As much as I would like to show off some tasteful easter crafting, I must admit that my new obsession is Hama beads (or their Swedish cousin, Pyssla). You painstakingly put coloured beads on a pegboard in a design, iron it to fuse the beads together, and you end up with a flat plastic beady thing. Although the end product may seem somewhat dubious, it is incredibly addictive, and even my rambunctious five-year old loves making these. We have recently made a suite of easter decorations together, and he has loved coming up with ideas for what to make. It’s so lovely to see him quietly concentrating as he chooses and places the beads. It’s obviously good for developing fine motor skills, but I think there is also that calm purposefulness that you get with knitting or any other repetitive craft.
For me there’s something comforting about the regular grid structure, and creating simplified and geometric patterns and designs. Maybe it appeals to me in the same way that knitting fairisle does. Perhaps Rex, who often gets frustrated when drawing when his pictures don’t come out how he imagines them, finds this structure allows him to control the forms he wants to create. And working alongside the usually rowdy boy, quietly and calmly, is such a delight, as is witnessing his satisfaction at creating something.
In other Easter making, I hope to get around to some egg dyeing before Sunday. The pashka is in the ‘fridge and the chocolate is at the ready. With more planning, I would have liked to create a version of Soile’s Easter wreath, which I think is so wonderfully witty, if faintly disturbing.
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April 23, 2011 at 9:24 am
josephinetalepeddler
Jennifer, I love your beady work. That’s so inspiring and the whole calm meditative thing sounds exactly what we could have done with here. I haven’t been crafty at all this Easter (probably won’t shock you). Although Daisy has done an Easter books she started at school and has been telling the longest story in the world which has gone on for days and she never wants to leave the house so she can continue. That wreath is just weird but cute in a weirdy way. For school I did make an Easter hat for Daisy. She begged me this year after last year’s pants effort, ‘Don’t try to make it perfect, Mummy. Don’t be creative.” Last years was a shocker. It was so tall, she couldn’t walk properly. Totally pants. The headmistress said, ‘Well, it’s our most creative.’ This year I was so proud. I restrained myself and the hat stayed o and looked half-way normal. Daisy was most pleased. Hope you have a lovely Easter break. I was a bit sad not to go away but it’s also lovely to be here in the inner-city when the streets are a bit quieter, the factories aren’t working and the neighbours are away. xx
April 23, 2011 at 7:53 pm
Bells
oh that bead work looks like such fun! How wonderful that your little guy takes such pains over it. Beautiful. Please show us your egg dyeing if you do it. I am doing some after easter with Alice, so would love to know in advance what you will do before I do mine!