Valentine Wreath of Love Kiddo Style

Because February begins tomorrow and because Valentine's Day is right around the corner, I though it best to share a piece of kiddo decor from the DC.  We started our day with a little girl time and really girlied up a piece of cardboard for our entrance.

We cut a good-sized heart that I free handed (it doesn't have to be perfect) and cut it out.  Next I drew another heart inside this heart and cut it out also, you know... to get the wreathy effect.  Then, we took apart some $1.00 flower bunches and only used the pedal parts and glued them all over our big heart!  We used the rest of the flowers and decorated the smaller heart for my helper to take home with her.  We let them dry for a lil bit, then I carefully punched a hole and tied a piece of yarn to the heart and fancily taped it to our door.

It's amazing (not to mention slightly tacky) what a a couple of bucks can turn into with a little creativity!

Goodbye January! 

Wataweekend

I have the flu.  Saturday morning I got up with cold chills and by that evening had a full temperature.  I had Shaun take me to the clinic yesterday to confirm what I was afraid of given my temperature and body ache combination.  I had to not go in to work today so I wouldn't pass it to anyone.  Who am I kidding?  I couldn't have physically done what I do on a normal day to save my life today.  When he turned on the TV this morning I heard the music from Cat in the Hat and almost cried.  I am not a good sick person.  Saturday evening i cried no less than eight times before the ten o'clock news. 

This afternoon, I am feeling a tad better.  Meaning I am sitting upright and walking without stumbling too much.  So in an effort to feel better I thought I would blog and at least share some pictures from last Friday... I think it was Friday... my brain is so off.  And Saturday I did help my sister with some decorations for their chili cook off booth at church, even though my immune system was being viciously attacked.  So if she gets sick... I know where she got it.  And to satisfy some weird voice in my head over the entire time I have been typing this, my eyeballs hurt soooo bad this morning... along with every other joint in my body.   Arg... I will be so thankful when this flu is gone!

 I want to bust this rock open so bad just to see if it had the cool crystal stuff inside. 
But what if it doesn't?

 My little birdies are probably wondering where I am today.

 And this is me in my basement, the long haired hippie, drawing their backdrop.

My people are always short and squatty.

Not to self... must work on that.

Drawing & Chalk Pastels

I love to draw.  I love to create.  When the crayon hits the paper... it's all me.  Though I never really thought I could until I realized that all I had to do was transfer my thoughts on to paper.  That it didn't matter if it was good or not to any one else.  The image in my head - come to life. 

What you have to do is trust in the finished product.  When you start out, get frustrated and rip the paper as it heads to the trash, you simply weren't patient enough with yourself.  Then again it may be what you are working with.  If you are working with a pencil and not happy with the results, stop and use paints.  Or if you are using paint, stop and use a crayon.  I am personally in love with chalk pastels.  I first discovered using them when I obtained an art kit from a family member's estate.  I adored the box full of old paint brushes, real drawing pencils and colored pencils.... and chalk pastels. 

Pastels are easy.  They are messy on your hands and so very fun to use.  You can make a line or begin to fill in and take your finger tip and start smudging to get a whole nother look and dimension.  You can get tons of colors for under ten bucks at the art store.  And they can be used on any kind of paper. 

I've not been to art school (obviously).  Matter of fact, I still have a painting that I got a D on in art class in high school.  How does that happen?  Is there no encouragement to be yourself in art class?  Harsh.  But... I don't know if I use the tools that I have correctly or not but I sure have fun.

What's your favorite art utensil?

 These are my Johnny Cash tributes.

I did this one on freezer paper for the bulletin board at the day care.
I like Rudolph photo bombing.

The art kit and my doodles of my pictures.



Hooked On Henkes

Kevin Henkes is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors of children's books.  For the age group that I have it seems better that there is less to read and more to look at.  I simply lose their attention if the story is too long. 

I found my first Henkes book while looking for children's books about birds.  The cover was colorful and on the library's website it looked interesting.  So I requested it and picked it up the next Saturday along with another Kevin Henkes book about gardening.  At story time the following week, these were the weekly favorites.  So yesterday, when I visited the library, I searched the kid room for more.  I came home with four more although there were more than that.   I don't want to read them all at once!

I have already read one this morning.  I just love the small stories and how beautifully the books are illustrated.  It makes me feel that I could create my own book.  Maybe I will.