US History the West (Horses)

We finally got our art project done. We still have to make a soup, decorate pumpkins, and DJ has to do his first Biology lab. Last week was a crazy week, with outside activities. So, not much traditional school work got done, but still lots of learning.

Caitlin is studying the West this year. One of the fun activities in her book, the book can be found in an older post, and it is a good one, was to learn about the history of the horse in the west, and an art project. She did a blog post on the history of the horse, the Piebald. Her painting is the first one, and is a Piebald horse. She drew it first, then painted it. I think she did an amazing job. She actually can now use this painting to enter into the 4H fair.

Mine is an abstract, rather than the traditional horse type painting. I wanted something for Fall. I am really pleased how it came out, and will be available to purchase in my Etsy store.

Native American Art

We are not studying Native American Art, per say, but we are doing American History and I am trying to correspond our art lessons with that in mind. Both of the kids completed their art project, but I did not. I am currently drawing out a Spring garden picture, and it is not complete yet. Once I finish that, I will do my Native American art piece. DJ did the Indian wearing the bear head/hat/mask. I really love how it came out. Caitlin chose to do a wolf, which is one of her most favorite animals. Mine will have to do with the Buffalo, but that is all I will say. We did not get to start watching the Irish video yet, or do the Geography. Maybe this next week.  Next up I think will be either something with the flag, or The Statue of Liberty.  Maybe I will combine the two in one lesson.  That might be pretty cool.

American History Art: Week Two Log Cabin Drawings

For week 2 of our American History Art class, we drew log cabins. The kids were not told how to draw their art. The only directions was to draw a log cabin like the Colonial Americans would have had. So, I was glad to see they both drew their cabins in the woods, as did I. They both wanted to leave them as pencil drawings, so I said OK. I think they would look nicer with color, but hey whatever. Mine is not finished yet. I still have to add the outhouse somewhere, and mine will be painted. Speaking of unfinished, I have not finished my Mayflower painting yet. Good grief! Probably Monday, and Tuesday I will catch them all up. For Wednesdays Art class, next week, I decided to do some Mardi Gras Art, and some French cooking. I decided to add some Geography into our Wednesday fun day lessons. We now will do experiments, writing, Art, test day, and Geography on Wednesdays. Nothing major, just some fun stuff. I will try to do the Geography around holidays, or celebrations. Madis Gras will be both for French history, and New Orleans.

We had to cancel our trip to the springs, yesterday, due to it being so cold. I am hoping to reschedule it for a few weeks from now. Have an awesome weekend!

Landscape Art, I Have A Dream Writing and Freedom

Landscape Art, was our last drawing lesson. You can see mine below. I combined the Art lesson with the Freedom lesson, assigned to DJ. For me I feel free, anywhere there is trees, and water. Preferably at the ocean, but a lake or stream is just fine too. There is a pink lake in Senegal, that I think would be amazing to visit. I am not sure I would swim in it, very high salt concentrations, but to just sit there and read a book would be amazing. I believe there is a pink lake in Australia, too. So, that was my Freedom and landscape Art all in one. Caitlin drew out her landscape, and is currently turning it into a Minecraft world. I will share images of it when she is done. DJ finished his animal project, and still has to do his landscape. Hopefully, on Friday.

DJ was given the writing assignment, after watching videos and Martin Luther King Jr, and his, I Have A Dream speech, to pick a topic that he would want to conquer. He is currently putting it in outline form, one of the hardest things to do in the Writing Process, for him. Then he will put it into essay form. I won't say what his dream would be, but it will be on his blog when completed. I too, will be challenging myself, to create an I Have A Dream, essay. I can not decide what one topic I would want to stop if I could. There are so many that are dear to my heart. I would say ignorance, is at the top, but that is something you could beat to death and never change. It will be here on this blog, when completed, and this time DJ gets to critique my writing, grammar, punctuation, etc. This should be fun, lol.

Homeschool Art Still Life Drawings

When most people think of still life art, they think of fruit, or flowers in a vase. I guess that is what most still life subjects are. However, the Art lesson said a still life is a drawing of any inanimate object. There were other rules too. Two of the most interesting, that I took from it, was that all still lifes should have an odd number of the item Also, that famous artists used the color red to draw people to what they actually wanted them to see. Very often it was just a small amount, maybe not even noticeable. So, now I have to go to an Art museum to look at some of these pieces of Art. If you look at them online, the red may not show through. That is what the teacher said.

