Twig and Toadstool

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

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!

Monday, February 10, 2014

Rainbow Heart Transparencies

Here's a super easy way to decorate your abode for the upcoming day of LOVE…

Rainbow Heart Transparencies

To make your own you will need:

cardstock

tissue paper (rainbow colours and white)

scissors

glue stick

To begin cut out a heart shape…cut out the inside too.

Now using your glue stick, glue white tissue paper to the underside.

Then…cut out strips of rainbow coloured tissue paper…

layer it side by side in the colours of the rainbow.

Trim off all the excess and it should look like this…pretty huh?

To put up in the window I put a few dabs of glue, (with the glue stick), on the backside…

the glue washes off easily when they come down…I find it looks nicer than tape and holds really well.

And that's it! These are so easy to whip up…and they look so pretty.

Here's to celebrating LOVE in all its glory! Maureen

Friday, February 7, 2014

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,

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Pine Cone Skier

In honour of the Winter Olympics we whipped up a pinecone skier for the Kids CBC Parents website!

Click HERE for the full tutorial!

I know I'm totally tooting my own horn here, but I just LOVE this guy!

Monday, February 3, 2014

Owl You Need Is Love

My daughter Luna is an owl lover. I thought for valentines I would attempt to whip up some sweet owl love for her. This little owl is what came to life! It was really simple to make. Here's the how to incase you want to whip one up too!

For this you will need

felted sweaters in what ever colors you want your owl to be

small twigs

two buttons

glue gun (or sewing supplies if you prefer)

rice

dried lavender (optional)

To begin

Cut out two matching rectangles from the felted sweater that you want to be the body of your owl.