http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/nature-crafts-23/ Crafts, Projects and Ideas, holiday craft projects, kids craft ideas. Free arts and Crafts for all ages. en 60 enlighten/misc/rss.jpg http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/nature-crafts-23/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/miscellaneous-nature-crafts-59/feed-the-birds-2-251/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/miscellaneous-nature-crafts-59/feed-the-birds-2-251/ Slightly toast them.
Spread both sides with peanut butter.
Sprinkle bird seed over.
Add wire or string for hanging in trees.
Sit back and enjoy.
Anyone have any ideas to add please feel free.]]> Mon, 21 Jul 2008 05:29:59 Miscellaneous Nature Crafts Miscellaneous Nature Crafts created2 en http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/miscellaneous-nature-crafts-59/feed-the-birds-126/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/miscellaneous-nature-crafts-59/feed-the-birds-126/
Add the cornmeal to the mixture and blend until it looks like dough. When the dough has cooled, use a spoon or your fingers to pack the dough into the openings of pinecones. Roll the dough-covered pinecones in birdseed.

Tie a string or ribbon around each of the pinecones, leaving one end long enough to tie onto a tree branch. Hang your seed ball bird treats outside and watch your hungry feathered friends eat like a bird!]]> Thu, 22 May 2008 10:13:30 Miscellaneous Nature Crafts Miscellaneous Nature Crafts cupcake en http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/miscellaneous-nature-crafts-59/macrame-hemp-bracelet-125/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/miscellaneous-nature-crafts-59/macrame-hemp-bracelet-125/
Add vegetable oil and boiling water. Stir vigorously with a spoon until well blended. Dough should not stick to the sides of the bowl and should be cool enough to handle.

Add food coloring and knead into dough until color is well blended and the dough is the desired tint.

Prepare modeling dough above.

Form a 3/8" inch square from the modeling dough. Add as small bead of dough from a contrasting color to each side of bead. Use a toothpick to create a hole in the center of bead. Make five beads for each bracelet. Let dry overnight. Spray with clear varnish or paint with clear fingernail polish. Let dry. You may want to add a couple of coats.

Cut two pieces of hemp 65" long. Double over so that you have four strands. Follow the diagrams to make knots. Tie an overhand knot on the double ends, leaving about ½" loop. (Test size of loop by sliding a bead through. It should slide through easily, but not be too loose.) Tape loop to table while working.

Measure wrist to decide length. The instructions are for a 6 1/2" wrist. To change size, add or subtract square knots at the beginning and end. Pull all knots tight when tying.

SQ = square knot SPACE = ½" space left between knots (slide next knot up so loops are made)

Tie 6 SQ, SPACE, 2 SQ.

* Poke center 2 strands through bead. Tie 2 SQ, SPACE, 2 SQ. Repeat from * 3 times.

Tie 4 SQ.

Measure wrist to decide length. The instructions are for a 6 1/2" wrist. To change size, add or subtract square knots at the beginning and end. Pull all knots tight when tying.

SQ = square knot SPACE = ½" space left between knots (slide next knot up so loops are made)

Tie 6 SQ, SPACE, 2 SQ.

* Poke center 2 strands through bead. Tie 2 SQ, SPACE, 2 SQ. Repeat from * 3 times.

Tie 4 SQ.]]> Thu, 22 May 2008 10:10:13 Miscellaneous Nature Crafts Miscellaneous Nature Crafts cupcake en http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/rock-crafts-27/halloween-painted-rocks-124/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/rock-crafts-27/halloween-painted-rocks-124/ * stout, roundish rock
* orange tempura paint
* black marker
* small amount of raffia
* 3-4 silk leaves
* tacky or hot glue
* 3/4" piece of green chenille stick
* bits of Kleenex tissue

The texture of the rock for the pumpkin can be smooth, bumpy, or even jagged, as was in our case. Before you begin, stand the rock up in the position you would like it to be when your craft is complete. Ours was a little tricky, we just leveled him off using the raffia and tissue.

