tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66207173426478868362012-02-18T13:10:18.370-05:00Check back daily for a dose of art!Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.comBlogger3931100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-58270828344578931562010-04-06T20:39:00.004-04:002010-04-06T21:17:30.283-04:00

Yes! I did get to teach my pairing paintings and poems lesson! I thought it went very well. I began by displaying Rousseau's Surprised! (shown above) and brainstorming with the class everything we saw in the painting. Then we decided the main idea of the painting.Though I had found a poem that matched this painting pretty well, I decided it was a little out of reach of some of my students. I

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-66957272922691469212010-02-15T18:16:00.005-05:002010-02-15T18:32:09.322-05:00

It certainly has been awhile! I’m student teaching this semester (and loving every minute of it) so things have been busy around here. I have had some time the last few days, though, because we got hit by a ton of snow and schools have been closed now for over a week! I’m sure the kids are loving it, but I’m ready to get back. I spent some time last week working on a lesson for our poetry unit

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-88064029129631097512009-12-19T11:39:00.003-05:002009-12-19T11:56:35.780-05:00

Cookie baking has always been a part of the Christmas season in my house.But you can only make so many cookies before you run out of people to eat them. When you’ve made enough real cookies, head to this site to decorate some virtual cookies. Return to main page.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-46116967551509982762009-12-19T11:33:00.003-05:002009-12-19T11:58:18.042-05:00

This project is best for older kids. The paper strips are small and the ornaments are made of glass. That said, I had a good time making mine! Supplies Needed: Clear glass ornament Printed Christmas carol lyrics Scissors Yarn or ribbon Printer and inkGoogle search for the lyrics of the Christmas carol of your choice. Here’s a good place to start. I chose Joy to the World. Copy and paste the

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-59021851955254458432009-12-19T11:26:00.002-05:002009-12-19T11:33:39.852-05:00

This is another kindergarten project that’s fun for all ages. When my sister was in kindergarten she made a gingerbread man garland that still hangs on our tree every year. My sister would be perfectly happy if that garland ended up in the trash and each year she tries to convince our mother to leave it off the tree, but her arguments only cause our mother to choose ever more prominent placements

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-7596634845298000182009-12-19T11:14:00.004-05:002009-12-19T11:26:24.928-05:00

I can’t take credit for this simple and easy project; I saw it in a kindergarten classroom this week. The idea is that the children practice making pattern using red and white beads. When they finish, they have an ornament to hang on the tree or in a window. Supplies Needed: Chenille stems Red beads White beadsString one bead onto the chenille stem and wrap the end of the stem around the bead

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-42337258583699601122009-12-19T11:02:00.004-05:002009-12-19T11:13:54.308-05:00

You’ll notice a 2009 National Novel Writing Month winner badge in this post. No, I did not earn that. Not this year. But my mom became a winner on November 16! I stalled out around 15,000 words. Whoops. Congrats, Mom!Return to main page.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-36129171226638344042009-10-27T21:48:00.008-04:002009-10-28T10:41:26.961-04:00

I spent the weekend moving! Yes, again. I know. It was humid and rainy as we moved my things into my new place, but I’m happy and settling in nicely. While I was lugging boxes up and down stairs, my family was carving pumpkins. My family lives in a different state than I do, so they weren’t able to help with the heavy lifting, but my mom did offer to write a guest post about her pumpkin carving

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-56544878052900073842009-10-16T16:14:00.002-04:002009-10-16T16:18:41.327-04:00

The Indian paintbrush flower blooms in reds, oranges, yellows, and pinks throughout the Midwest as it does at the end of this story. There are many tales about where the flower came from, and Tomie dePaola’s retelling of The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush is an especially captivating one.Little Gopher is not like the other boys in his tribe. He’d rather draw pictures on rocks than run or ride

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-24628865224431766622009-10-09T19:22:00.004-04:002009-10-09T19:29:46.789-04:00

It’s that time of year again! Dust off that imagination that’s been hiding in the closet since you exhausted it last November and get to work! That’s right: National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is almost upon us. If you’ve ever read a story and thought I would have done it differently, there’s a writer in you looking for a chance to perform. If you make up characters and ask what they would

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-64404962544573809412009-10-01T21:16:00.002-04:002009-10-01T21:20:40.527-04:00

I almost forgot to share this site with you: Tiny Art Director. No doubt many of you have found this on your own, but it's new to me. The artist's young daughter is a is a harsh critic and her critiques of his work are hilarious.Return to main page.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-59478489120358013062009-10-01T16:54:00.002-04:002009-10-01T17:27:47.374-04:00

Ms. Julie, who you've seen mentioned here often, has begun a monthly blog carnival called The Gallery. The Gallery is a showcase of art projects for kids, and this month one of my projects was included along with projects from ten other bloggers. This month's offerings include a fantastic line drawing project based on Kandinsky's work, a palm tree silouette project, and a project meant for

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-56308598760879699732009-09-27T23:51:00.004-04:002009-09-28T11:24:57.160-04:00

Pablo Picasso’s art spanned many styles as he grew as an artist. I have posted about Picasso before and recommended that you try your hand at a music collage in his style. At the beginning of the summer I went to an art exhibit that had one of Picasso’s painted collages. Today’s project was inspired by that painting.Note: My aunt created the jazzy painting with the brown background, and I painted

