Hello!

Gah! Has it really been almost a month since I posted anything?!

My school work has been consuming every single day. Most days I get to school between 6:50-7:05. Sometimes I have a bus duty that starts at 7:05 and some days I have breakfast duty at 7:30 so if I can get there a half hour early, it really helps me--I have lots to set up and clean and organize and the extra time in the morning helps. A bunch of teachers have started working out with some short DVDs after school. This is so nice because I can get my workout done by 4:00! But that also means I am not working in my room from 3-4 like I did last year. I need to get motivated to stay and work in my room after working out, otherwise I will never feel caught up.

This year, I have really cut back my involvement in extracurriculars. Aside from a few social things here and there, I am not responsible for teaching or organizing lots of extra things. I feel so much less stressed and overwhelmed because I actually have more free time. Actually, I look back at all the  things I used to do and I wonder how I did not have more melt downs!

One of the main reasons I haven't been blogging is because my D5000 was stolen a few weeks ago. I am so mad at myself and the jerk who took it. I have been too depressed to blog--even though I've got plenty of iphone photos I could share.

My camera was stolen very late at night on Labor Day. The week that followed was one of the worst weeks I can remember. Nothing was going right that week. You can see my shoes that got destroyed by a black paint spill on Wednesday.

And I was trying to prepare a screen for a cool screen print and I just couldn't get the emulsion to work--even after 5 tries. On Friday, I was super excited for my Nelliepalooza retreat--but freakishly on my way I was caught in a scary storm. With high winds over 80 MPH, I had to pull over behind someone's house and then I had to use my best stunt car driving skills to dodge downed power lines and trees in the road. I even drove through the ditch to get to the campground.

When I arrived, the power was out! It stayed out all night, which meant that we were 'crafting' in the dark. The camp's water pump runs on electricity so I was worried we would have to cancel. Everyone was so nice---even though it was a very bad end to a very bad week. Saturday, the sun came up, the power was back on and it the horrible awful, no good week was over.

Doing whatever I want.

When someone asks me: What have you been doing all summer?

I tell them the TRUTH: Whatever I want.

In the past, I have spent my summers volunteering, teaching, or doing something that fells like fun but its actually work, I just tell myself it is fun so that I am tricked into believing that I had a restful vacation.

I've just had 12 consecutive weeks off.

Every single day I tried to savor the morning the most. During the school year I am out of bed by 5:45, but in the summer I was in bet until at least 7:30, sometimes 8:00. It was marvelous. I must hit another level of R.E.M. between 6:30 and 7:00, that I don't normally even get a chance to experience....I'm going to miss that hard morning sleepy time.

Every single day, I tried to savor the evenings and stayed up past 10. This may not seem super late...but when I have the freedom to watch one more episode of the Tudors on Netflix, instead of turning the T.V. off at 9:30, it feels pretty sweet. Evenings haven't been rushed. I can cook dinner at my leisure, and still have time to relax afterwards. Even if I chose to go to the gym at night, I still had plenty of time to do whatever because I wasn't hurrying to prepare a sack lunch or iron a pair of kakis.

Every single day, I savored my free-time lunch. During the school year, I have a limited amount of time to eat lunch and a strict schedule. I also have a very regulated time frame at which I can use the restroom.  It is very liberating.

Every single day, I tried to enjoy the free afternoons.....I actually fought the urge to take a nap every day. Ha! I met up with friends for an afternoon cupcake+drinks date...in the middle of the day....and I drove to a coffee shop for an iced coffee with free WIFI and blogging. Or I hung out with Martha and we made crafts or sat by a pool somewhere.

