Friday, September 14, 2012

3 Month Art Project Completed Today!

Image of Steve Jenkins

For the past 3 months or so my children have been inspired by the author and illustrator, Steve Jenkins. (pictured on right)  We first discovered Jenkins' books a few years ago and my son instantly took an interest to them since they are about nature and God's creatures.  My son and daughters love nature and animals so they love looking at Jenkins' great illustrations and reading all the fascinating facts in his books.




Here are my children with some of Jenkins' books that we checked out of the library, but we checked out several others too!  My son wanted to check out ALL the Jenkins' books that were in our local library and then he asked if we could buy them all!  Maybe one day we'll have our own Jenkins' library.   This past summer, my cupcakes, especially my son, age 10,  wanted to make paper art like Jenkins.  So in front of them is the collection of art pieces they worked HOURS on over many weeks. 

 

Here is some of their art work beside the illustration in the book.   Can you tell which tang fish my son made using various colors of cardstock?  :) 

My son said this Fangtooth was the most difficult fish to make.  His is on the bottom. :)

My 12 year old daughter loved making this gorilla hand like the one on the cover of Actual Size.  My son helped her make the lemur that rests on the thumb. 

Here's the collection my children made using Jenkins' books as their guide and inspiration.
Land Animals....  

Sea Creatures....

Our family agreed that these beautiful art pieces were made with great care and creativity as I watched scrap paper scatter on our tables and floors and scissors were vigorously cutting out tiny pieces to make 6 layers for one eye, thin tails and fins, beaks, feet, claws and scales for land and sea animals.

So with 2 large canvases and 3 small canvases and these supplies below (Mod Podge, sponge brushes and colored tissue paper) my cupcakes and I were on a mission this afternoon to display these creatures and complete this art project that began this past summer. 

Working with Mod Podge is easy as we brushed on a layer on the canvas, then placed tissue paper on top of the wet canvas.  Then we brushed more Mod Podge on top of the tissue paper.  We used 2 colors of tissue paper to make the background multi-colored.  After placing each art piece on top of the tissue paper, more Mod Podge was brushed on top of the piece.  Then we let it dry.
 
Working hard to decide how to display each animal on the canvas....

 Sneak peek....

They were so proud of their finished product after working all afternoon today to complete it..

Close-up of ocean creatures....

Close-up of their land animals with gorilla hand in top left corner....

They look lovely hanging in our stairwell.
 
  
When I put my son to bed tonight he said, "Don't you love our pictures on the walls Mom?"  I must say I have been very impressed by the amount of time and detail that my children put into making such wonderful pieces for our home.  I remember my son telling me that he would love to make this type of art all day long.  He loves nature and art and I encouraged him to keep appreciating nature (and work hard in school)  and maybe one day he can have a career in nature studies and draw/create what he observes. 

Thanks Mr. Jenkins for inspiring my children to use their imagination and creativity!  I have a feeling more of our walls will be decorated with more art work like this in the future since my son is excited and already planning out what he will put on our other canvases.  

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Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Cathletics Craft Kit Giveaway!



I wanted to encourage my readers to enter to win your choice of Cathletics Craft Kit (PDF Download), from the TEN available at the Arma Dei Shoppe! Print at home and copy for a WHOLE CLASS or for all the children who live in your house!  Enter to win by this Friday, Sept. 14! 
TEN Craft Kits to Choose from!
FOUR WINNERS WILL BE SELECTED!
Catechism Catcher~
Catechism Cube ~
Catholic Family Calendar ~
Catholic Lingo Bingo (English or Spanish) ~
Color Me Catholic ~
Journey with Jesus through the Sacraments ~
Journey with Jesus through Confirmation Lace-Up Missal (English and Spanish) ~
Spiritual Bouquet~






See Reviews of these Cathletics Craft Kits from our Catholic Review Panel made up of trusted Catholic Bloggers.  My blog is listed under the "Color Me Catholic" Review and you can read my review HERE.  You can also check out Monica's Craft Kit Printables Store HERE.



http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6ab5175/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Remembering 9.11.01 with Memories, Book, and Photos

I've posted my memories about 9.11.01 HERE where I blogged about what I was doing on that shocking, sad, overwhelming and tragic day in our history.

