In the Artroom: Hangin' with the College Kids

Excusez-moi, but we moustache you a question...should art teachers really have this much fun? Also, do I look constipated or is it just me?

Let me introduce to you who has been hanging out with me for the past month or so: some totally awesome art ed students from Middle Tennessee State University (that's MTSU to you, monsieur). I have been so lucky to work with these ladies. They've hung up art work, created beautiful bulletin boards (that I get to keep!), taught and worked with students and kept me in stitches. I really dunno what I'm going to do without them now that their time with me is over. I mean, who's gonna teach these kids?!

The witch is Rebecca (I promise, we only gave her the witch apron because of her hair, not her witchy personality), the skeleton is Katie and the pumpkin is Erin. They jumped right into my kind of art-teacher-crazy by donning my Halloween aprons.

MTSU has an amazing art education program. I've had the great opportunity to meet and/or work with several of their students and they've always been excellent. I find that I learn just as much from them as I hope they do from me. The art ed department is headed up by Dr. Deborah Sickler-Voight and Dr. Bonnie Rushlow. Both of these women are incredible educators and the students that come out of their art education program are always well prepared. I mean, just check out these awesome bulletin boards the girls created...they tie in perfectly with my current lessons, they are interactive and just plain beautiful.

Ah, a bulletin board dedicated to my latest artist crush Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Thanks, Rebecca! She created the boarder for the bulletin boards with the kids' "messy mats": the paper mats I use under their paintings in a feeble attempt to keep the tables clean. I love the way it turned out.

I especially love the heading of the bulletin board: Artist of the Month. I attempt to highlight an artist each month and now I have a bulletin board that will hold me accountable. Gee...thanks, Rebecca.

Does this bulletin board remind you of anything? Madeline, perhaps? That's right, Katie is a huge fan, read all the books as a kid. I love that she took to this idea and ran with it. And while it's Madeline-inspired, it's all about the Eiffel Tower. How perfect. Wanna know what's double awesome? The fact that our world traveling friend Jes hidden in the bulletin board. Can you find him?

But wait, there's more...this bulletin board is also interactive. Lift up the flag and the leaves and you'll find all sorts of facts about la tour Eiffel. Funny, "Iron Lady" is also my nickname as I'm the only one who stomach my mom's cooking.

After reading this to the kids the other day, one of them asked, "So, why did they call it the Eiffel Tower?" Another student just looked at him with her best boys-are-so-dumb face and said, "Really?"

How beautiful is this bulletin board? The kids are learning about all of the most famous places and faces in Paris and this bulletin board of Notre Dame is just perfect. We've already been reading over the facts that she attached to her board. 

Erin poured over the details of the cathedral in her rendering and it shows. She used oil pastels to achieve the look of the cathedral. Several of the kids have asked who created the drawing. After I tell them, they always say, "wow, she must be an artist!" So true.

The girls told me that they were doing a fundraiser for the art ed department at MTSU and would I like to purchase a painted pumpkin. Well, of course. When asked what I wanted on my pumpkin, I said Fifi, the art room's talking poodle with attitude. Thank you for creating this for me, Katie!

Such a wonderful group of young art-teachers-to-be! I am excited to see what awesomeness lies ahead for each of them. Thank you, girls, for all of the wild and crazy times in the art room!

What the Art Teacher Wore #37

Late-for-a-Very-Important-Date-Dress Monday: Sadly, it was a rainy Monday and my Hunter boots hid my amazing tights by Teja Jamilla. dress and belt: Alice-in-Wonderland wannabe dress by me, DIY here; Hunter boots, ebay

Hey, dudes. I hope you don't mind that along with my outfits this week, I'm sharing with you my current obsession: Henri de Toulouse Lautrec. My students are currently learning about him (he ties in so neatly with our all-things-Paris theme) and I've developed a bit of a crush on him, his work and the story of his life. I've been reading about him to the kids using my favorite series of books: Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists. And while the book is an excellent resource, it leaves out much of the dark side of his life. Which is a good thing. Angry parent phone calls aren't my favorite. But, personally, I love the dark stuff. To me, it's like vintage TMZ or a retro USWeekly. I eat it up.

So, here you go. My duds and Henri de Toulouse Lautrec. Enjoy!

Who doesn't love a cute guy with a beard and a sense of humor? Love this double self-portrait created pre-photoshop. The way Vincent van Gogh is notoriously famous for cutting off (just the lobe!) his ear, Toulouse Lautrec's small stature is probably his most recognizable trait. The cause? Well, his parents were first cousins. The inbreeding resulted in his many health problems, including his fragile bones and limited growth. I opted not to share that with the kids. I live in the south, the whole marrying-your-first-cousin thing might be a little too close to home (I kid!). Images via pinterest.

