Dr. Seuss a la Eric Carle

In honor of one of the world's most famous children's book authors, we started our day off on the right foot with green eggs and ham. I wasn't as creative as many of the others moms and teachers out there who actually took the time to make deviled eggs with green filling or fancy little candies that look like green eggs and ham...and definitely not those intricately iced cookies that are simply too gorgeous to eat...nope, I just dropped several drops of green food coloring into our scrambled eggs:) But the girls were thrilled...though Bee did give me several suspicious stares before she actually took a bite!


But then the fun really began! I'm not sure how it ever occured to me to combine the collage style of Eric Carle with the funky landscapes of Dr. Seuss, but alas it did and I had to suffer the consequences:)



An hour of painting patterns on paper...

A floor covered in wet paint all through the middle of the day...try keeping little fingers out of that!

A foray into the scenes of various Seuss books for ideas for horizon lines, trees, grass clumps, etc.

And then a pain-staking session of helping little hands to cut out all the fancy little shapes she had designed...

But, I think the results were worth it...

Don't you???

This "Seuss inspired landscape," as Belle describes it, is bound for the girls' bathroom wall. It was pointed out to me that there are no "decorations" in that room. And that, my friends, is completely unacceptable in Belle's world:)

I hope you have had a chance to celebrate the contributions of Dr. Seuss at some point in your day! Where would the world be without , in the words of Bee, "the Hat Cat?"

Chasing Away the Rain...

Rainy days are always a challenge, but when they're COLD, rainy days it just isn't pretty! So we decided to try to chase away the rain. Out came the colorful tissue paper and up popped some new spring blooms. Belle has a thing about always needing a centerpiece on the kitchen table. We've had everything from a pair of scissors to my husband's hat thrown in the middle of the table just to satisfy her. I think these are a big improvement! And to kill some time while we were waiting for the sunshine to arrive, Belle designed her first tee. Look how proud she is!

I had her draw a picture on white paper with a dark marker. Then we traced the outline of the shapes on Lite-Bond fusing paper. She picked the colors of fabric she wanted and we got busy with the applique. I had to do all of the ironing and most of the stitching, but she sat with me and picked the thread colors and helped when she could.

And this little gal must be a sunshine fairy, because by the time she was finished the sun was shining brightly! Thank goodness!

Not on the walls...

That's the mantra around here these days!


I know you can't compare one child to the next. It isn't fair and it won't work. But in this case, I just can't help but do it. It's just so telling about life in this house. Belle has never colored on the walls...not once! And she has had pretty much unlimited access to crayons, markers, oil pastels, etc. since she could hold them. Bee...well it took about 30 seconds. She picked up that first crayon and before I could blink there were huge orange scribbles all over our kitchen wall.



So for now, we color only while strapped into the booster seat. But she does love this toy! It is made by Crayola and plays music at the same tempo as your coloring. Color faster and the music speeds up...pretty fun:) If you have little ones who like music and like to color, it's definitely great for rainy days.

Holiday Treasures

We all treasure different things during the holiday season. It may be the precious ornament from your great-grandmother, the platter on which you always serve the holiday ham, the parade of cards arriving each day...or the artwork of a precious child.

What holiday treasures do you hold dear?

Halloween Art - A Product Recommendation

No - I'm not getting paid for this endorsement! But, I do SERIOUSLY love this product!

Belle has some new "pens." [Thanks, Nana & TT!] We aren't really sure what to call them because they draw and color like nothing else. The color is so rich, so smooth, so vibrant, so...

Anyway, save your pennies and make sure some of these are in your little one's stocking (oops...wrong month)!

You can find them at most mass market and craft stores or here.

And look at what they can do! Belle has a seriously light touch so most of the time she ends up with super pale drawings...not with these! We have a stack of about 30 different drawings on the counter because she loved drawing with them so much. I didn't think anyone else would want to try to decipher the subjects of the entire stack (ok - grandparents excluded), so just the October themed ones made the cut...hope the subtitles are helpful:)

Pirate Dinosaur (see...he has a tail!)