 So maybe I did not meet all of these summer goals:

Read 10 books. (only 7)
Grow a Wild Flower garden. (HA! it was too hot to grow anything)
Workout/Zumba 4 times a week. (It was about 2-3 times average)
Ride bikes. (TOOOO HOT!)
Art Walk Dates. (YES! Braved the heat for all of the Joplin art walks and one in K.C.)
Analog Film: Take and Develop. (I haven't been in the dark room a lot...but I do have a few rolls processed)
Paint. Draw. Collage. Art. (Perhaps I could've done a bit more of this, but I did make some cute stuff for Martha's Shop. and I painted my desk)
Bake Bread. (Only one loaf, but I did it!)
Blog + Write. (Done! I spent a lot of time working on my Retro Vacation Series)


And I did a few things I hadn't planned:
Went to the farmer's market for fresh peaches and baked a pie.
Had a fun girl's night out at Glazed.
Went to a blackberry farm and made lots of yummy blackberry desserts.
Crafted something new out of scrabble tiles for Martha's Shop. And framed some lomography photos to sell.
Revisited my hometown firework carnival for the 4th.
Baked the most delicious Almond Joy Cookies ever.
Grew a gorgeous veggie garden. (A lot of my succulents died!)

 This week is a busy one. With the first day meetings yesterday, and open house last night...tonight we have more meetings and an education committee meeting at Spiva...and tomorrow is the first day of school....with art walk on Thursday night. By Friday I will be exhausted!! But at least I am well-rested. And I am excited for the new school year.

The Best Teachers....

The end of the year is my favorite.

I love how relaxed everyone is and how relieved I feel to wrap up another year.

Yesterday, a popsicle reward party was planned for students to celebrate positive behavior.

I must say that it was incredibly satisfying to know that part of my job description, at least for the day, was to enjoy the sunshine, snip open flav-o-ice and watch the students run around. I have a very special role and I wouldn't trade it for anything right now....It is very rewarding to know that I am right where I am supposed to be.

Today, I spent some time reflecting on some of my favorite things about school, teachers, and being a teacher.

Coach Mitchell for a Day

Even though I am not at all athletically inclined and would never endeavor to be a physical education teacher,  I happily got to assist the P.E. teacher by watching his classes while he set up for the end-of-the-year play day.

I say happily because some of the students called me Coach Mitchell for the day. Coach Mitchell? HAHAHAHA!!

That is hilarious because I have never coached anything in my entire life. I am much too prissy and my nails far too manicured to rough around in the sporting arena. So, for some to call me Coach Mitchell, it was my own little private joke, like I was parading around in a policeman's uniform, all the power to arrest, without any of the training.

The kids were playing dodge frisby dodge ball.

When I was in grade school, I remember playing real dodgeball (boys vs. girls) in the school gymnasium with fat red rubber balls. I HATED dodgeball.

Mostly because I was slow and completely inept at throwing, I couldn't a giant fixed target, let alone a moving one....but also because I hated the way that the boys looked when they viciously slammed the ball into my back or legs with a triumphant SLAP. I really hated how excited that they boys got when shouted, "You're OUT!!" It was so embarrassing.

I hated that feeling of helplessness.
I was too uncoordinated to ever grab hold of a ball and return the brutal blow, so mostly I just tried to hide behind the bigger girls or hunch against the wall.

No matter what I did, I was an easy target....I was pathetic prey and I always resented the other students and everything about physical education because of how it made me feel like such a loser. AND who am I kidding, those red rubber balls really hurt when they hit.

 Equipment for p.e. has come a long way. Now days, those red rubber balls do not exist, at least not for dodge ball. Students use NERF-Like baby blue foam balls that gently bounce off of you like an air-filled throw pillow.

It is nearly impossible to cause injury, even when connecting with a kid's face.

Additionally, foam frisbys were added to the basic game (a great idea for giving kids practice at correctly throwing a frisby).  The frisbys create even less of an impact when they connect.

 The best part about supervising 4th graders playing frisby dodge ball, was actually joining them for a little game of GIRLS+TEACHER VS. BOYS. They boys were delighted that I was helping the girls gang up on them because it made them more competitive than ever.

