Matisse Paper Cut-Outs

Most of the art projects we do really give the kids an opportunity to use their own creativity. That's sort of the point, right? But now that they are getting older, I wanted to start to use some projects as a little art history lesson. We've done a bit of this in the past (like our Father's Day Pop Art prints), but I generally try not to give too many restrictions to a particular art project. So this was really something different for them.

Kids Food Face Collages

Looking for a fun, silly project to do with the kids? Let them see that they are what they eat with our Kids Face Food Collages! Head over to Honest to Nod to check out the project.

Bowl of Oranges: Cut Paper Chinese New Year Craft

We're continuing to celebrate the Chinese New Year this week (we've previously posted about the lanterns and dragons we've made) and because we haven't done a cut paper craft recently, this one sparked mom's pinterest when she came across it.  Mom simply used a circle hole punch and punched out a bunch of oranges from various orange craft/scrapbook paper (it's good we're using it -- our baby books/scrapbooks have not been touched in a VERY long time.  well, actually, poor cam's is completely empty).  Then we used glue sticks to stick them onto black paper.  I pretty much did it "by my own self."  Cam needed mom's assistance to get started, but she made a second one on her own.  She also favored gluing them down and then peeling them off (probably just because mom told her not to.  once mom gave that up, cami actually glued them down).  Then mom drew a simple bowl shape over the top of them with a white oil pastel.  We've had our own bowl of oranges on the table all week long, one of which Cami insists that mom peel at every meal and then refuses to eat.  Good thing mom likes oranges.

p.s. omg our house is messy this week.  i guess mom didn't get on board with the Chinese New Year tradition of the pre-holiday house clean.

i see you oranges.  and i will peel and discard one of you tonight.