great source of art projects

I just found the best source of art projects for kids of all ages on dickblick.com I subscribe to a newsletter from wetcanvas.com and the blick site is a sponsor. What a wealth of information on both of these sites. I think we may even get a discount through SDP for shopping there. I am going to use a few of the projects I found to beef up my offerings for the summer camp sessions. 

I am already more than half full on all the sessions (10/16) and a month to go before the 1st one begins. I also have a teen volunteer to help out secured. Kind of a "go me" for getting this off the ground!

Painted pot picks & pumpkins

I have been so busy finishing the classes for the kids at school and getting ready for summer classes at the library and camp. I am teaching a class on making plant markers from broken terracotta pots and have the samples done. They are so quick and easy and fun! The twisted wire accents and glass bugs just make them a whole lot more interesting. We have so many new plants at the library and in my garden that I will need a large pile of broken pots just for that.

This on the heels of teaching a pumpkin painting class for Sheryl's '56ers so they can do a fundraiser for breast cancer treatments. Here are a couple that I did for the club to use. I was so impressed with myself to get the puffy lips right!

Energized and planning art

I have decided that geocities is the hardest website in the world to create in--I used to find it so easy! Anyway after battling the blockade of java script, I am revised and all fixed for the art camps I am doing this summer. I am so excited and energized (this after writing all the plans for what I want to do) and can hardly wait to begin. Take a look at what I have planned and let me know what you think of it. http://www.geocities.com/dikoehler/2009_ArtMiniCamp.html

Great ideas for kites

Some of the best kite sites that I found hunting this weekend are:
http://www.molokai.com/kites/20kidskites.html
http://www.skratch-pad.com/kites/make.html
http://www.tutorials.com/04/0479/0479.asp
http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/spring/kites/

We'll take some pictures of the kites we make and see which ones fly. We spent this afternoon trying out folding so we will have an edge on the kids (and their parents!)

Of kites and windsocks and other things that fly

I must have looked at 100 kites to figure out what makes them fly. I'm not sure what kites I like best--ones with lots of color and streamers are nice. Ones that are light and could actually get into the air would work for me. In the class I taught in the fall, we did windsocks made from a lunch bag and tissue paper streamers at school but they won't fly. They are fun but not durable. I like the idea of a diamond shaped kite or maybe a dragon. I will post links to some of the best ones I found this week.