I have a DATE!

With Harry Potter at midnight!

I am doing a quick photo shoot after school and then I am going home for a nap...so I can be well rested in time for the midnight showing of Harry Potter! I can't wait!


Here are the finished over-sized art supplies from a previous post. They turned out pretty good! I am working on one more, a box of crayons!

I love the lumpy-bumpyness of paper mache. These were painted with acrylic paints (the silver scissors are tempera paint) and then coated with some polyurethane.

I will photograph them sitting up on the shelf in my room later. The kids love them!

Are you going to see Potter tonight?

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!!

Fall Holga Pictures

I shot these a couple of weekends ago with Ilford 400 speed 120 film in my Holga. I love how 'fall' they are!

You really have to go see the cross-processed slide film from last fall of the same subject: here. Such a major contrast in results. I love lomography! I am planning an outing this weekend with a local Lomography club that I started. I will post pictures soon!

Over-Sized Art Supplies via Paper Mache

Over the summer, I got some new cabinets installed in my art room and I realized that I needed something on top, for decoration. So my student teacher helped me create some fun new 3-D over-sized art supplies to go up on top.


We cut and taped cardboard boxes and scraps and then tore up newspaper strips, attaching them with a water-glue mixture to create a paper mache` covering. I added another coat of newspaper...and we started painting today...so stay tuned for the finished product!!

A huge 'paint jar' with the brush sticking out.

Giant scissors!

Made out of cardboard...the round thing holding the blades together is a cardboard tape roll.

Giant glue bottle...made out of cardboard and a box.

I can't wait for you to see the finished product!!

Special Birthday wish...

Baby Jacob turns 1 today! I can hardly believe it!

I am so sad that I am not in Arizona to wish him a happy birthday in person. I miss his little sweet smile so much! I love my nephew.

Happy Birthday Jacob!

Crash Test Dummy Style

Once there was this lamp who
Got into an accident after my cat slammed into it
But when I finally fixed it
The light had turned from white into bright colors
I used tissue paper and paper mache to patch the hole
To fix the lamp that my cat had smashed so hard

Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm
Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm


That's right. My cat slammed into my Ikea lamp and ripped it. It has been sitting in my classroom for 2 years, waiting to be patched up. I had an idea that it would look cool covered in tissue paper and I was right. It looks really cool with the lights off...but I think I might get a strand of Christmas lights to twist on the inside so it is even more shiny.

Now my art room rocks. And thanks to Shaina for helping me finish it up.

Let's gett this blogging started.

The past few weeks have been insanely busy.

Too busy to spend much quality time with my family. Too busy to get the laundry done. Too busy to work out. Too busy to make art.

It just seems like if I stay at school until 5:00 (after getting there at 7:00), I just don't have much energy when I get home. So maybe, I am not busy, just tired....too tired to blog...too tired to craft.

This week, my schedule is fairly open after school so I have a little bit of time for blogging and creating. I am super excited about that!

So check back throughout the week for some fun posts on little projects I have been working on!!

Hi....

Did you have a good Halloween? I know I did...went to KC to see Pink Floyd, the Wall. It was pretty incredible.

I created a new post for the Birds of a Feather blog today, go check it out!

Anyway, happy Monday!!

Printing time.

I've been working in the darkroom!!

Here is my very first print....an 11X11 B&W photo from my Holga camera. This photo was taken on Freemont Street in Las Vegas in July.

Black and white negatives are so cool!!

I've printed several more photos...here they are...sitting out to dry. I'll show those soon!

My first test strip. The contrast looks great....super excited to print my first image!!

Mixing up the chemicals.

And here is my print in the stop bath.

Working in the darkroom is so relaxing. And there are so many things you can do to manipulate the pictures. More prints to come!!

Missouri is beautiful this time of year...

And so is this family!! I haven't had much time for photo shoots....But I really enjoyed this one Sunday! Here are a few of my favorites.

Her best big smile of the day!

The little pirate wandered over to look at the pond in the distance...so cute!!

Thanks for reading! I've been working in the darkroom this week, hope to post images soooooon!!