Sadly, every time I see these posters, I think of the movie Moulin Rouge. Which I did not love. Try to block it out. The real Moulin Rouge (which translates The Red Mill -- the mill was attached to the building) was a cabaret theater where the patrons could even receive lap dances. That's Jane Avril, the Moulin Rouge's most popular dancer, in the middle. I love that her top-of-the-head bun has made a comeback.

Messy Art Room Tuesday: Oh, let's be honest, when is it not a messy art room? dress and sweater: vintage, thrifted; yellow tights and fishnet stockings: Target; Jane Avril-wannabe shoes: Softee

 So it's no secret that Toulouse Lautrec had a muse: Jane Avril. The story of her life is quite the Dickens-tale as well: abused as a child, she ran away from home only to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital. There she discovered her love of dancing. Later she became the headliner at the Moulin Rouge. Her graceful style of dancing contrasted the other cancan dancers of her time. She was meloncholic and thoughtful which is probably what drew Toulouse Lautrec to her. She can be found in many of his sketches and posters advertising the Moulin Rouge.

While I love Toulouse Lautrec's posters, I think these sketchy paintings of his are my favorite.

Flex-and-Bust Wednesday: I wore this thrifted vintage dress for the first time...and I kept hearing a tearing sound as I was working with the kids. This happens to me and vintage more times than I'd like to admit. Turns out the sleeve fabric had dry rotted and I tore a small hole right at the shoulders. Nothing a patch can't fix. dress: vintage, thrifted; belt: borrowed from another dress; sweater: Ann Taylor, thrifted; shoes: Anthro

Toulouse Lautrec painted many of these dancers and many prostitutes as well. He said about painting them: "A professional model is like a stuffed owl. These girls are alive." Except when they are sleeping, of course. 

Another Toulouse Lautrec-ism: "I paint things as they are. I don't comment. I record." He added no superficial beauty, just the beauty in what he saw.

"Love is when the desire to be desired takes you so badly that you feel you could die of it."

Halloween Horror Thursday: More details on our latest Halloween adventure soon. dress: made by me, details here; sandals: Chaco

Toulouse Lautrec was friendly with such troubled artists as Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin (don't tell me that dude wasn't troubled, he painted more underage South Pacific girls than any man should). I love his portrait of van Gogh. 

Forever Friday: Wouldn't that be lovely? How much more would we live each day if it were a Friday? top: BCBG; skirt: Anthro; sandals: Target; sunnies: Rayban; belt: gift from a friend

Sadly, Toulouse Lautrec's life ended too soon. He was just in his mid-thirties when he died of alcoholism. After a life of pain, both his body and from the abuse he took for his small stature, he died young as so many great artists do.

Thankfully, he worked his tail off during his lifetime and left behind a huge body of beautiful work. I can't seem to get enough of his scenes of everyday life. I hope you have enjoyed them as much as I have sharing them.

In the Art Room: Packing Our Bags

Bags packed? Check. Passport and identification? Chickity check. Good. Let's blow this popsicle stand.

My mom can't sing but she likes to. She also only knows bits and pieces of songs. I remember this from when I was a kid. And every since we started creating these passports and suitcases, I find myself singing one of mom's song-bites: "I'm leavin' on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again...(repeat a good 5-6 times)."

And, that's all I got. Sorry 'bout that John Denver.

When I was passing back the kids' suitcases so they could start filling them with their masterpieces, one of them weighed it in his hand and said, "What did I pack in this thing, it is so heavy!" They so silly.

Each year, the kids create a portfolio to hold their small 9" X 12" artworks. These smaller works are usually sketches for their larger masterpieces. The bulk of their 2-D artwork is usually 12" X 18". These little folders come in handy when passing back a group of their sketches without riffling through their classroom's art box. 

This year, to go along with our travel theme, I decided that their portfolios should be suitcases. One with a pocket to hold their passport, of course. And with a luggage tag to I.D. the bags. Oh, and a handle to carry it around. Don't forget the travel stickers to show where we've been. Whew! It ended up being a larger project than I imaged...and one that really has captured their imagination and enthusiasm.

Remember my traveling companion Jes? Well, the kids and I have been having so much fun following his adventures in Paris. And I'm thrilled to say, he's just finished a lovely trip to Strasbourg, France. I love living vicariously through a stuffed tiger.

