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River loves to draw pictures of me with the babies inside of my tummy. They are all adorable…but this latest one I found extra cute!
And I had to include a picture of my actual tummy…it’s not easy getting a good shot of your stomach…when you are taking it yourself…..
Today River is having a pajama day….sounds nice. She decided she wanted to draw a picture of me on the white board. I wasn’t allowed to look until she was all done…she was so proud of the drawing..I have a big heart…..or so she says…..I do love it..though I think I look a bit like an alien…
Happy Tuesday……
River loves to draw pictures and she loves to display them…she might even like to hang her art work up MORE THAN she likes to do the art work! I have two cabinets, where we keep all the art supplies. This is her place to hang her artwork. Once it is full…..it is pretty much time to take it all down, save some, recycle some……and clear a space for all the new art work!
I love watching the drawing development in my children as they get older. River is definitely in that pre-schematic stage. Her drawings have gotten more complex. And I love how her latest “thing” is that she adds a little bit of cloth or paper scrap to all her drawings. And she loves to describe the drawings to me in great detail. Usually, she makes me write everything she says right on the paper. ..though for these..she let me skip that!
Well..it is New Year’s Eve….and it has been a quiet day around here..which is fine with me! After I took pictures for this post…I realized it was connected to my New Year’s Eve post from last year…..strange how things work out….
One of my favorite gifts that I gave this year…..was taking some of my mom’s drawings and watercolors..and getting them framed and giving them to my children, my aunt and one of my brothers. It is something I had been meaning to do for awhile now….and after I took the photos..I noticed that I had ended the year, last year, with a drawing my mom had done.
So, as I look back and reflect on the past year…..I think it was a nice year, a quiet year….a more gentle year…..the year before I had so been waiting for it to end…..so this year was calmer…but every year is a wonderful year…with my family….and with loved ones….so Happy New Year…..to everyone…..enjoy……love……live…..
Today River wanted to use pastels…she uses them sometimes at her art class and she’s been wanting to use them again. So, I wanted to come up with a fun little art project using them in a different way. I found this project on the KinderArt website. They have a lot of great ideas!
First, we needed to get the supplies together……paper (I like to use thick watercolor paper….it works very well when you are using a “wet” medium! But you could use any type of paper that you have!!), a brush, a container with a bit of water, cornstarch, glue, and pastels.
You have to make the paper mache paste…and there are many different recipes you can use..I like to keep it simple and just take a little bit of water, glue and corn starch. Mix them all together and you’ve got it..simple. Then, you want to take your brush and spread it across your paper…get it nice and wet!
Then, just start drawing..or having your little one start drawing! The paper mache paste makes the pastels glide on much easier and they have a more vibrant color. I think children really enjoy using the pastels this way because it gives them a different texture….more like a thick paint. If the paper starts to dry out..just reapply the paper mache… (if you go over a section that has been drawn on..it may make the drawing spread a bit..so be careful…though this is a neat effect…..)
River really enjoyed this project and worked on her drawing for a long time….she does a great job filling up the whole paper…some children have to be encouraged to spread their work out…they get a giant piece of paper and only work on a small area….
She made sure to use every color in the box! This was a very easy art project that got great results!
Our art/sewing room had a big old ugly sofa bed in it…and we …..um..my husband..finally lugged it out to the curb…..it was way over due! And that meant that the room had more space…so River could have a bigger art desk!
I dug up an old desk that we had down in the basement…..seemed about the right height….but it needed a chair. So, I dug up an old chair that we had in the basement..but it needed a makeover! I thought it would be fun to redo the upholstery with some faux red leather…..well, I’m not sure if I like it or not….it looks like it is ready to go out to a go go bar! But it is done……maybe someday I’ll get around to redoing it!
She decided she wanted her new desk to be near Quinn and Tuesday’s desks…..and this is also a better spot..because it gets more natural light. I think she likes her new art desk!
Today River drew a picture of one of our cats, Shadow Monster. She is in that stage where her drawing goes from scribbles..to clear and recognizable forms. I love watching children draw and seeing their progress through the years.
Going back and looking at past drawings is so fun. The drawing above is from over a year ago. It is one of her first drawings.
Some of Tuesday and Quinn’s old drawings I have framed and hung on the wall. The one above is a drawing Quinn did when he was about six years old. It makes me smile!
This is one Tuesday did when she was about six also. The smile and the big heart just crack me up!
They have both done so many great drawings and paintings over the years! To me, there is nothing like the way a child draws….
My latest mural is coming along quickly. It is so much smaller than the other one…..I can do just a bit of work and it makes a difference (have I said that before?)! Did you ever want to paint a mural on one of your walls, but thought you couldn’t do it? Well, you should just go for it! I start out by thinking about which wall I would like to paint..maybe start off small..in a bathroom or somewhere like that. Then, I think about what I would like to paint. Usually, I find a picture in a children’s book or magazine….there are so many incredible images!
Then, I scan the image and load it onto my computer. I have a Panasonic LCD Projector that I use…but you don’t have to use one of those…you could use a simple projector..I have one of those too…a Design Master Projector, which works great. The only difference is that I can use the Panasonic LCD projector in the daytime..I don’t have to wait until it is dark outside, which I have to do with the Design Master projector.
Then, I set up the projector and my laptop and position the picture. And I draw out the design using a pencil…very lightly. This sets your mural up so that you are ready to paint.
Then you get started on the painting, which I think is the fun part…seeing the mural come to life! Sometimes your pencil lines disappear when you paint, but they are meant as guide lines only. When I am finished painting, I usually outline everything using black paint, or my new best friend….a Sharpie paint pen!! These things are my new best friend!
I’ll keep you posted with my progress on this mural!
Also, don’t forget to enter my latest giveaway!!!!!!!!!!!! I’m giving away a $25.00 gift certificate to my Etsy shop!!!
I’m slowly making progress on the new mural. It is nice to be doing a smaller mural. I can see the progress much faster…….not that I’m progressing that much faster..but even when I do something small, it seems like more.
The problem with this area is that it belongs to the dogs, literallly. It is the only spot in the house where they like to sleep. They aren’t allowed on any furniture, so this is their way of thinking they are on the furniture. So, while I am painting, I have to shoo them away. Then, when I am done, I have to put something on the window seat, to keep them away, until it is dry!
After the mural is finished, I need to get new cushions and sew new covers and pillows!
