Hearts and Trees

Giraffe Art Ideas

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:02:00 +0000

Sorry for such the long absence. My new job and everything has been keeping me very busy. I haven't abandoned Hearts and Trees completely. I am still offering my Summer/Fall 2009 Kit for sale, so be sure to check it out if you haven't already. I am hearing a lot of good things from families who have purchased it. And I will be offering a winter kit, which will be released towards the end of November, so be sure to look for that. I am going to be trying to post here on my blog at least once a week starting in October. :)

I wanted to share with you my new giraffe statue. I bought it at a local Goodwill store for $2. I love it. It has found a home on my dresser next to my vase of peacock feathers and my mini palm tree.

Anyone who knows me can tell you giraffes are my *most favorite* animal. I don't know what it is about them, they just make me very happy. :) In honor of that I have put together a few giraffe inspired art ideas in this post to share with you.

Mama and baby giraffe at the SF Zoo June 2007.

The One Million Giraffe Project- make your own giraffe to contribute to the website seeking to gather one million giraffes. Or just explore the giraffes already submitted.
Giraffe Scratch Project- I love this crayon or oil pastel and paint scratch project.
Giant Giraffe Mural- like the one my family made for me.
Giraffe Drawing Lesson Plan- scroll to the bottom of the page.
Giraffe Stand-Up Coloring Page

If you do any of these projects, or have your own giraffe art ideas, be sure to leave me links in the comments section.

Hearts and Trees Summer/Fall Kit

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:00:00 +0000

(This post will stay on top- scroll down for new posts)
Introducing the Hearts and Trees
Summer/Fall 2009
Art, Nature Study and Handicraft Kit

I am really excited to *finally* share with you my new Hearts and Trees Kit. Because it has taken me so long to put together, I am combining my Summer 2009 and Fall 2009 kits. There are a lot of fun projects in this kit that I am sure you and your children will enjoy.

Each kit includes the instructions and materials to complete easy and fun handicraft, art and nature study projects with a minimum of effort. (Please note that you will need to provide common art supplies such as paper, pastels, paint, glue, etc.)

The large sewing project in this kit is an easy felt ball bird. The instructions and materials (except for the stuffing-which you can use rice or beans or cotton batting) are provided for your child to sew their own felt ball bird. (The felt color will vary).

The nature study portion of this kit focuses on trees, which is perfect for the summer and fall months. Three pages of nature study observation sheets are provided and you are free to make as many copies of them as you would like for your personal use. A 3"x5" laminated scavenger hunt observation card (like the ones included in my past kits) is also included.

The instructions and most of the materials are also included to make your very own bagel (or pinecone) birdfeeder. The string, birdseed and instructions are provided, you will just need to supply the bagel or pinecone.

The featured artist is Paul Gauguin. There is a notebooking page focusing on him and the art print of his "Tahitian Landscape 2" which is included in this kit.

The art part of this kit focuses on the color wheel and complementary colors. Your child will use paint and the three primary colors to mix and paint the 12 colors of the color wheel. Your child will also learn how to identify complementary colors using the color wheel. A notebooking page focusing on complementary colors is also included.

As a **new feature** this kit includes a 5 page PDF set of art notebooking pages focusing on complementary colors. The set of notebooking pages is similar to the art mini unit study PDFs I have for sale on my blog. The PDF will be emailed to you when you purchase a kit. (The PDF will be emailed to the email address associated with your PayPal payment.)

The materials and instructions are also provided in this kit for a fun black cardstock and glue project. Your child will sketch his own Tahitian Landscape and use glue and pastels or chalk to make a beautiful work of art.

In all this kit includes: 1 sewing project, 3 art element notebooking pages, 1 artist notebooking page, 1 art print, 1 nature study laminated card, 3 pages of nature study observation sheets, 1 handicraft nature study project, 1 drawing project, the materials and instructions to make your own leaf press and a 5 page set of complementary color themed art notebooking pages!

Complete Contents List:

Felt ball bird sewing project (pre-cut felt, needle, thread and instructions)
Color wheel/Color mixing painting project (notebooking page and instuctions)
Complimentary colors notebooking page
Complimentary colors PDF (5 page PDF which will be emailed to you)
Gauguin art print- “Tahitian Landscape 2"
Gauguin notebooking page
Trees nature study observation pages (3 pages)
Trees nature study laminated observation card
Black paper and glue drawing project (black cardstock and instructions)
Bagel (or pinecone) birdfeeder project (string, birdseed and instructions)
Leaf press (cardboard, rubber bands and instructions)

The cost per kit is $11.95 plus shipping. Shipping for one kit is $3.00 First Class. Shipping for two kits is $5.00 Priority and shipping for three kits is $8.50 Priority. (Please note that shipping costs are slightly more expensive for this kit, because it weighs more than previous kits.) For information about purchasing more than three kits, please email me for shipping information. Shipping prices are for the US and Canada. (For information about shipping outside of the US and Canada, please email me.)

