Kim & Karen: 2 Soul Sisters

Bisqued Painter's Palettes as Plates for a GRADE LEVEL Auction Idea!

2012-01-13T20:19:00.000-05:00

Painter's Palettes

School Auction

2nd Grade Class Projects

We are getting back in the groove!

HAPPY NEW YEAR =)

1969

The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore...and Howard Finster

2011-12-24T08:28:00.001-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...so how about this?...howard finster (famous georgia fok artist) http://www.finster.com/ did this book....The Night Before Christmas...WHICH TODAY IS!

here is the info on it..............

Turner Publishing commissioned Howard to paint illustrations for the "Night Before Christmas" in 1996. This assignment brought Finster back in touch with his childhood. The illustrations are visions of a previous time filled with wonder from an eccentric world renown folk artist. He dedicated the illustrations to all the children of the world including the "Big Ones" and his dreams of restoring his Paradise Gardens in Summerville, Georgia.

got 14 minutes and 39 seconds.?.if so, watch this I LOVE LUCY blast from the past Christmas show...Lord have mercy, lucy was a hoot!

here is the synopsis...

It's Christmas time with the Ricardos, the Mertzes, and Little Ricky. Little Ricky wants to see Santa. Lucy dresses as him to surprise the little boy...
please don't forget to pause our playlist...

if ur kids wanna track santa, go to this link

Norad Santa Tracker

happy saturday, Christmas Eve, december 24, 2011!

recycling, envelopes, glitter and Baby Jesus

2011-12-23T06:48:00.000-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...how can recycling, envelopes, glitter, and Baby Jesus come together?...like this...

how about a little "Silent Night/Away in a Manger" by Relient K...please pause the playlist...

ever heard of relient K?...here is some interesting info...

Since 1998, Relient K has been a staple in the Christian music industry. Through many member changes, three gold albums, two Christmas records, a Grammy nomination, two Dove awards, and performances on Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, and numerous television shows, this group has exploded in popularity over the last ten years. Throughout their history, Relient K has been known for their pop/punk sound fused with humor, witty lyrics, and Jesus Christ.

Relient K first formed in 1997 in Canton, Ohio with Matt Thiessen, Matt Hoopes, and Brian Pittman. Drummer Stephen Cushman later joined the group. The band is named after Matt Hoopes’ old car, which was a Plymouth Reliant K.

check out the car...

happy friday, december 23, 2011!

cute reindeer gift bag...and grandparent names???

2011-12-22T07:03:00.000-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...need a gift bag idea for that special someone?...get the kiddies to make this...grandparents wud love it...just an idea...to ponder...as u shop...for the last minutes...

so what do ur kids call the grandparents? baba, gigi, bamps, bamma, be-bop, pop, bobo, ga, bema, bepa, big mama, pa paw, bop, boompa, dada, cookie, nana, dandy, deedee, fufu, gaga, g-ma, daddy-g, giggy, goggie, gogo, mawmaw, pawpaw, gran-gran, grandy, granola (lol!), honey, jojo, lala, buddy, memere, pepere, me-mom, mimi, pops, momo, popo, noni, gampy, pitty-pat, boom-pa, sweetie, tata, tutu, vovo, vava, zsa zsa, or boo-boo?....i guess james called his "papa"..............................

ending with some james brown..."papa's got a brand new bag"...classic, folks...please don't forget to pause the playlist...

happy thursday, december 22, 2011!

Fish Ceramic Bowl - School Auction

2011-12-21T15:03:00.000-05:00

Need an idea for a class project for a school auction?

Fish are always a good idea =)

Basic bisqued bowl, Stroke and Coat glazes...and you are all set!

Happy Day

1969

if u look like this...u prolly do art like this...

2011-12-20T05:32:00.000-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...

if you look like this when u teach...

you prolly do art like this with the kids...or u may not do art at all...

but if you look like this when u teach...

u prolly do art something like this with the kids....

this song says it all..."Whatcha See is Whatcha Get" on Soul Train...the band...The Dramatics...look at the color on this thing...and please pause the playlist....

happy tuesday, december 20, 2011!

Watercolor Snow-People with a FUNKY Twist!

2011-12-19T10:16:00.000-05:00

Merry Merry...Rock on with some FUNKY snow-people made out of watercolor paper!

Hope you all have a FABULOUS DAY!

1969

negative....POSITIVE!

2011-12-18T12:05:00.002-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...been around awhile...still worth a share...oh yeah...don't forget...please pause our playlist....

happy sunday, december 18, 2011!

wear ur crayons and color ur world anytime...and a last minute gift idea!

2011-12-17T06:04:00.000-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...ever seen a crayon necklace?...i found one at urban outfitters yesterday for my art teacher friend for Christmas...Urban Outfitters Crayon Necklace...here is what it looks like...hey, it is even on sale online!

and i found the coolest song on youtube with some gal singing the crayon song...she is singing and playing the guitar in the shower...cute and kinda folksy...please turn our playlist down...

have a colorful day!

happy saturday, december 17, 2011!

keep calm and whatever you wanna put...

2011-12-16T05:00:00.021-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...so the "keep calm and carry on" craze is on...1969 is really into it...she is always posting a "keep calm..." on facebook and pinterest...
so i researched and found this information from the keep calm website keep calm and carry on link

So what is this Keep Calm and Carry On thing all about then?

The Ministry of Information was formed by the British Government as the department responsible for publicity and propaganda during the Second World War. In late 1939 after the outbreak of the war, the MOI was appointed by the British Government to design a number of morale boosting posters that would be displayed across the British Isles during the testing times that lay ahead.

With a bold coloured background, the posters were required to be similar in style and feature the symbolic crown of King George VI along with a simple yet effective font. The first two posters, ‘Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution will Bring Us Victory’ and ‘Freedom is in Peril’ were produced by His Majesty’s Stationery Office (HMSO).

These two were posted on public transport, in shop windows, upon notice boards and hoardings across Britain. The third and final poster of the set was again very straightforward and to the point - it simply read ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’. The plan in place for this poster was to issue it only upon the invasion of Britian by Germany. As this never happened, the poster was never officially seen by the public.

It is believed that most of the Keep Calm posters were destroyed and reduced to a pulp at the end of the war in 1945. However, nearly 60 years later, a bookseller from Barter Books stumbled across a copy hidden amongst a pile of dusty old books bought from an auction. A small number also remain in the National Archives and the Imperial War Museum in London.

Sadly no record remains of the unknown Civil Servant who originally came up with the simple and quintessential Britishness of the Keep Calm and Carry On message. However, it is wonderful to think that all these years later people still find it so appealing and reassuring in our modern times.

did you know that you can make your own "keep calm" image with your own words?...check it out...create your own keep calm image

here is the image that i created...

now folks...this is true...duck tape is the answer...always have a roll handy...u will not be disappointed...

i shall end with an old song about disco ducks...don't forget to pause the playlist!

happy friday, december 16, 2011!

Shotgun Shell & Wine Cork Christmas Trees! 3-D ART...LOVE it =) and the little elf "SB" that brought all of the corks in for the class!

2011-12-15T00:05:00.000-05:00

Shotgun shell tree

Back of Shotgun shell tree....either way, I like it =)

Finished Tree with No paint

Birdseye view of ribbon

So stinkin' cute!

Work in progress...

Close up of work in progress!

Look at those details being added!

Way-Super-Cool!

Small Tree

Looking a little like Whoville, but I love it...it is glued to a melted baby food jar!

I bet Cyndi Lou Who would like it a lot!

Some added color to create emphasis!

Another baby food jar that is used for a base. We melted those in ceramic kiln at cone 017

SMILES

So simple but so neat!

So, are ya motivated now and want to make one?

Super cute with the green....

WOWZY!

How this lesson came to be...Well, I had printed out something that I found on Pinterest.....IMAGINE that?!?! A student, we shall call her, SB, (I do love this 8th grader) sees the photo that I had pinned from Pinterest and printed out. SB says..."Mrs. Daniel, I really want to make those wine cork trees". I say..."SB I can only collect so many wine corks my dear and we need enough for the whole class". {Insert...sarcastic look here =) } Well, SB says "OK" and she prances off in her merry ole' 8th grade way. Wouldn't ya know it...the next time I had SB in 3D art she walks into class and says..."look what I have and whatever your lesson plan is today we have to change it to make these trees!" {Insert HUGE art teacher SMILE here} Guess what I did. I said - "do ya have enough for the whole class". SB is like..."DUH, of course I do". So, hence the wine cork lesson takes off and turned out to be a huge success. Then I had a student that didn't want to use the wine corks. He wanted to use the shotgun shells...so I figure...just roll with it...the art students are engaged and wanting to make this stuff...what more could I ask for, right? LOVE it! This is why I teach....

What do you need for the lesson?

