lissa318 Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 (edited) I posted before how I like to make non living gardens and today I finished a prickly pear garden with some cactus clippings (so somewhat living, lol) and random finds from our Florida trip. It will probably change a couple times before I'm done. I scattered seeds from a prickly pear fruit a couple inches under the sand in addition to the clippings on top. Hopefully between the two something will root and grow? There's bone, mammoth frags, petrified wood, teeth, turtle shell and other random things tossed in there. Will probably add more bone pieces after I sort through them all. Edited June 9, 2014 by lissa318 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lissa318 Posted June 9, 2014 Author Share Posted June 9, 2014 And also wanted to share this clay shark we made right before our trip. Noelle had fun pushing the worn and broken teeth in to decorate it and it turned out pretty cute I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lissa318 Posted June 9, 2014 Author Share Posted June 9, 2014 (edited) This is one of my previous non living gardens. Edited June 9, 2014 by lissa318 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jualhadun87 Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Very cool! Looks like something fun I can try doing with my daughter, we are always looking for ways to display/use our finds! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilized6s Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 Ha! I love that shark Lissa. Great job! ~Charlie~ "There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why.....i dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" ~RFK ->Get your Mosasaur print ->How to spot a fake Trilobite ->How to identify a CONCRETION from a DINOSAUR EGG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lissa318 Posted June 10, 2014 Author Share Posted June 10, 2014 Very cool! Looks like something fun I can try doing with my daughter, we are always looking for ways to display/use our finds! Ha! I love that shark Lissa. Great job!Thanks guys! I'm always trying to think of creative things to do. If you know of any please share! I've seen some pretty cool sharks done on posterboard with glued shark teeth. Member cowshark sent me a pic of one I'll have to share on here. My daughters only 4 so that much glue can turn sloppy real fast... lol. The clay worked awesome for her. I want to try a stingray but the tail would break too easily. Might have to attempt posterboard for that one unless I come up with something else. Melissa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lissa318 Posted June 10, 2014 Author Share Posted June 10, 2014 Here's the example Cowshark showed me. Pretty cool I think! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jualhadun87 Posted June 11, 2014 Share Posted June 11, 2014 My daughter is 3 so the idea of glue in anything other than stick form terrifies me, so I love the idea of the clay. I love finding ways to get her involved in the same things I enjoy and its nice to have some projects beyond just her rock collection and coloring books. Other than playdoh I haven't worked with clay much, is that a particular type? And did you just fire it in the oven? Thanks for the great ideas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lissa318 Posted June 11, 2014 Author Share Posted June 11, 2014 My daughter is 3 so the idea of glue in anything other than stick form terrifies me, so I love the idea of the clay. I love finding ways to get her involved in the same things I enjoy and its nice to have some projects beyond just her rock collection and coloring books. Other than playdoh I haven't worked with clay much, is that a particular type? And did you just fire it in the oven? Thanks for the great ideas! Crayola makes an air dry clay that is great for kids. This shark we did with the terra cotta color. Just be sure to do it on a hard plate or something so you can move it afterwards. It bends pretty easy until it starts to harden. And you dont want to make it too thin or it would break real easy. Another idea for you is get one of those stepping stone kits and have her stick some of her pretty rocks, excess fossils, shells or whatever she wants in it. She could push her little handprint into it as well. The molds are reusable and I think you can buy a bag of just the cement mix pretty cheap. I bought one for Noelle but we haven't done it yet. I'll post a pic on here after we do. Please feel free to add any pics of stuff you and your daughter on this topic as well. I'd enjoy seeing them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jualhadun87 Posted June 12, 2014 Share Posted June 12, 2014 I think I am going to hit up the local craft store tomorrow and pick some of that up and give it a try! I have been wanting to do one of those stepping stone kits in general just to get a foot/hand imprint, adding some fossils into it is a really great idea! She just getting to the point were she really enjoys those "dig" kits where you scrape, chisel and brush away a block of plaster to reveal a plastic dino skeleton or some mineral/fossil samples and that is about as close to a relevant "crafting" project we have gotten! Its nice to see kids enjoying the heck out of the same things we grew up passionate about: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lissa318 Posted June 14, 2014 Author Share Posted June 14, 2014 I think I am going to hit up the local craft store tomorrow and pick some of that up and give it a try! I have been wanting to do one of those stepping stone kits in general just to get a foot/hand imprint, adding some fossils into it is a really great idea! She just getting to the point were she really enjoys those "dig" kits where you scrape, chisel and brush away a block of plaster to reveal a plastic dino skeleton or some mineral/fossil samples and that is about as close to a relevant "crafting" project we have gotten! Its nice to see kids enjoying the heck out of the same things we grew up passionate about: 20140612_100127.jpg She is super cute! I absolutely love the picture. I have not tried one of those "dig" kits with Noelle yet? I will be getting one now... lol. Thanks for sharing that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 Great projects Lissa! Thanks for sharing! The more I learn, I realize the less I know. BluffCountryFossils.NET Fossil Adventure Blog Go to my Gallery for images of Fossil Jewelry, Sculpture & Crafts Pinned Posts: Beginner's Guide to Fossil Hunting * Geologic Formation Maps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev Posted June 18, 2014 Share Posted June 18, 2014 I started my granddaughter when she was 4 yo making simple wire wrap jewelry of her fossil finds. Those nimble little fingers and sharp eyes make beading easy for her - broken jewelry can be a great source for beads and finds. When she entered kindergarten she got lots of kudos for her knowledge of fossils and for her fossil jewelry that she made herself - really helped her self-esteem. Shark teeth are the simplest to make into jewelry. I love your idea of sand gardens. These can be a wonderful teaching tool on separating say gastropods from cephalopods, etc. Plus learning shape and colors. That in mind... What the children learn in the way of Latin from this hobby can really boost them when it comes to their ACT/SATs. "Pod" = foot "Gastro" = stomach - Gastropod is stomach in foot. "Ceph" = head Cephalopod is head in foot. And of course there is your own gastrointestinal tract. Hope there aren't too many misspellings here. PS The boys LOVE breaking rock! And an engraver is a pretty safe prepping tool to get them feeling competent with power tools - a girl's best friend... The more I learn, I realize the less I know. BluffCountryFossils.NET Fossil Adventure Blog Go to my Gallery for images of Fossil Jewelry, Sculpture & Crafts Pinned Posts: Beginner's Guide to Fossil Hunting * Geologic Formation Maps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lissa318 Posted June 24, 2014 Author Share Posted June 24, 2014 I started my granddaughter when she was 4 yo making simple wire wrap jewelry of her fossil finds. Those nimble little fingers and sharp eyes make beading easy for her - broken jewelry can be a great source for beads and finds. When she entered kindergarten she got lots of kudos for her knowledge of fossils and for her fossil jewelry that she made herself - really helped her self-esteem. Shark teeth are the simplest to make into jewelry. I love your idea of sand gardens. These can be a wonderful teaching tool on separating say gastropods from cephalopods, etc. Plus learning shape and colors. That in mind... What the children learn in the way of Latin from this hobby can really boost them when it comes to their ACT/SATs. "Pod" = foot "Gastro" = stomach - Gastropod is stomach in foot. "Ceph" = head Cephalopod is head in foot. And of course there is your own gastrointestinal tract. Hope there aren't too many misspellings here. PS The boys LOVE breaking rock! And an engraver is a pretty safe prepping tool to get them feeling competent with power tools - a girl's best friend... Great stuff Bev!!! Thanks for the comment. Love you're fossil garden as well btw! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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