Witch on a Broom

Pumpkins and Ghosts

Your Child's Artwork - Preservation Tutorial

Looking for a way to save some of that precious artwork that your little one is churning out by the box load??? This quick tutorial will help you preserve and display some of your favorite pieces.

You will need:
A basic line drawing from your child (hand prints would be super adorable, as would having your child write his/her name)
Plain white paper
Broad-tip black marker
Linen fabric panel (slightly larger than the drawing)
Embroidery thread
Embroidery needle
Embroidery hoop optional
Scissors
Pencil

1. Place a piece of white paper over your child's artwork. Trace the outlines of the piece with pencil. Remove the artwork from behind the paper and then trace over the pencil lines with the broad-tip marker.

2. Tape the paper with the marker outline to a window or glass door. Tape your linen fabric over the paper. Use the pencil to LIGHTLY trace the outline onto the fabric.

3. Use a basic backstitch to embroider all the lines of the drawing. You can add details like French knots etc. if they are necessary for your child's drawing.

4. Press the linen and mount to backer board.

5. Frame and enjoy!

Emotional

Living with a 3 year old is a very emotional experience. Whether her feelings are rocking or mine are rolling, it's always a roller coaster around here. So naturally, we spend a lot of time talking about feelings, what they mean, and how we can deal with them.

Art is one of the ways that we regularly delve into our feelings. After our recent visit to the NC Art Musuem, I decided that we could use our discussions on our trip to inspire our own art.

We settled down at the kitchen table with some watercolor paper and oil pastels. We started by talking about all the paintings we had seen and how they made us feel. Belle was mesmerized by two paintings in particular, one of a storm at sea (I really wish I had written down the name of it!) and the other was The Eruption of Mt. Vesuvius by Volaire.

She started by recreating each of these paintings in her own way. We talked about the color choices and the emotions that they conveyed.


Then we moved on to our own creations. Sad was represented by blues, grays, and silver. I'm not sure what led to the line composition, but Belle was really happy with the way it turned out.

Happy was shown with bright, vivid colors and lots of flowers.

And my personal favorite, calm (a bit of a hidden message, you think???), is a drawing of the mountain river where we are buying some land. It is drawn with pastel shades and gentle waves.

It was relaxing to sit and watch Belle work. And the conversations we had were priceless. A fantastic art experience!

Askew

We took a family visit to the NC Museum of Art this morning. Belle and I had a great time looking at each painting, talking about what we saw, deciding what emotion the piece conveyed, and wondering what was happening in lots of pieces. (I'm not really sure how my husband and Bee felt about the adventure, but we didn't really ask their opinions:)

One of the best parts of our local museum is the outdoor sculpture garden and walk. The enormity of many of the pieces is simply awe-inspiring. One piece that particularly caught our eye today was Askew by Roxy Paine. It is a massive metal leafless tree. It shines in the sunlight and reflects the world around it. Truly beautiful!

We used this grand tree as inspiration for an afternoon art project. This was so simple that Belle could do most of it by herself with just a bit of help with attaching the pieces.

We pulled out a roll of aluminum foil, ripped off several pieces and started smushing. I built a basic round base and wrapped it around the large trunk. From there, Belle made branches and put them on the tree. I pinched each branch in place and before we knew it we had our very own version of Paine's masterpiece.

So next time you're visiting you won't need to wonder about the unusual centerpiece on our kitchen table:)

SPLAT!

Keeping Belle entertained all day in the heat is getting be to quite a challenge. Thankfully, I keep pretty close tabs on what is happening over at http://artfulparent.typepad.com/artfulparent/. Jean is full of great art ideas for small children...and they're simple. You don't need to spend thousands of dollars on expensive materials. You can usually modify any project with things you have around the house.

We tried out her splatter painting idea...and her tip of hitting the backyard pool as soon as you are finished:)

I mixed some old acrylic paints with water to thin them.

We put a large piece of muslin in the grass and started to flick, spray and splat.

Tons of fun...really colorful toes...and a pretty piece of fabric! Now to decide how to use that fabric...any ideas???

She did WHAT?!?!?!?!?

That was my husband's reaction to the events of yesterday...

