Advent Calendar Day 8: Star

The other day, I shared the beautiful paper chain Christmas tree the LSAs at school had made me.  What I was saving for today was that they also made me a paper star! Our whole building is adorned with them.

What I didn't realise was how really easy they are to make! One of them showed me how to make them one lunchtime and they really are simple but how effective!

I

I looked on Youtube to find the tutorial she had used to make them. We didn't bother doing the measuring part, we just did it with our eyes and we also used Prittstick rather than PVA glue.

You too can make one!

Have you made one of these before and do you have any other easy but effective-looking decorations to share?

xx

This is Day 8 of my Advent Calendar with Julie at KC's Court

A rather nifty QUOTE Craft idea avec tutorial

I mentioned a little while back, that I am none so keen on those inspirational quotes. Please note, I am talking about those saccharine ones that make me feel a little nauseous when I read them. You know, "Friends are like a pot of gold,"

That hasn't changed, but every so often, there is a book quote or a TV film quote that I love.

The latest of these was a Clara Oswald quote from Hell bent, the last Doctor Who episode of series 9.

"You said memories become stories when we forget them.

Maybe some of them become songs."

I really liked this quote. Firstly, it was said by my favourite character- we know I love Clara!  Secondly, it's a musical quote! 

Thirdly, it involves stories.

I thought it would be lovely if I could make a little brooch containing this quote. Note, I was going to give it a hole at the top so it could also be a pendant but I forgot!

If you had a quote you wanted to make into a brooch, a quote you really valued and wanted to carry with you,  here's my idea for doing it. Use this especially if you aren't so confident at drawing.

1. Find your quote.

2.  Find a picture you'd like to superimpose it over.

3.  Save the picture to your computer.

(If you want to change the colouring on it- paste it into an editing program.  I actually just used M.S. Publisher, recoloured it so it was very faded and then saved it as a Jpeg, NOT a publisher document.

4.  Go to www.Picmonkey.com 

5. Click on Edit and open the picture you've saved.

6.  Click on 'Add text' and then select the font of your choice and type in your quote.

7.  Position it and resize it so it is laid over your quote in a way you are happy.

8.  Add a frame if you want- I added a rounded frame.

9.  Add any overlays or little images you want- I added a treble clef and quavers.

10.  Save it.

11.  Open publisher and resize to how big you want.  Remember shrink plastic makes things 7 times smaller.

11. Print and lay a piece of shrink plastic over it.  Masking tape it down.

12.  Use colouring pencils over the top to colour your background image.  I did my TARDIS in normal pencils and my white background in a water colour pencil. Please note, I am STILL not happy with my white pencil colouring- it seems to be rather grainy. 

13.  Use a permanent ink pen to write over your quote to make it stand out.   I use a very fine-tipped Pilot pen. I asked in a stationery shop about what was most like a very thin sharpie.

14.  Shrink it in the oven.

15. Add a brooch back.

And that's it.

I am not totally happy with my white background but if you can find a coloured background you are happy with with a good colouring implement, cling onto it with all you can!!!

It's pretty unique, I haven't seen anyone use this Clara quote on any memorabilia yet, so I feel rather chuffed!

Linking to Creative Mondays with Claire Justine and Brilliant Blog posts with Vicky

What do you think?

Speaking of quotes I love, I found an old diary of mine from 2004 in which I used to write any quotes I loved- this is a classic Terry Pratchett which you will only get if you are a long-suffering viola player or an evil instrumentalist who mocks viola-players!!

Having just chucked this diary out, I am slightly wishing I hadn't- Ang, you were right, don't ruthlessly chuck things out!

xxx

P.P.S.

Here is a jpeg of my Clara quote if anyone wanted it...

PIzza Base Giant snowflakes begin their 'rain' of terror!

As usual,here's my waffly preamble to the main point. Ignore as you please or read along!

I had my first teaching observation of the year today. We get them every term.  It doesn't matter how many times you are observed, there are so many unknowns with teaching children- rain, wind, problems at home, arguments and conflict from lunchtime/playtime in the playground, you never know how they will react.  Luckily for me, I have my darling year 6 class who I have been observed with once every year since year 2- they even cheer now when I tell them they are going to be observed because they know they impress people.  They've had a consistent record of making Outstanding progress and that has SO much to do with their own motivation and skills rather than my teaching.  Today was no exception- they are so motivated in music and they worked hard, thought hard and did really well, thus making 'outstanding progress'.  Phew!  They do know they are my favourite class though- which I think helps as they want to please me! It makes me really sad that they will leave at the end of this year because I have already taught them for 7 years and it will be 8 years at the end of this year- that's probably longer than any other teacher in their life will consistently teach them for.  I've taught them for almost a quarter of my OWN life!! That's a bit scary!!!!

So, I like to recycle things to make art.  I've despaired over what to do with those polystyrene Pizza bases for years- I have one idea which I haven't tried yet. This week, as we had bought 3 pizzas, we had three bases and I decided that I would like to put some giant snowflakes up, hanging from the ceiling in the music room.

So...
1. Find pizza bases
2.  Fetch craft/stanley knife, metal ruler and cutting mat.
3.  Draw a dot in the centre and draw 6 equally-spaced lines radiating from the centre.  Then draw snowflake shapes around these.
4.  Cut around these using a craft knife and ruler.

I should warn you, the polystyrene did NOT take kindly to being cut and flaked off unevenly where I cut. I almost gave up.CBC laughed and said to bin it when he heard me whinging from the kitchen but when he came out, he said,"No, keep going, it looks good all flaky, like snow really is!"

So I did.

 And here is the finished article!

 Not so bad from a distance.

 Slightly ropey up close....

 But when I hang them from the music room ceiling, I am sure that they will be great!

Linking to Creative Mondays with Claire Justine and Brilliant Blogposts with Honest Mum.

P.S.
Shameless plug for my Lady V London Hall of Fame entry.
In case, you missed it, I have entered Lady Vintage's Hall of Fame photo competition with my outfit and I would be SO grateful if you liked my outfit out of those who have entered enough to give it a like on Facebook.   If your husband, boyfriend, cat, dog or significant other felt so inclined to take a look too, (like a few have!), I would be very grateful!
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.864013323713000.1073741877.144939495620390&type=1&l=8c4891a181

I'm up to 151 likes BUT the lady who is in the lead is always ahead of me by 30 at least!!!  She deserves to win as she looks beautiful, I doubt I can win, but it's worth a try to keep going trying to add the odd vote or two from you and others! Thank you so far for your help! I really appreciate it and I don't deserve your kindness!