Pumpkin Contest

     Life has changed a bit this year. Second grade is a new adventure that requires time that I would have spent sewing.  Amidst the chaos in my life last year, I was transplanted to a new school.  I have to say that we often learn important lessons when we are forced to stretch and grow.  As lucky as I was to be a part of that fantastic school last year, I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to return to my family colleagues and to watch my students grow up.   I am no longer teaching the tiny ones, but am happy to be back home. 
     One of my favorite activities has always been our pumpkin contest.  The kids love it because the teachers all design a pumkin and enter it anonymously.  The students spend a great deal of time trying to match teachers to pumpkins and then vote for their favorite.  I was in the top three this year. 





Maybe I went a little commercial to get votes, but my nieces and nephews are going to enjoy their gift pumpkins at our post-Halloween party today. Yes, I said gifts.  This is not the same pumpkin.  I made one for the contest and then another because they don't all live in the same house.

My students loved that fact that their teacher, who doesn't know anything about video games, made this for them. It was great fun. I used a plastic pumpkin from Michael's, so it would last another year or two.  A gloss, acrylic paint covered the pumpkin beautifully.  Finally, I molded the beak and eyes from a package of Crayola Model Magic.  It was easy to roll the flat pieces out between two sheets of wax paper.

     Well, I'm not sewing, but at least I had a chance to create something.  Once I get the hang of being a second-grade teacher, I might find some time to make something from cloth.
Hope your Halloween was an enjoyable one.