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Posts Tagged ‘Art’

  1. Cabin Fever

    March 7, 2014 by admin

    We love winter, but we don’t participate in the traditional winter sports, like skiing or ice hockey.  So we need new ways to keep our active and outdoor loving kids happy.

    On a recent cold and snowy day, our Bluey was itching to do something new.  And given his squirrely behavior, we realized that this something new IMG_4898should probably be outside.  But Bluey wasn’t really enthused to climb his favorite mound of snow, or take the dog on a walk.

    And then TRMom had a thought!  Why not snow paint?

    We quickly gathered up some food coloring which we squirted into plastic cups and thinned it out with tap water.  We grabbed some fat paint brushes and headed outside.

    We discovered that snow can be a tricky canvas.  We quickly found out that in order to use our brushes, we had to pack down and smooth out the snow.  Squirt-able water bottles allowed us more freedom in design, but they were harder to handle if we had a specific picture we desired to paint.  Bluey also had fun constructing fairy houses of snow and coloring them with the paint.

    IMG_4915What a fantastic afternoon!  Bring your art outside regardless of the season.


  2. The Gateway Poet

    March 5, 2014 by admin

    Who is your ‘Gateway’ poet?  You know, the one who got you started.  Maybe at first you believed that you just weren’t into poetry; it wasn’t your scene.  But then you started exploring, maybe just a little at first…just to try it.

    And you found the one that started you down that lovely path of reading poets.  Perhaps you even started dabbling in some rhymes of your own? We bet you now search out stacks in used bookstores for slim volumes of text from your new faves.nash-ogden

    You could quit anytime.   But you don’t.  You won’t.  You’re hooked.  And you can blame it all on your Gateway Poet.

    For TRDad, the poet was Ogden Nash.  His silly little poems about animals, “Hark to the cry of the seagull, he cries because he’s not an eagle!” seem so simple.  But these poems are regarded as ‘real poetry’ by people who keep track of this sort of thing.  So after a few Nash verses, TRDad started looking for other similar rhymes.

    From Nash it was a short path leading to Frost, and Shapiro, then Plath.   Once you’re in that deep, the discovery of Collins, Williams, and others is easily done.  Then when a friend points you to e.e. cummings, you view that poet with new respect and appreciation.

    silversteinshel_custom-d9a683da694bd0e0372729064b7ab15881ed646b-s6-c85For TRMom, that poet was Shel Silverstein and his book, Where the Sidewalk Ends.  It is full of humor and honesty that is written with an accessible prose.  Silverstein helped lead to e.e. cummings which then veered to Diane Wakoski.

    Now, TRDad and TRMom are unapologetic champions of poetry.  And it was all due to finding Ogden Nash and Shel Silverstein at an early age.

    Who is your Gateway Poet?  What paths did s/he lead you on?


  3. GAK

    March 2, 2014 by admin

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    Looking for some indoor fun?  How about mixing up a batch of GAK?

    GAK has a cold texture that is very similar to silly putty.  The three simple ingredients can be found in most grocery stores:  liquid starch, white glue, IMG_5092and food coloring.  GAK takes moments to mix up and then the fun can begin!  Stretch it, braid it, or spell out your name.

    We recommend mixing up the GAK in a container that won’t be reused for food, like an empty sour cream tub.  And we’ve found that play works best on a smooth surface, like your kitchen table.  Clean up is a snap, as GAK doesn’t really stick to much. And you can store your batches in plastic bags to play with again and again.

    This is a great rainy day, sick day, or just looking for something new to do sort of activity.

    Thanks for the inspiration, Schachter family 


  4. Heroes

    February 23, 2014 by admin

    imagesWe wanted to take a moment to shine the light on the Russian punk band Pussy Riot, and their two members recently released from prison.  These are heroes of our times.

    Three members were imprisoned for playing a song which criticized Vladimir Putin in a Russian Orthodox church, they have endured and even flourished under difficult circumstances.

