Daily Create – Week 4!

March 21, 2015April 28, 2015 | Peanut Butter Theater

It’s week four of my Daily Create,…as always I apologize in advance!

Sunday, March 15 Create a Lesson – I wrote “How to Create a Bead Dog.”

On Monday, March 16 the assignment was to draw a stairway, with steps on how to get to my “biggest dream.” I’ve done a lot in my life already (seen here as “The Land of Been There, Done That), so my dreams consist of time with my wonderful family, teaching (of course), building my log house at the end of a long driveway, and travel. My ultimate goal is Heaven, The Great Adventure. I can’t see where the Lord will take me before then, so the stairway curves.

On Tuesday, March 17 I chose an alternate assignment: Daily Create Assignment #1500: Write a short story with ten random words, using the Random Word Generator to create a fairy tale, thus was King Frank and the Cooking Contest written. See it posted on my blog here: https://peanutbuttertheater.wordpress.com/2015/03/17/king-frank-and-the-cooking-contest/

On Wednesday, March 18 the assignment was to turn junk mail into art. That sounded fun, and it was!

I created a gift bow. I thought it was cute, don’t you? If I had the time, I’d make more!

On Thursday, March 19 the assignment was to take a photograph with an artistic blur.

“Rite of Spring” featuring Miss Condola Rashad, California Institute of the Arts.

I posted this remarkable blur photo taken at dress rehearsal of a show named “Rite of Spring”, on which I worked as an Assistant Stage Manager. The young lady at the front is Condola Rashad, daughter of Phylicia Rashad, actress. Condola is now a talented stage actress in her own right.

On Friday March 20 the assignment was to write a poem about a rainy day. I like rainy days, especially with a thunderstorm. Thinking about writing a poem reminded me of playing in the rain with my cousins, so I wrote “Make a Wish in the Rain,” put it on a fun background, and posted it on my Flickr site. I also posted the words on the ds106 site.

Finally, on Saturday, March 21 the assignment was to do a reading of the poem I created the day before. I got to use Sound Cloud for the first time with this assignment – that was fun! It made me think how fun it would be to record stories for my grandchildren, so they could hear me read to them. (awwww)

For those of you who remember, doesn’t the sound of me reading that poem remind you of “Romper Room” ending with the Magic Mirror? “Magic Mirror, tell me today, did all my friends have fun at play?” You can experience it the way I saw it here. Romper Room was a morning children’s show that ran from 1953 until 1994. This is definitely part of my childhood memories…I always hoped that Miss Nancy would say my name.

The Daily Create would be great to use for writing or activity prompt ideas, so I may use this again for my students! I’ll still be monitoring this site for future ideas, and you may see some further creativity when it strikes my fancy!

With that, I think that’s it for me. I hope you enjoyed my Daily Create month as much as I did making it.

King Frank and the Cooking Contest

March 17, 2015April 28, 2015 | Peanut Butter Theater

Short Story with random words and animals

Daily Create Assignment #1500: Write a short story with ten random words, using the Random Word Generator (http://www.textfixer.com/tools/random-words.php)

Choose an animal and find a way to add that animal along with your ten random words into your short story. Your story can be about anything so feel free to get creative. [Note: I chose a horse named Ralph, the king’s “gallant steed.”]

10 Random Words: cherry, bubble, twelve, southern, dinner, blaze, goldfish, bomb, agonizing, king (words are bold and in italics)

Credit photo Marcia Milner-Brage, Flickr

Once upon a time, there was a handsome young king named Frank, who had no queen. King Frank decided that he would marry the woman who could win his heart through his stomach, that is, cook him the best food he’d ever eaten. Now, dear reader, you must understand that this would be quite a talented lady, because King Frank had eaten many fine meals created by many chefs in his life!

