I've been reading with interest as bloggers posted recently about cleaning chalk pastels by shaking in a bag of rice, and cleaning oil pastels by cleaning by wipingwith olive oil.
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Well, I tried it today. Dumped a little batch of chalk into some rice, shook like crazy, and the rice got plenty dirty. Not sure that the chalk pastels look any better though, and it drove me crazy trying to fish them all out of the rice (all except one - it looks looks like a blue pastel escaped my clutches). And that was just one small batch of chalks - I have lots and lots more. So I don't know about this. Can I re-use the dirty rice? Or do I need clean rice for each batch? Is it worth the time it takes to fish for them? Maybe we'll just continue to wipe them off with tissues as we need them. Evidently you all have WAY more patience than me!
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Time to check the weather - depending on where I check the forecast is for anywhere between a foot to 2 feet of snow tomorrow. Wonder if I'll have school... What is the forecast where you live?
Oh my gosh, I am still laughing as I think of you vigorously shaking that rice!!!
ReplyDeleteI wish you well with your coming storm -- business as usual here with sunshine and a little breeze. I almost walked down to the bluff to take a picture of the ocean yesterday. Following a few showers on Sunday, the water was a spectacular dark blue against a cloudless, light blue sky with the temp. about 68°. I'll be walking to school tomorrow -- it's about blocks. Have a good week, snow or sun.
I'm glad you wrote about this. I don't think it will be worth it to me, either.
ReplyDeleteWe just had a foot or so predicted for today, and school was canceled in anticipation of the storm. The weather delivered though, 14 inches with tons of wind.
I thought it was like magic!!! That's so weird it didn't work. I don't know how clean the rice has to be. I'm do bummed for you. Must've been the organic rice I practiced with:)
ReplyDeleteWe clean them with tissue as needed, but this sounds like a good idea too. I wonder if sand would work for a large batch of chalk pastels?
ReplyDeletePhyl, We had more sleet and ice. 2 days off now. The county is closed Level 3 no one can be out except police and emergency vehicles . Many the wind last night was bad Blizzard warnings. Down the road 59 mph winds. Hope you don't have to hear that. Take care!
ReplyDeletep.s. After reading about your chalk experience, I don't think I will try it. :)
Hi, just found your blog--
ReplyDeleteWhen I had a long term sub last semester for elementary art, the kids told me they usually wear their paint shirts (their teacher just has a basket of old t-shirts for anyone to use, and takes it to the lunch ladies to put through the laundry every now and then). If their chalk pastels or oil pastels are dirty, they just wipe them off in their paint shirts. I thought this was INGENIOUS in that it kept the kids from getting chalk or oil pastel on their cute clothes, and was so easy for them to clean off their pastels! They did, however, still get chalk pastel smudges on their hands and faces :). The fourth graders were doing this native american sand painting (on sand paper! such a cool idea), and made their own war paint (on purpose occasionally) under their eyes. :]
P.S. That same elementary art teacher had not one, but TWO dragons in her art room! She did them with her "studio art" classes, which are special art classes for fourth graders who stand out as responsible and skilled in art.
ReplyDeleteAnd, the weather here:
Ice everywhere, which is melting as the day warms up.
I also love your red wallpaper on the background of your blog--is that one of Google's templates?
Oh my gosh, two dragons - I'm jealous! Tune in for the story of my dragon, coming soon.
ReplyDeleteOh - yes - the wallpaper is a Blogger background. It reminds me of a similar burgundy colored wallpaper I have in the stairway of my home, which is an old Victorian-style house. I'm a big fan of reds, all tints and shades!
We had freezing drizzle all day Monday, home Tuesday and today. I don't know how much snow we actually got since it blew all day yesterday. Today it's just cold!
ReplyDeletePhyl! We missed the big snow storm this time!! Yeah!! The county is currently debating how to make up our 4 days we went over. Either go 43 minutes longer for 9 days to make up each day, go through spring break, or Saturdays... Who knows what's going to happen....
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