If you are interested in purchasing any of the PDFs I am currently selling (they are in my sidebar) and you wish to make a combined payment for multiple items, feel free to email me for a total. I also still have a few Spring Kits available. If you are interested in purchasing any of those along with a Summer/Fall kit, just email me and I can get you a total. Thanks!

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at amandachristina@yahoo.com.

Charlotte Mason Blog Carnival July 21st Edition

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the July 21, 2009 edition of the Charlotte Mason blog carnival.

I am happy to be hosting this edition of the Charlotte Mason blog carnival. There are a lot of great entries this time, which I am sure you will enjoy. If it is summer where you live, it sure is here (over 105' yesterday!) pour yourself a nice cold drink and read through these inspiring posts.
~Kris~ presents Works for Me Wednesday: Nature Study posted at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers. Kris shares with us her new approach to include nature study in her homeschool.

Barb presents Nature Notebooks-Like a Travel Journal posted at Handbook of Nature Study. In her post, Barb tells us how her family uses their nature notebooks when traveling to use as a travel journal.

Barb also shares with us her post Picture Study Tip: Using a Viewfinder, from her other blog Harmony Art Mom. I really enjoyed this post about how changing which portion of a piece of artwork we view can help us in our picture study.

Amanda shares with everyone a fun summertime activity- Making Your Own Playdough! This easy and fun project is sure to be a hit with your family.

Kris presents Book Sale Manager web site posted at Science of Relations. Here Kris shares with us her resource for finding books for her Charlotte Mason style homeschool at a reasonable price.

Heather presents Frog and Toad are Friends posted at Well Read, saying, "Well Read is my new blog that shares the many ways that my family has extended learning beyond the pages of great living books. The article I'm submitting is about ways to extend the book Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel. I hope you enjoy it."

Jeanne presents Vivaldi's Women posted at A peaceful day. Jeanne tells us about her composer study of Vivaldi and how much she enjoys including study of classical composers in her homeschool. She also shares with us her post Training my daughter to pray posted at A peaceful day.

Lizzie shares with us her plans for Ambleside Year 3 in her post Year 3 on her blog A Dusty Frame.

Heather presents Math posted at Maple Hill Academy. She tells us her resources for making math fun in her homeschool.

Penny presents Learning to Eat the Frog! posted at Our Crazy Adventures in autismland!. She shares how she is teaching her children the valuable life skill of time management, even at a young age.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of
the charlotte mason blog carnival using our carnival submission form.
Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags:
the charlotte mason blog carnival, blog carnival.

Make Your Own Playdough

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:50:00 +0000

This is a really fun project. My mom made this in the art classes she used to teach and I made batches of it when I worked at the elementary school. It is really easy and fun to make and this is the best recipe for homemade playdough we've found.

You Will Need:

1 cup water

3 drops food coloring

1 cup flour

1/2 cup salt

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 tbsp oil (vegetable)

Waxed paper (optional)

Ziplock bag

1. Stir the drops of food coloring into the water.

2. Combine the flour, salt and cream of tartar in a small mixing bowl.

3. Pour the flour mixture, the colored water and the oil (DON'T FORGET THE OIL!) into a medium sized sauce pan.
4. Heat on low heat, stirring constantly until the playdough just begins to pull away from the sides of the pot and form a ball. (BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVER COOK IT OR IT WILL BURN AND STICK TO THE POT!)5. Pour the warm playdough onto a waxed paper covered surface (or you can just use a counter). Let the playdough cool for a few minutes until it is cool enough to knead. Knead it into a ball. If you are doing this with your children be sure the playdough is cool enough for them to touch before they knead it!
6. And that's all there is to it! You can make a rainbow of colors! Store your playdough in a ziplock bag or other airtight container and it should last for about a month! You don't need any fancy tools or toys to play with your playdough. The best place to look is your kitchen gadget drawer. A rolling pin and cookie cutters are fun too!

If you make playdough I'd love to hear about it. Feel free to leave me a comment or a link to your blog if you have one. Enjoy!

----------------------

Be sure to check out my

Summer/Fall 2009 Art, Handicraft and Nature Study Kit.

For Sale Now!

A Sneak Peek at My Summer Kit

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 02:24:00 +0000

It will still be about a week or so before I have my Hearts and Trees Summer Kit up for pre-order on my blog, but I wanted to share a little peek at what I have planned. I am finally settled into my new job and I think I will be back to regular posting. :)

~A cute felt ball bird~

The nature study portion of my summer kit is going to focus on trees and I like to call it "nature study in the shade." Just perfect for summertime!

