Dear Wal-Mart Fabric Department....

I have a limited budget....school money & my own pocket.  I try to save..buying things on sale..using my money & resources wisely.  That's what we do as art teachers!!  I think it is in our DNA!  ha ha  I found a product/fabric at Wal-Mart that is perfect for my soft sculpture/ugly doll project.  I use the whole piece..no fabric wasted!!  

Last night when I went to pick up a few more colors...the person in the fabric department was very friendly...very chatty!!  I don't think she was really paying attention to what she was doing.  She cut my fabric crooked & jagged.  I know a lot of people wouldn't think much of it, but I was really bummed. I am going to have to recut that side before cutting the fabric down for my students. #artteacherproblems

VBS CRAFTS:Sharpie Tie Dye Shirts

My friend Janet (Ms. Malone's Art Room) did this at her summer camp, and loved the results.

I decided this could be a fun craft for VBS.  We were already getting shirts for the kids...just opted for white so we could do this project.  The students had a lot of fun...and most of the results were great!  Using lots of rubbing alcohol was key!!!!  

Reduce, Reuse, Re IMAGINE: 2nd Grade

The students loved the milk jug masks.  The parents loved the milk jug masks. Mr. E may never do the milk jug masks again!!!!!!  Ha ha ha   I loved the project...and loved that the kids loved the project so much!!!  However, my room smelling like sour milk, milk jugs EVERYWHERE, and the work of cutting each one down.....not so much!  If I would have not had a student teacher...I'm not sure I would have even attempted this!  They do look great though.....hmmm....maybe.  

Mixed Media Bird Nests: 1st Grade

This picture will be part of our all school art show that will have a recycled theme this year.  The nest has newspaper & yarn scraps.  The leaves are made from paint plates my kindergarten students used to mix the color green with blue, yellow, and white. The wings are created from scrap fabric that was given to me.  

Some students just kind of copied what they saw...but many gave their birds wonderful little personalities!! 

Milk Jug Masks : 2nd Grade

The milk jug mask project is coming along nicely!  They are going to have one more class time beyond this to tighten up some of the details.  The kids are loving them...but I'm not sure about doing this project again next year.  We may not cut the jugs next year..and do totem poles!  

Peacock-A-Palooza Part 4: Mixed Media on Canvas

This is a mixed media on canvas(though...if you can't afford to purchase canvas...cardboard would work).  There are so many directions you can go with such a project!  For a quicker turn around time...we gave the teachers tissue paper to cover their backgrounds.  Paint is also an option, but will take a little time to dry.  They also had full access to boxes of fun fabric.  They were encouraged to be thinking of words that describe themselves to add.  They could use Sharpie, magazines, fabric....whatever....to create the words.  LOVE THE PERSONALITY SHINING THROUGH!

Yo Yo Yo for the Ho Ho Ho

I've been sharing my yo-yo making( never ending )with my Facebook friends...but many of them don't know what a yo-yo is ...other than a toy that goes up and down.   

You start with a circle of fabric.  The size depends on how big you want your end product.  I used a CD to trace my circles.  Personally I feel the tracing & cutting out of the circles was the most time consuming part of the process.  Oh...did I mention that I had never done this before....my wife decided it would be "fun" to have a hand made yo-yo garland for our Christmas tree this year.  She was busy making applique Thanksgiving, dance, Christmas shirts for our children & some friends...so the yo-yoin' was left up to me.

You then go around the edge of your yo-yo...making a drawstring of sorts.  After you go all the way around the circle...pull & knot.  

I probably don't do it complete right....but I do tack down the center through the back with a couple stitches.  Some fabric artist is probably rolling over in their grave...or screaming in their craft room as we speak.  Oh well...I taught myself..and it worked for me.  

Then I stitched/linked them together.

This was only half way through...I'm still not done, but I have most of it up on the tree.  At last count...it was 28 feet +.  OH MY GOSH!  AM I DONE YO-YOIN' YET?!?!?!!?

UPDATE:  32 FT LONG!!!

Monster Dolls / Soft Sculptures

Sculpture is part of our curriculum for 4th grade this nine weeks.  I started with a Nevelson/found object sculpture.  The students really loved it, and I wanted to continue on with sculpture.  I used Oldenburg as the focus artist, and the kids LOVED HIM!!!!!!!!!!!  It has been more of a challenge than I anticipated.  Kids today have almost NO experience when it comes to needles/thread/sewing.  I know my situation is extremely different...growing up in Appalachia with quilters EVERYWHERE.  But a majority of these kids had NO CLUE AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  This has inspired me.  This year I'm going to do plastic needle point, and I am planning on doing a button lesson(something practical I'll make artistic). If nothing else..these kids will be able to sew on a button when they leave Mr. E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!