Anyway, I did roses, but on a glass plate, with a black background. Painting on glass plates is always a challenge. You have to paint backwards to get the image to appear properly. If you ever read my other blog, you know I have been chasing the perfect rose forever. I still have not attained it, but I am so much happier with these. I actually used a red, and green, paint pen to draw the roses and leaves on the plate first. Then painted them in. The black goes on last. I have two other glass plates done too, using a different technique. I think these would make adorable gifts with homemade cookies or fudge on them. Those will be shared on my other blog.

DJ decided to do a still life of one of his favorite video game characters, Link. The drawing is what he would envision Link's room to look like. I like it, a lot.

Caitlin, did not actually complete hers.

We only have two lessons left, animals, and landscapes. Both are my favorites, so it should be fun.

How To Draw the Nativity for Kids and Beginners

We are still on Christmas break, and I love to share extra things I find during this time period. Why not draw a nativity? Below you will find a video tutorial. After you get good at it, you could make an ornament. I hope all my readers had a wonderful Christmas, we did. I am thinking if I want to have my kids make a New Years Resolution this year, and see if they can stick to it. My son, and I, are doing a 30 day plank challenge, together, and it is a challenge. Do you have your kids make a New Years Resolution? Do they stick to it?

How To Paint A Christmas Tree and Some Homeschool Books Listed on Ebay

I love books, especially homeschool books. If you are a long time homeschooler than you probably have 8 thousand books that you are probably never going to use. I buy them because I think I will use them, or they are kindly given to me when others don't want them anymore. I accumulate them, until I have nowhere else to put them. Then I have to start decluttering. I have listed several homeschool books in my Ebay store. They are not auction format, so plenty of time to get in on them. I will be listing Magic Tree House Books, soon, hopefully tomorrow. Both my kids have read them, and loved them, but are both too old for them now.

I thought I would share some Christmas art videos. I love the one below, it is in three short parts, but I can't wait to try it. Do it with your kids, and hang them up every year. We still have to do our faces art lesson. Can you tell I am trying to avoid that one? LOL! Hopefully we will get to it this week.

Thanksgiving Vacation, Lets Draw A Turkey and Pilgrims

We are officially on Thanksgiving break. Normally we only take like three days for this holiday. But, this year is special. My husband and son have left for NY, this evening, and won't be back for a while. So, we are on vacation until they return. Which is OK, because I have a ton of paper work to catch up on. I have added after hour school work to DJ's day, because he needs to study to absorb all the material he needs to learn. He really does not have time to study during a typical school day, or week. His weekends will still be his to do what he wants, unless he gets behind, which should never be an issue for us. Emergencies though can clog up a schedule. I hope they have a ball, and Caitlin and I have some fun things planned too.

One of the most popular posts on this blog, is an old post about how to draw a turkey. So, I found a new one, and updated it to draw a new turkey, and cute pilgrims too. Caitlin was giving the assignment to make a turkey shaped building on her Minecraft world. She said she didn't think she could, but she did and it is splendid. Last year both kids had to make Mayflower ships on their Minecraft worlds. I am thinking a Nativity, Santa and a Snowman are in their Minecraft futures, lol. This will give me lots of time to catch up on some crafting that I have not had the time to do. I love to paint, and I didn't get any in this week. I have a baby cocoon and a baby blanket to ship out to Newborns in Need, and am challenging myself by attempting a long duster type sweater. I will let you know how that goes.

Homeschool Art Lesson 3 Drawing Hands

Our third drawing lesson, was to draw hands. Hands are hard to draw, and as you can see none of us were brave enough to try a cupped or closed hand. As you can also see, all three of us decided to draw our hands holding nature. Mine is the one holding the tangle doodle snake. Why did I choose a snake? Because, I love to do the doodle tangle art, and I dislike snakes, but mine is beautiful. The kids picked a butterfly and baby Sea Turtle. I am not sure which lesson we will do this week, but I better decide soon, lol. Tomorrow is Monday. I think in between the drawing lessons, I might add in some remakes of the Masters pieces. The kids do no have to paint in their designs, I do mine, but I do like them to color in with colored pencils. My paintings are for sale in my Etsy store, and you can find the store banner on the right hand side of this blog.

Homeschool Art Week 2

I am a little late on sharing last week's Art assignment, but better late than never. The assignment last week was to use your creativity and create an animal that has never existed. I did a pink peacock, and an orange and yellow peacock that kind of looks like a turkey, lol. I painted mine in. The kids used colored pencils to color theirs in. DJ did a Blue Bear, that I love, and then he drew out one of the monsters from his video game. Awesome! Caitlin did a rainbow tiger, which would be amazing if it was a real tiger. This week we are doing hands. Hands, are hard! Stay tuned to see how we do.

