AFRICA: Art Inspired by Africa

Each week I teach art to about 700 elementary school students. We just completed our African Art Unit and nearly 1100 pieces of art is hanging around the school. Let's just say everyone is going on a safari each day as they walk through the building. As usual, I am THRILLED with the creativity that came from my students! We continue to develop our pieces until they reach that "aha" moment and then it gives me GREAT PLEASURE to hang them for all to see. Very soon I'll post a wonderful slide show that showcases our African inspired art. And, equally exciting to me, very soon I"ll post the African Art  book for teachers and art enthusiasts on my website. I can't wait to share it with art teachers all over the world! Next up, art reflecting the colorful part of the world known as Central and South America! I can't wait to have my students develop art reflecting the culture and creativity of Ecuador, Mexico, Grand Cayman, Puerto Rico, and other Central and South American Countries. Viva! That's all I have to say about that! Stay tuned for the amazing African Art Show that will be posted on this blog! It's been a tad busy lately. My middle son got married last weekend and we are wrapping up all kinds of awesome things at school as this is our last week! Peacocks and Rainbows is going to take a giant leap forward this summer!

KENYA (AFRICA): The Beauty of the Masai

During the summer of 2010 I went to Uganda and Kenya on a mission trip and had the PLEASURE of teaching school to over 400 students. We spent most of our time in Uganda. The people we were with look pretty much just like you and me and dress just like you and me. Then, we went to Kenya. We were able to do some “tourist” types of things in Kenya including going on several safaris and visiting a Masai village. The Masai are a remarkable people. They have managed to maintain much of their custom in a modernizing world.  They are semi-nomadic people and reside in the game parks of East Africa. They are, many times, tri-lingual speaking Maa, Swahili and English. Wow! Amazing!  They are known for their bright red clothing, beautiful beaded jewelry, and for being terrific cattlemen. They drive large herds of cattle all over the Masai Mara and the Serengeti. And that drew me to them even more as I grew up a farm girl in western Kansas, driving cattle on my horse with my family. I fell in love with their beautiful beaded jewelry and accessories they make  In fact, the whole group was in the Land Rover ready to leave the village and I was still in the area they had set up for us to sell us their beautiful  beaded items. I showed my students one of the colorful necklaces I bought there on the first day of school. And, I have eagerly been awaiting the Africa unit all year at school. We are painting and drawing and sculpting so many “sights” from my trip to Africa……many of the gorgeous animals that graze on the Masai Mara plains where I was, but also the beauty of the Masai. They have got fashion design all figured out” And as a former fashion designer before I began teaching theatre and art, I just couldn’t wait to get my student’s paint brushes painting the beautiful Maasai!

JUST FOR FUN: Spring Break Spa

     Spring break is here and many are looking for economical, fun, family friendly things to do! Here is an idea to use to make some memories with your daughters….or to just have fun yourself. A little ART in the kitchen AND the bathroom, so to speak! 

Plan a SPA day! And have it right at home! And, the best part is, with warm weather right around the corner these items will keep for awhile and you can keep refreshing your skin for the spring and summer outdoor activities! Add a yummy salad, a refreshing drink of juice and ginger ale, some fresh fruit for dessert...and enjoy lunch outside in the fresh spring air and your spring break spa day will be even more special. Don't rush thru "making" the spa items. You'll make great memories with your daughter while you enjoy creating spa memories in the kitchen. End the day or afternoon with a nice warm bath treat....or use the spa items another day. That's up to you!

And, make the project even more ARTFUL by making gifts packaged with beautiful homemade labels and ribbon to give to friends and family!

Sea Salt Scrub

½ cup sea salt

½ cup olive oil or almond oil

½ teaspoon orange zest

½ teaspoon lemon zest

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl that has no traces of water in it. This will dissolve the salt. Scoop mixture into jar or airtight plastic container and store in a cool dry place. Keep it by your shower or bathtub. Just before bathing, mix ingredients with your fingers. Rub with a light scrubbing motion on body as bath or shower ends. Rinse off completely.

Sugar Scrub

1 cup dark brown sugar

½ cup sweetened almond oil or extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon liquid vitamin E (You can also cut open a vitamin E gel cap.)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or your favorite essential oil (Citrus works nicely.)

1 tablespoon honey

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, except for the brown sugar. Mix well. Then add brown sugar and mix well again. Scoop mixture into jar or airtight plastic container and store in a cool dry place. Keep it by your shower or bathtub. Just before bathing, mix ingredients with your fingers. Rub with a light scrubbing motion on body as bath or shower ends. Rinse off completely.

Lime and Rose Milk Bath

     Roses smell wonderful and limes are great for oily skin. Lime also helps reduce acne breakouts on the skin and shrink pores so this is a great milk bath for teenage girls experiencing acne breakouts. Leave the lime out if you like. I'm not sure what girl, regardless of age, wouldn't like soaking in a tub of roses!

