My Christmas Tree Skirts to Lady Skirts Over the Years!

Hello, friends! If you've been hanging with me on this here blog for a while, then you know that I've transformed many Christmas tree skirts to lady skirts over the years. In fact, I've been doing it for so long that it was before I even created videos! So many of my tutorials were old school: photos and WORDS, y'all. Today I thought I'd take you on a little stroll down Christmas tree skirt to lady skirt lane in case you are so inclined to create your own. And you should! It's super fun! You can check out the skirt I made last year...here!

I have a coupla hot tips when it comes to this super easy craft. First...

* Get your tree skirt after the holidays. Pop into your local home dec, big box or craft store and scoop them up when they are half off or even cheaper.

* Vintage tree skirts can be found on Etsy or eBay. I've purchased a couple of my favorite ones from eBay. 

* Be on the lookout all year long! When I hit the thrift stores or estate sales, I always scoop up vintage tree skirts and stash them for later. 

* Get skirts that are large! If you order some online like from Amazon, be sure to check the measurements. Some tree skirts are meant for smaller trees...and could lead to a mini-skirt for ya!

* Get your self a crinoline. I get mine from Amazon. This will really give the skirt it's fullness so it can be admired in all of it's tree skirt glory.

Here's a video tutorial I created just for you:

If you'd like to visit my other blog posts with more step by step details, here's some of my skirts and the blog posts I've shared over the years. 

I can't believe this skirt is over 10 years old now! This was a hand-stitched tree skirt that I found on eBay. More details here. 

The following year, I made this skirt! I will say...this one is super warm and cozy BUT it was impossible to sew threw on my machine. So the skirt is just hanging on in the back with Velcro. This, I don't recommend. Cuz when your behind feels a draft...it's too late. All the gory deets here. 

Here's another vintage one purchased from eBay! Last year the zipper broke on this one so it looks like I'll be doing a little repairing before taking it out again. 

You'll notice how my tree skirts keep changing on my little vintage silver tree...that's because each year I pretty much rob my tree of it's skirt! Now this green tree skirt was a little shorter than others I have used. You can check out more about it here. 

Okay now this one...is actually a vintage round tablecloth! I did add the tinsel to the bottom and made it into a skirt much the same as the other skirts. More info here!

And that's it! I'm not sure if I'll make a tree skirt to lady skirt this year...even though I do have a back stash of skirts. You'll have to stay tuned on that one ;) Have a wonderful weekend, friends!

Marker Print Snow Globes

Well, hello there! As you can see, I am CLEARLY snow globe obsessed at the moment. I shared my first Snow Globe lesson here and then shared a floating chalk print version here. Today I thought I'd share a version of adding color the background with little marker and water.  As a teacher...or a parent who loves to create with their artsy kiddos, these ideas will give you three fun options for completing your snow globes!

Let's talk supplies:

* Pizza pan, a sheet of aluminum foil or any non-porous, flat surface

* Paper. I'm using a mixed media paper or one that's a little thicker than copy paper. 

* Black permanent marker

* Water-based markers, I prefer Prang Markers

* Spritz or spray bottle of water

Here's the how-to video:

Just a reminder that you can get my free snow globe downloads here.

What I did find is that the lighter color markers work best...as the darker color markers are a little too dark and may hide the drawing underneath. But the real fun is in drawing a lotta these globes so you can explore a lotta printing. Also...I have found that using one of those misting spray bottles is the best as opposed to a regular spray bottle. AND the pizza pan is from Dollar Tree! 

If you need some drawing ideas, I got ya covered. Tap the link to download and print!

I can't wait to see what you and the artists in your life create! If you do share to social media, please make sure you tag me here so I can see!

I've got a lotta winter videos coming to my YouTube channel soon. So if you need some inspo, the best way to stay up to date is to subscribe. You can do that here. Chat soon!

Marker Print Wreath with Pop-Up Bow!

A couple of days ago, I shared a wreath drawing/marker painting lesson here. As I continued tinkering with this lesson idea, I thought it would be fun to try marker prints on a pizza pan. If that sentence leaves ya scratching your head, here's my video here:

For this, you'll need:

* A pizza pan, a sheet of foil or any non-porous surface for printing

* Crayons

 

* Water-based markers (not permanent)

* Spray bottle of water

* Mixed media paper (paper thicker than copy paper works great...but you could totally use copy paper in a pinch)

To add a little dimension to the wreath, I thought I'd add a little pop-up bow demo. I hope you have fun! 

