Simple step by step photo guide to make your own handmade Paper!

Project contributed by Jen Balcom and Amy Hoover. Thank you ladies!:)

What you will need

• Mold and Deckle  (You can also staple screen to picture frame for deckle)
• Felt
• Sponge
• Cotton fiber ( you can also use dryer lint, egg carton or cardboard etc)
• Tub full of warm water
• Blender
• Dry flowers and Leaves
• Towel

1. Fill tub with warm water.
2. Make pulp by blending warm water, shredded paper and cotton fiber in a blender. Blend until the shredded paper is disintegrated and mixed well. The water will look all cloudy.
3. Pour pulp in the tub full of water.
4. Mix the pulp well in the water.
5. With screen side up on deckle, place mold on top and submerge in water. Scoop up the pulp till the pulp is evenly distributed all over the screen.
6. Place dry flowers and leaves on top and gently float the pulp in water for leaves to settle.
7. Remove the deckle from water.
8. Place it on the towel.
9. Remove the mold.
10. Place the felt on top of handmade paper.
11. Flip it
12. Use sponge to squeeze out excess water with felt side up.
13. Gently peel the felt away from paper and let the paper dry.

Enjoy all new handmade paper! Colormehappyworkshop:)

 

Play Dough in the making - A fun-filled, green and creative activity to make learning and fun go hand in hand!

What you will need

•  4 Cups all purpose flour 
•  1.5 Cups of water (Approx.)
•  1/2 Cup salt
•  3 Tbsp of canola oil, you can also blend essential oils.
•  Organic food coloring/Natural food colors from beets, annatto, turmeric, flower petals etc.
•  6 Tsp cream of tartar

1. Pour dry ingredients into a large saucepan and mix well using whisker. 
2. Add wet ingredients (except food coloring).
3. Over medium heat stir constantly until a dough ball forms by pulling away from sides.
4. Take it off the stove to cool.
5. Knead and split the dough in small balls 
6. Add food coloring and knead to mix colors well.
7. Store the dough in an airtight container. 

Simple play dough recipe without using cream of tartar

For each color what you will need

• 1 Cup all purpose flour
• 1 Cup corn starch
• 1 Cup of water (Approx.)
• 2 Tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup salt
• 2 Tbsp of canola oil, you can also blend essential oils.
• Organic food coloring/Natural food colors from beets, annatto, turmeric, flower petals etc.

1. Mix dry ingredients well using a whisker in a large mixing bowl. 
2. Add the wet ingredients (except the food coloring) and knead. 
3. Split the dough in small balls and add food coloring for colors.
4. Knead to mix colors well.
5. Store the dough in an airtight container.

Note - Measurements of water and food coloring are Approx., It depends on what kind of flour you are using and how much color you will like to add. Add water slowly while kneading and stop adding when you reach the play dough like consistency.
Adding tartar is not a must but it makes play dough stretchy and fun to work with.

Feel free to experiment! You can also add glitter or crayon shavings (the leftover from sharpened crayons) for marbled look. 

Thanks for visiting and have a colorful day!:)

Super fun Colormehappy Workshop at Montessori school!

Marbled bowls- simple step by step photo guide!

Thank you so much Jen Balcom for sharing this colorful and creative project with Colormehappyworkshop!
You are always an inspiration:)

What you will need

• White and colored polymer clay
• Clay/plastic knife
• Small bowl that is oven safe
• Rolling pin
• Small plate ( 6")
• Glaze and brush
• Measuring scale ( 4 oz white clay)

1. Take 4 oz white clay and 3 colors of choice.
2. Roll each color of clay that you want to use into snake about 5" long. 
3. Combine the rolled clay and twist together,
4. Roll, fold, twist and repeat till you get the desired marbled mix of colors
5. Knead all clay into a ball.
6. Roll using a rolling pin
7. Use small plate (6") as a template to cut out the circle from clay using knife,
8. Turn the bowl upside down.
9. Place the clay around  bowl and gently press to give dish shape. Cut extra using knife. 
10. Bake the bowl according to the temperature on clay package. (we did 15 minutes at 275 Degrees)
11. Once its cool glaze for glossy finish and let it dry for 24 hours.

