Construct Your Own Zen Garden
By Jennifer Ishimatsu, Nevada Museum of Art

Bring a touch of elegance and serenity to your home by designing and maintaining a miniature Zen garden. Construct a box out of foam core, fill it with sand, then arrange rocks and craft jewels within your garden. Finally, create playful patterns in the sand using a miniature wooden rake.

Materials:
Foam core board
Hot glue gun
Craft glue
A ruler (metal works best)
Cardboard sheets to cut on
A utility knife
Black acrylic paint
A foam brush
Sand
Small rocks
Craft jewels
Toothpicks
A Popsicle stick

Project Steps:
1. Cut the foam core board (working on cardboard to protect your work surface) using a utility knife and a ruler. From the foam core board, cut out a 9-by-8 inch rectangle, two 9-inch strips and two 8-inch strips.

2. Make a shallow box by using the hot glue gun. Glue the long, skinny edge of the 9-inch strips on top of the edges of the 9-inch rectangle. Repeat by gluing the 8-inch strips and the 8-inch sides of the rectangle until the box is constructed.

3. To prevent the sand from leaking, make sure there are no gaps between the glued foam parts. If you need to, generously apply craft glue to the inside corners of the box using a brush to smooth the glue. Let this dry overnight.

4. Paint the foam core with the black acrylic paint and let it dry.

5. Construct a simple miniature rake out of toothpicks and a Popsicle stick. The Popsicle stick will act as the handle of the rake and a horizontal toothpick at one end will be the width of the rake head. With the utility knife, cut toothpicks to even lengths for the teeth. Use small dabs of hot glue to hold the pieces together.

6. After the paint has dried, pour sand into the box, filling it halfway. Arrange a few small rocks or craft jewels of different sizes in the sand. The rake can be used to make sand patterns around the rocks and jewels.

Recycled Beetle Buddy
By Jennifer Ishimatsu, Nevada Museum of Art

Summer insects like ladybugs and June bugs will serve as inspiration for creating a beetle out of recycled materials that you have at home. Be good to the earth and your budget and use leftover stickers, sequins and other items from previous projects to create a new piece of artwork. The beetle can add a splash of color and fun to your home or office.

Materials:
White glue
Scissors
Heavy paper or cardstock
Tape
A pencil
Leftover craft materials such as sequins/rhinestones, stickers, scraps of colored paper (from craft paper, magazine clippings, wrapping paper, etc.)  
Pipe cleaners or craft wire

Project Steps:
1. Select a few colors for the materials, keeping in mind that when using a variety of materials, it is better to limit your selection to about three colors in order to create a sense of visual unity.

2. Using a pencil on the cardstock, draw an oval for the beetle’s body and cut it out with scissors.

3. Create a pattern on the body of the beetle using stickers or another material, repeating the same shape or color. Using craft paper, draw and cut out two beetle wings. Glue them to the right and left sides of the body.

4. Cut out a half-circle shaped paper for the head; glue in place.

5. Glue sequins or rhinestones for the eyes – shinier materials work well to create a sense of contrast from the rest of the beetle.

6. Cut out four equal lengths of pipe cleaner. Bend them to mimic insect legs (a bend at the “knee” and at the “foot”). Glue or tape in place on the back of the bug. Two small pipe cleaners or paper shapes make great antennae.

Make a vibrant landscape drawing using glue, watercolor and dry pastel. White glue is a fun and textural drawing material that can be painted when dry. The painted glue stands out from the black paper, and the contrast intensifies when dry pastel is applied. When finished, you have a landscape that has a playful line and colors that appear to glow.

Materials:
Black paper
Watercolor set
White glue (small bottle)
Cup for water
Dry pastels
Paper towel
Small paint brush
Aerosol hairspray (optional)

Project Steps:
1. Using the glue on the black paper, draw your favorite real or imaginary place. For inspiration, you may think of mountains, sky, a lake, trees, desert, etc. You can draw using a simple glue line, or you can create streaks, spots or dots to add texture.

2. Let the glue dry for a day. When it is transparent, paint the glue using watercolor and a small brush. Not much water is needed – too much will over-dilute the color. Apply the paint to the glue. The glue is an absorbent surface and stands out from the paper when painted.

3. Once the watercolor is dry, color the black paper around the glue using dry pastels. Use the tip or edge of the pastel to make small marks or lines. The flat side of the pastel covers a larger area more easily.

4. Blend the pastel with your finger or a cotton swab. Rub the pastel over the empty spaces of the black paper, pushing it next to the glue lines. Notice how easily the pastel blends, allowing you to mix your own colors. Some of the black portions of the paper can be left blank to give the drawing more contrast.

5. When you have finished, lightly shake the drawing over a trash can to dispose of extra pastel dust. If available, aerosol hairspray can be used to lightly coat the drawing. This helps to prevent smearing and keeps the pastel dust from coming off the paper.



Yarn Painting: Traditional designs from Mexico
By Jennifer Ishimatsu

The Huichol (pronounced “wee-chol”) people of Mexico are known for making colorful and striking yarn paintings. Their vibrant, handmade designs illustrate the traditional stories of their indigenous people and feature folk tales, nature and mystical themes. Now you can make your own yarn painting inspired by the work of the Huichol with easy-to-find project materials. 

