Before TAB I used to think that if I wanted to create something I needed to have all the right materials, plan out the entire project, AND "do it right". Which allowed me no room for mistakes, experiments, or discoveries. Now the TAB mentality has seeped into my artistic life. I find myself doodling all the time (somethingI used to be scared to do), as well as picking up old hobbies again.

Hobbies like sewing and quilting! I discovered I can do things my OWN way! Here are a couple of examples:

School ended last week. And yes, I'm glad it's summer vacation! Time to hang out with my kids, take some camping trips . . . and plan for next year. Here are some end of the year artworks:

I made this with paper mache and tissue paper and some beads."

"These are dragons that are friends."

"This is my mom, an angel."

Only a few weeks of school left! I am sad, because the students are working so well together now. All the stations are open, routines are understood and followed, and new ideas are filling the room. It's inspiring just to be there and to feel the energy and enthusiasm.

I am going to do a short summer program; two weeks, for two hours a day, in my home! It will be pure choice, with little restrictions, as I won't be worried about satisfying the core requirements. I am excited to see how students of different ages interact . . . I hope that I will see lots of things like this: "I'm just seeing different ways to put paint on the paper"

Here's the third sculpture in this first grader's series of fighting monsters.

Only a few weeks of school left! I will admit I'm excited for the vacation, but sad as well. The classes are going wonderfully!

It's just a cool sculpture design thing." This car took almost the whole class time to make! It's cute, and I can't wait for the glue to dry."

Students make interesting things with the attribute blocks:

Students are being encouraged to add color to their 3-D creations, either with paint, collage or paper mache. This photo shows the creation of two friends:

"This will be a playground for our Littlest Pet Shop animals. Here's the slide, the sandbox will go over there, and this is the trampoline!"

This is a rainbow turkey. It reminds me of my grandma, I love being with her."

St. George was nice. I even managed to present the TAB concept to some other educators. There was a slight glitch, however, because there weren't any hotel rooms available . . . so, I camped in Snow Canyon.

It was nice to come back to my classroom, though!

I'm pretty excited! In two weeks I'll go to St. George for the Utah Art Educator's Association convention. I went last year, and met quite a few people. It's great to spend a couple days with people who are just as immersed and interested in art ed as me.

Things in the classroom are really moving along. I've picked up a couple of sixth grade volunteer students from across the hall (I only teach k-3). They are weaving belts on cardboard looms. I love being there and feeling the excitement.

One student said, "I love your classroom. It makes me want to, you know, make stuff!" That was a huge compliment to me, as that is EXACTLY what I'm trying to do. My room is very casual, often cluttered, and filled with as much artwork as I can mount on walls and bulletin boards. I have things in the hall, as well as art hanging from the ceiling! I do have Art prints as well, and even a hand made art elements poster. It certainly doesn't look as though a professional designed it. It looks like it belongs to the students. Which it does.

I love block printing, but it takes up so much space . . . I've introduced it to my two smallest classes. This was created by a first grader. She went on to create prints for all the seasons,





"When they're dry, I'll put them all in a book!"