Indrani Perera

poet, publisher & mentor

Category: Kids’ Craft

Shed Some Light

It's a Christmas tradition in our house for the girls to make presents for all those lovely grandparents, uncles and aunties who buy them gifts each year for their birthdays and Christmas. Over the years they have made bookmarks, paintings, aprons and reusable bags.

This year the decision of what to make was easy. A few months ago Miss Eleven bought a candle making kit from a supermarket and we all loved the candles she made. It helped that I already had essential oils on hand from my organic perfume making days at Legato.

We've done a lot of candle making over the years using beeswax from my father's bee hives as well as beekeeping suppliers. There's something magical about the golden glow and rich smell of honey wafting through the room.

But you know me, I love experimenting and playing with new materials. That thrill of discovery and feeling of newness fills my soul with gladness. It's the perfect antidote to the monotony of lockdown!

The biggest difference for these candles is that they have been make using soy wax. For years I've been anti soy wax for no real good reason except a residual dislike of soy products in general. After reading about how beeswax can contain pesticides etc (which makes sense if you think about it and from now on I'm only buying organic) I was much more open to trying soy. Of course the challenge now is to find organic, non GMO soy!

For these candles I bought some glass jars at the two dollar shop and the container in the photo from the homes wares section in a department store. My favourite find was the drinking glasses on sale for a dollar each. I'm going to gift those candles and it makes me happy that the glass can be used once the candle has been burned.

What are you making for Christmas gift giving this year?

December 10, 2021
Village Life

Last weekend I attended my third Village Continuum Festival. It’s an amazing three days of community, craft and collaboration held on an organic farm just north of Melbourne in the foothills of the Macedon Ranges. Coming back for my third year felt like coming home – there were so many familiar and delightful faces to see and new friends to meet.

I loved camping under the stars for three nights and walking barefoot on the earth. It was so lovely to spend the whole time outdoors, breathing in the fresh air and reconnecting with nature. The girls ran wild and I barely saw them. They touched in briefly at the shared mealtimes around the campfire and then were off again, exploring, making new friends and having fun.

As usual the incredible lineup was packed with abundance and choosing which workshops to do was very hard. In the end I went with the flow and did what felt right on the day. I ended up spending most of my time hanging out at the campfire catching up with friends and chatting. Rest? Relax? I know, crazy! But it felt so good to just sit and be instead of rushing here and there trying to make everything and fit it all in. It helps that I’ve already dabbled in some of the wonderful workshops that were on offer – it took the pressure off doing it all while I was there.

One of the workshops I did make it to was the pencil making workshop run by Cherie from the Earth Alchemy Forest School in the kids area with my seven year old daughter. We had so much fun sawing and drilling our timber before melting the beeswax and cacao mixture over the open fire.

Some of the workshops on offer this year were fish skin tanning, blacksmithing, trap making, tracking, natural building, tiny houses, spoon carving, friction fire making, nature games, permaculture, herbalism, labyrinth building, moon rise mothers, kombucha kitchen, basket weaving, rope making, knot tying, primal pottery and more. A seriously good line-up as usual. Of course, being on crew last year and facilitating a leather craft workshop again this year means I’m slightly biased when I say it’s the best festival ever. But it’s true! (would I lie to you?)

By now you’re probably wishing you’d been there if you didn’t make it this year (and you really should have come). But wait – there’s more! This year there was lots of live music around the campfire at the hearth. On Friday and Saturday nights the Tasty Morsels and Josh Riggs serenaded us after dinner with covers and original tunes. If that wasn’t enough, we also had dancing on Saturday and Sunday nights with awesome, feet tapping, body shaking play lists. Dancing under the light of the full moon, barefoot on the grass with an incredible bunch of joyful people was an amazing experience. And while we were packing up the site late on Monday afternoon the guys in the photo rocked with their unique blend of celtic gypsy pirate punk. So keen to catch them playing some gigs when they come up with a line-up and a name!

I feel so blessed to be part of such a wonderful community of like minded people who value the old crafts while keeping one foot in the modern world. Thanks to everyone who helped to make it happen – all the crew, farm folks, facilitators, volunteers, support folk and everyone who came to spend a weekend in the village. We’ll definitely be back next year!

