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Saturday, February 16, 2013

More Snakes! More Festival!


"Snakes are like potato chips. You can't have just one!"
Or is that what they say about cats? I dunno. But what's the dif? I have six of each!








































Welcome back to our zany nest of snakes! The colorful ones we crafted last week have snuggled in to hibernate, allowing us to focus attention elsewhere. Day two of the snake festival grandma is hosting for her little charmers moves on to a home crafted lunch and a mixed media art project.

Let's eat first!

We painted the stripes with food color.
The baked snakes retained their shape and vivid hues.
I'll just pretend I didn't see images of grilled snakes artistically skewered and sold to nonchalant munchers in the marketplaces of Beijing. Stumbled upon those accidentally while making sure that my puff pastry dough idea really was the easiest one out there. We sliced a sheet into horizontal thirds and the kids rolled them into tubes, customized as our favorite - non-poisonous, friendly, egg-eating milk snakes! * These were perfect for two and four year old kids to craft because they went together so easily, baking for a quick 10 minutes.


* Not to be confused with the nearly identical - but deadly poisonous coral snake! Yikes! Shoo! Go 'way!





A twin set of herpetologists applies snake eyes with the point of a food color pen.






Quite frankly, I didn't expect the bread stick part of our salad to be so realistic! Very glad when my culinary snake-eating experience ended and it was time to get "artsy" again....an area I'm much more comfortable in!






Our fanciful reptiles were rendered in tempera and paper. They combined the arts of vegetable printing, painting, drawing, and collage.




















Here's Bree to demonstrate how she swooped her foam brush below a potato printed head to make a sleek body for her snake. Scales were added with the end of a celery stick. One of the trio she made sported orange eyes, punched from paper by the artist herself and then firmly glued on, along with a handful of body stripes and a long red tongue. Each snake also received a freehand smiling face and a pupil and lashes for each eye.



























Where have I been living? Under a rock? * Our snake festival was well underway by the time I was made aware that 2013 celebrates the Chinese Year of the Snake. That means that an event like this one is instructive in both biology and social studies. If you're on the prowl for fun snake-making activities, check out this post written by Diana Rambles. She's gathered a delightful nest of New Year ideas and traditions to honor her daughter's native heritage. There's something blinking in the sun and lurking in the weeds over there for everybody!

* Those who actually live under rocks might find themselves jostling for space with a harmless worm snake - native to the United States. I didn't know that before! Seriously, grandmas - if you've been intimidated by the way I've been rattling off authoritative snake facts lately, throw yourself a festival like this one! You will be surprised at what you'll absorb alongside the wriggling co-celebrators who join you!

28 comments:

  1. Awww! Looks like you're the Grandma all the kids want to go to. Love the puffed pastry snakes. I bet my teens would even like that. They would probably eat a salad with a snake in it! Boys!
    Following you from the meet and greet!
    Sandy
    www.savardstudios.blogspot.com

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  2. These are so cute and I love how colorful they are!

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  3. I thought you DID this for Chinese New year, ha ha

    She is so cute in these pictures ; I want to pinch her little cheeks, grab her up and snuggle her!

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  4. My granddaughter is only 2 months old, but you are definitely giving me some great ideas to squirrel away for a year or two!

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  5. Just love your little artist at work! Such great fun for them and for you, too! Happy Saturday!

    PS Love the toy cat!

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  6. Bree is so intent on perfecting her masterpiece. Too darn cute.

    Thank you for reminding me about food color markers! I used to have those for Easter eggs with my daughters and forgot all about them. Gotta get a set soon to share with my grandsons. Maybe for snakes!

    Happy Saturday!

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  7. Great crafts for the kids! I might have to utelize some of these with the littles that hang out here all the time. Thanks! New follower came by from the social hop. Nice to meet ya! Stop by http://ponderedprimedperfected.blogspot.com/and say hi sometime! :)

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  8. Super cute!! Love the pics of your family :)

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  9. Wow...those colors ARE bright. Would MUCH rather see this kind of snake in my house than the real thing. :O)=

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  10. Your Granddaughter's snake is so cute! I didn't know you could have so much fun with snakes. Thanks for sharing!

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  11. What fun crafts, and the pics are precious!! Thank you so much for sharing at A Bouquet of Talent!
    Have a wonderful week!!
    Hugs
    Kathy

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  12. Hi I am a new follower to your lovely blog and found you through Let's Get Social Sunday. I would love it if you follow me back

    my blog: www.wilsontom.blogspot.com

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  13. those salad snakes are really scary. I bet the kids love coming to Grandma's house... who wouldn't...??

    hugs x
    Crystelle

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  14. I LOVE all your great activities that you do with the grand kids. Thanks for the inspirations.
    Sharon

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  15. This is great. Love the colorful snakes up top! Have a great day.
    Hugs,
    Marcie

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  16. Thank you for sharing beautiful Bree and all your snake fun in the GRAND Social!

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  17. Oh my goodness. This is all such great stuff. What fun ideas. I'd say your snake festival was a huge success. Jodi @ www.meaningfulmama.com

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  18. How fun! What a neat blog you have. I'm visiting from over at Pamela's blog.

    Kathy M.

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  19. This is wonderful. I love how you explored this subject in such different and interesting ways. BTW, I love the toy cat on your side bar. It purrs! We used to have a little one who looked so similar.

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  20. So cute! Your snakes are being featured today at Inspiration in Progress!

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  21. Hello! I'm a new follower and found you from Inspiration in Progess, what a wonderful blog sharing what you do with your grandchildren. I am so glad I found you and feel inspired! You can find me at www.lookingasuare.blogspot.co.uk It would be lovely if you could follow me back too? Looking forward to reading more!
    Sarah
    PS I have jellybeans as my background too, good choice!

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  22. We are so crazy for your blog and the projects you do with the grand-kiddos! Thank you so much for sharing with us and our readers. You are being featured today!

    xoxo Susie@bowdabra
    http://bowdabrablog.com/2013/02/22/feature-friday-bowdabra-top-crafty-showcase-picks-36/

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  23. Such cute ideas! Thanks so much for sharing this on The Creative HomeAcre Hop! Hope to see you tomorrow on the next Creative HomeAcre hop!
    http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/02/the-creative-homeacre-hop-4.html

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  24. What a fun grandma you are! Looks like the kids are having a ball. 3 adorable little children.

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  25. Love the puff pastry snake! Too adorable- wish I had stumbled on your site before my Year of the Snake party!

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  26. What wonderful snakes! I love all of them! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

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