We spent a fair chunk of Labor Day weekend lazily stretched out on picnic blankets, engaged in imaginative cloud gazing with our son. There's a hedgehog, a Lego guy, a banana. But yesterday we were in the mood for some more, and not a single patch of condensed water vapor to be seen. So we did the next best thing - we fashioned our own to hang indoors. They took literally minutes to put together, and the effect was surprisingly transporting.

Materials:

cotton or polyester batting (the kind typically used in quilting)
needle nose pliers
wire cutters
scissors
fishing line
pliable wire (or paperclips)
Scotch tape

1. Tear away a section of batting roughly the size of the cloud you'd like to make.
2. Pinch and pull at the batting to stretch out the material, and create a billowy effect by patting and rolling around the batting between your hands until you've gotten a shape you're happy with. Cloud sculpting is an imperfect process and an ideal activity for little hands (e.g. kids).
3. Snip a short length of wire and wrap it around a small dowel or pencil to create a spiral shape.
4. Use the pliers to form a small loop at one end of the wire for attaching your fishing line.
5. Press and twist your spiraled wire into the batting, securing it as you would a corkscrew.
6. Fasten your clouds to the ceiling with a piece of Scotch tape.

We think these puffy clouds would be a great addition to any kid's room, showcasing a model airplane, a bird print, or to simply add a bit of whimsy.

We're considering hanging a collection of these above our dining room table in a sort of homage to the end of summer.

(Images: Ben Partridge)