Fall Linky Continues

FALL LINKIE & BLOG HOP CONTINUES!!!!! 

A couple of days ago I started a blog hop on all things harvest and fall related..........

We've got some great ideas already being shared as we consider all of the ways to celebrate the seasons changing with the children that we serve. I'm especially fond of this photo. The singular sliver of grass was glimmering in the sunshine -- with a glorious backdrop of autumn, all at the exact moment that I happened by to capture it for your appreciation.

EXTRAVAGANZAS of color -- captured for my mom's benefit!!!!

Two roads diverged............

There's still plenty of time to add your blog post of fall ideas to the rest of the group's. I ask that you add a link back to this hop -- so that everyone can find all of the ideas being shared back and forth. Here's the original set of ideas.... just click right here!!!!

Here's an idea I saw yesterday on the PreSchool bulletin board where I was singin' my original children's songs... I'll show you those kiddos in a little bit. This was in the classroom for the four year old crew. Don't you just love the different expressions?

Doesn't that make an awesome bulletin board worth of smile makers? Show us what you've been up to and link back here to everyone else please. Pretty please!!

DIY Canvas Vest Conversion

PAINT BRUSH ALERT!!!! Spending my summers surrounded by artists, sculptors, painters, art galleries, art studios and glorious vistas -- I get overcome with the possibilities of colors being combined to create 'happy.' Here's a project that continues to unfold in-real-time. Take a peek here at the project partially underway. This will give you an idea where we are going to end up.

That's GeeGee and 'Little Red' modeling at the mid-way point.

Let's rewind a bit and see how we got to that plateau.

Here's the two of us with my trusty machine.

Let's back up even further..... here's where this idea got started. I found this white canvas vest at my local resale store. I'm a big 'thrift/green/resale' shopper. The fact that the financial investment was so minimal turned my creative juices on full-tilt. PAINT!! Let's rock out all of that white canvas!!!

Step one was painting a 'border' of polka-dots around the edge. [If you're a new reader here you may not be familiar with my polka dot addiction adoration.....just trust me, it's my FAVE!!!]

I followed the lines of the garment to help me determine the design in paint. I was looking for lots of 'patterns' within the patterns, something of an overall 'quilted' feeling for the completed garment -- only quilting in paint, if there is such a concept?? It drives my husband crazy that I don't 'draw' anything out before getting started. There really was no plan per-se. I just kinda-sorta leap in heart-first, plunge and hope for the best!!!

When we were back in Ohio mid-September I had gotten things this far along..... it suddenly dawned on me that I could combine the painted concept with actual 'fabric-embellishments' as well. The yoke of the vest are two cotton calico pieces, sewn to each other and then sewn into place.

VOILA!!!! Here's the front very near to completion. I still intend to paint the border around the front pockets. I also have a brainstorm for the collar, but I'm not letting that concept outta the bag at this point. Did you notice that I 'affixed' buttons over top of the denim-closure snaps? I super glued two buttons to each other and then super-glued those on top of the snaps (for some more color!!!)

       

I totally 'forgot to 'document' the making of the back. The back is about 89% fabric pieces sewn into place. The only paint on the back are the bottom two borders, the orange horizontal stripes and the vertical stripe to either far side. *****Several of the other vests and garments that I wear during performances have 'plain' backs and I cringe at those pictures, taken of me from behind, with an engaged audience lit up brightly and a blank canvas. After playing around for several weeks, I also just wanted to 'git 'er done' so the fabric jiffed-on, ultra quick solution was perfect to both 'needs.'.

*********During that September visit I was dispensed to get some 3T leggins for Little Red. I ended up at a 'thrift/resale/green' store for her as well. Wouldn't ya know it? There was a white oxford button down shirt in a 3T!!!! You already know where I head with this............ right?

It was right about this time in the photo above, that missy Red looked up at me and said,

"But, GeeGee??? What about PURPLE?

So it was off to the fabric store to find some purple with white polka dots.

Now, we can both be happy.

I'm hoping that we can get some pictures taken together -- in finished 'matching' ensembles.

Susan Hale Seminar

SUSAN HALE!!!!!!That's the finished product above. Rewind a bit, while it was still summer and I was still up in Door County attending painting workshops at Edgewood Orchard Gallery. It is my pleasure to introduce you to the stunning work of Susan Hale. I LUV everything about her approach. I have been introduced to her simplified graphic shapes of color over the last couple of summers, but it was truly amazing to watch her paint over the course of the afternoon. This is how she got underway.

She also begins her work with an 'under-painting' (in the same manner that Shelby Keefe begins, from an earlier chronicle here) and her choice is typically a variation in the red family for that initial layer. Those are her 'caulk-gun-like' cartridges of paint, posing as a still life in the afternoon sun.

