Nature-Based Expressive Arts

“I love visiting! As a ‘Special Maker’ for the children in your care, I blend creative works and developmentally appropriate psychological education. Participants leave workshops with co-created, meaningful items and gentle Social Emotional Learning take-aways.”
~ Erin Bruchet, M.Ed., Registered Clinical Counsellor

Kindergarten Awe & Wonder

Foraging for our scene
Personalizing their Eagle
Eagle above Quiet Corner
Guardian Critter: co created, colourful silken treasure metaphor
Echo and Response
Safety metaphor
Perry the sheep: I bring the fleece to classroom
Unscoured fleece
Washing the fleece and preparing it for our project

Primary age: Multi-Season Journey

Mindful Walking, foraging for our creation
Falling Away & Mushrooms Come
Owl is Arriving
Resting, waiting, watching
Wet-Felted pieces from which Spring shapes will be cut!
Owlettes in Spring
Story Begins in Autumn
Bibliotherapy

Middle School: Self-Exploration

Mindfulness
Expression of oneself
wet felting
Fibre arts & meaningful Self-Regulation learning
Pride of Place

Sloth Symbol for Youth:

Exploring the Dark & the Light of Sloth

Mindfulness
Welcome
What does Sloth have to say?
Abundance of materials and affirmations
Your way

In French

Les jeunes d'onze ans font le feutre aiguilleté
Loutre de mer
Ours panda

Customized Guardian Critter

~ Ideal for Quiet Corners & Reflection Areas

$140-160

Show & Tell:
During my visit to your special group and setting, I begin with the story of wool-to-felt. I demonstrate how felting works.
I aim to foster awe & wonder of the natural world as we explore specimens and treasures from my collection (e.g., found nest) and various materials that make up my creations.
This is a highly participatory process to determine the ‘Critter’ to be created and the meaning as a Guardian for their space.
Possible Guardians: Eagle, Seal, Rabbit, Fox, Wolf, Bear, Mouse, Sloth.
Installation Visit 2-4 weeks later.
Additional visit possible for seasonal updates.
Using the felted items as a vehicle to deepen exploration of our relationship to ourselves and others, I weave in themes of self-regulation, self-care and positive self-talk.
Creative imagination is a fundamental building block of Empathy.

Mindful Crafting & Wellness

~ Enhancing S.E.L. Curriculum

$300-400

I begin with the story of wool-to-felt. I demonstrate how felting works and how I came to discover it.

My aim is to foster awe & wonder of the natural world as we explore specimens and treasures from my collection (e.g., found nest) and various materials that are building blocks to my creations.

This is a collaborative and participatory process where kids are part of customizing a symbolic felted item that ‘has something important to say’ and can be an anchor in their space.
Installation Visit is 2-4 weeks later to deliver their Felted Creation.
I use the Felted Brain to share stories of Self Regulation and explore parts of self and how to move through stressful moments.
We brainstorm meaningful affirming and strength-based messages to be incorporated in creative ways to the Felted Creation for their space.
Mindfulness is introduced and practiced as we gently touch on good mental health ‘self care.’

Special Group Projects

~ Community-Making

Creative participation and DIY assembly is required!
Multi-media DIY projects where participants build their own metaphoric stories with small, simple handmade felted pieces supplied.
Community-Making for larger outreach intentions and/or gift-giving, celebrations or important milestones in your community.
I focus on Nature’s beautiful bits (e.g., mosses, bark, lichen, wool/felt) as symbols to share, show and tell.
I supply all Nature and Embellishment materials as well as Hot Glue Guns which are highly recommended for these projects.

Wet Felt & Needle Felt

~ Deeper exploration of Fibre Arts

Starting at $800

Multi-session deep dive!
Beginner level introduction to making simple pieces of wool-to-felt.
Note: needle felting is intended for intermediate student
All materials are supplied.
We support meaningful colour selections as well as Self-as-Treasure with beautiful embellishment from Nature’s bounty…silk and many other precious items.
Participants leave with a highly unique handcrafted piece of expressive art.
Past Workshops: Wet felted Landscape and 3D Needle Felted items (eg., Mushrooms, Butterflies, Nest and Egg)
In our active and full sessions we take time to explore important themes: Rest in Creative Play, Imperfection, Transformation, Self-Regulation, Mindfulness, Self-Care.
Playing with colours allows for metaphor and gentle exploration of Feelings and Moods.
Creative imagination is a fundamental building block of Empathy…And Empathy for Self is essential in supporting Resilience.

Worry Stones

~ Wet-Felt

Starting at $300

Felted Creations with Big Meaning!
I share stories of Wool to Felt and demonstrate how felting works.

With large groups of younger students, it is suggested there be additional adult staff and/or volunteers for the project.
Children customize their own chosen stone with preferred colours.
Bibliotherapy suggestion supplied.
Project is intented for at least two sessions
Exploring the colours each of us enjoys, participants customize their own natural fidget toy. Modelling how to move through a stressful moment is shared.
We brainstorm worries and letting them go and record strength based affirmations.
Throughout, Grounding and Self Regulation are gently touched upon.

Nature Story

~ Co-Created, Multi-season Project

Starting at $800

Multi-media project where participants experience a meaningful evolution in their featured Nature Story. This is highly interactive where children contribute items which decorate the scene.
Foraged autumnal items, painted wooden pieces, child-made felt material to cut into Spring shapes…children delight in the changes.
Reusable parts for similar or new project the following year (eg shadow box, felted pieces of feature animal and landscape).
Relationships flourish over several visits indoors and outdoors.
Mindful Walking to forage kicks off the evolving project.
Many opportunities to weave strength-based messages about healthy coping and self regulation. Symbolic metaphors for Nurturing, healthy Attachment, Self Compassion highlighted in Art creation.
- Recommended Bibliotherapy supplied for SEL purposes
- ‘to do’ tasks for class between visits
- the created small pieces (eg. painted mushroom during autumn) are returned to children for individual take home items
- Opportunity for Community building with Caregiver volunteers encouraged to support big craft sessions

Grade 4 teacher:

“Erin brings a positive enthusiastic energy to her teaching. The children responded to her warmth and empathic nature. They thoroughly enjoyed her presentation and art projects. In short, the students came away thrilled with their crafts as were their parents.”

Kindergarten teacher:

“We were blessed and honoured to have Erin share her time, talents and kind heart with our Kindergarten class.

Erin visited our classroom to share her needle felting with us and she then joined us on our nature walk to help collect little sticks and soft items from nature to be used in the special gift she made us - a beautiful eagle friend that hangs from our ceiling.

Erin has a gentle and creative soul that children eagerly respond to.

We hope to have Erin back in our classroom!”

Anglican Diocese of New Westminster- Missioner for Youth:

“Erin led Confirmation attendees in an affirming and creative session. There was foraging and symbolic nature themes in felt…They then used the materials to create and wonder. Attendees embedded words, quotes, and prayers into their piece. The result was a peaceful and creative time of reflection, enjoyed by both youth and adults alike.”

Community-Making participant:

“We made together and I really liked the older and younger generations being there with each other. I love my mushroom! Thank you so much.”

Mother and Daughter:

“We LOVED your workshop!!! Thank you Erin.”