Creating Together

 

Lately I've been making an extra effort to sit with the girls while they make art.  At least once a day, and especially if I've prepared a special project for them, we sit together and all work on the same thing. It's no longer just CC and Sabrina while Mommy works on the computer or makes dinner and Maya scootches under the table or stands on tiptoe trying to squirrel away a sticker or marker for herself. Now we're more often than not at the art table all together.

I totally enjoy this relaxing creative time where I'm not just directing the process but actually participating in it... and it makes such a difference in the way the girls work too.  They stay at the table longer. They take an interest in each other's work. They ask me to teach them. They offer compliments. They ask each other questions. I feel as if we have a true little artist's atelier going in our dining room.

Here we continued our work with paper and collage materials, this time using little red dot stickers and markers to make family portraits. It's funny that Sabrina in a moment of irritation made CC all frowny, and it's sweet how CC teaches herself to draw things by partly copying my work. And then there was Maya, chubby little fingers working so hard to peel those stickers and hold the markers! I think in the end she was proudest of all.

 

 

Sabrina's collage

CC's collage

Maya's collage

My collage

Paper

 

 

We've been following our plan to focus on one art material or technique at a time.  Throughout November, December and the first weeks of January we worked with colored pencils, crayons, markers, though we remained flexible and incorporated other holiday crafts and added materials as necessary for a specific project.

Now we're getting started on paper as our material of choice. Scissors, glue, tape, and simple stickers are always on hand as is a big stack of colorful construction paper and white drawing paper. So many possibilities in paper... folding, cutting, tearing, crumbling.

So far we've practiced some simple origami folding and made collages using contact paper. I imagine cutting snowflakes, making paper chains and working with tissue will make their way into our time using paper, and, as has happened with each unit, I expect this one to extend well beyond the week we originally allotted for each material.

Look who is beginning to participate in art projects!

Snuggles and Gerald, CC's class guinea pigs, were with us for the weekend and Sabrina created this wonderful collage portrait of them.

New Year's Morn

So fun waking up to last night's rainbow of decorations and enjoying them in the bright sunlight of late morning.  We all slept in a little longer than usual, with Maya being the first up.  So she and I put together a simple brunch for everyone to enjoy. Berries, bacon, balloons, oh my. And even a little left over New Year's Eve cake. 

So, happy new year!  Last year was a good one that answered many questions for our family and put us on a path on which we are confident and happy.  For 2011 I am grateful, but I like the sound of twenty twelve and the gentle turns I anticipate in the path ahead even better. 

New Year's Eve

25 white balloons, 14 glassybaby votives, party hats, bead necklaces and maracas for the five of us, a Magic 8 Ball to help us predict the year ahead, 12 grapes each and a Nutella cake covered in sparkler candles. That's what New Year's Eve looked like for our little clan.  We first walked to our favorite neighborhood restaurant to feast on Japanese food and toast with sake.  Then back home to ring in 2012 at... 10 pm!  Yes, we set the clocks forward a bit so the girls could participate without being too tired. This is the second time we opt out of leaving our home to celebrate and instead make our own little romance right here at home, and it suits us so, so well.