UGANDA (AFRICA): Bagala Beads

This past summer I went to Uganda on a mission trip! The colors of Africa are still with me every day. I crossed paths with a wonderful woman named Irene who makes beautiful jewelry and purchased as much as I could squeeze into my suitcase to bring home to my family and friends. I had crossed paths with this jewelry before, however, in all places but Dallas....where I'm from.

Bagala means "love." And, there is a company in the Dallas area called Bagala Beads & Baskets that was founded to help Ugandan mothers provide a better life for their families. Brett and Shauna Fuller, the founders, sponsored children in Uganda for three years before actually traveling to Africa to meet the people and visit school children. Their experience there is what prompted them to found this company. Uganda is full of wonderful people who are working hard to rise above the incredible hardships caused by a terrible dictator, war, and the tragedy of AIDS. The women who make these beads are able to provide a meager lifestyle for themselves and/or their family. The beads are made from recycled magazines, posters, paper or all kinds! And, they are COLORFUL and BEAUTIFUL!

Read more about them at: www.bagalabeads.com

JUST FOR FUN: Art in the Kitchen

  Well, we are having ANOTHER snow day and once again I find myself off from school. Last week we were off for four days from school due to ice, snow, and freezing temperatures. Who would have thought we'd have another day off this week? I enjoyed telling my art students on Monday and Tuesday to let me put this in "perspective" for them. First, I had to explain what the word perspective meant. Then, I told them that I am 49 years old and NEVER in my entire lifetime have I missed four days of school because of the weather. Sure, for holidays and summer break, but NEVER for snow and ice. It is quite unusual and, I must confess, the kid in me LOVES it! I'm not too old to ride a lake inner tube down a hill. LOVE IT! I might have a little more trouble walking the next day than I used to, but I still love playing in the snow!
     Playing in the kitchen is something I love too! And, the art teacher in me just couldn't resist the opportunity to turn something ordinary into something extraordinary. Last week we made snow ice cream and really enjoyed eating it! So refreshing! But for the last few days I've been thinking to myself.....if it snows again.....I'm going to make some snow ice cream that is fun and different. And, so, this morning I went out in the snow, scooped up some fresh flakes (maybe a piece of grass or two), and came in the kitchen and began creating a masterpiece. A little vanilla, a little milk (yes, you can use condensed milk if you have some), some red food coloring, a dash of peppermint flavoring (I LOVE PEPPERMINT ICE CREAM!), some red food glitter, spinkles, and pink sugar crystals......and, well, kitchen art that tasted delicious! Might even pass for homemade Valentine snow ice cream!
     Have fun with your kids! Look for new and different ways to do things. Ask them questions! Ask them, "What could we do to this snow ice cream to make it different?" See what they say! You might be surprised at the energy and ideas that come out of your little ones! I'm pretty sure my next bowl of snow ice cream will have some chocolate in it. And probably some Nutella! From my perspective, that's a pretty good idea too!

