Thursday, August 26, 2010

Ballerina Mobile

Super Easy Child’s Room Mobile Decoration

August 26, 2010
By Tina Wilson
To make the mobile:
10 fluffy chenille stems
organza type wired edge ribbon in colors of choice (I chose pale blue and pink)
bead garland or other glittery type garland (I used about 24 inches of a tiny plastic flower garland in silver color)
small fabric quilted heart (or other embellishment of your choice that has a little “weight” to it/this will help to allow your mobile to hang better)
fabric ribbon (I used a harlequin print pink and brown colored ribbon)
6 small plastic ballerina cupcake toppers (available from:www.layercakeshop.com) (I used 3 of each pink and blue)
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To create this simple child’s room decor you do not need glue or sewing skills. You just simply need to know how to create a bow and to twist wire, and to tie knots.
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Take 3 of the chenille stems and create a circle. Twist the ends of each chenille stems together.
Take 6 chenille stems and place them evenly around the circle. At these evenly spaced points twist the chenille stems around your circle. 3 small twists will secure. Now point these 6 chenille stems upward into a “tent” shape. Gather them all together in a point.
Fold the sharp edges over. Take your last chenille stem and form into a hook shape on one end. Use the excess to wrap around your 6 gathered stems. Wrap tightly.
Create a large decorative bow from your fabric ribbon(not the organza type, but the thicker solid ribbon) Before tying the bow to the top of your mobile slide a few strands of decorative glittered garland in between the bow(about 12 inch length/2 strands). Finish attaching to the top near the hook by making a knot. Your  glittery garland will be secured by the knot you tie.
From the hook area also tie a long piece of organza ribbon(about 18 inches long) hanging down from the center of the mobile(tie in a knot). This will be what you attach the fabric heart or other center embellishment with.
Attach the heart or other center embellishment to the length of ribbon that hangs from the center of your mobile. Tie with a knot. Right at this knot, attach a pretty ribbon bow. Again secure by knotting the bow onto the ribbon hanging down.
Cut 6 lengths of organza wired ribbon (about 10 inches long) Tie ribbon in a knot around the waist of each of the ballerina figures.
Attach  the ballerinas to the mobile by tying with knots at evenly spaced intervals around the chenille ring.
Where each ballerina’s holding ribbon is attached to the chenille ring tie little blue organza wired bows . Trim bow ends.
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***This can be changed to be used for a boy’s room by using green or blue chenille stems or another favorite color chenille stem and using such items as tiny plastic dinosaurs or other fun plastic figures. Be creative and have fun! No limit to the types of little plastic items you can use to create a fun mobile.
*** As with any item that has small parts keep away from small children. Not recommended for a baby or children who have a tendency to put items in their mouths.***

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Visiting ! Carnaval! display in Ocala, FL

Today I convinced my mother in law and my oldest daughter to join me for a visit to ! Carnaval! an exhibit organized by the Museum of International Folk Art and toured by NEH on the Road. This display was being shown at the Webber Center  Gallery in Ocala, Florida from June 17th-August 11th. After it leaves Ocala, FL it will then be displayed in Indianapolis. So to get a chance to see it was a privilege…I feel anyhow.
New Orleans,USA Mardi Gras mask
A mask from Mexico
Anyhow, I managed to get some really nice photos of the masks from around the world that depict how the pre-Lenten Mardi-Gras type festivals  are  celebrated. Yes! they allowed photos! I was so excited.
I hope you enjoy them.
A simple Italian mask
The masks are from Spain, Italy, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, USA, and Switzerland, and a few other places that unfortunately I forgot. Anyhow, my favorite masks were the fancy jeweled one from Spain (green feathers and jewels), and the bird man from Spain(black plague dr’s mask) and the mask that looks like the phantom of the opera, as well as the green lady from Switzerland(green hair), and the metal sculpted one from Mexico (dragon eyes and snake heads).
An elaborately jeweled mask from Spain
Carnival, Carnevale, Fassnacht, Entroido- the annual pre-Lenten festival most people in the United States know as “Mardi Gras” is celebrated throughout Europe and the Americas.
This mask depicts a dr's mask from the time of the Black Plague. Mask from Italy
a Mask from Italy
Many of today’s Carnival activities are not necessarily religious, but the “feast before famine” excess is still deeply rooted in its litugurical origins.
Different cultures have different words for “Carnival” or the pre-Lenten festivities.
Tlaxcala, Mexico mask
detail on Tlaxcala, Mexico mask
A mask from Mexico
Italians refer to it as “Carnevale” meaning “flesh farewell”, and the Spanish and Portugese refer to it as “Carnaval”, and the English call it “Carnival”… The Swiss-German peoples refer to it as “Fasnacht” or Night before fasting, and the French  call it “Mardi Gras” or “Fat Tuesday”.
Mask from Switzerland/Fasnacht celebration
Elaborate details on mask from Spain
No matter how the different cultures celebrate this event, one thing was for certain…the masks were all elaborate and colorful and unique. “Carnival” is all about turning the regular order upside down. What better way of doing so than donning a mask and parading through the streets as someone else?
Spanish masks