Spring Folk Art Trees

Spring Folk Art Trees

by | Mar 24, 2023 | Craft Tutorials

We’ve been studying about Colonial history this year.  The cheerful and simple folk art depicting Colonial times inspired us to learn more about folk art.  

To learn about how to make folk art trees, we watched a video on Deep Space Sparkle.

This great tutorial from Deep Space Sparkle focusses on trees in the autumn, but as it is springtime, we modified the designs for spring. 

We also chose to draw the designs with colored pencil, rather than Sharpies (a little safer with little ones!).

We also found inspiration from Cheryl Bartley designs.  She has free coloring pages too!

 

We had so much fun on a late winter (almost spring!) afternoon, looking out at the trees, and creating folk art together.  Before creating our art we spent some time looking closely at the trees.  Only God can make so many branches and leaves, but the simplicity of folk art allows us to capture the beauty of trees in a simple and fun way. Hope your family can enjoy some art time together too! Here is a sampling of our art…

folk art spring tree

folk art trees with flower embellishments

Our 8-year-old had fun adding spring blossoms to her trees.

folk art forest

folk art trees in a forest

Our 11-year-old enjoyed making a peaceful spring forest scene.

folk art winter

folk art trees with sparkling snow

Spring often comes with surprise snowfalls.  Our 8-year-old added a sprinkling of salt over her watercolor to make her trees look like they have a glimmer of snow.

folk art tree toddler

folk art trees by our toddler

Folk art is for any age.  Our toddler had so much fun painting her trees too!

folk art trees

folk art spring tree garden

Even Mama joined in the fun of painting. Making art together brings so much peace to the day!

Looking for art supplies?

Check out the links below for art supplies we love for this project.

Enjoy!

 

Note:  Some links on this page are Amazon Affiliate links.  Sparkles and Sprinkles is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Other links may or may not be affiliate links.  We provide links because we have found these products or services beneficial, and we think you might too.

Water Princess Giving Well Activity

Water Princess Giving Well Activity

by | Mar 11, 2023 | Craft Tutorials

The book, The Water Princess, tells the story of the young Georgie Badiel spending entire days walking to get water for her family in Africa. Inspired by this story, we decided to make a paper well that can be used like a Lenten paper “rice bowl” to collect money for those in need.

Simply print the free printable on cardstock and read along to learn how to create the well. The French version of the well says, “Mon Puits pour la Vie” (my well for life – “puits” rhymes with “vie”).  The English version says, “My Giving Well.”  There is also a plain version (as requested by my daughter so that she could use it with her doll house).

If you would like to read the Water Princess before you create the well, click the image for an Amazon link.

the water princess

Let’s make a well…

lent giving well

Click Here to Get your Free Printable

Print your printable on cardstock.  The printable comes in a French, English, and plain version.

the water princess

Step 1

After printing on cardstock, cut out each of the pieces of the well.

the water princess

Step 2

Tape or glue the stone well into a circle.

the water princess

Step 3

Fold tabs up around water circle.

the water princess

Step 4

Tape or glue the water circle to the inside bottom of the well.

the water princess

Step 5

Fold posts in half.

the water princess

Step 6

Fold roof in half on solid line.  Cut slits on dotted lines.

the water princess

Step 7

insert posts into slits in the roof.  Then gently bend tops of posts to secure them to the roof.

the water princess

Step 8

Tape or glue the posts to the side of the well.

the water princess

Step 9

Place coins in your well.   After saving coins, donate to people in need.

You could use your well to collect money for organizations that help those in need, near your home or around the world.

Do you have a heart for francophone Africa? Check out the wonderful work that Viridiane’s Hope for Children’s Heath and Education is doing in Cameroon!

Do you love learning through pictures books? You might love learning French with Joie de Livre: French language and culture through beautiful picture books.