Shotgun shells

LOTS of wine corks

E6000 glue (ew.ew.ew. PU this stuff stinks!)

Ribbon- we used wire ribbon

A base of some sort...we used a variety of things in our art room

Acrylic Paint

Paint brushes

You get the idea?

I call glitter UNICORN POOP...we could have used some of that too...but we seem to be out of it in my art room these days...'Tis the SEASON!

Just had to share....love me some SB and I sure do give these trees a big ole' 2 thumbs up!

Oh happy Day...

1969

3D Christmas Trees and Snowpeople - Paper Craft

2011-12-14T07:36:00.000-05:00

What a neat 3 D Art Craft. I found it here at this link

3D Christmas Snowman And Tree

The link had the pattern to download. Super EASY and all kids an succeed at it!

Check it out. The possibilities are endless. It reminds me of the Pumpkin 3D Art lesson that we blogged earlier.

Happy Day!

1969

Christmas and Mondrian

2011-12-13T05:00:00.007-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher....so i had to have something to decorate an envelope for a gift for our moms and dads...so...i thought, why not art?...so i talked a little about mondrian...i showed this video from MoMa...short Mondrian Video ...and then i showed them some of Mondrian's work...and gave them a Christmas tree that I drew and got them to color it with greens and reds...yes, i know they could have drawn the Christmas tree on their own, but I AM VERY PUSHED FOR TIME, folks!...so please forgive me for butting in on the creative process....

butting in on the creative process can come in many forms...the way we persuade students....encourage them through a project...some teachers may even use the drawing tool of a student and assist (eek...not cool!)...we all have to be careful...and let the kids think...and decide...and be happy with their choices...if and they make poor choices in art, they will know...and some (like myself on many occasions) will make the project into something they never even considered in the beginning...u gotta let art flow...and if u think about it....kinda the same way in life...u gotta let ur life flow...

here is an old song about letting ur love flow...we got art flow today...life flow...and now love flow...

The Bellamy Brothers

"Let Your Love Flow"

1976

Check this out...found this on songfacts.com...talk about letting stuff flow...

According to Howard Bellamy, who is half of the Bellamy Brothers duo, it pays to be in the right place at the right time. This song is a prime example of that, and went on to become their biggest-selling single. Bellamy told us: "Around '74, we moved from Florida to L.A. to kind of pursue a career. We're from here in Central Florida in a little community called Darby - there is not much of a music scene here, to say the least. So we moved out there and met a lot of guys and met Neil Diamond's band, became good friends with his band. And one day Neil's drummer came over to our house and brought the demo of 'Let Your Love Flow,' and said, 'Hey, this sounds like something you guys would do.' So we went off to record that, and the rest is kind of history. It became not only the largest song of that year, it's become somewhere in the area of one of the largest songs ever, as far as being played. And it's become a standard, basically. I wish another one of those would come along."

Larry Williams, who was one of Neil Diamond's roadies, wrote this song. Neil Diamond, however, turned it down. Says Bellamy: "Well, it really wasn't in Neil Diamond's vein. I would say the guy who wrote this song is the wealthiest roadie now that ever was. Actually, Johnny Rivers had passed on the song. It had been pitched to a few people. It was recorded once by a guy named Gene Cotton; he recorded a kind of unusual version. But when we heard it we had an idea of how we wanted to record it because it kind of fit our style, acoustic bass with a groove, and I think that has a lot to do with it. You've got to really match songs with artists, and I think it was the perfect song for us, a great match."

happy tuesday, december 13, 2011!

Snowpeople Faces!

2011-12-12T09:21:00.000-05:00

Cool winter craft! A snowperson with watercolor details! EVERYONE is successful and the classroom teachers have something to hang up after Christmas Break!

We watercolored a 9x12 piece of white paper and used it in week 2 as details on some way cool snowpeople!

Happy Day

1969

Spiral Shaped Snow-People

2011-12-11T10:22:00.000-05:00

How To:

White Paper - any size (we used 9x12 drawing grade paper)

Cut circle

Spiral out the circle

Leave enough room to make head

Add Snowperson details

Face, eyes, nose, hat, arts

Yippy....EASY Winter Craft for anyone to do as long as they can use scissors!

Happy Sunday!

1969

creation and evolution...

2011-12-10T06:19:00.000-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...ever seen a painting evolve?...watch...

started this at home...just random for sure...

took the painting on a trip and let a friend put some swirlies on it...

then, worked a little more at home....

done?...nope...i don't think so...but letting the painting rest for awhile...seems a bit busy 2 me...

....a little more to this story that i wanna tell...lol!

sooooooooooooooo....ever seen the evolution of dance?...pause the playlist and watch....

happy saturday, december 10, 2011!

Ceramic Bowl - Class Project for School Auction

2011-12-09T08:57:00.000-05:00

Pretty self explanatory....basic bisque. Our theme was a Spanish theme. Loved the colors the kids wanted to use. The wrought iron stand was a hit! Way cool....

Happy Friday!

Just a quick post as we are in the throws of

CREATIVE Chaos in the art room at school and art studio at home!

1969

just erasing the markerboad and thought.......reindeer!

2011-12-08T06:47:00.001-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...well, i was erasing the marker board and thought of a cute reindeer project...and we started it at 8:00 AM yesterday morning...seriously...it took us until 11:00 AM to complete this project...this class is just very detail oriented...which i am not...and everything has to be just right...turned out cute...take a look...........oh yeah...one child has been on steroids for a random rash...guess which reindeer the child did...hint: look at the noses...also, which reindeer do you think had been in the eggnog?

Reindeer 1

Reindeer 2

Reindeer 3

Reindeer 4

Reindeer 5

Reindeer 6

the back of the reindeer...i hung these up above the kid's desks in the classroom and we needed a little polka color...

Answer to ?s above...

Reindeer 1 was on steroids..nose is a giveaway!

Reindeer 4 had some eggnog...

How about a little Jack & Rudolph?

Remember...pause our playlist!

have a happy thursday, december 8, 2011!

Koi Fish Painting - Chinese Unit

2011-12-07T07:40:00.000-05:00

So we did a unit on Chinese Art to go along with our theme for our school auction this year. I researched how to draw Koi Fish on the net and found some really cool resources which I proceeded to share via the handy dandy Ipad and LCD Screen in my classroom. (I so love technology when it works with your lesson plans!) The kids were given all kinds of ideas to use as media...bascially kid choice...marker, colored pencil, tempera paint, watercolor or mixed media. Well, this is how a few of them turned out. Way cool. Don't you think these would make great note cards? I do....mmmmm...maybe that will be my next task as an art teacher. 'Tis the Season for lots of CREATIVE Chaos. I hope you all have got your Art Craft on for the 2011 Holidays =)

Over and out!

Happy Day, 1969

2 Great Danes and a 242 Count Photo Shoot! Hope You Have a DOG GONE Good Christmas!

2011-12-06T08:24:00.000-05:00

Meet Colby...Yep, he looks and acts just like SCOOBY DO! Um, huh...Ru-Row Scraggy!
Of the 242 photos...this one is one of my favorites! Dunno why...but it is!

This is Cooper. He is looking rather dapper on this fine day for his photo shoot down here in Tally!

Colby is done...he is like...PLEASE Pretty please...no more photos!
He has no idea what we are already thinking for next years card =)

You see Cooper is one of my friends Great Danes. Mailin is my good friend. She says to me..."Hey ya wanna help me do a photo shoot of my pups for a Christmas Card for my class?" I am like - HECK yeah! BLOG Material...Wahoooo!!!! My brain started swirling with CREATIVE Chaos.

So the fun begins! How hilarious is this photo. Love the angle.

So, if Cooper could talk...what would he be saying right now? I can only imagine! Can't you....

If you could read Colby's Mind....what is he thinking? Man, I love these dogs. We are just animal people. Always have been always will be! We have a rule in our house that we have to name our animals after artists. And, since Left Brain Hubby Hunts and my daughter too...we have to have short syllable words / names to call the dogs back to the duck blind. Get the idea! Yes, this is not as much of a problem as MF is now in 7th grade. We just didn't want Left Brain in a boat or duck blind calling a dog after a shoot something like "Princess" or "Puddin" - get the idea!

Meet Sal. He is named after Salvador Dali....take note of the cute Turkey Pumpkin the in the background. We will soon blog about it too! Sal is 11 years old and is the best snuggle bug in the whole wide world. He has a huge block head. Oh, man is he a SA-WEETY!

