the week in Instagram

If you like what you see and want to view more 

just click on that little instagram button over on the right...

ya that one.

Anthropologie window with paper butterflies

Anthropologie interior

Mt. Rainier in the mirror 

 hubby's big birthday

spotted at the nursery

 my beautiful wisteria

Dragons and Castles and Princesses oh my!

Start with some creative kiddos

 and have them stamp using foam blocks for some castle texture.

 Then cut out castle towers and make them stick out so they are 3D.

 Add some stamped clouds and grass rubbing texture

 as well as brick turrets.

 Then think about what your setting needs to really let it zing...

 Ahh yes it needs a princess and a dragon and maybe some tissue fire.

 It was a great project with lots of laughs.

We first drew dragons and princesses on the iPad.

Then I printed out their creations so they were able 

to cut them out and place them into their setting.

A great collaborative project as we all stamped together on group papers.

They were able to see how iPads and mixed media thrive together.

How about all you art teachers out there.  

Have you been able to incorporate iPads with traditional art?

(their iPad drawings)

I also did this lesson several years ago. 
To see the detailed printing instructions
just click here.
Seriously one of my favorite lessons.
I would love to see pictures if you teach this lesson.

It may have helped that I just finished all 5 years of Merlin.
Good thing I got them from Mail-in Netflix
or I would have been glued to my tv for a seriously long time.
So yes I was in a Medieval dragon mode.

Family Reunion

 "Well, well," he exclaimed.  

"What's this?  A family reunion or something!"

I still love finding words that are no longer needed and giving them a second life.
For some reason it just makes me chuckle.

for sale here

no words needed

I adore Instagram.

Love all the images that greet me everyday.

Here are my latest from Easter.  

You can follow me.

Just click on the Instagram button over there

on the right side of the blog.

When Picasso met Mona, then Matisse

What happens when you take several lower grade elementary students

and try and introduce the idea of cubism and Picasso

while you are recreating the Mona Lisa?

Well here are some examples.

I just love them - 

They are humorous and fun.

Check out the bling on them too.

For the record, the kids didn't see their pictures quite like I did.

They hated them to be honest.

Most wanted to rip them up on the spot even though I insisted they take them home.

Drat I won't be doing this lesson again.

I still think they are wonderful

 We also made Mona - iPad style.

Now they loved creating these.

And for the record - 

I thought they would think paint by number was lame,

but they sat silently for an hour and filled in each section.

Just goes to show you that you can never tell which lessons will be awesome

and which will flop.

Ahh such is life.

I read this fun book before we launched in to our version of Matisse's GoldFish.

We made them with tissue and glue and...

we drew them on the iPad too.

I love creating the same lesson on the iPads and in mixed media.

It works all the parts of the kiddos' brains and really stretches how they see the world.

Just love these guys!

Benny and Jet

The label says,
I kept a close rein on Benny,
for I knew that just the lightest encouragement
would spark him into a burst of speed.

I wish I could fly on the back of a crow,

up above the trees,

through some wispy clouds,

and feel the warmth of the sun on my back...

just once.

A Starry Night in iPad and Mixed Media

One of my favorite paintings,

The Starry Night

by Vincent Van Gogh

was replicated by my mixed media and iPad students.

I love teaching both methods as they have similarities and differences

that stretch and are well suited for elementary age creative minds.

First we got messy...

 and then we tried to recreate the same feeling on the iPads.

Enjoy some photos from the challenge.

And here are the iPad versions.

Aren't these guys the best?

Wish I had learned about famous artists this way.

Our next lesson is a combo Picasso and Mona Lisa.  

They turned out pretty funny :)