Summer

stage one cutting the dough

stage two decorating

We had a lovely day painting our salt dough decorations on Friday, they all turned out beautifully.
It was our last class until the start of term next year and I can't wait to get started on some new projects together. Thank you so much to everyone who has come along especially the families who made the class such a part of their lives each week. I loved having you all and seeing what you made.
It is Summer here and I will be taking a holiday for a few weeks and will be not updating this journal much until the new year. I hope you have a rest and relax as well and look forward to what 2015 may bring.

Last class for the year today!

It will be our last class for the year today and our last class in our current location. I will be posting information through January about the upcoming timetable and classes will commence with the School term. Thank you so much to eveyone who has come along and made such beautiful artwork all year, I have just loved it.
I look forward to seeing you there and hope you have a happy new year.

Storm Glass

It feels like Christmas is barreling down and in an effort to get it all ready as quickly as possible I have been dashing around buying things. Unfortunately I seem to buy myself things, why does that always happen? These silver sneakers for example.

I guess it is just lucky I didn't see one of these beautiful Storm Glasses in my travels.  I have a friend who has one and it is so magical. It predicts the weather by either being clear or crystalline and was originally used on by Admiral Robert Fitzroy on his voyage with Charles Darwin on the HMS Beagle. I bet they had some interesting chats.

Salt Dough Decorations

This week in Art class we made salt dough decorations, we did the same activity last year and it is a lot of fun and the decorations last for years especially if you seal them with Estapol once they are decorated.

 turn this...

into this...

with these salt dough decoration instructions....

Walter Martin Christmas song

Today we will be back on for our second last Art class for the year. I can't believe it!
We will be making something and decorating it next week so come along for the first step today between 10 and 12 if you are in the neighbourhood.
I have not even thought about Christmas yet but I have just bought even more copies of Walter Martin's album We're all Young Together for Christmas presents. I just love it so much.
Walter has released a very sweet Christmas song that you can download for free on his site. It is very lovely and I think I have listened to it about fifteen times already this morning.

childhood books

Part of what I hope to do on holiday is read lots of chapter books to my children. I have borrowed some of my favourites from when I was little and am looking forward to revisiting them. I have to say I found re reading the Magic Faraway Tree decidedly un magical so hopefully these two favourites are still as good as I remembered!

Monday

There will be no new activity to upload this week as I am away on holidays. See you next week for a new one.
If you are feeling uninspired you can have a look at past activities like the one pictured here.

No Class today!!

There will be no Art class today, Friday the 5th of December as we are away on holiday. Woo Hoo.
Hopefully I am lost in a jungle or drinking a cocktail in a pool under a palm tree. Or looking for fish in the water.
I hope you are also having a relaxing day too.
See you next week on the 12th of December for the second last class for the year!!

This american life

I often listen to these pod casts whilst working, I love the scope and sense of discovery it gives me all while sitting at my desk. It makes me feel like I have met all these interesting people.
If only there  was an Australian equivalent.
I haven't started yet but It seems their new series Serial is captivating as well, maybe I will try and catch up on it all at once.

hoop planes

turn this...

into this...

with these hoop plane instructions...

Class today but not next week...

If you are free this morning come along to our Art Class, it is always fun!
Just a reminder that next week, the 5th of December there will be no class as we are off on holidays for a week woo hooooooo!!
See you back on the 12th for the penultimate class for the year!

Woodlucker

Woodlucker is a partnership between Ann Wood and Dean Lucker. They are married, live together in Minnesota and make Art together. Their creations range from mechanical sculptures and cards to paintings and textiles. They are all very rich in folk narratives which I always love, and wonderfully executed with hand made cogs and mechanical elements.
And I am always a sucker for a puppet too, especially an animatronic one.
You can see some of the sculptures in motion on their website, they are quite lovely. Look at that moon being fed spoons of sugar, ahh.
They also have a shop where you can buy their works.

paper camera

turn this...

into this...

with these paper camera instructions...

photo

In today's Art class we will be having a look at photography and all it used to mean.

Marion Fayolle

I went to the library and stumbled upon a wonderful book called In Pieces by artist Marion Fayolle. It is a series of comics that animate wonderful interactions between animals, vegetables and minerals.
After conducting some internet research I have found a world of her work and its fantastic.
I also found a link to a range of fabric designs she collaborated with Cotelac
I now have a complete clothing wish list for Summer. My love of loud patterns and illustration combined.

botanical painting

 turn this...

into this...

with these botanical illustration experiment ideas...

Borneo

In two weeks time we are heading off on a family adventure to Borneo for ten days.
It sounds a lot more intrepid than it will be but should be exciting!
Consequently there will be some changes to up coming Art Classes.
Today the 14th and next Friday the 21st classes will be on as usual.
On Friday December the 5th there will be no class on.
Class will be resuming on the 12th and 19th of December, before finishing up for the Summer Holidays.

lunch lady bagels

I have written about Kate Berry and her photography before but I just have to say the baking and cooking side of her is pretty terrific as well. 
She has a new website called Lunch lady and as always her photographs are gorgeous but so are the recipes.
I have made her Rhubarb cake once to take to a friends house and it was delicious.
Anyhow, I have always had a fear of bread making. My mother was extremely handy and good at most things. She could upholster a chair, make a quilt, build a table, sew a ball dress, grow a garden, write a thesis in French, raise four children and was a truly excellent, intuitive cook. She did however make the most god awful bread. I always figured if she couldn't do it it must be very difficult.
My best friend and I were talking about it recently and she said I should give it a try. So today we followed Kate Berry's bagel making instructions and made honestly the best bagel I have ever tasted. You should have a go it is really fun.

finger puppet family portrait

turn this...

into this...

with these finger puppet family instructions...

art class

Come along to Art class today if you are in the neighbourhood as always we will be using our hands to explore and make something fun.

Angel Olsen

Continuing my predilection for folk music, we have been listening to  Angel Olsen on high rotation in our home at the moment.  Have a listen she has a gorgeous voice. Asap Rocky is also getting a good look in to although the two couldn't be more different, or could they?

bright

It is sort of a five day weekend here in Melbourne and we are away for a wedding and a break. As I already posted our Friday's activity on Friday not Monday as usual, there will be none today.
If you have some time on your hands and some children as well I highly recommend going to the NGV . We went with four children aged from one to five the other day and had an absolutely wonderful time. The new Romance was Born children's installation is just terrific I highly recommend a trip.