Christmas Presents on the Bulletin Board

I'm not sure how I 'missed' adding this bulletin board image to the Christmas RoundUP I posted last week? 

I'll go now and reverse engineer it into this article. 

How brilliant is this teacher? 

Talk about multi-tasking!

Parent gifts are used as decoration on the bulletin board. 

BAZINGA!

Now, pin the idea so you remember and you're 333 days ahead of the seasonal situation for next year.

Now. How about your gifts? 

What fun goodies did you receive?

Look at the ultimate stocking stuffer I received!

So let's take a poll. 

What was the most 'unique' present received this season?

Were you naughty or nice? 

Did you deserve coal in your stocking? 

Yes, folks. 

Your favorite nomadic Author-Illustrator will now be 'truckin' about the countryside in style. I am the happy recipient of my very own travel trailer tag-a-long. The question remains. How long will it remain custom order white? I have already begun to envision the possibilities! Has anybody painted a vehicle/trailer? Any insight on the type of paint required to embellish with rainbows? 

While we're all still on 'family-time' I'm going to add the happy evidence of our latest time together. As I type, we are headed via car evidence above, from GA back to FL. Here's my mom and dad with their newest GREAT-grandchild..... which makes me a GREAT-aunt for the first time. 

My mom, Baby N, Mama Kelly, Sister Rebecca

My Parents, Niece/Mama, Daughter Noelle + Moi

We were so fortunate to have a nice-sized component of our family in the same setting for Christmas. Our youngest, Noelle and her hubby Zac drove down from DC -- just a heartbeat after she'd had oral surgery to remove all of her wisdom teeth. Those who know her well will notice her atypical inability to smile documented above. We were all so grateful for Z's care + concern lavished on her recovery, so that we could be together. 

Peace of Christmas

May the joy of today bless your heart with

PEACE 

to last the whole coming year. 

Here's a new angel for your collection. 

Hand Print + FOOT Print Angel Decoration Craft

In case you missed our family with Santa, yesterday, in the Santa collection, here's a rerun of those smiles. 

[This is as close to a Christmas card as I get these days.] 

From our home -- where ever it is, where ever we are... to yours! 

May this time of togetherness and gleaming delight transcend any challenges you face and propel you into wonder and awe to last a whole new year. 

-- Debbie -- 

Santas, Santas, Santas and MORE Santas!

Do you have the cookies ready for Santa? 

While you are in the mood.............

I thought it best to get these photos uploaded, before I lost track of them.

Ho HO Ho HO Ho!!! 

Paper plates and cotton balls, some red construction paper, crayons, markers dab of glue. 

How do you do? 

Artwork from the Houston Airport: MD Anderson Project

How about a couple of additional Santas from my recent RoundUP of Christmas season bulletin boards? 

Saving Santa: Writing Bulletin Board

And now for some family fun with Santa! 

For our family scrapbook.
The last preschool version. 

Santa visits the neighborhood for cookies and more!

GeeGee and Grand-dad with the Mettle 5, Pataskala OH

Let's conclude all of this merriment with some 'Southern Joy.' This looks like the gen-u-ine, REAL Santa with our brand new, grand nephew in Augusta. Such a blessing. What-a-picture! In real life, in real time, we're driving right this very minute to go hug this little bundle of blessings. 

-- Debbie--

The Nutcracker Suite in Children's Art: Best + Brightest

TRADITION! Tradition! TRADITION!

This is the time of year to appreciate TRADITION!

When was the last time you saw a performance of The Nutcracker? 

In case you missed the ballet this year, I have a scrumptious visual treat.

Welcome to "The Nutcracker Suite" via third graders vision.
This art is the latest to be captured during my: 
Author-Illustrator school visits. 

Pretend the lights are dimming. 
Cue the oboe: tuning everyone up. 
ENJOY!!!!

CLARA. 

THE SUGAR PLUM FAIRY.

THE MOUSE KING. 

They're all here!
I LUV excellence and this is amazing work 

Nominating these for the best use of GLITTER: EVER!!!

**I seriously adore each of these pieces, but there's something about the 'movement' that is portrayed in the above painting that makes me catch my breath and hush. Incredible portrayal. 

