Tipi and Buffalo (our crafting projects!)

 I could have subtitled this, the theatre taught me nothing!

 So for this topic, where we were focusing on oral storytelling, we decided to make a  tipi to sit in and use as a storytelling and listening den.  We have a conservatory. which is still chilly at this time of year but it does have a small heater, perfect.

 Sewing was out, I looked at numerous patterns and decided seeing as my skills are minimal that it could only lead to sadness.  However, a bit of digging and this amazing tipi leapt out at me as something that was both attractive and achievable.

 We made a visit to the borders scrapstore to augment our fabric and glue gun supplies, then had at it!  Our wood frame came from a local fencing and timber yard, all in (fabric, glue, rope) it probably cost around £30.

 When it was all assembled we cut stencils and made some flags to string up, we just used a bit of liquid poster paint and Ikea's cheapest calico fabric.

Our other major craft project was a buffalo head.  I had watched an art program with Iona (Mr Maker I think) where he made a pinata, I immediately realised we could use the same technique to make a frame for a paper mache style faux taxidermy.

So, I drew and cut out my basic shape and then made him 3d by putting in a long strip of cardboard (it's easier to do that describe!).  I then used tin foil to build a sort of shape, to give contours and fill him out a bit.

 After then tin foil it's back to our good friends pva glue and kitchen towels.  His horns were made from coathanger wire, masking tape, tin foil and then given a top layer with plaster cloth, I bought that at the scrapstore too.  His ears were a piece of fur trim we had, they have a wire frame so they are somewhat poseable.  I hot glued them in place as they turned out a little heavy.

His fur was a massive learning curve! I had planned to make a million pompoms (give or take a few) and hot glue them in place.  For some reason I thought that would be very easy.  A few tantrums later we realised it was not all that easy and it was very slow indeed.  Amazon to the rescue I'm afraid, I bought a set of plastic pompom shapers which turned the whole process from purgatory to lesser purgatory.  Iona and I quickly got good at winding, tying and fluffing pompoms in a variety of sizes.

 I hot glued pompoms in place (used a bit more fur trim for his lower face) and added in some old curtain trim, tassels and edging we bought.