You see, the boys have played against the girls all year with a horrible chant, "Moo like a cow, go moo, MOO!" Over and over the boys screamed their little chant at the girls as they attacked them with dodge balls screaming "You're OUT" and scooping up new bullets and launching over and over.

I was delighted to help the girls because I got a little bit of payback.
I cannot tell you how extremely rewarding it was to pelt the strongest, most athletic boys in the class. I didn't want to hurt them. I just wanted to get them OUT!

And that is just what I did.

Screaming, 'You're OUT!'....it felt just as good as I thought it would, even though I'm not 10 anymore, I got that real satisfied feeling that one only gets by conquering an old foe.

 I even made up our own little chant, the girls and I screaming "Ruff like a dog go ruff, RUFF!"

I had all the girls saying it with me, I rallied an attack, hoarding all of the balls and frisbys on our side, we savagely assaulted the boys with baby blue bombs. (Okay, maybe not savagely, I was surrounded by a bunch of tiny-10-year old wimpy little mini-mes who were just as pathetically slow, and inept at throwing, we missed more targets than we hit. But I was their leader and it was exhilarating).

I didn't enter the game with sadistic intent, in fact, I had forgotten how much I hated dodge ball until I actually got out on the court and started tossing frisbys and feeling that winning feeling. Students love it when teachers join in and have a little fun.  The boys, I assure you, won't be traumatized by little victory, they probably won't even remember it once the summer is in full swing, but it is one of my favorite memories and I will treasure it.....the day that I got to be Coach Mitchell.

Today was a very good day.

Today was a very special day! I am truly honored with a special memory that I will treasure forever.

When I arrived at school, my classroom was decorated with paper chains hung from the ceiling, around my door way, and on my desk....

Each class in the school had created a chain, one link for each student, in my favorite colors: turquoise and purple. I was shocked, surprised and touched. Someone went to a lot of trouble to make sure today was special.

Just before my first class, I was called into the big auditorium....and I was greeted with a standing ovation. All 200+ kindergarteners were on their feet, clapping and cheering for ME!

I was presented with a very special book. Each student in the school had created a note+drawing for me. The cover reads: " Whoooo Knew we had the best teacher!', the title is surrounded by little owls holding up banners with 'you're great!' 'Art teacher of the Year!' and 'Congrats!'

My principal presented me with a GIANT cookie cake with 'World's Best Art Teacher' on it and a balloon bouquet for my desk.

Going back through all of the drawings and notes in the book, there are some really cute spellings for 'nice' 'beautiful' 'pretty' and 'artist'.

One of the most special moments of the day was during my second class. A challenging girl, probably one of my toughest students this year (because of her behavior), asked me why I was the best art teacher. I told her, 'I don't know....why do you think?'.....and she smiled up at me with the most unforgettable precious smile, 'Because you love us.'

 This was a day I won't soon forget.

(To find out what all of the hoopla is about, read here: http://nelliemaeii.blogspot.com/2011/12/missouri-art-educator-of-year.html)

Santa is in the building!

There is something so magical about the jingle of Santa's bells and his hearty 'HO HO HO!' when he visits the school. It is just incredible to hear him interacting with the kids...and their squeals of delight!

Frustratingly....as one of my educator friends pointed out on her Facebook status....it seems like Santa is not enough to keep kids in line this time of year....when I was little, my parents just had to threaten us with "Santa is watching!" and we were quickly reminded that if we were rotten, we would get nothing for Christmas....But now, it seems like that is not enough.

I'm only saying this because last week was wild!! The week before Christmas usually is...I needed an extra dose of patience.

I've heard so much about the the elf on a shelf is so adorable and it is such a cute idea...It just seems like those little elves that jump from spot to spot each night after reporting to the north pole, are necessary to making kids believe that someone is really watching.....

'Santa' by himself isn't magical enough...to influence today's youth the way he used to.....

At any rate (elf on a shelf or not)....I am on the NICE list this year....Santa check it twice...and confirmed!

