DIY: The Rock Star Apron

Dude, am I in tune? Oh, wait, I'm the lead guitarist. I don't have to be for the ladies to love me.

So I was recently asked how I managed to keep my clothes clean in the art room. Firstly, lemme just say that I have a very loose interpretation of clean. As long as you don't get too close to me, I always look relatively presentable. But, just like a specimen under the microscope, up close and personal, it's a whole 'nother dirty, dingy paint-splatterly story.

Hey, man, can we turn down the bass? And the drums? And maybe the vocals? No one can hear my sweet riffs.

Secondly, what I've failed to show you in my outfit posts is that I wear an apron daily. I've been wearing aprons since my first year teaching when one of my sweet hands-covered-in-paint kindergarten friends decided to give me a hug...and left two paw prints on my tooshie.

But I grew tired of the traditional kitchen apron so, several years ago, I made this one. That's right, this is an oldie. But just like Classic Rock, it's yet to go outta style. Says me, anyway.

Wanna make a Rockin' Apron? Just get your groupies to collect the following:

• Pair of old jeans (I thirfted these little girl jeans...in my rock star fantasy, I got the hips like Jaggar)
• 1/2 yard of felt for the guitar
• 1/4 yard of felt for the guitar
• A heavy cotton fabric for the apron itself
• Buttons for the guitar
• Some sweet rockin' fabric for the shirt

Okay, I didn't go about this sewing project the traditional way. I was too busy at the School of Rock to pay attention in sewing class. So, this is a hot mess of an assembly. Just follow my lead, man.

Puttin' it all together:

1. Lay your favorite apron on top of the background fabric and trace around it leaving a couple inches for the hem. Fold hem under and stitch around the entire apron.
2. Using your funkiest fabric, create a shirt. Lay your apron over the shirt fabric, trace around leaving a couple of inches, fold under and sew this to the apron.
3. Cut off the back of the jeans. Lay this on top of your apron but do not sew yet.
4. Using a sheet of large thin paper, lay this over your apron and start sketching out your guitar. Once you have that sketch complete, cut it out.
5. Lay this guitar sketch over your apron (which should still have the jeans on it). Trace where you plan to add the guitar onto the jeans and cut off this portion of the jeans. If you don't do this, you'll end up with a lumpy guitar. Chicks aren't into that. Pin jeans into place.
6. Trace your guitar onto the felt and pin into place. Do the same with the neck and the white part of the guitar (I'm sure it has a name, but when I asked a guitarist, he didn't know it either). Use a zigzag stitch to attach.
7. Add the strings with a zigzag. Sew on your buttons.
8. Sew your jeans to the apron.
9. Add straps for the neck and waist ties. I used an old belt to give it that guitar strap look.
10. Now, ROCK THAT APRON.

I added a little flair to my jeans. Notice the paint splatter.

For being several years old, this apron has held up pretty well. I wash it occasionally on a super gentle cycle and allow it to air dry.

What does a lead guitarist use as birth control? His personality.

Well, man, I do hope you'll give this Rockin' Apron a go. It's super easy and very fun to wear. Though I do know what you're thinking...this apron needs more Cowbell.

Rock on, dude!

Weekend Adventure: An Identity Crisis

"May I please get my picture taken with you?," says me, attempting to bat my eyes. "Sure, but you gotta hold my musket," says dude in the white gloves trying to figure out what's wrong with my eyes.

Yesterday hubs and I decided to take a little adventure to what was supposed to be a Pioneer Festival. But then the Civil War reenactment dudes showed up. Who were followed by the vintage car show folk, the crafty booth people, the dip-your-hand-in-wax guy, the funnel cake carts and the I-have-a-donkey-if-you-want-a-ride dude. Basically it was a festival with an identity crisis. My favorite kind.

The festival was held at Cannonsburgh Village which is in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It's a village which is supposed to represent 100 years of early Tennessee life from 1830 to 1930. On the property there is a gristmill, a school house, a caboose, a wedding chapel, a doctor's office, you get the idea. The above was the general store.

The best part about the festival was that all of the buildings on the property were open. Inside of one home I was able to see the bedrooms, closets and wedding dress worn by the former owner. The tour guides were two young girls who looked like they'd just walked off the set of Little House on the Prairie. They eloquently explained all of the details of the home and it's former occupants.

The doctor's office...if I were a patient, one look at that frightening array of torture-inducing instruments would suddenly have me feeling MUCH better.

These bottles were on display in the doc's office. They look just like the bottles that Mitch (that would be hubs) and I found when we stumbled upon a vintage landfill on one of our off-trial hikes. You better believe I loaded up my backpack with old Coca Cola and 7-up bottles.

The only pioneers at the Pioneer Festival.

Excuse me, I have a question...does one actually have to become a Hillbilly Clogger in order to obtain the petticoat-astic dress and tap shoes? If so, sign me up.

These dudes kill me. They make it look so stinkin' easy.