The featured artist is Gauguin with a focus on complementary colors.

There are going to be a few other surprises and projects as well, so be sure to check back for more information. You can also subscribe to my blog in a reader or by email by using this link or the links in my sidebar.

Summer is the perfect time to take advantage of my watercolor tutorials from last summer. Check them out here.

And I still have a few Hearts and Trees Spring Kits left for sale. If you haven't already checked them out, be sure to do so. Thanks!

A Hearts and Trees Update

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 23:30:00 +0000

Hello everyone. I just wanted to sort of give you an update about my summer 2009 kit. I am busy putting it together, and I was hoping to start my pre-ordering in the next couple of weeks, but it looks like it will be the beginning of July before I have it ready.

I just graduated from college and I am starting a new job. I have training every day about 40 miles away the next two weeks so that's going to keep me very busy. After that I will settle into part-time hours and will be back to work on my summer kit.

I still have some spring kits left for sale, so if you haven't purchased one and are looking for some fun projects for your children be sure to check it out. If you have any questions feel free to email me. Thanks!

Just a reminder...

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Tue, 26 May 2009 00:45:00 +0000

Just a reminder that this is the last week to take advantage of my May Special! With any purchase of one or more of my Spring Kits you will recieve one of my PFDs (your choice) FREE!!

If you have any questions, feel free to email me (amandachristina@yahoo.com).

Hearts and Trees Spring 2009 Kit!

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Tue, 19 May 2009 18:59:00 +0000

(This post will stay on top- scroll down for new posts)

Introducing the Hearts and Trees
Spring 2009
Art, Nature Study and Handicraft Kit

Each kit includes the instructions and materials to complete easy and fun handicraft, art and nature study projects with a minimum of effort. (Please note that you will need to provide common art supplies such as paper, colored pencils, paint, glue, etc.)

I am really excited about the two handicraft projects in this kit. The first is a woven pouch made on a cardboard loom. Once you master the basics of weaving, there are so many things you can make! The yarn, weaving needle, cardboard and instructions are all included.

The second handicraft project is to make your own screen for screen printing, using the provided Scratch-a-Print screen. This is a surprisingly easy and very fun project. The screen is reusable, so you will be able to make many prints of your design.

The art aspect of this kit is focusing on Winslow Homer. The art print for this kit is Winslow Homer's "Mink Pond." A notebooking page for Winslow Homer is included as well as an art element worksheet focusing on Value-Light and Shadows.

There is also a set of copy work pages focusing on frog poetry. There are two blank lined pages you can use for the copy work, as well as a page of frog poetry and suggestions for how to use them.

The nature study portion of this kit is focusing on frogs and nature study near lakes, rivers, streams or ponds. My mom helped me to design a frog file-folder book (which you could mount on cardstock if you prefer). In the lapbook there are components for vocabulary, frog facts, bullfrog facts, frog noises, and the frog life cycle. In the lapbook you can also mount your life cycle of a frog drawing (instructions for this drawing project are included).

I have also included a laminated nature study card designed to help you as you explore the area near a river, pond, steam or lake.

We also thought it would be fun to give you some ideas of how you can use the projects from this kit to throw a frog-themed art and nature study party showcasing what you've learned using this kit. So we have included a one page sheet of ideas to help you plan a Frog Party for your friends and family. There are ideas for invitations, refreshments, activities and how to present your projects from the kit.

In all this kit includes: 2 handicraft projects, 1 drawing project, 2 art notebooking pages, 1 art print, 1 frogs lapbook, 1 set of frog poetry copy work pages and 1 laminated nature study card.

Complete Contents List:

Woven pouch on a cardboard loom- materials (cardboard, yarn, plastic weaving needle) and instructions
Screen printing project- materials (scratch and print screen) and instructions
Winslow Homer art print “Mink Pond”
Winslow Homer notebooking page
Art element worksheet- focusing on value- light and shadow
Frogs Lapbook- (6 page set of lapbook pages with color cover) Note: file folder is NOT included
Life Cycle of a Frog drawing project- materials (cardstock) and instructions
Laminated nature study card- focusing on river, stream, lake or pond observations
Frog poem copy work set- three pages (2 blank copy work pages and a page of frog poems)
Plan a Frog-Themed Event instructions sheet

These kits were gathered with children ages 6-12 in mind. Parents may need to help their students, especially younger children, with some aspects of this kit.

To purchase a kit you will just need to make a PayPal payment to my account. You can do that using the "Pay Now" buttons in my sidebar. Just be sure to use the button for the right number of kits you would like to purchase.

