Crafty In Cobb

Rumor had it that this past weekend was meant to be nice and cool by Georgia standards. That means somewhere in the 80s for August. A  really good weekend to be outdoors. So, what to do? What to do... After a little deliberating me and my boys decided to drive up to Amicalola Falls Sunday morning and take a hearty hike up the side of this very steep waterfall. As it was the weekend we slept in a bit, had a cup o' joe, fed the kittens, packed a picnic lunch and hit the road. The drive is a bit over an hour drive via 575 and takes you through some pretty back roads through Canton, Ball Ground and Marble Hill. There are a few produce stands along the way, too.  Once you get to the park have $5 in hand to pay for parking. The visitor center has a large parking area and clean rest rooms. Amicalola Falls State Park is friendly to leashed dogs and is a great place for kids. There are 2 small playgrounds by the visi...

Did you enjoy my How To Make a Rainbow Leaf Drawing Tutorial from 2016? I've created another! This one shows you how to draw a relaxing, meditative mandala shape. This circular form I show is a very simplified version of a traditional mandala. A real mandala drawing represents the universe in both Hinduism and Buddhism and is drawn as a spiritual ritual. What I am showing you here is how to draw a geometric pattern that derives some of its shape from this practice but whose goal is simply to give you a couple of hours of relaxing activity. You will need the following: Paper (printer paper is OK) No. 12 Pencil with Eraser Thin Black Sharpie Marker Color Pencils or Crayons The outer circle is about 8" in diameter. If you aren't comfortable drawing 2 circles by hand use a cereal bowl for the outer circle and a clear glass for the center circle (so that you can see that it is centered. Do not worry about pencil marks. You will erase them after...

South of the Border (cotton & wool), 1958 Photo Source: http://albersfoundation.org/art/anni-albers/weavings/#slide15 Annie Albers, 1899-1994, was a true Renaissance Woman. Born in Berlin Germany at the end of the 19th century, Albers was one of the most influential textile artists of all time. As a trained artist, Albers did not see textiles as second to painting and sculpture. Rather, she embraced textiles as a fine art form that should be seen side by side with all such artworks. Photo Source: http://albersfoundation.org/teaching/anni-albers/introduction/#slide12 Annie Albers was born Annelise Fleischman and married the painter Joseph Albers in 1925. They both were heavily involved in the modern art movement in Germany and joined the famous Bauhaus in the 1920s. In 1933 the Nazis forced the Bauhaus to close and Annie and Joseph moved to America. They both taught at the influential Black Mountain College and became US citizens in 1939. While at Black Mountain Alber...

Hey, Cobb County Parents! It's back to school for the kiddos on Monday. Ready or not it's time for reading, writing, arithmetic and snacks! It is a long, long day for them starting from Kindergarten onward. A good morning snack can take them a long way. While there are a lot of nutrient-packed ready-made snacks available at your local grocer, there's lots of quick and easy ways to make a snack for them to enjoy. One of my favorites is muffins. They take almost no time and I often make them to use up fruit that's about to go off, especially bananas. The following Choco-Chip Coconut recipe doesn't use any fruit but it is packed with flavor and fiber, which will make their taste buds happy and their bellies full through lunchtime. Choco-Chip Coconut Muffins Makes 12 Ingredients 1/2 cup canola oil 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 cup flour 1/2 cup buckwheat flour (sub, quick oats) 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolat...

Are you an avid hiker, naturalist or just like to sit out on in the fresh air? Or do you simply enjoy beautiful sights? Of course, beauty can be found just about anywhere. Because I am lucky to live in a wooded community I am treated to a daily concert of sights and sounds and no day is the same. The Artist Andy Goldsworthy Source: Kidzworld.com As someone who has always enjoyed nature and art I was thrilled to discover the art of Andy Goldsworthy. Although I've known his work since the mid-nineties he never ceases to enchant me. If you don't know who he is, prepare to be amazed. Goldsworthy is a man who enjoys the colors and textures of nature and presents them in a way you likely have never seen before. And, you don't have to be a nature-lover to appreciate his art. Rowan Leaves & Hole Source: Morning-Earth.org Goldsworthy is considered a pre-eminent "Earthworks" artist. This trend in art-making was popularized in the 1980s and 9...