Category: Kids

Native Headress Pin or Neckerchief

Materials:

  • 15 safety pins ( I used small brass ones )
  • “E” beads ( I used a variety of colors )
  • 6 mm round beads ( I used faceted ones )
  • approx. 8″ of 20 gauge wire
  • 1/2 pipe cleaner ( I used gold )

Instructions:

  1. String “E” beads on pin in desired pattern. Do 14 pins the same way. ( I experimented with different colors. Each of the above will represent a feather so you may want to use a pattern here. )
  2. Pinch heads of pin closed, so that they don’t open while wearing. IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE!
  3. String 6 mm beads and heads of pins on wire. Start with a bead and fold wire back over bead to keep it on. Alternate beads and pins, being sure to put all pins facing the same way. (This is where I created a pattern. Ex. blue faceted 6mm bead,1 pin w/red beads, blue faceted 6mm, 1 pin w/white beads, blue faceted 6mm, 1 pin w/blue beads, blue faceted 6mm, 1 pin w/white beads, blue faceted 6mm,1 pin w/red beads, etc…..) End with a 6mm bead, leave enough wire to fold back over bead as you did at start, then trim excess wire away. Be sure ends are folded back enough so that there is no sharp point.
  4. String pipe cleaner through loops at bottom of pins, pushing pins close together, and centering pipe cleaner.
  5. On ends of pipe cleaner string several beads, either “E” or 6mm. ( I used 3 blue faceted 6mm beads on each end) Form excess pipe cleaner into a loop, and twist to secure.
  6. Take your last pin and pin the first beaded pin and last beaded pin on the back of the slide. This will help to form shape, and is used to create area to put neckerchief through.
  7. Adjust shape, pull “tails” straight, then wear with pride.

photo is just for demonstration. Finished prject may differ. instructions via

 

Painting with Light

Painting with light is a fun technique that gives great results. It is called painting with light because this is what you are actually doing while taking the shot – painting with light.

You don’t need much to experiment with this kind of shot, just make sure you have the following items:

1. A camera capable of long exposures – film cameras will work OK, but if you really want to get the most out of the shooting session, use a digital camera. You will be able to see the results in “real time” and make corrections as you go.

2. A nice tripod. Since you will be doing some long exposures you want to make sure your camera sits still.

3. A flash light – and by flash light I do not mean flash as in a speedlight, but the flash light or what our British will call a torch.

4. A dark location. This one is tricky. If you are going to shot at home – a dark room will be OK. If you are going to shoot outside – make sure that you are not doing this under a street light, or where a car can come by and “paint its headlight” all over your shot.

Here is how it’s done:

Set your camera on the tripod and take a sample shot with flash / lights on. This will help you verify that your composition is OK.

Set the exposure to a relatively long value. Stop down the aperture as much as you need. If you are outside do nothing. If you are inside – this is the time to turn off the lights.

Make the click. Once the shutter is open use your flashlight to light the stuff that you want to “paint”. You can use the flashlight as a brash, and “smear” the light, just like you would have done with brush and paper. Or, you can use the light as a pen, and do precise work. Areas where you go slowly will be more lit then others. Be careful not to linger to much over the same stop – you will burn it. (The machos amongst you will correctly identify this as the “I forgot the iron on the shirt” phenomena).

Once the shutter closes, you are a free person again. Inspect your image and make corrections. via

Follow the Leader Game

Follow the Leader (also known as the Copycat Game) is an action game that serves as a good energizer or warmup activity. It can be pretty hilarious watching people mimic the leader, especially if the leader does some wacky movements. There is no preparation needed for the Follow the Leader game. Find a large open space, either indoors or outdoors, and you’re ready to go!

How to Play

Ask everyone to stand and arrange the group into a circle, facing inwards. Ask one person to leave the room for a minute. This person will be the guesser for the round. While he or she is gone, the group decides who should be the “leader.” The leader will be the one who sets the movements for that round. When this person is chosen, invite the guesser to come back. The guesser stands in the very center of the circle.

When the round begins, everyone starts swinging their arms up and down. The leader will eventually begin to do other movements, and everyone else mimics the leader’s actions, without being too obvious to reveal who the leader is. The leader can do just about anything he or she wants, such as:

 

    • clapping
    • making a kicking motion with his or her leg
    • jumping up and down
    • singing a line from a song
    • patting his or her own head
    • a dance move

 

Everyone in the circle should be careful to avoid prolonged eye contact with the leader, so the leader’s identity is not given away. The guesser must keep turning his or her head to try to figure out which person is the leader (the person who is starting of all the group’s movements). The guesser is allowed to make up to three guesses. If the guess is incorrect, the round continues. If the guess is correct, the leader becomes the new guesser for the next round. If all three guesses are exhausted and the leader is not correctly guessed, the round ends and you can either keep the same guesser or switch it up.

This action game tends to be hilarious, as people try to copy the leader’s silly movements.  See photos of an example of the game being played below.

via