paint cut paste

when i was little, i loved making my marbles into sparkly jewels! find out how by hopping over to my guest post on kiwi crate today.

did you ever try this experiment as a kid?

both crackled & clear marbles

my daughter is becoming a gnome lover. she’s a girl who gets a lot of satisfaction out of making her own toys - what a great way to boost self-esteem in little ones. this project was perfect for her: creating her own wooden and wool gnome toys!

i recently blogged about how N was learning to sew gnomes with felt. the newer variety is a bit different, in that she is sewing wool hats and gluing them to watercolored wooden peg bodies. i wrote a guest post on this earlier in the week over on kiwi crate, so check it out to see the step by step of how these little cuties came to be!

N has been playing with hers quite a bit, and has gifted some to friends, too. and shhhh, for her birthday tomorrow, she’ll be receiving more wooden peg dolls and wool felt, so i’m sure more will soon be born!

oooo, i’m a bit starstruck to feature this inspiring guest post from janet of the janet jewelry fame! over a decade ago, when i was a new yorker, i met janet when she was selling her unique and beautiful silver jewelry at a street market in the village. then she set up her first store right near my chelsea apartment! and now she has written a fab guest blog on making jewelry with kids just for us.

i’ve always admired her artistry, and today she’s sharing a wonderful preschooler-friendly art project with all of us… AND she’s offering a special discount code for my readers to use when holiday shopping on her web site! don’t miss it at the end of this entry – read on…

janet wrote up a wonderful post for us all about how she helped her daughter’s preschool class create their own custom silver jewelry! how awesome is that?!?! enjoy janet’s words below:

Fingerprint Cast Sterling Silver Pendants

As a graduation present for each of my daughter’s friends at her daycare, I wanted to give them a chance to make their own handmade sterling silver jewelry that they (or their parent!) could wear, something that would represent this moment in time for them.  To me, jewelry isn’t just about adornment, but especially when it’s handmade, I feel that jewelry emanates a talismanical quality that encapsulates so much more–energy, creativity, intent, time, joy, love….

Since this was for a Pre-K class, first, I did a quick show and tell of some basic jewelry making tools (files, sandpaper, jeweler’s saw, wax, burner, dental tools, etc) but mostly focused on the wax:  what was it, how did it feel, what makes it softer/harder, why did it come in different colors/shapes, and how does wax become metal?

different waxes

Because of their age group (3-5 yr olds) I focused mostly on colors, textures, and shapes of waxes and let them feel each of the different colors and let them mush it between their thumbs and forefingers like they would Playdoh–this practice is great for young children to help develop their fine motor skills.  The more they mushed it around in their hands, the softer it got!  Magic!

I showed them how I make shapes out of wax, which is then cast into raw metal, which I  saw, file, sand, and polish to make jewelry.

I made a little ball of wax for each child, flattened it a little so that I could press their initials using my set of steel stamps (so I knew which pendant to give back to which child), and with the initial side down, I had each child press the semi-flat (from the initial stamping) ball into a flat thumbprint pendant.  The children saw that even with the same size of wax ball, some of the pendants came out to be really big and super flat, while others were smaller in shape but thicker, too.  They got to choose what they wanted to create.

After class, I took all the waxes to a casting company, where they use the lost wax method to create metal pieces out of the wax models.  Casting equipment is expensive, heavy, massive, dangerous, etc, so I prefer to outsource the casting portion of making pendants.  I get it back as “raw cast pieces” meaning, the sprues (those little things sticking out of the pendants where the metal is shot into the wax model) are still on it, and the finish is rough and white.

I saw off the sprues by hand, file and sand it, being careful not to interfere with the thumbprint, and drill holes where the bail will be.

I put little jumprings through the holes (the bail) and solder it closed.

In order to keep the thumbprints as visible as possible, I didn’t sand the main surfaces at all, but instead, rubbed it with a brass brush to give it a bit of shine, but left the texture intact.

For a more detailed description of the cast finishing process, check it out on my website. Ta-da!  Finished product!  Most of the moms wanted to wear the pendants until their child got older, so I finished it with a sterling chain necklace.  The kids really enjoy seeing their moms wear their “art work” every day, and the moms love their thumbprint reminders of their little ones.  I’m hoping to make this into a “kit” soon, so keep an eye out for it on my website!

If you don’t have access to wax casting or metal smithing, you can do a similar project using polymer clay, like Fimo or Sculpey, which can be hardened by baking in a toaster oven (follow instructions on package).  If you prefer a shiny finish, you can simply coat it with some clear nail polish!

