Hoooookaaay..... Merry Christmas everyone!! In advance... because I feel so free right now. Free from deadlines. No work until after New Year, I told myself. Well, aside from the teaching thing. Then again, that's not really work... and the other things I do are not exactly work because they're all fun to make!! The second half of November and the first week of December had been really, really busy. So, I'll just fire away.
First is the invitation I did. This is how it came out, and I did 150 of these which I delivered two weeks ago. The theme is movies so this is what came about. The envelope is a clapper and the invitation itself are oversized movie tickets. I just wrapped it around with a burgundy ribbon. The father asked, "Why do you have to put ribbon around it?" He's hysterical, good thing for him, he's a very good friend.
If you're reading my tweets, you would have read me talking about the train. The train made from corrugated boards. Well here it is. These are the before pictures:
And this was this was taken earlier during the performance. 
This supposedly was a dungeon wall where Izzy, Rosie and the Broken Toys were kept by the Abominable Snowman. This was made from newspaper, tissue paper, glue and paint. Thank you Neil Buchanan and Art Attack for teaching me to use these four materials to do just about anything!! And these two were my very able and very giggly assistants, Zara and Edjee. They're amazing! It's easy to meet deadlines with these two. 
This was the set for T'was the Night Before Christmas. I wish I could have gotten a better photo because, modesty aside, it turned out so well in person. The stars hanging were made by the kids, pre-kinder to fourth grade. I promised them I'll hang them so I did with the help of Mang Eli. You have to keep your promises to kids!! If you can't, don't promise anything at all.
A closer take with the lights on. For before photos, please check out previous entries.
The three of us after the show.
These are my co-teachers with my assistants. From the left, Grace (prek/k homeroom teacher), Anna (3rd/4th grade teacher), Weng (Music Teacher/Music Director for the show. She's amazing! You just have to help her out to achieve what we're able to do tonight.), Edjee, Maya (Administrative Coordinator), Zara, Maan (Teacher Assistant) and me. Steve (1st & 2nd grade teacher) and Mark (PE teacher) were a bit shy to face the camera.
And us again. :)
It was so much fun, I tell you. Better than last year's in terms of children's performances and the general vibe and as if everything just comes together by Divine Intervention, like Anna mentioned after the show.
I also mentioned something about a magazine. Well, I'll pick them up on Friday and I'll post something about that on Sunday.
Well, I think I'll sleep now... finally. :)
An Invitation and a Christmas Production
Set Pieces for Christmas Production
Here are the photos of the set pieces. Thanks Art Attack's Neil Buchanan for teaching me the use of bathroom tissue in papier mache. Those extra corrugated boards definitely have use. The frames were made of 3/4" plywood scrap strips from carpentry. :)
Here's the fireplace.
Here are a couple of windows that will be on either side of the fireplace.
And here's the beginning of a dungeon wall. Edjee is helping me lay those stones. :)
I'll post the finished product later on. I doubt if I'll be able to finish this tomorrow. By the way, we're in the gymnasium closet, in case you're wondering why there were balls and hula hoops everywhere.
School Updates
Finally, I remember taking a photo of our Art Classroom. So, here it is! It's a bit small especially if I try to squeeze in 13 students in there. But I love it!
It's a corner room and during the day, we have lots of natural lighting. It doesn't look as bright as it really is usually because I took this late in the afternoon today. That window faces west. Ok, just a bit of a tour. I had that big black display board (literally, a blackboard) made to replace the white board that was on that wall previously. The white board was moved to the wall on the left side (not seen) of the photo. On the yellow sheets on display, those are cutting exercises by first and second grade students. On the far right of the board, those are warm/cool color and complementary color charts by third and fourth grade students. The bunting across the room is a triangle-cutting exercise by prek/k students.
On the windows, those are Chinese paper lanterns, a few that were left from their straight line cutting exercise. The low shelf is for supplies and the tall one is for papers. Beside it is a former cart I had replaced with several cubes to put pencils, scissors, pens, pencils, etc. Behind me is another supplies shelf where all the student folders are, paints (watercolor, oil, acrylic, poster, washable paints, powder paints, etc), color pencils, color markers, etc. I forgot to take a photo of that.
The tables were prepared for an exercise using hand prints in primary colors with color by number borders in primary colors as well.
Now, this one, these are several props for our Christmas production: stockings, doll key, elf tools, wreath, a rimmed hat, train conductor hats and a toy soldier hat. All these were made from recycled materials (corrugated boards, a-few-year-old felt paper scraps and five-year-old washable paints and glitters). I thought I took a photo of the set pieces. Oh well, tomorrow, I'll do that.
This Schedule is Frightening But Awesome!
Last week, I started working on the props for our Christmas Production. It's a big deal for the kids so I want the set and the props to look at least presentable and sparkly. I've been helping out on set designs since high school and again, when I taught the first time in that same school. This is the first time in which I'm actually the one doing it myself, along with help from my assistants Zara and Edjee, and the wonderful Mang Louie, head carpenter at IRRI. He truly makes things easy for me.
As of today, the frame for the set pieces are done while some of the props are ready to be painted. I requested for carpentry assistance on Monday. I hope I can show some photos (I know I'm slacking in the documentation department) of these things I'm doing.
Also, tomorrow, I'm going to meet with a mother of a debutante for her daughter's invitations and souvenir mag. The previous agreement, that was three months ago, would be I'd write the articles myself in addition to the layout and design of the magazine that should be finished in, well, five weeks? Ha! I'm Supergirl!
That's why I'm panicking now so I won't panic later on. There's a week and a half difference between the two occasions.
Tomorrow is November
... And we feel Christmas in the air, which also smells good. :)
First off, I am no longer accepting orders for Christmas giveaways. It is going to be a very busy month ahead and I won't be able to attend to your requests at this point. I wouldn't want to disappoint you because I accepted orders when I know I won't be able to fulfill them and deliver on time. I am sorry, but I do hope you remember me next year. :)
Starting Wednesday, I'll start working on the set pieces and props for the children's Christmas production, T'was the Night Before Christmas, to be presented on the second week of December. This should be fun!! It will take much of my time and away from my table, which is what's already happening. That saddens me. It's laziness more than anything else. If I want to do my sorely neglected personal projects, I should make, not 'find', time for them.
Anyway, I'll take pictures as I go along. And I hope this lethargy won't get in the way of my posting pictures of these props.