The cost per kit is $11.95 plus shipping. Shipping for one kit will be $2.75 First Class. Shipping for two kits will be $4.00 First Class and shipping for three kits will be $7.00 First Class (Please note if you purchase three kits it will come in two envelopes). For information about purchasing more than three kits, please email me for shipping information. Shipping prices are for the US and Canada. (For information about shipping outside of the US and Canada, please email me.)

All kits will ship within 3 business days after I receive payment. (Usually the next day.)

If you are interested in purchasing any of the PDFs I am currently selling (they are in my sidebar) and you wish to make a combined payment for multiple items, feel free to email me for a total.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at amandachristina@yahoo.com.

Tint and Shade Paint Project Video Tutorial

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Mon, 18 May 2009 23:18:00 +0000

Here is a project that I think would go really nicely with the Value Art Element Worksheet that is incuded in my Hearts and Trees Spring Art, Handicraft and Nature Study Kit.

You may need to click over to my blog to see this video tutorial if you are reading this via a feed.

For this project you will need:

Tempera paint (black, white and one other color)
Paintbrush
Pallette or plate to mix you paint on
Cup of water
Paper with circles printed on it (download PDF here)
Papertowels
Newspaper to cover your work surface

Feel free to email me photos or leave me links to photos of your complete projects. I love to see how everyone uses the ideas on my blog.

----------

And if you are interested in learning more about value, tints and shades, or are looking to add more art, handicrafts or nature study to your homeschool, be sure to check out my Spring Kit if you haven't already.

In all my spring kit includes: 2 handicraft projects, 1 drawing project, 2 art notebooking pages (including a page exploring value, light and shadow), 1 art print, 1 frogs lapbook, 1 set of frog poetry copy work pages and 1 laminated nature study card.

Here are some links to Amazon if you are looking to purchase some tempera paint or other supplies for this project:

Spring Kit May Special Offer!

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Wed, 06 May 2009 20:00:00 +0000

May Hearts and Trees Spring Kit Special Offer!

I have decided to offer a May Special for my Hearts and Trees Spring kits. Now until the end of this month with any puchase of one or more spring kits you will recieve one of the PDFs I offer through my blog FREE!! You even get to choose which set of PDF pages you would like to receive!

Still Life Art Show Mini Unit Study Notebooking Pages PDF

More info here

Clouds in Art Mini Unit Study Notebooking Pages PDF

More info here.

Weather Lapbook Pages PDF

More info here.

Mammals Lapbook Pages PDF

More info here.

*If you are interested in taking advantage of this special, you will just need to purchase a kit before May 31st (or before I run out of kits-my supplies are limited). You can find all the information about this kit as well as specific purchasing information in my Hearts and Trees Spring 2009 Kit post. When you check out with PayPal, in the notes for merchant section, just mention which of the four PDFs you would like me to email you. You can expect the PDF to be emailed you within 24 hours of my receiving your payment. If you have any questions, feel free to email me (amandachristina@yahoo.com) and I will get back to you as quickly as possible. Have a great day!

Spring Nature Walk Worksheet

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Wed, 06 May 2009 04:40:00 +0000

Last spring I put together a Spring Nature Walk Worksheet which I shared here on my blog. If you haven't already seen it, be sure to check it out.

Spring is a perfect time to get out and enjoy the changing seasons. Because spring is a time of change, it can be really exciting to spend a little extra time in nature study- observing new growth, listening to streams rushing from runoff and hunting out wildflowers.

My worksheet is designed to get you and your kids outside, looking for specific things and spending time exploring nature using your different senses. On this worksheet I have included a space to sketch something you find during your nature walk if you have not yet started your own nature journal.

If you use this nature walk worksheet, feel free to leave me a comment. I love hearing how people are using my scavenger hunt worksheets.

--------------

And if you are looking to include more nature study in your homeschool, be sure to check out my Spring Art, Handicraft and Nature Study Kit. The nature study portion of this kit focuses on frogs- a fun topic I am sure you and your children will enjoy studying together.

A fun metal embossing project

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 19:35:00 +0000

"[One of] the important things to keep in mind about children's crafts are that... they should be given work well within the ability of their age range so that they are able to do it well and not sloppily."
Charlotte Mason in Modern English Page 316

For this project you will need:

A metal foil sheet to emboss (you can buy these through DickBlick-see the bottom of this post for more information.)

A stack of old newspapers or magazines

A pencil

Sharpies or other permanent markers

Scissors

Cardstock

Tape

1. Carefully cut the metal sheet so that it will fit on the front of your card. I cut mine into a 4" square to go on the front of a 8 1/2"x 11" piece of cardstock folded in half. Be very careful the edge of the metal sheet can be very sharp. If you have young children you may want to do this for them!

