paint cut paste

happy valentines’ day, friends! i’m not in the ol’ bloggy habit right now, but i do want to share with you N’s class valentines for this year. i’m pretty obsessed with them, because yeah, i love sticks. and felt.

it was super-easy! N found a bunch of thin sticks in our yard and got inspired to make arrows. of course, she wanted to attach pointed rocks to the ends of the sticks, but i didn’t think that’d go over well in the kindergarten. so i remembered a cute pin from a year ago that had a much more kid-friendly way to make a stick arrow. when at waldorf, felt is always the first thought. we got down to biz cutting up some felt triangles and such.

N was a busy heart-hole puncher and autographer, while i hot glued the felt to the sticks. (you could use craft glue and let your kid do this part, but we’re in love with the instant gratification of a hot glue gun.)

N chose the felt palette, and i swoon over her choices.

using red and white baker’s twine, N attached the cute cards she made by tying a bow (a newly acquired skill of hers – woot!) in hindsight, it would have been supercool to put the stick through the heart hole she made before we glued the arrow tip on. (duh!) cute either way though, right?

happy valentines’ day!

hey there, everyone! yep, i’m still here… it’s been such a long while, and i thought i’d wish you all a happy belated new year! well, today is the tibetan new year — so happy year of the female water ssssnake! oh yessss! while i’ve not been active in the blogosphere these past months, we’ve been super busy over here in many creative ways!

the art production never, ever stops around my home. here are just a few little images of N’s recent creations:

as for me, i’ve been busy starting up my art therapy practice and my blessing ceremony offerings. i’m also jumping through hoops to get my counseling license in the state of california, which they do not make either easy or fun ’round these parts… but i’m checking the requirements off my list, and i can see the light at the end of that tunnel.

i’m also here to share a little iphone self-portrait as an entry in for a giveaway from one of my fav blogs, the paper mama. so here’s my most recent selfie, just snapped this past saturday at the beach with the fam.

chelsea (aka – the paper mama herself) asked that we share a bit about ourselves, so here’s me, in this moment, using the fun format she presented:

obsessing over…

• finding a cute bike helmet. (does that exist?)
• learning to grow some veggies in my backyard
• ridged potato chips and french onion dip
• making art with sticks
• instagram

working on…

• studying for the second (of three) counseling licensure exams…
• getting caught up on playing ‘draw something’

thinking about…

• attending the art therapy conference in seattle in june. hmm…
• chocolate
• toms

anticipating…

• springtime!
• new clients
• a vacation…?

listening to…

• coyote oldman and jay-z. i like to mix it up.

eating/drinking…

• just had a glass of red and i’m about to dive into a trader joe’s dark chocolate bar with caramel and black sea salt

wishing…

• on stars, dandelions, eyelashes, candles, pennies in fountains… all. the. time!

how about you all? what have you been up to? whatcha creating? reading? eating? obsessing over? i’d love to hear from you!

july has taught reminded me a great deal about my own creative process. it was -at once- painful, valuable, frustrating, and ended up being quite artful.

this was my month to start fresh: i had a few hours on weekday mornings in july (while the little lady was at summer camp) to dream into my next career steps, to make art, to have space. i had high hopes. the mornings went FAST between drop-off and pick-up (what is with this phenomenon? i can barely get a load of wash done during camp hours!) i made attempts to get my shit together. to make grand plans. to tackle technical difficulties. i let myself down and beat myself up.

wallowing in vices at bedtime

then i remembered myself. ah yes – the familiar in-between space where i “should” all over myself about all of what i should be doing right now. and instead i do anything but those things. i call friends. i play with instagram. i listen to ani difranco. i lurk around facebook. then i eventually make art.

i sewed my first skirt!

i remember reading back in art therapy grad school about edith wallace’s ideas on the creative process. in her model, the creative process is made up of four stages:

1. preparation: where one forms intention and ideas
2. incubation: the process of working and resting
3. illumination: the solution appears
4. verification: where the product is completed and refined

for me, july has been a time of preparation and incubation. out of these early stages, the grand ideas come, right? i do see the light at the end of the tunnel. could it be… illumination? all i know is that right now i’m planting seeds. seeds that still have to sit in fertile soil for a while no matter how much i yell, “grow grow grow GROW!” at them. i have to be patient and remember this is part of who i am during transitional times. i’m impatient and seemingly sloth-like, in the eye of the casual observer.

