Beginners' Silk Painting Projects for Children and Adults

Silk painting is a unique and beautiful technique. Silk was once frequently used in paintings in the same manner in which canvas is used today. Using silk as the basis for a masterpiece is less common now, but silk may be used to create a wide variety of projects. Here are a few that are appropriate for beginner silk painters of all ages.

Silk Scarves

The silk scarf is a luxurious accessory, and it makes a wonderful gift for almost any woman. And when it's painted by hand, it takes on an even more special meaning. A silk scarf is a great first project for those who would like to try their hand at silk painting.

One of the great things about silk scarves is that they do not necessarily have to have an elaborate pattern. Dyes can be used to give them a tie dyed look. This is great news for newbies, because working with silk dyes and paints can be rather tricky at first. Simple abstract designs allow you to get a feel for how these mediums interact with silk without having to worry about precise detail.

Shirts

Silk shirts may be larger than scarves, but they too look nice with less defined patterns. As long as you choose colors that complement each other, there's little chance of ruining the shirt. This is a good project to move on to once you've gained confidence with scarves.

Suncatchers and Ornaments

Stained glass suncatchers add a touch of color to any home. But did you know that you can make suncatchers out of silk, too? You'll have to learn to use resist to keep colors in confined areas and apply dyes so that they are of the correct intensity, but with the small size of most suncatchers, you won't lose a lot of silk if you make a mistake.

You can also make ornaments for Christmas and other occasions in much the same way you make suncatchers. You'll need little more than a small frame, some silk, dye or paint, and brushes. You can find kits to make these items at some craft stores, as well as online.

Greeting Cards

Making silk-painted greeting cards requires some assembly, but otherwise it's as easy as painting a scarf. You can use resist to create some definition, or go abstract with dye only. Cards designed to hold painted silk usually feature a cutout of some sort of shape, so it's hard to go wrong.

These projects are great for learning the basics of silk painting. And when they're complete, they make lovely gifts. If you love the look of painted silk, why not give one of them a try?

Fun Halloween Craft Ideas

Kids always have fun making crafts, especially holiday-themed crafts. Here are some fun Halloween craft ideas for your kids to make this year.

1. Trick-or-Treat bucket

Supplies: ice cream bucket, construction paper, markers, crayons, glue, glitter (any craft supplies)

Directions: Use construction paper to draw ghosts, pumpkins, scarecrows, etc. Cut out your decorations and glue them to the outside of an ice cream bucket.

2. Trick-or-Treat goody bags

Supplies: small brown paper bags, Halloween stickers, markers, treats (candy, pencils, erasers, bubblegum, etc.)

Directions: Decorate paper bags in Halloween themes using your art supplies. Put treats inside bags. Fold the top of the bag down and tape shut with a Halloween sticker.

3. Tiny pumpkins

Supplies: acorns, orange paint, and green paint

Directions: Lay acorns on a sheet of newspaper. Paint the bottom of the acorns with orange paint. After the orange paint dries, paint the top of the acorns green (for the stem of the pumpkin). Allow to dry thoroughly.

4. Spooky Spiders

Supplies: black construction paper, cotton balls or cotton stuffing, black pipe cleaners, small bowl or saucer, and a stapler

Directions: Using black construction paper, trace around a small bowl or saucer. (Cut out two circles per spider.) Place stuffing or cotton balls on first circle. Lay second circle on top of cotton stuffing and staple half-way around. Insert 3-4” pipe cleaners on each side, then staple the second half of the circles together. Bend pipe cleaners to make the “legs” of the spider.

How to Make a Pumpkin Seed Autumn Mosaic

Mosaic is an ancient art form that involves creating images by arranging small pieces of various materials into a pattern. Examples have been found that date back as far as the 4th century BCE. Today, mosaics new and old grace art museums, and they have also been incorporated into the décor of homes, businesses and places of worship.

