Journey Back to the 1950s-A Peek-a-Boo Project

Welcome ot the happiest month of the year for middle school STEM teachers, June is teh month that summer vacation begins.

Revisiting my collection of vintage 1950’s Jack and Jill and Children Activities I was taken back to these childhood memories. 

These magazines feature heartwarming stories, fun activities, and charming graphics that can bring out the child in all of us.

The covers of the magazines showcase delightful graphics that evoke pleasant memories of the past.

 The illustrations inside are equally lovely.

Party Planning included.

There was stories and poetry to entertain you, and other activities.

The included calendars are fantastic and can even double as coloring pages.

 

Last Butterflies of Summer-A Peek-a-Boo Project

It seems like as summer turns to Autumn the likelihood of seeing butterflies diminish. Where they seemed bountiful in Spring arriving with all the blooming flowers, now that September is here they are harder to spot in the Autumn garden. These are the inspirations for this artwork.

 

Supplies:  GSLC Fern Fronds, GSLC Honeycomb & Queen Bees ATC Sized, Wooden Tags, Infusion Rusty Cars Stain, Spray Bottle, Turquoise Acrylic Paint, Paintbrush, Wooden Butterflies, Metallic Rub-Ons Flowers, WeldBond Glue, Decorative Silk Ribbon

1. Gather Supplies.
   
2. Use Leftover GSLC Fern Fronds and GSLC Honeycomb & Queen Bees ATC Sized Pieces. 
3. Spray Wooden Tags with Water Bottle.
4. Sprinkle with Infusion Rusty Cars Stain. Dab Until You are Satisfied with the Coverage.
   
5. Use a Paintbrush to Spread a Layer of Turquoise Acrylic Paint on Dry Waxed Paper.
   
6. Gently Press Stained Wooden Tags Into Paint.
7. Dry Thoroughly.
8. Collect Wooden Butterflies you Like to Use. 
   
9. Decide on Design of Tags so you can Add Metallic Rub-Ons Flowers.
   
10.  Use WeldBond to Glue on GSLC Fern Fronds and GSLC Honeycomb.
    
    
    
    
11. Add Decorative Silk Ribbon to Hang the Completed Wooden Tags.
    

    

    
    

    

    
    

    

Final Thoughts

There is a butterfly who has been looking forward to this change of seasons from Summer to Autumn. The Monarch butterfly is such an iconic insect and its beautiful story repeats every year through their migratory pattern. Each September this butterfly begins its long treacherous journey back to Mexico.

As daylight shortens, along with the aging milkweed, their exclusive food of their larvae form. Adult Butterflies enjoy a variety of nectar bearing flowers-sunflower, coneflower, ironweed, zinnia, and salvia to name a few.

As nourishment is depleted each fall, North American monarchs travel from their summer breeding grounds to overwintering locations. East of the Rocky Mountains, monarchs travel up to an astonishing 3,000 miles to central Mexico.

Using environmental cues, the monarchs know when it is time to travel south for the winter. Monarchs use a combination of air currents and thermals to travel long distances. Some fly as far as 3,000 miles to reach their winter home.

One of my favorite podcasts, Atlas Obscura, did  show about this journey, How This Tiny Mexico Town SavedTheir Monarch Butterflies-For Now.

Although the monarchs have left our home in Maryland, the queen is dead, deceptively we believe. They have but just flown to regions unknown. South by Southwest, a journey never taken alone, they fly in form of a magical fluttering cone. Wearily they to mountains in Mexico they come, Seeking the oyamel fir, there they will rest once again wings gently fluttering in the sun.

Of Peacocks and Kingfishers-Peek-a-Boo Project

Many years ago I spent a summer in India, I wrote about it in the blog post: So Far From Home . I have always had a fascination for peacock feathers, using them for years to decorate my home. Their colors are iridescent and mysterious. Being born in 1963, I found it an odd connection that India declared the peacock  their national bird the very same year.

My time in India was challenging for me as, it was the first time traveling to a third-world country. I have never been so far from home. I spent some time in Goa, in a gated resort there. It was during monsoon season and I had a room to myself and from my window I could see some of the kingfishers  that lived there. The Common Kingfisher plumage is bright blue and orange, and glistened in the hot Indian summer sunshine. 

These birds are the inspiration for this artwork.

Supplies: GSLC_Reliquary-Tower Top, Magazine Pictures, Blue Paint and Stencil Butter, Grey Texture Paint, Titan Buff Paint, Paintbrush, Copper and Gold Paint, UHU GlueStick, Glossy Accents, WeldBond, Deco Art One Step Crackle,  

1. Gather Supplies.
   
2. Trace and Cut Out Magazine Picture to Glue to Back Potion of GSLC-Reliquary-Tower Top.
   
3. Use a Paintbrush and Blue Paint and Stencil Butter, Grey Texture Paint, and Titan Buff Paint to paint the Top Portion of the GSLC-Reliquary-Tower Top.
   

   
   

   
4. Paint Edges of Back Portion of GSLC-Reliquary-Tower Top.
   
5. Use a UHU GlueStick to Glue Cut Out Portion of GSLC-Reliquary-Tower Top.
   
6. Find Stickers you Desire from Antiquarian Sticker Book.
   
7. Glue into Desired Compositions.
   
8. Coat with Glossy Accents.
   
9. Use WeldBond to Attach Both Portions of GSLC-Reliquary-Tower Top.

   
10.  Use Clips to Hold Portions in Place.
    
11.  Once Fully Dry add Deco Art One Step Crackle to Inside Portion of GSLC-Reliquary-Tower Top.
    
    
    
12. Once Fully Dry Fill in Cracks with Apple Pie Spice.
13. Seal with Glossy Accents.

Final Thoughts

While in India I was fortunate enough to visit  Jaipur -The Pink City. The Inner Courtyard of City Palace has four small gates known as the Ridhi Sidhi Pol, which are elaborately decorated in brilliant colors. Lotus Gate– Beautified with lotus petals and stunning floral patterns representing summer season. Peacock Gate has carved peacocks surrounding a statue of God, and represent autumn. The Rose Gate represent winter, it is beautifully designed and painted with rose petals and surrounds statue of God and the sun. The final gate, named the  Lehariya  Gate, is vividly painted in shades of green and represent Spring.

Kingfisher

Your wings are made of precious stones, Your chest like fire-burning bright,

Flamboyant in your brightest tones.

Electrifying flash of light.

With Sharpened dagger on a perch,

Sit patiently, observe your prey,

Then with one fast, decisive lurch,

You dive across the waterway.

In one fell sweep, you snatch and steal.

The fish-their silver scales your prize, You swallow it then conceal

Yourself in watery disguise;

Your eye-a secret of your aim,

Most powerful your mighty wing;

No bird can beat you at your game,

The noble bird-You ARE the king!

~Renata Matejko