GREETING CARD MAKING

A greeting card is an illustrated , card with an expression of emotions . They are effective tools to communicate important feelings to people you care about. 
Greeting card works as a bridge which connects two hearts, emotions, feelings. If its handmade it will be the “icing on the cake” while expressing your love, sentiments, whatever it may be. Everyone feels special when they receive an unexpected card in the mail or in person. 

MATERIALS YOU NEED:
As listed down under each card.

Media : Handmade Paper ; Art Form : Quilling ; Tools : Toothpick, White Glue, Quilling Stripes

Media : Handmade Paper ; Art Form : Quilling ; Tools : Toothpick, White Glue, Quilling Stripes

Media : Card Paper ; Art Form : Thread Art ; Tools : Silk Thread, Needle, Pencil (for outline)

Media : Card Paper ; Art Form : Thread Painting ; Tools : Thread, Poster Colours, Brush

Media : Card Paper ; Art Form : Vegetable Block Painting ; Tools : Lady Finger Vegetable, Knife, Poster Colour

Media : Card Paper ; Art Form : Vegetable Block Painting ; Tools : Potato Vegetable, Knife, Poster Colour

Media : Black Mounting Sheet ; Art Form : Up-cycled Painting ; Tools : Pencil Shavings, Sequins, Mirrors, Sketch Pen, White Glue

Media : Card Paper ; Art Form : Madhubani Painting ; Tools : Coloured Pens

Media : Handmade Papers ; Art Form : Up-cycled Painting ; Tools : Embroidery Threads, Sequins, Glitters, White Glue 

Media : Card Paper ; Art Form : Madhubani Painting ; Tools : Sketch Pens

Media : Handmade Papers ; Art Form : Leaf Painting ; Tools : Dry Leaves, White Glue, Pen

Media : Cartage Sheet, Glaze Paper ; Art Form : Thumb Painting ; Tools : Poster Colours, Black Sketch Pen, White Glue, Scissors

Media : Card Paper ; Art Form : Hand Painting ; Tools : Fist Imprint, Poster Colours, Sketch Pen

Media : Card Paper ; Art Form : Painting ; Tools : Poster Colours, Paint Brush

Media : Card Paper ; Art Form : Sketch Painting ; Tools : Golden Sketch Pen, Grey Tape

Media : Card Paper ; Art Form : Figurine Painting ; Tools : Poster Colours, Ribbon, Glitters, Net Fabric, Sketch Pen, White Glue

Media : Handmade Paper ; Art Form : Block Painting ; Tools : Design Blocks, Black Poster Colour, Pencil Colours, Paint Brush

Media : Card Paper ; Art Form : Pencil Shading Painting ; Tools : Pencil

Media : Card Paper ; Art Form : Mixed Media ; Tools : Sequins, Red Ribbon, Poster Colours, Paint Brush, White Glue

Media : Card Paper ; Art Form : Mixed Media ; Tools : Sequins, Golden Ribbon, Poster Colours, Paint Brush, White Glue, Wrapping Paper, Scissors

PAPER MACHE BALLOON CRAFT

Paper mache is a popular method of creating three dimensional projects. Paper bound with a strong adhesive dries into a sturdy shell that takes the form of its mould. In this procedure a balloon is used as the mould for the paper mache. The balloon shaped paper mache can be decorated into a mini hot air balloon, Easter eggs, paper mache animals, and other paper mache projects.

MATERIALS YOU NEED:
1. Balloons of  different shape and size

2. Scrap of news paper 

3. Some sheets of thin white paper or tissue paper

4. Piece of stiff paper

5. Glue or paste ( prepared by mixing fine wheat flour with water in the ratio of 1:4 and heating it till its colour changes ; add pinch of salt also in it )

6. Poster colours or acrylic colours

7. Brushes

HOW TO MAKE:

1. Inflate the balloon and put the knot.

2. Tear the piece of news paper into small bits .

3. Dip the piece of paper in gum or paste whatever you are using. And, paste it onto the balloon. Continue pasting the pieces of news paper overlapping on some edges till it covers the balloon surface.

