Arts

Accent Any Room with Arts and Crafts Home Decor

The Arts and Crafts movement, commonly referred to as Mission style, is a popular style of interior and exterior decorating. When you think of this style, imagine an abundance of dark wood such as oak and cherry, lots of open space, geometric patterns and the artistic use of window glass. Often you will notice a distinct Southwestern flair which often shows up in furnishings and art pieces. Arts and Crafts home decor is plentiful even today and can make a beautiful addition to any room, regardless of what style your home is.

Many people choose to express their creativity on the walls of their home. The perfect backdrop for Mission style wall hangings is a neutral toned wall that is lightly textured. If you like, you can go warmer and darker with your walls. Shades can range from light caramel to rich burnt umber. Wall hangings such as Southwestern pieces of art and decorative fringed quilts are gorgeous against such a backdrop. Or, go for artistic wallpaper. There are solid textured wallpapers, Southwestern style wallpapers and even Victorian style wallpapers which can work very well in many rooms.

Natural materials are so important to the Arts and Crafts movement. Wrought iron mirrors which feature ornate shapes and designs are the perfect accent against the dark, rich woods so common to this style home. Decorative glass is another ideal accent for any room as it helps balance heavy iron and warm wood. Terra cotta pots holding bright blooms and lush houseplants are another perfect addition to your home. Southwestern style floor vases are great in empty corners to hold decorative dried grasses.

Sculpture is another type of Arts and Crafts home decor that can make a room look its best. Bronze is a commonly utilized material for arts and crafts sculpture, but you’ll also find stone, wood and even glass adornments shaped into artistic pieces. Sculptures look great when strategically positioned on mantles, shelves, tables and desks. Speaking of mantles, a stone fireplace with a dark wood mantle is one the most romantic and beautiful ways to incorporate the Mission style into your home. The key to decorating any home is to choose pieces which are appealing to you and work well with the other elements of the room.

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Spring Arts and Crafts for Kids

Spring is a wonderful time of rebirth and beauty. It’s also the perfect time to get crafty! Spring arts and crafts are a great way for kids to celebrate the season. There is definitely no shortage of projects for children of all ages to enjoy. Even adults can join in the fun and create their own creative homages to the season. Let’s start by exploring a few projects that are perfect for preschool age children.

Making a pretty spring tree is a fun thing for young kids to do. You will need to cut the shape of a tree out of brown construction paper and glue it onto a large piece of firm blue poster board. Other supplies you’ll need include non-toxic school glue, popcorn and powder tempera paint in a pretty spring color like pink or purple. Pour the powder paint into a bag and have your child add the popcorn. Close the bag and shake to coat the popcorn with the paint. Then, your child will simply need to glue the painted popcorn onto the construction paper tree to create the blossoms.

A paper plate hand flower is another fun idea for young children. Trace your child’s handprint on different colors of construction paper. Place a ring of cut outs, fingers facing out, on the outer edge of the plate and glue in place. Repeat with another ring of cut outs positioned the same way, slightly inside the first ring. Repeat until the entire plate is covered with ‘blossoms’ and finish by gluing a circle of colored paper in the center to represent the middle of the flower.

Eggshell seed pots are another fun idea for kids. First, you’ll need to create egg-sized bases for your eggs with a cardboard square or pipe cleaner fashioned into a circle shape. Crack the top off of each egg and rinse out the contents. Once dry, glue your egg onto the base. After the glue is dry, let your child use paint or markers to decorate the shell. The only thing left to do is add the soil and seeds!

There are plenty more spring arts and crafts you can do with your child. For more ideas, try talking to your child’s teacher or checking out some books on the subject. Hands On Crafts for Kids: Crafting Together by Kathie Stull, Julie McGuffee and Pam Gregg is a great book for parents who want to work together with their child to create fun crafts for all seasons.

Butterfly Arts and Crafts Kids Love to Make

The butterfly is a creature associated with imagination and whimsy. No wonder it is the subject of so many creative works. Butterfly arts and crafts are great for kids of all ages to make. All you need are a few basic supplies and a lot of creativity. One of the most basic crafts for kids is the paper butterfly. These easy to make butterflies can be done in every imaginable color and displayed in groups. For this project, you’ll need colored construction paper, non-toxic school glue, pipe cleaners, safety scissors and sequins for the eyes.

The wings are made from heart shapes which are glued to ovals designed to represent the abdomen of the butterfly. Pipe cleaners serve as antennae, and sequins can be added to represent eyes or as decorative adornments. Kids can draw patterns on their butterfly with markers if they want. Designate an empty space on the wall for your child’s butterfly collection. Kids love seeing their work on display.

