Make a Mosaic Pen and Pencil Pot As a Gift For Mom or Dad
Posted: Wednesday, September 21, 2011
by The Old Gray Mare
www.DressYourHorse.com
I believe in teaching the young child to make gifts for special occasions from an early age. With my own kids and then the grandchildren, we’d start with simple cards and progress to other projects as the kids got older.
I’d like to share with you a simple project that is creative, easy to make, and useful. It is colorful and fun – let the child’s imagination go into overdrive as he or she thinks of color combinations or designs.
Newspaper (could also use wax paper, butcher paper)
Broken pottery, buttons, glass marbles or half glass orbs, shells, beads
Ceramic tile grout, premixed and unsanded
Plastic knife
Terra cotta pot – not too large
Craft felt or cork sheet
Sponge
Water
I you plan to incorporate some broken plates into the project, place one at a time into a plastic bag. Close tightly. Place a towel over the bag for cushioning the blows. Using a hammer, simply break the plates/pottery. Gather the pieces into a bowl. Some of these pieces can cut a finger so supervised caution is extremely important.
Far left - a child-made pot. The child was 7 and made the entire pot from start to finish. Made with stained glass pieces.
Left - daisy pot made with stained glass. Painted rim. This pot was made from start to finish by a 13 year old. Made with stained glass pieces.
Now you and the child are ready to get creative:
Spread out the newspaper in thick layers on the work area for protection. As you look over the broken pottery, remove any that are too sharp-edged for the child or plan on placing them yourself.
Start the project by covering a small area of the pot with a thick layer of the prepared grout using the plastic knife. Press pieces of pottery, buttons, shells or mosaic pieces into the still-wet grout. Use the open time of the grout to rearrange the pieces, move them together, adjust them, or secure them by pushing on them.
Have the child look closely at his handiwork as the project progresses and make any necessary adjustments. If he is satisfied with his designs, and the pieces and embellishments are securely in place, add a bit more grout into areas that need it, leveling but not covering the pieces.
Permit the grout to mostly dry (but do not let sit too long). Dampen the sponge and wipe off the excessive grout or grout film. Wipe until the piece is clean.
Allow to dry thoroughly. If you can find a small piece of cork, cut it to fit the bottom of the pot. You could also use felt. Then place some felt into the pot itself to cushion the pens and pencils or desk accessories.
This project is always a huge surprise. The amazing thing is what children are able to create.
The Old Gray Mare writes for www.DressYourHorse.com and her Blog sites.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)This is a great project, and I'm not as creative in this area, but love the results. I took a pottery class in college, and learned to throw a few pots, that was great.
I want to say how much I loved your website; www.BeautyOfHorses.com.
When I was an older teen, my friend Cheryl and I used to go to the stables, and rent horses to ride in PA. I'd just moved to the area, and we had the most fun. Later, I moved to Albequerque, NC, and loved to watch the cowboys rope and ride, and a different friend had a barrel horse, so I rode some there too. I particularly love 'the paint" horse.
We had someone, who boarded a horse for free, when we had the small farm, but I did not like the way things were kept. We are in a condo now.
Later in life, there were three car accidents within 90 days, where I was hit while minding my own business, and received a serious back injury. I told that to tell this, that I had two loves in sports, one was horseback riding and snow skiing. So when the doctor told me there were two things I would never do again, it was those two. Some things in life you just have to accept. Needless to say, walking, is now my best sport...lol
I also went to the www.dressyourhorse.com website, and it was a hoot...loved the flag cover! You write superbly.
The poetry was great on your website, and "A Million Wild Horses" really was one of the best poems I have read in a long time, so glad you posted it. I love watching those wild horse specials, and would like to go out west, and see some in person. I saw only ranch horses, while in NM. That is only one of the things we need to preserve for the future, although there are so many others.
Thanks for providing your link, and I will add it to my links at my website.Elle, Your comments are wonderful both regarding my website and telling me something about you. It saddens me that the car accidents caused the back injury that stopped your enjoyment of riding and skiing. I was thinking that it doesn't completely have to stop your fun with horses, especially the little horses. I have the two small guys. One would not be suitable since he's a bit of a character and strong willed. But the other one is the sweetest little horse on four legs - he is kind and gentle and my granddaughter has been handling him all along. You can drive them.
I'm glad you like the sites. I'd be happy to link to your website too.
With the way they are eradicating the wild horses, I'd try to see some wild ones sooner than later - before they're completely rounded up. Times are tough for many species these days.
So happy to meet up on SW. Appreciate the visit and will check out your writing too.
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