During Erin’s recent extended visit (she’s headed back home today), we spent lots of time up north at the lake. (It warms my heart to hear her refer to the cabin as her “happy place” . . . despite all the complaining she did as a teenager about going there. . . ). In two separate trips up north, each lasting several days, we encountered . . . well . . . not very nice weather. (Like . . . we were wearing my wool sweaters and socks the whole time.)
But that’s okay. We made the best of things . . . AND “made” some memories while we were at it. As in . . . I had packed some air-dry clay, so we could capture some actual “cabin-memories” in clay while we were there.
We collected a bunch of stuff . . . objects . . . reminders . . . of our time up north. Ferns. Fish hooks. Acorns. Grasses. Oxeye daisies. Sticks. Leaves. Snail shells. Rocks. Then we cut out “amulet” shapes from the clay, and “impressed” those shapes with our “reminders” of being up north.
This week (back home in hot Kalamazoo), the clay was dry, and it was time to get out the paints!
I’m planning to use my up north amulets to create a mobile I can hang at the cabin. Erin . . . hasn’t decided what she’ll do with hers yet. But she’s excited to take them back to California as a reminder of happy times . . . throughout her childhood and now, visiting from far away.
It was a fun project for us to do together — and a great way for us to “make” some memories!
==========
How about you? What are you making this week?
I have not thought about air-dry clay in eons! (I am pretty sure I have a Mother’s Day Hand Print in the shape of a heart with Sam’s hand in… thanks to a wildly creative Kindergarten teacher!) What a great idea for a fun summer craft idea! (and I love that the cottage is Erin’s Happy Place!) Sometimes the best memories are made on cool, rainy days. XO
These are really lovely and I think you’ve found the perfect “recipe” for making memories: simple, fun, personal, and made with someone you love!
What a great idea. Aside from knitting I am not that crafty. But I do like clay. I will probably make good use of your link.
I don’t know what it is about this post that made me cry. (What the heck??). But here I am. (Actually, I do know. It’s the ‘happy place’ after ‘all the complaining she did as a teenager about going there…’ and the two of you ‘making’ together… Well, it taps a whole lot of ‘familiar.’ A whole lot.)
What beautiful time you got to spend…in a special place…making those amulets together!
Don’t you just love completing something that wonderful, start to finish, without a ton of time and fiddliness invested? Happiness.
Those will make a very cute mobile. I think that one yellow one looks like a little chick.
What a great idea! It’s so fun to do something like that together. I don’t think I even knew there was something called air-dry clay. Hmmm…. (Nona’s thinking)!!
Great idea! What kind of paint do you use?
Oh I love these! What a fun project – and fun to do it with Erin!! A mobile is a perfect idea.
What a great project and so nice that you and Erin could make the amulets together!
Everything about this is perfect!! xo
Of course I love everything about this project! and I’m putting it in my file for making with the boys. One question – what kind of paint do you use?
I love this – what a fun way to spend time together and create something lasting, too!
What a wonderful idea! I love the mobile idea, and how Erin will have a physical reminder of her visit.