Summer of Color - Blue

Kristin at "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" is holding a 10 week celebration of colour. Week 1 had us share what we hope to create with each of the colours. This past week has been a focus on the colour blue, one of my favourite colours.

Over the course of the week I tried different things.

My first project was to create a collage of different blues, cut from a magazine.

Next, I created blues by adding more and more white to my blue. (I have my grade 3s do this every year and they love to see the colours change.)

I next played with paint and materials to move the paint around with:

just with a credit card:

with a credit card and paint brush:

and finally with fingers, brush and stamping. Finger painting - what fun!

I will probably use these last 3 for ATC backgrounds as well as postcard backgrounds.

It has been fun playing with colour. Be sure to join the celebration of colour at Twinkle Twinkle!

Shadow Shot Sunday

Finding shadows offers an interesting challenge when days are cloudy and we have had a few of those days this past week. But the challenge of the hunt is always there and I found a few shadows this week.

Yesterday I took my class to Westfield Heritage Park as part of our pioneer unit. I always enjoy that trip into the past. Here are a few photos I took:

Be sure to visit Tracy's blog "Hey Harriet" and check out the great shadow-chasers there.

Wishcasting Wednesday

Today at Jamie Ridler Studios, Jamie once again asks a probing question:

What do you wish to begin?

As I thought about the question, I realized I have already begun a number of things - a 100 days to healthier living, more creativity and a clearer space.

Yesterday at Ginny's blog a quote you posted really spoke to me:

"If you want your life to be a magnificent story, then begin by realizing you are the author and everyday is a new page." Mark Halahan

As summer approaches, and with school almost finished for the year, this quote and Jamie's question has made me realize I need to start each day with a sense of gratitude, wonder and expectation - that there is much to do and see and feel and experience; that each day is a chance to experience fully new things.

At 25, I despaired that there were no firsts left! Imagine that! Well there have been many firsts since then, and I want there to be many more in the future.

I also need to begin a greater sense of adventure and facing fears. I knew I was in trouble when I turned down a ride in a convertible two days ago because of my fear of driving (my accident 20+ years has really limited my life in many ways) . What a first that would have been!

As Jamie says:
"You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy. Answer the wish prompt above on your blog . Support wishes by visiting other participants. It’s that simple. There is great power in wishing together."

Summer of Colour - First Week

At "Twinkle Twinkle", a colour event is happening! Each week a different colour will be highlighted and everyone creates in the medium of their choice. Sounds like it will be a lot of fun. There will be wonderful giveaways as well!

Words from Kristin about this 10 week exploration of colour:

"Welcome to The Summer of Color, a 10-week blog party celebrating art in all it hues!
Beginning today - and every Monday throughout the event - we will focus on and create art based upon the beautiful, bold and luscious colors of the rainbow. We will work in our preferred medium exploring color and share what we produce here. We will link our work using the widget on the bottom of each Summer of Color post and, for those who participate, leave a comment to be entered in a weekly giveaway. The purpose of the event is to emerge ourselves into the world of color: playing, experimenting and learning from one another throughout the lazy days of Summer . . . "

This week the colour is:.....

Beautiful, beautiful Blue!

"There are connoisseurs of blue just as there are connoisseurs of wine."
- Colette

Here is a description of blue:
"Blue is the overwhelming "favorite color." Blue is seen as trustworthy, dependable, and committed.The color of ocean and sky, blue is perceived as a constant in our lives. As the collective color of the spirit, it invokes rest and can cause the body to produce chemicals that are calming. "

My Goal for this 10 Weeks:
I want to explore each colour in tints and hues first, then experiment with watercolour and acrylics in each colour. Can't wait to get started! I will probably use some of the art for ATC backgrounds.

YouTube Videos on colour
Here are a couple of fascinating looks at colour (I've provided the link to each YouTube post)

The first is a 13 minute piece on Aelita Andre, a 4 year old Australian girl who is having a solo exhibit in New York! Her use of colour is amazing!

