soy crayon outline

 

Dan Phillips picture In this issue, you'llĀ discover some creative, developmentally-challenged artists who are helping the environment as they reuse materials to make beautiful mosaics, collages, and other art forms, and you'll find links to great resources in our Art and Reuse Web Sites' section.

We've added a Trash Matcher for the members' section. Now you can match trash with all the art activities found in the newsletters, the new Hawai'i section, Toys, Games, and Other Fun Stuff, and Holiday Art and Crafts.

You'll learn about crayons made from a plentiful, renewable farm crop, and to help you get a jump on your Christmas decorating, you'll see how easy it is to reuse a greeting card to make an ornament. Finally, take a shot at guessing how many T-shirts can be made from a 434-pound bale of soda bottles. The lucky winner will receive a cool prize.

What's In This Issue

Summer 2009

Art & Craft at Stone Belt

Stone Belt Art Example Founded in Bloomington, Indiana by members of nine families who were seeking educational opportunities for their school-age children, Stone Belt supports indiviiduals with developmental disabilities.

The organization, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, teaches life skills and provides vocational training. Stone Belt also offers residential programs and employment resources, all in an effort to help clients experience meaningful, independent lives.

A division of the organization, Stone Belt Arts, gives more than two dozen clients the chance to learn important skills related to making art and fine crafts and to develop careers as artists and artisans.

Some of the work created includes mixed media, mosaics, watercolors, cards, and woodworking, and much of the art is made from repurposed materials such as fabric, yarn, and wallpaper.

In addition to learning how to create a variety of art, the clients enjoy exhibiting their work in public places throughout south central Indiana. Oftentimes their art or fine crafts become permanent outdoor installations.

Stone Belt is located at 2815 East Tenth Street in Bloomington. Visit Stone Belt Art & Craft, and for more information about the organization, contact them at artandcraft@stonebelt.org or phone 812-332-2168.

Environmentally-friendly Crayons

Soybean photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of EnergyOver the years, you've probably supported your share of soybean farmers when you bought soy sauce, but did you know there are many environmentally-friendly products manufactured from this American food staple? They include adhesives, carpet, insulation, candles, yarn, lotions, hydraulic fluids, printing ink, and even crayons. Yes, crayons!

Invented in 1996 by some Purdue University students, the soybean crayon was the first new crayon to come along in 100 years. The one most commonly used today is a petroleum byproduct, but since drilling uses energy and petroleum is a finite resource, soybean crayons are preferable to the "old-fashioned" ones.

Soy Based CrayonsNon-toxic, brighter, and smoother, they flake less than the traditional art material, too. Another benefit is that they cost less, as just one bushel of soybeans can make more than 2,000 crayons. Sold under the Prang label, this environmentally-friendly art material is made by the Dixon Ticonderoga Company http://www.dixonusa.com/.

How To:

 

star patternClick on the star image to get a printable version of the star. Print the pattern on your printer, and cut it out. Place the front of a greeting card face down on your work area. Trace the star pattern onto the plain side of the card.

Make a mark in the center of the star, and use a ruler to draw a line from this point to the tip of each arm of the shape, as indicated by the dotted line on the pattern.

To pop up the star or to make it three-dimensional, it's necessary to slightly bend each arm. Scoring or drawing one blade of the scissors on each line you drew will make bending the cardstock much easier.

Lay the ruler on the line, and open the scissors so that you're using just one blade. Score the card, drawing the blade along each line. Cut out the star shape.

Turn the card over so that the front or patterned side is showing. To make the star three-dimensional, gently fold up the shape along the scored line.

Keeping the star in this “popped up” position, glue the shape to the other side of the card, and hold it in place for a short time. When dry, cut the star from the background paper.

Apply some silver or gold glitter to add more holiday sparkle to the decoration.

Tips and Tricks:

To make a hanging ornament, insert a loop of yarn or ribbon between the star shape and background cardstock before gluing.

Insert a long wire between the star shape and background paper to make a floral pick or an ornament that can be placed on your tree.

Make a garland by gluing lots of the shapes to a long piece of yarn or ribbon, leaving spaces between the stars.

Tracing around patternMarking the folding linesScoring the starCutting out the starMaking the folds on each point

All folds are madeGlueing the back of the starGlueing the star to the backingCutting out the star after dryingView of the glued on back3 Finished star examples

Leftovers: What's Your Guess?

plastic bale 434 poundsbirdhouse

Clothing is just one item that can be made by recycling plastic soda bottles.
What's your guesstimate about how many X-Large T-shirts can be manufactured from this 434-pound bale of bottles?
The Imagination Factory Member who is the first to submit a figure that's closest to the correct answer will win this cool birdhouse made of reused wood.
Submit your answer to kidatart@kid-at-art.com by September 21, 2009.

resource logo
by Marilyn J. Brackney

Newsletters Archived by Topic

The link above will allow access to dozens of Imagination Factory art activities and articles that appear in all newsletters.

world hands

trash truckMembers Only Area Trash Matchertrash

This table takes you to lessons in the member's only area that found in newsletters and revised lessons from the non-members area.