My favorite part about making jewelry with children is that it is art they can wear, show to their friends, or give to someone they love, and they start to develop an appreciation for accessories and fashion, not simply as protection against the elements, but as forms of self expression and representation.  Enjoy their creativity!

get to know janet:

Janet Akie Masamitsu began taking silversmithing classes in high school (1987!) and she’s been hooked ever since.  After receiving a MA in Gender Politics at NYU, she realized she spent all her spare time making jewelry, and decided to take a break from her teaching career to create www.janetjewelry.com in 1997. Janet’s jewelry has been featured in numerous magazines and newspapers, including New York Times, Paper, Elle Girl, Revolver, and Cargo. Meredith Vieira wore her Postmodern Candy Necklace on “The View,” and Janet herself made her first TV appearance on The Oxygen Network’s “SheCommerce,” and more recently, on Style! Network’s show, “Isaac,” with designer Isaac Mizrahi. Her pieces have been worn by The Killers, Cibo Matto, and Blu Cantrell, and she has also worked on commissioned designs for Cyndi Lauper, Phantom Planet, and Jeffrey Gaines. Janet lives in NYC with her husband, a Creative Director, her 5 year old craft-acular daughter, Dylan, and 20 month old Jack, who keeps them all on their toes by running off with their half made projects.

a holiday offer especially for you, dear readers:

do some holiday shopping at janetjewelry.com and use the discount code: PAINTCUTPASTE to receive 20% off your entire purchase, including sale items and clearance items. this offer is good through thursday, december 15, 2011. the only fine print:  Cannot be used in conjunction with other Coupons;  cannot be used toward Gift Certificates. here is the holiday FAQ, which covers most questions regarding packaging, shipping, exchange policy, deadlines, etc.

some of my own personal favorite items that janet makes are her customizable pieces – and i happen to have collected a few over the years!

in the photo above, i’ve included a few of my top picks such as: janet’s hot mama jewelry line is awesome for custom pieces with your family names. (i totally love the three little bears necklace!!!) and the significant other ring which is a great gift for your partner, best friend, or sibling.

janet offers a gift idea page for everyone on your list, and she even breaks it down by price (starting under $25) and by recipient (for mom, for dad, for teen, etc..)

you can keep up with janet by following janetjewelryNYC on twitter and on facebook, too! have a sparkly holiday!

we’ve been getting in the holiday spirit over here, making all sorts of fun christmas/solstice decor! as a little impromptu project, N kicked it old skool and created some christmas trees out of pine cones and pom poms the other day.

check out our “two ingredient tuesday” guest post on kiwi crate all about it!

what sorts of holiday decorations have your little ones been making this season?

we are definitely feeling the fall spirit over here! where we live, the leaves are slow to change, but now that it’s november, we are seeing more reds, oranges, and yellows brightening up the landscape. N and i went for a little leaf-hunting walk around the neighborhood the other day, and found a bounty of beauty!

what would you make with these fiery treasures?

also, we recently had a great time creating acorn cap jewels and blogged about them over on kiwi crate. go check out our process… it’s super easy. you can turn this:

into this:

happy fall!!!

now, what to make with those gorgeous leaves…???

i am so honored to have the opportunity to interview the amazing lisa whitesell, of the awesome 5 orange potatoes blog! her nature-loving, creative blog has been one of my favorite sources of earthy, artsy ideas. lisa was kind enough to answer some of my questions about her life, work, and inspiration AND to give away one of her adorable owl pillows to one of my lucky readers!!! enjoy her story below and enter for your chance to win at the bottom of this post.

lisa & her creations at her 5 orange potatoes "craftin' outlaws" booth

jen:  your 5 orange potatoes blog has long been a source of inspiration for me. i am so very drawn to the way you incorporate the spirit of the earth in each of your creations — from herbal remedies to nature art activities to upcycling sweaters into the most amazing plush creatures. can you tell us a bit about what most inspires you and the work you so beautifully offer to the world?

lisa: I’m just your basic natural earthy girl that loves the Earth and prefers natural to artificial- from the food we eat, the medicines we use, the art supplies we use, and the clothing we wear.  I have Appalachia roots and my granny is always comparing me to my great grandmother and the way she lived her life. I’m sure I was a peasant witchy woman in another life, a bit of a recluse, with a large herb garden making concoctions for the village people and what ails them -OR- maybe it’s because I was born on the very first Earth Day (April 22, 1970)! I can’t pinpoint what exactly drives me, it’s just something in me, seems to run in my veins!