Another fun and easy craft is the seashell butterfly magnet. You will need clam sea shells for this craft. If you can find them still together, all the better. You will also need glue, a magnet strip, a black pipe cleaner and googly eyes which can be attached with glue. You’ll also need paint, which you will use to paint the inside of the shells to look like a butterfly. Attach the magnet strip to the shells with glue and let dry. Bend and separate the chenille stem to make the butterfly’s body and antennae, and attach to the magnet with glue. Glue on the eyes and you’re all done. Kids can make this craft if you use non-toxic glue and paint.

There are so many different butterfly arts and crafts that a single article could never describe them all. Your best bet is to get a book about butterfly art. Or, get a box set for your child to use. One fun choice is the Made by Me Butterfly Card Kit. There are also plenty of butterfly shaped stamps kids can use. Give your child a butterfly stamp, different ink colors and a large roll of brown paper. They can make wrapping paper to use at the next birthday or holiday. As you can see, there are plenty of ways to integrate the butterfly into your child’s craft projects.

Making Arts and Crafts Wine Corks Projects

In the world of arts and crafts, wine corks can be recycled to make a variety of useful and beautiful projects. Next time you finish a bottle of wine, don’t throw the cork away. If you accumulate enough corks, you can make all kinds of things. If you’re not a big wine drinker but want to try cork crafts, you can actually buy large bags full of used corks for an affordable price. Ebay is a surprising place to buy cheap art and craft supplies, including corks.

So, what can you make with those leftover corks? A custom made corkboard is one idea. Cut corks lengthwise into flat rectangles and attach them to a wood-backed picture frame using a hot glue gun. Not only can this be used as a corkboard on which to attach papers and photographs, it can also be used for a serving tray. A smaller project done in a similar manner is a set of coasters. Simply glue cork onto four sanded and painted wood squares and you’ve got a handy coaster set to prevent drink rings from forming on your tables.

You don’t have to cut your corks to make a corkboard, however. An artistic variation is to simply glue the corks fully intact, side by side until the frame is completely covered. Corks can be glued onto a wreath and adorned with decorative ribbon to make a great gift for any wine enthusiast. Kids can even get into cork crafts. For example, try gluing a red pom pom and googly eyes on the cork and attaching red pipe cleaners for a variation of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Corks are also perfect as is for fishing bobbers.

Arts and crafts wine corks projects are a fun way to teach kids the value of recycling. Rather than throwing away old corks, find new and innovative ways to use them. Many people collect wine corks. If you’re one of them, try displaying them in a pretty glass vase adorned with a decorative ribbon. This makes a nice centerpiece and couldn’t be easier to do. Corks make great boat key holders and perfect pincushions. They can also be used to hold corn holders and even reused as a bottle stopper. Drill a hole in the center of a cork, insert a long bolt, screw on a fancy knob and voila — you’ve got handmade bottle stopper. These are just a few ideas for being creative with corks!

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A Guide to Childrens Arts and Crafts

Creativity is a wonderful thing for both adults and children to explore. Childrens arts and crafts can keep your child busy and stimulate their mind. The important thing is that you choose crafts for your child that are age appropriate and interesting for them. Even very young children can enjoy creating artistic works. If your child is five or under, stock up on the basics like fingerpaint, large poster boards, safety scissors, crayons, washable markers, non-toxic school glue and of course, modeling dough. Before you give your little artist free reign, however, there are a few preparations you’ll need to take.

Dress your child in old clothes, even if the paint or markers are washable. An old button up shirt of Mom or Dad’s makes the perfect smock. Cover the art area with newspaper or an old sheet. In nice weather, the outdoors makes a perfect studio for your child. Have plenty of paper towels and wet wipes on hand to take care of any messes or spills. Let your child explore the materials you’ve set out for him or her without offering too much guidance. When your child creates something, offer lots of encouragement and praise.

Older children enjoy more structured arts and crafts. For them, kits are ideal. A creative kit teaches a child to follow directions while being creative at the same time. There are embroidery kits, paint by number kits, pottery kits, model car and boat kits, jewelry making kits, and more. No matter what your child is interested in, there’s probably a kit out there to accommodate them. If your older child shows interest or aptitude in a particular area of art, encourage them to further develop and challenge their abilities.

There are likely childrens arts and crafts classes in your area that may be a great idea for your child. Not only will your child learn artistic techniques and skills, he or she will get the benefit of social interaction with other children. When your child creates a piece of artwork they are proud of, display it in your home. Even colorful fingerpaint on posterboard can be matted and framed to make a beautiful accent to any room. Designate a special area of your home to display your child’s art work. This is great for their self-esteem and will encourage them to keep creating.

