Creating life on the blacktop

Here are some fun pictures of the transformation of a small abandoned area on campus at Carpenter Community Charter Elementary.  This "lovely" area was locked up and deserted.  Our beautification team with some help from parents cleaned this area up and we painted and planted and now the kids are making it their own.  Butterflies and Hummingbirds kinda like it too. :) 

before...

Can you find the Hummingbird?

Watering

Butterfly

Planting

Painting

mural in progress 

Inviting!

Awesome Art Collaboration for Haiti

Process pictures of kids drawings turned in to mosaics

My friend Laurel True is a wonderful mosaic artist and she has been over in Haiti creating some really special mosaics there.  I am lucky enough to be able to help her with the project with Partner's in Health at the Mirebalais Children's Hospital.  Hoping to raise awareness and funding as well as a global teaching moment, she gave me some subjects that she wanted to include in the murals.  I had the kids at both my schools where I work, Carpenter Community Charter Elementary School and Sunnyside Preschool create drawings of birds, fish, flowers and butterflies that she shared with her mosaic community to piece together an inspiring and beautiful atmosphere for the Children's Hospital.  Please go to the Facebook page to see lots of pictures, and also to make a donation supporting the efforts.
Mirebalais Facebook Page

3rd graders proudly displaying their artwork for Haiti

Science Lab Murals

Well...there could definitely be worse jobs!  I am starting on the science lab murals at Carpenter Community Charter thanks to our fantastic science teacher Mrs. Lori Belateche.  First up, the marine sciences.  Then on to the physical sciences and life science.  The last week of school was spent cleaning up and me being up on the ladder and observing (that's a scientific word)  all the kids K-5 coming in to hug the science teacher, see what's up with the chics, guinea pig, turtles, bugs, magnets, snails, and all the cool stuff in there.  Lori read me a letter from a graduating 5th grader that told her how much she helped him learn and pay attention, where as in other classes he couldn't concentrate.  He's going to the science academy next year.  Public school is tough in California.  But our awesome families have made this one work by funding this program, that otherwise would not be here.  PLUS  added benefits is that Me and Sunny and Gidget get to play with the chics all afternoon.

we get locked in afterschool....

our awesome science lab!  Marine mural.....

inside the whale

outside door whale of a tail

Diversity

With all the rain, I got it done, probably good... so that I didn't over work the darn thing.  Although.... should I put the names of the fruit in the ground? AND, are the sun rays in the right places? Or is it done.  Someone, stop me. Please.

Not quite ripe, but getting there...fruit tree mural

Work in progress on the Fruit Tree Mural....

The best part about the mural is that Sunny and I get to have lunch together.

photosynthesis

Work has begun on the science mural at Carpenter!  Can you guess what it's about?  Not done yet, but I love how it's turning out that I couldn't wait to post it. 

Blank Walls

My friend Mary gave me this card last night.  She is so thoughtful.  It really made me smile to see this blank wall and what we created together.  Thanks Mary!  Click here to see what I'm talking about.
Carpenter Garden