Craft Challenge 2013 - Something for Outdoors: A Budget Weather Mobile

How's it going with you all? I have just started back at German school, and have resumed wedding planning after a few days off. I do not know where the last four weeks have disappeared to, but I was pleased to just put everything to one side for this month's craft challenge. Now I don't have a garden, so my outdoors craft is in a temporary position in a local park. I am going to leave it up for a couple of days for people to enjoy then take it down so it isn't classed as littering or graffiti. I love it when I come across some unexpected urban craft; particularly the yarn bombing you see all over the world nowadays. There are some common courtesies to follow, however when doing this kind of craft. Where possible get permission for your display, make sure it isn't permanent and that it won't do any lasting damage to the area and also make sure you don't leave it there to rot and become an eyesore.

I decided I wanted to make a budget outdoors craft as it was not meant to be permanent. With that in mind this project was easily under 2 bucks to make. Let me introduce you to my craft this month:

To make this you just need some plastic wallets in the colour of your choice, clear thread, a needle, scissors, drinking straws a bead or washer and string. The plastic wallets only cost 35 cents each, so I bought three colours.

 

Firstly, take the white file dividers out of the folder. Punch a hole in the centre of both (leaving the two existing ones for your straws. If your straws have bendy ends, snip these off now. Thread the straw through the two end holes of the file divider. Do this again with the other straw, but before threading the second hole, place the file divider through the first one, moving the straw underneath. Secure carefully. There is no need to balance the top out just yet.

 To secure the paper together, I used gift string and a washer. I threaded the string through the washer and tied a knot. I then threaded the string through both of the white file dividers in order to create a cross. You then need to make a cross by taking the gift thread and passing it through the white holes four times to secure each corner. At this point you will have a much sturdier axis to start hanging things. Cut the shapes out of the plastic wallets. I love these as the colour is on both sides. I choose weather as a theme. I hung the axis from a curtain pole before I started to make the mobile. It's easier to assemble and balance whilst hanging. I sewed the clear thread onto the shapes, making sure I knotted the ends carefully. Once finished I used the needle to sew the thread through the straw, before deciding on the drop height and tying the end of securely.

Once finished, take to an open space and hang up. Remember to have scissors with you!

Making a mobile, even a cost effective one, can take quite a bit of time to do, but is so much fun to experiment with. 

If you have an awesome idea for an outdoor craft, don't forget you will be able to link-up to our Craft Challenge party at the end of the month. Pop back next week to see what project PJ came up with and then the following week we welcome Anja back with hers.

Until then....I hope to post soon...even if it's just an update of the wedding plans.