire Mountain Gems
LINK

We can add strands, or matching necklaces/earrings to stretch this activity out.

Fine Art Self-Portrait

I remember doing something very similar to this in my high school art class. I would love to do this project as an elective, and think it would appeal to all ages. It's really beautiful.

I'd like to thank Kathy Barbaro, and her beautiful blog, www.artprojectsforkids.blogspot.com for this wonderful project inspiration.

Donkey Beads and Bells

From Dick Blick
Link

Heavy Metal Book

From Blick Art Supplies
Link

Crystal Bracelet

From Fire Mountain Gems
Instructions

Cornflower Sculpture

I don't watch a lot of episodic TV. Therefore conversations about Desperate Housewives or Grey's Anatomy completely go over my head. I do however enjoy HGTV. Recently on Landscape Smarts, they redid this backyard. What I loved the most about this was the metal sculpture in the foreground. It's made with a flexible copper (the petals) and a toilet bowl thingy (the round part). I think it's somehow attached to a dowel, but the best part is that it twirls in the wind.

It's so beautiful, in fact this photo doesn't do it justice. My only issue is that the website didn't provide specific instructions, and frankly, The Camp Art Lady isn't all that clever without a "recipe". So guess what...I e-mailed the artist who designed it, and he responded! So I'm awaiting his instructions...hooray!

This is the artist...

Nick Legeros
Sculptor
Nicholas Legeros Inc.
Website: www.nikosculpture.com

Sculpture

Sunflowers

Our Art Center offers Craft Activities such as Jewelry Making, Rocketry and Ceramics. Now and then, I love to offer lessons in Fine Arts, and I am always amazed at what our campers produce. One of my favorite lessons was based on Van Gogh's famous Sunflowers. We set up a vase of silk sunflowers and offered the campers acrylic paints. The finished products were varied and amazing. Even the youngest campers created impressive works.

More information on this project can be found here.

Now This Looks Like Fun! Packing Tape Casting

I just found this amazing project at TapeSculpture.org.

If you Google "Packing Tape Casting", there are a ton of websites that give instructions. In a nutshell, you basically wrap any figure or object in packing tape, cut it off and then repair the seam.

This will be a huge hit with the campers, and I think a worthy exception to my "It should be useful" rule of thumb. This is one project that's just fun.

I can't wait!

Here's a Youtube video that shows exactly how it done.
I can't wait! (Did I already say that????)

Topiary, I Want One!

Not sure that 14 year old girls would appreciate a topiary, but, once again this is something they can make look beautiful without having to be terribly talented artistically. Fake-o flowers from Walmart are inexpensive and a perfect addition.

These could be made in one class or 4, depending on how elaborate we would want to get.

The instructions call for Topiary forms, but I would opt for a foam ball attached to a wooden dowel.

Ribbons and pretty paper embellish this.

Instructions can be found here.

Gel-ly Bowls

Dick Blick does it again. What a beautiful project! This is constructed with wire mesh, collage materials (i.e. tissue paper) and "gel medium". I wonder if you could simply use mod-podge (I love mod-podge)...I'm going to look into that.

I got to meet the creative forces at Dick Blick at a recent conference. Once again, I was not disappointed. They have a boatload of amazing projects that they haven't even posted online yet...I'll have to keep checking back...but they never fail to inspire me.

Again, I love this because it is useful, fairly inexpensive to construct, and a camper doesn't need to be Picasso to end up with a thing of beauty.

Instructions can be found here.

Tick Tock Block Clock

Hello! How adorable is this. We have done clocks in the past, but this one is so original. The colors on the blocks are actually paper which is decoupaged on. And if Mod-Podge is involved, I'm totally into it.

I can see using different coordinating patterns to get a really cool effect, or we could simply paint these.

This is a great older girl project, though I think the younger girls would probably do well.

We need clock works, wooden blocks, mod-podge (of course!) and general embellishments.

From the geniuses at www.DuncanCrafts.com
Click here for instructions.

Home Made Checkers

I love when projects are USEFUL. Something that our campers will use during the winter and think about warm summer days. Something that their moms won't want to toss in the trash the minute they come home.

Several summers ago, we made our own Checkers Sets.

The campers painted checkerboards with acrylic paint on wooden boards. We sealed the paint with acrylic spray, or we could have used Envirotex for an extra shiny finish.

My daughter made hers in pink and green by first painting with the lighter color, and then masking off the areas to be checkered and then painting the darker color.

Checkers were made out of Sculpey in complimentary colors. It was just precious, and I think its time to pull that project and put it back into circulation.

Just for Monkey Girls

We have offered a sewing class at camp for one season. Last year we made a lot of pillows, pillows, pillows. I'm hoping that we expand our repertoire this year, and thought what could be more appealing than the classic sock monkey.

I'm thinking this might be appropriate for our older campers only, since the younger girls might not yet have the fine motor skills needed for this craft.

My measure of a good project is whether or not I can do it. Sounds silly, right? Not really. I am a craft lover, not afraid to get messy and open to trying new things. But, I'm not patient! My skills aren't much different from our older campers...and believe me, some of the girls talents far eclipse mine!

So this one, I'm going to attempt myself...I'm a sucker for stuffed animals, and I have a soft spot in my heart for monkey girls. Assuming I finish, I'll post the results...and if it's really cute, there's a certain New York City Monkey Diva that'll get to keep it.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOCK MONKEY CRAFT

NEW! Carol Duvall Video - How to make a Sock Monkey!