Document mBd0BXm79eapw0N5888bEEOdb

FILE NAME: Modeling Clay and Toys (MCT) DATE: 1956 Nov DOC#: MCT003 DOCUMENT DESCRIPTION: Grade Teacher Article - Asbestos Jewelry Mary Log's finished necklace Is impressive with Is boldness of design and iis unusual and arresting size, spacing and color By JOHN L1DSTCNE, Supervisor of Arts and Crafts, Vancouver, B. C. Photographs by Boger Kerkham EVERY boy and girl loves to "dress up." Give any group of ten-year-olds an attic trunk full of old clothes and they will be happy for hours. Making "asbestos jewelry" is a project which capitalizes on this childhood interest to motivate a modeling activity which has great creative possibilities for elementary school children. Unlike many modeling projects, it is clean and simple enough for even the most crowded classroom, and the main ingredient, asbestos powder, can be easily obtained at a rea sonable price from any heating supplies dealer. While Mary Lou demonstrates here how she would make a necklace, there are many other fascinating pieces of jewelry she could produce using the same material. Asbestos brace lets, bangles, crowns, earrings, brooches, buckles and pend ants make excellent costume jewelry for school plays and pageants. A jewelry-making project can easily be correlated, <5 0 ' too, with the study of some ancient civilization, such as the Aztecs, whose art forms included characteristic jewelry. For most purposes, six parts of asbestos powder, dry mixed with one part of wallpaper paste, and then thoroughly kneaded with a little cold water, will produce a most satis factory modeling agent. Projects made from this mixture and dried where there is a good circulation o f air will become hard and durable. Although seldom necessary for asbestos jewelry, the drying process can be speeded up by placing ' projects in a moderate oven for a short period. Children should be encouraged to create their own jewelry designs using the method demonstrated by Mary Lou. After their projects are dry, a little gold and silver paint used along with ordinary school colors will add exciting glamour to each piece. When the painting is finished, the real fun of wearing the jewelry makes a fitting culmination to this useful model ing activity. GRADE TEACHES; >Aix six parts of asbestos powder and one part of wallpaper paste with woter MARY LOU SHOWS YOU HOW Boy's and girls are practical souls. They w ill like this craft, because jewelry is useful as a gift or for personal adornment When the asbestos is just right for modeling, Mary Lou rolls out the beads With a knitting needle a hole for stringing is mode in each bead A cardboard circle is cut out for the foundation of the necklace pendant Afhen beads and pendant are dry, bright water color and gold paint are added A coat of paste secures the decorated beads on pendant surface .. Finally, Mary Lou strings necklace on thick, bright-colored wool