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Purpose

An arts activity to beautify a quotation from the Baha'i Writings.

Materials 

1. Large bottle (1/2 gallon) of Elmer's all-purpose glue 
2. 8 or 9 inch wooden embroidery hoops
3. Box of plain 2-ply white facial tissue (Note: Don’t buy the kind with lotion added; it won’t work) 
4. 1 roll of waxed paper 
5. Things to decorate around the quotation like dried pressed flowers, autumn leaves, tiny pieces of sea glass, lace, tiny shells etc. (Use your imagination) (Note: These items need to be light in weight; if they are not flat, they will have to be glued on last) 
6. White 20 lb. bond paper (the kind used in copy machines or a computer printer) 
7. Pencils 
8. CLEAR glitter
9. Bowls to hold glue mix 
10. Craft paint brushes (about 1/2 to 1 inch wide) 
11. Scissors 
12. Copies of short Ruhi quotations prepared in an attractive computer font or calligraphy 
13. Paper clips

Note: Quantities will be determined by the number of participants. For age 8 years old and up or together with an adult for younger children.

Time Period

40-60 minutes

Steps

1. Put a piece of paper for each person on the table where you are working. 
2. Give each person a wooden embroidery hoop. 
3. Use a pencil to trace around the INSIDE of the embroidery hoop onto the paper (Note: This will be used only to help you center your quotation) 
4. Set aside the embroidery hoop. 
5. Lay a piece of waxed paper on the drawn circle (Note: The waxed paper should be larger than your white sheet of paper). Hold it all in place with paper clips. 
6. Squirt a cup of Elmer’s glue into a bowl. Mix about a tablespoon of water into the glue (Note: You want to thin the consistency a little, but you don't want it watery). 
7. Put spots of glue on the wax paper and place your quotation on the glue, lining it up with the drawn circle underneath. 
8. Glue the FLAT decorative items such as flowers, leaves etc. around the quotation. (Note: You can also crumble bright colored dried flower pieces, and the final effect will be like stained glass)
9. Separate the 2-ply facial tissue into two single sheets. When you have your picture just as you want it, lay them over the flowers and quotation one-ply thick. Where the ply overlaps, you will want to tear the straight edge from the tissues so that when it dries it will all blend together. 
10. Take the paintbrush and get it VERY FULL of glue. Glob it liberally onto the facial tissue, which is on top of the decorations and quotation, so that the whole thing is completely covered. Gently spread the glue all over the tissue. Keep your brush wet with glue at all times. If it becomes at all dry, it will tear the tissue instead of causing the whole thing to flatten down. As you brush, the tissue becomes wrinkled and flat over the decorations and quotation. It will look like a big sticky mess, but when it dries, it will become clear. 
11. If you have 3 dimensional flowers, larger shells, or glass NOW glue them on top of the tissue. Don't cover them with more tissue. 
12. Place the embroidery hoop on top of the whole thing WITH THE METAL PIECE ON THE HOOP AT THE TOP. It will become the hanger after it dries. The hoop will be resting on the gluey tissue, and it will dry tight like a drum. 
13. Sprinkle the clear glitter over the front to a special touch.
14. Let it dry for 24 hours. Trim the excess waxed paper from the outside edge of the hoop using an exacto or matte knife. 
15. The finished project looks good on the wall or in the window. (And they usually look good. Everyone can feel success as an artist with this project.)