Our world traveling adventure has been enhanced by our Flat Stanley-esque school mascot, Jes, the little stuffed tiger. The kids and I are traveling the world through his eyes. He informed us by postcard that we'd need a passport in order to leave the country. So we began the school year by creating passports. We also created a school-wide self-portrait map so we could see just where in the world we were going.

To create these simple passports, you'll need the following:

• navy blue construction paper
• light blue copy paper with the same information typed up that is inside of a passport. Scroll down to see what I'm talking about because I know I'm not making any sense.
• a photo of every student
• stamps of countries and black ink pad
• passport stamp (optional). I picked mine up at this awesome etsy shop: stampoutonline
• gold stamp pad
• thin black sharpies

Yeah, have you EVER seen a customs agent smile? I need to work on my cranky "I hate you, go back to your own country" face.

After a nice long chat about passports, what a surname is versus a given name, nationalities and the meaning of  "date of birth" (if only it said "when's your birthday?", they'd get it so much faster), we were nearly finished. We signed the contract that is on each passport, added our photo and then made our way to Customs and Passport Control.

There each child stamped the cover of their passport.

And stamped the places they have traveled to. Because we learned about Egypt last year, we stamped that country as well as France.

A passport sneak peak.

This young artist is from New Zealand. She wanted to add that to her suitcase as apart of her travels. I love the kiwi bird.

Supplies for the suitcase portfolios:

• 12" X 18" construction paper, folded for the suitcase
• 5" X 6" construction paper for the pocket
• strips of paper to help bind the pocket
• two pieces of 5" X 6" paper for the handles
• price tags found at an office supply store
• shapies
• glue

1. Fold large construction paper in half. We added texture to our papers  by using rubbing plates and naked (aka paperless), sleeping (aka horizontal) crayons.
2. Put glue on the sides and bottom of the rectangular shape and press onto the folded edge of the construction paper. While glue is drying, squeeze the sides of the paper together to create a pocket. Add the vertical lines on the sides of the pocket to secure. 
3. Pick any color for the handle. Fold those two papers in half, create a half handle shape and cut out. Glue one handle on the inside front and the inside back of the suitcase.
4. Add luggage tag.
5. Round corners of the suitcase if desired.
6. Use the other elements of art to create your travel sticker.

So love this sweet, carefully drawn travel sticker.

And there you have it, bags packed, ready to go! Our French adventures have already begun, complete with pink poodles and an introduction to a foreign language. More details on our projects to come. Until then, we're leavin' on a jet plane (and I'm off to find out the rest of the lyrics to that song!).

What the Art Teacher Wore #36

Every Dress Should Have a Gradation Monday: I mean, holy moly. It's the ultimate waist slimmer! dress: vintage, picked up in Orange, CA; belt: vintage, gift from a friend; key tights: best little tights shop on etsy!; shoes: Ninewest, thrifted

 I hope you all have had a great week. Mine, particularly the weekend, was just wonderful. I made the long drive from Nashville, Tennessee to my hometown of Wabash, Indiana. It's about a 6 hour drive and I'm the World's Worst Car Traveler. After about hour two, my butt goes uncomfortably numb and my eyelids become exceptionally heavy. Thankfully, I had a frightening book on CD to keep me going (I find that the spookier the story, the more awake I stay) and plenty of candy, gum and caffeinated bevies to keep me going.

I rarely make it home but I just had to this weekend. We celebrated a family reunion on Saturday and the fall weather couldn't have been more perfect. That evening, I caught up with some high school buddies for casual class reunion. I also had a chance to catch up some of my favorite friends and stay with my wacky mom. She and I always have too much fun together. 

But enough about me, let's talk about...well...me. And what I wore this week. I'm also throwing into the mix a fabric designer that I can't believe I'm just now discovering: Celia Birtwell. I love her designs...as well as the story of how she and her then husband revolutionized fashion in the last 1960's. I think you'll like her work as well. 

Until next time, have a great week!

Celia Birtwell was a fabric designer with a strong love for Picasso and Matisse. I think you can see that influence in her work. What I think is especially cool is that later, she and her (then) husband Ossie Clark designed clothes for Picasso's daughter Paloma. That must have felt pretty incredible. Images via pinterest.

Celia was the fabric designer and Ossie crafted the clothing. Aside from Paloma, such amazing folks as Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles wore this couples haute couture designs.