2 cups of powdered milk

2 cups of real rose petals

5 drops Rose Essential Oil

3 limes

3 drops of Lime Essential Oil

     Slice two of the limes and squeeze the juice into the bowl. Add the lime oil drops and rose oil drops. Add 1 cup of rose petals and powdered milk. Mix gently and pour into the bathtub. Slice the remaining lime and sprinkle it, plus the remaining cup of rose petals, onto the top of the bath water. Soak, smell and savor the moment!

Cleopatra’s Milk and Honey Bath

     The legendary and beautiful Queen of Egypt was known to take milk and honey baths every day. Since she has transcended history, it must have worked for her, so it will surely work for us! Your skin will feel so soft! Use this recipe often!

½ cup powdered milk

½ cup raw honey

Mix these two ingredients in a bowl and then place into the bath as it fills. Enjoy! (Also, adding a tiny bit of aloe vera gel to the water is good for wrinkles.)

Dry Milk Bath
     This is one of my favorites to make because it keeps well and makes a great gift! It's fun to decorate the jar. I often use those pretty canning jars that have the patterned glass. They can usually be obtained at Wal-Mart or the grocery store in boxes of 12. 

1 cup powdered milk bath

8 drops of essential oil in your choice of scent

Mix these two ingredients will and place in airtight jar or airtight plastic container. Makes a great gift!

Note: Do not use homemade bath products with oil such as perfume oil or essential oil in whirlpool bath tubs. Also, you can order essential oil from many online sources. I can also purchase it at my local large hobby and craft store as well as the whole foods grocey store.

Decorate your containers: Have fun using store bought labels, making your own fun homemade labels, pretty containers (The Container Store has amazing jars!), colorful ribbon, raffia, etc. to personalize jars and give as gifts. While many of these ingredients will keep for awhile, I think it is best to use fairly quickly. 

 Enjoy your spring break spa!

MY CAMPUS: Rock 'n Roll Line!

As an elementary school teacher there are many things that I do that could be lumped under the category of classroom management or school management. One of those things involves getting my students to clean up at the end of art class and then line up, either to walk down the hallway to P.E., or be picked up by their teacher to go back to class. While students are lined up, it can be one of those times when it gets noisy, when students will push and shove each other (Ok-let's be honest.....they DO that!), get upset because someone cut in front of them, etc. And, as the teacher, I might still be trying to finish up helping a straggler get cleaned up, etc.

Last week we did a Fun Friday Crazy Hair art project where the students learned about and drew the different types of lines. It is amazing how one creative moment can CREATE another creative moment. That simple, yet very fun, and informative lesson in lines led to a spontaneous moment a day or two later when I found myself with a couple extra minutes to wait for a teacher. Love it when a unique idea happens! Wanted to share this one!

While students were standing in line, I said in a very quick voice-so fast it startled them," Make a straight line." Well, the looks on their faces were kind of puzzled. They know me and know I don't get mad at them, but they hadn't heard me say line up quite like that before....so I had their full attention. They looked at me with lots of questions on their faces. Without missing a beat I said quickly, "Curvy line." The light bulbs began to go off and immediately the students stepped out of their straight line into a curvy line. Lots of spontaneity followed. Short line (down low to the ground), tall line, zig zag line, tall-short-tall-short line (every other student stood tall or short), random line (they could strike a pose), wiggly line (feet stood still, waved arms in the air), I even threw in a rock star line (took a big breath on that one-and yep-I was right-loud and guitars), then I said, "Straight line." And, then I said, or whispered almost, "Quiet line," with my pointer finger over my mouth. Well, I can assure you.....I was the coolest art teacher ever at that moment and maybe the coolest teacher of the day! And I had the quietest and most straight line of students ever waiting for their teacher. And, it was amazing how that spontaneous, simple game held their attention...and the best thing about it is now that they "know" it....I can freely move around the room while I play the game and help the stragglers clean up. I can also appoint one student to lead the line up game! Awesome day in the art room! I love it when unique ideas come just because a teacher tries to constantly make things better for their students!

(Note: As I did this with my other classes, periodically I would throw in "straight line" to just get them regrouped before another line was called.)

UGANDA (AFRICA): Bagala Beads

This past summer I went to Uganda on a mission trip! The colors of Africa are still with me every day. I crossed paths with a wonderful woman named Irene who makes beautiful jewelry and purchased as much as I could squeeze into my suitcase to bring home to my family and friends. I had crossed paths with this jewelry before, however, in all places but Dallas....where I'm from.

Bagala means "love." And, there is a company in the Dallas area called Bagala Beads & Baskets that was founded to help Ugandan mothers provide a better life for their families. Brett and Shauna Fuller, the founders, sponsored children in Uganda for three years before actually traveling to Africa to meet the people and visit school children. Their experience there is what prompted them to found this company. Uganda is full of wonderful people who are working hard to rise above the incredible hardships caused by a terrible dictator, war, and the tragedy of AIDS. The women who make these beads are able to provide a meager lifestyle for themselves and/or their family. The beads are made from recycled magazines, posters, paper or all kinds! And, they are COLORFUL and BEAUTIFUL!

Read more about them at: www.bagalabeads.com