This is Pearl. She was a great girl. We had her for over 10+ years. We didn't name her. She was named by the hunting trainer. Pearl died this past Spring. Oh it was so very sad. Makes my heart frown just to think about it. Pearl had a sweet story. We took Sal to be trained and the trainer saw 1969's 2 year old daughter at the time with Sal. He then asked my husband - LEFT BRAIN - if we wanted another dog. She was already trained but had been abused by her previous owner. Ok, so we took one look at her and we brought her home. She was treated like a PRINCESS the whole time we had her and man did that dog like to hunt! She was already named but we found a reason to justify her name in the art realm...Pink PEARL eraser - now ya see her and now ya don't. Side story...we just built our house in 2005 ( by the way Martha Stewart has nothing on me but jail time with the house building stuff) Any who - Pearl decided that she needed to retrieve and animal. Oh yes! Guess what it was. A LIVE armadillo. I kid you not. Well, Left Brain was out of town at the time. My good ole' right brained self had to figure out what to do next! Ok, really - you just can't make this stuff up! Pearl, was a super good girl. R.I.P

Well, when MF was in 2nd grade all she asked Santa for was another black lab.....YES that would make 3 labs. We named this Christmas Pup, Roy. He was named after Roy Lichtenstein. We had been studying Roy at school and MF knew we had to come up with an artsy name for him. So we did and it passed the duck call from the boat...one syllable name!

This is a portrait that MF did of Roy in art class with me. We were studying Howard Finster. Love some folk art - got it framed in our house right now!

This CAT is Rotten to the core but so uber sweet. She just wants to snuggle up and purr! Check her out hanging out 2 Christmas' ago on the dog bed Santa left the pups! Looking like a Queen. She just struck herself a pose and stayed there until the Santa commotion began.

Meet PiCATso- you got it. Named after Pablo Picasso. This kitty cat was at the POUND :( She was about to be put to sleep. MF saw her and we brought her home. So, this Cat went from the pound to the palace. She is a hoot. And a great addition to our little family! She loves to get in bed with you and steal your pillow. She can be a pretty techno-savy cat do as she likes to mess with you while you are on your laptop. She loves attention!

Look at Sal. He has play dates with Cooper and Colby!

This is the first time that Colby had ever been in the water! I do believe that he took to it. What do you think?

Check out the size of Colby and our labs are pretty big!

Colby loves to play football, can't you tell! Yes, that is a regular size football. When Sal and Pearl tried to grab it in their mouth it would just roll out. Colby gummed the sucker and took off like he was Hershel Walker or something!

Here is MF and Roy this past Novmeber. He is such a good dog! He is ever so protective of his MF.

Yes, Cooper does like to get in the pool. Is this not hilarious =)

Bahahahahahahahahahah

Makes me giggle everytime I look at it!

Cooper Chillin' in the summer time!

What about PiCATso posing by her Christmas gifts last year. She just stopped and I took the photo. Crazy...Cats NEVER ever do what you want them to do. What are the odds that I could get a photo like this? I love the animal stockings. We hang them up every year for Santa to fill!

So, there ya have it. A photo shoot and some animals named after artists!

Hope you all have a great day!

xox

1969

Fused Glass Photo Frames - Class Projects

2011-12-05T09:07:00.000-05:00

These frames were made from left over pieces of glass that were fused together in the glass kiln. They fused at Ra 2 (in glass kiln) and the glass is coefficient of 90. The kids help me cut strips of the glass the size of the acrylic frames. We used Elmer's glue to hold items in place securely and put on kiln shelf that had been prepared with kiln wash.

Once the pieces were fused together, we took them out of kiln and used E6000 glue that was purchased at Wal-Mart to glue on the glass to the acrylic frames. The frames can be any size. They are inexpensive usually found at Wal-mart, Target, CVS or Walgreens. We used the 5x7 size frames.

This project gives a great end result!

Enjoy

1969

what's ur name?

2011-12-04T07:19:00.001-05:00

by #1965 third grade teacher...so need a gift idea for someone that has everything?...for someone that is creative and appreciates the artsy?...well 1969 gave me this a few years ago...and i love it...

it is our maiden name...she made it from old handset type letterpress...u can find it in the google world...here it is...

or...u really could use anything...if ur creative enough to think about it...

so 1969 calls me one saturday night a few weeks ago..and she says that she wants us to make our Christmas gifts for each other this year...blah.blah.blah...well guess what..?...i had just bought her some art that morning...can you believe that?...so i just kept my mouth shut and just agreed with her and said sure...

so sis, i have decided that i will get my creative juices flowing and create art with interesting items from the past...

so pause our Christmas playlist and check these name songs out...love them both!

the ting tings...that's not my name

and

shirley ellis...the name game

so...

have a good sunday sunday,

fo sunday,

banana fanna,

fo funday,

fee fi,

mo monday,

SUNDAY!

december 4, 2011!

Wine Bottle Christmas Tree...Gettin' My Christmas Craft on down here in Tallahassee!

2011-12-03T18:25:00.000-05:00

A little Art Therapy for me never hurt this time of year! How do you make them?

Glass Bottle

Small Christmas Lights

Wire

Beads

Funky Ornaments

A good ATTITUDE

Some IMAGINATION

Photos are pretty self-explanatory for the visual learner!

Oh Happy Day =)

1969

pasaquan and bronchitis

2011-12-02T06:26:00.000-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...so a few years ago i had a bad case of bronchitis...and it just happened to be the same weekend as the georgia florida game...and we had tickets...but i just could not go with bronchitis...so, i stayed home...after much encouragement to go from the family...i still stayed home...so anyway...i wake up saturday morning and i am looking forward to a great day of rest...and my very dear friend calls me and said that it was artist day at pasaquan in buena vista, georgia...well...i started feeling better...got showered and dressed...and we headed to pasaquan...check it out...St. EOM's Pasaquan...so we get there and life is good...everybody looking at art...sitting around on blankets and listening to live folk music...nothing could be better i tell u...so i buy this art...

well...the problem...the dude signed and dated it right there in front of me...so..on the way home...i realized that i have got this art signed and i am supposed to be in bed....so i just change the 11-9-08 date to 10-9-08...cause the family just didn't need to know that i had ditched the georgia florida game for an folksy art fest in buena vista, georgia...but i did.........

they even called me from the game while i was sitting there soaking up the folksy music and asked me how i felt...i said, "i am feeling great!"........i swear that day healed my bronchitis...sometimes u just gotta be sketchy and get ur art soul filled up....

so...that is all i got...

check out pasaquon blog????http://www.pasaquan.blogspot.com/

happy friday, december 2, 2011!

RED SOLO Cup Christmas Tree for a good friend, laminated funky photo ornaments and a 48th Wedding Anniversary...Man it is a GOOD DAY!

2011-12-01T00:10:00.000-05:00

Getting in the Christmas Spirit here in the HOOD! So, have ya heard the song Red Solo Cup by Toby Keith? If not, you can listen here.

RED SOLO CUP

I made this for a good family friend to get us all in the Christmas Spirit here in Tallahassee!

The tree is decorated with wallet size photos that have been laminated and "funkied" up a bit. I'll do another post on how to make those memorable ornaments soon.

Well, today is 1969 and 1965's Parent Unit's Anniversary of 48 years! WOW! I know right...a long time that they have been married. I do believe they were 2nd grade sweethearts too.

Happy #48 Anniversary to BOBO & GA!

Part of the Artsy Fartsy Family with Bobo and GA on Thanksgiving 2011

Aww....makes my heart smile just looking at them 48 years ago! Right Brain (Dan) and I have made it to 20 years this past June and we dated for 6...which = 26 but it rounds to 30...What a good feeling! Kinda makes me think about some ETTA JAMES - check it out

SING it ETTA....Yep, this chick has got some kind of VOICE....

Lyrics to Something's Got A Hold On Me :

Something's Got A Hold On Me

Sometimes I get a good feeling

I get a feeling that I never, never had before

And I got to tell you right now

I believe, I really do believe that

Something's got a hold on me

(Oh, it must be love)

Something's got a hold on me right now child

(Yeah, it must be love)

Let me tell you now

I never felt like this before

Something's got a hold on me that won't let go

I believe I'd die if I only could

I sure feel strange, but I sure feel good

I said, Oh yeah

It must be love

(You know it must be love)

Let me tell you now

Something's got a hold on me

(Oh, it must be love)

Something's got a hold on me right now child

(Yeah, it must be love)

Let me tell you now

I got a feeling, I feel so strange

Everything about me seems to have changed

Step by step, I got a brand new walk

I even sound sweeter when I talk

I said, Oh yeah

It must be love

(You know it must be love)

Let me tell you now

My heart feels heavy, my feet feel light

I shake all over, but I feel alright

I never felt like this before

Something's got a hold on me that won't let go

I never thought it could happen to me

My heart was heavy when in misery

I never thought it could be this way

Love's sure gonna put a hurting on me

I said Oh yeah

It must be love

(You know it must be love)

Yeah he walks like love

(Yeah he walks like love)

And he talks like love

(And he talks like love)

Makes me feel alright

(Makes me feel alright)

In the middle of the night

(In the middle of the night)