The Smallest Act of Caring

I need to share this story so that I will never forget it.

Although I would not normally share a personal story about a student, (and details have been changed to keep his identity secret), this is one of those stories that is a HUGE reminder that what I do is important and special.

Usually, students mature over the summer and naughty kids grow up a little bit. One year, a boy named Tommy, had been  acting completely different than he acted the previous year. This boy was so sweet and smart the year before, but on this particular year, I started to dread his class before I even saw them coming down the hall. I didn't want to be mean to the kid, but he was just so disruptive that I could hardly get through the lesson without getting frustrated with his behavior. I even mentioned it to his classroom teacher from the year before, and she said that other teachers have commented on how wild Tommy had become.

One day, the class was coming down the hall and I realized that they had a substitute. "Oh, great," I thought...generally, whenever a class has a substitute, bad behaviors are intensified and the normally well-behaved students are a little wiry from the lack of structured daily routines normally enforced by classroom teachers.

As soon as he walked up, Tommy said, "What happened to your hair?" as the class passed through the doorway. Immediately, I snapped (without thinking), "What happened to your face?" and then I looked at the substitute and cringed...hoping she had heard him be so rude, but somehow she didn't hear my completely unprofessional retort. I don't actually think Tommy heard me say it, because he didn't respond, but kept bee-bopping through the doorway as if it is completely normal to insult a teacher and get away with it.

I walked into class, closed the door, and got on with the lesson. I don't remember if Tommy was his usual interrupting self after that...I just tried to teach about mixing paint to create tints and shades.

About halfway through class, the principal came in and wanted to take Tommy out. Tommy left his painting sitting on the table.

Near the very end of art, with only about 6 or 7 minutes left, (everyone else was cleaning up and we were about to conclude) the principal brought Tommy back to art. He took me aside and said that Tommy had been in his office, meeting with family services. 'Could Tommy finish his painting? He really wanted to get back down here to art, so that he could finish it."

I don't know why Tommy was talking to a social worker, or whomever it was in the principal's office...I never asked....but students don't just meet with family services for fun....it was an immediate sign that something was going on in Tommy's home life. I had seen the signs all year. His behavior was drastically different than the year before.

Instead of showing Tommy a little more love, or given him opportunities for more attention, I had started to dread even being in the same room with him.

There he was, in the office, meeting with some stranger, about some situation at home, and all he wanted to do was be with me, in art, working on his painting.

I was mortified and embarrassed and ashamed that I had lashed out at the poor kid with "What happened to your face?!" when he is dealing with some pretty terrible stuff at home.

Being an art teacher, I can usually sense when something is going on with a child. It isn't necessarily that stuff comes out in their artwork, usually I notice a huge shift in behavior.

If a student suddenly starts acting oddly or misbehaving, I can tell that something is going on...perhaps the child is going to dad's for the weekend...or stayed up too late because parents were fighting....maybe the kid is living at Children's Haven or in foster care.

Rarely do I ever know the details about what is going on at home.  If I notice major changes, I will mention it to the classroom teacher and the counselor.

As I said before, I honestly never knew what was going on with poor Tommy...but his behavior started to improve after that. Or maybe, I started treating him a little differently because I had a little insight into the fact that something had changed at home and it was affecting his behavior. In any case, it is a huge reminder that no matter what, so you should always treat others with compassion because you never know what burdens they might be carrying.

Here are a few great quotes:

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong.  Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.  ~George Washington Carver

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.  ~Leo Buscaglia

i'm blogging this and that is all.

Sometimes I post infrequently because I have nothing to say and no inspiration...but sometimes I don't have many posts because I just run out of time and can't fit blogging into my schedule (Gasp!).

I have so many blog posts brewing in my brain right now and tons of new photos to share.

Right now, I am jetting off to bus duty, then a meeting, then a dentist appointment for my Invisalign, then I'll rush home to change and hit the gym in time for abs at 5:00 and Zumba at 5:30....perhaps I will have time to write after I shower and eat dinner?