November 9, 2017
Click Clack

I have a thing for beautifully made and often expensive tools. When you spend a lot of time holding and using something I think it's worthwhile to invest in quality. It makes the whole making experience pleasurable when your tools are good. Of course you don't always have to buy your tools, you can make them too! There's something so lovely about making your own tools. It takes making to the next level when you can say you've made a project and the tools that were used to create it.

Homemade knitting needles are simple and fun to make. You can do this craft with your kids. And then teach them to knit with the needles afterwards! All you need is a saw, a piece of dowel, pencil sharpener and sandpaper. Once you've got the materials it's a quick and simple craft fix when you've just gotta make something. My other favourite quick making fix is baking. So fast and something yummy to eat when you're done!

A few years ago I splurged on a Japanese pull saw. Best money I ever spent. It saws on the pull stroke instead of the push stroke like a tradition saw and is much easier to use. It also has super fine teeth which means there's hardly any need to sand your timber once sawn because the cut is so fine.

I like to decorate the blunt end of my knitting needles with gum nuts I've found in the local park. You could also use shells. To seal the timber I use a lavender beeswax wood polish.

Have you ever made your tools?

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July 15, 2017
Drawing Together

Moments like these are golden. I want to hold them front and centre in my memory and savour them for as long as possible. They warm my heart and put a smile on my face. Creating together and encouraging each other's attempts at drawing in our nature journals is a highlight of my week.

I am so grateful to the wonderful Mel Turnbull of Firekeepers. She runs our weekly Currawong Kids sessions at the stunning Darebin Parklands just outside Melbourne's CBD. At the start of the year she brought along a nature journal for each child to record their adventures.

What a brilliant idea and wonderful gift. Of course, I just had to go out and buy one for me too! Now, after each adventure with her at Darebin we sit together at the kitchen table, drawing our experiences of the day. The girls have decorated their journals (plastered them with stickers actually) and even stuck envelopes in the back to keep their treasures safe. Interesting leaves and feathers all make their way into the envelopes and into the journals.

My pencil tin has twelve pencils and it's a real challenge to draw what I've seen using just these colours. I've started to layer the colours to try and get different effects. I'm having so much fun experimenting with shading and lines. And it's so satisfying to be able to look back through my journal at what I've seen and drawn. Such a beautiful memento of our time in nature together.

I love sitting down with them, recording the experiences of the day in pictures and in words. The more crafting we do together, the happier I am!

June 1, 2017
Candle Dipping

If you're looking for a quick craft fix, don't pick candle dipping! It is most definitely a long and slow process that needs lots of time and patience.

Last week I was feeling a bit out of sorts, the girls were cranky and I needed something to bring us all out of our funk. I'd been flicking through past issues of the wonderful magazine, Taproot and had come across a tutorial on dipping candles with kids. The girls and I have hand rolled candles from sheets of beeswax every autumn for the last few years but they don't always burn well. I'm not sure if it’s the wick we're using or the hand rolling not being tight enough.

It was a lovely day and I thought that I would quickly make some candles and then head out to the park for a play before their grandparents visited and I had to cook dinner. Ha! I had completely forgotten how long it takes to melt beeswax over a double boiler on the stove. If you're wondering how long – the answer is forever. Especially if you have a big, wide jar.

The girls really got into the process of dipping the candles in turn, topping up the jar with more beeswax and wiping down the walls of the kitchen. Six hours of boiling water meant that the walls and ceiling were dripping even with the window wide open and the fan going. This is definitely a craft for warmer weather.

If you want to have a go I'd recommend waiting for warm weather (but not too hot or the house will become an oven) or going outside over an open fire. Set a timer so that you remember to top up the water in the saucepan and don't burn the bottom (we almost did but luckily the smoke alarm went off and warned us in time). Use a tall thin jar so you don't have to wait so long for the wax to melt. Pick a home day and allow lots of time. It's a good idea to have other things to do while waiting for the beeswax to melt.

There’s nothing better than burning beeswax candles to light a room. The candle brightens the room with it’s soft, cosy glow and the incredible scent lifts the spirits and warms the heart. I just adore the smell of beeswax drifting through the house on gloomy winter days. The good news is we now have sixteen lovely hand dipped beeswax candles to use this winter. The only problem is, they're too precious to burn!

April 24, 2017
Christmas Craft

** SPOILER ALERT**

This post contains sensitive Christmas gift information. If you are a Desrera grandparent or aunt or uncle, STOP READING NOW!

