Friday, October 14, 2011

decoupage a seed and bean abstract mosaic

A teachers sample of an abstract bean mosaic.
Brief Description: Seed and bean mosaics seem to go in and out of fashion. This simple craft can be used to teach young students about the qualities of texture and design at very little expense to the teacher, camp director, or an art department.

Supply List:
  • A heavy duty piece of cardboard or inexpensive Masonite, or recycled sheet of pressed wood
  • either wood glue or white school glue
  • pencil
  • Mod Podge
  • A wide assortment of seeds, beans, rice, nuts, and or dried items may be collected; I've listed specific varieties below.
Suggested dried beans, seeds and rice available at your local grocery store:
  • Red beans
  • Kidney beans
  • Black beans
  • Anasazi beans
  • Sunflower seeds
  • White rice
  • Brown rice
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Melon seeds
  • Black eyed peas
  • Green split peas
  • Yellow split peas
  • Navy beans
  • Pinto beans
  • Wild rice
  • Indian corn
  • Lentils
  • Grass seed
Suggested dried materials available at your local florist, hobby outlet, or even outside in your own backyard:
  • Devils claw
  • Wheat stalks
  • Money plant
  • Sponge Mushroom
  • Pomegrante
  • Lotus Pods
  • Okra Pods
  • King Cobra Bark
  • Pod Oars
  • Pinecones
  • Acorns
  • Hazelnuts
  • Walnuts
Directions:
  1. Draw a design on your cardboard or wood board
  2. Glue the dried materials down with either wood glue or white glue
  3. After the glue has dried, completely cover the entire surface with Mod Podge in order to seal it properly.

These dried beans were purchased at a local grocery store.
Photograph of my abstract, bean mosaic up close.
Paris an Rose show how to craft bean bags.

More links to seed mosaic crafts:

2 comments:

  1. I love this project. I just wanted to point out a safety issue my Mom, a nurse, told me several years ago. Dried Kidney Beans are toxic until cooked, so avoid using Kidney
    Beans with young children. I recommend not using Kidney Beans at all to avoid this problem.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the information about dried kidney beans; everyone should be made aware of this information!

    ReplyDelete