art

New Summer Dresses for the Girls

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This is funny! I thought one of the things on my Summer 2015 To Do List was to make new summer dresses for the girls.  I just checked that list and my 35 Things to do Before I turn 35 list, and it’s not on either!  Oh well!

So…. Guess what!  I made new summer dresses for the girls for no reason other than the fact that I love doing it, and they are adorable.

AndThenThey Sundresses1

And it was a reason to buy this fabric I have been coveting for months and years and decades.  I absolutely love Sarah Jane Studios and we have a couple of her prints in the girls’ rooms.  I also used some of her fabric in Alma’s quilt.

This is a ‘pattern’ that I made up last summer for Alma’s lion dress.  It’s a really fun, simple dress to make.  I’ve even helped a couple friends make them for their daughters this summer.  I’m toying with a few ideas about how I could get this pattern out to a broader audience.  Maybe a workshop for local sewists, or trying to figure out how to get a pdf pattern put together for download.

AndThenThey Sundresses2Anyhow, I used two different lines of fabric for the dresses.  I made Harriet’s using fabric in the same design of a print in her bedroom.  The kids on parade are so sweet, and Harriet loves, loves, loves balloons.

AndThenThey Sundresses5We spent the afternoon at the University of Oregon art museum, and I took advantage of the backdrops and lighting to get some photos of the girls in their dresses.

AndThenThey Sundresses4 This was post-naptime, so Harriet’s dress is a little wrinkled.  But that’s life when you’re always on a parade, right?AndThenThey Sundresses3 AndThenThey Sundresses6The museum has an amazing program where the kids can pick up backpacks full of activities for the kids.  They are mostly above our kids’ heads, but it’s fun to go through them and see what we can talk about.

AndThenThey Sundresses9aEach backpack has colored pencils and paper, so aspiring artists can copy the art, or draw what they see.  It’s sweet to see what other museum goers have drawn in the past.  They also each have magnifying glasses which are always a hit.

AndThenThey Sundresses9The backpacks have themes to them.  Alma picked one up and the Asian art they have at the museum.  She found some little figurines and coins in a bottle.

AndThenThey Sundresses8We love going to the museum anyway, but the backpacks make our visits even more fun.  I hope they keep these backpacks so we can watch how our kids grow and change during our museum visits!

AndThenThey Sundresses7

 

 

“The Hanging Tree” by Peter Hollens

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So, this is pretty cool.  At least, I think it’s pretty cool.  If you haven’t heard “The Hanging Tree” sung by Jennifer Lawrence, then you obviously haven’t seen the new Hunger Games movie, or you’re not a middle school student.  Or you don’t listen to hit radio.  Anyway, “The Hanging Tree” is sort of a surprise hit because it’s sung by a non-singer and wasn’t created to be a radio song.  But, with Jennifer Lawrence’s star-power, it went platinum.

Now there’s an amazing new a cappella version of “The Hanging Tree” by Peter Hollens.  It is sung by a REAL singer (an amazing singer, really).  It is haunting and beautiful.  The video is excellent.  There’s even a cameo by yours truly in it. Can you see me?  I’m part of the Peter Hollens Army.

Filming my teeny tiny part in the video was a really fun experience.  I had coffee with Evynne, and joked with her about how Peter could ask me to be in one of his songs anytime.  Haha.  That afternoon, Evynne texted me and asked if I could come over to be in a video.  Haha?

I went to Peter’s studio in their house.  It was totally full of fog.  I wish I had taken photos, but I was too nervous.  I mean, Peter is pretty much totally famous.   There were other people there being filmed for the Army.  I listened to the song a few times before I built up the courage to stand in front of the camera.  (I should probably say that I didn’t actually sing in the song, it was already recorded… )  I had to look angry, which is kind of hard for me.  But, I did it!  In one take! Haha!

So, share the video!  Tell people about it!  Let’s make my Peter Hollens debut go positively VIRAL!  Go on all the social networks!  Tell everyone!  I’M FAMMMMOUSSSSS!  Haha.  But, seriously, share it.  Or at least watch it.

Sometimes You Just Say Yes

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IMG_6225Alma kept talking about painting all day yesterday.  When the time was right, I went out to the sunroom, set up her watercolors and paper, and she said, “No! I want to paint the fence!”  I have no idea where she got this idea, but I thought it was a good one.  Why not?  Sometimes you just say ‘yes!’

IMG_6184 IMG_6185 IMG_6188 IMG_6190We started with finger paints and they weren’t working very well, so we switched to tempera.  At one point Jesse came out and asked if it would wash off.  I just shrugged.  Who cares?  It’s art.  It’s memories.  It’s beautiful.  It’s yes.  And truth be told: we’ll probably have to replace this fence this spring anyway.

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All the pink spots are lions.  She told me that.  Then she said, “Oh!  One’s falling down!”  Do you see it?IMG_6222 IMG_6224

New “Art” – Pressed Flower Hearts

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aIMG_4022A few months ago, I bought some clear contact paper and asked Alma if she wanted to make some art.  She did, and we crumpled up tissue paper and pressed it onto the contact paper.  Now whenever she sees the contact paper, she says she wants to make art.  Apparently, to her, ‘art’ is anything made with contact paper.  We might need to work on broadening her definition.

But for this project, it was perfect!

On Hattie’s birthday, we went to visit our friend Marilyn, and her lovely garden.  She sent us home with a beautiful bouquet.

aIMG_3985We took the petals off the flowers as they started to fade, and made some ‘art.’

aIMG_3983I taped the contact paper up on a window and let the girls put the petals on it.  We found that throwing the petals at the contact paper was the best, and most fun, way to attach the petals.

aIMG_3989Once we were done, I put another sheet of contact paper on it, sandwiching the petals.

aIMG_3994I pressed it for a few days, then cut it into hearts.

aIMG_4019Ta-da!  ART!

Rainbow Magic Milk

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My old preschool teacher posted a video of this on Facebook, so I thought we should try it.  I mean, hey, she never steered me wrong in the past!  (PS I love that my old preschool teacher is my friend on Facebook).

I saw the video while checking Facebook while the girls ate breakfast.  I pulled out the ‘ingredients’ then and there.  Why the heck not!?

Here’s what you need:

  • Plate, it has to be deep enough to hold a good layer of milk
  • Milk
  • Food coloring
  • Dish soap

Pour a good amount of milk in your plate – when I first tried it, I don’t think I had enough milk, and it didn’t work as well.  You want enough that the food coloring and dish soap can sort of float on the top.

Add drops of food coloring.

Add small drops of dish soap, and watch the colors spread and dance.  It’s really fascinating!

We used this as an opportunity to talk about primary, secondary, and tertiary colors as they blended and mixed.  Just kidding, that’s crazy.

We actually just used this as an opportunity to be amazed and have fun.  Cause that’s what childhood is.

So cool.  Thanks for the continuing preschool education, Mrs. Jones!

Do I need to add that you shouldn’t drink this milk?  No, I don’t think I need to add that.   Right?