Paint the rock orange and let it dry. Using a black marker, draw on pumpkin's face. Glue silk leaves to the bottom of your pumpkin. Using bits of Kleenex for leveling and bunches of raffia, glue rock onto "straw bed". Top off your pumpkin rock with green chenille for the stem by folding in half and gluing on top of pumpkin's head.
GHOST
* long, slender rock
* white tempura paint
* black marker
* handful of cotton batting
* tacky or hot glue
* white glitter glue

Paint rock white and let dry. Draw face onto ghost with black marker. Glue cotton batting to the bottom of the rock to give the appearance of a ghostly trail following him. Smear white glitter glue down the sides of the ghost.
SPIDER
* oval rock
* black tempura paint
* pair of wiggle eyes
* 6-8 12"-long black chenille sticks
* red glitter glue
* small piece of paper plate or white paper
* scissors
* tacky or hot glue

Paint rock black and let dry. Wrap chenille sticks around body to secure legs in place. Bend sticks to form legs. Glue chenille sticks in place on the bottom of the rock. Glue on two wiggle eyes. Cut little fangs from paper plate or paper and, using red glitter glue, glue onto rock-face, underneath wiggle eyes. use red glitter glue to create a few drops of blood on fangs and paint around mouth to finish up.

Editor's Note: Be sure to keep these cute crafts out of the reach of small children under the age of 3 years. Wiggle eyes can be easily removed and swallowed, or worse yet, choked upon.]]> Wed, 21 May 2008 12:48:18 Rock Crafts Rock Crafts cupcake en http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/rock-crafts-27/ladybug-rocks-123/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/rock-crafts-27/ladybug-rocks-123/
Paint your entire rock with red paint. Let dry completely.

Paint head, stripe down the back and spots with black paint (refer to the picture above).

Paint the two eyes with white paint.

After the paint has dried, spray rock with varnish.

From the black felt cut out a base. Use the pattern here and scale it up or down to the size of your rock.

Glue base to the bottom of the ladybug.]]> Wed, 21 May 2008 12:46:18 Rock Crafts Rock Crafts cupcake en http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/potpourri-crafts-26/potpourri-pie-122/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/potpourri-crafts-26/potpourri-pie-122/ * 1 cup flour
* 1 cup salt
* water to moisten

1. Mix together flour and salt, and stir in enough water to form a workable, but not sticky, dough. It won't kill the kids if they try to eat it, but it tastes so bad you won't have to worry about them trying to eat it more than once!

2. Shape into whatever you like. You can cook baker's clay in the oven at 250 degrees for at least 30 minutes per side, or let it air dry. You can also microwave it in a glass container or microwave baking sheet. Spray container with with cooking spray and microwave baker's clay pieces at 30% power for 2-4 minutes, depending on size. If pieces are not dry, continue microwaving at 30% for 2 minute intervals.
To make the pie, you will need:
* 1 pie tin, in the size of your choice, or you can use a muffin tin for "mini-pies"
* cooking spray
* potpourri
* butter knife


1. Prepare baker's clay, and spray pan/muffin tin with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
2. Roll out baker's clay into large circle about 1/4 inch thick. Cut circle, just as you would for making a normal pie, and line dish/pan with it. Wrap up remaining dough for later.
3. Cook pie crust for at least 30 minutes. Let cool.
4. Fill cooled crust with potpourri.
5. Take remaining dough scraps, reroll and cut into strips for lattice crust.
6. Arrange strips over potpourri, in the same way you would make a normal lattice crust pie. dampen dough to "glue" it down to already cooked crust. If you have any problems with the lattice top sinking into the potpourri, you can use newspaper or balloons to bolster it until dry.
7. Let top crust dry for 1-2 days.

Note: You can also make the top crust by spraying a glass bowl, placing it upside down and weaving the crust over the inverted bowl. Bake, microwave, or let air dry. Fill bottom crust with potpourri and then glue on lattice top.I am still playing with this recipe- feel free to send in your suggestions and ideas!]]> Wed, 21 May 2008 12:41:20 Potpourri Crafts Potpourri Crafts cupcake en http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/gourd-crafts-25/bee-bird-house-fall-craft-121/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/gourd-crafts-25/bee-bird-house-fall-craft-121/
Base coat the gourd with 2 coats of Old Parchment allowing each coat to dry thoroughly. Draw on the Bees (See Bee Pattern above) in a random pattern making sure they are facing all directions. They look goods in groups of 3 or alone.