4. Repeat same  process for the next layer of newspaper pieces.

5. Eight layers of news paper pieces and one layer of white thin paper make a stiff shape after drying.

6. After drying of basic shape create other fetchers either by cutting and pasting the stiff paper or by meshing the pieces of paper and pasting on the base and keep aside to dry it .

7. After drying , colour it as you wish to make them realistic or funny. It's your World of Imagination after all !!

POPSICLE STICK ART

Popsicle sticks are easily available in various shapes and a raw material for creating fantastic craft ideas.

MATERIALS YOU NEED:
1. Popsicle sticks of different size and shape
2. Card board / M d f sheet / piece of ply board
3. White glue or adhesive
4. Clear varnish , Acrylic colour
5. Brush

HOW TO MAKE:

• Cut the card board to make the base of container in the required shape i.e .four or five or six sides.
• Place the Popsicle sticks on the edges of base board as per your design by overlapping the one Popsicle sticks to the other on edges , when you are satisfied dab white glue on each Popsicle sticks and paste them on the board.
• Repeat same process for the next row.
• Placement of the Popsicles in each row depend on your design , it may be straight or towards inside or towards outside to make the narrow or broad size of the structure or vase.
• Repeat till you get the desired height and shape and dry it .
• After drying of adhesive  you may varnish it or make it colourful by applying acrylic colours. 

Popsicle Bird 

• Kids can easily make two dimensional birds on the flat surface just by pasting
• Popsicles overlapping as per the required shape. 
• Acrylic colours make the birds more attractive, otherwise varnish will make them shine.

Explore more shapes of birds and enjoy it.

SCRATCH ART

Being a great technique to highlight the vibrant textures of a painting, Scratch Art involves placing a coating of paint on top of a paper that has been coated with crayon and making a design by scratching away areas of dry paint with a pointed tool.

Dog painted using Scratch Art onto brown MDF sheet

MATERIALS YOU NEED:

1. Heavy drawing paper or MDF sheet

2. Crayons

3. Toothpick, Nails, Empty Ball-Point Pen etc.

4. Black poster paint (also known as Tempera paint)

5. Brush

6. Liquid dish-wash soap

Crayon painted drawing paper

Poster color coating crayons

Scratched coating of black poster color

HOW TO MAKE:

• Using the crayons, initiate by covering the entire MDF sheet / drawing paper surface, pressing hard so that the paper doesn't show through. The technique will not work if the crayon is applied too lightly. 
• Then coat the MDF sheet/ drawing paper surface of the crayon coloured paper with several coats of black poster color solution (mixed with liquid dish-wash soap in equal ratio).
• Let the paint to dry
• Using a nail (on MDF only) or toothpick, you may scratch the drawing onto the surface of paint.

I think what makes this activity so much fun is the element of surprise. You just never know quite how the picture will turn out until you start scratching away and reveal the surprise underneath!

This technique works best while creating the outlines of a painting in scratch art, wherein the underlying crayons do bring a magical character to the black coated ground color.

UP-CYCLED ART

It’s time to learn the Triple Bottom Line approach of designing, 3R(s) : Reduce, Reuse & Recycle. Instead of throwing things away, try to find ways to use them effectively again upon being up-cycled.

MATERIALS YOU NEED:

1. Cardboard or MDF sheet covered by black color cloth or construction paper.
2. Pencil shavings of different colors & designs (stored separately)
3. White glue
4. Paper cutter
5. Forceps
6. Tracing paper
7. Red carbon paper

HOW TO MAKE:

• Transfer the outline of rooster on the board.
• As per collection of different colors of pencil shavings, plan on the tracing paper.
• Now dab the glue at the back of shaving on the thin edge & stick it softly from the design outline towards the centre.
• Followed by pasting the next layer overlapping the previous one.
• Forceps can be used to hold the shavings gently, otherwise the shavings may break into small pieces.
• Pencil shavings of bigger size impart beautiful texture and design.