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-41404053358441783282009-09-09T16:58:00.003-04:002009-09-09T17:07:41.352-04:00

Last week I posted about Gutzon Borglum’s Mount Rushmore monument to the first 150 years of United States history. But Mount Rushmore was not Borglum’s first attempt at a major mountainside monument. In 1915, Borglum agreed to carve a memorial on the face of Stone Mountain near Atlanta, Georgia.The completed Confederate Memorial Carving at Stone Mountain, Georgia shows Confederate General Robert

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-81416031174540177932009-09-04T15:49:00.004-04:002009-09-04T16:11:52.259-04:00

I mentioned on Tuesday that I did a bit of travelling this summer. In August and September I went on an amazing, 17-day road trip across the country and one of the things I saw was Mount Rushmore. After a visit to the sculptor’s studio, I knew I would have to tell you all about it.Mount Rushmore is located in the Black Hills in South Dakota:About 2 million people visit each year and I can

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-85140815699344026852009-09-01T13:48:00.003-04:002009-09-01T13:54:25.781-04:00

It’s that time of year again! I don’t know about you, but I am so happy to be back in school. I disappeared for awhile this summer in order to do some travelling and in the next few weeks you’ll get to see and read about some of the things I’ve been doing. Hopefully you haven’t forgotten about my little website.I have decided, however, that I will not be posting every day. It has been a long time

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-38922095351021819452009-06-01T19:33:00.007-04:002009-06-01T20:01:36.139-04:00

I recently had the pleasure of spending a full week with a wonderful class of second graders. I was able to create my own lessons so, of course, there was an art project involved. The second graders had been studying butterflies and were even tracking their life cycle. When I arrived, the butterflies were hanging in chrysalises from the roof of a mesh tent. Over the course of the week, all of the

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-58348322508446372522009-05-01T11:10:00.004-04:002009-05-01T11:18:48.955-04:00

Look what just came in the mail! I know what you're thinking: "Who did the art on that mug and where I can I get one???" It's one of Ms. Julie's tangles printed on a mug. Isn't she great? And yes, you can enjoy hot chocolate or tea or coffee or ice cream (Mm. Ice cream would be delicious out of a tangle mug.) or anything else you can put in a mug out of your very own tangle mug. Visit Ms. Julie's

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-15819606527528546082009-04-27T00:01:00.000-04:002009-04-27T00:01:01.267-04:00

It seems that today is Macaroni Self-Portrait Day. Whose idea was this? I don't know. What I do know is that playing with macaroni and glue is fun and whoever thought that this activity should have its own holiday was on the right track.Of course you don't need step-by-step directions for this one so I'll just show you my own self-portrait. I hope you have as much fun with this as I did. Happy

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-79135939463563536872009-04-22T07:17:00.001-04:002009-04-22T07:23:14.246-04:00

It’s a rainy day here in Maryland. We’ve been having a lot of those lately and I know that a lot of you, at least in the U.S., have, also. So today, or the next time it rains, look out your window at the trees. Don’t they look dark and gloomy against the green and blue-grey background of the leaves and rain?I must admit that I did not think of this project on my own. I saw it in a school where I

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-25630551910825873822009-04-21T11:34:00.008-04:002009-04-21T11:55:08.233-04:00

My mom has become so annoyed by my lack of posts that she went ahead and created her own. I guess you guys missed me.********I have been looking at your chocolate painting post for so long now that I decided I needed to give it a try. First I needed to pick something to copy and I was inspired by “Parrot Paradise” on Ms. Julie’s Place – She however is much better at creating art than I am. Next I

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-72968429563288965542009-04-06T14:34:00.002-04:002009-04-06T14:41:38.306-04:00

I haven't dropped off the planet. I'm here! I hope you are all enjoying poetry month and the poems Gregory K has been posting at his site this month. I've been doing a little traveling so I haven't been around much. I haven't even done much writing, though I had planned to get to work this month!I promise you all some real posts this week, but in the meantime enjoy this project. Turn any picture

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-54531434693908341972009-04-01T06:19:00.004-04:002009-04-01T06:26:45.868-04:00

Today I am 24. Unless I can somehow have a party in a hot air balloon, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than to do a birthday art project with you all.So today, sculpt your own clay birthday cake.Supplies Needed:Clay (flour, salt, water)PaintPaintbrushPipe cleanerWax paperAluminum foilScissorsThis project would be much simpler if you use colored, store-bought polymer clay rather than

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-84262475482303724092009-03-29T11:21:00.003-04:002009-03-29T12:09:55.120-04:00

So many awesome things happen in April and I want to be sure you know about some of the things I'm exited about. First, April is Script Frenzy! If you've been reading this blog for awhile, you'll remember that National Novel Writing Month happens in November every year. Script Frenzy is hosted by the same wonderful group of people. In April, adults are challenged to write a 100-page script in 30

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-76584938336612974832009-03-26T15:51:00.002-04:002009-03-26T15:53:27.668-04:00

You all must go watch this video! Of course, videos like this pop up from time to time, but they always amaze me.Wouldn't it be wonderful if all two-year-olds were given tubes of paint and canvases to play with?