“…but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14

« …l’eau que je lui donnerai deviendra en lui une source d’eau jaillissant, jusqu’à la vie éternelle. » Jean 4:14

Note:  Some links on this page are Amazon Affiliate links.  Sparkles and Sprinkles is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Other links may or may not be affiliate links.  We provide links because we have found these products or services beneficial, and we think you might too.

Make your own doll donuts!

Make your own doll donuts!

by | Feb 10, 2023 | Craft Tutorials

Watch our YouTube tutorial and have fun making these cute donuts for your dolls.  We use Model Magic, which is easy to shape and sturdy when it dries.  Scroll down to get our FREE donut box printable and other doll ideas too!

doll donut diy
doll donut box

Click on the image to get our FREE donut box printable.  Print on cardstock, then watch our YouTube short to see how to easily cut, fold, and glue the box.

doll food box printable

More fun doll ideas…

American Girl Doll Party Ideas

Doll birthday party

Knit a doll hat

Hand-sewn doll clothes

Note:  Some links on this page are Amazon Affiliate links.  Sparkles and Sprinkles is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Other links may or may not be affiliate links.  We provide links because we have found these products or services beneficial, and we think you might too.

Cinnamon Rolls for Dolls

Cinnamon Rolls for Dolls

by | Feb 9, 2023 | Craft Tutorials

Watch our YouTube video to learn how to easily make play food for your dolls, using Model Magic.  This type of clay is easy to work with and makes sturdy doll food.  Grab our free printable to make a pastry box for your doll treats too! (Our YouTube short will show you how to make the box.)

play doll food
doll play food

Supplies:

Model Magic

Paint brush

Jar of water

Watercolors

White acrylic paint

Ground cinnamon

doll food box printable

More fun doll ideas…

American Girl Doll Party Ideas

Doll birthday party

Knit a doll hat

Hand-sewn doll clothes

Note:  Some links on this page are Amazon Affiliate links.  Sparkles and Sprinkles is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Other links may or may not be affiliate links.  We provide links because we have found these products or services beneficial, and we think you might too.

French Saint Nicolas Day Shoe

French Saint Nicolas Day Shoe

by | Dec 1, 2022 | Craft Tutorials

Create a cute Saint Nicolas Day shoe with our FREE printable!  Saint Nicolas Day takes place each year on December 6th.  Especially in France, it is a tradition for children to put their shoes by the door on the evening of December 5th and to wake on December 6th to find a treat that Saint Nicolas brought.

Saint Nicolas Day French Shoe
Saint Nicolas Day French Shoe
Saint Nicolas Day French Shoe

This paper shoes has lines from the traditional French song, “Venez, venez, Saint Nicolas.”  “Venez, venez, Saint Nicolas” means “Come, come, Saint Nicholas.”  “Je serai toujours sage…” means “I’ll always be good…”  The back of the shoes says “Mon soulier” (my shoe), and has a space for the child to write his or her name.  

Though using a real shoe might be more traditional, it’s fun to make these paper shoes.  Paper shoes are especially helpful in a classroom setting so that the children don’t have to take off their real shoes.  Once the shoe is made, it can be filled with a treat… we like to use chocolate coins.

Saint Nicolas Day French Shoe

This sweet little song has become a joyful part of the Advent traditions in our home… we think you might like it too!  The images in the video help to illustrate the meaning of the words.

To add to your Saint Nicolas Day festivities, we love the book Saint Nicholas: The Story of the real Santa Claus, as well as the CCC animated movie about the life of Saint Nicholas.  Last year we added the French book, Je peux t’aider, Saint Nicolas? (Can I help you, Saint Nicolas?) to our collection. (Click on the images below to find our more about these Saint Nicholas stories.)

Ready to make your shoe?  Simply click on the image of the shoe cut-out to get the FREE download.  Directions to make the shoe are on the printable.  All you need is paper, colored pencils, scissors, glue, and ribbon (optional).

Joyeuse Fête de Saint Nicolas!