Base coat the wings in Light Buttermilk. Let dry. Base coat the bee body in Straw. Let dry. Base coat the head and stripes in Black. Let dry. Outline the wings, add antenna and a stinger with a permanent marker. You can also add the dotted lines to show where he has been and the curved lines to hint at wing movement. Allow to dry thoroughly before you spray with a matte finish.

Thread jute through the top holes of the gourd and tie for hanging. You can add lengths of jute in a bow if you'd like.

Optional: You may want to add Buzz on Inn around the door opening but make sure you allow for this when you draw the bees on.
About Author
Country Crafts Featuring Country Cuts by Fresca Visit the Country Crafts web site to sign up for their Free newsletter, order patterns, get tips from the artist, learn new ways to decorate your kitchen to give it a homespun country feeling, craft with your children, or enter contests.]]> Wed, 21 May 2008 12:33:33 Gourd Crafts Gourd Crafts cupcake en http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/floral-crafts-24/pressed-flower-wall-quilt-120/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/floral-crafts-24/pressed-flower-wall-quilt-120/
Prepare the frame: Remove the back board of the frame. Stretch the fabric over the front of the board. Fold the edges of the fabric to the back of the board and glue with a glue gun.

Prepare the flower squares: Cut out 12 - 4 1/4 inch squares of cardstock. Arrange the pressed flowers and leaves on the squares of card stock. Using white glue, carefully glue the flowers and leaves to the cardstock. Write the name of the flower on each square.

Finish: Place the flower squares on the fabric covered board and arrange so each square is evenly spaced. Glue each square to the fabric using a small amount of white glue or spray adhesive. Replace the frame onto the back board.]]> Wed, 21 May 2008 12:31:17 Floral Crafts Floral Crafts cupcake en http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/floral-crafts-24/air-drying-flowers-119/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/floral-crafts-24/air-drying-flowers-119/
Once you have a place to hang them set up, you can begin to find flowers to dry. Hopefully you have a variety of flowers growing in your yard to experiment with. If not, you can find wildflowers growing alongside roads or in forests. If you are using these flowers, be sure to take care of the plants you take the flowers from. This ensures that there is plenty of plant growth for insects, birds and other wildlife to use.

Some flowers that have air-dried well for me are: Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), pompon Dahlias (Dahlia hortensis), Poppy seed heads (Papaver somniferum), Roses (Rosa), Marjoram (Origanum vulgare), Delphinium, Larkspur (Consolida ambigua), Lavender (Lavandula Augustifolia), African Marigold (Tagetes erecta), Strawflower (Helichrysum bracteatum), Globe Thistle (echinops ritro), Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus), Statice (Limonium sinuatum), Globe amaranth (Gomphrena globosa), and Love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena) seed heads.

To find flowers that air-dry well, it's good practice to experiment. If it doesn't dry well, you gain the knowledge not to use it next time. Sometimes, an air-dried flower that doesn't look good to one person may look pleasing to another.

With most flowers, the best stage to dry them is when they are just beginning to open. Depending on the flower, if you hang it too late, the petals will fall off. You will learn this as you experiment. Others, you will want to wait until the seed head is developed because this is the decorative part.

The best time to cut flowers for drying is late morning after the due has dried and on a dry day. I like to take a wicker basket with a handle and my scissors with me and take a walk around the yard snipping what looks appealing.

Once you have your flowers picked, you can prepare them for air- drying. To do this, bundle eight to ten stems with a rubber band at the cut end of the flowers. The rubber band works especially well because as the flowers dry, the stems will shrink and the rubber band will shrink to the appropriate size of the bunch. Now you can insert an unraveled paper clip or florist wire inside the rubber band and bend it to form a hook that the bunch can hang over a peg, piece of lattice or hook. Hang the bunch of flowers upside down and depending on the weather, they will probably take anywhere from one to three weeks to dry completely. You can tell they are dry completely when they feel crisp to the touch.

Air-drying flowers make a fabulous decoration by themselves, but when they are dry, you can take them down and make dried flower arrangements, Christmas ornaments, dried flower wreaths and more.

