Elmo ELMO

Guess what is under the Elmo?

AN ELMO!!!!  

This bit of fun was created by one of our Kindergarten teachers.  They were setting around talking about the plastic covers for their ELMO's....and one of the teachers said she'd make covers for them.  While she was at the fabric store, she found Elmo fabric.  TA-DA!!!!!  Elmo ELMO Cover!!!!

Not My Bulletin Boards..BUT COOL IDEAS!!!

These are a couple things happening in my hallway at school that I thought were fun & wanted to share.

Mrs. Manning is very proud of her board!!!  She actually had a parent get his picture by it today....and it wasn't her parent!?!!? ha ha    She doesn't always think of her self as a creative person, but I love this idea!!

She bought plastic Easter eggs (I'm sure on sale after Easter)...glittered them...and then hot glued them onto a CD.  The little alien she purchased through Oriental Traders, but I'm sure you could find something elsewhere(or have the kids make one out of Model Magic!)

She wrote the name on the CD...one for each of her students.  The girl aliens had bows!! ha ha  I think I might have used stickers for the kids names for an extra POW of color, but Sharpie works!!

Ms. C is a Pinterest QUEEN!  I'm not sure if she got this from Pinterest, but I wouldn't doubt it.  They are small paper plates that you can get just about anywhere.  Wal-Mart has them for a good price I know..and a large variety of colors.  She has a "WELCOME" sign above her door...and her Word Wall  with them inside her room!  It really adds a great pop of color!!

First Day Back!

We had our art in-service Friday at Cheekwood ( http://www.cheekwood.org/ ).  Marilyn Stewart was our guest speaker.  She is the author of the new textbooks we adopted from Davis Publishing.  The hat I'm wearing has to do with the fall Red Grooms push we're doing in our district.  I'll be linking that blog on here soon.  Janet, Julie (Art Matters), and I always help out at the inservice with registration...and always wear hats of some sorts(to be silly & bring a smile to the faces of fellow art teachers who may not be ready to go back).  

Janet...being Janet! :) ha ha  ( http://msmalonesartroom.blogspot.com )

Room full of elementary & middle school art teachers from our district!

Bob Ross Remixed : PBS Auto-Tune

Interesting how he & Mr. Rodgers sound a lot alike when auto-tuned!! 

Chair "Footies"

I have had many e-mailing me from Pinterest & Art With Mr. E ...."WHAT IS ON THE BOTTOM OF YOUR CHAIRS?!?!"  So the best way to answer all of you who've asked...a blog post!! 

Felt is the material I use.  The pre-cut rectangles of felt sold at Wal-Mart or your local craft store works, but make sure you find a sale!!  You can also purchase felt by the yard...and it tends to be a bit of a thicker quality(not sure why...just does?!?!).  You will need a good pair of scissors & a thick rubber band.

Cut the felt into thirds. 

Fold it over once.

Center on the bottom of your chair leg.

Tie rubber band around felt in the groove where the "foot" of the chair meets the leg of the chair.  Hmm..guess that would be its ankle?

Keep looping it...over and over..until you can't loop it anymore.

There ya go!  No more tennis balls!!!!  

Usually my "footies" will stay on the chairs the whole year long if I've tied them on tight enough.  On average I have to replace about 5 individual footies during the school year, but there have been years I've only replaced 1(now that isn't a whole chair worth...just one leg!!!!!)  I like them because I can match my color theme for the year with no problem!!  They keep your floors looking new...and keep the chair from making horrible sounds!  At times a piece of lead or crayon will get caught & mark up your floor.  If you can't remove it from the felt...just take it off and flip it inside out...brand new!!!  

Summer is Ending

We start back to school on Friday!  This is our first year using a "balanced" calender.  It pretty much means 9 weeks on 2 weeks off...and then 7 weeks of summer (except for some reason this year..we are only getting one week at fall, but the following year we'll be 9/2 9/2 9/2 9/7).  I truly enjoyed my time with my babies this summer.  They have grown so much...and I'm happy I could be around for it.  Once school hits...I miss so much.  It will be hard leaving them (and my wife)every day, but I am thankful to have the job I do...I know so many men that are not able to be with their kiddos like I am blessed to as a teacher!!  