lisa's acorn jewelry

jen:  you and i are kindred spirits in experimenting with medicinal herbs. i especially adore all of your posts on lavender, dandelions, and those honey herbal coughdrops! (the soothing gremlin softie is one of my favorite ideas of yours, as it blends your offerings of herbal remedies with your talent for creating such fun characters.) how did you first begin your love of herbology? can you share with us some of your favorite resources for learning about herbs and teaching your children about their healing properties?

lisa: Being raised in the country, with parents that always sent my sisters and me outside, and working in nature, with youth camps, really sparked my love of nature and herbology. My first taste of chicory coffee made from fresh chicory roots and a fresh salad made from wild edibles, sent me over the roof, really connected me to the wonderful bounty that Nature provides. Forget the man-made and artificial junk! Hildegard of Bingen, Juliette De Bairacli Levy, Rosemary Gladstar, Michael Tierra, Maud Grieve, and Jeanne Rose are some of my favorite go to herbalists. These amazing herbalists have fantastic books that make up a large part of my herbal library.

lisa's jewelweed poison ivy remedy

jen:  my daughter is blessed to have a couple of your creations. her winking fox, who is now called nuki, has brought so much joy into our home. i admire how you use thrifted sweaters and vintage fabrics to create them, in true earth-loving fashion. each of your plush creatures has such personality – the ones created from the upcycled sweaters are my absolute favorite! how does the idea for the animals’ patterns and images come to you?

lisa: My girls’ drawings are what inspired me when I first started making plush, but now I simply look at an animal’s eyes and the inspiration will be there or not. The actual critter has to inspire me before I can create it, this makes it hard when a customer asks me to create an animal I haven’t made before. For example, I’ve been struggling with a turtle design for the past year, I would LOVE to make one, but the design just isn’t there yet!

an inspirational drawing from lisa's daughter

prim and proper

jen:  it seems that your way of creating has gracefully piqued your daughters’ curiosity about nature and art. it is so wonderful to see them concocting potions and sewing on your blog. can you offer any words of wisdom to us about your philosophy on how to inspire children to connect with the earth and to create with their hands?

lisa: That’s simple, if they see you doing it and making it part of everyday, they will follow. Get outside everyday with your child and explore together, not only will you influence them but they will see and point out things you’ve never seen before! I really believe that experiencing nature with a child is the best way to learn and discover.

exploring nature with children

jen:  what are you most passionate about creating about RIGHT NOW?

lisa: Our basement flooded last Spring and all of our holiday ornaments got ruined, so we will be working hard on creating new decorations for this holiday season.

lovely applesauce ornaments

jen:  i’m sure it’s not the first time you’ve been asked, but i’ve been curious: where did the name 5 orange potatoes come from?

lisa: I get this question all the time! I asked my girls to throw out some names, Araina (5yo at the time) said “5 orange potatoes,” I loved the corky sound to it and kept it. It really works for us too, being vegetarians we eat a lot of sweet potatoes and I have red hair that looks a little orange in the sun. I shared this story with a man at a recent show and he laughed because his 6yo nephew named his goldfish “Roastbeef,” you really can’t beat the creative power of a young mind!

sewing with children

and now for the giveaway… [CLOSED]

lisa is generous enough to offer one of her amazingly adorable owl pillows, hand sewn with love from vintage fabrics or upcycled sweaters, to one of my readers! that could be YOU!

to enter for your chance to win:

• first click here, which will open a new browser window where you will visit the 5 orange potatoes etsy shop to peruse the beautiful wares. choose which owl pillow is your favorite (that you’d like to win!) and come back here and let me know in the comments which owl you’d choose. *make sure your valid email address is attached to your entry so i can contact you if you win.*

you need to do the above entry to be entered, and for THREE MORE chances to win, you can do the following and leave an additional comment (read: entry into drawing) for each of these actions:

• like 5 orange potatoes on facebook
• follow 5 orange potatoes on twitter
• share a link to this blog post giveaway on your facebook page, your twitter account, and/or on your blog.

i will choose a winner using a random number generator this thursday night (november 10) at 9pm pacific/midnight eastern.

*CONGRATS TO WINNER, TARA C!*

and now for my unsolicited PSA: while you are on lisa’s 5 orange potatoes etsy shop, keep in mind that the holidays are fast approaching, and these make for amazing gifts for special people in your life. if you’d like to support artists and the idea of a handmade holiday (as opposed to store-bought, mass-produced goods,) please consider shopping on sites like etsy, at your local holiday faires, and, of course, making your own holiday gifts this year (and every year!) occupy the holidays!

*all images courtesy of 5 orange potatoes.

you may remember my gushing about an artist couple N and i met at a local art festival – they’re rick and heather from earnest efforts natural woodworking, and they make the most amaaaazing art out of trees: beautiful boxes and magical spirit shakers that will make you swooooon!