My last days on the peninsula were a race between packing up, taking fall foliage photos for my mommy and visiting the various galleries for one final inspirational visit to tide me over till next summer. The Edgewood had this finished and framed piece of Susan's grand-painting style hanging prestigious outside of their garden gallery..... glorious in every way!!! I think of these sort of posts as a special treat for my Art teacher friends and my art appreciators. ENJOY!!!! I can hardly wait for next summer's demonstrations!!!!!

Autumn-4-Mommy Linkie

Fall. Autumn. Leaves-on-parade. Exuberant colors!!!

Today's post is for my mommy. My mid-western mother and lover of all things crisp, bright and cheery has been transported from her point of origin to a southern staple of surroundings. She's been missing the changing of the seasons. She has been longing for the bright maple trees annual exploding-splash of fireworks. In our recent phone calls I've attempted to describe these bright blue skies playing amidst the changing of the guard. For the last several days I have attempted to soak up the colors on her behalf with my Canon-PowerShot SX130 IS in hand.

 

My mother is the genesis of my playing-with-words. She's a poet, hewing words into order to transfix a fleeting moment forever on the page. She hammers a phrase deftly till it melds with the verse, which then turns forever in the readers mind as though it just fell from her heart. Some phrases probably do. Others no doubt require the hammering effort over days. Chewing and kanoodling till just the right expression finally comes forth, sprinkled between awe and effort. The final version bearing reference to the inspiration certainly, but it is that love of language woven thru the process that brings life to random letters joined together as words -- which paints the final picture.  It is her joy. It is her gift. Her avocation. It is my genetic heritage.

We are a mutual admiration society: me + mom, mom + me. Back in the olden days of this blogging effort of mine, she was no doubt my one continuous reader. She'd tell me,"that experience you shared yesterday -- that was really special. You are so capable at effortlessly telling the tale." So with a readership of one I continued on...... blogging in my cave, for my mom and the occasional friend who wandered in wondering where I've been lately.

The part of blogging that I appreciate the most, is going about my day as though others might appreciate seeing from my perspective. Seeing the colors at hand or the juxta-position of mums in the hands of a capable gardener. Blogging gives me a sense of appreciation for my own day unfolding. I am reminded that not every person has an October filled with trees a'fire. I am reminded that not everyone is regularly graced by looking into the big bright eyes of children. [My mom especially loves the photos of the children that I capture mid-song, when they are engaged, at ease and absorbed in the fun at hand as I teach them my original children's songs.]

Mommy, these pictures are for you. We went vagabonding, searching around our magic peninsula on our trusty green steed (AKA the motorcycle) for your amusement: me squealing in delight at each curve in the road as we went in search of color on your behalf. Allen, my ever patient chauffeur stopping at a moments notice when the skies and the leaves cooperated.

Every farmer's market and gift shop had painted a still life with gourd and flower in seasonal welcome.

Rejuvenated by morsels of dried cherries we'd thunder off in search of splendors anew, weighing vistas with close-ups.

October is such a favorite month for many teachers. Those first long weeks of establishing routines are already fleeting memories and most days get underway now without tears. The season's changing backdrop is inspiration for all sorts of art projects and writing prompts. Construction paper creations and cook books are filled with springboards to sensory delight. The prospect of costumes lingers in the air!!! It's harvest time!!!!! Share your blogging home with a wider world.

Let's link up!!! Please add your fall ideas -- new or old. All are welcome to join in here as long as there is a direct LINK & mini-shout out back here to the entire collection! Be a good-sport and send traffic to fellow bloggers sharing their ideas, by referencing the hopping-here!

I'd LUV for your post to share a memory of your mommy's impact upon you -- or your own mommy efforts on behalf of your own WonderPeeps!! Though that's a bonus and not a requirement -- but a lovely way to introduce yourselves to new readers.

Here's a couple ideas to get you started. These were hanging on the bulletin boards this afternoon during the Powell Kid's fest where I was a performer for "Big Hearts, Small Hands" childcare center.

And when it doubt???? Just give 'em glitter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You have two weeks to join the blog-hop. Be certain to reference the fun here at this post!!

I am going to do my best to link this blog-hop to other, similar hops:

1. Fall Challenge at One Artsy Mama

2. Monday Mingle at Tough Cookie Mommy

3. Montessori Monday at Montessori Now

4. Mommy Club Meme at Milk and Cuddles

5. Show and Share Saturday at I Can Teach My Child

6. Link and Learn at No Time for Flash Cards

7. Monday Madness at Let Kid's Create

8. Rockin' Teacher Materials