our family wearing washi tape clothes

this is part of my personal creative process. i eat much chocolate. i plan girls’ nights out and date nights and i host dinner parties that are prettier than they are delicious. i download new photo editing iphone apps and play with them into the wee hours of the night while my husband puts a pillow over his face to block out the iphone bat-symbol projected onto the bedroom ceiling. i watch far too much watch what happens live. i cry about how little i’ve accomplished in july. i wipe the tears and i remember wallace’s encouraging words that this stage is about working and resting. yes, i am creating wonderful little things, little circles within the grand circle… and i am resting. okay then, back to square one. make something else.

homemade gluten free olallieberry pie

i watch my daughter make art.

a tiny book in the making

i watch my daughter get very curious about her world.

the little one taking apart an old watch

a “i have to make a bike — NOW!” moment using sticks and duct tape

it inspires me to do the same. i take a ton of photos of inanimate objects. i dehydrate almonds and learn a new recipe for buckwheat buttermilk pancakes. i go to the beach. i play uno. i re-do my mantel. i wait.

apothecary drawer flea market find turned summer nature hoarding depository

i rejoice in making new types of art with my favorite little artist.

trying out paper plate circular weaving

weavings in progress

we get into a mandala theme and try our hand at melting pony beads into suncatchers in our toaster oven, outside. (i am scared of toxic fumes.)

i celebrate the art she has created in summer camp… herb-infused oils, hand-stitched tea bags, potted plants, homemade bread and butter, a felt lavender sachet…

summer camp creations

i celebrate her half-birthday (you may remember that we do this in my family) by baking a chocolate cake with vanilla icing — her flavor request. i so can’t handle this combo aesthetically because to me it’s like wearing black socks with white shoes, so i make the icing lavender and then it seems like a brown/pastel baby shower theme from 2004. a wee more acceptable.

mini-garland half-birthday gluten free sweetness

i made her a half-birthday crown as my sixth needle felting project ever, with a little embroidery and hand-beading. i think i love it more than she does, but i’m okay with that.

various views of the half-birthday crown

and in reflecting in all of the happenings of the month of july, i see my process so clearly. i always require a great deal of preparation and incubation before something new is born. july felt as tiring and as full of nesting as the third trimester of pregnancy felt. it’s clear to me in hindsight that i should have been maxin’ and chillaxin’ and enjoying those spare hours of july rather than “shoulding” it away. in observing myself throughout july, i can see that something is about to hatch…

incubation

here’s to new creations on the horizon…

“she tapped her finger & nothing happened & she thought she had lost her
magic, but it had only changed & it took her awhile to figure it out.”
-brian andreas

well, my friends, it has been three years since we first gathered here on PaintCutPaste. now, on my three year blogiversary, the time as come for this chapter to close and another to open.

as is the very title of this blog: we paint (create, form, adorn) we cut (break apart, destroy, change,) we paste together (reform, recycle, rebirth.) this is the natural cycle of the seasons and of life.

here together, we’ve dreamt into what we might invite our children to create and what our children inspire us to become. i began this blog when my daughter was just two years old. at the time, she was just beginning to awaken to the possibilities of art. i delighted in introducing her to each new type of paint and clay and pencil — she was making friends with new tools that would help her to communicate. i had the honor of witnessing this visual language develop alongside her verbal language, with equal importance in expressing her viewpoint and her spirit.

making marks at 1 year 4 months old

now, at nearly 5.5 years old, she is off and running, manifesting her own artistic visions each day with paper and mud and washi tape. these visions will continue to grow and change with her throughout her entire life. in recent months, i’ve quietly pursued her independent art process with my trusty iphone camera, like a stealthy art-huntress, in an effort to whip the photos up into something to share with you all, something “blog-worthy.” much of the art gets made in her kindergarten classroom, and much of her exploring at home is so spontaneous and in-the-moment that it’s quite elusive, even to the seasoned art-huntress momma. it felt forced, so i had to pause and listen. in paying close attention, i learned that this art bloggy way of being –one that used to be organic to my role as a mom, to the rhythm of my home, and to my daughter– has shifted.

