Monday, October 29, 2018

How to Make Ojo de Dios #craft #art


Our last post is up on ParentSavvy! We're sure going to miss doing crafts for them! We'll try and continue them on here, once a month. I already have one we created for later in November.

Before I begin with this one Isaak said, "Mom I've done a lot of the work for ParentSavvy I think I should get paid too!" I put the last check for $100 in his savings account. He was happy about that. I used to go with my Dad to help chop trees down, or paint someone's house. He made sure I got some of the money.

Did you ever make a God's Eye when you were a kid? I did once in Girl Scouts. I never knew they had another name Ojo de Dios oh-ho-day-DEE-ohs is Spanish for “Eye of God.” 

When the early Spaniards came to Mexico they encountered the Huichol people who lived in the Sierra Madre mountains of Mexico. The Huichol Indians who lived in the mountains made God’s eyes or Ojos de Dios to watch over those who prayed at their altars. They were woven on to crossing sticks.

The ends of the sticks represented the basic elements: earth, water, wind, and fire. The center of the eye stood for the power of seeing and understanding things we normally cannot see.

I was told the cross stood for Jesus Christ is in the God's Eye, but this was not originally so. The Huichol people focused their worship on nature and the earth rather than a specific divine being. 

Other tribes and churches since have adopted the practice of making and using Ojos de Dios. Some think The Eye of God is watching over them. They are made for little children as gifts. Really they are wishes of health, long life, and protection.

Isaak's been big into making ojo de dios! He wants to get more complicated with his designs. For now simplicity is where his designs are at. 

He started making Ojo de Dios a few years ago, but started creating more after we visited Alpaca's of the Heartland. It's interesting how going to a place can inspire creative juices to flow.

Side note: I'm really sad that Alpaca's of the Heartland may have to close down. They aren't wheelchair accessible. The same social media that got word out about them may have closed them down as well. They just don't have the funds to become wheelchair accessible. :(


Inspiration: 

This wonderful lady at Alpaca's of the Heartland had Isaak come up to learn to knit. He was so into it. I know he'd love to make felting animals, and mess with any craft that has yarn or string in it!


When we got home from Alpaca's of the Heartland, Isaak looked up videos on God's Eyes. There are a ton! Many aren't in English. Certainly they are inspiring!


Baby Steps:

Art and crafts are kind of like playing the piano. You wouldn't begin with playing Mozart. You have to start with Hot Cross Buns. Once Hot Cross Buns is down, you work up to other things. I think kids have this idea that they can just do complicated things because they look cool.

Supplies: 

Sticks
Yarn
Glue
Scissors

Begin:

Start by gluing 2 sticks together. Any type of sticks will do. You could glue more sticks together if you want.


Pick out your thread, or yarn. You can use a variety of colors, one that multi colored, or one color.


Tie the thread or yarn in the center in a tight knot.


Then wrap the thread or yarn all the way around one stick, pull it to the next stick to do the same, and keep going around and around until you're done.

It will look like a mess of yarn or string at first. No worries. It comes together.


See! I told you it comes together.


Both sides have charm!


Here's Isaak working away...wrap one stick, pull to the next stick, wrap again, and keep on going.



Making progress...




You can keep going until the ends of the sticks are covered, or stop to add things to the ends. I could see painting the sticks colors, putting feathers, or beads on them. There's a lot that can be done!

Here's my cutie:

Shhh...he probably doesn't like to be called that! Isn't he cute though!?



What Isaak Needs to Work On:

Pulling it tighter from stick to stick. It got looser and looser as he got bigger with it. 


Have you ever made a Ojo de Dio? What's your favorite craft to do with yarn or string?

2 comments:

Theresa Mahoney said...

that's sad they weren't able to get the funds to become wheelchair accessible. Too bad a gofundme wasn't set up to help them :(

I have never made a God's Eye craft before, but it sure is interesting!

~ Noelle said...

I think I made this as a child, might need to do craft day with Broxton soon!

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