I was so excited to see this old loom as my third and fourth graders are weaving right now. I told them the story of the giant loom I wove on in college in my terrible textile class...and how I accidentally cut a warping thread...and didn't fix it...and got a C in the class for it. But I digress. This Loom! They will love it.

The Wedding Chapel.

Snapping creepy photos in the bedroom of one of the colonial homes. I swear the giant black moles growing on my neck and Mitch's left eye are marks on the mirror.

And that concludes our adventure at the Pioneer/Civil War/Craft Fair/Food Cart/Clogging/Face Painting/and Henna-Anywhere-On-Your-Body Festival. Next time a festival of this kind is in your neck of the woods, I highly recommend you drop by.

What the Art Teacher Wore #12

Welcome Back, Monday: sweater: ancient thrifted find; dress: anthopologie; belt: made by me; tights: Target: shoes: Urban Outfitters flats made into Mary Janes  with leopard print fabric by me...they didn't want to stay on my feets otherwise.

Well, hello! Long time, no weekly outfit post. I dunno if you noticed but I kinda went on a weekly-outfit-post hiatus during my Spring Break. Mostly cuz I didn't really think you'd be interested in the jammies-and-house-slippers-til-well-past-noon look. And if you were, well, you could simply drop by the local Walmarts (oh, too harsh?).

Can you believe these shoes? I went in search of flats and found these bad boys on the Urban Outfitters website. I was asked several time is they were some of my DIY shoes!

But this week, we returned. And I'm so glad because I missed those kids so much. Even if this happened...

Kid: Mrs. Stephens, what is that smell?

Me: I had beans for lunch.

Chorus of Kids: Eeeewwww.

(five minutes later)

Kid: Mrs. Stephens, can I have some more green paint?

Me: Sure. (half empty bottle of paint makes farty noise).

Kid Across the Room: (whispering) Ew, did you hear that? Must have been those beans. I feel sorry for the kids at that table.

I get no respect, I tell ya.

Tinga Tinga painting from Tanzania.   Don't you love this? Tinga Tinga is the name of artwork made in something called the Tinga Tinga Cooperative in Tanzania. The co-op was created by the family of a man named Edward Tingatinga who painted in this style back in the 1960's. Artists in the co-op today are strongly influenced by his style.

 

In other less gassy news, I really enjoyed matching my outfits with masterpieces as I did in this post, so I thought I'd give it another go. It's been a lot of fun as I would have never stumbled upon the artwork above otherwise. I do hope you enjoy...

 

And might I make a polite recommendation....

 

The next time you decide to enjoy some lovely beans for lunch, have it with a side of Bean-o. Just sayin.

Turquoise Tuesday: sweater: ebay; dress: vintage, thrifted; belt: made by me; sandals: Sseko sandals with straps made my me

Ordering Spring, Janet Fish, 1996

Flamenco Wednesday: sweater and fishnets: Target; dress: vintage, found in San Francisco; shoes: Indigo by Clarks; belt and flower clip: H&M

Erhem, don't ask.

I adore this painting...by the contemporary artist Daniel R. Gerhartz.

Chlorine Blue Thursday: dress: found for a couple of bucks at an antique store, eep! belt and flower: H&M; shoes: Indigo by Clarks

David Hockney, John St. Clair Swimming (from Twenty Photographic Pictures), 1972

Greetings, Friday! 'Bout time: dress and sweater: vintage, thrifted; belt: gift from a sweet friend; shoes: Frye, found at the discounted shoe shop Martie and Liz

Just realized this is another Daniel Gerhartz painting.

In the Artroom: Monet's Waterlilies

Me: You painted both snails the same color...you didn't want to use variety? Student: Well, it's a Mama Snail and a Baby Snail. No one will know that if they are different colors. Me: (mental head slap) You are a genius.

This week back to school has been so exciting! Everyday, I walk into my room, open the kiln and gasp at the awesome creations of my students. This week we've been glazing the clay projects completed before spring break and the students have been totally rockin' it. I thought I'd share with you this kid-approved lesson.

I was told that the Tooth Fairy likes to chill in Monet's Garden on her off nights.

We've been learning all about the artist Claude Monet and just finished completing our Mammoth Monet Mural before break. During that unit of study we also chatted extensively about ponds and waterlilies. The kids were thrilled when told they were going to create a clay waterlily of their own.

I shared the photos of Monet's Garden with the kids that I snapped while at the Moma in March. The best question yet, "Where did his mom get paper that was so big?"

A lovely lily close up.

Pac Man vs. Sponge Bob's Buddy Patrick.

 For this project, you'll need the flowing:

• An Army of Amazing Moms
• Tons of clay
• A class set of clay mats
• Skewers
• Waterlily and Lily Pad templates
• Mayco Wonderglaze
• Toothbrushes
• Cups of water

Okay, about that first thing on your list, I'm serious about that one. Let me tell you why: I have 1/2 hour art classes. Many teachers wouldn't even attempt this kind of crazy with such short classes. But with an Army of Amazing Moms, anything is possible. Now, I have The Best Moms in my room, but I'm sure you've got some pretty fabulous ones in your school just dying to help out. All you have to do is ask, it's really that simple.