Free or Frugal Homeschool Friday: Art Lessons

Today, I am focusing on Art for Free or Frugal Friday.  I believe I only saved free ones, but some may have the option to purchase more lessons or supplies.  I already downloaded a free Drawing Curriculum, but I can no longer share it, because the giveaway has expired.  I may use that one, but there are several others I found that I like more, or just as much as the one I downloaded.  So, I am still undecided.  Kinderart, and Math Art Projects look to be two that I am definitely leaning towards.  But, I also want them to learn the Masters as well.  Maybe we will do the Masters another year.  You can always make your own Art Curriculum, but that does take a quite a bit of time.  There are quite a few links, so be sure and look through them carefully.  The book at the bottom, Draw and Write Through History, I am considering getting for my youngest child.  There are six books in the series.  She enjoys these kinds of books.

http://www.whatdowedoallday.com/2014/05/math-art-projects-kids.html
http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/education/school-educator-programs/teacher-resources/arts-curriculum-online
http://artinspired.pbworks.com/w/page/13819585/FrontPage
https://cdaltonkhs.pbworks.com/w/page/57753036/Mr%20Dalton%20Knightdale%20HS
http://panthers.k12.ar.us/high_school/departments/art/art_web_pages/lessons/syllabus/Art_1_Syllabus.htm
http://www.donnayoung.org/art/index.htm
http://kinderart.com/artlessonsbygrade/highschool.shtml
http://www.metmuseum.org/learn/for-educators/lesson-plans
http://www.teachartathome.com/lessons.html
http://www.incredibleart.org/lessons/high/highlessons.html
http://homeschoolarts.com/main.htm

Last Art Class for 2013/2014 School Year Pink Parakeets

Today was our last art class for this year. Caitlin picked the Pink Parakeet for us to paint, and then proceeded to paint hers purple, lol. DJ painted his on a perch, in a cage, and my two are in a beautiful tree. Next year, we will again do Art, just not sure what we will do, or if I will purchase a curriculum. Do you do Art, in your homeschool? Which do you use?

Red Bellied Woodpecker Homeschool Art Class

There is a short, but cute story, that goes with this bird we painted today. Back at the beginning of Winter, or close to then, a Red Bellied Woodpecker took up home in the Snag in our yard. A snag is a dead tree that is not a full tree, just part of it remains. My husband wanted to cut it down two years ago, but the kids begged him not to because birds and squirrels love it. Since it really is no threat to anything, other than it is ugly, my husband let it be. So when the woodpecker moved in, the kids were so excited. We would watch him digging out his house everyday. Then they decided to name him Jeffrey. After a while I found there was a Mrs. Jeffrey. We figured they were building a nest. Every morning at 7 sharp, Jeffrey would talk right outside my window, and wake me up. About a week ago, Jeffrey stopped talking, and yes I over slept, lol. I thought something happened to Jeffrey. The next morning again, no Jeffrey. But, as I sat there drinking my morning coffee, I thought I saw Jeffrey go into his home. Then he came out again. Then him and Mrs. Jeffrey were taking turns, and they had food, but no talking. They must have babies in there! How exciting! I can not wait to see them. I hope this doesn't mean Jeffrey will leave when the babies are grown.

Anyway, since we have been painting birds all year, we decided to paint Jeffrey who is a Red Bellied Woodpecker. Actually their head is read, and their belly and beak are are a kind of soft orange color, but I didn't name the bird. We all decided we would paint the snag, and then Jeffrey. You can see the results below. I was given a bunch of empty wine bottles. At first I was not sure what I wanted to do with them. I had done some lights in the past, but didn't really care for them all that much. Then, I got a brilliant idea. I paint on the wine bottles, then I insert a solar powered stick light. Voila garden and yard lights for night, that use no electricity. I did four that looked like lighthouses, but the stripes are a pain to paint on. So, today I painted one with Jeffrey on it. I think the rest will have animals too, or scenery, those are my favorite things to paint. I am still unsure if I want to offer them as made to order pieces in my Etsy store. They would be such a pain to ship.

Summer Schedule, Terrariums and Outdoor Art Class

Yesterday, was our last 4H meeting of the year. DJ is technically in two now, because he joined the Archery group as well. Now we will have a banquet dinner in August. It was a good year, we covered First Aid as a group, and all the kids gave a short demo on something they learned. I was so proud of them all for doing this. It is not easy to get up in front of people and speak. DJ finished all the Photography books as well as FLVS Creative Photography, plus book two of Entomology for 4H. He has had a very busy and productive year. I am so proud of him. Caitlin finished her butterfly book for 4H. She too has been productive and equally proud of her. For the Summer moths, Earth Kids we will be taking off appx six weeks to get past portfolios, evaluations, family visiting and VBS. So, we will begin meetings again around the third week of July. Today's meeting was canceled due to bad weather in the area. DJ will continue Math and through the summer, until both segments have been completed. He is doing so much better and it is starting to click. Caitlin will also continue her Saxon Math through the Summer months. I am also adding an Art program to do over the Summer. This will be one or two days a week. As you can see from the pictures below, the terrariums they made at the last Earth Kids meeting, are beginning to grow. It is fun and exciting to watch something grow that you planted from a seed, and we have grapes already on the grape plant we planted about two months ago. Yesterday, I also moved a spare table out to the front porch so I could paint out there. Today, we held our first painting class outside. It was nice and cool in the morning hours and so relaxing and peaceful. I highly recommend it. Well that is it for now. It is thundering and I better get off before I lose all my work.

