25.2.11

Taj Mahal Paper Model

We made a  Taj Mahal Paper Modelas part of my daughter's school exhibition .Several themes were there , she chose monuments of India and we had a choice of a chart, model or scrap book. My daughter loves it if it is spectacular so I really went all out and spent a week making this Taj Mahal paper model.
Taj Mahal Model
For my friends who would like to know a little bit of the Taj Mahal -The Taj Mahal is a monument of eternal love located in Agra in North India. It was built by the Mugal Emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal who died shortly after giving birth to their 14th Child. The Taj Mahal was built out of marble and precious stones from different parts of India and the world. It took 20000 workers 22 years to complete the exquisite structure.
Taj Mahal Paper Model
Taj Mahal Paper Model
Our Taj Mahal Paper Model is made from thick chart paper and has a thermocol base for sturdiness.
Taj Mahal Model
The Taj Mahal is so beautifully proportioned the view is the same from all sides and the marble reflects light so magically that at various times of the day the  reflecting sun light or moon light gives the Taj Mahal different colors!
Taj Mahal Paper Model
The Making of our Taj Mahal Paper Model illustrates the Octgonal base and Domes.The Base was of the Taj Mahal Paper Model was too weak so we Strengthened it with a thermo col Base
Taj Mahal Paper Model
This is the half of the base of the Taj Mahal Paper craft model with  two minarets.

Taj Mahal Paper Model
The base of the domed top showing the octagon base of each dome .Since we made it at home my daughter could easily understand the shapes.
The model is from Canon. I printed it out as a poster 3x 3, made the template by cutting and pasting the printouts then traced out the actual Taj Mahal Model parts on chart paper and photo-paper. My daughter enjoyed painting the marble texture and helping me join the parts with glue drops!She learnt about the Story behind the Taj Mahal and also about the true structure including the symmetry, the octagonal base , minarets, domes as the model is a true miniature !
Taj Mahal Paper Model
The base with the minarets and the main archway. Here is our dining table where we worked and my little one in the background!
Taj Mahal Paper Model
Here is my little one measuring the dome!
Taj Mahal Paper Model
The Canon Paper model is so amazingly detailed and here are the construction of the archways and balconies of the Taj Mahal Central Tomb

Taj Mahal Paper Model
This is how the Taj Mahal Minarets and Central Structure look without the domes. My daughter could really learn about the structure as she was involved quite a bit in the construction.

Taj Mahal Model
Here is the Taj Mahal Model Central structure

Taj Mahal Model
This is the top view of the Taj Mahal domes showing the  " filial".

Taj Mahal Papercraft
Upside down view of the Taj Mahal Central tomb Domes showing the octagons

Taj Mahal Model
Taj Mahal School Project
It was indeed an ambitious project and as I neared the date of the exhibition there were many panicky moments whether I could pull it off. Fortunately we could complete it and it was a big hit in my daughters school!

Taj Mahal Painting

Taj Mahal Art
There is an exhibition going on in my daughters school and we have been working on it for over a week now.There was a selection of themes such as life under ocean, electronic gadget, insects,national symbols, my daughter chose monuments of India. So we decided to do the Taj Mahal. We made a Taj Mahal Paper Model.Here is the link to our Taj Mahal Paper model. Making the paper model of the Taj was so time consuming and Just to get my 4 year old  interested in the Taj Mahal I printed a Taj from the net and gave it to her to colour.
Taj Mahal Painting
She did it so well that I decided to frame it and sent it on the actual school exhibition along with the Taj Model we made. She helped frame the Taj Mahal Painting and also to decorate it with the spiral roses.
She was so proud of it!

24.2.11

Reptiles Chart School Project

Reptiles School Project

Reptiles Chart
This Reptiles chart was done nearly completely by my little one. She even cut out the green background with the serrated scissors.She decided which reptile would go in the water which one would be on land and I must say she had a gala time!

Birds Diorama

Birds Diorama

Birds Diorama

Water Birds Diorama
This is a Birds Diorama project we did for my daughter's theme on Birds. Some of the birds we attached to a rope running through the center of the diorama. The different Categories of Birds flightless birds, water birds, birds of prey and water birds have their own small area.

21.2.11

Mseal Art Grapes

Mseal Art Grapes
Mseal Grapes are easy for little fingers to shape . My daughter was fully involved in this one . The grapes are really easy to stack on each other and coloring is also a breeze! Aren't those grapes good enough to eat!