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-85645446976621447152009-03-26T14:46:00.002-04:002009-03-26T15:07:51.503-04:00

This is another project inspired by David Wiesner. To try the first project, click here.I don't think you really need to see my attempt at this. It was fun and that's all that really matters.Supplies Needed:Construction PaperOil PastelsBaby OilQ-tipsRead Sector 7. In fact, you should probably not read the rest of this project until you have read Sector 7. I don't want to ruin anything for you.As

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-47080818032604828452009-03-26T11:09:00.003-04:002009-03-26T15:54:26.465-04:00

I’ll post two projects inspired by David Wiesner. The second will post later today. Enjoy!Because there are only 24 hours in a day, and even fewer waking hours, there isn’t an unlimited amount of time for art (obviously). But art, and the opportunity for art, is everywhere. Teachers and homeschoolers may be interested in reading this before completing the following project. I know that if you

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-62109639393275051702009-03-24T21:28:00.002-04:002009-03-24T21:35:05.353-04:00

Remember all the things that a picture book has to be to win a Caldecott Medal or Caldecott Honor? When I read that list, I think of David Wiesner. And I’m not the only one. He is only the second person ever to win three Caldecott Medals. Two more of his books are Caldecott Honor Books. This is extremely impressive but what really matters is how the books make you feel. Do you like his books?I do

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-74242735795877565432009-03-20T14:45:00.004-04:002009-03-20T14:54:58.123-04:00

Happy first day of spring! I promise to share more illustrators with you but today I want to celebrate spring. Today, create your own art garden by painting terracotta pots in the styles of famous artists.Supplies Needed:Three terracotta potsThree terracotta saucersPaintsPaintbrushesSpray bottleThis is a messy one. If you’re having nice weather I recommend taking your whole art studio outside

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-63920243766333489132009-03-18T16:44:00.004-04:002009-03-18T16:57:16.199-04:00

Today, create your own Jasper Johns map. Click here to see a picture of Johns’ original painting before you begin your own.This is a very simple, very quick project. You can practice finding and labeling the states while creating your own artwork. If you choose, use a map of just the original thirteen colonies, just New England, just the southern states, or even a map of Europe, Asia, or

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-85332267688502070172009-03-16T22:26:00.003-04:002009-03-16T22:36:50.812-04:00

Plaid is holding a craft contest over at their blog. This is a great opportunity to show off your artistic skills and possibly even win a prize. Head over to their site and check out the details. I wish you luck!

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-65736683584964236712009-03-16T22:16:00.002-04:002009-03-16T22:24:03.693-04:00

Jasper Johns was born in 1930 in Augusta, Georgia. He is still living and creating art so I will not say too much about him, but tomorrow I plan to post a project inspired by his art. You should certainly know a little something about him. Be sure to check out the links to his artwork so you’ll have something to inspire you when you create your own masterpiece.Johns didn’t take any formal art

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-4382393649638260412009-03-10T11:26:00.003-04:002009-03-10T11:37:04.539-04:00

Maurice Sendak was born in New York in 1928. He decided to become an illustrator after watching Disney’s Fantasia when he was twelve years old. I can understand that. It is a pretty inspiring movie.Before he began writing his own books, he made a name for himself by illustrating children’s books written by others. You may have read some of the Little Bear books by Else Holmelund Minarik. Sendak

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-5311965782769788612009-03-09T11:22:00.003-04:002009-03-09T11:28:55.252-04:00

Julie of Ms. Julie’s Place has honored Art Smarts 4 Kids with a blog award!“This award acknowledges the efforts that every blogger shows in his/her effort to transmit cultural, ethical, literary, and personal values every day.”I’m flattered that Julie thought of me when choosing recipients and I’m so pleased that people are reading, enjoying, and finding value in this blog. Thank you, Julie!I’m

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-76688741038425381852009-03-04T10:25:00.002-05:002009-03-04T12:36:31.226-05:00

In the upcoming weeks I will be posting about several winners of the Caldecott Medal, as well as a few runners-up, also known as Caldecott Honor books. In many libraries you’ll see Caldecott Medal winners displayed along the tops of the shelves or in their own table displays. They each carry a medal on their covers. But what exactly does it mean to be a Caldecott Medal winner or Caldecott Honor

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-18466981893965753082009-03-03T11:05:00.005-05:002009-03-03T11:14:31.159-05:00

Yesterday you read about some of Lois Ehlert’s picture books. Today, make your own illustration in the style of Lois Ehlert. This project came out so well that I couldn’t wait until Friday to share it with you. So this will be a full week all about illustrators!Supplies Needed:Construction Paper/ Textured PaperCardboardWhite GlueGlue StickScissorsPencilHole Punch (optional)PaintI’m going to walk

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-80475791643464409732009-03-02T12:00:00.002-05:002009-03-02T12:06:30.957-05:00

Lois Ehlert is the author and illustrator of many lovely books for young children. You may remember reading about Leaf Man last fall. Perhaps you even made your own Leaf Man. In that book, Ehlert created the illustrations using different types of fall leaves. In her other books, she uses materials such as textured paper, cardboard, and cotton fluff.What I really love about Ehlert’s picture books

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-54560105025767604032009-03-02T05:57:00.004-05:002009-03-02T06:12:14.060-05:00