Na na na na

Something's Got A Hold On Me

Vaya Con Dios

Sometimes I get a good feeling

I get a feeling that I never, never had before

And I got to tell you right now

I believe, I really do believe that

Something's got a hold on me

(Oh, it must be love)

Something's got a hold on me right now child

(Yeah, it must be love)

Let me tell you now

I never felt like this before

Something's got a hold on me that won't let go

I believe I'd die if I only could

I sure feel strange, but I sure feel good

I said, Oh yeah

It must be love

(You know it must be love)

Let me tell you now

Something's got a hold on me

(Oh, it ust be love)

Something's got a hold on me right now child

(Yeah, it must be love)

Let me tell you now

I got a feeling, I feel so strange

Everything about me seems to have changed

Step by step, I got a brand new walk

I even sound sweeter when I talk

I said, Oh yeah

It must be love

(You know it must be love)

Let me tell you now

My heart feels heavy, my feet feel light

I shake all over, but I feel alright

I never felt like this before

Something's got a hold on me that won't let go

I never thought it ould happen to me

My heart was heavy when in misery

I never thought it could be this way

Love's sure gonna put a hurting on me

I said Oh yeah

It must be love

(You know it must be love)

Yeah he walks like love

(Yeah he walks like love)

And he talks like love

(And he talks like love)

Makes me feel alright
(Makes me feel alright)
In the middle of the night

(In the middle of the night)

Na na na na

[ These are Something's Got A Hold On Me Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]

You guys need to get your craft on...Santa is just around the corner =)

xoxo

1969

Fused Glass Christmas Tree - Class Project

2011-11-30T05:56:00.000-05:00

This is a clear piece of glass with the coefficient of 90. It has small pieces of glass glued on to it with regular Elmer's Glue. We fused it in the glass kiln and sold it as a class project at our School Auction last year. Really simple, but fun to do.

It measured like 12 inches by an 8 inch base.

Enjoy=)

Hand Print Ceramic Tile Mirrors

2011-11-29T08:23:00.000-05:00

Look how these turned out! Love them....you guessed it a school auction item. See details of other mirrors done in the same way here.

Happy Tuesday =)

1969

Pumpkin Clay Rattles

2011-11-28T00:19:00.000-05:00

These are such a cute idea! Have you ever made rattles in art class? If not, all ya need to know is how to make 2 pinch pots.....mend them together. Place several small clay ball inside of the rattle before you mend. The larger the balls the more dull the sound will be. If you want a high pitch sound then you should make smaller balls.

Google how to make clay rattles and tons of information comes up for you to research and share with the kids making the project. Be sure to poke a small hole in the bottom as this will help in the firing as doing this will hopefully secure that the rattles will not blow up.

I'll do another post soon of other themes my students chose to make. I thought this would be a good quick post as we are almost to December and moving away from Fall ideas into Winter ideas in my classroom.

Hope you all have a wonderful cyber Monday =)
xox 1969

Mixed Media Watercolor Fish

2011-11-27T09:06:00.000-05:00

Pretty simple but effective lesson. Draw out fish using pencil on 12x18 white paper. Color in fish with crayons or oil pastels. Watercolor the background. Outline in black markers. You can do this lesson in 2 class periods. All kids were successful with this unit. The big item I focused on was using the entire page! This lesson lends itself to being used with a book from the library to tie in Language Arts. It is also a great way to work in the use of the Elements and Principles of Art.

Happy Sunday...1969

A Few More Turkey Ideas =)

2011-11-26T09:09:00.000-05:00

Turkey Time........GOBBLE GOBBLE.....these are a few turkeys that we have painted over the past few years in art class. A great way to teach pattern or even an artist's style! Happy Thanksgiving everyone...I hope you all had a good one...I know we did - nothing better than family, food, friends and a good game of volleyball and football in the front yard!

How does a clay ceramic turkey end up on the front of a school's Thanksgiving Card?

2011-11-23T08:12:00.000-05:00

How cool is this....Slab Rolled Turkey created by 7th grader. Well, we thought it was so funky that we made it into our School's Thanksgiving Card. Check it out below!

Slab Rolled Turkey - White clay. Used Texture pads to create texture on clay. Wire and beads for feet and for the hanger at the top! So simple...easy and effective!

Front of card for the school

Lay out of the card cover to cover

Inside of the card

This is how it all got started in the kiln! Oh, the PR possibilities for a school via the art room!

x0x0 1969

DITTO!

2011-11-22T05:00:00.004-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher....i am from the south...and i have been teaching 20+ years...and this is my blog...and i can express myself and my thoughts...and i agree with this guy...i know folks from all over the world stop by...and things may be different in ur neck of the world...but this is pretty much how it is in the south in the usa...seriously...things were so different in the 1970s...the teacher was respected...my parents would never question the teacher...if the teacher said so, well so be it...i guess the world has gotten so twisted...what happened?...has the media sensationalized so much that parents have been brainwashed with distrust?...what is it with the parents in their 30s and 40s? (hey, i am in this group)...i truly feel like i was called to be a teacher...i remember telling one of my favorite teachers when i was in high school that i would never be a teacher...never....and so, i went to college and got a degree in design...as i went through the design program, i did think about teaching...but i had told my favorite teacher that i would never be a teacher so i didn't bend on that one...well, i got out of college...and guess what?...i hated design...i hated selling...it was not my thing...so...in the meanwhile, my sister was majoring in art ed..my best bud was majoring in regular ed...and i loved kids...and at some point i decided i would pray and ask God what the heck he wanted me to do...i listened to him...finally...and went and got a teaching degree...once i got in the education program, i knew it was the right thing to do...loved being creative...loved the kids...the stars lined up and i was finally on the path that just felt right.............so...this teaching thing...it was God's idea...not mine...and i figure if He is in it, well it has gotta be good...

if you have not read the ron clark letter...go ahead and check it out below...and ponder...if you can figure out what happened to change the parent-teacher dynamics, write CNN...and maybe i will comment on ur article one day...

p.s. to all the mamas with little kids...please put the dang cell phones down and love on ur kids!...

happy tuesday, november 22, 2011!

What teachers really want to tell parents

By Ron Clark, Special to CNN

updated 9:12 AM EST, Tue September 6, 2011

Teacher Ron Clark is pictured with his students.

Editor's note: Ron Clark, author of "The End of Molasses Classes: Getting Our Kids Unstuck -- 101 Extraordinary Solutions for Parents and Teachers," has been named "American Teacher of the Year" by Disney and was Oprah Winfrey's pick as her "Phenomenal Man." He founded The Ron Clark Academy, which educators from around the world have visited to learn.

(CNN) -- This summer, I met a principal who was recently named as the administrator of the year in her state. She was loved and adored by all, but she told me she was leaving the profession.

I screamed, "You can't leave us," and she quite bluntly replied, "Look, if I get an offer to lead a school system of orphans, I will be all over it, but I just can't deal with parents anymore; they are killing us."

Unfortunately, this sentiment seems to be becoming more and more prevalent. Today, new teachers remain in our profession an average of just 4.5 years, and many of them list "issues with parents" as one of their reasons for throwing in the towel. Word is spreading, and the more negativity teachers receive from parents, the harder it becomes to recruit the best and the brightest out of colleges.

So, what can we do to stem the tide? What do teachers really need parents to understand?

For starters, we are educators, not nannies. We are educated professionals who work with kids every day and often see your child in a different light than you do. If we give you advice, don't fight it. Take it, and digest it in the same way you would consider advice from a doctor or lawyer. I have become used to some parents who just don't want to hear anything negative about their child, but sometimes if you're willing to take early warning advice to heart, it can help you head off an issue that could become much greater in the future.

Trust us. At times when I tell parents that their child has been a behavior problem, I can almost see the hairs rise on their backs. They are ready to fight and defend their child, and it is exhausting. One of my biggest pet peeves is when I tell a mom something her son did and she turns, looks at him and asks, "Is that true?" Well, of course it's true. I just told you. And please don't ask whether a classmate can confirm what happened or whether another teacher might have been present. It only demeans teachers and weakens the partnership between teacher and parent.

Please quit with all the excuses

And if you really want to help your children be successful, stop making excuses for them. I was talking with a parent and her son about his summer reading assignments. He told me he hadn't started, and I let him know I was extremely disappointed because school starts in two weeks.

His mother chimed in and told me that it had been a horrible summer for them because of family issues they'd been through in July. I said I was so sorry, but I couldn't help but point out that the assignments were given in May. She quickly added that she was allowing her child some "fun time" during the summer before getting back to work in July and that it wasn't his fault the work wasn't complete.

Can you feel my pain?

Some parents will make excuses regardless of the situation, and they are raising children who will grow into adults who turn toward excuses and do not create a strong work ethic. If you don't want your child to end up 25 and jobless, sitting on your couch eating potato chips, then stop making excuses for why they aren't succeeding. Instead, focus on finding solutions.

