Over the holidays Amie got to stay for several days over at her friend, E’s, place in NY. E is four and a half and bright as a button and she loves playing with Amie. They are well matched for verbal communication – they both love to talk – and they are both interested in …
Category Archives: arts/crafts (children’s)
Amie Writes?
I’ve been quiet about Amie’s reading and writing here because it’s tough to know where she stands. One day she reads and writes enthusiastically, the other day she won’t even write her own name properly (and that she has been able to do since she turned two). She has been reading simple words, slowly stringing …
Drawing Humans: Clothes
Amie has taken the next step in the development of drawing humans: clothes. She had just come home with the cutest class photos and we were discussing that we should cut some out to send to the grandparents and godmothers. She didn’t want to. – I want to keep all of them. (*) – But …
Ocean Diorama for Homemade Christmas
I’m pretty sure that our Tia Tata doesn’t read this blog, so I think we’re fine, but IN CASE YOU’RE TIA TATA, LOOK AWAY IMMEDIATELY! Okay, that said, all the rest of you can get a preview of one of our homemade Christmas presents. It’s a diorama for our friend Tia Tata, who is a …
Outdoor Hour Challenge #1 and Field Book Drawing
The first Outdoor Hour challenge is simple. Read pages 1-8 (did that, read my “book review” here) and head outdoors! The focus is Comstock’s principle that “In nature-study the work begins with any plant or creature which chances to interest the pupil.” So yesterday we went for an hour-long walk around our block and we …
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Owl Observational Drawing/Painting is complete
Maybe you recall Amie’s observational drawing of her “Owlie bank” last week. It wasn’t finished yet. We returned to it over the weekend and she water colored it in. She has taken over my habit of trying the paint in the margin, to see whether it’s the right color. Is that the right orange? She …
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Home Made Christmas
I’m not going to give too much away. I’m going to try. If you know us, please look away, or not too closely, or don’t look at the pictures (okay, I won’t put any pictures). Sigh… We are making all our Christmas gifts this year ourselves and out of materials we already have (most of …
Our First Project: Painting Birds
I’m warm because I’m sitting in the sunlight, but it’s coooold out here: 20 F this morning (there’s no wind). The Red-Bellied Woodpecker that is supposed to be in Florida is still here. Can it really be our bird feeder that keeps him here? The day before yesterday I believe I saw a new bird: …
Realism in Kid’s Art
While perusing the marvelous Camp Creek Blog and emailing Lori about some of her entries there about observational drawing outside, I happened to mention (and realize, to begin with) that when Amie draws “from something” outside, she will attain a realism that is (to me) uncanny. Like the drawing we did a while ago at …
Sewing for Beginners
Amie has taken up sewing. So far we’ve kept it simple: I fold a piece of thick paper several times across and along the folds I cut some holes. Then I put some colorful yarn in a huge plastic needle, tie a knot at both ends and off she goes. She’s not always sure where …