The Arts and Crafts Fireplace — The Perfect Way to Warm Your Home

The Arts and Crafts design movement followed the Victorian Age and was a stark contrast to its ornate and romantic details. Also known as Mission Style, Arts and Crafts focused on straight lines and simple patterns. The movement included both exterior and interior home design, and reflected the changing needs of families. This design period hit its peak in the early 1900s but is still extremely popular for homes today. The Arts and Crafts fireplace is a great way to add warmth and beauty to any home.

Because this movement placed such significance on natural materials, fireplaces will be made from either stone or wood. You won’t see intricate detailing or carving, rather, this style fireplace will feature geometric patterns and clean, unadorned lines. Many of today’s homeowners do the same thing homeowners of the early 20th century did — combine the stark beauty of the Mission style with the romantic details of the Victorian Style. It’s not uncommon to see beautiful wallpaper or area rugs featuring busy fruit and floral patterns in a Mission style home. The contrast is appealing and plays perfectly against the lines and colors of the gleaming hardwoods.

Iron was, and is a popular material for this type of fireplace. Many homeowners use colorful fireplace tiles to add interest to the classic look of the iron. The Arts and Crafts home is one that features lots of wood, metal and glass with an emphasis on warm colors and geometric patterns. Many feel the Arts and Crafts style home lends itself perfectly to Southwestern style decor, and indeed it does. However, you can usually manage to fit any type of decor into an Arts and Crafts style home because of its simplicity. Natural materials featuring clean lines and neutral tones go with most anything.

The Arts and Crafts fireplace is just as popular today, if not more so, than it was during its peak. You will find plenty of modern designers and manufacturers offering this style of fireplace for new homes. Modern technology has given us the portable gas fireplace, which is perfect for renters or people who cannot have a traditional fireplace. These fireplaces are made in many different styles, including Mission style. You can choose from beautiful wood and iron styles to add classic beauty to your home, no matter where you live!

Where to Find Arts and Crafts Home Plans

Are you looking for Arts and Crafts home plans? This style, commonly also known as Mission, is quite popular with many homebuilders. You can recognize this style by the use of natural building materials and handmade details. Of course, most modern Mission style homes feature factory produced elements, but these elements appear as though they were done by hand. The focus is on rich, gleaming wood with artistic grain patterns. Oak and cherry are two of the most commonly utilized types of wood. In addition, you may also see accents made from stone, glass, ceramic and fabric in a Mission style home.

Inside one of these homes you will often find floors and trim made of wood. Occasionally stone floors will be substituted. Walls are often textured and done in warm neutral tones which work with the abundance of wood in the home. Furnishings are also often done in warm tones reminiscent of a sun-baked desert. Glass is used not only for windows but as artistic additions to the home. Wrought iron is another material that is commonly utilized for details such as handles and knobs inside the home.

Mission style homes often have a Southwestern flair. Southwestern decor features rich, sunny shades like terracotta with accents of turquoise. Geometric patterns and fringed adornments are also common. However, you don’t have to go that route. This style, with its warm colors and emphasis on natural materials, lends itself to most any personal style. You could go for a more metropolitan style by incorporating sleek leather and modern art into the basic foundation of dark wood and neutral tones. Some people prefer balancing the wood with lots of glass and stone, others like to keep the wood the predominant feature and keep other materials to a minimum.

Because this style is so popular, you will find no shortage of plans out there. If you’re technologically inclined, you may want to use the Internet to search for downloadable plans. Another idea is to use software designed to help prospective home builders create their ultimate dream home. Better Homes and Gardens Home Design Software is a good program for the average home builder. Some people prefer getting their plans from a book. In that case, check out titles such as Arts and Crafts Home Plans: Showcasing 85 Home Plans in the Craftsman, Prairie and Bungalow Styles.

Fun and Fascinating Japanese Arts and Crafts for All Ages

Japanese arts and crafts represent some of the most beautiful and interesting in the world. There are many different creative works you can make and enjoy which originate from Japan. Some of the most common include paper lanterns and beautiful calligraphy. The neat thing about Japanese symbols is that they are both artistic and meaningful. If you can learn how to paint a few symbols, you can create gorgeous works of art to be hung on the walls.

For example, you may want to write your name in Japanese calligraphy, or write a particular word that has meaning to you like Wealth, Luck or Happiness. You can even group your works together. Stay with odd numbered groups as those are most pleasing to the eye. Choose either a stark white background for your calligraphy or something bright like red. After painting or drawing the characters on the page, simply mat, frame and hang. Some people use paint and a brush to make the symbols, others prefer to use calligraphy pens.