©, 2001, Monica Resinger
About Author
About the author: Monica Resinger is the Editor of Creative Home Ezine http://creativehomeezine.netfirms.com , a fun ezine written by its readers! After each twice-weekly issue, you'll surely be inspired to organize your home, cook mouth-watering recipes, entertain your friends and family, beautifully decorate your home and much more! Don't miss another issue - join now! Send a blank e-mail to: CreativeHome-subscribe@yahoogroups.com]]> Wed, 21 May 2008 12:28:54 Floral Crafts Floral Crafts cupcake en http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/floral-crafts-24/herbs-and-flowers-valentine-posy-118/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/floral-crafts-24/herbs-and-flowers-valentine-posy-118/
Check All Free Crafts for more free craft projects like this one.
Make the heart pocket from red felt trimmed with a string of pearls and a red satin bow, then fill with lavender, thyme and yarrow - or other sweet smelling dried herbs - and finish by tucking in a tiny teddy bear. cupid (11K)

This would be a lovely keepsake to leave on a pillow or night table - if you add a few drops of essential oil the scent will linger for hours.

Now don't forget to slip a little love note in among the flowers!
How to Make the Felt Hearts
Cut a piece of paper to the same size as the pieces of felt. Fold it half along the longest side then cut out the largest heart shape possible. If you're not happy with the first attempt, practice until you have a heart-shaped pattern that you like. Pin the paper pattern to the first piece of felt and cut out around it. Repeat with the second felt piece. Place the two felt hearts together in a test fit; trim as needed to make both hearts match exactly.

Apply a line of tacky glue around the edge of one heart, beginning and ending just under the "shoulders" of the heart and leaving the top open. Press the two hearts together, then immediately reopen and apply another line of glue over the first one. Felt tends to absorb glue but this extra step makes a good bond.

Run a thin line of tacky glue around the edge of the front heart. Press the string of pearls firmly into the glue. It looks messy at first, but the white glue will be partially absorbed by the felt and should dry clear.

Glue a small red or white satin bow just below the "V" of the heart.

If you wish, add a few Valentine stickers.
Working with the Herbs and Flowers
Place all of the herbs and flowers in separate piles on your work surface. If you are using silk rosebuds, trim the wire stems to about two inches. Leave lavender stems a little longer. Yarrow dries in clumps of small stemmed flowers which are used to fill out the heart and provide support for the other stems. If you don't have any yarrow, use a substitute with similar characteristics. Small bunches of miniature baby's breath or even dried spirea flower heads should work well.

Although our posy isn't glued in place, you may add a little glue to the bottom part of the herbs or flowers before inserting to ensure that none of the materials move or fall out.

Begin by packing the heart pocket fairly snugly with three of four clumps of yarrow. On the left side, add the lavender. If necessary, trim stems to fit. Add slips of green thyme around the lavender.

Add three rosebuds in a triangle design on the right side. Use more slips of thyme as greenery around the rosebuds.

Nestle the miniature teddy bear in the middle of the rosebuds. Ours was firmly supported by the flowers and the side of the heart pocket but, if needed, apply tacky glue to the bottom of the bear to secure it.

Add tiny sprigs of white gypsophylia, or other tiny white flowers, as an accent color wherever you think it is needed.
Variations:

For stronger fragrance, add a spoonful of fine rose petal or lavender potpourri to the heart pocket before adding anything else or sprinkle the posy with a few drops of rose or lavender essential oil or fragrance oil.

Add a pin back if you think the recipient of your herbal heart posy would like to wear it on Valentine's Day.

For fridge display, take one of those free magnets that businesses give away, cut to fit, then slip it into the heart pocket (before adding any herbs or flowers). Test first to see if the magnet is strong enough. If you think that it is, hold the heart pocket open and add a few drops of tacky glue to the back piece where the magnet will lie. Slip in the magnet and press the magnetized side into the glue.

If you want to attach a cord for hanging, add it before assembling the rest of the posy. More string pearls would look nice, or simply use a white cord, gluing the two ends into the inside edges of the heart pocket.]]> Wed, 21 May 2008 12:26:30 Floral Crafts Floral Crafts cupcake en