The Crafty One — Beth P Bugler

Class 6 Results: Seeing greenClass began with one kid saying “Sally isn’t here.”Other kid. “Maybe she’s sick.”Same kid, with more enthusiasm. “Maybe she’s dead!”And finally, “Maybe her head exploded!!!”Yes, these are the angels in my class. Alligato… — **Class 6 Results: Seeing green**
Class began with one kid saying “Sally isn’t here.”
Other kid. “Maybe she’s sick.”
Same kid, with more enthusiasm. “Maybe she’s dead!”
And finally, “Maybe her head exploded!!!”
Yes, these are the angels in my class. Alligators, fire-breathing dragons, and fire-breathing, bead embellished lizard with eyelashes.
Love these kids.

November 7, 2015

Class 6: AlligatorI wear contact lenses. Daily disposable contact lenses, so each and every day I open up two little plastic pods. The boxes and the pods were crying for another life. Thus, eye present The Alligator. Contact lens boxContact lens pod… — **Class 6: Alligator**
I wear contact lenses. Daily disposable contact lenses, so each and every day I open up two little plastic pods. The boxes and the pods were crying for another life. Thus, eye present **The Alligator.**
Contact lens box
Contact lens pods
Cork
Cardboard

November 7, 2015

Class 5 Results: Scary? Not so much. Maybe it’s not possible to convince ten girls to make creepy zombie creatures. My one boy spent almost the entire class coloring his cup black, and my uber creative girl made a purse for her zombie. I think someo… — **Class 5 Results: Scary? Not so much.**
Maybe it’s not possible to convince ten girls to make creepy zombie creatures. My one boy spent almost the entire class coloring his cup black, and my uber creative girl made a purse for her zombie. I think someone even made food for her “bunny” zombie. And did I actually think there would be time for spiders? Oh well. I tried.

November 7, 2015

Class 5: Zombies and SpidersBooo mgwaaaaaa!!! The Wednesday before Halloween called for some creepy creatures. Coffee cups. Borrowed (?) from my officeScrew top wine caps. Are you seeing a pattern?Toothpicks. Stuck into cork slices for the handsEgg … — **Class 5: Zombies and Spiders**
Booo mgwaaaaaa!!! The Wednesday before Halloween called for some creepy creatures.
Coffee cups. Borrowed (?) from my office
Screw top wine caps. Are you seeing a pattern?
Toothpicks. Stuck into cork slices for the hands
Egg crate. For spider
Pipe cleaners and pom poms for spidey

November 5, 2015

Class 4 Results: Well, I don’t even know what to say.

The class today was consumed with talking about “poop” and “pee.” I stated that this was a “poop-and-pee-free class” while my friend more shrewdly declared that any poop and pee talk would involve a visit to the principal’s office.

As we settled in to work, I was thankful for enough of a split between the giraffes and zebras (although giraffes had a slight edge). Pink giraffe, one-eyed giraffe, purple striped zebra and the kid who said “I’m going to make a flamingo!”

Biggest challenge: gluing the legs so that the creature didn’t topple over.

Class 4: Zebra or GiraffeNot sure if this is a recipe for disaster — giving the kids a choice, but we’ll see. Applesauce container for the zebraK cup for the giraffeCorks! Some sliced on the diagonal for the neckStraws and chopsticks for the legs.Pa… — **Class 4: Zebra or Giraffe**
Not sure if this is a recipe for disaster — giving the kids a choice, but we’ll see.
Applesauce container for the zebra
K cup for the giraffe
Corks! Some sliced on the diagonal for the neck
Straws and chopsticks for the legs.
Packing peanuts for the zebra’s head
Penny for the giraffe’s tail. Only because I needed a counter balance for the heavy cork neck!

November 5, 2015

Class 3 Results: Now that’s a pack (?) of penguins! First of all, it’s hot. Like summer hot, and I’m wearing a sweater. AND my friend’s cat is sick so I’m flying solo. But now the kids hug me when I show up and scream in unison “What are we ma… — **Class 3 Results: Now that’s a pack (?) of penguins!**
First of all, it’s hot. Like summer hot, and I’m wearing a sweater. AND my friend’s cat is sick so I’m flying solo.
But now the kids hug me when I show up and scream in unison “What are we making today??” They claw at my bags to try and sneak a peak of the creature of the day.
I am blown away by the kids’ creativity. I have my sample and they take it from there. Do you see those ear muffs? And the one-eyed armless small-footed creature?
Totally worth the sweat.

November 5, 2015

Class 3: PenguinIt was cold, for a moment in this non-winter winter, so it seemed appropriate to make some penguins. Water bottle. I cut mine down to make him more squat.Cut up egg carton. For the head, painted blackPlastic bag stuffingConstruction … — **Class 3: Penguin**
It was cold, for a moment in this non-winter winter, so it seemed appropriate to make some penguins.
Water bottle. I cut mine down to make him more squat.
Cut up egg carton. For the head, painted black
Plastic bag stuffing
Construction paper
This should be easy peasy lemon squeezey!