Okay, I think it's safe to continue!

In between markets for Legato Perfume and all the end of year festivities I'm still managing to squeeze in some time for making presents and Christmas craft.

I'm big into ritual and celebration and I love the traditions at this time of year. The decorations in the streets and on people's houses. The Christmas carols playing when you go shopping. The festive spirit as the weather (sometimes) gets warmer and people come out to play. The excitement the girls have about Christmas and celebrating with their grandparents.

As well as those traditions, we've also created our own over the years. Going to the beach and eating roast chicken and cherries for the summer solstice. Making honey roasted macadamias as gifts for our friends and teachers. Every year I make them a decoration to hang on the tree. When they move out of home, they will have a collection of beautiful decorations to hang on their trees. I also make them a little skirt although Miss Ten mumbled something this morning about not needing a mama made skirt this year. Not need a mama made skirt? How can that be? She's growing up so fast but I think I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that!

And as they grow older and change, so do the traditions. Each year we take a picture of them together wearing santa hats and give to extended family members and friends. This year, there's talk of Christmas berets instead. Not sure how I feel about berets, must admit I'm a bit of a traditionalist and find it hard to move with the times. I'll probably be still wanting santa hats long after they've moved on to cloches!

Every year the girls make something for their extended family members. Last year the grandparents, aunts and uncles all received hand drawn calico shopping bags for Christmas. This year it's going to be organic cotton tea towels that they can draw their very own designs on to. They're also making presents for their friends – fimo jewellery and hand rolled beeswax candles.

I'm also doing a little eco-dyeing for presents for friends. Here's a little peek as I suspect some of you are reading this right now (I won't mention any names…).

I love the celebration of handmade and giving that is happening in our house. They're two of my all-time favourite things to do. All the whispered secrets and plans. The rustle of wrapping paper and hiding of presents (don't look under any beds in our house unless you want to know what you're getting ;).

What Christmas craft are you doing this year?

December 15, 2016
Customised Calico Shopping Bags

I was racking my brains late last year, trying to think of something my daughters could make to give as Christmas gifts. Sure we could have bought something but where's the fun in that? In previous years we have made lip balm and beeswax star candles for friends. My oldest girl has made books for her relatives and her younger sister drew them all pictures which I framed. Christmas is my favourite time of year for all the yummy things to bake and all the craft to make for presents. Plus all the fun activities you can do like making paper chains and decorations for your Homemade Cardboard Christmas Tree.

It was while I was at the fabric shop picking up some organic cotton thread in wooden spools to finish off some dresses I had started that I had my brain wave. They were selling blank, calico bags that would be perfect for the girls to decorate and give as gifts. They also sold a few different brands of markers to draw on the fabric.

It was only as I was ironing them that I discovered they were made out of a polyester blend. Next time, I am going to be more organised and buy some organic cotton ones like the ones at Organic Cotton.

Decorated Calico Bags
Blank organic cotton bag
Fabric markers
Cardboard
Iron

Pop some cardboard in the middle of your bag so that your design doesn't go through to the other side. I got my free cardboard from the local liquor store. (hic!)

Use your fabric markers and go crazy.

Once dry, follow the directions on the packet to set your masterpiece. For me, it was ironing on the opposite side of the drawn surface.

For their presents, the girls drew on one side each of a bag for someone in our family. We did it over a couple of days and they had great fun, adding in the year and signing their names. I only wish we had bought more do they could have made one for me too!

January 4, 2016
Homemade Cardboard Christmas Tree

I love Christmas time. There are so many awesome things you can make. Cards, gift tags and wrapping paper, not to mention the handmade gift possibilities. When I was growing up, we would head to my nana and pa's house in the Victorian country for the celebrations. They would always have a fresh, pine tree. That scent of pine needles, mixed with the heat of an Australian summer and a wood stove cooking a roast for Christmas lunch really encapsulates Christmas for me. Except, as an environmentally aware adult, I just can't condone chopping down a perfectly good tree to stick in a bucket in my lounge room and then take to the tip once the festivities are over. I mean, really? What is the point? I've tried the pine tree in a pot in the past to no avail. That tree didn't last much past Christmas either.