2. Place the metal square on top of a stack of old newspapers or magazines. Using the pencil draw the design you want to emboss onto the square. Leave about 1/4" of a border around the edge. If you are going to write anything, be sure to write it in reverse to that it will be legible when you turn it over to the front.
3. Once you have finished your design, turn the metal over. Your design should be raised on the front.
4. Use Sharpies or other permanent markers to color in the front of your metal sheet.

5. You can either tape the edges of the metal sheet onto the front of your card. (Maybe you could use colored masking tape or something else like that.) Or you can cut a hole slightly smaller than the size of your metal square (I cut a 3 1/2" square on the front of my card) and tape the square to the inside of the card with the embossed image in the frame. You could even tape a piece of paper over that encasing the metal sheet between the cardstock and the paper. (You don't want to leave any edges because the metal can be sharp.)

Here is my brother's embossed metal square.

----------

You can purchase the metal sheets like the ones I used for this project from DickBlick. You can find them here. I used the 36 guage aluminum sheets. If you have any questions feel free to email me.

----------

I also have quite a few Hearts and Trees Spring Kits still available for sale, so be sure to hop over to my blog post about them if you haven't already. I am hearing a lot of good things from families who have already received theirs in the mail.

Spring Kit Update

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:45:00 +0000

So, everyone who pre-ordered a Spring Hearts and Trees Kit should receive it in the mail shortly if they haven't already. I still have a lot of kits left, so if you haven't checked it out, be sure to. There are a lot of great projects if you are looking to add art, handicrafts and nature study to your homeschool.

In all this kit includes: 2 handicraft projects, 1 drawing project, 2 art notebooking pages, 1 art print, 1 frogs lapbook, 1 set of frog poetry copy work pages and 1 laminated nature study card.

I have heard a lot of good things from ones who have already received their kits in the mail. Frogs are such a fun topic for children of all ages.

If you have any questions about my spring kit, feel free to email me. Thanks!

Some Frog Book Links

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:07:00 +0000

My Hearts and Trees Spring Kit has a nature study and art focus of frogs. Frogs are fun to sudy wherever you live and whatever the age or gender of your children. My spring kit includes a frog nature study lapbook (designed by my mom), a Winslow Homer art print featuring a frog, frog copy work notebooking pages, and a page of frog-themed party ideas. (Just a note: I will be shipping all Spring Kit pre-orders on Friday, so be sure to purchase yours today!)

I wanted to share some book links with you if you are interested in spending a little more time studying frogs with your children.

And like I said, be sure to check out my Spring Hearts and Trees Kit. I will be shipping all pre-orders on Friday and after that kits will ship within three business days of my receiving payment. Have a great day!

Let's Get Drawing....

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:59:00 +0000

I am busy getting my Hearts and Trees Spring Kits ready to be shipped off on Friday. If you still haven't ordered yours, be sure to check it out. I am really excited to share it all with you.

I just wanted to pop in and share some fun drawing links with you:

I hope you enjoy. Feel free to link to any drawings your family may complete. And be sure to check out my Spring Kit- I will be shipping all pre-orders on Friday!

A Few Spring Nature Study Ideas

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:33:00 +0000

"A girl who knows something about wildflowers, for example, will
be a popular walking companion with all kinds of people in various
circumstances."
Charlotte Mason in Modern English Page 261

This Charlotte Mason quote perfectly describes how I felt this past weekend. I went for a nice hike with some friends at Table Mountain near Oroville, CA on Saturday. (The photos in this post are from my hike.) Wildflowers are my favorite part of spring and summer. I love all the varieties and colors. As we were hiking I was able to identify some of the wildflowers for my friends. When we came across ones I didn't know, I wished my mom had been there. Knowing the name of a flower can be a very powerful thing. Spring is the perfect time to get outside for some nature study, and wildflowers can be a fun and interesting place to start.

If you are looking to add a little nature study to your homeschool this spring, here are a few ideas to get you started.

Go on a spring nature walk scavenger hunt using my free PDF download.
Go on a photo nature walk and take pictures of all of the different wildflowers you see.
Go on a nature walk looking for flowering trees.
Go on a nature walk looking for trees with new growth.
Identify one wildflower growing near your house.
Make a press and press some wildflowers.
Sketch a wildflower that grows near where you live.
Or see if you can find coloring pages for the wildflowers you have in your area.
As you are driving around town, see if you can spot any wildflowers growing alongside the road.
Look for migrating birds- I saw a whole flock of Canadian geese the other day flying in formation.
If you just get outside, I am sure you will find something worth observing.

And just a note: I am aiming to have my Hearts and Trees spring kit up for sale this week. Things are taking much longer than I expected with this kit. I will have more information about it later this week, so be sure to check in for that.

