I have been noticing that children, generally speaking, know nothing, about art.  As the school systems work tirelessly to remove any kind of creativity from the education system, it is you as parents, that need to pull up the slack.  What happens if you have an ARTSIE for a child, not a math wiz.  Well you can bring them to me at the Framing Dames, we have an amazing Art Program that will be beneficial to your Liberal Arts Child.  It is important to remember, that there is two sides to the brain, and both sides need to be nurtured.  I will be blogging you simple activities you can do with your child and have fun doing it too.  Hey!  You might even discover YOUR Inner Artist!

Lesson #1 (of a long line of stuff you can create with your child)  Wrapped Copper Wire Wall Hangings or Garden Art with Beads.  Ages 6 to 14

This activity helps to develop children's, hand-eye coordination, ability to see and create in 3-dimensions, patterning, problem solving and much more.

Supply List:

1. Wooden board, 4" X 4" and 1" thick
( it can be bigger its just a guideline, you can get from scrap at a Home Depot.....they throw away pieces like this, or get them to cut something down)

2. 1" Nails or what ever you have, but not screws.

3.  Copper Wire, craft kind

3.  Beads, any kind, the wholes have to big enough for the copper wire to go through.

4. Round wooden dowling, length 8 to 12 inches.  (you can get this in any craft store or Home Depot like place)

5.  Optional Paint to paint the dowl.

6.  Hammer


 Instructions:
1. Hammer in the nails, in your block of wood, first in the center and then radiating out from that about an inch, you can nail in as many as you want, just enough for your child to wrap the wire around.

2.  Cut about on meter of wire.

3.  Begin to wrap the wire around the nails in any pattern that you wish, making sure you don't wrap it too tight that your finished piece won't slip off in the end.

4.  As you are wrapping put on beads, I suggest different sizes and colours to make them really colourful.


 5.  Experiment with different  patterns, when it is finished , leave a 6 inch tail at the end.

6.  Take your dowel, you can paint it which makes it more exciting and wrap the tail of the finished copper wire piece around the dowel.

7.  You can also chain them together to make a longer strand of the little copper sculptures.  You can have two or three strands of beads and copper wire on each dowel.

7.  Take more copper wire and make a loop around one end of the dowel, give the wire some access and wrap the other end of the wire around the other end of the dowel.   This will create a way you can put it on the wall.  You can also wrap them around longer dowels to them in the garden or in plant pots as decorations.
The finished product:  Children love making these, good for them to give as presents.  Most of all have fun!  Let me know if you have any questions and if you do it send pictures and share!