GERMANY: Great-Grandmothers Desk

     Today I moved my great-grandmothers desk in front of the fireplace and worked all day on art lesson plans for the last few weeks of school. What a joy that was! Dreaming of what creative things my students will do in the coming weeks just got me excited to do more and more and more! But, let's back up to that fireplace! We have had the coldest weather I can remember having in the 25 years I've lived in Dallas. (The entire country is frozen and cold!) The temperature has been in the low teens and the wind chill below zero. That's pretty cold for Dallas! The chatter about a snow day began early Monday night as we all hunkered down for a storm moving in of thunder, lightening, and ice. What a strange combination! Ice fell during the night and sounded much like rocks hitting the roof of the house and we awoke to a layer of ice over just about everything and a bit of snow. So Tuesday was a "Snow Day" and I cleaned house all day long. Then, the temperatures didn't come up, the roads did not thaw, and Wednesday became another "Snow Day." And I cleaned the house even more.  Then, the temperatures didn't come up, the roads did not thaw, and Thursday became another "Snow Day." But....ahhhhhhh!!!! The Thursday "Snow Day" was my favorite because my house was clean and everything was picked up. So, I fixed myself a cup of coffee, looked longingly at the fireplace and how I would love to sit in front of it and work, and then, it's as if my great-grandmother herself called out to me. "I'll move the desk! That's what I'll do!" A small writing desk would be easy to move. And, so, move it I did! With a desk that is about 150 years old and a Mac that is only a couple of months old, I perched in a cozy fashion in front of the fire, sipped my coffee, and created and dreamed with words on the screen, about art! What a wonderful combination! It took me all day to write the Marc Chagall lesson plans for the next art history subject, but my, oh my, how the students are going to love dreaming on paper! And, while I worked, old friends and new called or texted me. My son, who is in graduate school at the University of Kansas, called and said he had just seen my Blog and thought it was cool. That made my day! He is a big picture thinker and I think he suspected there was much more than a Blog going on. And I confirmed to him that, as usual, Mom was building something. But what exactly am I building? Hmmmmm. I'm building character in my students. I'm building a well-functioning art room. I'm building creative students who think outside the box. I'm building students that think critically. I'm building students who know how to express glee and joy! I'm building a place where students, all students, can come and know they have something worthwhile to contribute. I'm building respect in my students, for each other, for themselves, for me, and for our world. But, somewhere in the back of my mind, I'm building more. I'm not exactly sure what it is going to look like when it is finished. I'll let you know when I figure it out. It has something to do with passing onto others what was given to me. I've had some pretty incredible teachers and mentors in  my life. So very many. People that took time, real time, quality time, to invest in me. And, that's what I'm looking forward to. Investing time in my students. And, investing time in art teachers around the world who are looking for the next inspiring moment in their art rooms.  Can't think of a better place to work on it either than right in front of this fireplace at my Great-Grandmother Heim's desk. And, we have our fourth "Snow Day" tomorrow so looks like I'll be spending a little more time at that desk. Come to think of it, I may just leave it there for a really long time because, you see, it IS important to find some quiet time, amidst the clang and whistles of our day, to sit and think, and reflect, and plan, and CREATE......whether you are a teacher who has 750 students come thru your room a week or someone working in another field.  That is something we should ALL do. Find some quiet time! I have a hunch my great-grandmother might have done just that very thing.....at this desk! And as one of my little students would say, "Mrs. Peacock, That is ahhhhhhhhhsome!"

GLOBAL: Holiday Mail for Heroes

The American Red Cross sponsors a program called Holiday Mail for Heroes. My students were able to make 2,419 cards that we put in the mail to the Red Cross. We worked on them for several weeks. It's amazing how a simple, easy project......making Christmas cards.....can turn into such a learning opportunity for youngsters. As we drew and colored and created the cards we talked about who the cards were for and what they were doing for our country and the world. We talked about how much of our focus during the holidays is on ourselves and what we want, and what is on our list, and what we want to do....and how focusing on others, and what we can do for them, during the holidays is such a wonderful way to spend our time. And, when students would begin to argue over wanting a particular color of crayon that another student had it gave me the perfect opportunity to again turn the focus to those we were making the cards for and what our purpose was. So many lessons were learned while we made those 2,419 cards! And another lesson was learned when Sergeant Gerhardt came to pick them up! What a worthwhile program Holiday Mail for Heroes is! Can't wait to do it again next year!

INDIA: Paint Strip Peacocks

My 1st graders enjoyed making these Paint Strip Peacocks! It's a quick an easy art project. Start collecting paint strips from building supply stores and businesses that sell paint well in advance of the day you will need them.  This project would work well for students in 1st grade and above. Some aspects of it would be too difficult for kindergarteners.

Materials Needed:
7 paint strips per student, in bright colors
body shape, in blue or purple construction paper
2 feet, in yellow or gold construction paper
2 eyes and 1 beak, punched with hole puncher from yellow or gold construction paper
1 crown, in white construction paper
glue
glitter
fine point black marker
masking tape
stapler and staples

1.  Have students fan out paint strips as if holding a deck of cards. Staple at bottom.  Turn over to back side and use several pieces of masking tape to reinforce.
2.  Glue body to front of paint strips. Glue on eyes, beak, and crown.
3.  Use white glue to make designs. Sprinkle glue with glitter. Shake glitter off.
4.  Let dry.
3. Using a black marker, put a dot in the center of each yellow eye.