Bras and Bubbles

I'm sure that most parents think pretty high of their child's artistic abilities and I'm no exception.  Ava is an artist, no doubt.  She draws like a professional and she's a master colorer.  Every morning when she wakes up she helps herself to some paper, a pen and colored pencils.  Currently, her favorite materials are white paper and a black pen.  I can't get enough of her drawings.  I would frame and display all of them if I had the space.  

Recently, her artwork has taken on a certain level of...how should I say?  Anatomy?  I encourage Ava to tell me about her drawings when she's finished and she was all too happy to explain to me that the bird below is flapping its wing, singing a song and wearing a bra with straps and bubbles.  Yes, straps and bubbles.  You read it here.  I think you, too, will notice a theme here...

Shapes in Nature

This week in our Super Summer Art Class we went on a nature walk and we looked for shapes and patterns in nature.  We photographed them for another project we'll be working on next week.  Lincoln really liked this project and he found a lot of circles.  Ava was more interested in the picture-taking part :-) 

Deer print...

Lincoln wanted to take a picture...

"Mom!  Look!  Circle!"

"Aww.  Tiny little tree."

Art Class

A fellow Co-Op parent hosts a Summer Nature Art Class out of her garage once a week. I was so excited when I learned this!! I immediately signed the kids up.

Linc is all about it, he really likes making art and exploring the different materials (paint brushes, markers, melted crayons, etc.). Last week we made paper and this week we worked on leaf prints. So exciting!

Strangely enough, nowadays Linc's attention span is longer than Ava's when it comes to projects. I come home with a pile of art with Linc's name on it and only a few pieces with Ava's name. Of course, Ava also takes her time so Linc creates five pieces in the time it takes Ava to complete one. Still, Ava gets up to roam around the yard and talk to the other kids (socializing is a big deal at this age) while Linc sits and focuses on his masterpieces...at least until he gets hungry...or sees a toy firetruck in the corner of the garage...

At any rate, I'm just excited that both kids still show an interest in making art because it's going to be sad day when I no longer have their fresh masterpieces to cover our walls and fridge.

I just remembered this, at art class Linc requested that they hang his paintings on their garage wall because it was "empty" :-) Modest he is not. I reassured him that we would hang his work at our house.

P.S. Surprisingly, Linc didn't knock the red paint off the table with his elbow (see last picture)!

Craft-a-holics

Samantha is a girl after my own heart! I don't think it's a stretch to say that she likes crafting more than me! We finish one project and Sam says, "Do you have more projects we can work on?" I love it!!!!

Here are some crafting pictures...

Sam getting in touch with her inner Pollock with some Splatter Painting!

Painting outside...

Girls with (some of) their masterpieces...

How cool did these turn out?!

The boys got in on some of the crafting fun, too!

Linc isn't sure what to think of his lobster...

Crayon Sun Catchers in progress here...

The finished project...

Our Pointillism project tested their patience...

Phew!

I've already prepared a list of project ideas for Sam's next visit! I can't wait :-)

Drawing

Linc loves to draw! Mostly, he draws faces and train tracks. His faces are starting to become recognizable (with ears) which is so exciting!

"Me" by Lincoln...

Ava has always enjoyed drawing and that hasn't changed a bit. Papa recently showed Ava a robin's nest in a tree near the Fairy Garden. Ava likes that the Mommy bird is always protecting her nest. This inspired her to draw the picture below. The bird at the bottom of the page is diving for a worm (she's so smart. Ava, not the bird).

"Nest in Papa's tree" by Ava...

Mother's Day

I like Mother's Day. This year we resurrected the art supplies that had recently been buried in Honey and Papa's attic (that's another blog post for another time). The kids had a lot of fun with this project and I love the way it turned out. I think it was a hit with Ninny and Honey, too.

TA DA!

Aren't they the cutest?

Sam and Tyler - Day 2

On day 2 of Sam and Tyler's visit we made volcano's following this easy tutorial. It was a huge hit!

Samantha with her volcano - ready for eruption!

Ava with her volcano - ready for eruption!

WOAH!

Even the boys were into it!

Here is a video of the action!

After our volcano experiment we enjoyed lunch outside...

(the girls are modeling the napkins that their Great Aunt Maureen made for them)

Check out the cool napkins GAM made for the boys!

Then we played outside for forever.

Here, the girls are attempting to catch a bird...

How sweet is this boy? This is how he pops bubbles...

The girls couldn't catch a bird on their sticks so they made a nest, complete with a worm, in an effort to lure the birds...

Wallpaper of Love

My parents have lived in their house for something like twenty years. It's home. It's where I grew up. The walls have been painted, repainted and even wallpapered. Furniture has been arranged and rearranged. Appliances have come and gone. Rooms have been repurposed. Yet, it's always just been home to me.

Or is it anymore?

Have things really changed so drastically in the past five years that I hardly recognize it as MY home?

Sure, the roof has been replaced, the floors refinished and then there was that great kitchen overhaul. But that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the crib that moved into my brother's old room and the tree house and teddy bears my Mom painted on the walls in that room. I'm talking about the mini kitchen that made its way into the breakfast room. I'm talking about the kids' movies that have taken over the bonus room. I'm talking about the princess and fairy dresses that are hanging in the hall closet. I'm talking about the baby monitor that sits on the bar. I'm talking about the train that occupies half the floorspace downstairs. Shoot, I'm talking about the Fairy Garden that has taken over the side yard!

It's not mine anymore, it belongs to my kids! And rightfully so, I might add.

These changes have taken place slowly, over the past five years. I hadn't really stepped back and thought about it until yesterday. Yesterday was Valentine's Day and after I picked up the kids from school we dropped in at Honey & Papa's house to deliver their Valentines. Immediately after Honey opened her card Ava asked for the tape then she quickly went to work displaying Honey's card for her. Ava couldn't tape it onto the fridge because it's already full of "stuff" made by the kids. She couldn't tape it onto the pantry door because it is also full. The bottom oven - full. Ava stretched up to her tippy toes and proudly displayed her Valentine on the top oven.

I looked around in disbelief. Perhaps it's the first time I've really noticed it. My parents' house, excuse me, the grandkids' house is wallpapered with love! Literally. Shockingly. I wonder what the grandchildless neighbor thinks when she stops by from time to time? Luckily for my kids and for my niece and nephew, my parents couldn't care less! At least, I don't think they care. I hope they don't care...

BEHOLD THE "WALLPAPER OF LOVE" GALLERY:

the front door...

the hall closet...

the pantry door...

the ovens...

the fridge...

the kitchen island...

the dishwasher...

the breakfast room windows (Ava went through a snowflake phase)...