an art therapist mentor of mine once said to me once that individuation between parent and child (who are in a securely attached relationship) is a parallel process. meaning that when a child is ready to gain another smidge of independence, a parent is also ready to reclaim a bit more space for her/himself. a beautiful phenomenon. we all do this dance with our children, don’t we? even the best dancers miss a beat sometimes — there are moments when the child becomes more clingy than we might prefer. sometimes the child is off and running across the schoolyard  before we’ve had a chance to give a big warm hug, and we get that all too familiar lump in the throat.

the time does come, slowly and in bits, allowing space for parent and child to each radiate our own, true SELF. let’s not underestimate that the task of finding oneself can be just as much of an identity crisis for a new parent, reorganizing and reforming and restructuring a way of being in the world, as it can be for a child who is finding her way for the first time.

in my first blog entry of 2012, i let you all know i would be changing focus of this blog to include more of momma art. i was feeling the tide (um, and pinterest!) pulling me into my own creative projects that i really wanted to share with each of you. our mornings have been a time when N has been involved in her busy job as a kindergartener while i’ve acquired head-space to become more involved in my career as an art therapist. i am so excited to share with you all the direction of this path – which is very much about artfully and spiritually supporting women in the early stages of mothering… from pregnancy to birth to the lifelong role of parenting.

so this is not goodbye, it’s growth. PaintCutPaste’s healthy archive of creative projects for children from infancy into kindergarten will still be here, hopefully soon to be organized into a very accessible format so we can all draw on it as a resource. the blog will also begin to feature new inspirational pieces for parents who are creating our lives anew, as our hearts have grown to include these huge spirits housed in the cute little bodies of our children.

it is with deep, sincere GRATITUDE that i write this to you, dear readers. you have inspired me endlessly with your words, images, ideas, and feedback. a blog that began in 2009 as a “hey grandma, look what we made today!” endeavor became part of a supportive, rich, and creative blogging community i had no idea existed before, and a community that has grown exponentially in the three years i’ve been blogging in this little niche. i’m excited for the next chapter to emerge –organically and authentically in line with who i am and the shape my family takes– and for you all to come with us on the journey. you’ll see me back here soon.

with many artful blessings, gratitude, and love -
jen

did you fold paper fans as a kid? sometimes the simplest things offer the greatest joys and lead to new possibilities.

i remember sitting in a warm elementary school classroom and creating these easy paper fans to wave around to cool myself off… or more likely, just to feel cool. N has been less into drawing these past few weeks and more into creating 3D art out of paper. so as we sat at the kitchen table the other day, i showed her how to fold the paper back and forth to create a fan. she picked it up easily and was off on a folding spree. she made a few fans… some white, some colorful.

and then she cut one of them up into zig-zagged strips. this reminded me of a wonderful father’s day card i had pinned recently from Day In My Life. perfect timing… so we got down to business hand tracing and cutting to create these cute cards for daddy and grandfathers.

these cards would be great on any occassion, really!

stay cool in the summer heat… make your own paper AC!

a few months ago, i spotted this photo of these incredibly unique creatures on a friend’s facebook page that were imagined and created by her 11-year-old son, roark. i just had to ask her if i could interview her uber-talented son to share his art and story with you all. *all photos supplied by the harris family

jen: hi roark. i’m so impressed with your sewn creations! can you tell us a bit about when and how you became interested in making them?”

roark: Well, you see, a while ago when my Papa was deployed my Mama, my brother and I sewed a sock monkey together using a pair of white socks from my Papa’s sock drawer. Then we made a sock monkey for Papa for his birthday out of his green Marine Corps socks. We named him M&M (For Marine Corps Monkey, and M&M’s were originally made for the troops to be able to eat chocolate without it melting!) He was perfect.  Mama even sewed a mini Marine Corps cover (hat) for his head!

M&M

I then drew my own pattern for a little navy blue guy I named Hatch. We made him out of left over fabrics my Mama had from like almost 20 years ago when she made a winter coat.  I think the navy blue fabric was the lining for the coat.  My Mama sewed it for me, and that’s what got me into sewing.  She showed me how to hand sew. We made his teeth and claws out of a cool whip container lid.

