Borax Bejeweled Bits Of Nature

On my walks I am often drawn to gathering bits of beauty that cross my path and carrying home an arm load (and pockets full!) of natures gifts. My girls have joined in on this pleasure and together we keep our vases, nature table, baskets, jars... (you get the idea ;) full.

The collecting doesn't seem to end in winter. There is still so much beauty peeking out of the snow ~ milkweed, Queen Anne's Lace, berries, branches... a bounty of natures gifts!

Inspired by the borax snowflakes, I thought we might combine our love of nature with our love crystals and see what happens!

  We were truly delighted by the outcome. 

Mother nature being the true artist!

Here's how simple it is.

To create you will need

seed pods, branches, dried grass, berries, pine cones... any bits of nature that call to you

borax 

jars

water

*Borax is a laundry booster and is labeled *all natural* but please use caution when working with children. Have the adult or teacher handle the borax and work in a ventilated room just to be safe*

To begin gather your bits of nature.

Put your water on to boil.

Then place your borax into your jar (3 Tbsp for each cup of water).

Add your boiled (measured) water and stir until dissolved.

Submerse your bits of nature into the jar and let sit. 

The longer you leave them the larger the crystals will grow.

We just kept peeking at ours (every couple hours) until we had the size of crystals we desired.

When they are ready, gently remove them from the water and lay to dry.

Be sure to handle the pieces with care, as the crystals are quite fragile.

We were enchanted with their shimmering crystals.

Each one beautiful in their own way.

I think one of our favorites was this coneflower seed head. The girls were convinced it was now a wand for a very lucky fairy.

Perhaps an acorn hat for the fairy too!

The berries looked as though they had been frost kissed

and the grass sparkled and glittered in the sun.

The crystals hung so delicately on Queen Anne's Lace skeleton.

The milkweed pods were lovely all bejeweled.

With each piece we marveled.

We placed a bouquet of these jewel glazed beauties our table. Just the right bit of glittering magic to brighten these cold winter days. 

We also lay some on our nature table with King and Queen (and baby) winter to keep them company. 

I think we are hooked!

 A very HAPPY VALENTINES to one and all. May your day over flow with all things LOVE!

Ice Caterpillar

Here in Ontario we are in the winter that will never end…

so, we've decided that it's time to submit and have some wintery fun!

Inspired by all the great "ice" sculpture crafts out there we decided to build an icy caterpillar!

To make your own you will need:

helium grade balloons

ice cube tray, (I had one that did little circle cubes)

water

food colouring

So to begin put a few drops of food colouring into your balloons…

fill them with water and tie them off.

Then put them into bowls so that their shape will hold…

put them outside to freeze!

Do the same with your ice cube tray…

a few drops of food colouring in each…then water…then outside to freeze.

We gave ours about 24 hours…

then let the building begin!

Place in a caterpillar shape!

Using a spray bottle with some water, spray your icy surface…

then take whatever shape you want to go on top and hold in place for a min or so.

Decorate to your hearts delight!  

And admire your icy creation!

Matilda and her friend so enjoyed this craft…it was magical to see something really cool

transform from these bits and pieces of ice.

(and it was talked about for days)!!

Really the possibilities are endless…do the freezing and see what the kids come up with…

this craft has inspired us to fill every container in the house with water…

they are currently freezing outside…can't wait to enjoy some icy art!

Feeding Our Feathered Friends: Rainbow Ice Bird Feeders

The creation of these ice bird feeders was an evolution of sorts with lots of trial and error. We were happy with the outcome though and our feathered friends seem to be too! 

It has been such a pleasure on these cold white days to watch the bluejays and chickadees frolicking and feasting in our backyard.

These were pretty simple to make and a joy to have mother nature's frosty co-operation in the creation of them!

To make you will need

helium quality balloons

6 round foil cake tins

food coloring 

water

bowls

full tins of beans (for weight)

time ;)

To begin:

Take the food coloring and drop some drops (what ever color you want you ice orb to be) into your balloon. 

Next fill your balloon with water, place it in a bowl (to keep its rounded shape) and put them outside into the frigid air to freeze! If it is as cold where you are as where we are (-30!!) it should freeze full over night. 

You can then peel off your balloon and "unveil " your lovely ice orbs!

I wasn't sure what to do with them at this point...

but I was smitten and determined to give them a purpose!

So, here's what came of that...

project bird feeder!

For this part fill your cake tins with water and food coloring.
Place a bowl inside the center of the tin and weigh it down with a full food tin.
Set outside to freeze.

Once the water is fully frozen, remove your food tins and fill the bowls with hot water. 

Allow the bowls to warm up until they can slip out of the ice.

Slide your ice disks out of the cake tins.

Pour cold water over your ice orb and gently place your ice disk on top. The middle of the disk will be very thin and break up a bit in the very center, this is fine. Simply add a bit more cold water and snow into the center and press down to secure the orb and disk together.

Allow it to freeze for a couple of hours.

Once it is frozen...

add your birdseed!

Now you are ready for the best part of all ~ the bird watching!

The Bluejay 
By Emily Dickinson

No brigadier throughout the year
So civic as the jay.
A neighbor and a warrior too,
With shrill felicity

Pursuing winds that censure us
A February day,
The brother of the universe
Was never blown away.

The snow and he are intimate;
I 've often seen them play
When heaven looked upon us all
With such severity,

I felt apology were due
To an insulted sky,
Whose pompous frown was nutriment
To their temerity.

The pillow of this daring head
Is pungent evergreens;
His larder — terse and militant —
Unknown, refreshing things;

His character a tonic,
His future a dispute;
Unfair an immortality
That leaves this neighbor out.

For the love of our feathered friends,

Ice Rainbow Sun Catchers

Here in our neck of the woods of Canada, we are in the midst of a real deep freeze. We decided to take advantage of the frosty temperatures and create an ice craft!

To create you will need:

6 Round foil cake tins

Bits of nature in all the colors of the rainbow ~ outside, your kitchen and anything you may have pressed over the summer/fall are great for inspiration!

Food Coloring

String

To begin:

Place the natural objects that you found into the tins ~ 

one for each color of the rainbow.

Add food coloring into a jar of water and pour it into its corresponding pan.

Some items will stay where you want, but no need to spend too much time arranging... once the water hits the the pan all the bits seem to have a mind of their own!

Carefully bring your tins outside to a flat surface and allow to fully freeze.

Once they are frozen, tuck string inside the tin around the circumference of the ice (the ice seems to slip out fairly easily to allow you to do this).

Then pour some cold water into the tin and wait for it to all freeze again ~ this will secure your string for hanging.

Once it is re-frozen it is ready to be hung...

and admired...

while it twirls in the sun, bringing color to the white blanket of winter.

As they all melt ~ eventually! ~ they will leave some lovely little treats for the birds behind. 

Hope you are finding yourself amidst bits of beauty where ever you are in the world!