We had a pretty rough morning. Belle was ultra-clingy, ultra-whiney, and ultra-tantrumy...NOT FUN! So when Bee went to sleep at nap time, I decided that we needed to do something to get the day back on track.

I had recently purchased a set of patterns from googooagogo.etsy.com. She has a Pick 3 option, and I knew I wanted the Tuesday Top and the Peasant Top, but I couldn't decide on a third. I ended up picking something that was totally impractical, but looked like lots of fun...and I am so glad I did!

I bought this Matryoshka Doll pattern. It looked easy, quick, and more than a little whimsical...perfect for Belle:)

http://www.etsy.com/listing/50589935/the-fat-quarter-matryoshka-doll-pdf

I pulled the pattern out, cleared off the table, and cozied up next to my cranky 3 year old. We picked out two fabrics and some felt that matched (Belle is WAY into matching things right now, so I didn't even have to offer guidance on this part). We held the pen together as we traced the pattern, shared the scissors to cut out the 3 main pieces, and then flipped through the embellishments options to pick the best additions to our doll. Belle selected every piece that you see, from the color and size of the heart to the number of petals on the flower (I added an extra without permission the first time and was quickly instructed to draw it again). She insisted that there be a strawberry, but we were running out of room on her tummy, so we had to move it to her necklace. We then selected trims and ribbons and placed everything exactly where Belle wanted it.

Here's the part that stunned my husband...Next we cuddled up on the couch with a needle and embroidery floss and set to work on the felt embellishments. Belle likes to pull the needle each time I make a stitch, so we worked for a while that way, before she asked to make a stitch. She held the needle with my hand on top of hers and we managed to sew most of the way around the flower. We continued sharing the stitching responsibilities in various ways until all of our embellishments were finished. YES, HONEY...SHE DID THAT!

The pattern is so simple that Belle was able to stand right beside me as I spent less than 10 minutes putting the doll together. Then she helped to stuff her and even used a funnel to add some rice to her bottom to give her a little weight (It made me laugh that we were adding basmati rice to a matryoshka doll...but that was all we had in abundance in the pantry). I stitched her bottom closed and handed her off to Belle.

It was an immediate attachment! She named her "Belle" and no, not after her own onscreen moniker...short for Tinkerbell. I don't know, but I think I see a little resemblance...HA! Needless to say, "Belle" has gone everywhere with Belle since she was finished. They have slept together, eaten together (yes, "Belle" needed a plate at breakfast this morning) and played together. She even took her to our workday at the community garden today.

And with the funk diverted, I had my happy Belle back...and that makes for a happy Mama:)

SCRAPS!

For the last few months I have been saving every tiny scrap of fabric. I make a lot of applique tees and you just never know when that 2" scrap will be perfect for a leaf or a petal or even an alien arm. I have a little wooden box that I keep on my fabric shelf so I can toss in any leftovers that aren't large enough to use in a sewing project.

Did you notice that I said that box was LITTLE??? Well, let's just say that it was more than a LITTLE full! But, I hated to just throw the pieces away...I mean some of them are gorgeous fabrics.

So...I gave them to Belle - with a bottle of glue! YIKES! Are you as scared as I was???

We found an old cereal box in our scrap basket (yes, I keep paper and cardboard scraps too...and yes I AM related to my grandma!!!). I cut out a large square of cardboard and handed over a pile of scraps...and that glue. Belle set to work sticking scraps all over the cardboard and created a beautiful piece of art. But alas, there were still scraps in her pile. "Mommy, can I have more carkboard?" (nope - not a typo:) So I cut the smaller square, but there were still more scraps. You can see how this quickly got out of hand! Needless to say, the cereal box is no more, but the pile of scraps was finally gone and the results are pretty amazing for a 3 year old. And I got a dress for Bee cut out while she worked:):):)

If I had a sewing room, these would definitely be framed in shadow boxes and hanging on the wall. But sadly, I don't think they match the decor in the dining room that I have taken over with my crafting...oh well!