Hatch

For my birthday this year I got a sewing machine from my Gramma! I had been asking my Mama to use her sewing machine, but my little doll creations were too hard to sew with a machine because they were too small.  But when my Gramma got me a sewing machine, I just changed my idea of shapes for my guys so I could use the machine to sew most of them.  My aunt got me a sewing kit with a lot of cool fabrics and different materials, buttons and threads. So I started sewing on my very own machine and I’ve been sewing ever since.

Roark at his machine

jen: each one of your creations seems to have a personality of it’s own. how do you think of what they’ll look like? what’s your inspiration?

roark: When I make them, I first look around for some type of fabric to use, and then I find some cool buttons that I think will go good with the materials that I’m using. There’s no real prepping before. It really just comes to me.

"This is Voodoo. He was the very first thing I sewed all by myself by hand before I had my sewing machine. I made his pattern too. The pillow behind him was the first thing I sewed with my new machine."

jen: where do you get the materials you use for your creation, and what are the steps in the process of creating one of these little beings?
roark: I use any sort of material I can find in my house, like an old t-shirts, socks, pillow cases.

"I made this guy for my brother. His name is White and Black because he is white on the front and black on the back."

jen: what do you think other parents can do to support their kids if they want to get involved in sewing?

roark: I think you should give them positive support. Having lots of materials around the house is good even if they are just old shirts, sheets, curtains, blankets. And letting them try lots of things on their own and with help when they ask or need it is good.  I like to do things a lot on my own now, but I used to need more help.  And help them sew at first. Showing them how to sew is good. And a lot of good positive support is what I think is really what will help your kids!

Roark sewed this hat totally by himself with the sewing machine. It is worn by the character, Finn, on a popular kids cartoon, Adventure Time

jen: what other types of art do you like to create?

roark: Well, I like to draw and paint. I’m also a drummer. I like making short movies. And I also do stop motions which is where you take picture by picture and then you play it at rapid speed so it looks like its moving. I like to build and create LOTS with Legos.  I like to build the actual sets made by Lego, but I really like to build my own things with Lego parts.  You can check some of them out at my YouTube channel, RoarksProductions.  I started my own YouTube Channel because my siblings and I made a few Tonight Shows with Roark Harris, and I wanted my friends and family to see them (and Conan- I am a BIG Conan O’Brien fan).  I review Legos on my channel as well.  I also make things out of cardboard and tape, paper and string. I like to make things all the time out of anything I can get my hands on.  Sometimes I will make things (accessories) for my sewn creations like a sword and shield or a hat or bow and arrow.

This Lego creation is named Zolt. Roark gathered the pieces, designed his body layout, put him together, and painted him.

jen: is there any thing else you would like to add?

roark:Thank you for having me on your blog!

jen: all i can say is WOW! anytime, roark! i’m inspired to bust out my sewing machine and make a little friend!

as i discussed in the class beaded necklace post earlier this week, i was a “secret gnome” for N’s kindergarten class this year. for the end-of-school-year teacher gift, we gnomes thought the teachers would love a custom ‘yearbook’ of sorts from the class.

we purchased a few packs of 9″x12″ 140 lb watercolor paper, and gave two sheets to each family in the class. we asked them to help their children design and decorate the pages for the book. to help them out, we emailed simple ideas and suggestions to the parents that said:

• please include somewhere on the pages at least onephotograph of your child, your child’s name, and perhaps your child’s symbol (as i’ve blogged about before, in waldorf kindergarten, the children use an identifying symbol in lieu of their name on artwork and such.)
• please orient the pages vertically (so it makes sense when all are bound together the same way).
• please decorate both sides of the pages since they will show in the book.
• as a springboard of ideas: you might want to let your child paint or color or collage the page; you could include quotes from your child about what her/his favorite things about kindergarten have been; you could include an appreciative note to the teacher; you could include images or words that will remind the teacher of your child or o a particular kindergarten event or memory.

the finished pages were so unique and heartfelt!

we created a simple cover made from a wet-on-wet watercolor painting and a class photo. instead of doing any fancy bookbinding, we just punched holes and tied the pages together with bows of yarn.

the children presented the books to their teachers, and gathered around excitedly to see their completed work.

in addition to the class gift, we made some of our tried-and-true favorite early summer treats from us to the teachers – handwoven lavender wands.

 

school’s out for summer!