Parents, be a partner instead of a prosecutor

And parents, you know, it's OK for your child to get in trouble sometimes. It builds character and teaches life lessons. As teachers, we are vexed by those parents who stand in the way of those lessons; we call them helicopter parents because they want to swoop in and save their child every time something goes wrong. If we give a child a 79 on a project, then that is what the child deserves. Don't set up a time to meet with me to negotiate extra credit for an 80. It's a 79, regardless of whether you think it should be a B+.

This one may be hard to accept, but you shouldn't assume that because your child makes straight A's that he/she is getting a good education. The truth is, a lot of times it's the bad teachers who give the easiest grades, because they know by giving good grades everyone will leave them alone. Parents will say, "My child has a great teacher! He made all A's this year!"

Wow. Come on now. In all honesty, it's usually the best teachers who are giving the lowest grades, because they are raising expectations. Yet, when your children receive low scores you want to complain and head to the principal's office.

Please, take a step back and get a good look at the landscape. Before you challenge those low grades you feel the teacher has "given" your child, you might need to realize your child "earned" those grades and that the teacher you are complaining about is actually the one that is providing the best education.
And please, be a partner instead of a prosecutor. I had a child cheat on a test, and his parents threatened to call a lawyer because I was labeling him a criminal. I know that sounds crazy, but principals all across the country are telling me that more and more lawyers are accompanying parents for school meetings dealing with their children.

Teachers walking on eggshells

I feel so sorry for administrators and teachers these days whose hands are completely tied. In many ways, we live in fear of what will happen next. We walk on eggshells in a watered-down education system where teachers lack the courage to be honest and speak their minds. If they make a slight mistake, it can become a major disaster.

My mom just told me a child at a local school wrote on his face with a permanent marker. The teacher tried to get it off with a wash cloth, and it left a red mark on the side of his face. The parent called the media, and the teacher lost her job. My mom, my very own mother, said, "Can you believe that woman did that?"

I felt hit in the gut. I honestly would have probably tried to get the mark off as well. To think that we might lose our jobs over something so minor is scary. Why would anyone want to enter our profession? If our teachers continue to feel threatened and scared, you will rob our schools of our best and handcuff our efforts to recruit tomorrow's outstanding educators.

Finally, deal with negative situations in a professional manner.

If your child said something happened in the classroom that concerns you, ask to meet with the teacher and approach the situation by saying, "I wanted to let you know something my child said took place in your class, because I know that children can exaggerate and that there are always two sides to every story. I was hoping you could shed some light for me." If you aren't happy with the result, then take your concerns to the principal, but above all else, never talk negatively about a teacher in front of your child. If he knows you don't respect her, he won't either, and that will lead to a whole host of new problems.

We know you love your children. We love them, too. We just ask -- and beg of you -- to trust us, support us and work with the system, not against it. We need you to have our backs, and we need you to give us the respect we deserve. Lift us up and make us feel appreciated, and we will work even harder to give your child the best education possible.

That's a teacher's promise, from me to you.

Complimentary Color Collages

2011-11-21T00:03:00.002-05:00

This is a super easy way to teach a color wheel unit on Complimentary Colors! Most of the time I use paint to do this, but I saw this lesson on another art blog and borrowed it from Tekenen en zo

http://kidsartists.blogspot.com that's the English version Art Edcuation Blog has some really cool ideas. Check it out over the holidays when you have a break. The lesson was a huge success. I had 9x12 assorted construction paper for the kids. I also had 2x2 complimentary colors cut. They had to follow the recipe and match them up in each square.

Happy Monday =) 1969

GALA Auction Items from Art Class

2011-11-20T10:23:00.000-05:00

Here are a few ideas that we have made in the past for our school's auction!

Enjoy...1969

Ceramics do SELL and they are ever so FUNCTIONAL =)

North Florida Fair Art Show!!!

2011-11-19T15:20:00.000-05:00

We sure do love an art show!

Holy Comoforter respresented our Fine Arts Department really well this year. Wow! Look at all those ribbons =)

Happy Saturday!

1969

3-D Paper Pumpkins...Gobble 'Til You Wobble =)

2011-11-18T00:02:00.000-05:00

A few more items to help with those filler lessons throughout the holiday season. How about a 3-D paper pumpkin? These are super easy to make. All you need is orange paper. Cut 5 circles out the same size. 1 circle needs to be 1/2 the size of the other 5. You can see from the visuals how this works. Fold the 5 circles in 1/2 and cut a slit in the middle. Use the smaller circle to slide the each individual circle's slit on....super easy. The kids were allowed to decorate them using other papers from the scrap box. These were the detailed pieces - like the stems, vines, leaves...etc. I have taught this lesson off and on over the past 20+ years and it is always a success because the kids want to be able to make 3D art! Enjoy! 1969

I also found this sign on Pinterest! I thought it was hilarious. The kids could have made tags and put them on the pumpkins too!

Thanksgiving Artsy - Craftsy

2011-11-17T06:24:00.000-05:00

Hey! Happy almost Thanksgiving! We decided to make use of those toilet paper and paper towel tubes that people donate. These turned out really cute. I gave the kids instructions on make something to do with Thanksgiving. We worked in good craftsmanship and some of the Elements and Principles of ART! I was pretty pleased with them. I can see some of these guys being used as decorations at home over the next few TURKEY Days!

Hope you have a good one =)

1969

kids love duck tape!

2011-11-16T05:49:00.000-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...kids can do cool things with duck tape...adults, too...here are a couple of things that my kids have been doing...

check this out...duct tape girl on youtube...

(pause playlist)

so get some duck tape...and create!

happy wednesday, november 16, 2011!

1 little, 2 little, 3 little Indians...

2011-11-15T05:00:00.005-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...yeah...still on the thanksgiving art stuff...how about some Indians?...one little, two little, three little pictures of Indians...four little, five little, six little pictures of Indians...seven little, eight little, nine little pictures of Indians, 10 little pictures of Indian boys and girls!

10.

so...remember this video?...i do...

1971

(pause the playlist)

here is a fun one for the kids...

(pause the playlist)

happy tuesday, november 15, 2011!

making banners for homecoming and such...

2011-11-14T05:00:00.015-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...so...ever had to make a banner?..have i got the hints for you....at our school, the president of the class always gets stuck with the chore of doing the homecoming banner...my daughter has been president for several years...and my son is president this year...so we had 2 banners....we had one under our garage...and one under bobo and ga's garage (grandparents)...so, my daughter's banner won, and my son's banner got 2nd...not bad...wanna winning banner?...well, here is how you do it.....

get a queen bed sheet...paint it white with just whatever white paint u can find...latex flat works great...go ahead and buy a gallon bucket...the sheet will soak up the paint...then, u need to draw ur design on a piece of paper...and then, you need to run the design off on some overhead projector transparent film...yes, you must get an overhead projector...

take the overhead projector to a home that has a garage door...shut the garage...get some duct tape and tape the sheet to the garage...such fun colors, now...

then, turn on the overhead and shine the image on the sheet...trace the image with a sharpie marker on the sheet...wallaa!...you have a good looking drawing on a sheet...now, get some folks that can paint & paint the joker...outline it really good with black paint...and use some glitter...i am not a fan of glitter, but you really need to use it to make ur banner pop!

here are the banners...

so, our mascot is the hornet...so i shall end with the green hornet...no lyrics to this song...so much for that...don't forget to pause the playlist...

happy monday, november 14, 2011!

turkeys in the straw...

2011-11-13T09:01:00.000-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...okay, so when i was in 5th grade, we had a thanksgiving play...we had pilgrims and Indians...and i was told to dress like a grandmother...so my mama and grandmama get this black robe and make me a bonnet and an apron...and spray my hair gray with something...i am talking...i was an amazing pilgrim grandma...so i get to school on the day of the play...i guess we didn't do dress rehearsals in the 1970s...the teacher looks at me and says, why are you dressed like that?...i said, "you said dress like a pilgrim grandmother."...she said, "i said dress like a grandmother."...she said there was nothing we could do about it and i would just have to be a pilgrim grandmother with the "regular looking" grandad...so i did and i have the pictures to prove it.........since i teach, i just have questions about this...why the heck didn't she take off the pilgrim garb?...why did she let me look like i had multiple personality disorder?...was multiple personality disorder even around in the 1970s?...maybe we were on the cutting edge of psychology?...why didn't she use this?....

and type my mama a note?...so many questions that can't be answered...that was just soooooo not cool.....................................

turkey idea...i have been working on plurals in the third grade...so we did "turkeys in the straw"...u make turkey plural by just adding an "s"...cause if there is a vowel before the y, that is all u need to do...so we did that and the kids made these...

during this school year, i have a class that just can't get the art thing together...sure i have some that get it and can do it, but for the most part, every art activity is an ordeal...i keep trying tho, because i just love art so much...when we did this turkey, oh Lord, it was a disaster...you can imagine with all these pieces of stuff to cut and paste...so i was feeling pretty good, and doggone if one my sweet boys didn't cut his finger and have 2 handfuls of blood...he was cool and calm...thanks goodness...and we had to send him to the office to get all bandaged up and such.......but is just one of those times when u think...wow...no words...just one...wow...

