fingerknitting

this is how it began. i had some old cereal that needed a purpose, and so we got out the yarn and started making little garlands of (fake) cheerios and dried apples for the critters outside to enjoy.

leif was interested in the yarn but not the food. i've declared this winter to be a knitting one...where we all learn together. the moment was just right to open up the computer, visit our beloved youtube and learn to finger knit. so that's what we did.

inspiration took another turn when eric decided he wanted to knit a mitten and a sock, but he wanted to do it fast. so these were his creations. i helped with the mitten shape, but the sock was all his. don't they look warm and cozy?

eventually, eric was ready to try his hand at finger knitting, too. sitting with him as he was learning was the sweetest thing. his soft little hands and his sweet voice as he said things like, "i'm really knitting!" and "this is real knitting" were so precious. tonight, as joe made dinner, i worked with him more, and he marveled at how his chains were getting longer and longer, remarking that he wanted to make a cozy scarf.

even joe was inspired by our yarn adventures, and he taught the boys how to do this while he cooked.

the concentration, joy, and ability these guys display while working on things like this is just amazing. it really seems to relax leif, and his pride and wonder at his own accomplishments are a joy. eric, at only 3, is so capable, and it opens my eyes to a world of possibilities.

scenes from a birthday (mine!)

for some, moving the paint from place to place is just as exciting as using it.

painting penguins, polar bears, and peach orchards.

soothing a cold. we're all under the weather.

eric's works, from left to right: a squirrel in a peach orchard. see the varying ripeness? ;-), a penguin diving into the water headfirst (because that's how they always do it, you know), and a penguin portrait with eric's signature across the top.

downtime. don't we all look energetic?

the map fascination continues.

waiting for the....

cake!

a happy, mellow day at home with family. just what this birthday girl wanted.

handprint turkeys with eric

last year, about this time, i suggested making some handprint turkeys. leif was up for it, but eric lost interest after i traced his hand. the little turkey leif made has hung above his bed ever since (well, until recently, when an unfortunate jumping incident removed him from his delicate perch). sam loved that feathered friend swinging from the ceiling and was always eager to give his hellos at bedtime/storytime. so we'll have to make sure sam gets to make one, too. but today, it was eric's turn. while leif was at school and sam slept, eric and i got busy tracing hands, cutting out feet and beaks, and applying feathers. eric was pretty enthusiastic, making both a boy and a girl. he then wondered aloud about making a cow next. hmmm.... a cow.

well, we squished his fingers a little closer together, and voila! a cow - complete with black spots, horns (one got ripped off by the same turkey molester mentioned above), and a tail.

after leif got home and saw eric's turkeys, he set to work completely on his own to make one. i visited with a friend while he traced, cut, and glued solo style. i still didn't get to make one with sam...unbelievable! he'll be first in line to make the handprint santa, okay?

doodlebugs 11.5.10, open format

today we went with a new plan to shake things up a little, to give kiddos even more choice and creative freedom, and to maximize time actually engaged in creating art. it was magic to behold! i set up three stations, and as soon as kids arrived, they were invited to get started at the spot of their choice (instead of gathering for an opening story).

one station included mini "canvases" (paperboard from boxes in the recycling with white paper glued on top...leftover from a previous project), glue, and the ever-popular box 'o treasures (all the fun, random bits left over from previous activities).

another station offered permanent markers (probably the #1 most requested material by my munchkins) and water colors.

the last station included tempera paint (could offer these every time and everyone would be happy as a clam) and large white construction paper.

it was fascinating to watch which activities children chose first, how they approached the materials with little to no direction given by adults, and how they decided how long to spend at a various spot.

looking to move on, i do believe...

and inevitably, materials started moving from one spot to another (with some help, of course). and that was what i loved best. the freedom the kids felt to switch things up, pick & choose, and create new combinations. love that.

here is an interesting progression from eric. after watching a little creation by my sister (pictured above, third from the left), he was inspired to create a series of his own. instead of heart cheeks, he opted for little guys with light sabers. he also tried his hand at some new shapes for eyes and mouths. pretty cool, eh?

three cheers for creative freedom! rah, rah, rah!!! (and thanks for enduring all the pictures...i just can't help myself!)

doodlebugs 10.15.10, leaf rubbing resists

when gorgeous leaves are this abundant, you just have to do art with them, right? today we did crayon leaf resists with watercolor. i didn't get to the library to find a book, so we really stretched a literature connection with chicka chicka boom boom. letters fall from trees and so do leaves! tada! i told you it was a stretch. anyway, the kids had a good time, and their work, as always, is lovely to behold.

eric, sam, and i experimented a little with different types of paper before group. we finally settled on this construction paper because it was thin enough to get a good crayon rubbing, yet thick enough to handle the watercolor. we cut it into strips (6"x18") just for a little variety and to make it somewhat banner-like.

here, eric's incorporating his leaves onto a tree.

the tree theme continued at group where he drew "chipmunks" frolicking about on his leaves.

here, he said, "see? the chipmunk is rainbow and the acorn is rainbow, too...isn't that funny?" now go get yourself some leaves before they're all icky and make some leafy art of your own to smile about.

pool balls and butterflies

we are all really enjoying eric's art around here these days. his figures have such a unique expression to them. i snapped these one day after the big boys had played on a pool table. eric's drawings that afternoon incorporated the pool balls (made with a circle stamp we have) into the pictures. he even wrote some numbers on the sides, with a little guidance from leif. not sure how the butterflies figured into the story...i'll ask him and get back to 'ya. i think that might even be tinkerbell down there on the bottom of that second shot...hmmm....there may be quite a story here.

sticker stories

were this to hang in some well lit art gallery, i would love to eavesdrop on the passersby as they tried to interpret it. even better, i would like to watch as eric explained to them, in his oh-so-squishable way, exactly what he intended as he created it. since neither scenario is likely, i'd love to share his narrative for him. this colorful bundle of stickers is a bird's eye view of a basketball (or was it soccer?) game. all those fruity square stickers are players, with center court delightful marked by a bunch of happy balloons. looking closely toward the top, you'll see two cutie little girlies guarding the goal. at the bottom: evidence that dinosaurs tiptoed across the court.

these little fairies are gracefully running (dancing) about, passing the ball with perfect sportsmanship and skill.

one of my favorite parts is the "scoreboard" at the top which, eric explained, is being fixed at the moment...hence the screws.

i just love listening to the stories these munchkins tell while they're making art. the story-telling process is such a huge part of what they're doing with their hands. and if you weren't listening closely, you just might miss it all.