Embossed Foil Bird Wind Spinner

A fun and easy Spring or Summer Art project using embossing techniques.  

Materials:

Foil catering container lids - I found mine at a party store

Brass snap swivels # 12

Coated brass wire - Wal Mart craft section

Wood and shell asst. beads - value pack at craft store

Soft surface such as a catalog, magazine or newspaper

Scissors, markers, ball point pens, hole punch, bells (optional).

Use these foil catering lids to make the birds:

Create a bird pattern and trace it onto the foil lids, then cut out the bird.

Place the bird onto a soft surface like newspaper or a magazine etc.. and use a ball point pen to emboss designs into the foil.  Discuss different ways to create pattern and also if they want to make a realistic looking bird or a more abstract bird.  Different patterns should be used in the design of the bird.

 Using a hole punch or sharp instrument punch a hole in the top and bottom of the bird shape and attach the swivels.  Attach a section of coated wire to the swivels and add the beads and shells.  Create a loop by wrapping the wire around itself a few times and trim.  The bottom is created by looping the wire over the bottom bead and then wrapping the wire around itself and trimming.

Ready for display indoors or outdoors!

Spring Has Sprung

Getting ready for an Early Easter this year with my art lessons for March...

I ordered some black glue sticks from Amazon.com to try and create a really neat stained glass lesson.  I created a design and drew it onto watercolor paper in pencil, then I covered the pencil lines with the black glue.  It's a little tricky, but after some practice I was able to produce a pretty smooth line.  The nice thing about using hot glue, instead of regular glue colored black, there is no drying time - students can start painting right away.  I filled in the areas with liquid watercolors which are very intense.  The black hot glue seals the colors into each outlined area so they don't bleed together.

I also looked at several sock bunny designs - a classic Easter or Spring activity.  Somehow I have never made these myself.

I purchased large toddler socks in multi-packs to give the project a try.  I also purchased heavy thread for whiskers, tiny pom poms for the nose, googly eyes, small clear rubber bands, ribbon, dried pinto beans , fiberfill and a larger pom pom for the tail.   

I cut a 1 1/2 in. slit down the middle of the top of the sock for the ears, then I trimmed the ears to a more rounded V shape.

I filled the bottom of the sock with a few handfuls of beans and then added stuffing.

When I felt it was plump enough I gathered the ears and wound a tiny clear rubber band around the base of the ears.

Then I cut a piece of ribbon and decided where to tie the ribbon beneath the chin of the bunny.  I tied the ribbon in a knot before tying it into a bow.

Next I cut a length of thread and folded it a couple of times to make 4 threads, I tied a knot in the middle and glued the whiskers onto the bunny face with hot glue right behind the knot. Trim.

I glued the pink nose over the knot and added the eyes above the nose.

I glued the ears inside in a couple of places so they stayed folded.

You can add a little blush with a small brush to pink up the ears inside.

Last but not least is the larger pom pom for the bunny tail.

Here are the bunnies I came up with - I can't wait to make these with my students!