Trees Art Show

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:03:00 +0000

This Hearts and Trees online art show focuses on trees. I encourage you to share this art show with your children and to have a discussion about the different ways these artists saw and painted trees.

If you would be interested in a set of notebooking pages/mini unit study like the ones I am offering for my clouds and still life art shows let me know (you can find links to my other art shows as well as to my notebooking pages in the sidebar). If there is enough interest I will put them together.

Meanwhile, here are some suggestions of questions you can discuss with your children as you examine each painting.
•How did each painter see trees differently?
•Look for cool and warm colors.
•How many paintings have people in them?
•How many paintings have animals?
•How many paintings have buildings?
•Decide on the "mood" of each painting- how does each painting make you feel?
•Use the canvas measurements provided to see just how big or small a painting is.
•Decide which painting is the most realistic and which is the least realistic.
•Which is your favorite painting?
•If you could change the name of a painting, what would you name it? Why?
•If you find a painting you like, take a minute to look at some other paintings by that artist. (Artchive and ABC Gallery are where I found these paintings.
•You could make your own version of your favorite garden painting.
•You could sketch your own garden in the style of your favorite artist.

Vincent Van Gogh
Olive Trees with the Alpilles in the Background
1889 Oil on canvas
28 1/2 x 36 1/4 in. (72.5 x 92 cm)
Collection Mrs. John Hay Whitney

R. B. Kitaj
The Oak Tree
1991 Oil on canvas
60 1/8 x 60 in. (152.7 x 152.4 cm)
Private collection

Sigmar Polke
Two Palm Trees
1964 Artificial resin on fabric
90 x 75 cm
Private collection

Egon Schiele
Autumn Trees
1911 Oil on canvas
79.5 x 80 cm
Private collection

Vincent Van Gogh
Roots and Tree Trunks
June-July 1890 Oil on canvas
50 x 100 cm
Rijksmuseum Vincent van Gogh, Amsterdam

Pissarro, Camille
Pear Trees in Bloom at Eragny, Morning
1886 Oil on canvas
21 x 25 1/4 in (54 x 65 cm)
Isetan Museum, Tokyo

Piet Mondrian
Avond (Evening); Red Tree
1908 Oil on canvas
70 x 99 cm (27 1/2 x 39 in)
Haags Gemeentemuseum, The Hague

Schiele, Egon
Little Tree (Chesnut Tree at Lake Constance)
1912 Watercolor and pencil on paper
18 x 11 5/8 in. (45.8 x 29.5 cm)
Private collection, New York

Paul Gauguin
Blue Trees
1888 Oil on canvas
92 x 73 cm (36 1/4 x 28 3/4 in)
The Ordrupgaard Collection, Copenhagen

Asher Durand
Study from Nature: Rocks and Trees
c. 1836 Oil on canvas
21 1/2 x 17 in (55 x 43 cm)
The New York Historical Society

Gustave Caillebotte
The Garden at Petit Gennevilliers in Winter
c. 1894 Oil on canvas
73 x 60 cm
Private collection

Emily Carr
A Rushing Sea of Undergrowth
1932-35 Oil on canvas
112.8 x 69 cm
Vancouver Art Gallery

Claude Monet
Garden in Bordighera, Impression of Morning
1884 Oil on canvas
25 3/4 x 32 in. (65.5 x 81.5 cm.)
The Hermitage, St. Petersburg

Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot
Peasants Under the Trees at Dawn, Morvan
c. 1840-45 Oil on canvas
10 3/4 x 15 3/4 in.
National Gallery, London

----------------------------------------Just some notes:

***I am busy putting together my Spring 2009 Hearts and Trees Kit. Look for pre-ordering March 19th!

***And if you haven't already checked it out, be sure to look at the Outdoor Hour eBook!

***And I have four Winter Kits left at the discounted price if anyone is interested.

There is a lot of celebrating going on here...

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:48:00 +0000

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6633893.html

CPSC has delayed the enforcement of the testing dates for at least one year. So, it looks like Hearts and Trees is back in business! I am going to be getting busy putting together a spring kit! And I am also going to be using all the great ideas you have all shared with me to hopefully expand Hearts and Trees.

So, I will be able to sell the remaining of my winter kits. I will still be offering them at the discounted price, so be sure to check them out if you haven't already.

Thank you for everyone who has left me a kind comment or email during the past month. I am so excited that I will still be able to sell my kits.

Winter Kit Markdown

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:08:00 +0000

I only have a few Hearts and Trees Winter 2008 Kits left. I would really like to sell them before the February 9th deadline.

I am now offering them 20% off.

Each kit is $9.56 plus shipping.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me.