Check out this amazing little picture from last week. Something about it just makes me happy. I posted it on my Instagram with the tag: 'we we we so excited' #friday #rebeccablack

I'm thinking about incorporating some children's art into my own work...this one will be first...something using Miro's transfer technique.

Anyway, if you are an art teacher and you follow my blog, check out my lesson plan site, This Little Class of Mine and become a subscriber. I just started my 'Year in Kindergarten' blog posts with a script from the first two weeks of school. Click here to read it: This Little Class of Mine.

Why I love the end of the year....Part 3

To read Part 1 and Part 2.

Field trips. I don't get to take a class on a field trip, but sometimes I am asked to help out with reward celebrations and other fun activities. This year (and last year too), I got to take kindergarteners on a limo ride to Pizza Hut.

Talk about excited! This was such a fun experience. The kids are so happy, they feel famous, and special. Just seeing how excited they are makes it so much fun!

I tried to find pictures where you couldn't see their faces...but this one below is just too cute...Look at the boy on the far right...he is jumping up in the air!

"Mrs. Mitchell, look at all the cup holders! Wow, look at those little cup holders....those must be fore baby bottles,"......said a student.

"Naturally," I replied.

Check out the fake fireplace.

I let them put their feet up. Take a load off. On the baby bottle holders.

Why I love the end of the year....Part 2

To read part 1 click here.

I love the end of the year because it gives me a chance to do something different with my students. I am always more ambitious with messy projects because I know that my students are going to be wild no matter what we are doing.

For the photos below....my students made bird kites (the kites and animal print papers are from Roylco)...and then they created safari vests using a paper bag covered with animal print paper, crowns, and jewelery...and we took the kites outside for a kite flying safari adventure. It was so fun for me, but mostly, it was rewarding to see them having fun.

Why I love the end of the year....Part 1

I have to admit, I love the first week of school.

I love opening a brand new box of crayons.

I love getting my rooms ready. (I have two rooms)

I love how happy everyone is the very first week....teachers literally sing 'hellooooo' to each other in the halls, excited to get back into the groove. The first few weeks of school are productive, ripe with anticipation, and exciting.  (read how is your year going?)

But by May....we are all singing a different tune. We look at each other with matching expressions of fatigue, exhaustion, and dread as we mark the minutes off the calendar.  'Only Two More Mondays' we exasperatedly exclaim as we pass each other in the halls.

As tired as we are this time of year....most teachers will probably admit how much we secretly love the last few weeks of school. The weather is beautiful, flowers are blooming and we all know that are days are numbered with this particular group of students.

The very best part about the end of the year is the field trips, picnics, special programs and fun events that students get to do. I am always excited when I get to participate in the fun stuff.

The photos below are from a reward celebration from our school fundraiser. For students that sold a high number of items, they got to throw water balloons at the principal.

So they lined up like a firing squad and let 'em rip. He wore his umpire gear for protection, but it was still fun to watch him get soaked.

How taking a Dance Class Made me a Better Art Teacher

Today I made three students cry.

Well, I didn’t make them cry. They just cried. Little kids do that. They cry. A lot. Working with students who are barely five through age twelve, I have made my fair share of students cry for various reasons over the years.

Common reasons for crying include: anger at me or a classmate, frustration at the assignment, or just plain ‘ol, ‘I miss my mommy’ syndrome.

Actually, all three happened today.

If a student is angry with me or another student, it is usually a combination of needing to learn to share, a bad attitude or bossiness to blame. Sharing the crayons is a skill everyone should learn in kindergarten, or at least have an understanding of by second grade…if a little boy doesn’t understand, or want to share, then a fight breaks out and I have to step in and make someone take a cool down or a time out.

This is what happened today.

If a student ‘misses his mommy’ and it is May…well, I don’t know what to tell you. I’ll give you a hug…I’ll pat you on the back…but kiddo, its time to grow up a bit.