MATERIALS YOU NEED:

1. Old glass bangles or broken pieces of bangles.
2. Tracing paper
3. Cardboard or MDF sheet covered with cloth or jute
4. White glue
5. Beads
6. Golden Dori/ Thread
7. Forceps
8. Red carbon paper

HOW TO MAKE:

• Draw a picture of your choice on the board or transfer the picture using tracing paper and carbon paper.
• Plan the colors & design on the tracing paper.
• Dab the glue on the piece of bangle and paste it firmly on the picture.
• Don’t leave the space in between the pieces of bangles.
• You could use golden thick thread to create the silhouette of face, fingers etc.

PEBBLE PAINTING

There are so many variations and techniques of painting to try ! Painting stones and pebbles is a fun and memorable way to finish up a trip to the beach or a riverside walk.Collecting stones and pebbles of different shape,size and colour is fun. This activity connects us with nature and its beauty.

MATERIALS YOU NEED: 

1. Pebbles and stones
2. Pencil and white paper
3. Wax crayons or Poster colours or Acrylic colours
4. Paint brushes
5. Colour mixing palette
6. A glass of water
7. Clear varnish or Lacquer

HOW TO MAKE:

1. Clean the pebbles with water and soap and allow to dry them before painting .
2. Decide what you are going to use the finished stone for.
3. Draw a design for the pebble on a white paper.

PAINTING PEBBLES WITH WAX CRAYONS

Paint the stone / pebble with wax crayons as per design,than heat this painted stone on the low flame of gas burner , as the wax crayons start melting , remove it from gas burner. If you wish , can do the second coat of wax crayons on the stone to make it bright and more shiny. After cooling the wax crayon colours will fix on the stones and transform into the masterpiece.

PAINTING PEBBLES WITH POSTER COLORS OR ACRYLIC COLORS

1. Paint the stone with your design
2. Allow the paint to dry and then cover it with a protective layer of clear varnish or lacquer. This will also give your pebble a nice shiny finish.
3. Once this is dry, your painted stone is complete!

The great thing about painted pebble is that you can use the finished pieces to decorate your home or garden or can give them as gifts or use as paper weights or as a decorative fridge magnet (for which you could glue a magnet to the back of your pebble).

Also, to make decorative fridge magnets, the pebbles should be lightweight and small in size.

CRYSTAL RANGOLI

Rangoli is desired from Sanskrit word "Rangavalli". Rangoli is an art form from  India, in which patterns are created on the floor in living room or courtyards or in front of the house using materials such as coloured rice, rice flour, coloured sand, flower petals, colour powder etc. It's usually made during festivals, auspicious observances, marriage celebrations. The purpose of Rangoli is decoration and it is thought to bring good fortune. It is a preliminary necessity of any religious rituals.

By: Akshita Sangwan

With time, imagination and innovative ideas in Rangoli art is also incorporated. A modern variation, viz, crystal rangoli design made with beads and crystals has all the charm and creativity of a traditional rangoli.

MATERIALS YOU NEED:

1. OHP Sheet
2. Crystals and beads
3. Fabric glue (transparent)
4. Tracing paper
5. Clear tape

                                                                                                            By : Ankur        

HOW TO MAKE:

1. Draw a design on the tracing paper.
2. Designed tracing paper is pasted on the back of the OHP sheet with clear tapes on the edges.
3. Stick crystals and beads with the transparent fabric glue on the design identical to the OHP sheet.
4. After completing the design, remove the tracing paper.

It's a sublime rangoli design that would look beautiful in the centre of a room. Corner & side tables can be designed with simple rangoli designs too. These are ready made rangoli designs which have to be pasted or placed on the desired areas.

A simple and quick rangoli, who do not have time to create elaborate designs.