Happy birthday to the good doctor, Dr. Seuss. Make sure you check out all the Dr. Seuss posts throughout this website: Dr. Seuss, The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss book review, Create Your Own Cat in the Hat Summary Hat, and Create Your Own Seussian Birthday Adventure.Schools are closed here for weather, sadly, so I won't get to do any fun Dr. Seuss activities with the kids today. I hope you get to,

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-33928577790460002662009-02-27T16:55:00.002-05:002009-02-27T17:00:06.644-05:00

If you’re about to complete this project in celebration of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, you have read Happy Birthday to You!. So you know what Dr. Seuss would do on his birthday if he could do anything in the whole world. What would you do?Supplies Needed:White PaperPencilMarkersDr. Seuss’ picture book illustrations were completed in pen and ink, so let’s use markers for our illustrations. The result

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-59572430095679434472009-02-27T11:39:00.005-05:002009-02-27T17:01:10.561-05:00

I guess I wouldn’t call this an art project. But it is an artistic way to present a summary. And it’s a great way to celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday on Monday.Supplies Needed:White Construction PaperRed Construction PaperPencilGlue StickScissorsFirst, read Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat. Write a sentence each about the beginning, the rising action, the climax, the falling action, and the conclusion.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-2262468091664814312009-02-26T11:20:00.003-05:002009-02-26T11:30:26.813-05:00

Wow. It’s Thursday already, huh? How’d your week go?In celebration of his upcoming birthday (Monday), this week’s illustrator is Dr. Seuss. I have to assume that you have read some of his books or, at the very least, seen some of the movies made from his stories. So instead of reviewing a bunch of his books, I’m going to tell you a few fun facts about him, and then say a little about two books

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-61004256129365223412009-02-20T00:01:00.000-05:002009-02-20T00:01:01.451-05:00

Yesterday you read about a few of Graeme Base’s picture books. Hopefully you’re read at least a few.Graeme Base does a lot of research for each of his illustrations. He learns about the direction a zebras stripes run, the way a toucan’s beak is colored, the way a rhino’s legs bend. He takes that information and adds his own ideas to create illustrations that are full of fun and fantasy.Today,

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-16297241677501678562009-02-19T04:00:00.000-05:002009-02-19T04:00:00.933-05:00

Graeme Base is one of those illustrators who covers every millimeter of page with color. Every time you read a book by Graeme Base you will discover something new in the illustrations. I have not, unfortunately, had the pleasure of reading every book Graeme Base has ever written, but I have read quite a few. Today, I’d like to share a few of my favorites.Uno’s Garden tells the story of a man

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-2315626955290218892009-02-18T19:19:00.003-05:002009-02-18T19:46:29.543-05:00

There are many great children's book illustrators. Sometimes the artwork in picture books blows me away. So it's about time I started posting about some of this great art.You've already read about Eric Carle and maybe created your own painted tissue paper Valentines. Awhile back, I reviewed a book called The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss, which you may remember. But that's it. Three posts out of 350

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-33972035118612284522009-02-17T12:15:00.002-05:002009-02-17T12:15:00.958-05:00

You learned yesterday that Aboriginal artists in the desert often paint on objects like rocks, water carriers, and boomerangs. Today, paint your own Aboriginal boomerang.Supplies Needed:Construction PaperPencilScissorsBoomerang Tracer (optional)PaintPaintbrushQ-TipsCover your workspace.Choose a piece of construction paper. Any color will work, but I recommend using brown, yellow, orange, or black

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-40433680436019347682009-02-16T16:20:00.001-05:002009-02-16T16:26:01.532-05:00

Aboriginal artists living in the desert have many of the same beliefs as those living in Arnhem Land and the Kimberley region. If you need to, please refresh your memory on what those beliefs are.In the 1950s, the Aborigines from several desert areas were moved to Papunya in the center of Australia. The Aborigines were forced to move because the Australian government needed their land to graze

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-1927227923035536102009-02-12T22:12:00.002-05:002009-02-16T16:27:09.396-05:00

In the Kimberley area, Aborigines usually paint on canvas or board. Sometimes they paint on bark like the Aboriginal artists in Arnhem Land that you read about on Tuesday.Artists in the Kimberley area use natural colors made from natural materials, but they also use manufactured acrylic paints. This means that they can use a wide variety of colors in their paintings.The Kimberley artists believe

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-85420037900019192182009-02-11T00:01:00.003-05:002009-02-11T06:13:45.938-05:00

Yesterday you learned that the Aborigines, the native people of Australia, paint on tree bark. They paint animals, animal tracks, spirits, and scenes that illustrate their beliefs. Today, paint your own animal on “bark,” just like the Aborigines.Supplies Needed:Paper BagPaintsPaintbrushQ-Tips (optional)Like any time you paint, cover your workspace before you begin.Choose one or two animals that

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-84472923454390510912009-02-10T21:37:00.002-05:002009-02-10T21:42:47.729-05:00

Plaid Kids Crafts has featured my Eric Carle inspired Valentines post. Check it out, along with many other great arts and craft projects, at their website.Return to main page.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-70125801059505195742009-02-10T19:57:00.003-05:002009-02-10T20:04:38.843-05:00

Just came across this adorable Valentines Day project. I love the little boxes with the drawings on them. Since I wasn't the only person to wonder about sending unwrapped candy to school, you might want to try individually wrapped hard candies or Starbursts (always a kid-pleaser).More Aboriginal art to come...Return to main page.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-80275446957961212082009-02-10T00:01:00.002-05:002009-02-10T00:01:02.209-05:00