November 5, 2015

Class 2 Results: Now those are some happy hippos!Polka dots and purple mouths. And Sharpie marks everywhere! On the kids hands, their clothes, the table, the floor … My parting words to the kids, “Tell your parents the Sharpie marks came from… — **Class 2 Results: Now those are some happy hippos!**
Polka dots and purple mouths. And Sharpie marks everywhere! On the kids hands, their clothes, the table, the floor … My parting words to the kids, “Tell your parents the Sharpie marks came from science class!”
A (slightly) less crazy class and happy to see the kids enjoying themselves.

November 5, 2015

Class 2: HippoI had naively asked the course coordinator to order some paints for our class. But after living through one class and seeing the chaos that ensued, introducing brushes and liquids to this crew was OUT OF THE QUESTION.Milk Cartons. I … — **Class 2: Hippo**
I had naively asked the course coordinator to order some paints for our class. But after living through one class and seeing the chaos that ensued, introducing brushes and liquids to this crew was OUT OF THE QUESTION.
Milk Cartons. I gave them all a coat of white paint, thinking that they could color them with brush-tipped Sharpies
K Cups (Keurig one-serving coffee pods for those still living in the 90′s). Dished out of the office machine and cleaned. Not a fun job.
Corks. Some sliced shorter to make stubby legs

November 5, 2015

Class 1 Results: Peacocks? Turkeys? Insane hybrids?Ten girls and one boy who cried for the first 15 minutes of class. Adorable and rowdy and jacked up after consuming their pre-class snack of apple juice and Cheetos. (One girl asked, “Are Cheetos … — **Class 1 Results: Peacocks? Turkeys? Insane hybrids?**
Ten girls and one boy who cried for the first 15 minutes of class. Adorable and rowdy and jacked up after consuming their pre-class snack of apple juice and Cheetos. (One girl asked, “Are Cheetos good for you?) Thank god I corralled a crafty friend to help because as soon as we were in the classroom it was excruciatingly clear that I had absolutely no control of the kids. My friend wrangled the group with a game while I set up the materials and plugged in the glue gun.
I had thought this was a pretty straightforward creature to begin with. What I hoped would be easy – yeah, not so much. Just sticking the straws into the corks for the legs proved incomprehensible and impossible for tiny hands. “I don’t get it! Can you do it for me?” asked each and every kid. And forget making the plastic bag bodies. Paper would have to do, with help, of course, since even cutting was proving to be challenging. Paper and google eyes and corks were everywhere and I thought a fight was going to break out when one sweet girl found and commandeered all the fancy buttons and totally blinged out her peacock. Mental note: make sure to have enough shiny things for all.
My friend and I took care of all of the gluing, and before we realized, it was time to clean up! With no help from the kids, natch! Live and learn!

November 5, 2015

And here it begins. 11 six and seven year olds. 15 Classes. Arts and Crafts. Making things with recycled stuff. On the heels of a successful morning class that I led last spring, “Mini Mod Dollhouse,” the school asked if I would be interested in lea… — **And here it begins.**
11 six and seven year olds. 15 Classes. Arts and Crafts. Making things with **recycled stuff.**
On the heels of a successful morning class that I led last spring, “Mini Mod Dollhouse,” the school asked if I would be interested in leading an after-school arts and crafts course. Sure! I said. I had a great experience making groovy dollhouses and furniture with 4th and 5th graders. We used a bunch of recycled materials and made some really spectacular stuff. Check it out at makeitminimod.wordpress.com. I was psyched to replicate the experience.
It was only after I committed and was checking the schedule that I noticed the fine print – *K-2nd grade*. Oy. That’s young! Too young to handle my most critical tool: the glue gun. How was this going to work? And I had also promised using recycled materials again. Can a 6 year old cut cardboard?
After a quick pivot from dollhouses to animals, several consultations with my mom (former art teacher) and days of experimenting and trial runs—I was ready. Or not.
**Class 1: Peacock**
CDs. My office is moving downtown and we are charged with purging, so old archive disks looked shiny and fun
Wine corks. I’ve got plenty! Pre sliced in half for the feet
Construction paper
Plastic bag stuffed in a plastic bag for the body
Paper, paint, straws and of course, GOOGLE EYES!

November 5, 2015

Class 6 Results: Seeing green

Class 6: Alligator

Class 5 Results: Scary? Not so much.

Class 5: Zombies and Spiders

Class 4 Results: Well, I don’t even know what to say.

Class 4: Zebra or Giraffe

Class 3 Results: Now that’s a pack (?) of penguins!

Class 3: Penguin

Class 2 Results: Now those are some happy hippos!

Class 2: Hippo

Class 1 Results: Peacocks? Turkeys? Insane hybrids?

And here it begins.

Class 1: Peacock