Fun Fall Project - Moody Pumpkins!

Thanks to Lenka and Asia from Forest Fairy Crafts for this fun family fall craft! Click HERE to download the pdf tutorial.

Decorating for autumn is a favorite activity in our home.  We rush to the cobweb-draped aisles in every store. This bat to hang from the ceiling?  Or that ghost?

 

Our favorite spooky goodies, though, are the ones we made ourselves over the years.  My daughter's felt pet spider. Flower fairy witches.  And now our pumpkins.

 

My Forest Fairy Crafts partner, Asia, created these little charmers.  The pumpkins are fun to make and even more fun for creative play.  Their mouth has a loose stitch so children can switch the pumpkin's mood from happy to sad to confused.  

After we made the pumpkins just for the fun of it, I found another valuable use for our pumpkins.  I teach kindergarten and first grade.  This time of year, I see how children struggle to express themselves when they get upset, sad, or worried.  Words can be hard to find.  The pumpkins will be a great tool for any child who needs a safe way to communicate without saying a word.  I hope to make one with every student in my class that they can keep in a pocket or on their desk so when they are overwhelmed with emotions, the pumpkin can help share how they are feeling.

That's what I call a great pumpkin :)

Happy crafting!

Lenka

Click HERE to download the pdf tutorial! 

Fun and Easy End-of-Summer Craft: Honey Bunny Gnome (Tutorial)

by Lenka Vodicka of Forest Fairy Crafts

Late summer is all about the county fair in our town.  We're in the country, and our fair is under giant pine trees with local charities selling food along Treat Street.  Children enter their paintings, poems, and even Ugly Cakes.  Last year my daughter, Anika, won Best of Show for her Ugliest Cake, but that's another story.  Every year we visit the cows and pigs, goats and rabbits, and every year my daughter wants an animal of her own in the fair. Last summer, we decided that a bunny would be a great family pet. We joined 4H so she could learn about caring for a rabbit and we welcomed a soft mini-rex rabbit to our home.  Anika named him Pumpkin. Pumpkin stayed at the fair this year.  A highlight of his visit was the Rabbit Costume Contest.  Anika sewed a hat and we designed a wizard cape together and he won a Blue Ribbon for Most Enchanting.  I also helped the local yarn store with their knitting demonstrations at the fair. What could I create to remember Pumpkin's debut at the fair?  A bunny gnome, of course. The pattern for the Bunny Gnome is quick and fun.  As an added bonus, the little heart inspired Anika to bring the gnome along to her first day of school.  He stayed in her backpack as a reminder of the fun of summer.  And the memories we made together. Enjoy!  Please email me (Lenka) if you have any questions or get stuck at lenka@forestfairycrafts.com.

Download the Bunny Gnome tutorial by clicking here!