Aborigines have lived in Australia for thousands of years. They are the natives of Australia, just like Native Americans are the natives of the U.S. Aborigines have a long history of creating beautiful art that shows their beliefs, Australian animals, and even the weather that is typical of parts of Australia.Over the next few days, I’ll be posting about the art of the Aborigines.A lot of

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-63731644514768757992009-02-07T10:31:00.001-05:002009-02-07T10:36:51.140-05:00

I waited until Saturday to post this week’s Fabulous Fiction Friday post not because I forgot, but because I wanted to tell you about a book that is not related to art. Gasp.But since we were talking about angles yesterday, I thought the story of a knight who uses angles to complete a quest would be a great choice for this week’s book.Sir Cumference and the Great Knight of Angleland, written by

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-90754545326115564842009-02-05T21:10:00.007-05:002009-02-06T10:40:46.493-05:00

I've been working on a lesson plan for one of my classes and I thought you might be interested in some of the materials I've been preparing. The lesson is meant to teach 3rd graders to indentify right angles, acute angles, and obtuse angles. One of the activities I've been readying is a set of note cards with pictures on them. In the pictures, I've traced some of the angles and numbered them. The

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-21027079231550283402009-02-04T08:25:00.002-05:002009-02-04T08:29:28.071-05:00

I love when you all do my job for me! First Michelle with the project, then, this morning, my mom sent me a link to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. If you live in Massachusetts, check it out. I'd love to read comments from anyone who has ever been to this museum.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-54720886985462142212009-02-04T00:19:00.003-05:002009-02-04T00:36:32.961-05:00

On Friday I recommended one of Eric Carle’s picture books, Draw Me a Star. Eric Carle is such a fantastic author and illustrator. He wrote and illustrated The Very Hungry Caterpillar and The Tiny Seed, and he illustrated Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?. And there are tons more. If you haven’t read any of his books, please do so. You will be delighted.Michelle left a comment about the

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-55099804980548810622009-01-30T00:01:00.000-05:002009-01-30T00:01:01.339-05:00

I am a big fan of Eric Carle. The illustrations in his books, made with hand-painted tissue paper, are always bright and lively. His beautifully simple stories possess depth, making them enjoyable for children and adults.Draw Me a Star is no exception. The story begins when a young artist is asked to draw a star. The artist goes on to draw a sun and a tree, a man and a woman, until he has drawn

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-75809298648023059532009-01-29T19:05:00.002-05:002009-01-29T19:09:55.831-05:00

I have posted before about Jackson Pollock and his drip paintings. You may remember that Pollock created his paintings by laying large pieces of canvas on the floor of his studio and dripping paint onto them. This is a messy process.Today, make your own Jackson Pollock painting without all the mess.Supplies Needed:PaintPlastic SpoonMarblesBox TopPaperCover your workspace before you begin. You’ll

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-61168235176099137662009-01-27T00:01:00.001-05:002009-01-27T00:01:00.775-05:00

More art to come, but please entertain yourselves with this fun artist. George Vlosich has created a number of masterful works of art on the Etch A Sketch! Watch this short video clip of Vlosich as he creates a portrait of President Barak Obama (about 4 minutes). Then click through a sampling of his other creations.Return to main page.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-37289283613824017752009-01-26T11:19:00.003-05:002009-01-26T11:36:59.175-05:00

Remember when I posted about Renoir? I know, it feels like it’s been years. Anyhow, today’s artist, Suzanne Valadon, modeled for Renoir as well as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec who I’ll write about in the next few days. You can see her in the painting below, Dance at Bougival by Renoir.And below is Suzanne Valadon’s own self-portrait.Valadon was born in 1865 in France. She began her working life

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-57089980990976521662009-01-20T11:26:00.004-05:002009-01-20T11:37:56.747-05:00

Thank you all for the well-wishes. The move is going pretty smoothly but I still have another week of work to do. I'll get back to regular posting soon. And I can't wait to catch up on reading all of your blogs!Today Barak Obama will be sworn in as the president of the United States. Barak Obama has inspired a wide range of art that has been printed on posters, t-shirts, hats, and, of course,

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-72691493095038507652009-01-16T10:24:00.002-05:002009-01-16T10:26:18.724-05:00

I apologize for the silence around here. I'm in the process of moving and it's been fairly stressful. More art soon...

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-9595875601238776592009-01-10T11:11:00.002-05:002009-01-10T11:14:12.265-05:00

Happy Saturday! I was playing around on the internet this morning and found something you might find interesting. Go check out this awesome art made from food!

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-47849470183187936652009-01-09T08:00:00.001-05:002009-01-09T08:00:01.782-05:00

James Mayhew’s Katie Meets the Impressionists is a nice introduction to Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Edgar Degas for children 4 to 6 years old.It’s Katie’s grandmother’s birthday and Katie wants to give her grandma a gift. The two visit the museum and as Katie explores, she finds the perfect thing: a lovely bouquet of flowers. Katie closes her eyes and finds herself in Monet’s The

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-3086034427190093222009-01-09T00:49:00.001-05:002009-01-09T00:51:14.586-05:00

Go Gators, 2008 National Champions!