This lesson is a version of one originally created by one of the most incredible art teachers I know, The Clay Lady. Not familiar with her? Watch her demos on youtube, she rocks.

 To create the waterlilies, the kids need to do the following:

1. Pound out clay to Oreo thickness and trace a waterlily and lily pad as seen in top clay photo.
2. Bend two points of the star upward (as shown above), over lap and smoosh clay together.
3. Continue bending points of star upward, overlapping and smooshing until entire lily is complete. It should look like a closed flower.
4. Use fingertips to gently bend flower pedals outward.
5. Toothbrush the bottom of the lily and a place on the lily pad and attach.

This artist used the back of her brush to create "perfect dots" and stripes on her bumble bee.

After that, I explained to the kids that they could add one or two creations to their lily of their liking. I did a little snail and insect demo but they had much bigger ideas. "How do you make a hummingbird? The Toothfairy? A Tarantula?"

A frog chillin' at his pad.

I told them this...anything can be created out of clay with three things: a sphere, a slab and a coil. So, stop and think about what you want to create and decide which of those three things would be the best for the job. And, just look at this variety! They got it.

I was told that this is a one-eyed version of Sponge Bob's buddy Gary. Meow.

Now let's chat about glazing. This Stoke and Coat glaze by Mayco is where it's at. The colors are vibrant and the consistency is very fluid. I dole out the glaze in styrofoam egg cartons along with cups of water for brush cleaning.

A first grader created this hummingbird. I know, right?

 Before glazing, we have a nice loooong chat about my two rules:

1. Do not glaze the bottom (it'll stick to the kiln).
2. Do not layer different glaze colors.

Another hummingbird.

Because of the countless choices of colors, some kids go a little bonkers and just want to glaze their project to death. I give them free reign to add patterns like dots and stripes but I stick hard and fast to that no-overlapping-twenty-colors-on-your-piece rule.

And the end result? Nothing short of adorable, says me. And my new friend, Happy Buggy-Eyed Snail.

Thanks for dropping by!

DIY: Rosy Flower Pots

My collection of Rosy Flowers Pots. So easy to make, it's addictive...apparently.

Today's DIY is one that would make the late painter/teacher Bob Ross proud. I remember watching him as a kid on Saturdays when the cartoons trailed off. He made painting look so easy and he enjoyed every minute of it. In fact, one of my favorite artist quotes is a Bob Ross euphemism: People might look at you a bit funny, but it's okay. Artists are allowed to be a bit different. Need further convincing of his genius? Read here.

Now to my knowledge, Bob usually stuck with landscapes and "happy little trees". Currently, I'm addicted to all things flowery, so I thought I'd share with an easy way to paint "happy pink roses."

 For this happy painting endeavor, you'll need:

• Cheap acrylic paint in the three colors shown above. Each bottle is less than a $1.
• A couple of angled brushes. I tried doing this with a flat brush...and failed.
• Spray paint to cover your plastic flower pot. I used turquoise.
• Modge Podge to seal the paint. 
• A plastic flower pot...not a terra cotta pot. The paint sticks better to the plastic and they're less expensive. 
• Parchment paper or anything to cover your work area.

The day before, I spray painted the flower pots. Once dry, I was ready to paint...

 To load your brush, you'll first dip the brush in the pink color. Then dip the front of the brush, or the toe, into the white and the back of the brush, the heel, into the red. I used the larger angled brush for the large flowers and the smaller for the leaves, stem and smaller flowers.

 On your practice paper, swipe your brush back and forth to blend the colors. You might even want to practice painting the entire flower a couple of times on your paper before attacking your pot.

 Paint a curve line on your pot.

 Paint two more curved lines on either side.

 Add a curved line in the center and one on either side.

 Create a curve that is going the opposite direction.

Underneath that, create a series of flower petals using a curve like the letter U...and viola! A Rosy Pot!

 Once you've got the hang of it, you can make your flowers a little more organic. For this one, I followed the same order of brush strokes but instead of using a curved line, I used more of a wavy curve.

 The leaves are very easy. I used the smaller angled brush for them. I started with the stem, dragging the brush from the flower off of the pot. Then I started at the end of the leaf, dragging the brush to the stem.

To finish, I added a bit of bright green on the leaves. Once dry, I coated the pot in glossy Modge Podge, planted some Begonias and hung it up.

I do hope you'll give this a try, it's pretty simple. If you mess up, just wipe the pot with a damp towel and try again. In the words of Bob Ross, Even if you've never painted before, this one you can do. And if you are a learner that benefits from watching a tutorial, I suggest visiting here. Have fun!