One of my favorite books in this series is called “Elephants Cannot Dance.” It involves Piggie trying very hard to teach Gerald how to dance even though Gerald claims that “Elephants cannot dance.”  Piggie is persistent though, working very hard to teach Gerald the style of movement that thru personal experience, she has come to define “dance.”

Gerald, although reluctant at first, gives in to a persistant Piggie, and begins practicing the steps.

Willems illustrates this process beautifully, the elephant’s determination and frustration, Piggy’s jubilance, quickly followed by concern and compassion when Gerald attempts to dance like piggy and fails.  He simply can’t dance the way she can. I have been there, we all have… trying so hard to do something like someone else and feeling like we just can’t quite get it “right.”

As kids we are taught, in most situations, that there is a right way and a wrong way.  Or as some parents say when their kids reach a certain age, my way or the highway.  After I grew a bit more and hit this so-called highway, I attempt to define “correctly” for myself and it borders on Webster’s suggested synonyms, “perfectly, faultlessly, flawlessly.” Forgetting these terms are subjective in nature, I can get so caught up in doing something “correctly,” that I forget the fact that my definition may be skewed or in fact, someone else’s entirely.

As an adult, it’s easy to forget there is more than one way of doing things.

When I was young, I read books that taught me about shapes and sizes, short stories about honesty, being kind, the weather and pea soup.  Today, children read about emotional development and what it means to be disappointed or disheartened.  I would suggest for any adult, an afternoon spent in the early reader section of a bookstore. Children’s Books, they’re not just for kids anymore…

In the end, Piggy is consoling a disheartened elephant when two squirrels approach, expressing their desire to learn how to dance too! Piggie explains that she is busy taking care of her sad friend and doesn’t have time to teach them how to dance.  But the squirrels don’t want to learn Piggie’s dance moves.  They want to learn “THE ELEPHANT!”

Mo Willems teaches our kids that looking like an elephant when you dance is not necessarily a bad thing ♥  And today, at a tiny table in Barnes and Noble, the mighty Mo reminded me that sometimes it’s about changing the way I see things and not the way I do them.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY from The Arton Collection Project!! We love you Mo!!

Key words: children’s book authors, children’s books with a message, kid art and stories, emotional illustrations, art for kids, dancing to the beat of your own drum, magical dancing, Elephant and Piggie series

ta daaaa!

That being said, I attended my first adult craft class last week.  I actually felt a little nervous!  The craft for the night was decoupage, or creating a paper collage and then sealing in with mod podge so it lasts forever and ever. Better make it good.

I went alone, and immediately upon arriving, made my way to the adult punch bowl to loosen up and get my creative juices flowing.

Once drink was in hand, I walked over to the craft supplies table.  It was like a mini Michaels!  If you have not seen the ribbon section of a Michaels then it is time to take a trip. I carefully chose the papers I would use to make my collage.  I gathered the rest of my materials, scissors, glue, pencil, sat down next to some fellow crafters, and for the next two hours felt free.

In the end I didn’t leave with a masterpiece that would knock your socks off but what I can say is this:  Everyone there had made an effort to show up because they wanted to be a part of the creative process.  Everyone there was supportive and nice.  The tables were covered in a beautiful rainbow of paper bits, my hands were sticky from glue.  I decoupaged a set of coasters to give my friend Florence for her birthday.  I am proud of the coasters I made.  And although I’m not sketching him anymore, this craft class reminded me that it is STILL all about the heart, man. ♥

Little Junebugs is a boutique and kids crafting center in Pasadena, California that carries the Arton Baby t-shirt Collection.  The store owner, Courtney, is the amazing woman who hosts the adult craft class.  Check out  www.littlejunebugs.com for details about her next event!

Key words: art projects for adults, creative lifestyle, fundraising for public schools, Little Junebugs Boutique, adult crafting, kids art prints, rad love

Right now I have two jobs. The first, is, of course, the Arton Collection Project. In this job I am looking at children’s artwork, constantly being reminded of kids and the joy they bring to the world. Their funny cartoons, the sweet cards they write to their parents, cut out hearts, and scribbled I love you’s.

But I also work in a restaurant, and in this job, I cringe at the sight of these crayon chewing, cracker munching monsters.  I’m putting their drinks in a to-go cup so they don’t spill it all over the floor. I’m ordering them a kid’s burrito but then I have to run into the kitchen to tell the chef to separate all the ingredients onto different plates because the child “insisted” that he make his own. Argh!!

After the family leaves, I’m on my hands and knees picking up the bread and crayon bits that have been thrown to the floor.  The child, he runs back to me. He forgot to give me the picture he colored during lunch so I could hang it on the                                                                           wall.  He smiles, his pants are falling down.

Although I don’t have any of my own yet, if every color represented an emotion, I can imagine having kids would be like juggling a rainbow all day long.

little florence's artwork titled "me, juggling a rainbow"

Key words: Art in Parenting,  Art in Schools, Fundraising for Schools, The Arton Project, Baby Shower Gift

I just learned that the specific skills considered to be “higher mental abilities” include: good memory, grasp of grammar and symbols, self-awareness, understanding others’ motives, imitating others, and being creative.  Unfortunately most of the men I’ve dated exhibit less than half of these skills.

man or monkey?

Aside from that, today I am focusing what separates ME from a monkey? And more specifically, today as I travel the path in search of my next meal, a future mate, what are the obstacles I face versus the obstacles faced by most other animals?

We all have predators, my predators will not be feeding me to their cubs but they may in fact be throwing me to the wolves.  For all the intents and purposes of today’s project blog, we will consider these the same. We all suffer the effects of pollution, climate change, and from the devastation of our environments.  The hunt for food, protecting our young, keeping warm, these too, are all obstacles humans and animals face together.

So what then, is the obstacle that separates ME from a monkey.  And then it hit me.  It hit me like a handful of poo to the face.  The obstacle was me.  Me and my poo poor choices.

The choices that are refered to as “no-brainers” are the ones with which I have the most difficulty.  I am faced, everyday, with these so-called “no-brainers.”  Do I get up when the alarm goes off, even if it means being late as a result of “snoozing?” Coffee makes me jittery and sometimes gives me a stomachache. Do I still find myself walking into Starbucks? Should I skip the yoga class and go for happy hour instead?  My choice in these particular situations has proven to make a real difference in my day, so why do I still consider them choices?

I guess sometimes I need that extra five minutes of sleep.  And sometimes I just want to grab a coffee, because being inside a coffeeshop makes me feel like I’m taking a break.  But…I have decided that from now on I will refer to these specific no-brainers as “monkey choices” and if I choose to go to happy hour and act like a monkey then I must have really needed it.

Key words: monkey art, kid sketch, child drawing, sketches on t shirts, art as therapy, child artist

I won’t be blogging about 2012 resolutions but I did make a short video.

Child Drawing Butterfly to Avett Brothers Song

May we recognize the real this year and fill it with friends, family, giving back, feeling grateful, love, and butterflies ♥

Key words: (butterfly drawing, recognize the real, fundraising project for school)