lauradodson:art+craft

Wonder Land

Adventuring in Wonder Land. I'm in awe. The beauty of the glittering snow is too lovely for words.

Home Sweet Home

I finally did it! I made my own embroidery PDF pattern. Yay. To say I am excited is an understatement.

I listed it in my shop...right over here.  Feel free to take a peek. If you like to sew, here's a great opportunity to try my pattern out for a sweet price.

Loosening Up

I want to learn how to loosen up my brush strokes. I'm by nature a very controlled painter and I am not always thrilled with that aspect of myself/art. Maybe this time next year, Lord willing, I'll have improved to my satisfaction.

Love Lives Here

My newest piece in my "Love Series".

Love Sweet Love

{Hi! It's been awhile. Glad you found me.}

I am in making mode. I have no clue what trips my swtich to ON, but it.is.on. I am happy about that. It's been quite some time since I've settled down at my desk to paint/make.  {I do work on my hand stitching in the evening.}

I think I am finding my go to style.

Cheery. Thoughtful. Bright and colorful. Happy. Yep. That's it. And I am so good with that. 

I was talking to one of our sons on Saturday about differences. As I started explaining how we are all different because that is how God mades us, I said you are not Da Vinci, or van Gogh, or Monet and that is just fine. His issue had nothing to do with art, but the word picture fit.

A light bulb went off.  I am NOT Da Vinci, Monet, or van Gogh. I am me. My work does not need to compete with the Masters in order to be useful or "good". It's good to me. It satisfies me. I'm so good with that.

Joy to the World the Lord is Come!

 

 

 

What a whirlwind of a fall semester! Back to school has turned into Christmas time. Time sure flies the older I get. Thanksgiving was wonderful--family, football, food, fun, long walk, soccer, visiting, sewing. What more could you ask for?  One more week til break and I can hardly wait.  

Halls are decked and we're reading from several Children's Bibles in the evening the story of Jesus' birth, Zacharias & Elisabeth & John, Wise Men & Herod, shepherds and the glorious angel with the multitude of heavenly host who proclaimed Salvation, Praise, and Good News to men--not of condemnation but of mercy and grace. The boys have loved climbing onto our big bed and reading before sleep. It's a nice way to wind down. 

"For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world;

but that the world through him might be saved."

~John 3:17 KJV

Virtue and Integrity. We Need It.

 

On both sides, of course.

Shakespeare + Middle Schoolers: Go For It.

Talk about a winning combination! I'm sure some of it has to do with the fact that we are reading a comedy. Who does not like A Midsummer Night's Dream? If you don't, don't tell me. I love it.

It was my first exposure to Shakespeare and I remember thinking it was absolutely hilarious. When speaking with the high school English teacher over the summer about what we should include in our literature, we both decided it was high time to have some Shakespeare in middle school! YES!

I promise you. They are NOT bored. All of these little cutie pies are intent on listening or speaking their parts. While we are on the subject of speaking parts...cue angels singing...they LOVE EVERY LAST MINUTE. I have hands waving each day to be picked for a part. I have many ask, "Can I use an accent?"

Um. Let me think. YES! Use an accent! My only stipulation is you cannot crack yourself up. You must be able to read in an accent plus maintain fluency. Boy oh boy do they deliver.

Caleb as Puck: Sid the Sloth from Ice Age accent. Yes. He did. Yes. He kept a straight face the whole period. **I, however, fought side stitches the entire class.**

Sarah as Oberon (I think): a cross betwix and Aussie and a Brit accent.

Myles as Demetrius: an Irish brogue.

As soon as our reading was done for the day, we all looked up from our books, took a deep breath, and laughed! 

And then, there's Holly. Holly Holly Holly. I love that girl. She already knows the play backwards, forwards, and inside out. I have already told her that I will NOT call on her first because the child knows just about every answer. This does not deter her. She sits on the edge of her seat, enraptured the entire period, and when I ask, "So what did you just say so-in-so?" She literally convulses in her chair trying to hold herself back with excitement hoping no one will be able to answer so she'll get a chance.

Yesterday. Oh yesterday, she is once again sitting on the edge of her chair with her arm stretched up as high as it will go waving her hand frantically in hopes that she'll get a part. Once she is cast as Helena, she emits a "Yeeeesssssss!" a la Napolean Dynamite. All at once, her hand shoots up, and I say, "Yes?"  "May I PLEEEEEEAAASSSSE read with expression!? I am like. the. ONLY ONE. who reads with expression!" 

ROFLOL. Man, these kids are awesome.

Art at Home (Homeschool Art)

We homeschooled for several years. I enjoyed the time it gave me with my children, and the flexibility it allowed while teaching.

I now teach MS English (7th/8th grades) and K-12 art. I am not required to teach K & 1, but this year my goal was to work classes for them into my schedule. Success!

As I pin ideas onto my Pinterest boards, I usually think to myself, "I wonder if my homeschooling friends ever check my boards to see what I've got up my sleeve?"  (Of course, I have so many things pinned I'll not ever be able to teach/do them all.) I know there are not many of you (friends that HS), but y'all! seriously! Please check out my boards, cuz here's the thing...

I know you have tons to accomplish in a day, and you may just want to chuck the whole art thing out the window along with the mess it makes. However, kids really like to make stuff, and to feel arsty, and artisitc. So don't chuck it. There is so much you can do at home that is pretty much spelled out for you.

My 3rd grade class, aka The Most Fabulous Art Class in the World, sings, hums, and makes all sorts of happy little sounds as they work. They are in the zone. And if I were completely honest, this is probably one of the top 3 reasons I LOVE LOVE LOVE to teach Elementary Art. Watching them create is just about the funnest thing ever. 

Just think! You could listen to your own little or medium sized one/ones do the same. I challenge you to try one project. One. 

LINKS:

DeepSpaceSparkle    All I can say is GO HERE NOW. The End.

Painted Paper    Phenomenal! She is doing an entire Georgia O'Keefe themed unit right now, and the paintings these children are making are incredible.

Incredible Art Deptartment   Lots of lessons for older students.

If you are in the mood to create your own lessons, pick ANY children's picture book your kids LOVE, and that has beautiful illustrations and try to mimic the illustrator's style. I make lots of lessons like these, and my students really enjoy them. We get to READ, study the illos, and then try it out.

Art supplies are super easy to find at Blick.  Patty's blog, DeepSpaceSparkle has links to the supplies she likes to use. Hobby Lobby and Walmart are good picks, too, for supplies. 

What can 7, 8, & 9 yr old boys do?

This summer I decided to start working myself out of a job. I decided to train these three in some needed life skils and they were game. In fact, they were down right enthusiastic.

What can they do WITHOUT supervision, and very well?

> clean their bathroom (angels singing)

> wash dishes

> clean the table

> sweep any floor

> make.their.own.lunches. (Hallelu!)

> sort clothes

> put clothes in washer (working on correct amount of detergent now)

> put clothes in dryer and start at appropriate time and temperature

> take clothes from dryer

> fold every item 

> put away their clothes and transport other items to correct locations

> dust

> vacuum

> water plants

> wash car (ok ok, I'm out there with them on this one)

> and constantly ask, "Mom, do you need help?"

I wish I could say we did this with Joshua and Caleb. Sadly, we did not. Yes, they were helpful. Yes, they help now. But. A big but...I was far too concerned with making my home magazine perfect to allow J and C to help. LESSON.LEARNED.  Frankly, the little guys do a superb job at any chore needed.

Tonight, in less than an hour, the house was dusted, swept, vacuumed, bathroom cleaned, towels folded and put away. Soon they'll be at the ready to fetch, fold, and put away their clothes.

Go D7!