So in case you are so inclined, and haven't already figured it out...here are the directions:

1. Cut up an old cardboard box (cereal, granola bars, etc.).
2. I cut the scraps into small pieces if they were larger than about 3 inches...this is optional, but allows for more color across the project. I cut them in ragged shapes, not squares, but you could cut them however you want.
3. Give your child a bottle of school glue...deep breath, it will be ok!
4. Have your child drop small drops of glue on the cardboard and attach fabric pieces to each drop. If you aren't lucky enough to have had preschool teachers teach your child how to dispense small ammounts of glue, then you will probably need to do that and supervise this project a little more closely.
5. Encourage your child to cover all the cardboard. It makes for a more impressive final product.

And if you are fabric scrapless - we'd be happy to share!

Beachy Crafts for Kids

Our family had a great long weekend at the beach and made sure we collected lots of treasures to use in our projects when we got home.

A small bag of sand and a large bag of seashells were all we needed for these fun and easy projects.

Seashore Photo Frame:
I purchased a wooden picture frame at our local craft store for $1. There is no glass in it, so it is perfect for kids to decorate and display. We mixed regular school glue with just a touch of water to thin it out, then brushed the frame with the glue using a foam brush. When the entire frame was wet with a good layer of glue, we dropped pinches of sand all over it. We patted the sand in place and allowed it to dry overnight. The next morning we shook and then brushed off the loose sand and picked shells from our collection to adorn the frame. Belle decided where she wanted each shell, then I used a hot glue gun to attach them. Some of them were a little tricky because they had very little surface area actually touching the frame, but we finally got them all to stick. We haven't gotten our photos back from the trip, so I had to put a piece of paper in to show you, but Belle is excited to add a pic from her trip.


Seashell Imprint Necklaces:
I apologize...these pics are not good, but the necklaces are adorable, I promise!
We used Crayola Model Magic, coated twine, and wooden beads for this project. We began by rolling the model magic into balls and then flattening them into either circles or ovals depending on the shape of the shell. We used a barbecue skewer to create a hole in the top. Belle pressed a shell into the compound and then I pulled it out...I recommend that an adult do the removal because it is easy to make the pendant misshapen when you remove the shell. We allowed the pendants to dry over night then strung them on the coated cord and added pretty wooden beads. If you haven't worked with Crayola Model Magic before, it is a really unique substance...it is so light-weight that it feels almost non-existent hanging around your neck. It is also made for use with Crayola markers, paints etc. so you could decorate the pendants once they are dry.
One more suggestion...try looking for twine and beads in the kids craft section of the craft store before heading to the jewelry/beading section. We had picked out a package of the exact same twine that was half the size and twice the price in the jewelry section before we checked the kids section. The same was true of the beads.


Sandy Hands:

I don't have a pic of these, but will try to add one tomorrow...SORRY!

This can actually be done at the beach or at home. Have your child spread their fingers wide and then press their hand into the sand (either the sand at the beach or a pan of sand at home). Be sure the resulting depression is about 1/2 an inch deep. Place tiny shells and sea glass pieces in the depression where your child's hand was. BE SURE THAT THESE ARE FACE DOWN!!! Mix up a small amount of plaster of paris and fill the hand print. Allow it to dry, then remove the cast of your child's hand. Write name, age, and date on the back side in permanent marker and you will have a precious treasure! We first did this last year and Belle's handprint permanently lives in our kitchen window. It's my goal to do this every year so that we will have a timeline of our girls' growth through the years.
A shoreside tip - We carried a tiny amount of dry plaster of paris to the beach in a ziplock bag. By adding just a touch of water from our water bottles we were able to mix the plaster right in the bag. After we had made the casts we threw away the bag.

Rain, rain, go away...or on second thought

It's raining...again! My grass is sighing in watery bliss. My three year old...not so much!

We're headed to the beach tomorrow, so we were out picking up a few last minute things before the storms rolled in this afternoon. More on fun "projects" to do at the beach when we get back... but I knew from the rumbles of thunder and dark clouds on the horizon that we were going to be in for a long afternoon. So, as we were scouring the aisles for beach craft necessities, I decided to grab a new art supply to help entertain Belle while I worked on my LONG to do list.