Vivaldi- Four Seasons- Winter

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:00:00 +0000

Today I thought I'd share a very nice YouTube video of Vivaldi's movement Winter from his Four Seasons. I think Vivaldi is probably my favorite composer because I love the violins. I hope you and your children take a few minutes today to enjoy the music of winter. (You may need to click through to the actual post if you are reading this in an email or reader since the videos and Amazon links don't always show up for some reason.)

If you are interested in learning more about Vivaldi, you can see my mom's Vivaldi composer study here. And if you are interested in purchasing a Vivaldi CD from Amazon, here are some to get you started (We own the first one and highly recommend it.):

I have also put together a free PDF notebooking page for Vivaldi. You can download it here at Lulu. And if you haven't seen my winter themed art, handicraft and nature study kit, check it out here! I only have a few left and only have a few more days left to sell them.

A Big Thank You And Some Questions

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:00:00 +0000

I want to thank everyone who left me a comment or emailed me yesterday. I was feeling pretty low because I've loved putting together my art, handicraft and nature study kits. It just doesn't seem right that it could be illegal in a few weeks to sell something I know isn't going to harm any children.

But I am going to carry on in the hopes that the laws will change. In the meantime, I am looking for new opportunities for Hearts and Trees.

I am asking you for any suggestions of what you homeschooling families would like to see from Hearts and Trees in the coming months.

A few have suggested that I sell PDF instructions for handicrafts (like the ones I have included in my kits) and make specific supply lists (possibly even linking through Amazon) so parents can gather the materials themselves. I think part of the appeal of my kits is that I have been able to provide all of the materials packaged together, but if the instructions are something people would be interested in, I am more than willing to consider the possibilities. Here are some things I am thinking I could put the instructions together for: a tote bag/library bag, basic apron, crochet scarf, pincusion, doll blanket/lap blanket, freezer paper applique. Are these things you'd be interested in purchasing the instructions for as a PDF, even if you'd have to gather the materials yourelf or purchase the materials through Amazon links I would provide?

I have been toying around with the idea of putting together a mini-kit focusing on embroidery. I would introduce a number of basic stitches and your students would complete a small sampler. At this point I don't think I will be able to sell the kit with materials, but would you be interested in a PDF set of instructions with photos (like what I offered in my mini kit- you can see in the first photo) of how to make each embroidery stitch to make a sampler?

I have also been thinking about putting together a quilt square of the month club, if this is something people would be interested in participating in.

These are just some of the ideas I have in mind for the handicrafts portion of Hearts and Trees. I have some ideas for nature lapbooks and art/artist notebooking pages as well. If you have any ideas or suggestions of what you'd like to see from me, please email me (amandachristina@yahoo.com) or leave me a comment. Thanks!

I am also putting a poll in my blog sidebar. (If you are reading this in a reader or email you will have to click through to my blog to vote in the poll.)

I still have quite a few Winter Kits that I need to sell before February 9th. Be sure to check them out!

February 9th, CPSIA and Hearts and Trees

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:25:00 +0000

Because my kits are designed for children under the age of 12 I am going to be affected by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act which comes into affect February 9, 2009. Unless there is some legislation change, I possibly will no longer be able to sell my art, handicraft and nature study kits after that date.

In the coming weeks I am going to try to sell all of my Winter 2008 kits. If you are at all interested in purchasing a kit I suggest you do so very soon.

Hearts and Trees will still continue to operate after February 9th. I am going to focus more on PDF downloads like the ones I am already selling, instead of the arts and crafts kits. I have a lot of ideas, and hopefully in time I will be able to sell my kits again. I thank everyone who has supported my blog and my business in the past.

Clearing Out My Inventory

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:58:00 +0000

Because I will no longer be able to sell my kits after February 9, 2009 I am trying to clear out my inventory.

Here is what I have available:

~~4 Summer Kits ($14.00 each with First Class shipping)~~ SOLD!! Thank you!
1 Fall Kit ($14.00 with First Class shipping)SOLD!! Thank you!
~~1 lime green easy fleece hat project kit~~~~- includes all project materials and instructions ($5.00 with First Class shipping)This project was included in my Winter 2007 kit.~~SOLD!! Thank You!
Extra aluminum sheets- like the ones included in my Winter 2008 Kit ($0.30 a sheet plus shipping) Once I know how many you would like I can let you know how much shipping will be.

I am also hoping to sell the last of my Winter 2008 Kits. I have quite a few left and will not be able to sell them after February 9th. Please purchase yours today if you are interested.

If you are interested in purchasing anything other than my Winter Kit (which you can purchase by using the Pay Now PayPal buttons on my sidebar), please email me (amandachristina@yahoo.com) and I will get all the information to you. Everything will be first come first served. Thanks!