That In-Between Time Tuesday: So it's been cool in the mornings, warm in the afternoons, cool in the evenings. I'm not so sure I'm ready to pack up all of my summer duds yet, so I'm doing this in-between thing: sweaters with summer dresses. It's not going to last much longer...but it's allowing me to put off the dreaded Closet Season Change that is sure to happen within the next couple of weeks. You know, packing away all of the summer clothes and getting out all of the fall/winter. It literally takes me a weekend to make the change. sweater: Anthro, thrifted; dress: vintage, thrifted; tights: dunno, Target?; headband: Peachy Tuesday; shoes: Dolls by Nina

To showcase their designs in the late 1960's, Celia and Ossie came up with the first concept of a catwalk fashion show. They created a runway, had music playing and invited as many folks as possible. Their flowy frocks and tops were best showcased by moving models.

Poochie and Paris Explosion Wednesday: Complete outfit details here.

The artist David Hockney was completely smitten with Celia and considered her his muse. Many drawings and paintings of Celia and Ossie were created by Hockney.

Pencil drawing of Celia by David Hockney.

Flower Power Thursday: I scooped up this Very Brady dress on my trip to St. Louis. I wish I had the pattern for this dress, I love the design. Maybe one day I'll be able to figure out how to create a pattern from a dress...any of you sewing geniuses know how to do that? dress: vintage; shoes: Indigo by Clarks

Ossie and Celia in the late 1960's.

Painting of the couple by David Hockney.

Headin' Home Friday: After school, I hopped in the car and made that trek home. It made for a long day but it was totally worth it. sweater, dress: vintage; belt: gift from a friend; boots: old, Seychelles

Celia and Ossie are no longer together. After their divorce, Celia dropped out of the fashion scene for many years. She's back now. And I highly recommend you check out her designs here, they are simply amazing. Love the fabric, love the flowy romantic designs.

And I love her sketches. These especially remind me of early Betsy Johnson sketches. Another of my fave designers.

DIY: Paris on my Feet, Poodle on my Purse

So I used puffy paint to Eiffel Tower-ize my T-strap shoes and pood'dazzle my thrifted pink box purse. Sit still for too long in my presence, you just might be next.

Well, bonjour there, compadres! It's been like, I don't know, 10 minutes since I've updated my blog with something that I've French-fried and I just knew you were going through withdraw. Obviously I was. I mean, just how many Eiffel Towers can one put on things before people start to talk? Let's review just how many things I've attacked with the image of la Tour Eiffel:

 

The Let's Go to Paris art room windows.

 

My embroidered Eiffel Tower dress.

  

The I-See-London-I-See-France Dress.

 

And, now, these here shoes. 

Looks like someone has a problem.

Now you might also recall that I have an inclination toward DIY'ing my shoes. I've crafted pencils, crayons, Santa and just plain tacky shoes here. Over the summer, I tried my hand at creating my own 1970's style pattern-y sandals. So, when I found these Nine West shoes at Goodwill recently, I got the itch to give them a redo. Of the French variety, of course.

I promise you that is not a pair of panties stuffed inside the shoe but one of hub's pink hankies. It's best not to ask.

I began by changing the color of the shoes. They were a little too scuffy for my taste, so I used some black upholstery spray paint I found at the local craft shop and hosed 'em down. 

After they dried, I used a pencil to begin sketching in a very basic Eiffel Tower. I knew I wouldn't be able to get too detailed with the silver puffy paint I used. So I tried to keep my design simple. 

And there you have it, Eiffel Tower shoes! My students were quite fascinated. And I was impressed that the puffy paint had a lot of give. The paint didn't crack or flake off as I had feared.

And then came the Poodle Purse. A friend and I recently discovered a great new thrift shop in our town of Franklin, Tennessee called Thrifty Tula. My buddy spotted this purse for me and for three bucks, I was sold. It had already been spray painted this pink color. Turns out that was the perfect canvas for my poodle.

My Eiffel Tower addiction just might become surpassed by my Poodle Problem. Not convinced? Look here, dudes:

The entrance to the art room is Poodle-y 

And, of course, there was the making of this Gladys Presley Poodle Dress.

And, now, this here bag. Poodl'ized with black puffy paint.

I even have friends that support my Poodle habit. One of them is the marvelous hair accessory designer Peachy Tuesday who crafted my poodle headband from the fabric of my dress.

Did I mention that I also have a Pink Parisian Poodle Puppet named Fifi? She was a gift from Jes and is visiting us from France. She has been teaching the kids French words and phrases. She occasionally tricks us into repeating after her and saying such silly phrases as "J'aime la fromage puant" (I like stinky cheese).

Thanks for reading, guys! I'm off to see if I can use my bumpit to craft a giant hair Eiffel Tower at the top of my head. Where there's a will, there's an Eiffel Tower. That's my motto, anyway. Au revoir!