Fairy Wand

This would probably not go over well with our older campers, but I think our younger girls would enjoy making their very own magic wands. Okay, actually, I want MY very own magic wand.

I have shyed away from this project in the past, since I wanted to appeal to all ages, but I think this could be a really fun activity for our junior girls...and also...me.

Instructions can be found here.

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.

An Oldie But a Goodie - Paper Clay Bowl

This was our first project EVER at camp. In fact, the bowl pictured above was created by my daughter when she was 8 years old. It is so simple and useful, and considering this one was made in 2003, it has held up pretty well after all these years.

The bowl above was made with Paper Clay, we softened with our hands, and then folded in glitter specs. We eventually started adding tempera paint right into the clay. When you work the paint into the clay, the clay changes color. Super cool. We rolled the clay out and molded around little plastic bowls from the dining hall. They dry overnight, feather light, yet surprisingly sturdy.

I found instructions for a similar project from Crayola.com

You can find project instructions 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.