Christmas tree paper collage

I thought this project with my kindergarteners was going to be a Pinterest fail... But it came together at the last minute! Definitely would be better for first grade and up! The original pin had white splatter paint but I already had glitter out so I went with it:-) sorry for the sideways pics!

Christmas ornaments

Air dry clay with sparkle paint and yarn! They made cycles and wreathed. Super easy and great fun:-) I let each student make two. I also gave some upper grades to do candy canes. Just forgot to take pics!

Christmas Presents

I love wrapping presents! In fact if I buy anything for my husband in December I usually just wrap it up and save it to give him for Christmas. I have in fact wrapped up $3 iPad screen cleaners for him this year. I had really wanted to do the brown paper wrapping this year, but I could NOT find it anywhere around here (rural SW Virginia). So I settled with using hemp as the ribbon this year and made clay name tags for some. Anyway, please don't judge my Christmas tree. I didn't really put all that much effort into it this year because we will not be around and quite frankly the fact it has any ornaments on it is a miracle.  Notice that it is lacking a tree topper. Yup, never brought it up from the basement.

typical I do blues for wrapping paper, but I decided to use the bells as my touch of blue this year.

that circle up front is one of the clay name tags I made.

said poorly decorated christmas tree.

our fireplace has been so amazing this year! 

There are some very special presents from me and my husband this year!

Can't wait to GIVE them away! I can't believe the surprise I have kept this year:-) Normally I tell everyone what I got them:-)

Christmas Slab Pottery

My Art classes had a clay day of slab pottery right before Thanksgiving Break. I like to do this project at the end of the year, so students have an opportunity to create a beautiful gift for someone:-)

Here are the steps:

wedge and compress about 1.5 -2lbs of clay

pat into a ball

roll out on canvas or newspaper into a circular shape about 1/4 inch

use dollar store snowflakes, angels, stars, lace burlap, etc to print into clay

write name on bottom of clay

lay clay in a paper or plastic bowl - you can mold it all of the way or just give a slight impression

let air dry and buff (I use the green rough side of sponges)

fire

glaze- With the imprints of snowflakes you can do two tone by painting dark in the crevasses then wiping clean with a sponge and doing a lighter color on the outside.

fire again!

and Wa LA:

Best Thanksgiving Ever!

My "thankful post" is a little late, seeing as it is the Sunday AFTER Thanksgiving, but better late than never!

my youngest brother- a real turkey.

Here is what I am thankful for from this past week:

1. Having one more Thanksgiving at home with all of my immediate family, hubby, and pup.
2. Bocce Ball and Croquet games with my loud and obnoxiously fun family.

bocce ball in 2008

3. Late night stories from my military brothers.
4. Watching my baby brother fly a T-6 solo.
5. Riding a log roller coast with my 3 grown brothers.
6. Dad in the morning asking me what my grouchy meter reads.

Father's Day 2009

7. My lawyer husband trying to keep up with my crazy military brothers and their military talk.
8. Seeing my mom.

Me and my mom 2008

9. Watching the Hokies DOMINATE the Wahoos in Charlottesville.

Past weekend at the Uva-VaTech game.

10. Finding some exciting Christmas presents for most of my immediate family/In-Laws!


Here is what I am thankful for in general:

1. My job. I truly enjoy my coworkers, boss, teaching art, and for the most part the students I teach art to.
2. Where I live. People seem shocked when I tell them where I originally am from and that I genuinely love living in rural Virginian mountains. Its a peaceful southern comfort I will always love.

view from our deck

3. My little family of 3. Hubby and S-dog. I couldn't love them anymore.

honeymooners:-) 2009

sadie bug

4. Having a church that I look forward to going to.
5. That I live in America. After visiting Peru and hearing stories from my military brothers, I will always be grateful for living in the land of the free.

Me and my mom in Peru

6. Being part of the blog/pinterest world.
7. Having a creative mind.
8. Invisalign!
9. Friends that I can run with, shop with, call anytime, bombard with questions, laugh until my side hurts  with, worry with, and vacation together. I have some great great friends, and this past year they have unknowingly helped me more than they will ever realize.

Friends in Galax

10.  That hubby and I both have parents/siblings that are loving, supportive in all ways, easy to share holidays with, great grandparents to their grandogger (even if she leaves presents here and there), and a great example of marriage.

Our amazing parents.

Found canvas=

Quick graphic christmas project. I probably could have planned it out better, but I am impatient. And even though I am an art teacher, I could not find a single pencil in my house.

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Our christmas tree...notice the lack of red wrapping paper!

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