Oh..and if you are wondering...the pictures are from Cow Appreciation at Chick Fil A this summer!! ha ha

Blog Award

http://www.onlinemastersineducation.org/teaching-resources

When I first started blogging, I LOVED THESE KIND OF AWARDS!!!!  I thought they 

were wonderful.  However, after several years of blogging under my belt..I've become suspicious.  I know that I have a good number of visitors, and if these award givers are linked to me...it should increase their traffic(as well as bring some to me).  Most of the time I don't pay much attention to them, but this one I really was proud of.  I was one of the only art teachers selected in their elementary section.   So suspicious or not..I'm posting it! ha ha  

Nashville Arts Magazine: Guest Blogger

After being featured in the first edition of ArtSmart in Nashville Arts Magazine, I was asked by the editor of ArtSmart to consider being a guest blogger for the magazine's online site.  How could I say no?!?!  Here is my first guest blog post!  ENJOY!

(Oh...forgot to mention.. she said I was the TN Art Teacher of the Year...I was the TN Elementary Art Teacher of the Year...don't wanna take credit where it is not due!)

http://nashvillearts.com/2012/07/10/guest-blog-post/

Art Fundraisers?

I have never been in a position to do art fundraisers.  Our school has a 2 fundraiser policy(I believe set up by the principal)...and it is for the whole school.  The need has never been great for me to push the issue...because I've always had a budget(some years better than others...and some years sooner than others).  I was recently contacted by a local company (in the Nashville, TN area)...and thought their "concept" was pretty good.  I told her I'd share it with ya'll  since I couldn't utilize them..maybe someone in my viewer/reader/blogger community could!
(I'm getting NO kick back at all..just thought I support a local business).

http://schoolartgraphics.com/


Owned and operated by a local Nashville Mom, School Art Graphics is an art and graphic design based school fundraiser.  School Art Graphics transforms original kid-created art, or simple digital snapshots, into beautiful, art gallery inspired prints.  These professional quality, prints are not only loved by parents, they encourage creativity and build self-esteem in students, as well as, help raise much needed money for schools.  A School Art Graphics fundraiser is super easy.  From set-up and instructions to print preview and purchase, everything you need is online.  Go to http://schoolartgraphics.com for more information.

Happy Birthday Baby E3!!!

My little man just had his 1st birthday (farm theme).  He is such a joy!

Happy Birthday Eli Edward Edinger!!!

Watch What You Say!

Watch what you say my blogging friends!!!  We're here to educate, share, and uplift!!!  Venting is fine, but make sure you are not saying anything too specific that will get yourself in trouble.  I'm not sure exactly what this person said in her blog, but it obviously crossed the line!  Use wisdom...and if you ever are unsure if something goes to far.....DON'T SHARE IT ON YOUR BLOG!!! :)  

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/06/26/central-bucks-school-district-fires-english-teacher-who-blogged-about-students/?hpt=us_bn7

Beauty at Vanderbilt's Children's Hospital

I recently visited Vanderbilt's Children's Hospital here in Nashville. My friend's new born(only 2 weeks old in the picture below) son spent a week there recently.  I had heard they really worked hard to make the environment enjoyable for children(well..at least less hospitally).  I was amazed!  The dog above was actually done by an art teacher here in Nashville, Lynn Driver ( http://www.lynndriver.com/ ).  

Here is baby Rocker(yes..that is his real name).  Happy to say he is out of the hospital and doing well!!!!

Sculptures, paintings, prints.....ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING!!!!!  

Here are just a handful of pictures....there is so much more!!!

This cat (also by Lynn Driver) greets people as they come into the hospital.  

Parent's Guide to the Curriculum

This summer we are taking two days to write the Parent's Guide to the Curriculum. Last summer we wrote the new curriculum for our district...this school year we changed our grading system & began using GradeSpeed.  This caused a lot of parent questions/concerns!  So we're hoping the guide will explain things...answering the questions we heard most often!  

LeRoy Neiman

I had never heard of LeRoy Neiman until today when I saw on CNN that he had died.  They called him a "sports" artist.  I was curious.  After spending some time looking through images of his work...he seems more than just a sports artist...but images like the one above I feel are his most successful.  

http://www.leroyneiman.com/

Dolphin Painter

I find animal paintings fun.....yet secretly I'm a little bitter toward them.

They will make more money on their art than I ever will!!!! ha ha

Happy Father's Day!