"turkey in the straw", 1820s

here is a cool folksy version by Tennessee Mafia Jug Band...don't forget to pause our playlist!

As I was a-goin' down the road
With a tired team and a heavy load,
I cracked my whip and the leader sprung.
I says day-day to the wagon tongue.

Chorus:Turkey in the straw.
Turkey in the Straw,
Roll 'em up and twist 'em up a high tuck a-haw,
And hit 'em up a tune called
Turkey in the Straw.
Went out to milk and I didn't know how.
I milked the goat instead of the cow.
A monkey sittin' on a pile of straw
A-winkin' up at his mother-in-law.

Chorus 2X

I came to the river and I couldn't get across,
So I paid five dollars for a big bay hoss.
Well, he couldn't go ahead
and he wouldn't stand still,
So he went up and down like an old saw mill.

Chorus

Did you ever go fishin' on a warm summer day
When all the fish were swimmin' in the bay
With their hands in their pockets
and their pockets in their pants?
Did you ever see a fishie do the hootchykootchy
dance?

happy sunday, november 13, 2011!

thanks to the veterans!

2011-11-11T06:19:00.000-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...thanks to all the veterans out there!...u have made our world a better place....

Samual Francis Smith, 1831

"My Country Tis of Thee"

My country,' tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;
land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrims' pride,
from every mountainside let freedom ring!

My native country, thee,
land of the noble free, thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
thy woods and templed hills;
my heart with rapture thrills, like that above.

Let music swell the breeze,
and ring from all the trees sweet freedom's song;
let mortal tongues awake;
let all that breathe partake;
let rocks their silence break, the sound prolong.

Our fathers' God, to thee,
author of liberty, to thee we sing;
long may our land be bright
with freedom's holy light;
protect us by thy might, great God, our King.

Aretha Franklin, Inauguration Day, 2009...don't forget to pause our playlist!

happy friday, 11/11/11...& happy veterans day!

How do you decorate your front door for Thanksgiving?

2011-11-10T23:25:00.000-05:00

Hey y'all...I was just wondering how you decorate your front door for Thanksgiving? Well, this is what 1969's looks like. Old barn metal cut into a shape of a pumpkin and painted!

Happy Friday =)

1969

my girl and peace tea and a quilt

2011-11-09T05:00:00.005-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...i have a creative daughter that drinks a lot of peace tea...this summer, i noticed peace tea cans piling up...wait...wait a minute...u ever heard of peace tea?..well, here is a picture of a can of peace tea...

so i see these peace tea cans everywhere...i was growing concerned that they were gonna take over our world...finally, i asked my daughter, "shouldn't you throw away these peace tea cans?"...she responded, "no, i am going to do art with them."...of course, i backed off then...cause i get that...making art outta stuff like cans...so, about 4 months later, the art is done...check it out...

here is how she wired it together....

so, never heard of peace tea.?.pretty neat site...go check it out...peace tea website...i think they get art at peace tea...

i really just love this piece of art that my daughter did...it is just cool...u want ur kids to be interested in stuff u like...and sometimes they aren't...but sometimes they are...when ur kids love stuff u love, well life can't get much cooler than that...

john lennon, 1969

"give peace a chance"

Ev'rybody's talking about
Bagism, Madism, Dragism, Shagism, Ragism, Tagism
This-ism, that-ism
ism ism ism
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance

its goin' great

Everybody's talkin' bout'ministers,
sinisters, banisters and canisters,
bishops and fishops and rabbis and pop eyes,
and byebye, byebyes

all we are saying is give peace a chance,
all we are saying is give peace a chance,

let me tell you now
Ev'rybody's talking about
Revolution, evolution, ------------,
flagellation, regulation, integrations,
meditations, United Nations,
Congratulations.
All we are saying [keep talking] is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance

Oh Let’s stick to it
Ev'rybody's talking about
John and Yoko, Timmy Leary, Rosemary, Tommy Smothers, Bobby Dylan,
Tommy Cooper, Derek Tayor, Norman Mailer, Allen Ginsberg, Hare Krishna,
Hare Hare Krishna
All we are saying is give peace a chance
All we are saying is give peace a chance

happy wednesday, november 9, 2011!

where is tom turkey?

2011-11-08T05:00:00.004-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...now this is cute...the kindergarten students did these jokers at home...with parents help, of course...but how cute...just scroll down and check it out...

first, read the sign below to get the gist of the turkey project...

okay folks...can u find tom turkey?

so do you have a favorite?...i think i like angry bird best...the slingshot just cracks me up...but...they are all sooooo good....

this is a funny video about a turkey to end on...watch and groove like m.c. hammer...DON'T FORGET TO PAUSE OUR PLAYLIST!

happy tuesday, november 8, 2011!

kids do a family history totem pole

2011-11-07T05:00:00.038-05:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...the family history totem pole...my son and i did this when he was in kindergarten...now, he is a freshman in high school...of course, it is an attic space item now, but it still is something we can get out during this thanksgiving season and do some memories...cause there are lots of memories on there...yeah, i had to cut and glue and think on most of it, but he sat right with me when i was working and he was soooooo proud to to take it to kindergarten...we have tons of his favorite things on the totem pole...like sand dollars, sharks' teeth, the superheroes, buzz lightyear, a soccer ball, and an American flag (go USA!)...here are some pictures of the historic totem pole...

now speaking of totem poles, have you ever heard of david boxley?...well, i hadn't either, but i was teaching a unit in the reading book and the story was about david boxley...so i did a little googling...and found out about his cool stuff...kids got to see youtube videos...really made the semi-boring reading story come to life...you really can google just about anything to make your teaching more interesting...and you really should do so...kids these days just aren't into boring...sad to say, you gotta make stuff real by showing the fake...(videos and such)...but...it is the world we are living in and the way things have unfolded...here is a little info about david...

David Boxley is a Tsimshian carver from Metlakatla, Alaska. Born in 1952, he was raised by his grandparents. From them he learned many Tsimshian traditions including the language. After high school he attended Seattle Pacific University where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1974. He became a teacher and basketball coach to Junior and Senior high students in Alaska and Washington.

In 1986, he made a major career decision to leave the security of teaching and to devote all of his energies toward carving and researching the legacy of Northwest Coast Indian art. David Boxley has become a nationally recognized Indian artist showing and demonstrating his art in many parts of the United States and Europe.

David Boxley is the first Alaskan Tsimshian to achieve national prominence. He is particularly well respected as a totem pole carver, having carved 65 poles in the last 26 years.

here is his website david boxley

also here is an interview with david boxley and some of his work david boxley interview on youtube

so...is there a song with the words "totem poles" to end with...yeppers!

Bruce Cockburn, 1970

"totem poles"

Crows are flying baby and
I'm tired of the cold
Crows are flying baby and
I'm tired of the cold
So honey come and help me build this totem pole

The lantern in the window
beamed me right to you
The lantern in the window
beamed me right to you
So honey come and help me
And I'll try and help you too My hearts been hanging up too long
My soul is wearing thin
My hearts been hanging up so long
My soul is wearing thin
So honey come and help me build a house
to put it in
So honey come and help me build this totem pole.

can't find this on youtube, but i did find it on itunes..just look in the high winds white sky album....

happy monday, november 7, 2011!

Have you thought about a Christmas Card yet?

2011-11-06T07:31:00.000-05:00

If not, get crackin' and check out Shutterfly today! They have tons of specials going on right now. This card was actually free and I did manage to order our family Christmas Cards + I was able to secure free shipping! Wahoo and in this economy, we need all the help we can get =) I think I saved close to $50.00, now ya can't beat that, can ya?

If I embeded this in our blog or Facebook, then I will get a $10.00 off my next purchase! SWEET! We are now in the throws of the Holiday Season...Wish you all the best over the next few weeks. I do beleive the older I get the more chaotic the Holidays get!

Happy Sunday! xoxo 1969

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

What does Starry Night Studios, Brain Injury Association of Florida & The Creative Pool all have in common?

2011-11-05T10:18:00.000-04:00

Well, what they all have in common is this amazing painting below!

As an art educator, it is important for all students, parent, faculty and staff to realize that we use art in EVERDAY life! Really, think about it....here are a few examples that I share with students of how art is everywhere....
Just a typical conversation as I walk around my classroom and monitor might be...
Yep - art is on the dishes you use at home, the clothes you are wearing, the house you live in here in Tallahassee. Someone had to have creative idea to formulate a product for us to buy. Think about it for a minute! Things that make ya go hummmm. This is such a good conversation "getter" as you will hear the kids stating, "She has a point." These types of conversations have led to the web. Then onto pages like NIKEiD of even one of my favorite places to go http://www.uberprints.com/. Oh yeah, we recently blogged about creating your own T-Shirts...check it out!