This is what happened today.

If a student expresses frustration at a project or a set of instructions, I usually do my best to encourage him to keep trying, get assistance from a friend, or I provide a bit of help to give them some success and some confidence so they can tackle the other steps.

But sometimes, my encouragement, redirection, and assistance can do little to curb a meltdown. Sometimes kids just have bad days.

This is what happened today.

Generally, when I explain a project to kindergarteners, I do one of three things:

1.     Demo everything and then give them the supplies…some tend to get lost if there are too many steps but it gives me a chance to let the artists get to work and help the challenged overcome the challenges.

2.     Demo half, let them work for a few minutes…struggle to get their attention….demo the other half (whilst doing my best-song-and-dance to keep their attention so that they aren’t cutting their neighbor’s hair as I demonstrate how to attach, affix, or adhere something to their lame little masterpieces)

3.     Demo step-by-step….each step of the project, broken down so that everyone is doing everything at the same time…completely leaving the slow-pokes in the dust and slowing down the speed-racers to complete boredom.

In my experience, it is completely exhausting to demonstrate everything step-by-step because it is difficult to keep their attention, especially the creative ones that just GET it….they get bored.

However, EVERYONE’S project is successful…they ALL look JUST like MINE.  

With this method, some get frustrated, and it is difficult to work one-on-one with someone who falls behind, because it is my job to keep going, the entire class is waiting for everyone else to cut the corners off a square for the spider’s head.  This is where I see the most room for tears of frustration.

This is how many of the lessons at the beginning of the year are organized; it helps ensure that everyone is successful.

Alternatively, some projects allow for the half and half method…for instance, if we are drawing and then painting, it just makes sense to explain the drawing information first, let them work and then once everyone has completed step one, stop and explain the directions for finishing the painting.

This is how many of the projects in the middle of the year are organized, in order to give everyone a chance to work at their own pace, but still keeping everyone moving from one step to another.

Whenever I demo everything all at once, I usually try to repeat the first step, right before handing out supplies…but someone always gets lost. It is difficult to recall everything in the correct order.  

This is how many lessons at the end of the year are organized in order to give the creative ones a bit of a chance explore the finished product a bit further and interpret the instructions in a way that allows for some creative freedom.

Generally, whenever someone gets lost or frustrated by my instructions with the step-by-step method, I think, ‘If you aren’t sure what to do, look at the finished product….you obviously haven’t created the eyes on your bear….how hard could it be to figure out what comes next.’

I offer assistance, but I just don’t GET why they don’t GET it!

Today in dance class…I had a bit of a revelation about my students and what they may or may not understand.

 I totally GOT how some kids just don’t GET art….they just don’t see what I see.

They can’t look at the finished product and make assumptions about what needs to happen next.

Some kids just don’t connect with visual art the same way that I don’t really connect with dance.

Dancing does not come naturally to me. I don’t have a background in dance.

Apart from the random dance parties in my living room, which require no real skills or rhythm; up until January of this year, I had never really been to a dance class.

My only experience with dancing was a bit of two-stepping at a barn warming in high school for FFA. Anytime I try to two-step now, I have to be completely reintroduced to it as if I’ve never done it.  I don’t naturally have the ability to pick up a little line dance here or a salsa move there. I just don’t.

Whenever I see an instructor do a simple combination of moves…I usually just stand there with my mouth hanging open for a bit. . Confused. Befuddled. Stupified. Bewildered.

 I have to ease my way into a dance with an awkward thrusting or jutting of my arms and legs in a manner that is not rhythmic or beautiful in any way. I try. I really do. But my body just doesn’t move like that. And it is frustrating. I want to move in a way that is beautiful…but I just can’t. Physically. Mentally. I cannot connect with music the way that other people can.

