supplies i bought (pt.1)

It's May 2nd.

And it is snowing here.

So since my first order of supplies remarkably showed up today I figured I could appropriately call it Christmas in May.

In March I wrote about ordering supplies // here //.

You all left wonderful comments and recommendations.

Today's order came from // Sax School Specialty //.

Here are some of the novelty items that I purchased this year.

// Flexible Rulers // $.99

This was my 'risky' purchase. I am tired of my wooden rulers. They warp in the humidity and the metal always gets pulled out. I am OVER them. I bought a class set of these and I already love them. They seem sturdy enough to actually work well. I'll let you know.

// Fluorescent Liquid Watercolors // $25.99

I literally squealed when I unpacked these. I love liquid watercolors. 

See // here // how I organize and distribute them.

// 6 Well Palettes // $1.99ea

I needed these for the liquid watercolor color distribution. See above.

// Tru-Ray // Riverside Construction Paper // School Smart //about $3.00ea

Colors: Lime Green (Tru-Ray) -Light Green - Butterscotch -Lilac - Hot Pink (School Smart)

// Sidewalk Chalk // $4.49 for 50

These are great for warm days outside (unlike today) and Kindergarten.

// Left-Handed Scissors // under $1.99

My little right-handed self never even considered that my poor lefty students could use a little support. Hence this new purchase.

// Large Foam Roller with Tray // Foam Paint Roller Set //  $7.99 and $8.79

There were many other supplies I got but a lot of them were replenishment for the 

// supplies // 

I already own. 

Check back soon to see what other supplies will show up!

(note: I am not getting paid to promote products from Sax School Specialty. There are many fine art supply retailers out there. You should browse and consider all options before purchasing.)

i'm not going anywhere

There is something liberating about the end of April.

When this month started my stomach was in knots.

April is always hard because of Fine Arts Night.

But this is my third time doing Fine Arts Night.

So I've got it down to a rhythm now.

This April was different though.

I've been working on my graduate degree since 2011.

It wasn't that long ago that I elected to pursue another degree.

The beginning was easy.

In fact, the hardest part was just making my mind up that I was going to do this.

Somehow though when you get nearer to the end of something

 the waiting and patience and work required to reach the finish line is almost unbearable.

That has been what the last few months felt like to me.

Specifically April.

Taking a graduate examination.

Completing my final coursework.

Fine Arts Night.

Preparing to move.

And just being a teacher.

I've been a bit preoccupied.

So although the blog has been neglected in April,

I am still here.

I'm not going anywhere.

Get excited for inspiration coming in May.

nevelson relief sculptures

You'll have to excuse my absence from the blog as of recently.

I have been stuck writing my 28 page comprehensive examination for my graduate degree.

Planning and prepping for Fine Arts Arts night.

And working on my last course for my degree.

Oh and what's that...yah...being a teacher.

I saw // this pin // and immediately knew fourth grade was going to tackle it.

We talked about Louise Nevelson and her amazing sculptures.

We reviewed the idea of relief sculptures as we had already covered it in // this project //.

Afterwards I gave the following demonstration on the doc camera.

Choose from a plethora of colored strips.

Students will cut slits onto their strip of paper as seen on the yellow strip.

(Note: they don't need to be drawn on there)

It's okay to play with the distance between the slits and even how long the strip of paper is.

On one side fold every other section of paper up and crease.

Flip the whole strip over to the other side.

Do the exact same step on this side:

Fold each remaining section up and crease.

You'll end up with this amazing 3D-checkered line.

Put a small dot of glue on the back of each paper section.

Glue them down to a black piece of paper.

Have fun twisting, curving, and manipulating the paper.

Note the amazing changes when the distance between slits gets smaller or larger.

This project was so much fun and produced creative results.

It can take one to two class periods.

art room bulletin boards (pt.2)

Last August I showed you all what my Facebook bulletin board looked like in my classroom.

// pt. 1 //

Every month I changed the artist profile to add a little variety.

I tried to center lessons for that month around the artist, movement, or techniques.

I was amazed at how the students utilized the board for information.
Browse through and add a new friend.

Andy Warhol.

Georges Seurat.

Vincent van Gogh.

Grant Wood.

Claude Monet.

Wayne Thiebaud.

Wassily Kandinsky.

Such a fun way to introduce new artists to my students.

3 ways to stretch your art budget

My most recent post about ordering art supplies attracted much thought to our art budgets.

We all know budgets are being cut left and right.

Most of the things in an art room will always need to be replenished.

We live in a room full of consumables.

Clearly I can't keep the same markers in my room for years.

We buy. We use. We buy.

The question is how to creatively stretch your budget.

I have roughly 350 students.

And $700 in my budget.

That means $2 a kid.

The three most important times for me concerning supplies are

April, May, and August.

It is in these months that I do the most to stretch my budget as far as it can go.

Here is what happens.

April.

April is when my bulk order list is due to the office.

My art budget account must be cleared out every year as it does not spill over into the following school year.

I usually sit down with three art ordering brochures.

My go-to places:

 local district supply

// blick //

 //sax school specialty //

I make lists. Compare Prices. Tweak lists as I go along.

I clean out my entire budget.

So you ask

Do you go over budget?

Yes.

All the time.

This is where May and August become important.

May.

On the very last few weeks of school I make an announcement to all my students that I want their lightly used art supplies.

I ask them to test out all their supplies and it they seem to work then to bring them all down either on the last days of school or when they come and see me in art for the last time.

You would be amazed what you get.

Everything from scissors, glue, erasers, markers, colored pencils, sharpies, highlighters, dry erase markers...

It is Christmas in May.

Things get donated to a large cardboard box that has different organizational tubs in it.

My fifth graders help "clean-up" the art room.

// as seen here //

It is their job to organize this plethora of supplies into my cabinets.

That really helps bring in supplies for free.

August.

Two important things happen in August.

One is our "back to school night".

It is on this day that I put out a sign that looks like this.

I put the things I need most on a wish list and display it for parents to see.

They take a post-it note as a reminder and I always get stuff brought in.

Parents know things are tight.

A lot of them are willing to help us out if it helps their children out.

Also, remember that everything is cheaper when it is August.

So put off buying markers in April and make a Wal-mart run on school supplies.

It will save you a fortune.

Finally in August I start my // Original Works // program.

Scared to try something like this on your own?

Don't be.

I did it by myself on my very first year of teaching.

They make is very easy.

(and it gets easier every year)

I have doubled my budget every year I have done this.

So if you would like to have some extra cash to buy something special 

try a fundraiser.

Those are just 3 ways that I stretch my art budget every year.

Hope that helps!

(note: I am not being paid to promote any of these stores or programs)