This year I had a brainwave. Make a Christmas tree out of cardboard! It was such a good idea that I couldn't believe I was the first to think of it. After a little surfing, I discovered I wasn't. There are even people selling cardboard Christmas trees. I wasn't at all tempted, however. Where's the fun in buying something you can make yourself? Luckily my gorgous girls (aged nine and five) agree and we spent a happy morning making our own carboard Christmas tree.

I got my inspiration and great step by step instructions from Live Colorful. Thanks!

My crafty kids got creative with the glitter glue and made a bunch of Christmas ornaments to go with the tree.

This was so much fun that next year I want to try making one out of wood.

Cardboard Christmas Tree

2 pieces of equal size cardboard

pencil

ruler

scissors

colourful wrapping paper

glue

Cut two equal size triangles from the cardboard. We got our cardboard boxes, free, at the local supermarket.

Cut a slot in one tringle from the middle of the base to about half way up.

Cut a slot in the other triangle from the middle of the top to about halfway down.

Glue colourful Christamas wrapping paper to the cardboard to decorate. We used the cardboard from our stash. Each year, I carefully unwrap my presents and save the paper to reuse. Just like my nana thrifty and resourceful used to do!

Cut a zig zag line in the sides of the triangles to make it more tree like.

Put your tree together and admire.

Cardboard Christmas Ornaments

leftover cardboard scraps

pencil

Christamas cookie cutters

scissors

colourful wrapping paper

glue

glitter

metal skewer

string

Use the leftover cardboard scraps to make decorations. This was my oldest daughter's fantastic idea. Nice one beautiful!

Trace the cookie shapes on to the cardboard. Cut out. Decorate with wrapping paper and glitter.

Use a skewer to poke a hole in the ornament and then make a hanger from some string.

Start singing carols and making merry. 'Tis the season to be jolly!

December 7, 2015
Knitting A Simple Bag

Knitting is a great winter pastime. Perfect for huddling indoors next to the heater. Lovely and soothing with the feeling of wool beneath the fingers and the repetitive motions of winding wool around the needles.

I am going to show you how to create a lovely little knitted handbag. This is a great project for beginner knitters and those with basic knitting skills. It's great for kids who have progressed beyond simple scarves and introduces them to sewing their project together.

You can do this project doing plain stitch or mix it up a little by adding purl. I like using fairly chunky yarns and big needles as they knit up fast.

Knitted Handbag
Ball of wool of your choice
Knitting needles
Wool needle
Scissors
Matching cotton and needle

Make a slip knot, leaving a fairly long tail.

Cast on 20-30 stitches.

Knit lots of rows (for this handbag I knitted 42 rows).

Measure your handbag by folding your knitting in half.

Keep knitting until you are happy with the handbag's length.

Cast off, leaving a long tail.

Using the tails, sew each side of the handbag together.

Using the rest of your wool, finger knit a cord.

Sew it on to the sides of the handbag with the matching cotton.

There are lots of variations for this simple pattern. You can fold your knitting into thirds so you have a handbag with a flap, as I have done for this project. You can also do pearl stitches for the body with plain stitches for a lovely border on the top. It makes a lovely contrast as you can see in the above photo.

Have fun!

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August 17, 2015
Knitting Needles

I'm going to show you how to make your own very own wooden knitting needles. I'm a big believer in using quality tools when making my handmade items. If I can make the tools as well, even better! These knitting needles are delightful to hold and pleasing to the eye. They are very easy to make and cost very little.

Makes two pairs of knitting needles. One for you and one for a friend! These needles are great for knitting with chunky wool. They are also fabulous for beginners and kids.

Knitting Needles
6mm tassie oak dowel (1.2m long)
Pencil
Ruler
Saw
Pencil sharpener
180 and 240 grit sandpaper
Olive oil
Paper towel
Gum nuts, shells, buttons to decorate
Super glue or woodworking glue

With the ruler, mark your dowel into 30cm pieces. You will get four needles, enough for two pairs.

Cut your needles using your hand saw.

Using the pencil sharpener, sharpen one end of each of the pieces of dowel to create the blunt tips of your needles.

Starting with the 180 sandpaper, sand each needle. Pay special attention to the tips. You want them nice and smooth so you don't snag the wool when you are knitting.

Finish sanding with the 240 piece of sandpaper.

Pour some olive oil on to some paper towel and polish each needle. Leave to dry.

To finish, glue a gum nut, shell or button to the top of each needle.

Happy Knitting!

August 3, 2015