First? Day of Summer

This week my art classes wrapped up their HAND projects (mostly)! I challenged my older student doing a project called "Designer Hands". It begins with drawing a hand holding a writing utensil and then copying it at least two other times. 

Then the fun part begins with her choice of squares or circles (she chose circles) in the background and she can embellish them however she wished.  You can also see the other examples of the similar projects next to her as we scouted for ideas and other inspiration.

Her beautiful finished work is top, left.

I had my younger students on a project called "Textured Hands". This is fun because they stillg et to draw their hand, but they're a little young for the challenge of proportions. Therefore, they get to trace their hand and thenput it in whatever environment they choose. We enjoyed looking at these below examples for inspiration!

Textured Hand 'In Progress'

His Textured Hand "In Progress"

Our 9 year old's completed "Textured Hand"

Our 6 year old's Textured Hand Project

My Textured Hand in Progress

Today is the first day of Summer and it really shouldn't mean anything around here. Summer here tends to start much earlier (Um...April? If we're lucky. When it starts in March, I get really cranky!) than the earth's current position in its yearly resolution of the sun. It gets harder for me every year, but there are ways to deal.  

Here is one:

Yes, that's really my car. Sure, this method won't work everywhere unless you want parking tickets and to be towed, but it works in this particular locale. I really do feel it should be a LAW to provide covered parking everywhere or at least have trees planted all over parking lots to give off that shade.

I've even noticed that I have so much less energy. Usually when I hit the treadmill or head to aerobics, I can just go go go for the 30-60 minutes without having to stop (unless nature calls or I need more water). But lately...especially at aerobics...I'm just exhausted and I feel like a wuss going at about 60% capacity. I know it's the heat. It sucks out your reserves like a vacuum.

Plus, the cabin fever of kids in the house gets to you too. Therefore, another way to deal with the summer is obviously cooling off. We tried to deal with it today by heading to the splash zone at the mall.  Mikelle came too, but she didn't want to play in the water. 

And SOMEONE was thinking when they put that Splash Pad in.  Usually developers around here have no brains. They just want their money and then they go back to whatever other state (not this one) that they live in.  But THIS time, someone was thinking.

It's also shaded.

Now to try to head to the treadmill later...no matter how exhausted I feel...