The Art Box – Nov. 23, 2009

**Update**This post originally had a few link-ups and comments and then... well it got deleted. There's a long story behind this that isn't very interesting, but would explain to you how blog-ignorant I am sometimes. :) I finally was able to re-post this post, but all the comments and links to other art box posts from other bloggers are gone forever. (Sounds so very sad, doesn't it?) We will try again next week! Just wanted to explain in case any of you are wondering why your links aren't showing up!

In the art box last week: Do-a-dot painters, coffee filters, new stamps and stamp pads, glitter glue, feathers, cotton balls, craft sticks, cardboard tube, Elmer Color Slicks, construction paper, newsprint, “zig-zag” scissors, scrap paper, paintbrushes, a couple of pictures with watercolor strips (craft?), and q-tips. (All put together on Mommy’s bed, the secret art box center.)

M is still enjoying his art box, and went to it or asked for it at least once a day last week.

He still loved the zig-zag scissors and cut up a storm – no pictures this time. Really, a pile of cut paper one week looks pretty much like a pile of cut paper the next week. ;)

He loved seeing the Color Slicks out. We haven’t used them for a long time, and with good reason… they are extremely messy. They make beautiful, brilliant colors and draw even more smoothly than oil pastels, but ugh. Chunks break off and stick to things and then you step on one and track color through the house… and well, you get the idea. Here’s his lovely picture: They are so much fun, but I can’t recommend them. If they bother me because of the mess, believe me, they are REALLY messy. I actually took them out of the art box halfway through the week.

I added a little something I found at Michael’s over the weekend:Now, this is not completely child-directed art, but I don’t feel it’s a “craft” either… these coloring pages of animals have strips of dry watercolors along the bottoms. I showed M how to dip a q-tip in water, rub it on a color, then paint the picture. I feel that one “fun” thing to find in his art box that he can do by himself can add to his enjoyment and teach him something new. He’s never painted with q-tips before and he thought this was a lot of fun.

He actually asked for his watercolors (which I was happy to trade for the Slicks) and throughout the week made these paintings: Water colors were definitely the big hit of the week, and he has really progressed with his knowledge of how to make them lighter or darker. I love it when he learns something all on his own! He was especially fascinated with the black paint.

He loves the do-a-dot painters, and I was hoping he’d pair them up with the coffee filters, but for whatever reason he wasn’t interested in the filters at all. He used the dots on newsprint: He did enjoy seeing what some of the colors made when they were put on top of one another.

He asked for foam stickers too. I guess he had his own ideas of what he wanted in his box this time! He made this little collage with some glitter glue (still a huge favorite, and almost completely gone): Well, apparently that photo was taken pre-glitterization. I’m not taking a new one now, so you’ll have to use your imagination. :) Sparkly!

He did make a collage with some paper. I think he was experimenting with the glue here… remember the product isn’t the point (thank goodness!):

And that’s it for the week. I thought he’d do something with the cardboard tube, but all he did was cut it a little bit and stick it on the railing on the basement stairs like a sleeve. :) No picture of that either, although he was very proud of himself for doing it! Silly boy.

I can’t wait to see the art your little ones made!! Link up below!

Have a beautiful day! :)