The king sent out a decree that all of the women of the kingdom must present their best dish to him at the castle, beginning the first day of the month. One by one the fair maidens brought their finest food. Every imaginable dish from something the simple Southern Fried Chicken to a dessert as fantastic as cherry jubilee set afire before his eyes! (It was quite a blaze, dear reader, it burned the official taster’s eyebrows!)

The feasting went on for twelve months, and King Frank thought that all of the food was very good, but nothing impressed him. All the eating became quite agonizing, so one day the King decided to stop the contest to ride across the countryside on his gallant steed, Ralph. King Frank wished to ride alone, unrecognized, so he didn’t wear his royal robes, nor have his knights accompany him. Together, Frank and Ralph, galloped through the countryside, looking for the one perfect food.

One day, Frank came upon a fair maiden picking apples in an orchard, near a cottage. Frank plucked a perfect apple from high off of one tree, dismounted Ralph, and offered the apple to her. She turned to accept the fruit, and smiled at Frank with crystal blue eyes that twinkled. He thought she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen! They walked through the cool of the evening among the trees. He talked about his horse, Ralph, and she talked about her pet goldfish, Bubble. Frank was enchanted.

It was late in the day, and Frank hadn’t eaten all day. “Tell me your name,” Frank asked gently.

“Amelia,” she responded. He thought about his contest, and asked Amelia if she planned to cook dinner. She laughed, her eyes sparkling again, “You know, the King held a contest to find a queen who was the best cook in the land. I couldn’t even try because I don’t cook at all! The last time I tried to warm soup it was a bomb!” Then, she reached into her basket, and offered him an apple. “Take this. It’s the finest apple you’ll find anywhere.” The fruit was indeed the sweetest, most crisp apple he’d ever eaten, and he was delighted.

There and then, in the middle of an apple orchard, King Frank got down on one knee, revealed his identity, and proposed to the fair Amelia. She was surprised and overjoyed! Amelia said yes, and as you might expect,…

They lived happily ever after!

Spring Break Activity? Creativity!

March 15, 2015April 28, 2015 | Peanut Butter Theater

It’s been another great week of creativity at my house during Spring Break! So, without further ado, I share all,…

Sunday, March 8th began my week with a triolet poem. A what? (you might ask) The triolet is a stanza poem of eight lines. Its rhyme scheme is ABaAabAB and often all lines are in tetrameter; the first, fourth and seventh lines are identical, as are the second and final lines, thereby making the initial and final couplets identical as well. I tried, but failed fabulously…so here, I try again, using pentameter instead (10 beats per line). I’m just a rebel that way! I guess I shall have to teach it correctly, but you have to know the correct way to bend the rules for art, right?

The Daily Create does call me away
Come, let me inspire your mind.
Whose story will my sad little poem say?
The Daily Create does call me away
In what ear will my tinkling music play?
In whose heart will my sketchy painting stay?
The Daily Create does call me away
Come, let me inspire your mind.

Monday, March 9th was a very tough day, a marshmallow sculpture??? And not just a marshmallow sculpture, which is bad enough, but a video of a making a marshmallow sculpture! ACK!

Honestly, I had no idea what I was making when I started, and yes, I ate the marshmallows when I was done!

Tuesday, March 10th was a picture collage, featuring me, so I went with “Lil Vicky” and put together several black and white photos. Yeah, they’re black and white, but we were lucky to have cameras way back in the dark ages! Ha!

She’s a dolly!

Wednesday, March 11th was a very special day! The task was to draw an abstract sketch of a favorite event from the past week. Well I guess it’s not very abstract, but it is my favorite moment, the moment when I heard…

That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, I was offered a Language Arts teaching position beginning in August 2015! We’re pretty excited around here, but now the reality sets in…(scary music here) “Now What Do I Do?”

Now for the next few months, it’s all hands on deck to get me to the other side of the state to Crawford, Nebraska, in the beautiful Pine Ridge area. Small town America…and my husband and I are really looking forward to it!

