Unique Works on a Budget

This is why I hyperventilate when I enter Goodwill or an estate sale. One of a kind, never seen before works that are totally unique to my school. I have blast putting these ideas together and seeing them thrill a child. 

I have hundreds of small motor skill works for my school's Practical Life area. I confess that I find all of them at Goodwill, garage sales and estate sales. Last time I was at Goodwill people actually stopped me and asked what I was going to do with all those strange objects. I did not know exactly yet. I take them back to school and brain storm and add things I already have to finish them into workable exercises. Many of the objects we can not figure out what their original purpose was. 

No matter. They have a new,exciting life now.

If it has holes I buy it!

 I often see these glass things. 

I was told it is for spacing in flower arranging.

It has now become a well used "Make a cherry pie" work with tweezers.

The kids love it.

Old pill dispenser, tweezers and cool buttons. 

A challenge to do for kids. 

Plastic ice cubes and a giant pair of tweezers. 

Thanks, Goodwill, for a $4 exercise!

No one can figure what these things are.

All I know is they have holes. Winner!

Old picture frame with stuff to match. Loving it.

Strange but true. Wooden candle stick with a small ball to flick around and around.

Top ball does nothing. Like it?  No!  They love it!

So, look at objects with new eyes. 

See what it can be, not what it is all old and unloved.

Give them new life for pennies!

Trash to Treasure

Goodwill had this handmade wooden object. 

I believe it is a menorah.

I hope I am not being offensive to use it as a design work.

I went to a party store to find objects to use. These are plastic globes. Beautiful, but too easy. We need more variety.

The party store gave me the variety we needed

These are from a Mardi Gras necklace I cut apart.

We liked the idea of mix and match

I taught the kids to arrange the balls by family before arranging.

It has become a favorite work and one that is one of a kind.

Our school's latest clay project - A Clay Bird's Nest

Reggio Style Design in a Large Frame

Large old frame, swizzle sticks, polished rocks, flat marbles and foam stars on a vinyl floor mat.

Possibilities are endless. Kids are super involved and proud of the designs they create with this.

We love it.

Marble Design and Patterning Work

Another great estate sale find. All of it.

Old frame, decorate suction cup soap holders,

a colorful variety of marbles, cool sliding lid box.

It becomes a small motor skill development exercise and patterning 

of color design work that kids and adults love. 

Copy this and love it too.