Fairy Furniture
May is a month that fairies love. Show them your appreciation by making them some furniture!
Items needed:
Directions:
1. Decide what you're going to make. We'll make a chair, to give you an example.
2. Cut the twigs in this manner - one long, bendable piece that will form the back legs and back of the chair, and four equal lengthed twigs which will form the two front legs and the seat.The chair should stand no more than four inches tall (including the back)
3. Bend the long twig,and hot glue one of the smaller pieces in between the two ends where you want the seat to be.This will be the back of the seat.
4. Hot glue on each side of the bent twig facing towards you a smaller twig; these will be the sides of the seat.
5. Glue the front piece of the seat to these side twigs.
6. Glue the two front legs to the seat so that the chair legs are even.
7. If you wish,wrap the vines around the chair back and legs.
8. Cut the scrap material to form a "back" and a "seat" - these are NOT to be as wide as the chair, but will fit inside of the twigs.
9. Using your needle and thread, attach the material to the chair using a whip stitch.
10. Hot glue small dried flowers at the top of the chair.
This technique can be used to make all kinds of fairy furniture, from tables to beds, to sofas - all of which are sure to delight your fairies!You can make little tea cups too from dried flower cups!
Blow Bubbles
Beltane is the perfect time to blow bubbles! Here's two recipes so you don't have to worry about buying it!
Regular Bubbles
Items needed:
* 1/3 cup dish soap or baby shampoo
* 1 1/4 cup water
* 2 tsp sugar
* food coloring
Super Bubbles
Items needed:
* 1/2 cup Joy or Dawn dish Detergent
* 5 cups water; distilled is best
* 2 tablespoons Glycerine
Directions:
1. Combine ingredients and pour into an unbreakable bottle.
2. To blow bubbles, experiment using plastic staws, pipe cleaners formed into loops, strawberry baskets from grocery stores, spoons with holes in them and other items you think of.
Mix the dish detergent with the water. (Measure carefully, it makes a big difference. Stir. Add the glycerine (you can usually get this in a drug store), this makes more durable bubbles. You can bend a wire coat hanger into a circle and wind a string around it. Depending on how big you make your circle, you get great big bubbles. The string helps in getting the liquid to stay on the circle. You can also use straws and string-Tie a 2 1/2 foot length of string through 2 straws and unleash square bubbles. The trick is to dip your string and straw thing into the solution, then wave it through the air. Break the bubble off by flipping the apparatus up a bit. Plain straws make good bubble pipes. Also try using the plastic strawberry baskets, they make lots of little bubbles. It is fun to experiment with all different bubble makers. Big-time bubble making is a bit like fishing. You'll have much better luck in cool wet weather. Early evenings, nighttime and early mornings are often good. Just after a rain is ideal. Don't throw any leftovers away either. The longer your solution sits, the better it gets.
Clay Torq
Items needed:
* one and a half blocks of light brown/beige fimo
* bronzing powder (found next to the fimo)
* small seed glass beads
* measuring tape
* varnish
1) Measure your neck and subtract one inch.
2) Divide the one block into thirds; work a piece in your hands until they are pliable, and roll into a long thin rope like you learned how to do in kindergarten with playdoh until it is the desired length. Do this with the other two pieces.Form it into a circular shape and lay on a cookie sheet.
3) Lay the three fimo ropes side by side, and roll them together so that they form a large rope.
4) Divide the other block of fimo into half; divide this piece into thirds. With two of the pieces, roll into a ball shape and attach it to the ends of the torque. Divide the remaining piece into fourth, work the clay and roll into thin ropes. Lay two of these small ropes vertically where the balls and large rope join and wrap it around to the back, pressing it in. Do this on the other side too.
5) Gently fit the small glass beads inbetween the spaces of the small ropes that you just joined; these are the "jewels" of the torque.
6) Rub the torque with the bronzing powder - carefull, a little goes a long way!
7) Bake according to the directions on the fimo blocks, but take it out 5 to 10 minutes before it's due to come out. It will be hard and firm, yet still flexible enough to bend making it easier to put on.
8) Apply an varnish coat to the torque and let dry.