04/16/2012 - Zoe's Cuckoo Clock

I went into Zoe's room after her rest and she tells me that I have to help her make a cuckoo clock...how could I say no to that? What was going on in that little head of hers when she should have been napping?

Reclaimed Material: game board, plastic lid, splash sticks, wooden stick, rubber band
Other Material: modeling clay, masking tape, straight pin, googly eyes
Tools: scissors, box cutter, glue, awl, X-acto knife, Sharpie marker, ruler, paint and brushes

How I did it: Since I started this project right when the 3 year old was ready to rock and roll and asking me every 5 seconds if it was time for her to paint yet, I had to distract her with random tasks like pre-clay modeling and painting on wood scraps until I put the house pieces together. I measured out two 5"x5" squares and three 5"x2" rectangles from the game board and used the box knife to cut them out. I used the masking tape to build an open top box with the three rectangles as the sides and let Zoe work her painting magic. While she worked on that I started on the roof of the house. I cut another 5"x5" square then cut it in half diagonally. I cut two 5.25"x2" rectangles for the top of the roof and one 7"x2" rectangle for the base. I cut the door for the cuckoo with the X-acto on one of the triangles, then made a slit on the other that lined up with the door. Next I taped the roof together and handed it off to Zoe to paint. I modeled a little bird (again using Zoe's paint, but with her blessing this time) and glued it onto the wooden stick.

The plastic lid that I used happened to have twelve notches around it, so I didn't have to measure it out. I used the Sharpie to mark the notches and make the numbers. I cut down the splash sticks for the clock hands then used the awl to start the holes for the pin to go through. I didn't punch it all the way through because the hole would have been too big. I poked the pin through the holes I started and through the clock face and glued the whole thing onto the game board box. I pushed the pin all the way through and bent the pin so it wouldn't stick Zoe when she stuck her hand in the box. The rubber band I used was just a circle I cut from an inner tube and I put it around the door that was cut out. I slid the stick under the rubber band and pulled it out the back through the slit I made and Zoe began "cuckoo-ing" it.

What I would do differently: This is obviously not a working clock...but it is a great teaching tool. It is amazing what kids pick up because Zoe immediately called the clock hands the "little hand" and the "big hand". After we finished this project Zoe decided we needed to make a cuckoo horse next. What I would do differently is figure out a sturdier cuckoo option.

04/09/2010 - Birds Nests

This is a project I meant to start last fall and I started collecting some grass/straw stuff I found on a couple walks. This is part of a larger project I am working on, but it is for a present, so let's just focus on the nests in this post. I try to use as much recycled content as I can with my projects, but I am not sure where I would find recycled or discarded clay.

Reclaimed Material: dried straw, metal lid, plastic lid
Other Material: natural clay
Tools: scissors 

How I did it: I started with the metal lid and covered it with clay making the clay around the lip of the lid a little fatter using my hands to give the clay covered lid a nest like shape. I then took the straw and pressed it into the clay, not to firmly, just enough to make it stick. I repeated this with the plastic lid, but I had to trim the lid to the same size as the metal lid. I also had to build up the sides of the nest since there was no lip on the lid. I had to fiddle the shape of this nest a lot more. I let the nests sit to harden naturally.

What I would do differently: I still need to make a couple more of these nests so I would like to make sure I use the metal lids instead of the plastic. The metal one I used was the perfect size and the lip was perfect for the height that I wanted. I just need to collect a few more of those.

02/19/2012 - Paper Flower Wreath

I am in love with these paper flowers. I found a blog with great instructions for these paper roses and the blogger has some other fabulous instructions: Crafting with Intention.

Reclaimed Material: junk mail, plastic lid, gift bag ribbon
Other/New Material: none
Tools: scissors, glue

How I did it: I followed the Crafting with Intention instructions for these little beauties. The junk mail I used was black and white with splashes of red so I found a red plastic lid I had hoarded away to match. I cut out the center of the lid to make the paper flower wreath. I used the ribbon from a gift bag I used in other daily crafts for the hanger. I glued the flowers and ribbon to the plastic lid.

What I would do differently: I would have made more little flowers to fill in some of the gaps but ran out of the red, black and white junk mail. Don't worry you will see these again in other projects. I heart these.