Art Night Preview

We have been working since last weekend on a few items to put into Chloe's School Art Auction. I made a simple half apron with fabric that was used as gift wrap on a beautiful present given to me by Annie. Of course, I have fallen in love with the fabric and the combination of some scraps I had in my stash.



The other item is a canvas that is a collage of watercolor flowers that the First Graders painted. I took some of my favorite floral fabric's into class as inspiration for the children, and they made some absolutely beautiful flowers. It started out with Chloe, Blake and I painting different color squares, (very satisfying) then I glued the flower portraits to each square, after using fixative on the water color portraits so they didn't bleed when I used modge podge (I love this stuff) as glue. The collage is almost done, just a few more portraits to glue on, and I need to add some trim for a finishing touch. So, for all of you Ladies and Gentlemen who will be attending Art Night...feel free to purchase these items if they tickle your fancy, there has been lots of love and hard work put into them ! A few pictures of the process below as it unfolded....







P.S. The Water Color Collage would be a nice gift to give to the school to display in the Art Room.

The Mural

A week ago, we helped paint the new mural at Chloe's school. It was really one of the most rewarding artistic experiences I've been involved in. Our school is so fortunate to have a Parent, Rafael Lopez who is a very gifted artist, and his work includes community art (murals), book illustrations, stamps, and much more. You can see more of his work here. The school mural was created after Rafael worked with school staff members. He asked them to come up with 10 words to describe our school. Many of the teachers and students were involved in the process. He then used the words to create the design, which match the images in the mural.

The words.....
Growth/Planting
Vision
Togetherness
Caring
World Community
Art
Nurturing
Phoenix
Music



Our friends Kellie and Phillip came out to help. It was a good thing, because when we got there, not much was left to paint, so Chloe and Blake got up on their shoulders. Look at how happy Blake is in this image, he just lit up when Phillip picked him up...so precious




I was able to paint a very small area, which I think is so symbolic to my experience with the Gardens at school, it was the green leaves and stem on the flower that represents, growth and planting. It was repeated on the gate right next to the mural.



I think Chloe and Blake will remember this forever, what a beautiful imprint in their young minds.

Lesson Learned

Note to self.... Before you let your husband dig a hole with his new pick ax to plant a tree that is ironically called a "money tree", (on Mother's Day no less), be sure to check where the underground water line might be in relation to the hole, before you give him the go ahead. I won't go into the complications that occurred after calling the plumber who we had to pay double time because it was a Sunday. Let's just say 24 hours without water is not fun !

Happy Mother's Day

I spent the past few days celebrating Mother's Day with Chloe and Blake and all the great Mothers of their friends and classmates. So, I was a guest at two different Mother's Day Tea's. How sweet! For the past 4 years I have really enjoyed Miss Olivia's English Tea at Circle of Friends Preschool. She brings out her bone china, makes some lovely treats, and the children greet us at the door and seat us at a beautifully set table. If you notice above, their is a picture that Blake drew on the Purple Tea Pot, he said it was a picture of me with a flowered dress on. Inside the Tea Card, Miss Olivia tapes a tea bag, and writes down a sweet little quote from each child describing their Mother. She also writes in every card;

Here's a gift for Mother's Day
I'll try my best in every way,
But when you get upset with me...
RELAX
And have a cup of tea !
Love,
Blake

I love it ! The first year that I attended this tea was when Chloe was 3, and Blake was just under a year old. I think it was the first Mother's Day that I really felt appreciated. I remember tasting my first sip of tea, and to my surprise tears filled my eyes, because their was so much effort and care put into the event, but also because it reminded me of my Mother, and of my Scottish Grandmother. The tea tasted exactly like what I used to drink with both of them when I was a little girl. Red Rose Tea, milk and sugar, in bone china, just like it was long ago, sitting in my Grandmothers kitchen. What a gift it was to be taken back to that moment on Mother's Day.


Olivia also takes such great pictures of the kids in action at school, and displays them on a board outside the entrance of school. Look at Blake below, eating what he loves, noodles with chopsticks !



At Chloe's school, we also had a Mother's Day Tea, although this time, I made the tea, and we had no way of keeping it warm, so we had it cold, still good though ! I was greeted at the door by Chloe, she sat me in a special chair, gave me the vase and flowers she made, and after serving me tea and cookies, proceeded to read to me. Yes, Chloe is reading ! Chapter Books already ! It is so wonderful to have that time with her, in her classroom.



I can't end this post without saying a formal Happy Mother's Day to my own Mother, who I wish I could be spending the day with, but, since she is in Michigan, I can only chat on the phone, and drink a cup of tea in her honor. Happy Mother's Day Mom !

To all the Beautiful Mother's I know, I hope you enjoy your day !