The best craft day ever

I often contemplate being an arty crafty teacher and when I tell people about it they often say I should avoid the school system and just do it in my own way. This seems a tad daunting to me and I end up action-paralysed for fear of floppery.

BUT! I took a baby step and asked my young neighbour if she'd like to come over weekly for a craft afternoon. A great idea in theory and then I realise I really needed to have some solid ideas and get home early from work...

So of course I got her started on the giant pom pom...I had to keep her going with food. Sort of part of the deal with this one, as it felt a bit like enforced craft-labour.

and once that was done.. mmm, I ran out of ideas. oh...

But before the plate was clean I recalled my teenage love of paper-making and out came the kit and I sent her off to collect flower petals.

Whilst I made a haphazard attempt at pink dye using beetroots (and ultimately many drops of red food colouring).

Then we put the soaked paper into the blender with stacks of water, the pulp went into the sink of more water so we could slip our deckle in and out...

And yet it still came out cardboard-thick! And so the paper sat on my coffee table for a few weeks...

Until I was called over to her house for a Christmas craft session. Apparently it was 'sad' that I didn't have any decorations. Not a bauble in sight at my house. And so, my god, I actually think I've made something kind of original. It's the ubiquitous christmas lantern but USING our homemade thick paper with petals.

I'm absolutely in love with these. I get a rush of endorphins when I look at it.

The food dye drops we put on the paper and the dried petals create gorgeous tints of colour.

And so I went to my old sheets of paper that I made when I was 14. (And had kept ever since...) and I found me a little Monday afternoon craft... just for me.

I think I've hit my peak with craft days...

[current mood] The National & Greek Table Wine (in Red)

Comments

[carla]

it's my birthday soon... hint hint... ;-)