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-12189636137343873272009-01-08T14:59:00.003-05:002009-01-08T15:08:04.189-05:00

Pierre-Auguste Renoir is one of the most well-known and beloved Impressionist painters. He painted Luncheon of the Boating Party (the first painting shown below), which hangs at the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. He also painted Girl with a Watering Can (the second painting shown below) which can also be found here in D.C., at the National Gallery of Art, but which I remember best from

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-52974240527805192422009-01-06T07:25:00.006-05:002009-01-06T07:52:07.030-05:00

It's been awhile. I hope everyone's holidays were filled with family and fun. And now, on to a whole new year of art! My friend from Florida braved the cold weather and spent New Years with me in the D.C. area. On Friday we visited the United States Botanic Gardens, a warm and lovely place that grows all kinds of plants, from cacti to pineapple plants. I wish I had discovered their lovely holiday

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-55272895185916286682008-12-12T18:47:00.001-05:002008-12-12T18:51:19.969-05:00

Seen Art? by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith is a fun story about a boy who is trying to find his friend in New York City. The confusion starts when the boy asks a passerby, “seen Art?” You see, the boy’s friend’s name is Art! The boy heads into the Museum of Modern Art to look for him and he finds art, just not the Art he was looking for.Jon Scieszka always writes with a humor that boys love. This

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-48081505677792886962008-12-10T11:28:00.004-05:002008-12-10T11:37:51.318-05:00

I love making Christmas ornaments. This weekend it snowed enough to stick to the ground, if only briefly, and I thought about all the wonderful things that snow allows you to do. And then I realized that there are no snowmen on my Christmas tree! That was an easy problem to solve. Today, create your own snowman Christmas ornament.Supplies Needed:Salt Ceramic (see instructions here)*Salt*

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-31993939900183009452008-12-09T07:51:00.002-05:002008-12-09T07:57:04.573-05:00

Handmade Gifts are great. Taking the time to make your own gifts shows your loved ones how much you care. It’s also fun!Today, I’ll show you how to make your own paper. You can then turn that paper into stationery sets or bind it together to create beautiful, handmade journals.Supplies Needed:Paper from your recycle binLarge bowlBlenderBrownie panAcrylic paintMesh screenTowelsWaterTear your paper

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-57802818643839968902008-12-08T00:01:00.000-05:002008-12-08T00:01:03.380-05:00

You may remember the marbling project I posted awhile back. I thought red and green marbled paper would make lovely Christmas cards. Mine can out nicely. Try it for yourself.Supplies Needed:Foam Shaving CreamBlank Note Cards or Heavy PaperPaintPaintbrushCardboardPlate or TraySpray a layer of shaving cream, about half and inch thick, onto the plate. Use the edge of a piece of cardboard to smooth

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-30910891467630963102008-12-04T23:00:00.001-05:002008-12-05T00:56:13.625-05:00

Today you’ll use the method you learned yesterday to make beautiful, handmade Christmas cards that your friends and family will love.Supplies Needed:Heavy PaperWashable PaintsPaintbrushSpray BottleCookie SheetTapePencilColored papersStampsMarkersGlitterTape a sheet of heavy paper to your cookie sheet. Use your paint brush to dab blobs of red and green paint across the top of your paper.Set your

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-44157678984943242002008-12-03T22:45:00.004-05:002008-12-03T22:52:15.078-05:00

Morris Louis created his paintings a little differently, but you can create your own stripe paintings like his.Supplies Needed:Cookie SheetHeavy PaperWashable PaintsPaintbrushSpray BottleTape Paper TowelsThis project is a lot of fun, but it can get messy. Make sure you cover your work space and have paper towels handy.Use a small piece of tape to attach your paper to the cookie sheet.Dab blobs of

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-47039374745934233942008-12-01T23:59:00.003-05:002008-12-02T00:11:20.563-05:00

Morris Louis was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1912. His name was Morris Louis Bernstein but he dropped the Bernstein in the late 1930s. He studied art at the Maryland Institute of Fine and Applied Arts but he left school before finishing the program.He went to New York in 1936. Louis helped with some workshops that helped artists use unusual tools, like spray guns, to create art. These

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-70380022941264694602008-12-01T00:01:00.001-05:002008-12-02T00:14:03.076-05:00

Now that NaNoWriMo has ended, I want to tell you how I fared in this year's National Novel Writing Month. As you know, I reached 50,000 words on November 25th. Today, I finished the month at 60,040 words! And THE END were the final two! This year was very successful, mainly because there was a great group of other writers in my area who were also working on NaNovels. We helped each other a lot

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-43651222274608440992008-11-29T00:01:00.002-05:002008-11-30T09:12:18.335-05:00

What is this? A bonus post? Hmmm.Happy Saturday. Saturdays are reserved for those rare times when I want to say something that has nothing to do with art.I want to recommend a great book by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith called Math Curse. A boy’s teacher, Mrs. Fibonacci, suggests that “you can think of almost everything as a math problem.” When the boy wakes up the next morning, math is all around

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-14495000613205248652008-11-27T11:13:00.003-05:002008-11-27T11:21:40.244-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving to those of you Americans! I’ve neglected the art lately, I know. Everything will go back to normal on Monday, when we move from November into the wonderful, much less stressful, December.In celebration of Thanksgiving, I thought I’d share with you Loara Standish’s sampler. A sampler is a piece of embroidery that women used to make to show how skilled they were with a needle. I

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-89247587784229741432008-11-25T19:15:00.002-05:002008-11-25T19:20:32.903-05:00

And from the sludge that is her novel, she emerges, just north of the 50,000-word finish line.She looks around, confused. "What day is it?" she asks."Why, it is Tuesday, November 25th.""November 25th? It isn't time yet. No, no," she mumbles, disappearing back into the sludge. "It isn't time yet."Yes! I have reached 50,000 words! And look at the pretty winner's badge!

