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It was a fun day today as we celebrated Chinese New Year! First grade made Chinese Masks earlier this month in honor of the event.  This is a really fun two day lesson using paint, FX crayons and tissue paper. Here is a previous post from last year's display. I actually bought the school lunch today which was a special celebrations lunch.  Pretty good for $3.50! Happy New Year!

I have a super star new student teacher in my classroom for 7 weeks. She started teaching one of her own lessons this week titled, " Super Hero Self Portraits." She spent the first week here getting to know the student's and having the 2nd graders use the digital cameras to take pictures of each other in a super hero pose.  After editing, laminating and cutting them out, she introduced the lesson this week with a  great Prezi Presentation.  The student's were exposed to the art of Roy Lichtenstein and are are using similar elements in their work.  Next week they will be using Dot Dot painters for the benday dots and adding speech bubbles.  Having student teachers is a lot of work, but I really enjoy the lessons they create and watching how my student's react working with a different teacher. She is doing a great job as a Super Student Teacher.

I have created  Texture Shoe Print necklaces with my Kinder student's for 14 years.  I use stoneware clay and  Mayco Stroke and Coat Glaze . I got a few samples of it at the TAEA convention. I like using it for this lesson since you only have to fire one time. I use a straw to poke a hole and  I write their names on the back. I use a plastic string so that it doesn't break when they wear it home.  It's a keeper!!

One of my most popular posts from 2012 year was My  Favorite workshop at TAEA in San Antonio.  I taught this lesson this past November 2013. (Yes I am behind on my posts.) This was a very difficult lesson for my 4th graders. The original lesson was for 3rd grade. My student's objective was to draw a simple contour drawing of a Texas Symbol. Trace the drawing with soap and then paint the shapes with acrylic paint on 15 lb roofing felt from Home Depot. Keeping it simple as they  painted was hard. Oh the mixing.... It's important to make the soap lines thick and not to paint over them. Repeat, don't paint over the soap lines!! After the paint is dry, you wash the soap off to reveal the black outlines.  This is the wow factor for most of the student's if they didn't paint over the soap.  I did have some very successful pieces finished and have displayed them in our painted frames in the hallway. I submitted this last Mocking Bird

The tree is wrapped up and put away, now what?   A year ago today I started this blog. I cannot believe the creative friends and resources it has generated for me. 20,000 visitors in a year, invitations to group boards on Pinterest and new follows by blogger mentors. This site has challenged me, but rewarded me in ways I didn't expect..... so now what? Trying new things can be hard at my age.......  I tried a new Yin Yoga class last week. Each class has a word of the day and Friday's word was Joy. How to find joy and keep joy in your life.  I know as a child growing up, I found joy in Art.  My goal at school is create a classroom environment that is stress free,  but this year I am adding Joyful to my motto.  Google the word Joy.  A Joyful Life  is a very popular subject. This site speaks to our crazy schedules in the art room, constant to do lists, deadlines, expectations galore. For me, I need to feel pause and feel joyful and not let my life overwh