Aluminum foil
Folk Art Doll
Bead
God's Eye
Beads
Rod Puppet
Beads
Folk Art Doll
Bed sheet
Ball
Bicycle inner tube
Ball
Bicycle inner tube
Folk Art Doll
Button
God's Eye
Buttons
Rod Puppet
Candy box
Candy Box Guitar
Cardboard
Rod Puppet
Cardboard box
Sidewalk Chalk
Cardboard food package
Pop Art Book
Cardboard tube
Folk Art Doll
CD jewel case (standard size)
Photo Frame
CDs
Folk Art Doll
Chopsticks
Candy Box Guitar
Chopsticks
Rod Puppet
Coffee creamer containers
Hawaiian Musical Instrument
Coffee creamer containers (small)
Folk Art Doll
Color comics
Folk Art Doll
Construction paper scraps
Miniature Float
Corner molding
Candy Box Guitar
Crayon scraps
Crayon Cookies
Deli or margarine container
Candy Box Guitar
Deli or margarine container
Folk Art Doll
Deli or margarine container
Rod Puppet
Dowel rod scraps
Rod Puppet
Dryer lint
Dryer Lint Clay
Dryer lint
Folk Art Doll
Easter grass
Folk Art Doll
Egg carton
Mancala Game
Excelsior
Folk Art Doll
Excelsior
Rod Puppet
Fabric
Rod Puppet
Fabric scraps
Ball
Felt
Folk Art Doll
Felt scraps
Rod Puppet
Film canisters
Folk Art Doll
Foil, gold or aluminum
Miniature Float
Gift wrap scraps
Miniature Float
Glass bottle
Rod Puppet
Glass jar
Snow Globes
Greeting card
Greeting Card Star
Greeting card
Gift Box
Grocery bag, brown paper
Hawaiian Kapa Design
Hardback book
Book Safe
Jar lid or plastic container
God's Eye
Jar lid or small container
Book Safe
Jewelry (broken necklaces, etc.)
Maracas
Jewelry (broken necklaces, etc.)
Mancala Game
Jewelry (broken necklaces, etc.)
Folk Art Doll
Markers (permanent, dried)
Glue picture
Mat board Folk Art Doll
Mat board Tangram
Mat board (oval cut out) Easter Egg Picture
Mat board scrap Hawaiian Quilt Block
Mat board scrap Colored Glue Design
Mat board scraps Hawaiian Kapa Design
Newspaper color comics Rod Puppet
Newspapers Sidewalk Chalk
Newspapers Candy Box Guitar
Newspapers Rod Puppet
Newspapers Folk Art Doll
Newsprint Printmaking
Paper Doilies Christmas Card or Valentine
Paper towel tube Folk Art Doll
Paper towel tubes Mancala Game
Pen or Marker Caps Paint Brush
Phone book yellow pages Rod Puppet
Phone book yellow pages Folk Art Doll
Plastic bleach bottles Ball
Plastic container-large Sidewalk Chalk
Plastic deli lids, #6 Snow Globes
Plastic deli lids, #6 Shrink art
Plastic dessert cups Maracas
Plastic Easter egg Folk Art Doll
Plastic lids or flat containers, clear, #6 Shrink art
Plastic soda bottle-24 oz. Folk Art Doll
Plastic spoon Sidewalk Chalk
Polystyrene trays Lei
Polystyrene trays Hawaiian Kapa Design
Ribbon scraps Rod Puppet
Ribbon scraps Folk Art Doll
Rubber bands Candy Box Guitar
Rubber bands Ball
Rubber bands Tie Dye T-shirt
Rubber Bands Paint Brush
Rubber bands Book Safe
Satin Christmas ball ornament Rod Puppet
Sawdust Sawdust Clay
Scrap wood Folk Art Doll
Shoebox Miniature Float
String Lei
String Rod Puppet
T-shirt Tie Dye T-shirt
Tinkertoy rods God's Eye
Tinkertoy spool God's Eye
Tissue gift wrap Mancala Game
Tissue gift wrap Book Safe
Toilet paper tubes Sidewalk Chalk
Trash America Recycles Day Flag
Wood scraps Folk Art Doll
Wooden ice cream spoons Folk Art Doll
Wooden ice cream spoons Rod Puppet
Yarn Ball
Yarn God's Eye
Yarn Miniature Float
Yarn Rod Puppet
Yarn Folk Art Doll


Christmas in July Decorations


star The holiday season is many months away, but you can get a head start on creating decorations with this easy-to-make star ornament created from old greeting cards. Use them in place of bows on Christmas packages, too. Reusing cards in this way will give them a second life and keep them out of the landfill.

You Will Need: