Whether it's a city park, a suburban backyard, a farmer's field, or the sandy seashore, there's a treasure trove of natural art materials out there. Twigs, vines, pinecones, flowers, leaves, rocks, shells, moss, feathers - they're all gifts of the earth. Add just a few inexpensive store-bought items, such as glue, string, and wire, and anyone can create beautiful, natural works of art.

In Nature's Art Box, writer, gardener, and nature-crafter Laura Martin offers 65 fun projects kids will love to make, using materials they can find just about anywhere. She explains how to make paints and inks from flowers and other plants; how to use shells, moss, seedpods, and cones to embellish large objects; how to build elf-sized furniture; how to decorate picture frames, birdhouses, and keepsake boxes with woodland treasures; and how to dig clay, weave vines, and make natural dyes to color T-shirts.

While Martin teaches kids to see the possibilities of the natural world, she also teaches them to respect what the earth offers. She warns them against stripping bark off live trees, plucking every flower in the field, and clearing the ground of every nut and seed. Nature's Art Box helps kids learn to be good artists and conscientious stewards of nature's resources.