We are on a great group board on pinterest full of winter craft ideas. Other pinners on the board include some of our favourite makers and mums, including (in no special order):
Thanks to our lantern-makers!
We loved being part of this year's LAMP (lighting architecture movement project) event! Lot's of beautiful lanterns and we loved working with the kids in the same room as the competition finalists at Jan Kath's studio.
Making lanterns at Diwali
We are just gearing up for our lantern-making workshop next week, and of course, it's Diwali season right now, so there are lanterns being made everywhere! Our simple paper template is easy to make and is a great base for a kid's Diwali lantern. You can use coloured paper to decorate your lantern for an extra bright and cheerful lantern. Happy Diwali, everyone.
Lantern Workshop for kids November 14th
This fall Judith and Robin have been invited by LAMP (Lighting Architecture Movement Project) to teach a lantern-making workshop inspired by our stories Sunny's Dark Night and Foggy's Big Fright as well as our lantern project for Small Wonder magazine.
Details: 2nd Annual L A M P Workshop for KIDS teams up with the gals from Windy & friends to create a fun filled morning for youngsters making their own LED Paper Lanterns! Kids of all ages will follow the basic diy instructions to make their lanterns and are then given the freedom to explore their own decorating techniques.
Registration fee covers the cost of materials, a L A M P tote bag, a snack & a download of the "Sunny's Dark Night" - the groundbreaking stop-motion animation app by Windy & friends.
Sunny: the recycle robot
Ahh, the robot. The perfect, inexpensive last-minute DIY costume. Mysterious discarded bolts left over from your last Ikea purchase, old CDs (dials), cardboard box bodies, soda-bottle jetpacks, coat hanger antennae, discarded aerosol spray can lids you can stick on each side of your helmet.. is there any costume that's so versatile and fun to build? Empty out the recycling while you're crafting :)
Sunny is a long, long-time fan of Daft Punk and also enjoys some early Kraftwerk, so he was keen on being a robot. Variations on the theme: the Tinman of Oz, Tron, C3PO ... find more inspiration on our Pinterest board.
Some DIYers like to use silver spray paint for their robots, but we'd like to put in a plug for another option: school glue with silver glitter and silver duck tape or aluminum foil on a few key areas. It's ok to keep some areas unpainted and it's easier on your lungs and the environment, too. At the end you can pull the costume apart and re-recycle it! Or go silver-free like this little pink-and-white robot (pictured).
If you're feeling up for a small challenge, check out this great Power Ranger cardboard helmet video tutorial!
Mellow: a starry (and gentle) witch
We are beginning to make our Halloween costumes and we love to go shopping in our own homes and backyards when we can. The classic witch is Mellow's choice. With a homemade newspaper hat from Cardboard Collective, a broomstick made with a small branch and leaves or grass like this or try this easy lightweight broom made from a paper towel tube and re-usable dress and cape, this costume is very gentle on the environment.
For Mellow's dress, we used a star patterned canvas, but our dream fabric was the beautiful starry Adelajda print from Liberty of London. You can still find it on etsy and at some quilting and fabric shops, but may need to be sourced online. Other ideas: a lovely star patterned lightweight corduroy or a starry jersey fabric would be cozy and appealing to wear after halloween is over. It's often easiest to see what's in stock locally, isn't it?
The super-simple Tip Top Pattern from Petit à Petit is a good pattern for whipping up a quick dress or tunic. Layer over warmer clothes, then all you need is a black cardigan, cape or poncho to complete the costume. We're seeing lots of ponchos and capes in the shops right now, it's a good time to be a witch!.
Happy sewing... and remember that our Halloween costume ideas can also be found on our Pinterest Halloween board.