I still try. In fact, the very act of trying makes me a better teacher. Feeling that same frustration with myself, and my instructor (who definitely is not to blame) helps me understand what my students experience whenever they are trying something new for the first time.

I would definitely recommend this to any beginning teacher. Take a class or learn a skill in which you are not naturally talented or have ever experienced before….in order to understand how frustrating it can be to someone who doesn’t quite ‘GET IT’.

Many of my students have never used scissors, glue, paint or markers before using them in my art class—just as I have never been exposed to dance—I shouldn’t expect a masterpiece…just some experimentation…I should expect my students to ease into an artwork with a bit of thrusting or jutting of their arms and legs in a manner that is not rhythmic or beautiful in any way.

Confused. Befuddled. Stupified. Bewildered. I GET that now.

I really do love my job. You can read more funny and serious stories here, here, here, here and here.

Story and a photo.

Gum, black hole and dog tags......

One day a few months ago one of my students had on a necklace. It was one of those key chain dog tags and it had been personalized with his name and football number on it. It was very shiny and new. I told him it was very cool. After that, he just HAD to give it to me. I knew his mom would probably be wondering where it was eventually, so I put it somewhere safe so that when he came to me later I would be able to give it back to him. My safe spot just happened to be a special zipper pouch that I tuck into my purse where I carry my lipstick.

Today my student came to me during class wondering where ’my’ necklace was that he gave me...I told him that it was safe, in my purse. Of course, being an inquisitive 10 year-old, he wanted to see it...to make sure that it was safe. I went to my purse and unzipped the lipstick pouch...but the necklace was missing. I knew that I hadn’t taken it out of my purse so I began searching for it. I looked in the side zipper part. No, it wasn’t there either. So I started to remove a few of the bigger things, my wallet, my address book, a bottle of lotion, my checkbook, some ink pens, my gianormous set of keys, a granola bar.....

Finally, I spotted the shiny silver dog tag at the bottom of my purse....That’s right...it was buried beneath the bottomless pit of bobby pins, paper clips, buttons, earrings, pennys, rocks, scraps of paper, gum wrappers, tiny chunks of trident that have wriggled free from the wrapper, rubber bands, reciepts ...there it was....luckily I had found his necklace...but....when I rescued it from the rubble I realized that it had been slimed with some of that yucky spearmint gum...chunks of the gum had somehow goo-ed up the chain and his once-shiny namesake was now minty fresh with rubbed on gum residue. He saw the gum immediately.

He looked up at me. ’What did you do to my necklace?’ All I could do was laugh. ’I am sorry’ ’your necklace got gummed’ was all I could giggle. I went straight to the sink and got some soap as he watched me frantically trying to clean off his precious un-shiny dog tag key chain. Other students started to gather around at this point and I tried to explain that I didn’t realize it had slipped from the safe spot into the bog of junk in the bottom of my purse. I scrubbed and scrubbed, but the gum was stuck...Lime green gum.....I vowed to take it home and use some special gum remover to clean it off. "My mom’s purse wouldn’t have had yucky gum in the bottom of it" he said...."I know, but this kind of thing happens to me, I’m so sorry" I laughed, embarrassed.....

Um, yeah...my purse is not going to be a safe spot for children’s treasures ever again!!

five hot dogs heading back in space.

You might be wondering why I would post an image of some hot dogs after a silly story about dog tags and gum at the bottom of my purse.....well....recently, I participated in a photography scavenger hunt and one of the photos I had to take involved linear perspective. This photo is 'five hot dogs heading back in space'.....they aren't exactly lined up to be in 'linear perspective' and they also aren't in outer space...I wanted to create a little play on words with this title...to encourage the viewer to ask questions and think a little longer at they photo than they might normally do if they just saw a photo of hot dogs.

This is a lomography photo--taken with black and white film, fish eye lens on a Diana Camera.

Reason #546 I became an art teacher....

I need lots of hugs.

I just didn't realize how starved for hugs I was until I went 9 days without any.