Dream catcher - Colorful world of stories!

Featured in Times-Republican

Being a mother of two lovely daughters is one of the best things ever happened to me in my life. Their colorful and joyful stories, silly grins and giggles, fill my days with so much love and happiness.

I see them cracking silly jokes and laughing till their tummies hurt and wonder why and when in life we grow up and stop living like a child? We get stuck on things and cannot let go, we forget to forgive and start worrying too much. Why does growing up really needs leaving our innocent, beautiful heart and world behind. Even the jokes should make perfect sense:((

Dream Catcher is a joyful artwork from my daughter’s colorful world of stories! I feel blessed that I get to experience through my daughters what I left far behind in the life and even forgot how it felt.... to be a child!

To create your own masterpiece, take mundane materials from your life, run them through your imagination and let your personality shine through your work following these simple steps.

• Choose a design

• Draw pattern with pencil

• Outline with markers

• Fill in with crayons

Revisit your lives through your art work... it's so much fun:)) Thanks for stopping by and have a colorful day!!

Starfish - A thoughtful art project!

Featured in Times-Republican

I am surrounded with friends and family who do not share the same passion of green and organic living as me. I tell you, it can be very difficult to be able to live your way as others are either trying to question your thinking or justifying their actions.


Often the question get raised, what can a single person do? Or what difference it will make?

It’s not an easy conversation especially when people have preconceived minds.

I feel so blessed that I am raising the kids who share my passion towards the happier and healthier world. Few days back my daughter got a lovely gift for me and she told me” mommy thanks for making us the throwers of starfish”. I wondered what it meant.

When I opened the gift, it was a beautiful story titled ‘Starfish’.

I got so touched with the story. It’s a beautiful read so I thought of sharing with you all.

A man saw a boy throwing starfish into the ocean, he asked the boy why he was doing this and the boy said, “The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them in, they’ll die.”

The man looked at the miles and miles of beach and saw starfish everywhere. “You just saved one starfish. You can never save them all. What difference will it make?”

The boy picked up another starfish and threw it in. He smiled and said, “It made a difference to that one.”

As we become throwers of starfish, we too have the power to change the world!

This month’s art project is also inspired by this story.

For this project what you will need

• Cardstock
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Glue
• Paints or markers
• Paintbrush

Draw starfish on cardstock. Cut using scissors. Dip paintbrush in paints and dab it gently on the paper for polka dot impressions. Write the story or print for the base. When dry, stick starfishes using glue to the base.

Be colorful, joyful and the change you wish to see in the world!

Paper clips Makeover - Simple and creative reuse and repurpose idea!

A Hermit and the Tailor birds - A beautifully told and illustrated book!

A Hermit and the Tailor birds is a beautifully written and illustrated book that teaches nurturing and caring. An indulging story that shares a  hermit's special bond with the life he is surrounded by and how plants, birds and living organisms make planet Earth ever so rich and reverberating.

About the Author:

Kiran Badola is the owner and creative director Mountain Handicrafts. She has always been passionate about nature.

The story is also an adaptation from some of her past experiences with birds.

With a natural earthy style she uses language beautifully and creatively into her story telling that captures the interest of all ages. Her love for drawing cartoons and caricatures makes her illustrations colorful, beautiful and expressive. 

She has an associate’s degree in fashion and graphic design, a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences and a master’s degree in textile design and development.

Other good books by Kiran Badola-

1. Eri Silk Cocoon to Cloth 
2. Woven Vibe

She is also an illustrator of Miss Hattie's Amazing Garden

You can follow Kiran Badola and buy her books on Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Kiran-Badola/e/B00TIWBETM/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1   

This book makes a thoughtful gift for people who share her passion of nurturing and caring for nature.

Thanks for visiting and have a colorful day!