Japanese felt snakes are a cute and easy craft for kids to make. You will need a length of felt in the color of your choice, a ruler, a chenille pipe cleaner, scissors, black marker, glue, clothespins and googly or wiggly eyes. Cut a thin strip of felt the same length as your ruler. Lay the chenille pipe cleaner in the center of the felt strip. Generously apply glue to the edge of the felt and fold the sides together so that the chenille pipe cleaner is stuck in between. Place clothespins down the length of the felt to help the glue dry. Glue on the eyes. Once the glue dries, remove the clothespins and you’ve got a cute wiggly snake that can be curled around pencils or cups.

There are so many traditional Japanese arts and crafts, you’re sure to find something that interests you. You can try growing bonsai trees, painting shoji screens, making handmade paper or sewing kimonos. Even some forms of martial art such as tai chi are thought of as a form of artistic expression. If you’re interested in learning more about this subject, check out a book such as Traditional Arts and Crafts of Japan by Christopher Dresser.

Arts and Crafts for Preschoolers

There is no better age to introduce your child to art than during the preschool years. Arts and crafts for preschoolers are fun and rewarding for you and your child. You can get involved and help your child create fun crafts, or you can provide them the materials and let them have total creative control. You’ll find that your child is likely to have a preference when it comes to art materials. Some kids love modeling clay, while others prefer paint. Offer plenty of choices to your preschooler and encourage them to use their creativity.

One of the most enjoyable projects for toddlers to do is finger painting. Little ones love dipping their fingers into bright, thick fingerpaint and making abstract designs on large pieces of posterboard. Another fun idea is to give your child painting materials to create a variety of different shapes and textures. Provide them with sponges, feathers, brushes, even potatoes that have been cut in half and carved as a makeshift stamp. Your child will love seeing the different effects he or she can make using different materials.

What would the preschool years be without Play-Doh? This non-toxic modeling dough is classic, but instead of buying it why not try to make your own? While you’ll need to do the cooking part, your child can help add ingredients and knead the dough. The recipe consists of one cup of flour, a pinch of salt, two teaspoons of cream of tartar, one cup water, two teaspoons vegetable oil and a few drops of food coloring.

An alternative to the food coloring is a packet of Kool-Aid, which adds color and scent to the dough. Cook the ingredients over medium heat until a thick dough is formed. Remove from heat and allow it to cool. Then, have your child knead the dough until it reaches a nice smooth consistency. Store in an airtight container to keep your homemade dough from drying out.

More ideas for arts and crafts for preschoolers can be found online and in books. The Arts and Crafts Busy Book by Trish Kuffner and Bruce Lansky features 365 fun activities to keep your child busy and creative every day of the year. Check with your local library or bookstore for more preschool age arts and crafts books. Or, try searching online and printing out instructions yourself. Printable coloring pages are a fun project you can find online to keep your little one busy for awhile!

Why Choose an Arts and Crafts Bronze Sculpture?

The Arts and Crafts movement influenced not only art, but home design as well. Also known as the Mission style, the Arts and Crafts style home features an abundance of natural materials with an emphasis on quality dark woods like cherry and oak. Other materials often featured in this style of home include metal, glass and fabric. Patterns are often geometric and colors warm, as if baked by the sun. An Arts and Crafts bronze sculpture is the ideal way to add interest to any room of a Mission style home.

Sculpture is the perfect accent because it can be strategically placed to spice up any area. Bronze is an ideal material for sculpture as it is beautiful and durable. This is why it is one of the very oldest types of metal sculpture and remains popular to this day. Bronze takes on a gorgeous patina over the years, making each piece more distinct as time goes by.

Other accessories that look fantastic in an arts and crafts style home are pieces which are made from natural materials and complement the rest of the house. For example, terra cotta is the perfect type of flowerpot or vase to have in your home. Tall vases make a perfect home for decorative grasses while smaller pots are great for blooming cactus plants.

Walls can be adorned with textured treatments in earthy tones or covered with wallpaper. One surprising fact about the Mission style period of home design is that it occurred around the same time as the Victorian period which means homes of the time period often used ornate patterned wallpaper in their Mission style homes. Flowers and fruits were the most common wallpaper patterns. Back then, only the wealthy could afford wallpaper.

Decorative glass is perfect close to an arts and crafts bronze sculpture. The sparkling coolness of the glass plays well off the earthy warmth of the bronze. When shopping for sculpture, abstract shapes are always a chic choice. Some people like sculpture of animals common to the Southwest like horses, eagles and wolves. There is certainly plenty of selection out there, thanks to the Internet. You can easily shop for one of a kind pieces right on your computer. Try artists’ web sites or even Ebay for creative pieces to grace your home.