Initial Clothespins

     Today we are making what should be magnets, with clothespins attached to the back of the first initial of each student. (Look at the pictures, this explains a lot!)  Parents can add magnets to the clothespins, if desired. Due to time constraints and the fact I did not want to use a glue gun to attach magnets in class with small children, I opted not to include that step.

Front

Back

     This group is such a great group - the follow durections, tidy up after themselves, and create great crafts waaaay better than my examples! Love what they do!

     First, I gavce the students letters - I bought letters like teachers use in classroom bulletin boards, and cut out a few extras for students, because there were not enough J's or M's! Students could color them (except we found out that since the letters were a little glossy, markers did not work quite as well as we had hoped), but the kids were very flexible.

     Then, after a quick demonstration of how to use glue bottles (as in white glue, not glue sticks!), the kids were able to use the glue to decorate their letters. I provided googly eyes (always a favorite), a variety of stickers, sequins of all shapes and colors, and paper flowers. They went to town! Some of the kids were very specific about what they included, and others just loaded up their letters.

     I carefully added a clothespin to the back of the letter, and we set them aside to dry while we cleaned up. What a great class! They were excited to create, glue, and clean up. They were happy to take them home.

     Next week... Name Tiles... I think. Might be too similar to what we just did. Hmmm.

A group of letters drying

Close up of the "O"

I have yet to figure out how these pictures load upside down...or how to correct that.

A few more drying while the kids cleaned up

    

No Valentine's Day Card Making After All

     I am sitting at home, curled up with a roaring fire and surrounded by pets and family as I check the newsfeeds, finding out that school is closed tomorrow, meaning no Art Club. Bummer!

     I predict that students feel differently, now being able to enjoy a four day weekend, since school was closed last Friday as well. We have been enjoying the beautiful snowfall, and staying off the roads as the freezing rain fell down.

     Hopefully, students and families will take some time and start making their Valentine's Day cards tomorrow, since parties are scheduled for Friday in celebration.

     I will see you all in two weeks, since next Monday is another holiday. We will be making initial magnets. In the meantime, stay safe, stay warm, and Happy Valentine's Day!

Thought I'd share what I was going to try and inspire the kids with...

I stamped these in grey and then left them white for the kids to color in.They could then layer them onto red cardstock.

 

I can't seem to figure out how to make my images lay out the way I want them to. This one is obviously sideways...

I have been punching hearts out for a couple of weeks while watching TV at night so the kids would have lots of choices to play with and get creative with heart shaped critters.

 



And this last one is also sideways... I cut the patterened papers for the kids to glue down and then I made a bunch of the ribbons for the kids to add as well.

 

Snowflake Resist - Our First Meeting of the Term

     Finally, we were able to begin Art Club today! Hooray! With a new group of 22 students, mostly new faces, it was quite delightful.

     I introduced myself, gave students a general idea of what to expect, established the "no poking" rule, and then we jumped right into the project. Students used white crayons on watercolor paper to draw snowflakes.  ("What do we know about snowflakes?" "They are made of snow!" "They melt quickly!" "Some look like stars!" and finally, the answer I was after, "They are different shapes!") I asked students to cover their sheets with snowflakes, using the light to catch the waxy shine of the drawn flakes to see what they had done so far. They quietly worked, holding up their papers to examine their work, comparing it with their neighbors, and bringing it back to the table to add more.

     I had made a "spray box"so that I could spray blue and purple watercolor over the papers without it making a mess everywhere else. The kids made a line (!) and waited for me to spray their papers, returned to their places with foam brushes, and began covering the paper with the watercolor. I also brought some spray bottles with water, so that students wouldn't use too much water on their own, drowning their work. (See, I learned from the last time we used watercolors.) 

     Suddenly, it seemed I was in the desert, with parched voices calling out, "Water! I need water!" They laughed when I asked if we were in a desert, and they were so good natured as I reminded them that I could only help 1 (or 2) of them at a time. It seems I can use 2 spray bottles on two art pieces at once! Completed papers began to decorate the back table and students lined up to wash their hands, which had become a lovely shade of purplish blue, matching mine. They also stacked the paint brushes by the sink, and returned the crayons into a baggie. Students talked and laughed about their violet fingers, and scrubbed with baby wipes, and finally it was the squirt of hand sanitizer that seemed to help eliminate most of the color.

     Students cleaned up quickly, and I was able to take pictures of each student's artwork as I handed it back. Students loved that some of their work had turned a funny hue of pink... like those last light rays in the night sky. We were the first to head outside, meet parents, and get everyone safely home.

     Returning back to the lounge, I found it easy to clean up the room, rinse out the brushes, and pack to go home. Hopefully, parents won't be too unhappy about their children's blue hands, and will enjoy their beautiful artwork. If it is any consolation, my hands still look like I was squishing blackberries between my fingers!

     I am excited to see them again next week! We will be making Valentine's Day cards. In the meantime, please chill out with today's work...

OK, this was mine - the "demo" piece.