Let's Play Snowman Bingo!

I know what it's like this time of year...constant interruptions for programs, field trips, classroom parties and the like. It's nearly impossible to keep the kids engaged let alone...keep them on track or start new projects. I found that THIS drawing activity was perfect for my early finishers and for some Winter Centers that keep all kids happy and creating. I created a how-to video just for you and your students AND these two FREE downloads!

Let's start with the downloads! I used these in a sheet protector so that my students could draw on them again and again. I found that the best deal on these protectors was Amazon. You can get a ton of them cheap! However, the plastic IS thinner that the more professional grade sheet protectors made for the classroom. Just be aware of that. 

You can find this free download here. 

And you can score this free download here!

Here's the video:

Now, if you want to take the activity a step further, check out the end of the video to see how we make a work of art out of our drawing! It's super fun. 

And don't forget to check out my OTHER free downloads to create snow globes here!

Check out the kids in action here:

Of course...this fun activity can lead into this big project that I did with my kindergarteners! You can find all the video details and lesson info here. 

In other news...I think I know what some folks are getting for Christmas as I've been shipping out a lot of my books lately! If you are interested in receiving one of my books before the holidays, please consider ordering soon so that they MIGHT arrive in time. 

Art Teacherin' 101 is packed with everything-I-wish-I-woulda-known about teaching art. It has all of my tips and tricks for classroom management as well as discovering just who you are as an art teacher so  you can be your very best. If  you would like to kick off the new year with some new methods to try, this book is for you! 

My new book Find Your Way was written to read to my students as they work. I do this with my second through fourth graders (and on up would work but I only teach thru 4th) and it keeps them focused and working quietly. This book is a choose-your-own-adventure style book where you go on art adventures with 7 different artists! From Vincent van Gogh to Frida Kahlo, Money, da Vinci and more, the reader can decide what adventure to take with up to 32 different endings and over 80 illustrations! Find it here.

As a teacher, I could never seem to find a book on shapes that wasn't too baby-ish. All the books seemed to be simply getting children to recognize and name shapes which...most can already do by the time they enter the art room. However, many don't know the difference between a shape and a form, geometric and organic and how shapes can be used to draw. So...I wrote Alfred the Ape Knows His Shapes and I think you'll love it!

Larry the Line is based on a poem I wrote my first year teaching art. I've shared Larry in many blog posts...before writing a longer version of my poem, illustrating it and crafting it into a book! It's a rhyming book which are always fun to read to students...and, added bonus: they remember the names of lines much better this way! You can check out Larry the Line (and read the 175 reviews!) here. 

Have fun, y'all!

Floating Chalk Print Snow Globe!

YOU GUYS. I can't tell you how excited I am about this one! After I created my first Snow Globe lesson , I started getting all sorts of ideas on how to add color to the background. I thought...what about chalk prints?! 

I first shared the process of Floating Chalk Prints back in 2014 (that's wild!) and you can check out that post here. But really...not much has changed! You'll need:

* A basin of water. And, seriously, nothing but water.

* Freart chalk, found here. Sidewalk chalk won't work...and artist chalk is so expensive and little...this stuff is seriously the best.

* If you are looking for round paper, Prang just created some!

And that's it! Of course, you might want these free downloads from yours truly...

Get your Snow Globe download here.

And free winter drawing idea sheet here! 

Okay, now...let's get started. I promise...you and your students are gonna love this!

RIGHT?! Out of all the methods I tried for adding color to the background (and I have another fun one that I'll be sharing here and on YouTube soon...I always post to YouTube first so, please be sure and subscribe to be alerted!) 

Whenever I share the process of floating chalk prints, I always get the question "do you have to spray or set the chalk once dry?" NOPE! Which is what makes it even more amazing!

I hope y'all have fun! I can't open my comment section here on my blog, unfortunately, because I get spammed for days BUT...I am active on Instagram and Facebook! BTW...I recently had a fake Facbeook account created in my name and likeness. It's not me! The one I have linked here is my account. So...if you do this lesson in any way, I'd love to see! Please be sure and tag me. 

