Squeezing out a little more Christmas fun...

the Guerilla Art way!

Okay, I still haven't ordered my copy of Kerri Smith's Guerilla Art Kit but I will, I promise! Inspired by Ms. Hula's renegade adventures with her wee ones I have decided to come through with an idea I have been entertaining for almost a decade now. Be a renegade tree decorator and document it!

what you need:
*heavy paper/card stock
*paint
*markers, glitter,glue, etc.
*tape or a stapler
*scissors
*digital or old skool film camera
*dry erase board (optional)
*foodie garlands from your holiday tree

scrumdilly-do it!

Set out your craft/art supplies and have your wee ones construct a most fabulous tree topper. The more outrageous the better! I did a GIANT star.Cut your shape, paint, decorate as you will and let dry. Once dry, make a loop-dee-loop out of a strip of scrap paper and close using a whole mess of tape ot a stapler.Affix to the back of your topper.

Next, gather up any "throw-away" garlands you and your kidlets may have constructed for your current tree. If you don't have any, gather up some cereal or pasta and thread and whip a garland up. I used a mini box of fruit loops for a three foot garland.Bundle up if it's cold, grab your camera(s) and go on a Christmas tree hunt! You know, all those sad and lonely kicked-to-the-curb Christmas trees that start appearing right around now? Those are the ones! Keep an eye out and when you find one, do a quick guerilla make-over, add a dry erase board with the date and location to the shot and snap a picture. Remove your decorations and move onto the next tree.**

You can even have your wee one's jazz up a shoe box to hold your Guerilla decoration kit. Keep it in the car for when a lonely tree calls your name. Keep your kit in a homemade bag and carry it with you on walks. The more your kidlets look for the trees, the more exciting it becomes! Believe me! I've been taking pictures of the trees since 2000 and I get all trigger happy on New Year's Eve. I have never decorated them before and can't wait to start! I'll post pictures as soon as I spot a tree! I had my kit with me yesterday but sadly didn't see nay trees.

I promise to post pictures soon and please, please, please if you do this, I would LOVE to see your pictures!

**Don't forget to remove your decorations after you take your pictures. Leaving them on would be a lovely and fabulous gesture methinks but it may also be too enticing for some types to steal away and litter the place up with. Keep our streets clean, right?

Have a Happy New Year! I wonder how long and far out we will see trees? I once snapped a shot of a tree in June!

Repurposed Art: Paper Chains

When I was 5 years old, I fell ill with pneumonia...twice! Amidst all the colorforms and coloring books, someone had given me a pad of gummed orange paper strips. I remember laying on our old scratchy brown couch wrapped up in a vintage silk quilt making link after link to form this tremendous paper chain. I thought these papers were the bees knees. What better way to make a paper chain than to repurpose your kidlet's own fabulous art? You can even make art for the sole purpose of chaining it up!

What you need:

*flat, colorful paper artwork
*scissors
*glue stick, white glue or tape (kidlets LOVE tape!)scrumdilly-do it!

Take scissors to your kidlet's artwork cutting it into thin (no more than an inch and a half wide) strips at least six inches long. Place withing reach of your wee ones. If your kidlets are old enough to do this, allow them to do so. Scissor work is always fun for wee ones and it helps strengthen those wee finger muscles. Decorative edged scissors would work also but sometimes cutting with them can be frustrating.Once all the strips are cut, begin with the first link. Have your kidlet hold their strip in front of them, horizontally and artwork side up. They will need to add adhesive to one end of the strip. Once the glue is on the end, curl the ends under to form a loop, pressing together so that the glue holds.Next, take another strip and insert halfway through the completed loop. Add adhesive to one end and connect, making two complete loops or links, if you will.Continue on until your kidlets have a chain deemed worthy for the tree, their bedroom or wherever it is they wish to display it.You may want to have your wee ones complete a pile of unattached links to alternate with. Sometimes adding a new link to a loop can be frustrating so starting off with a bunch of links to join can ease that frustration. You can also use old holiday cards, gift wrap and/or magazines for this project. Have fun!