How to make 3D Sheepscape Picture

Posted on July 2nd, 2017 - Fiona

Right now the sheep and lambs in the fields are shedding their winter coats, if they haven’t already been sheared. If you go on a country walk you can often pick bits of fleece out of the fences where they have been rubbing up against them. In our case we had a mountain of fleece available to us after shearing our sheep back in May. While most of the fleece went to a local crafter we held back a few handfuls for crafts during our weekly activity hour. Sheepscapes are one of my favourites. A 3D sheepscape picture is so simple and ideal for preschool children to make. The finished result is very effective and just like our Jacobs sheep here on the farm. 

What you’ll need

Cereal box Sheep fleece Black paint Googly eye Grass and wild flowers Floristry ribbon or string Stapler Double sided sticky tape

 

 

Method to make a sheepscape picture

	Go for a walk and collect some sheep’s wool, there’s usually some on the fences around the edge of fields.
Open a cereal box up and cut to leave one side and one long edge.
	Trim the excess edges from around the box.
Paint a hand black and make a print so that the fingers form the feet and the thumb is spaced out for the neck and face. Add an extra fingerprint on the thumb for where the eye is going to go.
	Stick a blob of fleece to the wet paint for the body.
Stick a googly to the wet paint for the face.
	Place a line of double sided sticky tape over the fold in the box.
Stick grass and wild flowers to this and bend up.
	Add ribbon to create a 3D Sheepscape hanging picture.
Hang up on display for all to see.

 

A few alternatives you could try

• Try with a group of children on a play date or as a party craft 
  
  
• Paint your hand in multicolour for the body and add a few dabs of paint to the fleece then sing ‘Bah bah rainbow sheep’
  
  
• Paint a few sheep on a large wall canvas and create a meadow with big hands for the mothers and tiny hands for the lambs
  
  
• Cut your sheep out to put on sticks and create your own sheep story in a mini theatre by painting a cardboard box as the theatre.
  
  
• If you can’t find any sheep wool you could always use cotton wool.

A quick minute long video on how to make a 3D sheepscape picture

 

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Trash 2 Treasure June 2017

Posted on June 4th, 2017 - Fiona

Welcome to a new month of Trash 2 Treasure.  With summer now well and truly with us, we have been taking advantage of nature for our activity hour here on the farm. From flowers to herbs we have been identifying and creating with plenty of learning for little ones too. Below is our DIY cereal box herb worksheets. However my post this month takes advantage of the collection of vintage tea cups and saucers we were given. Whether you are sewing, crafting, cooking or sawing I love to see all your upcycled ideas.

 

Joining in with Trash 2 Treasure

1. Trash 2 Treasure is all about upcycling. Posts should be about making something foraged from nature, household throw away items or low value items you have added value to.
2. Posts can take any form, all that matters is that the item made has primarily been upcycled. Whether you cook, sew, make or create I’d love you to join me.
3. The linky will run on the 1st Monday of every month and stay open for the full month.
4. There is no post limit as the link up is open all month.
5. Old posts and new posts welcome.
6. Please comment on my host post and at least 2 others and use #Trash2Treasure in the sign off so other’s know where you came from and can pop back to see what you have made too.
7. Do remember to pop back during the month to check on later posts linked up. I will share linked posts during the month as a reminder to pop back and as a thank you for joining in.
8. Please add my Trash 2 Treasure badge to help others find the link up and to be in with a chance of winning the lovely Duck Tape Colours (see below). 

Most of my Trash 2 Treasure tutorials will come from fun keepsakes we have made with the children in our farm activity hour, but sometimes I share bigger upcycling projects from the farm too. I hope through the linky to acquire some new ideas from you.

A little extra from the awesome folk at Duck Tape Colours

Trash to Treasure is sponsored by Duck Tape Colours, makers of colourful tape to add pattern and sparkle to all your upcycling projects. My favourite upcycling post each month will receive 3 colourful rolls of tape to inspire their next project (UK delivery only). Do check out the website for plenty of creative ideas. 

Congratulations to Fiona from Saw it, Pinned it, Did it who is my chosen post for May with this lovely post about turning a sheet into a pretty lampshade cover.

Trash 2 Treasure Communities

Please use the hashtag #Trash2Treasure for your makes, I’ll find you and promote your post or picture on

• Twitter
• Instagram

If you link up below to Trash 2 Treasure March I’ll also send you an invite to pin on the Trash 2 Treasure Pinterest board 

 

 

Please grab the badge and join the #Trash2Treasure linky  

 

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How to Make a Tea Cup and Saucer Bird Feeder

Posted on June 4th, 2017 - Fiona

We saw this idea on a market stall in Sussex. There was a stall filled with different bird feeders but one really took our eye. It was made from a teacup and saucer. We bought it and took it home with us. As luck would have it we were staying with Farmer Nick’s Mum who has an antiques business. She kindly gave us a box full of her odd china which wasn’t worthy of her shop. Nick bought the rods from a DIY store and had the bolts already and back in Cornwall we set about repurposing the old china. I had a plan forming in my mind for where to put the bird feeders so that all our holiday guests could enjoy them too.