Mseal Art Flowers

Mseal Art Roses

Mseal Art Flowers
Mseal Flowers Roses. My daughter loved to paint the bright pink roses!

Mseal Art Strawberries

Mseal Craft Strawberries
Mseal was a little tough for my little one to mix and shape but she enjoyed painting the strawberries to decorate our pen-stand.

Pop up Card -Kirigami Flowers

Kirigami Flowers
This Pop up card made using a Kirigami Design from Marivi was a tough one!

Salt Dough Fruit Basket

Salt Dough Craft= Salt Dough Fruit Basket
Salt Dough made out of white flour and salt is a good medium for kids to work. This salt dough fruit basket was made with a good amount of contribution from my 4 year old.She even had a go at painting the fruits.We shaped the dough, baked it and then colored it.We had incorporated a hook from a old key chain so that we could hang it up.
Salt Dough Recipe
2 cups plain flour+1 cup salt + 1 cup water

9.2.11

Pop Up card Kirigami Swan

Kirigami Swan
Kirigami Card Swan
Kirigami is an art of paper cutting. These  pop up cards were cut using a Xacto knife.It is not as difficult as it looks but some patience is required.These are designs from Chatani

8.2.11

Pop Up card Kirigami Car

Pop up Card Car

Pop up card Car

Pop up card Kirigami car
This is a pop up card made bu cutting one sheet of paper with a sharp knife [ kirigami]. This one is much simpler than the Kirigami flower basket card. I do not remember the source of the design I think it is chatani

Pop up card Kirigami Flower Basket

Kirigami Flower Basket
This is another Kirigami Card which is a pop up flower basket. It involves some delicate knife cutting with the hand!The design is from the master and founder of Kirigami Masahiro Chatani

Pop Up card Magic

Pop up card Magic
The template for this magical Pop up card is from canon.Canon pop ups are easy to make and 90% of the time turn out well.

7.2.11

Quilled Flowers

Quilled Flowers
Quilled Roses
Quilling Projects
Paper Filigree
Quilling is my new Passion. It is relaxing and rewarding.Here are fringed flowers, Accordion Folded flowers, Spiral Rose flowers and hand cut leaves and rolled leaves.

Pop Up Card Butterfly

Pop Up card Butterfly
This Pop up card has 2 pop up mechanisms to pop the butterflies.Its embellished with woven hearts and punched flowers

Kinetic Card- Moving Panda Quilled Card

Kinetic Card- Moving Panda
This is a Card I designed myself. My daughter is a big fan of Kungfu panda .On pulling the green Lever the Panda jumps and jiggles this is by means of a right angle lever mechanism using a hidden metallic brad mechanism at the junction of the panda piece and the Horizontal piece. I loved making the quilled embellishments for this card.

6.2.11

Quilled Card

Quilled Card
I redid my first quilled card! I added a couple more flowers and Leaves. Quilling is addictive!
Quilled Flower Card

Shaker Card- Under water scene Quilled Card


Shaker Card

This is a shaker card made with stickers and sequins.Children especially love shaker cards . It is fascinating to see the sequins and glitter change the scene.I use double sided adhesive tape to make the shaker cards. Making a circle shaped shaker card is more of a challenge than a square or rectangle!Later I used quilled flowers to embellish this shaker card a bit.

Quilled Shaker Card
The quilled Letters were easier than I thought!
Quilled Letters

Pop up card- Kirigami Rabbit

Pop up card Kirigami Rabbit
Kirigami is an art of paper cutting. This is a rabbit pop up card made using a Xacto knife and 180g paper. the effect is best in pure white paper.The design is from the master of Kirigami pop up cards Masahiro Chatani

Pop up card- Lotus

Pop up card- Lotus flower
This lotus was made by my daughter. She helped to even cut out the pieces. Its a Robert Sabuda pop card and even though it looks complicated its quite simple to make with children. We made this for the national symbols school project. Lotus is India's national flower.

Pop Up Card Butterfly

Butterfly Pop Up card
This is a favorite spiral pop up card plus Butterfly Pop up card. The spiral card is easy to make the Pop u Butterfly raises high up on opening the card- that was the trickier part.The spiral pp up card is easy to make and you can check out the spiral pop up card tutorial.