Recreating nature, and chasing summertime boredom away Nature
printing using a leaf. (Cultivating Life / June 29, 2012)
Projects that can entertain kids are worth their weight in gold.
(By kids, I am referring to children under the age of 13. If you
have teenagers at home for the summer, may God help you, because
I can't.) Keeping younger kids entertained can be fun; all you
need is the right tools and some imagination. One of my favorite
projects with kids is nature printing, preserving the ephemeral
beauty of nature. An old and distinguished artform perhaps
inspired by fossils, nature printing dates back at least as far
as Leonardo da Vinci. Nature printing is inexpensive and has
limitless possibilities. Prints can be created by applying paint
to leaves, flowers, fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, shells,
feathers, fish and even spider webs. It is a kid-friendly art
project that you can do easily at home. Here's a tip from my
household to yours: Hide the family dog before the painting
begins. A dozen collected