festive art projects.

since i've been working at stone ridge, multiple requests have been made for holiday themed projects around christmas time - us being a catholic school and all.  there is a big difference between teaching fine art and doing holiday themed crafts.  holiday themed crafts should be done in the classroom, by the classroom teacher (in my humble opinion of course).  in the art room, we are studying fine art - art history, how to create using different mediums, art from different cultures, etc.  so it has always been a bit tricky to explain i don't "do" holiday crafts.

well, this year i found a solution to this sticky situation and i'm quite happy with the results.  my first graders learned about religious triptychs and then drew images of baby jesus inside their golden triptychs.

  please note - on the lower right hand side - the blue angels that look like hotdogs with wings. and right above them mary and joseph aka mr. and mrs. long neck.

these kids crack me up.

and some art history christmas stockings created by my fifth graders.

 

hope you have an art filled christmas season!

a holiday gift guide.

for the ladies..... 

one.

 

two.

 

three.       

 

 four.

 

 five. 

for the guys....

one. 

two. 

 

three.

four.

 

 or...

five.  

 

for the ladies...

1. Voluspa Golden Cypress Candle $16 (smells just like christmas!) 

2. Penguin Classics books $20

3. Toms Glitter Shoes $54

4. The Domino Book for the home design enthusiast $32

5. Kate Spade's Poka - Dot Coasters $20

for the guys...

1. Whiskey Stones $19.50 with glasses $58

2. Head Sets $98

3. BR socks $18.50

4. Dwell or GQ mag subscription ($19.95 a year and $12)

5. James Bond DVD gift set $131

Happy Shopping Everyone!

xoxoxo

baby j.

we had the absolute JOY to meet the newest addition to the welsh clan

BABY JASON

while we were in houston over tgiving.

baby jason is just the cutest, most adorable baby boy.

he held up very well with all the new faces he was being introduced to 

while all of us wanted to hold, hug, kiss and ohhh & awww all over him.

it was also pretty amazing to see our cousin christene and doug as new parents.

they are total naturals and make such a happy little family.

congrats congrats schmoe family!

 curt, uncle tex, ellen and baby jason

i wish i could have seen jason's face...

 mom and baby jason

 jenn, zachary and lisa

 uncle sam meeting his grandson

 cute mama with cute son

 me and mom

 time for some gifts

 happy little family

 dinner fun after the baby shower....

happy happy turkey day.

thanksgiving has to be my favorite holiday.  it is all about food, family, friends, traditions and good times.  we have so many things to be thankful for in our life.  to name a few - loving families, dear friends, health and happiness, jobs we enjoy, the list goes on and on.

and this tgiving didn't disappoint....we created wonderful memories, laughed until our bellies ached, dined at fabulous houston restaurants including: benjy's, tfaia, avalon diner, texadelphia and buffalo grille, could not seem to get out of the kitchen, caught up with friends, met the newest addition of the welsh clan (pics coming soon!), chinese food and catch phrase with the ainsworths, and just lounged around the swanson household.  it was all pure thanksgiving bliss.   

zachary and dad setting up the deep fryer

please note zachary's t-shirt

chef jeff

mom's lovely table

party time: dad, kathryn and lauren

 jenn and zachary

 mereditha, mom, uncle sam

the traditional cousin pic: see no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil

 could not seem to get out of the kitchen :)

 newlyweds: michael and lisa

 turkey time!

 jeff's roast turkey and zachary's fried turkey - yummmm!

me and kathryn

thankgoodness for weekends.

 

 

Highlights from our weekend include:

1. a trip to the National Gallery of Art to check out the latest exhibits in the East Wing.

2. the treats shown above....while taking an art break at the NGA.

3. snapped some photos for this year's xmas card.

4. dinner around the corner with friends at Cork filled with lots of yummy flights and food.

5. breakfast tacos made by chef jeff with friends while we enjoyed our cozy fire. 

6. off to dinner and a movie (we are going to go see The Town) in georgetown......

happy weekend.

we will be outside enjoying these lovely colors and fabulously cooler temps!

happy weekend friends!

xoxo

what i'm thankful for.

 

thankful for our fireplace.  with these cooler temps - nothing beats snuggling up next to our fireplace to get warm.

thankful for daylight savings.  it is somewhat easier to get out of bed and walk to the metro when it actually light outside.

thankful for the babies in our lives.  both family and friends - it is so wonderful to watch loved ones become parents.

thankful for clementines.  they remind me of winter and jeff and i just blew through a bag of them.

thankful for the month of november.  thanksgiving is just around the corner and we can't wait to go back to texas to spend it with our families.  plus there is always mango loaf to look forward to :)

looooove it.

wanna see the cutest save the date ever?

all created, designed and printed by our lovely friends mags and trav.

isn't it the cutest?

and very mags and trav, which i love to see.

p.s. - love how the numbers were drawn as muir wood trees since they are getting married in san fran - so creative those two.