    Russian prisons in Siberia are renown for their harsh conditions and brutality.  Yet here we see these young women emerge from Siberia as strong as ever, voicing their concerns for the rights and safety of people all over the world.  Daring the Russian government to throw them back in jail!

    They are simply amazing.

    Watch them here on the Colbert Report:

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    We could all stand to see more role models like this: standing up for what is right in the face of extreme adversity.  So we applaud these women and hope they are able to continue to fight the forces of oppression so effectively.

     


  5. Deconstruction Time Again

    December 27, 2013 by admin

    If the long weekends are bringing a chorus of “I’m Bored!” to your ears, remember that the best cure for “the boreds” is hands-on activity.  Nothing will get your kiddoes to shake the dust off like an active project.  Another movie won’t do: you need some action.

    You may offer up suggestions like making cookies, going for a walk or starting/ finishing up an art project.  Or you could let your kids tear something apart!IMG_4482

    When you need something a little different to offer, head into the basement, garage, or back closet and find an electric appliance that either no longer works, or has been replaced.  Pull out a screwdriver set, clear a piece of floor and let the fun begin.

    Tip1: Make sure you have phillips screwdrivers on hand- most appliance screws these days are phillips.

    Kids of all ages will enjoy pulling out wires, and disconnecting gears of blenders, printers and old DVD players.  Almost any type of appliance will work: tools, kitchen stuff, computers.

    Tip2: It is our family rule, oft repeated, that no project can ever be plugged into a wall socket.  But just to make sure we cut off the cord close to the device.  All that extra wire just gets in the way.  Remove ALL batteries and make sure there is constant adult supervision.

    If your kids get into tearing stuff apart, you’ll find yourself saving all sorts of old devices.  You can pick them up from the curb, work, or thrift stores. One of Bluey’s early forays into deconstruction was a hand mixer TRDad brought home from work.  We still have parts of it around.

    After the appliance is completely disassembled,  toss all the ‘coolest’ parts into a box for the next next time your kiddoes claim boredom.  Now they can make a sculpture or a robot out of all the bits!


  6. Outside Inside

    December 22, 2013 by admin

    IMG_4281One of our favorite spins on winter weather is allowing the kids to bring snow indoors!

    We lay a towel down on the kitchen floor and gather up a few disposable spoons, non-breakable cups, and perhaps a few tiny toys.  Then we fill a couple of bowls with snow and you create instant fun!

    Playing with snow indoors allows your kids to experiment in a whole new way.  They aren’t limited by the blustery weather and cumbersome, soppy mittens.  They can take their time to explore texture, changing composition, and to just get creative with snow.

    Our Bluey discovered that if you squeeze handfuls of snow in your fist, water drips out.  He spent a good 20 minutes practicing this new skill, talking about the discovery, and theorizing on when it would be useful.

    Bluey had a great time making little sculptures and changing snow into ice by adding water.  All in the warmth of our home.

     


  7. Blokus

    December 20, 2013 by admin

    IMG_1081Blokus is a fun strategy board game that is easy to learn and even fairly young kids can play.  We’ve owned this game for about eight years- but we rarely play it according to the instructions.

    Instead, we tend to you use this game like a cross between Tetris and Lite-Brite.  We make designs.  We make animals.  We see who can make a color go across the board.  Our kids learned their colors and shapes, in part, by playing Blokus.

    We started when we had a young child who was still too much of a toddler to really grasp the purpose of the game.  She wanted to play, she wanted to join in with the group, but didn’t have the patience to play ‘according to the rules.’

    So we changed the rules.

    Now years later, our kids will break out the Blokus just to make their own art creations and have a little fun.  Of course, we could follow the instructions, if we wanted.

    But it doesn’t usually come to that.


  8. The Image Chronicler

    December 13, 2013 by admin

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    All experiences offer up memories.  But memories fade with time and most people crave a record of an event.  These modern day recordings tend to be photographic:  class pictures, graduation pictures, wedding albums, baby albums, selfies, etc.

    Someone has to be behind the lens.

    In our family, TRMom is usually the one snapping the most images of each adventure.  This role evolved from TRMom’s dislike of pictures that include her, and TRDad’s willingness to jump into all aspects of any adventure that may intimidate TRMom.