Each individual piece is simply stunning, isn't it? But the collection taken together as a whole is absolutely breath-taking! Next up is what the Nutcracker artwork looks like massed together on the hallway bulletin board.  Yes. This is another project directed by the brilliant Mr. Harris, that oversaw the creation of the entire village of snow-covered buildings I showcased here just yesterday. 

Bulletin Board of Nutcracker Suite Artwork from Scioto Darby Elementary 

It seems fitting to conclude all of this glitter, glitz and glamour with a photo composite I created from my time earlier this month at the Gaylord Resort in Dallas. Those folks know how to decorate. If nutcrackers are your thing..... this HUGE fellows were decorating the concourse. They towered over my height. 


WHAT?!?!? You didn't know that I got to give the keynote in Dallas for my first national event? Click back here to read all about it! I wrote the article from the perspective of "overcoming" and using your gifts, making gradual progress over time. 

Debbie gives her first NATIONAL Keynote!

*****Now that I'm thinking of the highlights of the year..............  

Let me share the linky happening over at "Bunting, Books and Bainbridge." 

There have been a LOT of highlights!!! 

I am now on Teachers Pay Teachers. 

That's a HUGE step forward. 

My NEW store: 2012!!!!!

So I'm creating zip files that include the Mp3 version of some of my favorite songs! Right now I have all three of my 'picture book's songs' into the zip format, with teaching/support materials included. 

One of my most involved articles of the year, is my RoundUP of all types of bulletin boards through out the year. It continues to climb my Top 10 list. 

Bulletin Board RoundUP 

Winter Village Showcase of Snow Covered Buildings

Gingerbread Village Created in the Elementary School ART Room 

Wait till you see this collection! 

Pinch yourself. 

This is the stuff of dreams.

Showcases filled to over-flowing with snow-covered buildings.

ENTIRE VILLAGES! 

I've made an Artist-in-the-Schools visit to Scioto Darby Elementary in Hilliard, Ohio, every year for probably about a decade or more at this point in time. It's a little bit like old home week. Familiar faces and hugs all around. I get to spend the entire day with the kindergarten classrooms of eager students. I have a lot of favorite places to visit -- and this one's at the top of my list. 

It's so much FUN for me to return to schools and programs where I've been before. I know my way around. Literally. I know where things are. They know what I'm all about and have asked me back. 

I feel like Sally Fields. "They like me. They like me." 

But my favorite part? I tend to get invited back to programs and schools of EXCELLENCE and I can hardly wait to get there to see what's new and different since my last visit! I was just in this building at the very end of the school year and got to see the whole building in ART SHOW mode.... and now 6 months later? Holiday finery!  

With every extra minute I have available to me I can run through the hallways and snap up pictures galore. These masterpieces have been designed and crafted under the amazing direction of the building's Art teacher, Mr. Harris. Each building is a delight, but massed together -- the effect is simply breath taking! The twinkle lights amid the buildings? INCREDIBLE!

This collection is truly to be admired in its entirety and each one individually to be treasured. I decided that if I were to move in -- I'd select this orange and red little number with the wiggly stripes and swathed in the glorious garland. It seems the perfect choice for a DIVA such as myself. I'll ask the designer to add some polka dots upon my move-in. 

What do you do when you run out of space in the showcases for all of your glorious buildings? You start hanging them on the bulletin boards -- of course! 

As an old  former Elementary Art Teacher, I stand in awe of an 'accomplishment' of this magnitude. KUDOS to Mr. Harris for having directing each student's to create such an original contribution that adds to the sum total on display. If this were all that were involved -- I would award the man the highest medal possible. He didn't stop here, our Mr. Harris. He kept GOING! 

In addition to each student creating their three dimensional 'home-for-the-holiday' from upcycling a variety of boxes, he also directed each student to create a written account of their holiday season celebrations. These writings were on display under and around the showcases. (I seem to only have taken two pictures of these writings -- which showcase a photo of the student's 'house' and their explanation. Apparently I was just completely mesmerized by the structures themselves.)

I hope that you enjoy this incredible project via these several photographs. Standing there in person was simply amazing! Know that teachers the world over are directing students in amazing ways. You see that evidence here. Support the teachers nearest you in any way that you are able.

May this amazing project bring some sparkle, cheer and hope to your holiday weekend.  

-- Debbie -- 

Your sharing via pin, tweet, + or beyond will bring additional eyes to this excellence. Thank you for passing this onward.