JOIN USYou can spare some time for craft only during weekends, right? Here are some ideas to brighten up some lazy afternoons:
FRISKY FISH
You will need:
* A saree box
* A sheet of thin paper
* A sheet of blue cellophane paper
* Cellotape
* Paints/ colours
Method: Draw and cut out shapes of fish from the thin paper. Colour or paint them. Place them in the saree box. Cover the top of the box with blue cellophane and pulling it tightly, stick all round with cellotape. Gently rub the cellophane with one finger to see the fish jump and swim.
Do you know how this happens? It’s because of something called electrostatic energy.
MINIATURE GARDEN
You will need:
* A saree box
* A picture of a landscape from an old calendar or poster
* Soil
* Small stones or pebbles
* Aluminium foil used to pack food (a wide strip)
* Twigs with small branches (with or without leaves)
* Ice-cream sticks/ matchsticks/ straws
* Glue
* Big stones
* Coloured paper/ small plastic flowers
Method: Cut the picture to the size of the saree box and stick it on the inner part of the box-lid (horizontally, lengthwise). Fill ¾ of the box with soil and level it. Place the lid with the picture in an upright position just behind, and attach to the box. Make a path along the soil with small pebbles/ stones. Place the aluminium foil and cover the edges to form a pond (preferably near any water form, if there happens to be one in the picture).
Place the small twigs all over the soil to form bare trees. Make a fence all round or across a small length in the soil with ice-cream sticks/ matchsticks/ straws. Arrange the bigger stones in a small pile in one corner of the soil in the box and stick in plastic/ coloured paper flowers amidst the stones to form a rock garden. Your miniature garden is ready for display.
POTATO MAN WITH HAIR THAT GROWS
You will need:
* Potato – one large
* A little cotton wool
* Ragi/ mustard seeds
* Stationery knife
* Paints
Method: Cut off a thick slice from the top and a thin slice from the bottom of the potato. With the help of a stationery knife, scoop out the top to leave a wide hole about 1-inch deep. Paint a face on the potato. Fill the inside of the potato with damp cotton wool.
Spread the ragi/ mustard seeds on the damp cotton. Place the Potato Man somewhere where there is ample light and air. Sprinkle water to moisten the seeds and cotton for a couple of days. You will see the Potato Man’s hair sprouting and growing by the day!
RABBIT WITH TWITCHY EARS
You will need:
* An empty tin can
* Plain white paper
* 2 fresh carrot tops
* Soil – to cover ½ of the tin
* Small stones to cover ¼ of the tin
* Paints
* Glue
Method: Stick the plain paper on the tin. Draw and paint a rabbit’s face on the paper. Fill ½ the tin with sand and moisten it with a little water. Push in two carrot tops in the moist soil, on both sides of the can, making sure that the stalks stick out. Cover the soil on top with small stones except where the carrot tops are. Make sure to water this regularly and watch the rabbit’s ears grow and twitch in a few days!
SCULPTURE PICTURE FRAME
You will need:
* A saree box
* Kite paper of different colours
* Plain cellophane paper
* Glue
* Cellotape
Method: Sketch light outlines of two people playing with a ball, on the inside of the saree box. Crumple pieces of the different colours of the kite paper into the required shape, apply glue on the figures and stick the pieces on. What you now have is a 3D paper sculpture. Cover the box with cellophane and stick all around with cellotape, making sure the cellophane is stretched tight. This is to ensure that the piece of art is framed and dust free. You can even hang this picture frame on your bedroom wall.