Am I a hoarder?

So my husband has called me a hoarder; others have referred to me as a pack rat. But I just can't help it... I can't throw things away. I realize maybe it's gotten out of control when I can't throw away dried up paint. There's something about it-it's shiny on one side, stretchy and beautiful, pure color.

So yes, I admit it, I peel them off the plates and palettes and keep them in a bowl, just waiting for some sort of inspiration to hit me on how to use them.  I saw a Robert Burridge post where he had painted some really cool abstract "circus birds" and used paint chips. Well, as I was decorating the outside of an old book that I'm making into a journal, it finally hit me.  I needed something to cover the binding and was so glad I had collected my little bowl of dried paint chips.

I just used some gel medium to glue the paint circles down the side. I think it added a really cool dimension to it. Any other ideas of something else I could use them for? I'm trying to come up with a lesson that incorporates them.

Artistic Gifts

I love getting hand made gifts, do you? I also love giving them, but never seems like I have enough time to create enough to give to everyone I want. I usually do a better job of posting my Christmas creations during the holidays, but this year I took a break from the computer so I could focus on more on my family. So... I hope you're not too tired of Christmas to read a quick post highlighting some of the crafts and artistic gifts I created during the holidays. 

 We made some of the above burlap Christmas tree door hangers to give to friends and teachers.

 I did a lot of Santa paintings this year, both to give and for others to give.

We went with all hand made ornaments on our real tree this year-first time ever! Here's a cute ornament  I made from a jar lid. Got this idea from Better Homes and Gardens. 

I painted some abstract collage crosses for some of my special friends.

I had to recreate some cute hand painted ornaments I'd seen at the local Hallmark Store-the $22 price tag was a little too high for me. I did these by first pouring acrylic paint into a clear glass ornament and then embellished with metallic paint and puff paint.

Helped one of my little bits paint a picture for Grandma (actually she did this all on her own!)

I had so many students this year who created paintings to give to their relatives for Christmas that it inspired me to have my kids do the same. What a great gift anytime of the year!