On Thursday, March 12th my assignment was to make a video of something that makes me LOL, laugh out loud. My pet, Katie, makes me laugh out loud, especially when she tries to “catch the red dot.” Here’s a video of the fun…

On Friday, March 13th, the DS106 assignment was to create a “ransom note” if Jim Groom was kidnapped. I don’t know the man, I assume he’s a creator for DS106, so I played along. I have to say, notes that use letters cut out from a magazine are a LOT of work! I didn’t really appreciate it until I created one…

Very colorful, cute and weird to make, but there it is.

Finally, on Saturday, March 14th we were to write a poem about how music has changed my life, so I wrote this…

Music Is The Sound Track

Do you remember where you were
When that song became “our song?”
Was it your first kiss
Or was it the first dance?
Do you remember?

Do you remember where you were
When that song touched your heart?
Were you watching the Stars and Stripes boldly wave,
Standing with your hand over your heart?
Do you remember?

Do you remember where you were
When that song meant you were young and free?
Were you cruising Main Street
In your muscle car with a new driver’s license?
Do you remember?

Do you remember where you were
And what you were doing
When music touched the moments of your life
And caused you to remember them forever?

Music is the sound track of our lives.

So, that’s about it for this week’s fun and creativity. It’s been eventful, and I’m glad it was all during Spring Break.

By the way, Saturday was Pi Day of the Century! Twice on Saturday the time was 3/14/15 9:26:53, the first 10 digits of Pi! That won’t happen again for 100 years – what a cool “Math Geek” fun fact!

I hope everyone had a great Spring Break. Have a great week!

Daily Create Fun (#8-14)

March 8, 2015April 28, 2015 | Peanut Butter Theater

I am still having fun with the Daily Create – the prompts are original, and creative. I have to say, sometimes it takes more than 15-20 minutes! Am I just too persnickety? Here come the past week’s adventures in creativity…I apologize in advance…

Sunday, March 1 – What do you fear? Video to feature what the individual is afraid of, and while many posted pictures of snakes, spiders and a creepy house, I went a little more dark and scary…(cue the dramatic music) “Amerigeddon – The Take Down!”

On Monday, March 2 was all about writing a short story about a piece of clothing, that is actually meant to symbolize a person…in my case, my best friend.

My Friend

You were close to me most of my high school years, we went everywhere together. You were like many other jean jackets, but like most things that are worn over and over again, you began to fit me better, hug me, comfort me and keep me warm.

One day I went away to school, and left you at home, alone. We were apart for a long time.

Then one day I returned, and found you there, waiting for me like a long lost friend. I slipped you on, and you still fit me better, hugged me longer and comforted me, as always. I love you, and I’ll never let you go again.

Tuesday, March 3 We were to create a “Star Trek” face palm picture. I apologize for the informal crude language, it’s from a classic Bones quote “Dammit Jim, I’m a doctor, not a miracle worker!” You remembered that William Shatner always wore a girdle too, didn’t you?

I thought it was funny, especially featuring my favorite stuffed animal – a sock monkey doing a face palm! (or as close to a face palm as my monkey can do!)

Original book cover courtesy Flickr - Aria Nadii — Original book cover courtesy Flickr – Aria Nadii

On Wednesday, March 4, was to recreate an old book cover, here is my attempt, with tongue-in-cheek label.

Thursday, March 5th, was to create something about the importance of limiting art. Limiting art?? Here is my discussion on the meaning of limiting art…

Putting Limits on Art
If there is no design, a film cannot be made. If there is no design, a play cannot be performed. If there is no design, sonnets cannot be written. If there is no design, pottery cannot be created. Without limits, there can be no art. This is the story of every art project ever created. Even God had a design when He created the universe! Follow His lead!

On Friday, March 6th, the daily create was about “What I Must Have, What I Still Need.” We were to create a “cartoon” based on that theme. I love pansies, and it’s almost time for Spring to bring us some beauty!