dragons and snow

Remember when I talked about getting carbon paper I needed for a project? Here is that project! This was the example that I made for my students. We all did dragons and put them in caves, notice the beautiful icicles? That is the part of the project that I needed the carbon paper for. The dragon was done in watercolor. I think he came out very nice. And why am I posting this in the middle of the day? Another snow day. I hate snow.

Andrew Wyeth, RIP

The art world has suffered a great loss. Andrew Wyeth died today. He was 91 years old. Something to talk to my students about on Tuesday. :::Sigh:::: On a happier note, I went to the business office today, and they were able to "donate" a ton of old carbon paper for an art project I'm doing with my 7th graders. Score! Anything I can beg, borrow, or find is helpful on a budget. I will post the results sometime next week. I have lots of fun art to show off, belonging both to me and my students. The only thing holding me up is getting my brand new camera set up. I received a 14 megapixal camera for Christmas from Mommy and Daddy. In all honesty, it's kinda intimidating. I have to get over my fear of the silly camera, I have art to take pictures of!

I hate the cold

So, I went to start my car up this morning, no problem, even if it is -25 degrees outside. I run out to leave, and I remember that I left my book that I needed inside. So I shut my car off because I need my house key, run inside, get my stuff, and guess what happens? Yup, the car refuses to start. So I have to waste one of my personal days because I am stuck at home. I have so much to do with my students!!!! I only have two weeks left with them, and then I switch over to a new bunch. Oh well, it's Golden Girls and correcting papers for me today. I will leave you with some older acrylic paintings I've done.

I had an amazing time!!!

Conference was so much fun.. I learned so much about lessons, got ideas, and got to know a bunch of great art teachers. I even got to make some stuff in workshops. And, of course, the vendors! I have never been to a place like that before. I got so much free stuff. They were so nice, just handing art supplies out. I was in Heaven. Also, they were selling lots of books at discount prices. I bought several books; mostly on Mexican, African and Chinese art. These are places where my knowledge is lacking. Hey, I need to learn and improve! I had such a great experience. It is hard to put into words.

A sign:

My hotel room:

My region:

We got back late last night and then I went right into parent teacher conferences (more conferences!) today into tonight. I have to get up early tomorrow for conferences, but after that, I'm off from school until Monday. This week will be a great time to make some great art. I will post more of my pictures from NYSATA later. I might have time tomorrow. It's snowing so hard outside right now, I might pray for a snow day!!!!

Sometimes doing something difficult is only difficult until you try it.

Scared. Angry. Forgiveness. Panic. Frustration. I can honestly say I've had quite a big day. Emotions were running high in my household! Anyway, high emotions make for great art. Except I was to distraught to make any art. Tomorrow is conference, I can honestly say that I am excited to go. This will be my first time going. An entire place were people will have the exact same interest, and job, as me! I am brining my sketchbook and will post as soon as I get back on Sunday. (No post until then.) I leave you with glimpse into my life. A hallway rainbow. My students' one color collages, made from magazines. I know I said I would never put student work on the site, but I hung them on the wall. It counts, because I say so.

Our coffee filter turkeys, because I am a cool teacher, and even big kids need to have fun.

Yummy! Yes, I made these all by myself. I did these butterfly cupcakes for a teacher lunch that I went to. They were impressed, and I was too!!! They came out much better than I thought they would. And yes, you could eat every part of the butterfly.

Aaron gave me roses a few days ago. I love my husband.

Thanksgiving is in the air....

I decided to decorate my desk at school for Halloween with an ugly, old fake rat. Well... I didn't pick him up fast enough after the holiday... This is what happens when you leave a poor defenceless rat alone with 7th graders..... Poor rat. I hate to see what they will do for Christmas.

Oh, baby....

Here is a collage I made about 4 years ago, right after the birth of my son Trenton. Yes, that is him in the collage with his daddy. After I gave birth was a creative time for me. I had such a hard, morning-sickness filled pregnancy, it felt wonderful to be back at it again!

The reason I am posting this tonight instead of fresh work is I made a huge turkey dinner. Call it practice for Thanksgiving. No time for art when I'm full and happy as a pig. Besides, I did my creativeness for the day. I put up the first grade Thanksgiving bulletin board this afternoon. After stapling turkeys, cotton ball clouds, and foam flowers up, I'm spent.

Congratulations President Obama!

It's just been called! Sen. Obama will be the next president. Congratulations! I hope you all voted today. I know I did. It was such a busy night (homemade spaghetti, voting, Grammy's house) I did not get a chance to create any art. So I will leave you some of the projects that my students have been doing in class. I made these, I will never post any of my kids work on MY site. The first picture is a collage. The background is oil pastels and the spirals are made out of yarn.

Didn't it come out cute? The next project is a jack-o-lantern. It was made out of a milk jug, orange paint, and a toilet paper role painted green. Around the top I tied green yarn and glued it all together with green hot glue. It is stuffed with black tissue paper.

The back view of the pumpkin.

The kids "pumpkin jugs" came out so much better than mine, of course. Children have such a creative streak that adults are just lacking. And I get to work with it everyday. I love my job.

Internet, the greatest time sucker in the world....

So, I have about a million and a half things to do before 1:15 this afternoon. At 1:15 I'm taking my two boys to Plattsburgh to meet up with daddy/husband. We will then proceed on the pumpkin patch to enjoy a little Halloween fun. Of course, I am super excited but I have So... Much... Stuff... To... Do!!!!! Ahhhh!!!!!! I have to correct art work and plan for the week, and I have laundry and the living room is a wreck, and I wanted to start on dinner before we left to save some time tonight. But what do I do instead? I get on the Internet. Of course I do! But my time wasting worked out in my favor today. I found an ATC trading group that is active. So, of course, I am super excited and don't do a lick of what I'm supposed to for my students or my house. I still have an open invitation to anyone who wanders into this site, I would LOVE to trade ATCs. But, with this new site, I have a new feeling I'm going to be trading soon. With that said, I'm getting off this wonderful Internet and going to work on rubrics, homework, and Art Club poster making. I'm starting an art club with my students, but that is a subject for another time wasting blog.