 I love teaching art!  I truly believe it is what God designed me to do.  However, there is nothing greater than being a daddy.  It is amazing how much less time I spend at school...how I don't mind if my room might be a little messy when I leave....and how if I need to stay home with my kids when they are sick, I don't freak out(there would have been a time I would have freaked out at any of that!!!)  I am a blessed man...and love my babies so much!  I love being a father...and if there are other fathers out there reading this...I pray you find great joy in the greatest job you'll ever know!!!!!  

Summer Gig 2012

I am once again blessed beyond belief with an amazing summer gig!  Last summer I was on the state textbook adoption team & on the team that rewrote the district elementary art curriculum (and somewhere in the mix...my son Eli was born...I live for a packed schedule ha ha).  This summer I was asked by the Metro Nashville Arts Commission to create a document that would be be an elementary companion to the Watermarks Project.  The Watermarks Project is installation pieces that are going up around the city in areas that were hardest hit by the Nashville floods of 2010 (google it if you don't know about the floods..it was bad!!!).  Anyways...they want to have something for elementary art teachers that would encourage them to use the artists in lessons & to take field trips to the installations.  I'm also going to be working science & possibly social studies standards into the document.  I am able to set my schedule & location...which is wonderful!  I've been going to area libraries to work, and think I found my new office!!!  The Gallatin Library is AMAZING!  It is has a ton of quiet places to work!  I know that might sound odd, but if you have been to a library in the summer...they are NOT quiet.  They also have this amazing balcony on the second floor that overlooks the town square.  Yep...I think this is where I'll be working for the rest of the summer.

Marc Azema: Cave Painting Flip Book?

I thought this was really interesting, and would work well for a cave art unit or a flipbook lesson!

Biggie Paint

I use these "Biggie" palettes for my kindergarten students.  I like the fact that they are big, only four colors, and pretty easy to clean up.  However, the cakes are super thin & tend to crack.  Do you have a brand of these that you like best?  Or do you have another option I may not have thought about?!?! 

Mister Rogers Remixed | Garden of Your Mind | PBS Digital Studios

This is WONDERFUL!!!!  I have much respect for Fred Rogers & what he did while he was on this earth.  I've heard so many mock his show, but I think this celebrates the heart of who Fred was & what he stood for!  

Etsy: Janet Malone & OneLittleBead

http://www.etsy.com/shop/OneLittleBead

I've talked about my best bud Ms. Malone before...from http://msmalonesartroom.blogspot.com 

She's not just a great friend...and great art teacher...she's also an amazing artist!!  Several years ago she started creating paintings in beads.  She has now taken that technique and started her own Etsy shop.  If you have a little one...or looking for an amazing gift for someone...you have got to check this out!

 We gave Janet pieces of our son's bedding for inspiration, and she creating this amazing one of a kind work of art!  The background was painted with acrylic, but the letters are glass seed beads.  Yes...THE ITTY BITTY glass seed beads.  She's a little crazy, eh?!?! Ha ha..most great artists are!!!!!

My daughter's room is done in yellows, greens, pinks, and butterflies.  Janet used this as her inspiration.  I love the variety of pinks! The scrolling vines are amazing...and I can not wrap my mind around how she does it?!?!  I actually tried to do a small area on a mixed media piece I was creating...using beads...and about went mad! ha ha  

Please check out her shop...and if you aren't in the market for something from OneLittleBead.... pass it on to a friend...pin it on pinterest...get the word out!  

http://www.etsy.com/shop/OneLittleBead

ARTIST YA GOTTA LOOK AT: Christopher Fennell

I'm assuming this is Christopher with Bats Baseball that is at Southside Park in Atlanta 

As part of my summer gig, I'm diggin' into some contemporary artists that are installing work here in the Nashville Metro area.  Christopher Fennell is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!  This is an artist that your students will love...and I feel has the possibility of being a jumping off point for installation work in your school!  

CHECK HIS WORK OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

http://www.cfennell.org/

New Use for a Sharpie

Chris Dunlop uses Sharpie to customize cars! 

This takes the whole Zentangle/Doodling thing to a WHOLE NOTHER LEVEL!  I wonder how long it lasts on a car surface...or if they have to spray it with a clear/finish coat? 

See more images at this Yahoo! link!!

Sharpie Car Link

Sharing Art

I'm researching for a summer "gig" I've got (more on that later)...and stumbled upon this great resource!!!  I've not looked through everything yet, but I like what I've seen so far!  As with everything...take a look & see how or if you can use it in your classroom!  

http://westernreservepublicmedia.org/sharingart/