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Crafts and Activities
This section shows you how you can save valuable space in the landfill while creating useful items.
It is important to keep in mind that while making your crafts you are actually helping the environment.
Concentrate on making high quality products that will last a long time. It is best not to combine recyclable materials that would only end up in the landfill the next day.
Choosing Arts and Crafts Materials
Many books and reports have been written about the health and safety aspects of art and craft material. These sources caution that many activities should be carried out in separate, well ventilated rooms, away from other family activities.
Many of the art materials we use daily are hazardous to humans, animals, and the environment.
The following art materials for children contain non-hazardous ingredients and can be stored in clean jars or plastic food containers.
Modelling Clay
250
ml (1 cup) flour
125 ml (1/2 cup) salt
30 ml (2 tbsp.) cream of tartar
30 ml (2 tsp.) oil
Natural colouring (beet juice, blueberry juice,
other natural colours).
Combine.
Glue
45 ml (3 tbsp.) cornstarch
60 ml (4 tbsp.) cold water
Mix to make a smooth paste.
Boil
500 ml (2 cups) water and stir in paste.
Continue to stir until mixture becomes translucent.
Finger-paint
125 ml (1/2 cup) cornstarch,
188 ml (3/4 cup) cold water in a saucepan.
Soak one envelope gelatin in 63 ml (1/4 cup) cold
water.
Add 500 ml (2 cups) hot water to cornstarch mixture
and cook over medium heat until it comes to a
boil and is clear, stirring constantly.
Remove
from heat, stir in gelatin, add 125 ml (1/2 cup)
soap flakes,stir
until thickened and soap is dissolved.
Tint with natural dyes (see above under Modelling
clay).
Adapted from Everything Natural, May-June 1987.
Activities Downloads:
© 2006 Northern Environmental Action Team. All rights reserved. Site by Kreatikon Media.