Decorating With Children's Artwork

I love kids. 


I love my kids.


And I love art. 
Ooohh! I love it! (and I miss it!) 


I pretty much love any form of creative expression, so when I am not photographing my kids, or making some sort of crafty or yummy thing for my kids, I force them to make something creative for me. It works for us. :)


I have several examples of these projects. Here is one I don't believe I have shared, though I could be wrong. After the third or fourth baby, things get a little hazy.


Anyway, I have been scouring the internet to find a photo of my inspiration piece. (to no avail) I was in the Pottery Barn Catalog in about 2008. It was a simple black and white primitive painting. I am sure there is an artistic term that I have forgotten from art school, but it was the style of painting where the design comes from the removal, rather than the application of the paint. Anyone?

Here's what we did:


I used a Hobby Lobby coupon to buy a great big  (wrapped) canvas. I always prefer big when it comes to canvases...and desserts. But that's another matter.


I covered the canvas in black paint and waited for it to dry completely. I have no photos of this process, but trust me, you can handle it.


After the canvas was very dry, I dressed my little munchkins in shabby clothes and smocks. And gave them some white paint and a few drops of colored paint (knowing this meant we would NOT be coming up with that chic black and white look...though now that I am thinking about it again, I am tempted to get another canvas an try that one next.).




I let them coat the canvas in their now-pastel goodness and then use their fingers to create designs in the surface.


Here is the result:


 

Note that this is not the type of project they can do without supervision, unless you are into the look of "mud". You will need to tell them to stop touching the paint in some spots before they blend it too much...or pull off so much that the design gets lost... you be the judge...the conductor, if you will.

Most of all, try to enjoy the creative process...and of course, the final product!

At The Coffee Shop

As you may have noticed, I love, love love post processing. It is like being an armchair artist for me.


One of my absolute favorite places to play is at The Coffee Shop. I don't know what it is, but Rita's actions, in particular, (she has other stuff too!) seem to work better for me than any others I have tried. It's like they makes sense to me, which I can't say for every action I have tried.


I have wanted to do some comparisons of her actions for a while.




I'd love to hear what you think.

Here's the picture I am working with for this test. This shot is straight out of camera. No touch-ups. Yet!

This action is called Baby Powder Room. I almost always run this action on every portrait shot I take. It is very cool, because running the action changes nothing on the photo, but sets the layers up for you to touch up by hand. I love that. 

The rest of these actions were run after the Baby Powder Room action, so the smoothing and anti-reddening, etc. does not have to be re-done.

So this picture ran through Baby Powder Room, then Coffee with Cream. Get it?

OK.

This action is called Coffee Shop Vivid. She does have other "vivid" actions, but I had to choose only a handful, so this is the one I picked. 

This action is called Creamy Toffee Latte. It definitely ups the red factor in his hair, huh?

I customize all the actions by adjusting the opacity of each layer, masking, etc. That is what you are supposed to do, by the way. When I first started using Photoshop I didn't realize that, so I'm telling you in case you don't know. It's OK to play because it's your picture! :)

In this version, I ran (Baby Powder Room and) the Hot Cocoa action. I think this one is my least favorite of the group for this particular photo, although when I compare it with the original, I like it much better.

This action is called Ice Pop. It is a relatively new action from The Coffee Shop. It works with gradients to create drama in the photo. Sometimes I do my gradient layers by hand for various reasons, but I have to tell you, I LOVE this action. When it is applied to the right picture...WOW! And of course, it is completely customizable (<= is that a word?), so the results are different every time you use it. 

This last one, I did by hand. I guess I don't have a Sepia action from Rita, but no matter. It is relatively simple to accomplish. Here you go:

I realize I am taking a huge chance here because most of you who are into photography already know about Rita, but just in case there is someone out there who doesn't, I wanted to point out that all these actions are FREE! I think many of them work in PSE as well, but you'll have to run over there and find out for yourself.

And by the way, I am not getting paid or anything. I just have always wanted to do a comparison of some of the actions, so I thought I'd share it with you. If you like it, let me know and I may be inspired to do another one.  :)

And please tell me: Which is your favorite?

Rocking Chair Redo Project

About a hundred years ago (3 months to be exact), I told you I would post pictures of the rocking chair that I helped make for a charity auction. It took me a while to wrestle the SD card from my son, whose camera I borrowed for the snap. But here they are, nonetheless.

We went with an ILLINOIS theme, since we are in ILLINI country here. 

These were taken out in front of the school before the auction.

I also took "before" pictures of this rocker when it was a lowly rummage sale find, 

but I seem to have lost them.

Let me just testify that it. was. ugly.

I sanded every inch of it, then primed it well.

Then the paint...

And then, decoupage.

It took forever to finish it!

At least it seemed way longer than the set of 4 dining room chairs I did last summer,

but then I got to take a breather between each of those.

Since this went to someone other than myself, I still have moments of panic that the decoupage will peel up at some point. I have a teensy bit of perfectionism when it comes to artwork.

This rocking chair was auctioned off for charity. I forgot now how much it went for, but I was happy. 
After all, the labor was cheap. I had the 6th graders cut out words and decoupage them onto the chair.

I think they did a great job!

I'm going to link this post up to Tatertots and Jello and a few of the other parties in my sidebar. Please stop by and see the other great projects featured there!

Spring Cleaning

This week, I have been granted a change in my usual schedule. Isn't change nice? (some times. LOL) I have been deep in my laundry room and my big 'ole attic, trying to do a little spring cleaning. When the sun comes out like this, even I get spring fever. It's out with the old (and too small) and in with the new! 