Looking for another way to get ready for Christmas and learn French?

Try our French Advent Calendar!

Simply download and print at home instantly.

 

Note:  Some links on this page are Amazon Affiliate links.  Sparkles and Sprinkles is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Other links may or may not be affiliate links.  We provide links because we have found these products or services beneficial, and we think you might too.

Thanksgiving Hymn Garland – to color and create

Thanksgiving Hymn Garland – to color and create

by | Nov 10, 2022 | Craft Tutorials

Decorate your home for Thanksgiving with this fun craft the whole family can enjoy making together!  You can download our FREE printable, or you can simply let the idea inspire your own creation.  And if you would like book recommendations for some cozy Thanksgiving reading time, keep reading for some of our favorites at the end of this post… Cranberry Thanksgiving, Balloons Over Broadway, Fletcher and the Falling Leaves, and The Lion and the Bird.

thanksgiving Christian banner

The banner has pencil sketch style leaf images overlayed with words from the hymn, “For the Beauty of the Earth.”

As the children colored, we realized that this would be a good opportunity to really look closely at fall leaves… there are often many different colors in each leaf.  

 

Our FREE Thanksgiving place cards coordinate nicely with the garland.  These are so fun for children to write on and color to make your guests feel welcome!  Click on the image to get your FREE place card printable.

fall place card
fall place card

If you would like to listen to the song as you create your banner, you might like to try this version by Michelle Swift.

Let’s make a garland…

Print the images on cardstock

Click here to get our FREE printable, and print the images on cardstock.  Some of the leaves have words from the hymn.  Other images have no words.  You can string them together in a pattern you like, using all or only some of the images.  Alternatively, you could draw your own leaves and write the words of your choice.

Color the leaves and pumpkins

Color the leaves and pumpkins.  You may want to look closely at real leaves from your yard for inspiration.  Fall leaves often really have many different colors in each leaf.

Cut out the images.

Some of the leaf shapes are quite detailed.  Don’t worry if they are not cut perfectly.

Punch 2 holes in each leaf/pumpkin

Punch 2 holes at the top of each pumpkin/leaf.  Punching 2 holes, rather than one, helps the shapes to stay facing forward when they are strung on the garland.

String the images to create the garland

Cut a long piece of twine, ribbon, or yarn.  Thread the twine (or ribbon or yarn) through the holes.  Consider the order of the hymn.  Add in wordless images if you would like to.

toddler thanksgiving craft

Toddler tip...

We found it was helpful to print some extra pages that our toddler could have all to herself.  She was quite proud of her own little banner (we love it too)!  These Melissa and Doug toddler scissors help make cutting safer.

If you enjoy making this garland, and would like to make one for another holiday (including Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, and the 4th of July), you can find other garland printables in our little Etsy shop.

Our favorite books for a cozy fall and Thanksgiving family reading time…

(The book images are Amazon links if you are interested in finding out more about the books.)

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves is a sweet story about a little fox who is so concerned about the leaves that fall from his tree, but then comes to learn of the beauty of the changing seasons.  The illustrations are adorable!

With Melissa Sweet’s illustrations, Ballons Over Broadway is a joy to read!  The book tells the story of the beginnings of the Thanksgiving Day Parade.  We had fun making balloon puppets and having our own little parade after reading this book.

Cranberry Thanksgiving is a classic with some sweet lessons about forgiveness, hospitality, and not judging others from the outside.  We first learned about this book years ago when doing a 5 in a Row reading program, and have read it every year since then at Thanksgiving time. 

The Lion and the Bird is a beautiful story of friendship and care for others.  This book has very few words, and the pictures tell a sweetly slow-paced story.  A beautiful book to look at over and over again.

Note:  Some links on this page are Amazon Affiliate links.  Sparkles and Sprinkles is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Other links may or may not be affiliate links.  We provide links because we have found these products or services beneficial, and we think you might too.