I've been visiting the oil pastels at our local "projects store," for several weeks now, but the prices seemed a little hefty for a 3 year old's art box. So, today when I saw that Crayola now has oil pastels (28 colors for less than $6), I tossed a pack in the cart. I wasn't certain that they were going to be the same quality as the more expensive ones, but she is three after all.

Once we were home, Bee was tucked cozily into her crib for a nap, and the thunder was rolling we opened up the new medium. I brought out some watercolor paper because I thought the texture would make a nice combo with the new pastels, and off we went. Belle is really into drawing things that she can make out of basic shapes, so to start off I showed her some different ways to make flowers. [She's turning into a bit of a perfectionist, so I have to be careful or she ends up just wanting me to do it for her.] Since watercolor paper comes with its own fairly hefty price tag, we switched to colored construction paper after the first drawing. We went on the draw ocean animals {jellyfish, octopi, fish, and even a dolphin all from circles and lines). We practiced blending...Belle loves to blend because it's a great excuse to get the colors all over her fingers. Then we made some more flowers and letters for Daddy.

Most art supplies occupy Belle for 2-3 pieces of paper before she is bored and wants to move on. These lasted for 10 drawings! She just didn't want to stop. The colors are brilliant and go on super smoothly. The traditional "crayon" shape was familiar, but the results they produced were pretty fantastic. The set even has gold and silver! I would highly recommend these for the preschool crowd! We didn't even mind a little rain!

Sometimes You Just Get Lucky:)

I was determined to put Belle's sweet little fingerprint caterpillar on a tee for this summer! I scoured the shelves of 4 different mass-market stores looking for plain white tees in size 3T. Just 3 weeks ago, they were everywhere, but I didn't need them 3 weeks ago! I was just about to give up and order them (and spend a whole lot more money!), when I saw a small stack of white tees on the bottom shelf at a store more than 30 minutes from my house. WHAT LUCK! I needed 4 white tees (for the caterpillar and various other projects and orders) and there were exactly 4 white tees in size 3T in that little stack! I was feeling like I had won the lottery when I turned around and spotted these super-cute plaid shorts. My luck just doubled! Could you dream up a more perfect pairing than the tiny caterpillar and this vivid plaid??? So...sometimes you just get lucky!

So how'd I do it? The caterpillar that is.

This project is perfect for the non-sewers out there...as long as you have some basic computer knowledge and a color printer. I do recommend that you do a couple of test runs before jumping in to the final project.

1. Open the Paint program. Scan your child's art to Paint. Size it as appropriate.
2. Then you need to mirror image your pic. Under the Image menu, select Rotate, then Flip Horizontal. Save your mirror image.
3. Now you have a choice...Do you have other things that you want to create transfers of? [poor grammar...I know!]
NO 4. Put the transfer paper in the printer and print.
YES 4. Follow the same process for every image you want to transfer. Then create a Word document with all the mirror-image pics that you want to print. Put the transfer paper in the printer and print.
5. Cut out the image. Be sure to cut close to your pic.
6. Follow the transfer directions to iron the image to your garment.

NOTE - If you are planning to transfer to a dark fabric, be sure to purchase transfer paper made for dark fabric...you won't need to mirror-image your pics with this kind of paper.

Fingerprint Fun!

Belle and I have been doing lots of "projects" together this week. Our most recent adventure was into the world of fingerprint art. We started with WASHABLE stamp pads (left over from my former life as a teacher) and some plain white paper. I fold several paper towels into a square pad and got it really wet. We used the paper towels to clean our fingers off before we switched colors. Belle had fun dotting fingerprints all over her paper. Then we decided to try putting some dots together to make critters. Belle stamped the dots and I added to embellishments. I even managed to get a new logo for Belle + Bee out of the project.

Nest step - iron-ons! I've never used printable iron-on transfers before, but I thought this was worth a shot. My plan is to create an iron-on of Belle's caterpillar and transfer it to a tee for her. And if that works, Belle + Bee designs may even begin featuring a bee logo on each item...

I'll be sure to share a pic if the tee comes out well!