Hand Print Autumn Tree & Fall Leaf Garland

We are making fall inspired art in my classes these days.  Its hard not to be moved by the beautiful changing colors all around us.  This first project is simple and is a nice way to archive your little ones hand print.  We painted Laila's hand and arm with brown tempera paint and them stamped it on the paper.  We used a brush to define where we stamped her arm because it didn't come out very clear.  After the "tree trunk" was dry we used finger paints in fall colors and stamped some "leaves" on our tree. Laila decided she also wanted a bush.  When the finger paint was still wet we sprinkled gold glitter on it to add a little extra to our tree.  This will be a nice keep sake.  One day we can look back and remember how little her hand was and how much fun we had making it together.  

I also planned this project for my art class and when I saw how cute they turned out Laila, Gregg and I made some at home to decorate for fall. We used the wet on wet water coloring method. I started with cutting out the leaves from watercolor paper.  We used oil pastels to draw in the veins of the leaves.  Next we soaked the leaves in a bucket of water for a couple minutes.

Once they were soaked through we laid them on a water coloring board, the board is not vital but helps to keep the leaf  in place as you paint. We used fall liquid water colors to paint our leaves. 
After the leaves were dry  we punched out holes to put our tinsel through to hang it.
We had fun making this garland as a family.  Give it a try, any age can contribute and have fun while doing it.

Veggie & Fruit Art Prints

Yesterday was printmaking day.  I began class with reading Growing Vegetable Soup, written and illustrated by Lois Ehlert. We talked about what vegetables and colors we saw in the book and then made our way over to the tables where  had cut up veggies and fruit and paint for them to explore.  I stuck popsicle sticks in the apples and potatoes so their little hands could grasp them better.  We talked about the different textures of each veggie or fruit.  For my Seedling Artist I made pudding paint for them to use.  For my Lil' Sprouts artists I put out shiny washable paint in Fall colors. Everyone of them enjoyed getting messy and using their food in a different way.

At another table I had ink pads and alphabet rubber stamps set up.   I wanted them to explore another aspect of printmaking.  This didn't seem to capture their attention for to long but it was worth a try.  I helped some of them find the letters in their name and stamp it on their paper.  

  Try some printmaking today. Its a great way to introduce textures and colors . Let me know how it goes.  Have a Beautiful Day!

Life's Lesson Again

O my goodness, life has its own set of plans for me, and they have nothing to do with the plans I had for myself.  Wow how many times do I have to learn this lesson. Well I might as well learn it again with a smile. So please hang in there with me as I get Laila off to her first day of preschool and try to regain a balance. 

On a side note.  Aren't these flowers lovely? A local woman grows them on her flower garden and sells them at the farmers market. These are the ones we picked out for Laila's birthday party.  Just thought they might brighten your day.

Muffin Tin Monday

Ever heard of it? I was introduced to it by Katy over at Sycamore Stirrings.  Yummy kids snack and lunch ideas based on a children's book of your choice, sounds fun doesn't it? Check out everyone's ideas here.  If you give it a try, will you let me know what you choose? Email me your pictures and thoughts and I'll post it here for everyone else to see and maybe try themselves.  Laila and I are going to read A Garden for Groundhog by Lorna Balin and then fill our muffin tray with the vegetables we see in the book. Perfect since we just got a bunch of fresh veggies from Nana's garden.  I'll post our pictures and thoughts after lunch. 

My plan for our weekend craft went by the wayside as we spent time celebrating my mom's birthday. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, and hopefully you had a little more time for art then we did.  If not hopefully it was filled with lots of fun and rest.   

Seedlings and Lil' Sprouts Art Class

I'm teaching toddler and baby art classes over at my friend Heather's new place called Bloomba.  Its a great creative play center.  There's a treehouse, slides, forest, grocery store, dress up area and a healthy cafe. Here are some pictures from my classes on Wednesday.  The kids explored with paint and fabric markers on muslin. I will be sewing their masterpieces into place mats for them to take home. They also painted on their very own canvases to take home to show to their families. Along with a project I always have a table set up with many different materials for them to go at their own pace and explore what interests them.  

   I loved watching each lil' artist. They each were so uninhibited.

  No worries about getting dirty or the mess, just how they should be!

Each of their art pieces were Masterpieces! 

Hope you have have a beautiful weekend.  Laila and I will be 

trying out a new project, more to come about it later.

Fall Leaf Streamer, WELCOME FALL!

Anyone else feeling the changing of the seasons? Yes I am going to miss summer dearly, but we might as well welcome what we can't change.  Don't get me wrong I do love the fall: wearing sweaters, beautiful changing leaves, trying new soup recipes, school starting, snuggling under my grandma's homemade quilt, going to Estes Park to hear the elk bugle. We just had a fabulous summer it will be hard not to miss. So to welcome Fall here is a darling and simple fall leaf streamer project. 

 No Time For Flashcards  has all the details and directions here.  Check out the alphabet books while your there, what a great idea!

Soy Rock Crayons

Ok a little more about these cool soy rock crayons.  I found them here while looking for some materials for my Seedlings art class for lil' artist 9 months to 24 months.  So  they are made of soy rather than wax. They are non-toxic. Their shape helps prepare little hands to hold a pencil correctly.  Laila really enjoyed how vibrant the crayons color.  I can't wait to see what the little ones think of them today. I'll let you know.