DIY
By PATTI RANCK, Indigo Earth Creative
A Pirate's Life (or party) A
s a perennial dreamer and one who has always believed in the power of imagination, I have attempted to pass this on to my children as well. I tried to create an environment that helped them develop imagination in themselves, instead of simply being passively entertained by a screen (aka: tv, computers, video games, etc.). I feel that dreaming and imagining is what has helped propel us forward as a society and that even for the young, it is sometimes the most simple thing we do that can help illustrate our philosophies and develop our children’s minds in a fun and engaging way. The earlier, the better. Take children’s birthday parties, for example. My children will attest to the fact that our parties were strictly old-fashioned and hand-made events at home. Our imaginary world was like no other, created mostly from cardboard. That sounds like a lofty goal for a few lowly boxes, but once you see the kids’ happy faces and how their imagination takes flight, you too will believe. This is, literally, one of the most simple DIY projects I have written about, but there are a few tips here and there that may be helpful. In this case, I made a pirate ship for a 3-year-old’s pirate-themed birthday party, but the basics can be applied to any structure. In the past I have made everything from Sleeping Beauty’s castle to a Haunted Mansion to a Lunar Module. So get creative!
42 | SAND& PINE MAGAZINE October/November 2021