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-87160881230438266772008-11-22T23:32:00.004-05:002008-11-22T23:51:49.025-05:00

Just had to post my word count today. I wrote more than 5,000 words today which is more than I've ever written on a novel in one day. And I passed 44,000 words. Woo!Last year at this time I had written only 35,182 words (70%). That's right. I was behind schedule last year on the 22nd. (Though I suppose it's only fair to note that Nov. 22, 2007 was Thanksgiving.)This year I will finish well before

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-147572437553762412008-11-21T12:04:00.003-05:002008-11-21T12:07:43.293-05:00

Today is the anniversary of Rene Magritte's birth. Wish him a happy birthday by learning about his life and art, creating your own Magritte masterpiece, or reading Dinner at Magritte's by Michael Garland!

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-12575578178722543932008-11-21T11:38:00.002-05:002008-11-21T11:52:04.909-05:00

Dinner at Magritte’s, by Michael Garland, is a great introduction to Surrealism, Rene Magritte, and Salvador Dali.Pierre lives in the country outside of Paris. He is very bored because there are no other children to play with. One day he goes to visit his neighbor, Rene Magritte, and the evening is anything but boring!While Pierre watches Magritte paint, Magritte teaches him about how he paints

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-85189375020381630422008-11-20T12:27:00.003-05:002008-11-20T12:36:08.872-05:00

Yesterday you learned about the Surrealist painter, Rene Magritte. The project I’m sharing with you today was inspired by his painting, The Dominion of Light. In The Dominion of Light, Magritte painted night and day in the same painting. He thought that including both night and day in one scene would give the viewer a nice surprise. I think he was right!Supplies Needed:Two photos of the same

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-57450504004162672682008-11-19T00:57:00.002-05:002008-11-19T01:17:26.162-05:00

Rene Magritte was a Surrealist painter who was born in Belgium in 1898. He wanted people to look at ordinary things in different ways. He sometimes painted objects in places were they didn’t usually belong, like in Time Transfixed in which a train is coming out of a fireplace. Other times, Magritte confused the foreground (the things at the front of the painting) with the background, like in

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-82684361472679108572008-11-14T07:00:00.001-05:002008-11-14T07:04:52.839-05:00

I posted about Wayne Thiebaud (Tee-Bow) and his tasty food paintings awhile back. I also recommended using the National Gallery of Art's website to teach fractions with Thiebaud's paintings. Today’s book, Counting with Wayne Thiebaud by Susan Goldman Rubin, brings Thiebaud’s art to an even younger audience: those just beginning to count.This board book makes counting to ten enjoyable and

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-72410369468840325722008-11-13T07:30:00.004-05:002008-11-13T07:44:37.362-05:00

We'll get back to the American Regionalists on Monday. Today I want to share a great website with you instead. Kevin Collier, an author and illustrator of children's books, has begun a blog that teaches you how to draw. It's really fantastic. Every post is a video teaching you to draw something new. You can learn to draw a whale, a mouse, and several other animals and objects. I especially like

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-64234761393916033882008-11-12T00:01:00.001-05:002008-11-12T00:01:01.962-05:00

Yesterday you learned about Regionalism. Grant Wood was a Realist painter who is most famous for his paintings of the American Midwest, like American Gothic.Wood was born in 1891 in Iowa. His father was a farmer and his mother was a teacher. After high school, he moved to Minnesota to learn how to work with wood and metal.The next year, Wood decided to become a teacher. He studied for his

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-13710512394503112522008-11-11T00:01:00.001-05:002008-11-11T00:09:06.649-05:00

In the 1930s, during the Great Depression, many Americans had a difficult time making enough money live. A lot of people lost money when the stock market crashed and many people were fired from their jobs. At this time, people were not very hopeful about the future.The Regionalist art movement came about at the end of the 1920s. Instead of painting the world as dark, dirty, and hopeless,

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-8978594395420202562008-11-10T00:01:00.001-05:002008-11-10T00:01:01.207-05:00

This project is a lot of fun and the result is an eye-catching, shimmery masterpiece. You actually don’t need any paint to create this “painting.”Supplies Needed:Aluminum FoilWaterCupWhite GluePaintbrushTissue PaperGlitterSequinsCover your workspace. Ask an adult to cut a piece of aluminum foil for you. Pour a little water into your cup and add about the same amount of glue. Mix the glue and

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-454459259718856322008-11-07T00:01:00.002-05:002008-11-07T00:01:02.093-05:00

Welcome to Fantastic Nonfiction Friday!Last fall, when the leaves began to change colors, I posted about Lois Ehlert’s Leaf Man and I showed you how to create your own leaf man. I also showed you how to press leaves between wax paper and suggested a few ways to use those pressed leaves.Today’s book teaches you how to make animals out of leaves. It does a much better job than I could ever do. I

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-75759344747002747992008-11-05T00:01:00.004-05:002008-11-05T00:01:00.766-05:00

Yesterday you learned that many paper marblers add size to water to make the water thicker. This allows the paint to float on the top. Rather than floating paint on water, today you’ll paint on shaving cream to make your own marbled paper.Supplies Needed:Foam Shaving CreamPaintPaintbrushCardboardPaperPaper plateCover your work space. Ask an adult to spray a layer of shaving cream onto the paper

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-13168642171637456422008-11-04T09:34:00.002-05:002008-11-04T09:35:39.383-05:00

Whoever your choice may be, don't forget to vote, or remind the adults in your life to vote!

