Nature Walk + Paint + Fabric

This is a little project we did before our trip to Minnesota to visit Todd's family. It was really fun and was quite a versatile craft.

First we went on a miniature version of a nature walk. This means we went out on our front steps and gathered bits of this and that, all 15 feet from our house.

Then, while the boys were napping I set the table for our craft.




After the boys were up, I showed them how to use the leaves and flowers they had picked to make prints on the fabric.

Jack enjoyed this project for approximately 2 1/2 minutes.

Ethan, however, really focused on his work.

The finished fabric was so beautiful. Handmade. Unique.

We used it to make pouches for Todd's family in Minnesota.

Ethan really loves it when I make pouches. He exclaims over them, tries out the zippers, carries them around the house.

But there are so many other ways to use this fabric, handmade by little hands, that I think grandmas and aunts, etc. would love. You could simply display it in an embroidery hoop, or cut it into squares and finish the edges for coasters. I had a lot more ideas when I was in the middle of this project, but they seem to have faded now that a month or more has passed.

But if anyone is looking for handmade, inexpensive gift ideas, I think that the nature prints on fabric fits the bill.