Inchie Butterfly and the Letter Q

     I have had a super week!  For this time of year and for the week after testing (which usually means the kiddos think it is o.v.e.r.)  they have been so good and worked so hard.  It is weeks like this past one that makes me realize how much I will miss them.  Of course that fact has nothing to do with retirement.  When I spend two years with a group (we loop), it gets very hard to let them go. 
     The inchie this week was a butterfly.  I had fun with this one.  I decided to let it drift out of bounds rather than confine it.

    The only other challenge I may it to this week was the alphabet challenge for Made by Joey's.  It was the letter Q.  There are not a lot of tangles (that I like) that begin with the letter Q.  I had to use Q-belle for the challenge.  So I just added Queen's Crown.  It is not particularly one of my favorites. 

      I have done a lot of coloring this week.  Nothing complete to share though.  I hope you have a wonderful week-end and thank you for dropping by!

My Very Special Lady Bug

     When I think about lady bugs (the inchie word for this week), I think of Susie (not her real name).  Because we "loop" I have had this group of children for almost 2 years.  You get very attached.  Or at least I do.  Susie has some very severe emotional problems.  On a normal day she is one of my best students - smiling and so very loving.  Then there are the other days.  Something or someone stresses her and she changes drastically.  If we are lucky she shuts down and just will not communicate, pulling herself into her hooded coat and totally leaving us behind.  If we are not lucky, well that is a very different story.  She throws chairs.  She fights physically if you touch her.  She destroys whatever she can get her hands on - worksheets, crayons, her own clothes.  Once she threw herself into the floor and began to draw over about 2/3 of my classroom floor with crayons.  It looked somewhat like Jackson Pollack had been my student!  Since Christmas of this year, she has had what I term as "mini-melts".  She is controlling it so much better and recovers quicker.  There have been times I simply went home in tears.  During it all, she and I have had a very special relationship; we love each other.  I took to calling her my "lady bug".  So my inchie this week is for Susie, my very special lady bug and one of those I will really, really miss next year.  Wish I could share her picture - just picture curly black hair and huge brown eyes and a super smile, when she connects with you!

    Made by Joey's letter was P.  I used pea-fea, pea-nuckle, and piza.  I decided not to color the whole tile because I couldn't figure out the best way to color the background and not lose the letter.

     Diva's challenge was to use a stain or spill as part of the string.  I don't drink coffee or tea so I went to the paints to get my liquid.  I used my water pen/paintbrush and splattered some blue paint on the student sized tile.  Then I took some tissue and blotted it to sort of spread it a bit.  I also outlined my splatters.  The rest is just tangling.  I think I got my shading a bit dark, but not terribly I guess.

     I am looking forward to a "normal" week at school.  Last week we did our state testing which - may I on record of saying - is ridiculous.  The stress it puts on all involved is awful.  The fact that I have a group of kiddos who have made tremendous progress but it will not show because we are not on grade level is frustrating.  My classroom is built around a smaller model and meant to teach at their lower level.  However state tests do not appreciate that.  Either way, I am just so glad it is over.  I pray my class does well, but in all honesty I just don't know.
     I hope you are having a great week.  My mantra is "twenty days" - but who's counting?!

Feeling the pain!

    My classroom has nearly 40 years of "stuff" packed into various cupboards and filing cabinets.  In other words lots of things to go through and sort and pack.  My principal gave me the chance to take a few personal days but come in and get started with this chore.  He suggested field trip day and field day - days that the kiddos would be out of the room so I could more easily work.  Very nice suggestion!  So yesterday as my class went on a field trip, I waded through a part of my things - whew!  I emptied my desk, and unloaded two file cabinets.  And torched my back.  I could hardly move last night and this morning wasn't much better.  On the positive side I did accomplish a lot (yep, a lot to go still). 
     The inchie this week was crow.  I can't help thinking mine looks more like a black parakeet, but it is going to have to work.  It is the best I can do.

     The tile for Made by Joey was the letter O.  I used the tangles O2, Ol-birdee, and olin.  I guess I must have been inspired by the wonderful sunshine we have been enjoying.  I love this weather.

     Guess I need to go and do something - like some more drawing . . .  Also time to get my carrot cake cookie bars out of the oven.  If you care to try them, I found them here.  I have never made them so they do not come with a recommendation . . . yet.
     Thanks for dropping by and I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Second post this week, yikes!

     I just finished up some making some birthday cards and decided to go ahead and post my last few things.  I worked on the Diva challenge.  We had to use the tangle, frunky.  I also used maran.  Then added some color. 

    I also finished up my latest coloring page.  It is from ColorIt's Mandala 2 book.  This one reminded me of Easter.  It usually takes me several days to finish a coloring page.  I take my time and shade and fiddle with every detail.   This one took me 2 days, but I am home a bit more this week.

      Guess I will head out and maybe tangle some more.  See you later and have a good rest of the week!

Sunshine and sleeping late!

     I am soooo enjoying my spring break!  This schedule suits me just fine.  I do sleep late - about 10 in the morning.  But wait, before you judge me - I also don't go to bed before 3 in the morning.  I am a night owl.  I get my most creative work done in the wee hours.  So really my late sleep is not so late considering.
     I worked on my inchie first - parrot.  I really saw it as more realistic that it turned out.  Oh well!  It is pretty nice either way. 

     Then on to Joey's challenge #159.  I used natti, nesting, and  nzeppel.  I also only colored the letter this time for no real reason.  Maybe because the next things I worked on meant a lot of coloring.

      I love the way the gems look that so many people are including in their art work.  So naturally I have to try them too.  I borrowed an idea I saw on line (of course) and made a garden of gems.  I think I am getting a little better, but I am no where near the work of what I have seen.  I will get there, I hope!

      Last I just colored.  I love this new interest the world has in coloring books for adults.  I loved coloring as a child and it hasn't changed.  I got this book, Mythical and Fantasy, by ColorIt.  I love their books.  If you haven't tried one of them, you really should.  They are very high quality.

      I hope you all have a wonderful day!  I plan on working on my coloring book for a little while this afternoon.  I hope to have it ready to publish by summer.  Hopefully.  See you later!

Yahoo! Spring Break begins!

    After school yesterday, my principal came by the room.  I was sitting there finishing up a few things and waiting on my ride.  He poked his head in and said that this was the last spring break I would have - enjoy!  Hadn't thought of that.  But it was a very nice thought.
     I worked on several challenges this week but didn't have time to post til now.  The first one was my challenge piece for Made by Joey - the letter M.  I used the tangles Mi2, matu, measles, and miander. 

     The inchie challenge was to do a peacock.  I really would have loved to do that fantastic array of feathers, but could not seem to make it work.  At least not for me.  So mine is a bit more subdued.  In my searching for a pic to reference, I found out you can order a baby peacock to have as a pet!  I thought that was interesting.  Do they make good pets?  I haven't a clue.  They seem like an unusual pet for sure.

      Gems have taken over the tangle world.  So naturally I have to play with them.  Later on today I plan to work on a tangle page with some gems.  This time I only used one for the Diane Clancy challenge.  We had to use tangles that begin with the letters DEF.  So I chose diya, emigle, flipdown-l, and floral waves.  I really am pleased at how the pink gem turned out.

      Diva's challenge was to use the tangle noom.  I also used 5C aura.  I wasn't sure about noom to start with, but I found myself really enjoying the flow of it.

      Guess I will go and do something else for the day.  Just got a cake out of the oven, all sugar free ingredients so that is nice!  It looks really yummy!  Ahhh, chillin!  Thanks for dropping by,  see you soon!