TOP 10 FRUSTRATIONS WITH ART SUPPLIES

FOR EVERY AWESOME ART SUPPLY OUT THERE...THERE ARE

AWFUL ART SUPPLIES OUT THERE.  

HERE ARE MY FRUSTRATIONS...PET PEEVES!!!

(SOME ARE NAME BRANDS...SOME ARE IN GENERAL.)

 *Once again..this is only my opinion...and my experience.  You may have a wonderful redeeming story about the art supplies I find frustrating!

1) PENCILS - WHAT IN THE WORLD???????  I have found a brand or two that are pretty consistent...but what has happened to the pencil industry?!  Soft cheap wood that won't sharpen properly, lead that is broken all the way through and keeps falling out...erasers that only get marks off because they are part sand paper?!?!?  Come on pencil makers...make me some pencils that will actually last!  

2) COLORED PENCILS - I'm not sure if I should blame the people that make them, the people that ship them, or the people that stock the shelves?!  My students love colored pencils...I love colored pencils, but you know what I don't love?  The fact that they lead falls out faster than the pencil can be sharpened.  

3) WASHABLE GLUE -  The issue....it is washable because it is white water!!!!!!  BLAH!!!  

4)  FISKAR SCISSORS -  WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU!?!?!?!?  You use to be the greatest thing around....no one could beat you.  Now...your cheap plastic & construction make me long for the good ol' days.  I can not tell you how many of my new Fiskar scissors have broken(where the handle attaches to the scissors).  I still have some of the Fiskar scissors from when I started teaching here 13 yrs ago that are still going strong(though a bit rusted).  

5)  CRAYOLA WATERCOLOR (8 color ovals) -  The colors are light...there are air pockets in the colors...and the "pans" of color are very shallow...so it doesn't last long.  

6)  ROSEART CRAYONS - The colors aren't bad...but the texture is very "crumby" & they break in half with very little pressure from little hands.  Also...don't even try to laminate things colored with RoseArt crayons.  

7)  ELECTRIC PENCIL SHARPENERS - I've not had any luck with electric pencil sharpeners in my room.  I gave up on them and have metal hand held sharpeners.  If you have a great brand..please share.  I may be willing to try again.  

8)  MASKING TAPE (EVEN 3M) -  I am an expert tape tearer-offer!!!!   However...masking tape has gotten so cheap...it does not tear evenly.  So having children tear masking tape is surely one of the levels of "the bad place".  Are they really saving that much money by giving us crappy stuff?!?!?!  

9)  RULERS -  Is it just me...or are rulers SUPPOSE to be straight???  What in the world???  Is the Old Crooked Man working at the ruler factory these days??!?!?  

10) FELT - Can sheets of felt not be consistent in thickness?  Why is it...when I order a pack of felt...I can see through some parts of it but not others??  Is it too much to ask to have a consistant piece of felt??  

WHAT ABOUT YOU?? WHAT ARE PRODUCTS YOU ONCE LOVED...BUT NOW HATE(or dislike a good bit)!  HAVE YOU EVER WRITTEN THE COMPANY?  

NEEDING YOUR THOUGHTS ON SOMETHING...

I really would love to go to the NAEA conference next year! I've been to city, regional, & state conferences, but have never attended the national conference. I also would love to submit some possible sessions as a presenter. I love public speaking, and have led sessions locally. After 13 yrs of teaching, there are SO many different topics that could be covered. I need to narrow down my list so I can begin preparing. Yes, I know this years conference just finished...but I like to take my time and have several options. So what topics do you feel are important to you as an art educator, what do you see as possible strengths from my blog that could be expanded and shared, what do you feel has not been addressed in the past that you think I could put the Mr. E spin on???? You can comment or e-mail! THANKS!!!