    But it means that TRMom’s image is typically missing from a lot of family experiences.  And even when we manage to strike a balance, there is still only one parent in the picture.  Our full family shots are very few and far between.

    We know a lot of people enjoy professional photo shoots of their entire family.  Honestly, that just isn’t our thing.  Not only would we be out money that we can’t really afford to allocate to a photo shoot, but we know we’d end up boxing the majority of the pictures.

    So instead, we take ownership of identifying a “chronicler” of events.  It is an important role that is thoroughly enjoyable.  Our family knows who was included in our experiences.  And that is enough for us.


  9. Great Museums In Milwaukee

    December 9, 2013 by admin

    IMG_3792Milwaukee is a great city, and we are fortunate enough to live nearby.  As winter sets in, we find that a museum is a fantastic place to visit on the weekends.  Milwaukee has several options.  If you are looking for a place to go in Cream City, check out any of these museums!

    MPM:  We LOVE the Milwaukee Public Museum.  There are three floors of history and science to explore!  We never tire of going here.  It is so big, in fact, we’re pretty sure there’s a nook or two that we haven’t seen yet.IMG_2334

    Discovery World:  A science and technology center focused on Great Lakes ecology and manufacturing, this museum is a whirlwind of activities.  Be prepared to be exhausted when you are finished here.  Admission is steep.

    Harley Museum:  Do you like motorcycles, engines, and/or Americana?  Then the Harley- Davidson Museum might be just for you!  It’s a rather expensive entry, but a fun trip.  Unless you plan on numerous return trips, opting for a membership isn’t worth it.

    Haggerty Museum of Art: This museum on the Marquette University campus is a fun (and Free!) stop.  You should bundle this stop with another destination because you’ll go through the whole museum in under an hour.

    Mitchell Domes:  If the space ship from Silent Running crashed into Milwaukee, it’d look like this: giant futuristic domes filled with plants from all around the world.  Consider a membership as they reciprocate with many public gardens across the U.S.A.

    Milwaukee Art Museum:  We always have a great time here, and we never get through the entire museum in one visit!  If you can, check it out on the first Thursday of the month, when admission is free thanks to Target (children under 12 are always free).  If you have kiddoes in tow, make sure you seek out the free art kits!  These bags full of art activities encourage kids to interact with the exhibits; by trying to create their own versions of some of the works they’ll see, or by following an art scavenger hunt.

    IMG_1155These museums will keep you busy for many weekends of exploring in downtown Milwaukee.


  10. Perspective

    November 3, 2013 by admin

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    Yes, we’re a month out from Thanksgiving.  But you don’t need a traditional holiday to take a moment to sit back and reflect on why you are grateful for the life that you live.

    If we’re honest, we can probably all say that we have dreams we know won’t actualize, places we long to visit, time we wished we had more of, disappointments that still taste bitter.

    That is life.  Please don’t linger in the muck or judge yourself by your worst moments.  There is so much in the simple day-to-day that is worth celebrating.

    Here are some teensy and some huge things for which we are grateful:

    • Coffee – The smell!  And knowing that warm mug will soon be craddled in your hands.
    • Children’s laughter – It is contagious, true, and pure.
    • Frozen pizza – Seriously!  It is cheap and indulgent.
    • A paycheck – Sure, we live paycheck to paycheck.  But with a tight budget, we have just enough money to support our family.
    • A home – ‘Nough said.  Many don’t have a place to settle.
    • Playgrounds – Free access to fun, exercise, and the outdoors.
    • Libraries – Free access to education and fun.
    • Gardens – Cheap way to feed your family and support farm-to-table.
    • Love – Right?  It makes the world go ‘round.
    • Music – Inspiring, often free, and entirely enjoyable.
    • Critters – Unconditional love and mostly entertaining.
    • Health – Not to ever be taken for granted!

     

    Taking a moment to remember these things, no matter how minor they might be, helps us to focus on life worth living!  And to acknowledge that we are indeed, very lucky to be here.