CLEVER CRAFTS If you’re feeling creative and want to make useful or decorative things there are many craft skills you can learn This book gives you great ideas for turning materials into models masks puppets games and more You can then go on to invent your own brilliant designs Think Crafty You may want to buy some special craft supplies but there are many everyday things you can use unusual buttons scraps of fabric textured paper or oddly-shaped containers Look carefully at things before you throw them away Could you recycle them as craft materials A set of watercolor or acrylic paints are useful for many craft projects Craft supplies like feathers are great for decorating homemade masks During Thailand’s annual wax festival artists shape huge intricate wax models SUPER FACTS Prehistoric craftspeople made carvings from bones and mammoth tusks The Fabergé company famously crafted lavish jewelry including jeweled gold and silver eggs In 2007 a Fabergé egg was sold for over 18 million 4
Get Organized Before you start any project collect all the equipment you need Make sure you have a big clear workspace and lots of time If you rush something it won’t turn out as neatly or successfully as you wanted Handle sharp tools carefully and get adult help when needed Finally don’t forget to clean up afterwards Hints and warnings Boxes with a lightbulb symbol contain handy hints for making your craft projects even better Look out for the exclamation marks too these boxes give safety warnings and other helpful advice Plan each project before you start cutting and gluing This will help to avoid wasting materials 5
PAPER PROJECTS Paper is one of the most basic craft materials but it’s also one of the best It’s cheap to buy although you may already have plenty at home for example wrapping paper newspaper magazines and old notepads See what you can find Giftwrap Beads Here’s a quick paper project to get you started Find a piece of shiny giftwrap and glue it around a drinking straw When the glue is dry cut up the straw and thread the pieces onto string or elastic to make jewelry and dangling zipper decorations You can make great cards by cutting and layering paper especially if you choose contrasting colors and textures string or elastic Some paper turns yellow with age because of a chemical called lignin in the wood pulp More expensive paper has the lignin removed so it stays white SUPER FACTS The word paper comes from the Egyptian word papyrus a type of plant Ancient Egyptians made paper from strips of papyrus stems Modern paper is made from pulped wood but cotton straw bananas and even elephant dung can all be used 6
Papermaking Recycle old newspapers to make your own paper You could also use envelopes or other scrap paper just make sure it isn’t glossy or very thick 2 Whip up the mixture with a hand-held mixer or in a blender until it looks like porridge 1 Tear sheets of paper into pieces and leave to soak for a few hours or overnight Be careful with the sharp blades of blenders Also you may find that heavily inked paper stains the plastic sides of the blender splash guard 3 Now find some mesh to strain the mixture Use a pan splash guard or take out the glass and backing from an old photo frame Cut a square from a thin pair of tights stretch it tightly over the frame and keep it in place with binder clips binder clip 4 Place the mesh over a container and pour on the mush Spread it out evenly and press gently with a sponge to squeeze out the water old tights To make different types of paper add food coloring to the mixture at step 2 or try glitter confetti dots or even a few drops of perfume 5 After about 24 hours the paper will be nearly dry Carefully peel it off the mesh and lay it on wax paper to harden completely Use your handmade paper to make gift tags or homemade greeting cards