What you’ll need

Rod with screw grooves 2 bolts 2 washers Tea Cup and saucer Drill with tile drill piece Silicon

 

Method for Making a Tea Cup and Saucer Bird Feeder

	Drill a hole in the saucer the width of the rod
Drill a hole in base of the tea cup
	Place a washer and bolt onto the rod
Add the saucer and cup silicone each layer as you go
	Add the final washer and bolt and tighten
Leave the silicon to dry
	Push the rod into the ground and fill the cup with water and the saucer with bird food got pic

 

A few alternatives you could try.

You can make it without the silicone, which was how we saw ours for sale and offer two forms of food instead of water and food.

If you don’t have the facilities to drill the tea cup you could glue it and hang it from the tea cup in a tree.

We made a trail of 8 bird feeders along our old welly walk filling each with different goodies for the birds. The children made toilet roll binoculars to go on a stealth walk and see what they could spot.   

Nb: Although food is plentiful for the birds in summer, by winter I think they will be glad of our bird feeders.

 

Short Video Tutorial on how to make a tea cup and saucer bird feeder 

 

        

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Trash 2 Treasure May

Posted on April 30th, 2017 - Fiona

Welcome to a new month of Trash 2 Treasure.  With the Easter holidays behind us and summer to look forward to we have been having fun with upcycled pirate crafts here with the pre school children on holiday as shown in the photo below. However my post this month takes advantage of the abundance of wild garlic now flowering on the farm. Whether you are sewing, crafting, cooking or sawing I love to see all your upcycled ideas.

Joining in with Trash 2 Treasure

1. Trash 2 Treasure is all about upcycling. Posts should be about making something foraged from nature, household throw away items or low value items you have added value to.
2. Posts can take any form, all that matters is that the item made has primarily been upcycled. Whether you cook, sew, make or create I’d love you to join me.
3. The linky will run on the 1st Monday of every month and stay open for the full month.
4. There is no post limit as the link up is open all month.
5. Old posts and new posts welcome.
6. Please comment on my host post and at least 2 others and use #Trash2Treasure in the sign off so other’s know where you came from and can pop back to see what you have made too.
7. Do remember to pop back during the month to check on later posts linked up. I will share linked posts during the month as a reminder to pop back and as a thank you for joining in.
8. Please add my Trash 2 Treasure badge to help others find the link up and to be in with a chance of winning the lovely Duck Tape Colours (see below). 

Most of my Trash 2 Treasure tutorials will come from fun keepsakes we have made with the children in our farm activity hour, but sometimes I share bigger upcycling projects from the farm too. I hope through the linky to acquire some new ideas from you.

A little extra from the awesome folk at Duck Tape Colours

Trash to Treasure is sponsored by Duck Tape Colours, makers of colourful tape to add pattern and sparkle to all your upcycling projects. My favourite upcycling post each month will receive 3 colourful rolls of tape to inspire their next project. Do check out the website for plenty of creative ideas. 

Congratulations to Elaine from Fun as a Gran who has won the Duck Tape Colours for April with her lovely Applique Pyjama cases. Please drop me an email me with your address to get these posted out to you.

Trash 2 Treasure Communities

Please use the hashtag #Trash2Treasure for your makes, I’ll find you and promote your post or picture on

• Twitter
• Instagram

If you link up below to Trash 2 Treasure March I’ll also send you an invite to pin on the Trash 2 Treasure Pinterest board 

 

 

Please grab the badge and join the #Trash2Treasure linky  

 

<a href=”https://www.coombemill.com/category/trash-2-treasure/” target=”blank”><center><img src=”https://www.coombemill.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/trash-2-treasure-from-coombe-mill-farm-holidays.png” width=”200″ alt=”Trash 2 Treasure”/></center></a>

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How to make wild garlic pasta sauce in 3 minutes

Posted on April 30th, 2017 - Fiona

Back in March I shared a clever way to keep potted herbs looking stylish on the window ledge, this month I’m sharing the easiest recipe I can think of from the clumps of wild garlic now flowering all over our farm. This wild garlic pasta sauce requires no cooking, is as versatile as any expensive garlic sauce in a tube or jar that you can buy from the supermarket and yet can be made from scratch for next to nothing in just 3 minutes; that’s a lot quicker than a trip to the supermarket when you live in rural Cornwall! What’s more it is packed with nature’s goodness and couldn’t be fresher, just the sort of instant meal you need when added to fresh pasta after a day at the beach or working here on the farm.

 

Ingredients for Wild Garlic Pasta Sauce

The Basics Wild garlic Olive oil Salt and pepper Fresh pasta Knife Blender
Optional Extra  Cheese Chives

Method

Put your fresh pasta on the hob to boil for 3 minutes. Meanwhile ………
	Chop a good bunch of wild garlic including roots, flower and leaves.
Place in blender.
	Add enough olive oil to make a paste consistency with your garlic, about 1/4 cup for a large bunch of garlic. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Blend to a coarse paste consistency. You may need to stir part way through for an even texture.
	Drain pasta. Stir in sauce.
If liked grate over cheddar or Parmesan cheese and garnish with chopped chives.
	Enjoy!

 

After care

The sauce can be kept in a container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

A few alternatives to try

• Replace garlic butter with wild garlic pasta sauce for a tasty garlic bread.
  
  
• Fry sliced mushrooms in the sauce and serve on toast.
  
  
• Use to seal meat when making casseroles or stews.

 

 

A quick 45 second vlog on how to make wild garlic pasta sauce

 

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