Materials:
Yarn, in several different colors
Thick cardboard or mat board (6 x 8 inches, or larger)
White glue
Pencil
Scissors (fabric scissors preferred)

Project Steps:

1. Brainstorm design ideas using nature themes, a stylized portrait, a pet or a favorite hobby. 

2. Sketch your design in pencil on the cardboard. Keep it simple, drawing just the major shapes – details aren’t necessary at this stage.    

3. Choose a few colors of yarn.

4. If you would like to have a “frame” of yarn around the edges, select a couple of colors and lay the yarn straight along the horizontal and vertical edges of the board.

5. Begin gluing the shape of greatest importance, working out from the center of the piece. Apply a generous layer of glue, covering the entire shape where you’re going to apply yarn on the board.

6. Starting at the outside edges of the shape, gradually lay down the yarn strand.

7. Slowly and densely apply the yarn, bunching the strands together, so that you cannot see the board beneath. Wrap and shape the yarn as you go, trimming the lengths where needed. Pat down any areas of the yarn painting that protrude with your finger. After the shape is filled in, move on to the next adjacent shape.

8. Once you have completed your shapes, outline each with a different colored yarn strand.

9. Repeat the outline one more time with a different color to bring vibrancy to your painting. Then, repeat steps 5 – 8 with the next shapes.

10. When all of your major designs are completed and outlined with yarn, choose a background color that will match and not overpower the color of your subject. 

Valentine Clay Hearts
An easy way to send some love to your Valentine
By Jennifer Ishimatsu, Nevada Museum of Art

Create colorful clay heart ornaments to exchange on Valentine’s Day. Use air-dry clay and found objects, such as shells and pinecones, to make imprints that give your hearts a wonderful texture. Add a personal touch by inscribing the recipient’s name on a heart.

Materials:
Air-dry clay (can be purchased at craft/art stores or ordered online)
Heart-shaped cookie cutter
Found textured objects (pine cone, the bottom of a shoe, a textured barrette, etc.) 
Tools for working with clay (or household tools like a fork, spoon, butter knife, chopstick, toothpick)
Ribbon or yarn
Scissors
Watercolor set
Soft brushes
Cup for water
Paper towel for drying brush

Project Steps:

1. Working on a flat surface (covered with a layer of paper or plastic), cut a ¼-inch thick section of clay. If the slab is thick, use a rolling pin to flatten it. Cut several hearts from the clay using a cookie cutter or clay tool/butter knife. Make sure to tightly wrap any unused clay in a plastic bag so that it doesn’t dry out.

2. Imprint textures on the front and back of the clay hearts with your found objects. 

3. Using a toothpick, write the name of the person you are giving the heart to or a traditional Valentine’s phrase like “Be Mine” or “Sweet.”

4. At the top of each heart, punch a hole with the end of a chopstick that’s large enough to accommodate a ribbon. 

5. Mix a few appealing colors on your palette, adding just a small amount of water so that the paint is thick. Also, too much water can cause the clay to crack. Paint solid colors, stripes, a gradation from one color to another or multiple colors. Keep brushing to a minimum.

6. Let the hearts dry indoors for a day or two. Avoid drying them outdoors where there temperatures vary, because that may lead to cracking. When dry, string ribbon or yarn through the holes in the hearts.

Make Your Own Holiday Cards
By Jennifer Ishimatsu, Nevada Museum of Art

Why not avoid pre-packaged cards and send a personalized message by creating your own printed cards? Using printmaking ink and common household objects allows you to make beautifully patterned, handmade greeting cards. Why not share the idea and throw a card printing party?

Materials:
Decorative papers
Objects that have a variety of attractive shapes, such as wine corks, scraps of cardboard, craft foam, leaves, etc.
Water-based block printmaking ink in one or more colors (metallics such as gold and silver are attractive and festive)
Plexiglas (or smooth plastic board) to use as an ink station
Brayer (a hand roller used in printmaking) or small paintbrush
Newspaper
Paper towels
Paper cutter or scissors

Project Steps:
1. Work on a table covered with newspaper. Be close to a sink and have paper towels handy; you may want to wash your hands often to keep your cards clean.

2. Cut the paper into the size you’d like your cards to be. Choose a color that will contrast with the color of ink that you select. Trim your cards slightly smaller than the envelopes for ease of fit.

3. Visualize a pattern, considering the negative space between each stamp. Select objects that have attractive shapes – squares, ovals, teardrops, hexagons, etc. You can also create your own shapes by cutting cardboard or craft foam.

4. Place a quarter-sized dollop of ink on the Plexiglas and roll the brayer (or paintbrush) through the ink until it is evenly distributed on the brayer. Ink one side of the object with the brayer then stamp the front of your card with it. Ink the object after each use.

5. Try printing with a fresh leaf, inking the textured side (where the veins protrude) using a brayer. Lay the leaf on a card. Place a clean sheet of paper on top of the leaf. Use the fleshy side of your fist to rub over the leaf firmly so its imprint will transfer to the card. Remove the paper backing and slowly peel off the leaf to view the print.

6. Let your inked cards completely dry – at least two days. When dry, they are ready to be addressed and mailed.