This morning I read again the book, The Little Chapel That Stood, to my 4 cupcakes.  It has become our annual tradition to remember 9.11.  It is a beautifully written and illustrated book that I highly recommend for anyone with young children.  Here is the product description from Amazon:

Product Description

St. Paul's Chapel, dwarfed by the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center right across the street, stood strong after the "giants around it had come to a fall" in 9-11. Not a pane of glass had been broken. On 9-11 St.Pauls became a service dept immediately. Firemen hung their shoes on the old iron fence as they "pulled on their boots and raced to the Towers, climbing melting steel to flaming showers. Oh, what gallant men did we lose who never came back to get their shoes."
This historic chapel was built in 1766. When George Washington was inaugurated the first president in New York City, he walked down Broadway to St. Paul's to offer his prayers for the new nation. Alexander Hamilton lies buried in the churchyard nearby. You can click on the book cover to take you to the Amazon site for more details about the book.

Inside the book cover I have these two pictures taped that were taken when my boyfriend, now husband, went to New York to visit my grandparents in August 1993.   My grandparents lived in Bronx, NY, but Anthony and I went into the city and made it up to the top of the Twin Towers.   

Who knew that 8 years later on 9.11.01 these pictures would give me such a strange and sad feeling??  And that 19 years later I would be showing my cupcakes these photos with such a heavy heart? 



We remember and pray today for all the lives that were lost on 9-11 in the air and on the ground in  NY, PA, and at the Pentagon.  We especially remember and pray for the victim's families and friends whose lives have been directly affected and have never been the same.  I can't imagine how so many must feel....

I just found this "Where was My God on 911? on the The Drew Mariani Show Facebook page that K.S. submitted in the comments. Thanks for sharing this K.S.! I've never seen it before now and it says so much! 

Where was My God on 911?...........

How many of us have heard that question "Where was your GOD when the World Trade Center and the Pentagon was attacked?" Well I know where my GOD was the morning of September 11, 2001, and He was very busy!
He was trying to discourage anyone from taking these flights. Those four flights together held over 1000 passengers and there were only 266 aboard.
He was on 4 commercial flights giving terrified passengers the ability to stay calm. Not one of the family members who were called by a loved one on one of the hijacked planes said that passengers were screaming in the background. On one of the flights he was giving strength to passengers to try to overtake the hijackers.
He was busy trying to create obstacles for employees at the World Trade Center. After all, only around 20,000 were at the towers when the first jet hit. Since the buildings held over 50,000 workers, this was a Miracle in itself. How many of the people who were employed at the World Trade Center told the media that they were late for work or they had traffic delays.
He was holding up 2-110 story buildings so that 2/3 of the workers could get out. I was so amazed that the top of the towers didn't topple when the jets impacted. And when they did fall, they fell inward. GOD didn't allow them to topple over, as many more lives would have been lost.
And when the buildings went down, my GOD picked up almost 6,000 of his children and carried them home with him. Reassuring his frighten children that the worst was over and the best was yet to come.
He sat down and cried that 19 of His "misguided" children [terrorists] could have some much hate in their hearts. That they didn't choose Him, but another god that doesn't exist, and now they are lost forever.
He sent his children that are best trained for this disaster and had them save the few that were still alive, but unable to help themselves. And then sent many others to help in anyway they were needed.
He still isn't finished though, he held the love ones that were left behind in his arms. He comforts them daily. His other children are given the strength to reach out to them and help them in any way they can.
And I believe he will continue to help us in what is to come. He will give the people in charge of this great nation the strength and the wisdom to do the right thing. He would never leave us in our time of need.
So when anyone asks, "Where was your GOD on September 11", you can say "everywhere"! And yes, although this is without a doubt the worst thing I have seen in my life, I see God's miracles in every bit of it. I keep praying for those who don't believe in GOD, every chance I have. I can't imagine going through such a difficult time and not believing in GOD...
Life would be hopeless.
[Author Unknown]

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Friday, September 7, 2012

My Pinterest Present and Edible Rosary for our Blessed Mother's Birthday!