Happy Wednesday!

OK, well Blogger has changed yet again the way in which I upload pictures, grrrrr!!!!!! Anyway now that I have that off my chest, on to the real good stuff. Yesterday, was our first painting class, with my mom, since before the holidays. Neither one of us had the time to do it. Even though Caitlin and I still paint, DJ doesn't do much, so it is nice when we all do it. He doesn't paint, he draws,and for some reason his fish he drew managed to not get in the pictures. He drew a pretty mandarin fish. Everyone got to do their own thing yesterday. My mom painted a huge pickle jar, that she will be putting homemade dog treats in to sell at the Farmer's Market. I have been cleaning and then upcycling old salsa jars into candles. First I clean them, paint them and then add the candle. They make cute gifts and reduce waste. I am hoping they will be popular in my Etsy store. I have done two Easter theme ones. One has a brown bunny, and the other this sable colored bunny. On the opposite side of the jar is a cross with a wreath of flowers. To see all the pictures be sure to visit Melissas Jewelry and Gems. Caitlin painted a picture of her very own bunny.

Then, later in the afternoon, we had our Earth Kids meeting. This was our second nature walk, and this time we went to Manatee Springs. They were supposed to be looking for specific leaves, but unfortunately there are not a ton of them out yet. However, we did see Manatees in the spring inlet, look you will see it. And a ton of deer, which are quite smaller than the deer I am used to in NY. They blend in so well with the drab surroundings, you could easily miss them if they were not moving around. Manatee Springs is one of the more dangerous springs to swim at. There are signs everywhere that say no swimming, and swim at your own risk. Yet, people still do it. There are a lot of snakes and even some gators at this particular spring. Last year, because there are diving caves under the springs, a diver got lost and died. We don't swim there.

All in all a good week so far. And tomorrow, which is Thursday, seems to be my day to relax from here on out. The only day we don't have something planned for the rest of the school year, or at least right now, lol! Kids of course continue with their book and course work, and the third semester ends in just a few weeks. Almost over, already!  Oh the first painting is my very first attempt at an abstract painting.  I kind of like it!

Challenge Your Kids To Think Outside The Box

To use their imaginations, in another words. My kids are pretty creative, except when it comes to the Arts. Whether it be writing, drawing, or painting they are more of concrete thinkers. I am sure that is somehow my fault, lol! We haven't had time for an Art class in a while, but I was determined to get one in today. A while back I had been researching Art projects for kids. One of them was to have your child draw a whole picture and everything had to be a specific shape. So, I picked rectangles. DJ thought about it for what seemed like forever, and then all of a sudden a light bulb went off in his head. He made a creeper mask like on Minecraft. If you play Minecraft then you will recognize this thing. He even made straps so he could wear it. Caitlin complained the whole time that her trees looked like boots, and was she really supposed to paint the sun in the shape of a rectangle. LOL, we all got through it, and you can see the results below. What do you think?

Winter Theme Homeschool Art Class

I finally took pictures of the items we painted on Monday. We do a lot of Christmas crafts, this time of year, and I wanted a general theme this time. So, I picked Winter, as the theme. Each child could choose whatever they wanted as long as Winter was somehow incorporated into it. DJ, with his ever humorous self, drew the Abominable Snowman having a snowball fight with Rudolph. He used colored pencils to fill in the color. Caitlin, who seems to always focus on animals, painted a white wolf playing in the snow. As for me, I got this silver tray at a garage sale, and I painted on a Winter scene, with of course Santa and his sleigh. I still have one more coat to apply to the accents on the house, the snowflakes, and the writing, then it has to be sealed. The reindeer were extremely difficult, and I actually ended up lightly drawing them in pencil, then painting them in with a very fine script liner painting brush. I believe painting on objects is referred to as Tole Painting, and I very much love it. Better than art paper or canvas. I am currently working on upcycled jars that I am painting on and turning into candles, as Christmas gifts for friends. I will share them soon. Hopefully I will finish them Monday.