The second shows the creation of a tall painting by Holton Rower by pouring paint from coffee cups! It too is amazing and mesmerizing!




Drop by "Twinkle Twinkle Like a Star" for some fun and colour play!

Sunday Weekly Wrap Up and Shadow Shot Sunday

Yesterday we had rain and dark clouds.

Today was a beautiful day - sunny and warm with a bit of a breeze. Yet I was inside, for a few hours buried in a book. It kept me awake til 2:30 last night and then I had to finish it this afternoon. "The Year of Fog" by Michelle Richmond -it was gripping and very readable. I would recommend it.

Shadow Shot Sunday:

I wasn't able to get great shadows outside yesterday but I did manage a few inside shots of plants:

Today with the bright sun I got a few shadows - my favourite on our porch with the cat in the background.

The 100 day challenge has begun and altho it got off to a bumpy start, I am trying to concentrate on healthy habits and creativity.

I finished my June calendar this week for "The Kathryn Wheel's" challenge and altho it isn't quite what I wanted, I have been keeping up!

I found an interesting download at "A Holy Experience" - A Hundred Day calendar. It has a place for three things you accomplished each day. I love the idea of keeping record for those 100 days but with just a few items to check off.

Did I :

exercise/ eat healthy/create/read/declutter?

These will be what I try to focus on each week.

ATCsI continue to work on ATCs. They are quick and fun, and pose at times, a bit of challenge.

These were for a PAT - where each person in the swap Picks a Theme (try to guess the different themes!)

A Sharpie flower:

Children's Book Characters:

And of course my favourite - zentangles:

Tomorrow starts the colour challenge at Twinkle, Twinkle and I am looking forward to that.

I am so looking forward to the end of school as well! lol This week all the Grade 3s in Ontario will have done or will be doing the Gr. 3 and 6 EQAO Assessment. My class will be writing it Tues - Thurs. for several hours a day. What a bloody waste of money! I can still remember the little girl who looked up at me a few years ago and said, "But you're a teacher - you're supposed to help me!" For the reading section (there are 2 other sections - math and writing!) we can offer no help at all. And I have several students who are not reading at grade level. We will get through it though as we always do.

Have a wonderful week, full of creativity and laughter - we all need both!

June - Time for More Creativity

(Created by a student of mine last year - the perfect motto for June and beyond!)

June 1 - one month left of school, a time to begin new habits and new challenges.

The wishcasting at Jamie Ridler Studios for the past 2 weeks has been focusing on health and money and I want to work on both of these.

While visiting a number of blogs I have been inspired to join in with a number of challenges this month:

Collage Contessa has daily art for June:

Twinkle Twinkle will be starting 10 weeks on June, with colour challenges:

As well Creative Every Day continues to inspire me. Check down my sidebar for all the other wonderful blogs I try to visit regualrly and who are all inspiring!.

Today as I start June, I have worked on my June calendar and am brainstorming projects I want to work on.

This is also the New Moon and as I prepare for the Full Strawberry Moon on June 17, the idea of collecting images and materials, I intend to ask myself:

"What would I love to delight in this month?" (words from Jamie Ridler who hosts the Full Moon Dreamboard - something not to be missed).

Creativity, better health - these are my goals for June. I will return to my Sunday Weekly Wrap-up this Sunday, to share my journey.

Wishcasting Wednesday

A new week - and a new month! - a new wish from Jamie Ridler of Jamie Ridler Studios.

What is your money wish?

I could retire from teaching this year, but financially it is not the right time. When we married nine years ago we were both recovering from financially draining divorces. Here we were at 50 entering marriage as a 20-something with few assets. We have just paid off our house and are slowly building up our retirement fund.

I would so love to retire, so that is my money wish:

that we can crunch the numbers and find a way that I could retire next year rather than in 2 or 3 years.

As Jamie says:
"You can be a maker of magic and a tender of wishes. It’s easy. Answer the wish prompt above on your blog. Support wishes by visiting other participants. It’s that simple. There is great power in wishing together."

Visit the wonderful wishcasters here.