Hearts and Trees Winter 2008 Kit

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:15:00 +0000

This post will stay on the top, so scroll down for new posts.

Each kit includes the instructions and materials to complete easy and fun handicraft, art and nature study projects with a minimum of effort on your part. (Please note that you will need to provide common art supplies such as colored pencils or crayons, scissors, tape, etc, as well as a hammer.)

In this kit we have a fleece sewing project. Your child will learn how to draft their own mitten pattern out of paper, then cut and sew a pair of mittens. You have your choice of fleece colors!

There is also a metal punching project, inspired by Pennsylvania Dutch folk art designs. Your child will love using a hammer and nail to punch out the design into the aluminum.

A template is provided for your child to learn how to make his own stencil. Again the design is inspired by Pennsylvania Dutch designs, and included on the instructions page for this project is some general information about the Pennsylvania Dutch folk art style.

For the nature study portion of this kit, my mom has once again put together a wonderful lapbook to include in my kit. This lapbook focuses on mammals. Components of this lapbook include sorting pockets and cards to learn about 5 different classes of mammals, a "What Is a Mammal?" mini-book, a "Mammal Trivia" mini-book, mammal vocabulary, more mammal classifications, mammal babies and more!

An 8 page nature journal focusing on mammals is also included in this kit. In it you will find facts about 8 common mammals as well as space for you to record which species of that mammal live where you live, whether you have ever seen one and to sketch what the animal's tracks look like. (Links are provided to help you find this information.)

The art print for this kit is Edward Hicks' The Residence of David Twining. A notebooking page focusing on Edward Hicks, which includes a drawing project idea is also included. A notebooking page about neutral colors is also provided.

-------------

In all there are 3 handicraft projects, 3 notebooking pages, an art print with corresponding drawing project, a complete lapbook and a nature journal focusing on mammals in this kit!

Complete Contents List:

Instuctions and materials (fleece, needle, thread, pins) to sew pair of fleece mittens
Instructions and template for a Pennsylvania Dutch folk art stencil project (with information about the Pennsylvania Dutch folk art style)
Instructions and materials (aluminum, nail, cardboard for mat) for Pennsylvania Dutch inspired metal punching project
8 page mammals nature journal
Mammals lapbooking pages (10 pages Note: file folder is not included)
Edward Hicks art print (The Residence of David Twining)
Edward Hicks notebooking page with drawing project idea
Art element notebooking page focusing on neutral colors

These kits were gathered with children ages 6-12 in mind. Parents may need to help their students, especially younger children, with some aspects of this kit.

To purchase a kit you will just need to make a PayPal payment to my account. You can do that using the "Pay Now" buttons in my sidebar. Just be sure to use the button for the right number of kits you would like to purchase.

The cost per kit is $9.56 plus shipping. (This is a new reduced price. See here for more details.) Shipping for one kit will be $2.85 First Class. Shipping for two kits will be $5.70 First Class (PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A NEW REDUCED SHIPPING PRICE!! 2 kits will ship in 2 separate envelopes.) and shipping for three kits will be $8.00 Priority. For information about purchasing more than three kits, please email me for shipping information. Shipping prices are for the US and Canada. (For information about shipping outside of the US and Canada, please email me.)

*****I currently only have black fleece!*****

All kits will ship within the next two to three business days after payment is received.

Please note that the price per kit has remained the same. The cost of shipping has increased partly because this kits weighs slightly more than past kits and because of the increase of USPS shipping prices.

If you are interested in purchasing any of the PDFs I am currently selling (they are in my sidebar) and you wish to make a combined payment for multiple items, feel free to email me for a total.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at amandachristina@yahoo.com.

REDUCED SHIPPING FOR WINTER 2008 KIT!!!

amandachristina@yahoo.com (AmandaChristina) — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 02:11:00 +0000

I still have a lot of Hearts and Trees Winter 2008 Kits left to sell.

I have had some questions about the shipping cost of the kit. I have figured out a way to decrease shipping costs for 2 kits.

The new totals will be as follows:

1 Kit- $14.80 ($11.95 plus $2.85 First Class Shipping)
2 Kits- $29.60 ($11.95 each plus $5.70 First Class Shipping)
3 Kits- $43.85 ($11.95 each plus $8.00 Priority Shipping)

There is a savings now of $2.3o when you buy two kits!! (Please note, now when you purchase two kits they will come separately in TWO First Class envelopes.)

For more information about this kit, as well as information about how to purchase one, please see this post.

In all there are 3 handicraft projects, 3 notebooking pages, an art print with corresponding drawing project, a complete lapbook and a nature journal focusing on mammals in this kit!

More info here