Ok, so my kindred spirit and good friend Kathleen Carter (view previous post on her here) Sent me this wonderful painting this morning. We felt it was a must to blog about out here in cyber space for all of you artsy fartsy readers. A picture whether it be of a painting or just a photograph is worth a 1000 words. Don't ya agree?

Would you like to learn more about The Brain Injury Association of Tallahassee? If so, click here to read previous post about one of their successful Jamborees.

This oil painting is going to be made into posters and notecards. What a super gift for someone special. Proceeds support families of brain injury survivors http://www.biaf.org/. Any questions please contact, Artist-Kathleen Real Carter, at her e-mail- artsmethods@comcast.net

Kudos go out to both artist participating on this painiting.

Artists- Background Graphics-Charity Myers of The Creative Pool
Painting in Oil- Kathleen R. Carter of Starry Night Studio artsmethods@comcast.net

Happy Saturday, x0x0 1969

Tallahassee's Starry Night Studio owned by local artist Kathleen Carter / Need a cute artsy birthday idea?

2011-11-03T23:04:00.000-04:00

So, my friend Kathleen opened up this cool art studio in town. She does private lessons here in Tallahassee and some other super cool ideas can be found in her studio. Here is one from a birthday party. Check out the cool artsy MONOGRAM ideas. Photos pretty much explain it all. If you have questions about Starry Night Studios, please contact my art friend via email ---- but tell her that you heard about her from this BLOG. It will make her HAPPY!

Kathleen Carter [artsmethods@comcast.net]

Oh What FUN!!!!

I'm liking the BLUE - what about you?

Look at that fancy A!

Yep, they nailed it - good job girls!

Working away....

Look at my friend....she is sporting that cute art hat!

Wow! I like the pink =)

Way-super-coolzy! Love the yellow and blue!

Nice job - outlining as a final touch.

Yep - all done! Way to go girls....

Cute goody bags from local art store!

Close up....is that Kathleen's foot? heehehehehe

Enjoy! Happy CREATING =)

1969

Eduardo Chillida - How did we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in ART?

2011-11-01T14:59:00.000-04:00

At HCES, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. This year our artist study was on Eduardo Chillida. It was a one day lesson complete with some video clips from the internet. Google him - there is tons of information out there on him!

The Spanish sculptor Eduardo Chillida was born on January 10, 1924 in San Sebastian in the Basque country. In 1943 Chillida began to study architecture, but soon dropped out. In 1947 he registered at the private art academy "Circulo de Bellas Artes" in Madrid, where he initially focused on working with gypsum and clay.

His first sculptures were received well by the critics. In 1949 Eduardo Chillida began working on iron sculptures during a sojourn to Paris. Upon his return from Paris Eduardo Chillida settled in the Spanish town of Hernani, where he produced his abstract sculpture "Llarik" in 1950. This sculpture reflected his views on sculptural art, with the space being the focus of attention.

During the following years this idea of the limitations of space permeated his sculptural oeuvre more and more. His graphic art also reflects parallels. Over the following years Eduardo Chillida became a renowned sculptor and graphic artist. Alongside numerous international exhibitions, his works were presented at several "documenta" exhibitions and Biennales.

In 1958 he was awarded the Grand Prize for Sculpture at the Venice Biennale. Two years later he received the Kandinsky-Prize. Further international awards followed. In 1980 the New York Guggenheim Museum showed a retrospective of his oeuvre.

Eduardo Chillida spent the last few years of his artistic career in San Sebastián. With his oeuvre Chillida became one of the most important sculptors, who produced their objects in a concrete style. The homogeneous material and the division into figure shapes is characteristic of his sculptural work.

Eduardo Chillida died in San Sebastián on August 19, 2002.

Eduardo Chillida

halloweeny tennis ball thingies

2011-10-27T05:49:00.002-04:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...so u got old tennis balls and need an idea?...here u go...just look at the pictures...i think u can figure it out...3rd graders did these...lol...cool, huh?

cowboy

Lady GAGA

Georgia Bulldog

bat

cowboy

girl

hippy chick

cinderella

spider

computer teacher

dracula

tennis anyone?

witch

harley

baseball player

golfer

witch

one little, 2 little, 3 little Indians

punk rocker

fishy fishy

french girl

angelic

hey..........have u seen the new disney "spooky buddies" monster mash video?...well, u should...Spooky Buddies Monster Mash video...kids love it...so watch it and get ur spooky monster mash on!

Happy Thursday, October 27, 2011!

nursery rhyme time...

2011-10-25T06:07:00.001-04:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher...nursery rhyme art...just a few ideas...here is the art...u guess the rhyme...

Oh yeah...Humpty Dumpty...

Baa, Baa, Black Sheep...

Jack and Jill..

There was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe...

---------------------

these are very baby, baby...i am thinking kindergarten or first grade at the most...

here is a good humpty dumpty you tube video to show kids...cute...

i just really like that Band-Aid on Jack's head...what about Band-Aids?...aren't they the cure all?...have you ever noticed when a kid gets hurt and there is any blood involved, it is Band-Aid time?...i have even had kids squeeze the injured spot to get blood out so they can be worthy of a Band-Aid...ever wonder the history of the Band-Aid?...well here it is...it was all about a good husband worried about his wife...

Earle Dickson was employed as a cotton buyer for the Johnson & Johnson when he invented the band-aid in 1921. His wife Josephine Dickson was always cutting her fingers in the kitchen while preparing food.

At that time a bandage consisted of separate gauze and adhesive tape that you would cut to size and apply yourself. Earle Dickson noticed that gauze and adhesive tape she used would soon fall off her active fingers. He decided to invent something that would stay in place and protect small wounds better.

Earle Dickson took a piece of gauze and attached it to the center of a piece of tape, and then covered the product with crinoline to keep it sterile. His boss, James Johnson, saw Earle Dickson's invention and decided to manufacture band-aids to the public and make Earle Dickson vice-president of Johnson & Johnson.

ending with a lullaBYE...

shawn mullins (from atlanta), 1998

She grew up with the children of the stars
in the Hollywood hills and the boulevards.
Her parents threw big parties. Everyone was there.
They hung out with folks like Dennis Hopper and Bob Seger and
Sonny and Cher.

She feels safe now in this bar on Fairfax.
And from the stage I can tell that she can't let go and she can't
relax.
And just before she hangs her head to cry,
I sing to her a lullaby
I sing:

Everything's gonna be all right.
Rockabye, rockabye.
Everything's gonna be all right.
Rockabye, rockabye, rockabye.

She still lives with her mom outside the city
down that street about a half a mile.
And all her friends tell her she's so pretty
but she'd be a whole lot prettier if she smiled once in a while.
'Cause even her smile looks like a frown.
She's seen her share of devils in this angel town.

I told her I ain't so sure about this place.
It's hard to play a gig in this town and keep a straight face.
Seems like everybody's got a plan.
It's kind of like Nashville with a tan.

YouTube Shawn Mullins, Lullabye

happy tuesday, october 25, 2011!

School Auction - Ceramic Platter

2011-10-20T22:57:00.000-04:00

Starting to think about our school auction....here are to platters that we painted in the past. The top one was renered by Tallahassee Artist, Anne Hemple. (Previous post on Anne Hemple) The bottom platter was created with our Latin Theme. Pretty simple....easy to do and a good cost effective way to help raise $ for the school via art class.

See related post to School GALA below:

http://2soulsisters.blogspot.com/2010/03/andy-warhol-zebra-furnitureever-so.html

http://2soulsisters.blogspot.com/2010/04/abceasy-as-handmade-paper-and.html

Oh HAPPY DAY!

1969

Create Something Today!

2011-10-17T11:56:00.000-04:00

CREATE SOMETHING

today....start your week off in the right direction!

1969

scarecrows....

2011-10-16T05:00:00.002-04:00

by karen 1965 third grade teacher...so what about a simple scarecrow?...in hurry?...need a quickie?...hey bloggers, get ur head out of the gutter...try these cute scarecrows...

easy, i tell u

need big scarecrow ideas?....check out this book...

need big scarecrow?

and maybe show this clip....turn down the blog tunes or ur brain will be trying to decipher 2 different types of music...

since the scarecrow was singing about his brain, i tried to think of songs with the word brain...googled...no luck...found this though...and i decided it was good enough...and prolly true...

happy sunday, october 16, 2011!

make a cake or bake a cake?