Once upon a time I was a freshman in college (Go Wolfpack!) and I was at a Christian retreat with college friends, including my boyfriend, now husband.  I was staying in one of the girl's cabins and my boyfriend asked a cute little red head gal if I was in the cabin since he was looking for me.  This gal (whose name is A.H.) didn't really know who my boyfriend was talking about since there were many girls in the cabin and A.H. and I hadn't formally met yet.  My boyfriend finally found me and I finally met A.H.

Fast forward some time and A.H. and I finished our freshmen year with our freshmen roommates and LOTS of drama because A.H. and I broke the news to our freshmen roommates that A.H. and I wanted to room together our sophomore years.  A.H. loved me soooo much that we took several classes together, shared many laughs and memories, roomed together through our senior years, and our friendship has blossomed for close to 20 years now!  To the right is a picture of A.H. and I during a surprise party for me when I turned 19! A.H., we were  19 at one time? Really?  Glad I have a picture to prove it! :)


Here's A.H. and me at our college graduation in 1997.  Notice A.H. is on her tippy toes... :) 













So recently A.H. sent me a special birthday card (my birthday was on Aug. 24) and gift that she made after she saw the idea on...you guessed it! Pinterest :)

Here's my gift and I love it!
You may be asking, What is it?"  because I was wondering that myself when I opened it :)   It's a key chain with 6 pennies attached to it with holes drilled in the pennies.  Each penny has a year. But these pennies have the birth years of my husband, me, and my 4 cupcakes:  1970, 1975, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2007.  Cool gift! Thanks A.H.! You have always been creative and thoughtful...that's why I'm keeping you ;)

Speaking of birthdays, in the Catholic Church, our Blessed Mother's birthday is traditionally celebrated on September 8 each year on the Church's calendar.  One of the many reasons I love being Catholic is that our Church celebrates Mary throughout the entire year with lots of  Marian feast days.  Mary did have such an important role in salvation history by having the privilege to cradle Jesus in her womb for 9 months and raise our Savior and it's always nice to give her honor on more days than just at Christmas time when we celebrate Jesus' birth.

There are so many wonderful Marian Feast Days in the church throughout the year and celebrating Mary's birthday is one of our family's favorite.  My children love birthdays and celebrating our Blessed Mother's special day is definitely a birthday party our family doesn't want to miss!   Each year our homeschool group gathers for Mass on or near September 8 and then we have a birthday party for Mary. 
This morning our homeschool group  met together for First Friday Mass and then we gathered at a local park to have Mary's birthday party. 
This year our edible rosary was made with Dunkin Donut holes for the "Hail Marys" and big glazed donuts for the "Our Fathers".  In the past we have made our edible rosaries out of cupcakes and  Hershey kisses, but have found the donut idea the easiest and quickest way to make the rosary :)
 As the children salivated over the donuts, we gathered to pray a decade of the rosary and sang "Happy Birthday to Mary!"  :) 

Identical twins in our homeschool group with their beautiful Marian bracelets, cute dresses, and praying hands.
After children took turns saying each of the 10 Hail Marys it was time to eat the donuts!  None of the children were shy when it came to this part of our celebration! :) 
We love you A.H.!
Happy Birthday Mother Mary!  Pray for Us.  
 





This painting of the Immaculate Heart of Mary was painted by Cameron Smith (no relation to me) at Smith Catholic Art














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