Now that spring is here, with birds singing and flowers blooming we have natural inspiration calling out to us everywhere we look! The Conejo Valley Homeschool group who created many fun friday morning treasures in our workshops together made easy beauty from everyday plastic water bottles. A few snips in the plastic here, some craft paint there, a fluff ball,  some feather and of course hot glue were all they needed to create these fanciful flowers. 

The sight of these petaled wonders delights our eyes with their pop of brilliant color and fanciful layering with every glance!

Pretty Petals

CVH Kids

6yrs-9yrs

While on a CReATE STUDIO  on the road event yesterday, I became smitten with these creations and the way in which they came to life.

A dad walked into my booth and said…” Hey son, we can use all these things to make something, come on-I’ll make you a dinosaur!”

It was like watching a skilled ballon artist create a detailed balloon animal the way he twisted a piece of paper then cover it with masking tape and straws. Will you look at that, it’s a Triceratops!

Now to move an animal like that you need a big vehicle, how bout we make a a dump truck, he might have said.

The wonder on the boys face as he watched his dad shape a few everyday household items into a dump truck and Triceratops was priceless and the highlight of my day with visiting creators!

Triceratops & Dump Truck

Dan and Son

At a recent ladies night in the studio the creative buzz lead to making fabric banners. Every banner had a different intended locale in the home but the spirit of playful creativity was consistent with all. These ladies cornered the market on whimsy in their two hour window with which to create using leather lacing and fabric pieces along with buttons and glitter for good measure. Check out Tina’s banner for her son’s room. This colorful banner will no doubt decorate his domaine for years to come.

Henry’s Banner

Tina, Adult

It’s fun to see one thing become another. That is what imagination and inspiration do, altering something that is into something that can be.

Meg wanted to pursue this interest with an old book from the book pages bin. Wow, did she ever. Now the book is a vase that captures the eye in wonder.

What fun it is to CReATE!

Book Vase

Meg, 11yrs

I work with a homeschool group on Friday Mornings.We start our creative time together trying a variety artistic mediums as well as the much loved free time.

During our workshop I give the kids a challenge to try and implement in their process of making. This week we used colorful wood blocks and cardboard pieces to create sculptures. The challenge was to set the pieces at odd angles to create an optical illusion of teetering and awesome suspension.

They were fabulous when finished, quite the conversation pieces too. Here Parker has us suspended  perilously!

Wood Block Sculpture

Parker

8yrs

Sometimes kids walk into the studio with BIG ideas they are ready to make. Sometimes, they seem so big I am not sure how they will happen.

Last week Kristy and Abby had big plans to make a Ellis Island replica as an extra credit project for their 3rd grade class.

This I could not wait to see…

They needed a large boat full of people for starters, those who would be arriving to America. Kristy thought to use spools to make them, Abby thought a bottle to float them as the big boat. They set to work and viola! They had a big boat and the rest of their vision unfolded with ease. I love what I get to do…

Ellis Island Travelers

Kristy & Abby

8 yrs

P.S… The rest of their vision

Some of the best moments at CReATE are the ones that connect parents and children. Time spent together making treasures is heartwarming to see. Marley and her Mama decided that it would be fun to make gifts for Marley’s Daddy and Grandma. What were once  spaghetti sauce  jars with a little tissue paper and confetti  would now surely grace a window sill with flowers or maybe a desktop with pens and pencils. No matter which, love is sure to fill the space because that was the key ingredient in creating them.

Pretty Gifts

Marley 3yrs & Jaime ,Adult

May the force be with you….

Some of the best creating processes lead to hours of physical play. Imagine being catapulted to another time and space with the help of a simple cardboard roll, some shiny paper, tinfoil and lots of colored masking tape!

All these simple materials on hand at CReATE make imaginings becoming realities so easy and fun to make!

Watch out Darth Vadar!

Lightsabers

Alyssa’s Party guests, 6yrs 

Fuzzy socks are especially fun to make into fuzzy pets. This sock seemed to inspire the ultimate sweetness as a bunny. With a pair of little socks for ears, goggly eyes and some yarn touches here and there, this little guy is ready to snuggle with anyone he meets.

Eleana, 10yrs

Jack had a blast re-creating happy meal toys, making them into new beings who could join forces in the common good of play. Perhaps he was inspired by some of the toys who had been donated to the Small Treasures bin because they were missing legs or arms or even heads. They look happy now, to be whole again in some new and fantastic way thanks to Jack’s inspiration and a glue gun.

 Happy Meal mash-ups

Jack, 8yrs