The View From My Window

Before we get to our regular programming, I thought I'd show two comparative pictures.

This is the view from my window just two short weeks ago. Thanksgiving was warm and breezy but it smelled like fall and the leaves were swirling throughout the yard.





This is the view tonight. We got about six inches of snow, by my estimation--the good, sticky packing snow, perfect for snowball fights.


Today's art: And so that we might remember those summer months, check out Scott Wade's website. Wade creates art on dirty car windshields. I'd like the Mona Lisa sketched into my windshield. It would liven up the whitewash caused by the crust of snow!

Tomorrow I'll post a Christmas craft to get you through the weekend. Enjoy your Thursday!

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Create Your Own Picasso-Inspired Collage

The great thing about creating art is that you never have to show it to anyone if you don’t like the way it turns out. Thus, I am not posting a photo of my collage. I hope you have better luck with your Picasso-inspired musical collages.

Supplies Needed:

Poster board
Colored papers
Sheet music
Newspaper
Paints
White glue
Water
Paintbrush

Cut shapes from your colored papers. You could cut pieces of musical instruments in any colors you’d like or cut music notes. Cut out pieces from your sheet music (do a search for sheet music and print something out if you don’t have any music you can cut up) and use words from newspaper headlines if you want your collage to say something.

Choose what kind of paper you want to use for your background. Picasso often used wallpaper but wrapping paper will work well also. If you don’t have either, tear up pieces of construction paper to make your own background.

Mix a little glue with water to thin it. This will make your paper turn out less wrinkled after you glue it down.

Brush on enough glue to hold the background. Stick it to the poster board. Arrange your collage pieces on top of the background and, when you like the way the collage looks, glue down all the pieces.

You can add paint to your collage, too. Maybe you want to accentuate some of the notes in your sheet music with red paint. Or you could add guitar strings. Use your imagination.

Good luck!

Click here for a Matisse-inspired collage project.

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Picasso's musical collages

Thank you to all who commented on my noveling adventure. Your support really means a lot. Now that's recovered a bit I can post properly again.

Picasso was born in 1881 in Spain. Picasso’s father was a painter and sculptor and began Picasso’s art education at an early age. Picasso lived in Paris for much of his life where he lived passionately until his death in 1973. His art grew and changed throughout his life and he was key in forming several important artistic movements. I could and will write posts on each of Picasso’s “periods,” as they are called.

Music influenced many of Picasso’s pieces, including his collages. Today’s post will be on these musical collages.

Picasso used wallpaper, cloth, and sheet music in his musical collages as well as paint. He used wallpaper most often to create the background and then cut the sheet music, cloth, paper scraps, and newspaper into the shape of guitars or pieces of guitars. Then he combined the shapes on the collage to represent a guitar.

Look at the collages shown below and think about what you might want to use in your own collage. Tomorrow I’ll post a Picasso inspired collage project.

Glass of Vieux Marc, Glass, Guitar, and Newspaper:

Guitar, Sheet Music, and Wine Glass:

Guitar and Sheet Music:

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Create Your Own Christmas Candle Holder

This is a fun project that can be enjoyed by all ages. These festive candle holders can be used as decorations in your own home or can be given as homemade gifts.

Supplied Needed:

Glass paint
Glass candleholder
Paintbrush
Palette
Cotton balls
Rubbing Alcohol

Protect your work space with newspaper. Use the cotton balls to wipe the candleholder with rubbing alcohol. Once you have wiped the candleholder, don’t touch the area you intent to paint.

Find an image to paint. You could go online and print something out, use a stamp (like I did), take a picture from a magazine, or draw your own picture. Tape the picture to the inside of the glass.

Now trace the image onto your glass with the paint.
Younger kids will enjoy experimenting freeform on the candle holder. Even just painting dots of red, green, and white is fun.

When you’ve finished, have an adult light a tea light and drop it into the candle holder for you. I recommend a Christmas-y scented candle like cinnamon.


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NaNoWriMo 2007 WINNER!!

I am an official NaNoWriMo Winner! I have written 50,000 words in one month!
And I got this pretty winner's icon. Cool, huh?

My total NaNoWriMo Word Count:

50024 / 50000 words. 100% done!

And with 3 1/2 hours to spare!