Making art with what you have is one of the most important 'lessons' I hope to instill on my monkeys. Really it translates to how to have overall happiness in life and keeps creativity flowing.
While we were in Colorado we had the opportunity to go for many walks in the forest. We often found fallen trees and so one day brought a hand saw with us to cut some branches. We also collected cattails, pine cones, twigs and rocks. No living things were harmed in our artistic process.
The original idea was to make nature mobiles using a few basic tools.
After collecting more branches then we could ever use we cut specific lengths:
My oldest monkey had the idea of making a marionette- instead of a mobile.
The monkeys had loads of fun sawing, hammering and tying knots.
They loved the final result:
This is what 'Steve' the marionette looks like sleeping, covered- in the mudroom:
Questions to consider while creating:
What materials are we using? Where do they come from? What kind of tree?
What is recycled art? Found object art?
Great opportunity to go over how to safely saw wood, hammer nails.
Could this be considered a sculpture? (yes- it is three dimensional art)
What is kinetic art and is this kinetic art? (sure- it moves and can be moved).
Check out more than 20 other Farts and Crafts projects we've made.What are your favorite Farts and Crafts to make using nature?
35 comments:
what a great idea. I love that your 'monkeys' take part in your art projects. I love steve! and what a beautiful scenery. colorado is such a pretty state isn't it?
i love this idea! these memories will be treasures for your boys when they are older.
Great pics from those monkeys of yours! I love that it was during the kids' pajama day, too!
they look great! and I love Steve!;)
hugs
J.
so cute!
you are such a wonderful environmentally friendly mamma!
Great idea! And what a beautiful environment to do it in :)
This is so smart! I adore the idea!
Wow, this is a serious project here! So much work done! Great job everyone :)
It's amazing what you can think up with easy materials. :)
That's so cool Ren. I just how you experience life with your boys. And I too am a huge found of found goodness in nature so I love this project!
XO
Lenore
Rusticly cute and cutely rustic!
:-) Fun project.
Pearl
Love it! I made my own paper out of natural leaves and flowers once...that's about it. :)
Great project! We loved Steve - and your yellow boots - you know that makes you a Crofter! xx
How wonderful!!! They are lucky to have YOU as their mother!
i just love this post. lovely way to spend time with family doing something creative and fun.
i just love this post. what a lovely way to spend time with family doing something creative and fun.
I love what you're teaching your children and they're having so much fun and learning from it. I'm afraid there's not too many trees out here in my neck of the woods, but I'm always picking up rocks and taking them home to write on and use as paper weights or decoration even.
p.s. thanks so much for your supportive words!
oh my gosh, you guys rock :)
oh my gosh, i remember when i was in elementry school and my nature obsessed friend and i 'built' a for out of snow in a little grove of pine trees on the edge of the playground. Earlier in the fall, we'd take fallen bits of bark and widdle away a little hole and pretend we were native americans making a bark necklaces. And i remember this one small branch that had fallen off and it was quite light and we started poking at the side and this foamy stuff came out and so i hollowed it out completely and started to widdle away holes at the top to make a flute.
And then i think it got lost in our snow fort ):
anyways, yea, i just saw all the sticks and it reminded me of my escapades with sticks ;D
sweet marionettes ;D
Love the way you bring nature and crafts together Ren... wonderful photos and share!♥
What a clever craft, and such gorgeous results! Like a little bit of the outside in!
Oh what a fabulous idea! So crafty :)
That is so cool.
I love how your children are doing something constructive instead of playing with "today's" toys.
windowshopz.com
Such a great idea. Your boys are
so involved in the project and the results are cool. Sleeping Steve is adorable!
Love your ideas and the energy behind them. Your are a super MOM!
Dearest sweeet ren, such beautiful view and an awesome idea! I really love how everyone participated in this project! YOU are so inspiring and amazing! Have a lovely merry happy week and love to you!
Way cool! And lovely scenery. Can't wait to get to the mountains myself!
Just fantastic! I love your commitment to this kind of thing!
Thankyou for comment ♡
and,, Congraturation you are No.100 follower.
I'm glad.
Nice wood toy!!
It looks so cute..
What a great Mum you are to keep your boys inspired in such a natural way. I love your art activity, perfect to keep those creative minds active and give them great skills too. Thank you for the inspiration. :)
P.S. I'll post the coconut cake recipe this week for you, I just haven't quite done any baking but hopefully tomorrow.x
These are great Marionettes. O calls arts and crafts, Arts and Craps. ;) Happy Birthday to your little monkey. Hope you all enjoyed the day.
What a great idea! I am so putting this in my files!! We have been collecting sticks and wrapping colored yarn around them . . . xo Samantha
that is awesome! and that photo of you with your monkey in your lap while he is creating, is just beautiful.
You and your monkeys are so amazing! I love that he wanted to make a marionette, it is fabulous. Thanks for linking up again at Monday Madness!
I know I have seen this post before. I love it so much. The pictures are wonderful and your kids are so cute.
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