And...friendly reminder...that if you are interested in receiving any of my books for the holidays, you may want to order super soon! I sign all of my books before packing them up and sending them your way. You can find them here!

Let's Create Art-Themed Ornaments!

As an art teacher, I always love seeing Christmas trees with an artsy theme. So I thought I'd put all of the art-themed ornaments I've created over the years into one blog post. This way, if you want to create an art themed tree for your classroom or home...you can! And I'll show ya how. Let's start with these wee bearded gnomes made from old paintbrushes!

By the way...these projects are kid-friendly too! So if you want to have your students create these, they totally can. Here's a quick tutorial:

Now here's a project that my students LOVED...using toilet paper tubes to make paint tubes! It's an easy one and we used it as a lesson on color theory! Details here.

Now we did use Celluclay and plaster strips to create these. In a pinch, papier-mache could be used instead of plaster and air dry clay instead of Celluclay. You aren't gonna believe how easy this one is. Video here:

This video was made for you to share with your students. 

I used some ribbon found at the craft store and some old paint brushes to jazz mine up a bit. 

Using some wire, I added them to my wreath. I found the wooden pallet at Goodwill and painted it to go with the wreath.

Full blog post can be found here!

And here are the tubes my students created! Details on things I learned about creating these with my student in this blog post. 

Coming up with their own name for the paint was super fun!

Now...here's an art-themed ornament that even my first graders made:

This two-day art lesson used, again, toilet paper tubes and plaster! You could use foil for the ferrule. We used metal tooling. They LOVED these! Although...first grade was disappointed that they didn't 'work' ;)

Here's the video:

How cute would pencils, paint tubes, paintbrushes AND crayons be on an art room tree?! We did make these a little bigger with paper towel tubes. It may be time for you to send out that school wide email and start asking for both! Details here. 

One year, my theme for my art show was "Art Supplies" so we made all sorts of silly stuff like these spilled glue bottles! Details here.

These are made from plaster and Model Magic...with those puffy things that they use in the mail when they are shipping something fragile as the armature! Here's the how-to video:

We even made scissors and...

Glue sticks which were, honestly, the easiest of them all. It's just a plaster-wrapped tube painted in tempera! 

Now you don't have to have a funky colored tree for your art room...any ole tree will do! In fact, I see tons at Goodwill which is a great place to grab one. THEN...you can decorate with all of your (or your students!) artsy ornaments! Details on this tree can be found here. 

The most fun is in the making! So...if you are looking for messy projects as you head back to the art room after Thanksgiving, here you go! Have fun!

Just a reminder: if you'd like my books to arrive in time for a Christmas present for a teacher, a young artist, an aspiring art teacher or a gift to yourself, please consider ordering soon! I'm signing each before popping them in the mail. You can find all of my books here!

Let's Draw (and Paint!) a Snow Globe

Since Prang came out with their new round paper, I've had so many ideas about what can be created in a round format. Last week I shared this wreath project...and today I thought I'd share a Snow Globe lesson with ya! I even created some free downloads for you to use. All I ask is that you only use them in your creative world and don't copy then and sell them on Teachers Pay Teachers (yes, it happens. A lot.)

Now, this isn't my first Snow Globe lesson...I did a Snow Globe City project with my fourth graders that's a little different. If you'd like to check that out, go here.

Also...stay tuned! I got SO MANY ideas on how to add color the background of these Snow Globes that I have two more videos and lessons coming your way. So...the best thing to do is to subscribe to my YouTube channel. You can do so here. I have three more videos for kids that will be landing there this week!

Now...on to the video:

Yay, so fun!

Tap this link for the free download to the Snow Globe sheet. 

Tap here for this idea sheet, free! 

And...I'm not just sayin' this cuz I work with Prang BUT...their markers, which I never used before working with them, are simply the best! They are heavily pigmented and work really will with this type of painting-without-painting type of project. 

AND...just a reminder, if you'd like any of my books as Christmas presents for teachers, friends or the young artists in your life, might I recommend you purchase them sooner rather than later. This way they will (fingers crossed) arrive in time for the holidays. Chat soon!