2011-10-15T05:00:00.004-04:00

by karen #1965 third grade teacher so...would you rather make a cake or bake a cake?...or better yet...what is the difference?...well, when you make a cake, you make it with art stuff...when you bake a cake, you bake it with grocery store stuff...
hey...speaking of grocery store stuff...i had grocery store feet when i was a kid...did u?...they looked like this...

can you tell the difference in a cake you make and a cake you bake?

well, let's see...can you tell which one is fake?

here is cake #1

here is cake #2

so which cake is fake?

ready...?

i said, are you ready????

taaadaaaa...

the anticipation is killing you, isn't it?

the fake cake is...

wanna hint?

you are correct! the fake cake is cake #2!

my smart, artsy daughter made cake #2

we had to purchase the goods to make it at walmart

cake #2 was more expensive than cake #1

a very sweet grandmother made me cake #1 for teaching her grandchild

oh the benefits of teaching children....yum yum...

(donna summer, 1978)

someone left the cake out in the rain

I don't think that I can take it

'cause it took so long to bake it

and I'll never have that recipe again

Oh, nooo!

happy saturday, october 15, 2011

p.s...i like to make cakes...with art stuff...just sayin'....cooking cakes..ahh...not so much....

p.s.s....wanna ~~cake~~ chocolate pie that minny baked?

bahahahahahahaha...

can't say that i do...

LOL!

p.s.s.....i think i goofed...i thought this post had not been posted...i thought it was a draft from back in may...so i was just fixing it with the new cake thots...and i went to preview it...and i saw comments...i had already posted it...oh well...bloggers goof sometimes...and maybe you didn't see it before....maybe you needed to think about grocery feet...maybe you needed to laugh at the thot of minny's cake......i just do not like "miss" hilly...she is the biggest jerk...did you know that she is ron howard's daughter?...ron howard..you know, opie taylor...

ron howard as opie on andy griffith

bryce dallas howard "miss" hilly with her dad

the scene from the help

p.s.s.s....now...i have realized that minny baked a dang chocolate pie...not a cake...wow...but i still left it...i used the strikethrough tool...never used it before...

now remember this folks...

u is kind....u is smart...u is important!

an apple a day is good with coffee, cream, and sugar

2011-10-14T05:00:00.049-04:00

by karen 1965 third grade teacher...so, i know this post is "post" johnny appleseed day (september 26), but it is the best i can do...
the title of this post?...well it is like this, folks...i get one of my cool tie dye tervis tumblers...

and fill i it with coffee and cream and head to school...and as soon as i get settled, i eat a yummy gala apple...

sometimes...i am running late eating my apple...so i end of nibbling as i teach...write the subtraction problem on the markerboard, take a bite...show kids how to regroup, take a bite...so my kids know that i love apples...and so on my birthday, my friend, k.a.l., brought me this coupon for an apple...

creative, huh?...kids are so cool and creative...they watch what u do and internalize it...so WATCH WHAT YOU DO, FOLKS!...

anyway...apples ideas for bloggers...use if you wish...

so i shall end this post with a little flo rida...

Flo Rida, 2008

Mmmmmmmm
Let me talk to 'em
Let me talk to 'em
Mmmmmmm
Let me talk to 'em
C'mon!
[Chorus (T-Pain):]
Shawty had them apple bottom jeans (jeans)
Boots with the fur (with the fur)
The whole club was looking at her
She hit the floor (she hit the floor)
Next thing you know
Shawty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low...

happy friday, october 14, 2011!

Japanese Fish Kites

2011-10-13T08:16:00.000-04:00

Here is a quick and easy lesson on Japanese Fish Kites. I ordered the kite kits from Sax Arts and Crafts. You can view kit here in this link. Do you know anything about the history of the Japanese Kite? If not, check this out - this is what I found in my research...lots of resources on the web!

http://www.kiteman.co.uk/JAPANESE%20HISTORY4.html

http://www.kiteman.co.uk/JAPANESE%20HISTORY2.html

http://webtech.kennesaw.edu/jcheek3/kites.htm

Carp Kites in JapanIn Japan, carp kites are flown during a festival called Children's Day. The Japanese draw carp on their kites because they believe carp are symbols of strength and perseverance since they swim vigorously upstream against strong currents. The Japanese hope that their children will inherit these characteristics.

xox =)

1969

viva las vegas and dale chihuly....

2011-10-12T05:00:00.076-04:00

by karen 1965 third grade teacher...so i was in vegas a few years ago...and 1969 and i were not blogging...but i was fascinated with the dale chihuly glass http://www.chihuly.com/at the bellagio resort and casino...so i just happened to get back there this summer...and got some nice pictures of the chihuly glass...

some nice offspring with chihuly...

a close up of nice chihuly...

found this idea on MaryMaking blogspot

mary uses shrinky dinks http://www.shrinkydinks.com/...which is something that i used as a kid...haven't had a chance to try it out, but it looks really cool...go for it! mary's final project looked like this...

here is a great interview with erica hill from cbs on youtube CBS Chihuly interview

since i met chihuly art in vegas...and i like elvis...what better song to ponder than viva las vegas...

Elvis Presley, 1964

Bright light city gonna set my soul
Gonna set my soul on fire
Got a whole lot of money that's ready to burn,
So get those stakes up higher
There's a thousand pretty women waitin' out there
And they're all livin' devil may care
And I'm just the devil with love to spare
Viva Las Vegas, Viva Las Vegas

take a look at ann margaret and elvis dancing on this video

this was in 1964

good retro moves for the dancing bloggers

elvis and ann margaret dancing on YouTube

happy wednesday, october 12, 2011!

Accordion Style Books!

2011-10-11T08:31:00.000-04:00

These are pretty simple to make! All you need is strips of paper, glue, cardboard or davies board and scissors. We used card stock for the inside of the book. The cardboard was cut 4x5. You can cut it any size you want. See our other post on bookmaking for different ideas for your classroom =)

2 Soul Sister's Blog Bookmaking Post: Circle Book Link, Western Bound Book, Book Report Visual

I hope you find these helpful and they inspire you to create something special in your classroom.

Check out this blog for more details on how to make a book.

I ran across it the other day - Making Books with Children with Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord

Have a good one!

1969

murals and pinterest and exploring

2011-10-10T05:00:00.056-04:00

by karen 1965 third grade teacher...so, i had a little surgery and been playing on pinterest...fun exploring and finding stuff, i tell u...so i was looking up plays...years ago, there was a play in south georgia called swamp gravy that i had always wanted to see...so i find it is still running in south georgia..swamp gravy play...so as i was surfing, i run up on some silos in colquitt, georgia, that have been painted by some canadian artist...check them out...

now, this is cool...silos are just usually ugly metal and just an eyesore after decades of sitting in the weather holding grain...did a little research on this guy...his name is charles henry jacques johnston was born in 1962, in selkirk, manitoba...canada...i thought cool...let me see if i can find some info...i did...you can read about him here...charlie johnston the muralist info...also, here is his website...charlie's contact website..if u need a big mural...this youtube video kinda shows how the silos in colquitt were done...check it out...great to show an art class if you r teaching murals...good elton john song in the youtube video...so you might wanna turn off our funky music playlist or u may explode...birdsong peanut silo being painted by charles johnston on youtube

---------------------------------------------

some photos of his work...

ever notice...we are always mesmerized by stuff that is really big?..or stuff that is really little?..murals...well they are big...so we are like "wow"...so i hope u were wowed by charles johnston...cause when u think about a little person painting something that big...it is a bit overwhelming...funny how charlie's brain works...so he is able to do something so cool....and elton...well he is cool too...and he is singing a song in the charlie video about a cool state...check out the words...

elton john, 1979

When it's springtime down in Georgia

It's winter time up in Maine

You can go from snow to sunshine

If you board a southbound train

You get used to taking orders

But it's sometimes kind of rough

I got everything that a man could need

But it still ain't quite enough

Taking about oh Georgia take me to your Southlands

I sometimes feel my life is rolling on

Oh Georgia lead me through your heartlands

I need to see them one more time before I'm gone

When it's nighttime down in Georgia

It's daytime in L.A.

Where they never seem to do much

But they sure got lots to say

The times are changing down in Georgia

Though not always for the best

Give me thirty five good acres lord

And let progress take the rest

Talking about oh Georgia take me to your Southlands

I sometimes feel that life is rolling on

Oh Georgia lead me through your heartlands

I need to see them one more time before they're gone

Oh Georgia take me to your Southlands

I sometimes feel that life has passed me by

Oh Georgia lead me through your heartlands

I need to see them one more time before I die

happy monday, october 10, 2011

psychedelic saturday!

2011-10-08T08:50:00.016-04:00

by karen 1965 third grade teacher..do you like to stare at stuff?...do you like this picture?

wanna see it move and do funky stuff?...well go get your coffee filled up and click on this link....http://darkpsychedelic.ru/FV_17.html

happy psychedelic saturday, october 8, 2011!