I'm styling!! Thanks ladies!

I have received the Stylish Blogger Award! I got it from 2 terrific ladies, both with blogs that I love to read.
First, from Christie at http://kids-finelines.blogspot.com/,
And then from Jacquelien at http://kidsartists.blogspot.com/!

So the first rule is to link back to the person who gave it to you (which I just did) and thank them. THANKS!

And then you're supposed to list 7 things about yourself. I've gotten one of these awards actually a couple of times before, and posted my list of 7 things each time. But I'll still try again and probably tell you the same stuff, since I don't think I've changed much since the last time I wrote.

1. I like words and word games. I like to play Scrabble, or Upwards, or Boggle, or my newest favorite, bought for me by my son this holiday time, Bananagrams. Oh how he knows me!
2. I watch trashy reality TV while blogging - Survivor, Project Runway, The Amazing Race, and even The Bachelor and American Idol. I suppose I should be embarrassed.
3. I stay up too late at night (like right now). I've been doing it all my life.
4. I was born in the Bronx, but I'm a small-town girl at heart. I don't like traffic.
5. I am basically a klutz, always tripping over things and falling off things (that I stand on because I'm only 5'tall) , but I'm comfortable and confident in the water. Oh how I love lakes and oceans!
6. I like to keep track of what my son is up to, even though he's sort of grown up. He's a senior in college plus he's in a band called The Radium Girls that will have a CD of original music out soon. He admits he's a disorganized mess and unfortunately I think he may have gotten it from me.
7. I'm a compulsive doodler. I doodle on everything, everywhere.

Then you're supposed to pass the award on to 5 favorite blogs, and since I read so many these days I thought I'd pick newer blogs, newer finds to honor. Here we go:

1. http://herdabbles.blogspot.com/ is one of my newer blog discoveries, and she's great. I especially loved her posts about James Rizzi and her brilliant idea to buy calendars 1/2 price for the art prints.
2. http://art-paper-scissors.blogspot.com/ is another newer blog friend, bursting with enthusiasm and great ideas. I'm going to make her lizards with all my new construction paper!
3. http://ms-artteacher.blogspot.com/ is Becca Ruth, "That Little Art Teacher". I love her terrific lessons that she posts.
4. http://stuckinthemudpottery.blogspot.com/ -this is yet another newish blog from a new teacher. Janelle, the blogger, is in my "neck of the woods" and even substituted for me last year! How cool is that?
5. http://faythelevine.blogspot.com/ Faythe is my niece and probably doesn't even know I follow her blog she's so busy, so I'm not going to bother to tell her about the award. But I want to tell YOU about HER. She is the gal behind the fabulous movie and book Handmade Nation, which details the resurgence of DIY (do it yourself) by indie crafters. She's now busy filming a movie about sign painters, but also spends her time traveling around the world promoting Handmade Nation and more, and she posts the most amazing photos of her travels. Such talent. For those of you who get into these things, her dad (my bro) is the well-known astrologer Rick Levine, who has assured me that I'm still a Libra and there is no new 13th sign.

And while I'm at it: a few special shout-outs - first to Erica (Art Project girl) who is probably a new mom today, since I haven't seen her commenting on any blogs. I'm not going to bother her with awards, since I can't top the arrival of her Stella.

And to Patty (Deep Space Sparkle) who I'm sure doesn't need any awards, but who is the real reason I started blogging.

And to Ted (Art w/Mr. E) who gave me some much needed technical advice when I was having trouble in my very 1st blog posts.

And to my blogger buddy Barb (Barbara's Thought of the Day) who I actually got to spend a day with this winter!

And to Dan the Monster Man, whose amazing work has stolen my heart. Here's a link to his blog: http://papermacheblog.com/.

.......................

Meanwhile... My blogger dashboard says that I'm not currently following any blogs. HUH? This has happened a couple of times before, so I'm trying not to panic; I hope they all come back. Because truly, I think I follow about a ZILLION of you , and it would be challenging to have to recapture them all somehow. Hopefully they will miraculously return!

I just checked - THEY ARE BACK!!! YIPPEEEEEE!! Has this happened to anyone else out there?

Picasso again - blue period, rose period

Sorry, it's not a Sunday comic (I didn't have one available today) but that guy on the left is pretty funny anyhow, isn't he? Kind of an evil smile...

Anyhow ~ Fourth graders learned about Picasso. After a BRIEF review (due to the time limitations of an impending vacation) of facial proportions etc, they drew a slip out of a bucket. Some were red, some blue. Those students who pulled a blue slip took a blue sheet of construction paper (dark, royal, or sky blue, or turquoise) and those with a red slip took a red-based sheet (I had a burgundy color, a couple of different mid-range reds, and two different pinks available to choose from). Time permitting, students began drawing a face, with a sad expression for blue period, happy for rose. These faces were "made up" - not representative of anyone in particular.

In the next class, the faces were quickly completed and traced with a black marker. After a very BRIEF demo (again, those time limitations) students began painting. Two tables were set up for blue period, two for rose period paintingts. The BLUE period students were given paints in blue, turquoise, black, white, and a silvery purplish color. The ROSE period students were given red, magenta, orange, black, white, and a silvery coppery peach color. They painted without water, sometimes wiping excess color off the brush on newspaper, remembering NOT to stir the paint when they dipped their not-so-clean brush in a new color (that way the color doesn't get "dirty"). They had just the one 40 minute art class to trace the drawing, watch the brief painting demo, and complete their painting. So if some don't look quite finished, it was the result of a student "time-management" problem!

I expected the students to be upset that they couldn't make their own choices whether to do a rose or blue period painting, but they went along with the color selection process without any arguments. Everything went GREAT - the kids mixed colors and painted enthusiastically! One student at each table was given a small bucket with some water, and they collected and cleaned the brushes for their table at the end of art, while their table-mates washed the table and put away the paintings to dry. Of course, one boy decided to spoil the perfection by offering to lick the paint if his buddies would give him money. By the time I got to the table, his tongue had a slash of deep magenta on it. Sigh... WHY?!!!!