To put into perspective how long 9 days is, generally our Christmas break is only about 7 1/2 days so on February 1st, when the big blizzard hit, no one realized we would be out of school for NINE days!!

The problem was the extremely cold temperatures and the repeated small snow storms that made back roads and side streets impassable with ice and snow.

I have to say, I enjoyed all of my days off. Every, single, one, of them.

I cooked, cleaned, baked, sewed, made Valentines, made movies, painted my nails, took naps, folded laundry, matched all of the un-matched socks, organized my crafting supplies, watched movies, spent time with friends, played games--both with friends and on my iphone, worked out (A LOT), shoveled snow, and got caught up on my favorite trash t.v. shows.

I did things that I normally just don't have time for--having nine days off was awesome! I didn't get bored...maybe a tiny bit lonely a couple of days, but I had friends over, chatted on FB and SKYPE and went to the gym to combat the loneliness.

I read blogs. I mailed packages.

I drank coffee and stared out the window.

It was so relaxing and wonderful.

Now I am back into the swing of things....and I find myself longing for those free days....

My real life is just so busy. Almost every evening is full the next few weeks--not including going to the gym--which will make for really long days if I go AFTER the late afternoon and evening things I have to do. Many things got messed up and postponed due to the snow days and now they are all getting crammed into the 5.5 weeks until Spring Break. Some nights are so full of things to do, I need TWO of me just to do everything.

I am dreading St. Patrick's day-- I was looking forward to the 3rd Thursday art walk, but now it looks like I will be doing an all-school art show that night--I just can't be two places at once-- and I would rather go to the artwalk!

So the moral of the story is, I will need a steady supply of hugs to get through the next few busy weeks. I didn't realize how much I appreciate hugs until I went 9 days with none. Today a girl hugged me and I almost started crying---it was exactly what I needed.

Loving all the moms and dads out there.....

When it gets close to Valentine's Day, I am always in the mood to make some pretty Valentine cards for my friends and family. With the snow days this week, I have plenty of time for that.

To me, Valentine's Day is a good time for a service project too, both for myself and for my students....kids are usually in a pretty giving mood.

Last week at school, I told my students that I would love for them to contribute some artwork to a special organization in town. I explained that the Ronald McDonald House is a place for families to stay when they have a sick child in the hospital. It is a place for mommies and daddies to go so that they don't have to go all the way home if they have a baby in the hospital, they can stay close by. Some of my students had stayed there, some had heard of it, and some have had other family members who have stayed there.

I told them that I would like for them to make something that would make the parents happy. Something that would make them smile. I showed them a blank door hanger, showed them how it hangs on the doorknob and asked them to draw and write a message about love.

I was pleasantly surprised with the results. This is something any teacher in any classroom could do for any organization. Door hangers are very cheap to reproduce (I printed mine on cardstock) and this could be a writing prompt with a bit of drawing thrown in, it only took about 10 minutes for most to complete the task.

One boy asked me, "Do you think these might make the parents cry?" And I told him that they might....seeing a message about loving kids, from loving kids....while your own child is sick....might make a few parents cry....I explained that it was okay....we were doing something very special and nice, just for the sake of doing it...and that was the most important thing.

Here are a few of my favorites.

  (Ronald McDonald House is the hero of the world)

 (And yes that 4th one does say 'may the force be with you')

I can't wait to deliver the artwork (as soon as the roads are a little more clear). 

Here is a link to a Google doc with the basic door hanger image. You might enlarge it on the copier a bit so that you don't waste too much of a 8.5" X 11" sheet of cardstock.

Recycled and Repurposed...what to do with those leftover art supplies..

You know...all those broken crayons...dried up sharpies...empty watercolor pans....

I have been saving this stuff and much more and I am excited to announce a recent 'relief sculpture' project I have been working on with my students.

Here are the mini 'teacher' samples that I created to give them some ideas. I'm excited to show you their work, hopefully later this week!!