But I had to take a little break from all my cleaning, to stop in and check on some of my favorite blogs. You inspire me so much! I am bookmarking all your ideas for perking up my office, re-organizing my laundry room, and of course any spring-related kid projects. 


What am I to do with all these ideas? Well, I am going to pour myself a glass of iced tea and browse through the many, many items over at the CSN stores. Talk about your cure for spring fever! This place is your one-stop shopping source, if there ever was one! They carry everything from modern office furniture (for my office redux) to shelving and storage solutions (for my laundry organization). 


Of course, you know, every time I stop over there I end up in the kitchen stores shopping for new bake ware. LOL 


I'll let you know what I decide on and you let me know if you have any great ideas for me. I surely need them!

Valentine's Sweeties

On Friday, our troop hosted a Daisy Girl Scouts Tea Party. 
It was all pink and red and super-duper-girly. I thought I'd share some of the images, plus a few of the baked goods that are responsible for my tight jeans this week. :( 

Back to Zumba I go!

 You know what this is, right?

Red Velvet Cupcakes.

Divine!

 This is a Peanut Butter Heart Brownie Cup. 

Super Easy.

Super Yummy!

Valentine Tea Party (no boys allowed!)

 Please pardon the bathroom door hanging wide open. LOL You use what you have, ya know? :)

And... 

I ask that you ignore the fact that 

I forgot to take pictures until after we served the food. Kthanks.

My lovely co-leader set up the table-scapes.

So pretty!

I covet her white serve-ware.

Ooops!

I'm pretty sure we are not supposed to covet our neighbor's goods.

I'll just admire them, then.

And wish for some.

Except that I haven't really decided to love entertaining (at my house) yet, so I'm not sure I'd use them.

Unless, of course, having lovely, beautiful trays and dishes MADE me love it.

Now I am coveting again.

Dang it!

Here's a shot of one of the girl's plates.

No health food here, I am afraid.

Than's another lesson.

This is The Princess's Girly-Girl Tea Pot. Sweet, huh?

That's tea in their cups, but the way, not beer.

In case you were worried.

;)

It was supposed to have been pink.

Stupid Well-water!

This week I found out that I CAN eat my weight in pink Rice Krispie Hearts. 

Awesome.

Now, excuse me while I go do a few sit-ups!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Quick Valentine's Day Craft

I love the crafts we are seeing all over the internet which are using old book pages. I have made a couple, but have not shown any of them to you. I really need another day in my week! :)

Here is an easy and cute little decorating idea.

I use 12 x 12" art frames, which allow you to slip paper into the back of them without taking the back off. They are super handy and, I recently learned, not super easy to find. If you find some, buy them. You won't regret it.

Using this size of a frame saves me loads of time because I can simply stick a piece of 12 x 12" scrapbook paper in there to change my look for the seasons, as of course, we often use them for display of the kids good grades,artwork, certificates of achievement, etc.

If you don't have a frame like this, you will simply have to cut your scrapbook paper to fit your frame, but that's no big deal, right?

Choose some paper:

Grab an old book you can cut up:

I forgot to show you how to cut out a folded heart, but surely you can handle that, right? :P

Tape or glue the hearts wherever you want them to be.

Put it all in a frame and you're done!

Easy peasy.

Cute, right?

Kate

In my right-hand sidebar, you will find my blog-roll.
It is filled with blogs I have found and loved. Some I read often, some infrequently.



This morning I saw this face in my sidebar:

This is Kate, in case you don't know her.

Following is a post from her mother.

  You can read more about her on her Caring Bridge site if you'd like.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2011 4:29 PM, MST

If there were words that could express deep anguish of soul this would be dripping with them. If ever this earth has lost any luster it once held, today would be that day. If ever I longed for heaven so deeply my entire body ached for it, that would be now.

We have thought how to write what today held. There is no emotion that can be expressed adequately through this computer screen. And there is not time nor necessity to describe the detail with which we spoke. Know we will do our best to share what we feel appropriate to share. And the rest will be for us to wrestle through. To agonize and weep over.

We knew what we would be hearing today, and yet it lost no sting knowing beforehand. We knew any options that held a cure would not be present, and yet hearing it with our own ears while our precious daughter played outside seemed to erase years from our lives in that single moment.

We are faced with decisions that no parent should be forced to decide. Know this, we are well informed. Kate's Dr's care for her and want nothing more than to see her grow up healthy. But we are also at an incredibly difficult impass. No option is the obvious "right" option. With the amount and extent of drugs, radiation etc. that Kate has received, anything would be a guess, an attempt to slow growth of a horrific cancer.

Our hearts are broken and at the present feel irreparible. Our faith will not change. Our brokenness does not change the truth of what we believe. But our humanness hurts with everything in us. We know that with a simple word Jesus can wipe this cancer from our daughters brain. We will passionately ask for Him to do so, as long as we have breath.

We do not know the course of action we will take. We have many things to weigh in. If we choose to try and enroll Kate on a phase 1 study it would necessitate a move. I am not going to share all of our options at this time, as we are still processing everything. We have talked with Kate and she knows what she can understand.

In our desire to have people journey this with us, it can obviously open up doors of criticism etc. We are searching out everything, but please be respectful of our decisions as a family. We have talked with various "alternative" places also and we are leaving no stone unturned.

We ask as we journey into the days ahead, that everyone be careful with what words they use in reference to our daughter. She is here, as are her brother and sister. Please do not refer to her as terminal. Essentially, we all are. She is a precious little girl in desperate need of a touch from Jesus.

We are grateful for your prayers for us in the days ahead. We need wisdom and Kate needs healing. Please join us. We are also looking at taking a much needed trip to Hawaii, so our sweet girl can swim with those dolphins.