IF: Pattern

xo

nessa dee

Crafty Friday: Scrappy Collages

Last night I went to an elementary school and joined a variety of artists in telling kids about the type of art we create. We were asked to bring a simple craft for the kids to create that helps to exhibit our art. Since I create mixed media collages, I decided to bring a bunch of paper scraps and glue sticks and let the kids make their own collages. I also thought I would kill two birds with one stone and take my camera to snap some pictures for Crafty Friday. Well, I started to snap what I’m sure would have been the most awesome pictures ever in the history of the whole world, but soon realized that I had left my memory stick in the computer at home. So, instead of seeing random children make some pretty awesome scrappy collages, you’ll have to settle for a couple of familiar faces and their collages, which are equally awesome.

Here’s what you need:

-paper scraps all colors shapes and sizes

-glue sticks

-construction paper

-scissors

You can probably figure out how this craft project is created. All you have to do is cut out a bunch of paper scraps [if you don’t have them already], set them in front of your kids along with some glue sticks, give them a piece of construction paper, and tell them to have at it. That’s it. Easy as pie. Here’s the picture montage…

Finn’s collage entitled, “Popsicle”

Audrie’s collage entitled, “A Full Sky”

Happy Crafting!

nessa dee

Scenes from this morning

Silly faces… The sound of music…

Work clothes…

Works in progress…

xo

nessa dee

Green Acres

Or more like the Beverly Hillbillies. Have I mentioned that Jonathan and I had pretty similar upbringings… just in different parts of Texas. He’s the son of a grass farmer and I’m the daughter of a feed salesman/rancher. We both had access to an abundance of open land, providing the perfect backdrop for many adventures. We both had huge barns, mine full of feed and cats, and his full of tools and farm equipment, and both full of homemade contraptions. We both raised a variety of critters like cows and horses, dogs and cats, although in my house, we occasionally housed deer, goats, wild rabbits, feather-footed chickens, and even wild hogs. Our childhoods were filled with adventures that not many kids get to experience.

And yet, we grew up, met in college, married, and settled down in suburbia with our small yard, and one dog. Don’t get me wrong,I’m very, very thankful for our blessings. I love our house, we have access to wonderful amenities in our community, and our children get to experience many things that the city has to offer…things I didn’t get to do as a child. But just outside our community sits rolling hills with ponds and acreage and driving by I find that I long for just a little more room to roam… little piece of what I had growing up. So, I’m very grateful that when visiting their grandparents, my children get a little taste of life “on the farm.”

We recently made trips to both our hometowns and the kids were in heaven in these rural wonderlands. Here’s a little bit of their adventures…

The adventures are always exciting, the experiences are priceless, and it’s always hard to leave. On the upside, though, these trips a great reminder that with more land comes more work, with more critters comes more responsibility. The fact that I have a hard time keeping our lawn mowed, and our hyper terrier has been more work than having a third kid, I don’t know if I’m ready to take on the task of caring for acreage and chickens. I kind of feel like a grandparent on these trips… I get to love on the animals, soak up the freedom of roaming the open fields, and squeeze every little ounce of joy out of these experiences, but at the end of the day, I can give all of the responsibility back.

xo

nessa dee

Don’t forget to vote for Dandelion Snow. You can vote once a day through October 4th!

http://www.abcbookcompetition.org/5th_comp/DandelionSnow.html

Thanks so much!

Don’t forget to vote!

Sunday is the start of the internet vote for the ABC Picture Book Competition so last minute efforts are being made to garner votes for Dandelion Snow! Remember you can vote once a day from September 20th through October 4th. The author, Sheila Lindsay and I are so grateful for the support we’ve received thus far, and every vote for our book will be much appreciated! So please, tell as many people as you can to vote for Dandelion Snow!

The direct link to the voting page:

http://www.abcbookcompetition.org/5th_comp/DandelionSnow.html

You can also reach the page by pressing the Dandelion Snow illustration in the sidebar.

Many thanks!!

nessa dee

Crafty Friday: Weenie Dog

This week’s Crafty Friday project was invented by Audrie, and I’m glad because my mind’s been lacking in the creative craft department lately.

Here’s what you need:

1 cardboard paper towel tube

2 pieces of construction paper (the same color)

2 buttons

4 plastic soda bottle lids

1 small pompon for a nose

paint the same color as the construction paper

scissors

glue

tape

Step 1: Wrap the paper towel tube with one piece of the construction paper and secure it with glue. (In Audrie’s words “we were lazy” and secured it with tape)

Step 2: Trace a circle onto the second piece of construction paper and cut it out.

Step 3: Cut a line about half way into the circle, then overlap the edges to for a cone shape and secure it with tape.

Step 4: Glue the cone onto one end of the paper towel tube.

Step 5: Paint each of the soda bottle lids the same color as the construction paper and set them aside to dry.

Step 6: While the paint is drying, cut out two long ears for the weenie dog and glue them to either side of the cone.

Step 7: Cut a long strip for the tail and attach it to the end of the tube.

Step 8: For the eyes, glue two buttons on the face. Add a pompon to the tip of the nose. For the feet, glue the soda bottle caps on the bottom of the tube, two in the front and two in the back, and you’re finished!

Happy Crafting!

nessa dee

Be sure to vote once daily September 20th-October 4th!

Check out the Dandelion Snow blog!