Traditionally, mosaics have been made out of colored glass or stone. But you can make a mosaic out of almost any small, flat object. For fall, pumpkin seeds are a fine choice. They are small enough to make patterns with, yet large enough that you don't have to labor over every detail. And if you carved a pumpkin for Halloween, you should have plenty of them to work with! Here's how to create your own pumpkin seed mosaic.

What You Need

* Pencil
* Poster board
* Clean, dried pumpkin seeds
* Several small disposable containers (margarine bowls work well)
* Plastic fork or spoon
* Tempera or poster paints (dark colors work best)
* Waxed paper
* White craft glue

Instructions

1. Using the pencil and a light touch, draw a picture on the poster board of anything you like. For autumn, colorful trees, turkeys or cornucopias would be good choices. Make the drawing large, and keep it fairly simple.

2. Place a handful of pumpkin seeds into one of the containers. Drizzle one color of poster paint onto the seeds, and stir with the plastic fork or spoon to coat. Spread the seeds out onto a piece of waxed paper.

3. Repeat step 2 for each color you wish to use, making sure to use a different container for each color. Allow all of the pumpkin seeds to dry.

4. Glue the colored pumpkin seeds onto the poster board with craft glue to complete your picture. Let dry.

Tips

* Most mosaics are made using plaster. You can use plaster to create your pumpkin seed mosaic if you like. Just remember that plaster sets very quickly, so you will have to work fast.

* If you don't have enough pumpkin seeds to complete your picture, you could use dried beans. Lima beans can be colored with the same technique you used to color the seeds. Or you could use beans that occur naturally in different colors, such as pintos, kidney beans and black eyed peas.

* It's okay if there are some bare spots in your mosaic. It may be difficult to completely cover your design. It's easiest to cover it well if you do the outline of the design first, then fill it in, and do the background last. It may also be helpful to arrange the seeds before gluing them down.


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How to Make a Thankful Tree with Handprint Leaves

On Thanksgiving, we get the family together for a big, delicious dinner. We remember old times, and catch up on what's currently going on in everyone's lives. And, if we stick with tradition, we take time to reflect on the things we're thankful for.

Unfortunately, the idea of giving thanks is often forgotten during the holiday festivities. But there are ways we can encourage our children (and other children in the family) to think about the good things in their lives. This “thankful tree” craft works nicely, and it's also fun to make. Here's how to do it.

What You Need

* Brown kraft paper
* Construction paper in orange, red, yellow and brown
* Pencil
* Crayons, markers or pen
* Scissors
* Cork bulletin board
* Thumbtacks or stapler with staples

Instructions

1. Using the pencil, draw a tree trunk with branches on the brown kraft paper. Make it large enough to fill up most of the bulletin board. Cut out and tack or staple to the bulletin board.

2. Have a child trace his or her hand onto a piece of the construction paper and cut it out.

3. Have the child use a marker, crayon or pen to write his or her name on the handprint, as well as something he or she is thankful for. When finished, tack or staple the “leaf” onto the tree trunk.

4. Ask each child to make a leaf, or more than one if so desired. Arrange the leaves on the tree so that it is evenly covered.

Tips

* If you don't have a bulletin board, you could attach your thankful tree to a door or wall. If doing so, use thumbtacks for best results.

* Adults can participate as well, but their handprints may be too large if you're using a small bulletin board. To remedy this, you could simply cut smaller leaf shapes and have them ready for your guests to write on when they arrive.

* If you don't have enough handprints to cover your tree, have children make leaf rubbings by placing a leaf under a plain white piece of paper and rubbing the side of the crayon over it. Cut them out and add them to the tree to fill in the empty spaces.

* Want a more authentic-looking tree? Place a small tree branch into a flowerpot and fill with sand, marbles or rocks so that it stands up straight. Use a hole punch to make holes in the handprint leaves and tie them to the branch with string or twine, letting them hang down a bit. You could even add a string of white miniature holiday lights if you like. This makes a lovely centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table!