N checking out the earnest efforts booth at the kings mountain arts fair last month

i’ve scored an interview with the artists and they’re giving away a spirit shaker and a rattle to my readers (one winner for each) so read on to learn more about the art of wood and enter for a chance to win a lovely handmade piece!

my interview with heather of earnest efforts

jen: can you tell us a bit about how and when you came to find the gift of your woodworking craft?

Heather: Earnie Efforts (aka Rick) has been selling his woodworking wares at the Eugene, Oregon Saturday Market (the longest-running outdoor, handcrafted marketplace in the US) since the 1980′s. I, Ellie Efforts (aka Heather), joined the Market in 1994 with my fiber arts. In 1998 we got to know one another, fell in love, and married in 1999. Earnie was an apprentice cabinet maker to his grandfather and continued working in wood to supplement his family’s income. I tell people that I not only married him out of love, but the fact that he had a woodshop – I had wanted to work in wood since I was little.

"Earnie & I in our booth at the Saturday Market"

jen: i notice that each of your pieces clearly has resonance with the spirit of the wood from which it was created. how do your natural materials inform your work?

Heather: If you could crawl inside Earnie’s head and see the world through his eyes, you would know that he doesn’t see driftwood on the beach… he sees boxes. Each piece of wood has it’s own personality, story and destiny. We don’t just see wood or trees; we see life on many levels. I think we forget that wood is still living long after it has fallen to the earth and will continue to live on long after that box we made is discarded and goes back to the earth. This is also why it is so important to us that we maintain the integrity of the wood with a natural beeswax finish. We want you to be able to feel the warmth of the wood, not a plastic coating so often used in “preserving” wood and we want the wood to return to the earth clean.

"Earnie cutting up driftwood on the Coquille River - note the top left piece of wood has been chewed by a beaver"

"River Alder Box - chewed by a beaver"

jen: my daugher and i just love making music with the spirit shakers and rattles we’ve purchased from you! can you tell us a bit about how they are created (like, what’s inside?) and why you call them spirit shakers?

Heather: The spirit shakers are very special to us on many levels. Earnie & I scavengers and hoarders (in a good way) – we don’t waste anything. When he cuts the boxes, the heart of a box becomes another box, a rattle, or a spirit shaker – until all that remains is kindling for our house wood stove. I’m going to leave the spirit making a little bit of a mystery for you, but inside are copper BBs. We call them spirit shakers because we have witnessed that the essence of the living tree continues to live in on in the wood and within us as we touch, make music, and meditate with the wood.

(these are our earnest efforts rattles & spirit shaker - isn't that purple one AMAZING?! no dyes or paints - that's the natural color of the wood!)

jen: how can parents and teachers help inspire children to begin working with wood as an art material?

Heather: Taking children to meet artists at art festivals is a wonderful way to introduce children to art in all of it’s forms. When children can touch, smell, feel and see artwork with an artist they can ask questions and process in a way unavailable in books or online. We meet children at every festival who are interested in woodworking and we encourage their parents to seek out woodworking classes at community colleges or art centers since so many schools are closing their woodshops.

"Earnie cutting a box on our 1953 Boice Crane bandsaw"

jen: is there anything else you’d like to add?

Heather: Take care, be good & kind, and don’t forget to laugh.

giveaway

Oregon-Myrtlewood Spirit Shaker & Maple Baby Rattle/Teether

earnest efforts is so kind to offer one spirit shaker (left in photo above) and one rattle (right in photo above to two paintcutpaste.com readers who enter the drawing. the rattles are beeswax coated and completely safe for babies to chew on. heather says, “these are representational photos – they are not the actual rattle & spirit shakers we are giving away, as we will chose beauties with lovely sound for the winners.” oooooh, and they’re all so lovely!

i will use a random number generator to choose TWO winners (one for each) this thursday evening, october 20, at 9PM pacific/12midnight eastern.

how to enter: comment on this blog entry and let us know your favorite type of tree AND the age(s) of your child(ren) — incase you are a winner, the child’s age is how i will know whether you should receive the baby-safe rattle or the spirit shaker. please be sure your correct email address is associated with your entry so that i can contact you if you’re a winner. (comment link is up there on the left, under the date of this post. i’ve gotta move this at some point…)

two winners were chosen! thanks to all who entered!

please do yourself a favor and check out earnest efforts’ awesome etsy shop to view and purchase more of their wares. (think: holiday shopping!) and be sure to “like” earnest efforts on facebook.

good luck, woodchucks!