Hands On Crafts for Kids

Back to Basics
Series 1000 – Program Notes

Its Back to Basics on this 10th anniversary series of Hands On. Each show is packed with lots of projects, each with five steps and five ingredients and featuring a Basic Theme like patterns or letters. Also included on each show is a basic how – to lesson on a favorite craft or craft material, like scrapbooking or clay or even wood. Each show also includes another basic - a painting lesson: from choosing paint - to preparing the surface. Remember – be creative and get back to basics with Hands On.

1001 Shapes
From Rectangles to circles, our projects feature basic shapes and seeing those shapes in other things. The first project is a shape flower – basic shapes make up giant flowers arranged in a clay pot. Then we’ll have a basic lesson on clay with our guest Linda Peterson. Next Prudy Vannier of the Society of Decorative Painters has our first painting lesson - today is all about choosing a surface. Then Linda is back to teach us how to make animals – it’s all about shapes of course. Then our last project is a triangle tessellation block – that’s a repeating pattern that would continue forever without overlapping or leaving any gaps.

1002 Patterns
Patterns are formed by repeating the same elements in a recognizable order. On today’s show we’ll be making a patterned frame featuring shapes and color. Then its our basic lesson on plastic lacing with Mary Slivinski – you can braid it twist, tie it and so much more. Then it’s our painting lesson with Prudy Vannier - we’re prepping wood today. Then Mary is back with a back pack tag featuring our basic lesson. Last up it’s another pattern project – we’re making paper bead jewelry.

1003 Calendars
Calendars are a system of organizing units of time for the purpose of reckoning time over a period. Most are based on cycles of astronomy: days (based on the rotation of the Earth on its axis), the year (based on the revolution of the Earth around the Sun), and the month (based on the revolution of the Moon around the Earth). First up we have a perpetual calendar – it can be adjusted whatever the day. Next we’ve replaced our basic craft with an extended painting lesson with Prudy Vannier. We’re talking about the basic tools and choosing the right paint brush. Then it’s a sun calendar that rotates to the correct day. Last, it’s equal time for the moon and a calendar of the moon phases including a planting guide.

1004 Weather
Rain or shine, warm or cold; weather is the state of the atmosphere at a given time and place with regard to temperature, air pressure, wind, humidity or moisture in the air, cloudiness, and precipitation or rain or snow. Our first project is about wind, we’ve got a windsock that will look great on even the windiest day. Then it’s our basic lesson – when the cold winds blow – you’ll want a warm scarf. Kathleen Sams is here with the basics of knitting. Next, it’s Prudy and the different types of paint.Then Kathleen is back with a project featuring what you’ve learned in our knitting basics. Last up we’re making weather tiles – one for each season of the year.

1005 Art Forms
Many different types of art forms exist – in fact just about any material can be used in creating a work of art. First up we’ve got a very unique project, it features glow in the dark clay and paint – but it’s not used in the usual way – we’re creating a lava lamp. Then it’s our basic lesson – our guest is Tracia Williams and her daughter Sydney – they’ve got the basics of jewelry. Then on painting basics, Prudy shows us how to transfer a pattern. Tracia and Sydney return with a jewelry project where beads become an art form. Last up we have a new medium to show you – it’s a unique moldable material for 3 dimensional art.

1006 Letters
Letters can be used to form words, a monogram, a name or as a shape all by themselves. Sometimes it’s fun to look at something you see every day in a new way and that’s what we did today on Hands On. First is a stained glass project - at first glance you might wonder where are the letters – but you’ll see. Then it’s all about cutting with Melanie Bauer on today’s basic lesson – there really is a right and wrong way to cut. Prudy’s painting lesson is painting on fabric. Then Melanie is back with a cutting project featuring letters. Last up, Tracia and Sydney are back with a backpack tag featuring your name.

1007 Family History
What’s the first question most people ask? What’s your name – your last name is your family name – we share the same name as our parents, grandparents, and aunts uncles and cousins. On today’s show we thought we’d feature family history and ways of preserving that history. We start out with family blocks and also show how to make a sign for your room or locker with your name. Then its today’s basic lesson – with today’s theme we thought it was a good time to introduce scrapbooking. Then we have a family tree page and a family fun page. Prudy’s painting lesson is all about basic painting strokes. Last up it’s a mini album featuring your family.

1008 Time
Time can be measured in seconds, minutes, hours or days. First, time can seem so long - how many days until the party – or until my birthday – we’ve got a chart to make the days fly by. Then its today’s basic – Kathleen Sams returns with the basics of crochet. Then it’s a painting lesson with Prudy – shading and highlighting – how to create depth. Then Kathleen is back with a feature project using yarn to crochet. Last up – a time program wouldn’t be complete without a clock.

1009 Paper Collage
There are a few products that come from trees – mainly paper and wood. Along with these materials is our feature technique – collage. Collage is created by cutting or tearing materials and pasting them onto a painted or unpainted surface. The art of collage was initiated in 1912 by Picasso. Our first collage is a letter tin using mostly paper. Then it’s today’s basic lesson – where we feature wood. Next it’s Prudy and finishing techniques. And finally it’s a different look at paper collage and a little bit of wood too.

1010 Symmetry
Our topic today is symmetry – that means that one side or half of an image is exactly the same as the other or appears to be a reflection or mirror of the other half. Our first project is a butterfly card that’s perfectly symmetrical. Next it’s a basic lesson on air dry clay with Gail Ritchie. Prudy’s painting lesson is working with stains on wood. Then our clay expert Gail returns with a great symmetrical project. Last up symmetry is illustrated perfectly with a jewelry project with Tracia and Sydney Williams.

1011 National Symbols
Patriotism is always in style and today on Hands On we look at some national symbols and how they became a symbol. First up it’s the American eagle and a very unique way to tie dye. Our basic lesson is all about how to work with Styrofoam. Then its lesson 11 with Prudy as we learn how to transfer patterns along with floating and blending brush strokes. Next it’s a feature project using Styrofoam – coincidentally we chose the elephant: a symbol of one of our political parties. Last up, it’s a turkey/eagle favor – and an interesting story about our national bird.

1012 Music
As our first project we’ve taken musical notes and the musical staff and made them into a sun catcher. Then its craft basics and a lesson on glue from Prudy – the right adhesive with the right material. Next we’ll be making colorful maracas. Then Prudy returns with a painting lesson on faux finishes – they’re popular on small items and on walls too. Last it’s a door harp featuring bells.

1013 3 Dimensional Art
3D means that an object has 3 dimensions – a line has one dimension – length – a rectangle has 2 dimensions length and width but a cube has 3 dimensions: length, width and depth. So 3D Art has 3 dimensions. Our first project has 3 dimensions too. It’s string art done with wood and thread. We’ve got a perfect craft lesson for 3 D – we’re introducing papier mache and how to make it. Next is Prudy’s final painting lesson and how to use a color wheel. Then it’s a very fun 3D project. Wait until you see our modern papier mache version of Mr. Potato Head. Last it’s a 3D jewelry project with Tracia and Sydney Williams.