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-35733317521817856662008-11-04T00:01:00.001-05:002008-11-04T00:01:01.592-05:00

Marbled paper is created by floating ink on water. The inks can be blown or combed into patterns. Then, a sheet of paper is laid on top of the water and the ink leaves patterns on the paper. Marbled paper is sometimes used in books and as stationery. Like fingerprints, each sheet of marbled paper is unique.By the 1100s, the Japanese were creating marbled papers. They used black and blue ink to

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-17433588242727707162008-11-03T00:01:00.000-05:002008-11-03T00:01:00.882-05:00

NaNoWriMo began well. I'd hoped to be a lot farther along, word-count-wise, by now, but I'm pretty happy with my weekend. It may seem it from today's post, but I won't forget about you this month.I wrote a post earlier today but I don't want to put it up. I'm a little uncomfortable writing about artists who are still living. Tomorrow's post will lead to a fun and simple project on Wednesday,

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-15866799160051180972008-10-31T00:01:00.002-04:002008-11-01T23:54:01.429-04:00

No art post today. I just wanted to remind you all that National Novel Writing Month begins tomorrow!In case you have not heard of National Novel Writing Month, called NaNoWriMo, it a free, month-long event during which people from all over the world try to write a 50,000-word novel in 30 days. That’s about 200 pages. More than 100,000 people are signed up to participate.NaNoWriMo has a fantastic

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-26242644000991763482008-10-30T15:34:00.003-04:002008-10-30T15:43:36.717-04:00

I have already posted about origami. I have also posted about a few origami books. But origami is fun and this little origami pumpkin is a delightful Halloween project. Enjoy!Supplies Needed:Square of orange paper, any sizeGreen pipe cleanerBlack markerI used orange construction paper but I recommend using a thinner paper. Origami paper is the best choice.Fold your paper in half diagonally. Open

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-53023434001035452072008-10-29T00:33:00.002-04:002008-10-29T00:37:49.658-04:00

You may have decorated your porch, balcony, or driveway with real jack-o-lanterns, but you wouldn’t want to keep them inside. But what if you want to decorate the inside of your house with lit pumpkins, too? Try making a few pumpkin lanterns!Supplies Needed:Orange construction paperGreen construction paperTapeScissorsFold one sheet of construction paper in half, lengthwise. Face the fold toward

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-35230781662882811182008-10-28T00:01:00.002-04:002008-10-28T00:01:02.024-04:00

I hadn’t planned to post any Halloween crafts but, as it turned out, I missed creating them. So today is the first in a series of Pumpkin crafts. This pumpkin is a great table decoration. Make a bunch of them and decorate your whole house!Supplies Needed:Orange construction paperGreen construction paperPipe cleaner, either green or orangeScissorsHole punchCut eight or ten long strips of orange

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-42354059439951156382008-10-27T11:48:00.002-04:002008-10-27T11:53:21.886-04:00

Since it’s Monday, this is a very late edition of Fantastic Fiction Friday. While not necessarily an art book, Beat the Story Drum, Pum-Pum by Ashley Bryan is a great book to use as a read aloud when learning about African Djembe Drums or making your own drum.Beat the Story Drum, Pum-Pum is a collection of African stories that have been passed down from generation to generation in story and song.

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-6183519617514074962008-10-23T22:46:00.003-04:002008-10-23T22:55:52.306-04:00

Like the African artisans you learned about yesterday, you can create your own Djembe (Jem-Bay) drum. This is a fun project, though it does take a bit a time. I recommend it for third graders and older. Supplies Needed:Two plastic, Styrofoam, or paper cupsScissorsTapeNewspaperFlourWaterPaintPaintbrushPunching balloonRubber bandYarn (optional)Cover your workspace. You’ll notice in the pictures how

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-70136816391632657852008-10-22T11:17:00.001-04:002008-10-22T11:19:22.941-04:00

Djembe (Jem-Bay) drums are traditional African drums. Each drum is carved by hand from a single piece of hardwood. The inside is carved with a special design that makes the sound more beautiful when the drum is played. Often the outside is decorated, too.Goat skin is stretched over the top of the finished Djembe drum. The skin is attached to the drum by many strings. The strings can be tightened

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6620717342647886836.post-16907993245575130482008-10-21T14:53:00.004-04:002008-10-21T14:59:43.453-04:00

Yesterday you learned about Native American totem poles. You know that Native Americans often created totem poles to tell stories. Today, create your own story totem pole.A Note to Teachers/Parents: This is a great project to help teach kids about the parts of a story. Read a story and then have the students create a totem pole that retells the tale. Tell students that their totem pole should

Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983585400807257457noreply@blogger.com2