Tech Kids Review - Sketchfu a Giraffe

I am a huge fan of art and expressing one's individual creativity.  The website Sketchfu is appealing to kids and adults and allows artists to draw and share them online.  I utilize Sketchfu to animate the weekly stories written on @storyexperiment on Twitter.  In addition, participating in projects such as ONE MILLION GIRAFFES, is a great way to get the kids away from the TV.  

Here is a project for you to try with your kids on Sketchfu.  

1. Login to Sketchfu (sign up for a free account)

2. To begin your drawing, Click NEW at the bottom left of the artboard. 

     On your first drawing, draw a giraffe to submit to the 1,000,000 giraffe project.

3. Click on a brush size.

4. Select the color

5. Start to draw. (if you don't like what you drew, you can hit UNDO as many times as you would like.)

6. If you would like to see how the drawing looks animated. Click REPLAY and speed up or slow           down the animation.  (KIDS LOVE THIS!)

7. When you are finished with your drawing, TITLE IT (bottom right) and hit PUBLISH.

8. Once published you can share it various ways.  Email, Facebook, Etc.  

9. Select DOWNLOAD and Right Click the image with your mouse.  

10. SAVE as on your desktop as a jpeg.

11. Upload to the 1,000,000 giraffes and see if yours in one in a million.

Have fun being creative!

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Woodstock Party Theme

This year is the 40th anniversary of Woodstock.  Friends of ours planned a party to celebrate this significant part of our history.  Here are the details to plan your own Woodstock Party.

1. Attire - Tie dye shirts, peace signs and straightened hair adorned with headbands seemed to be the most popular dress worn by women and men.  Large sunglasses, tattoos, flip flops and a joint accessorized many of the outfits.

2.  Food - It was a potluck and everyone brought dishes reminescent of the time.  Some of the dishes included : Ambrosia Salad, Bologna and cheese sandwiches, PB&J Sandwiches with the peace sign drawn on the bread, little smokies, Fondue,

Tuna Casserole, Jello, Mac and Cheese Casserole, and of course...Hash Brownies. Luckily no one brought any SPAM.

3. Decor - The host downloaded all the songs played at the Woodstock Festival which served as the main decor for the evening.  Then they hung posters and peace signs, and placed incense burners throughout the party.  The shade screens (pictured above) were placed over the grass area with blankets and lawn chairs and hand written notes were stuck to the walls throughout the home with various messages such as: SUSAN - meet me here Saturday - 3 - 7.  

This was a Groovy theme that is easy to plan for adult and KIDS (minus the hash brownies and joints of course). For entertainment, I think a game of musical chairs could be played as well as some karaoke of the classic songs.

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White Chocolate Cereal Snack (CAT crack)

This snack is the easiest and tastiest snack ALL kids love. 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup Cheerios or Apple Jacks

1 cup Pretzels
1 cup Golden Grahams

1 cup Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal

1 cup Pecans or Almonds

i package White Chocolate Chips

Pour first four ingredients in a bowl.

Melt the white chocolate chips over boiling water and stir continuously.  Mix all ingredients together coating all the dry ingredients with the melted chocolate.  

Pour on a cookie sheet and flatten.  

Chill for at least one hour. 

Break apart into bite-size clusters and store in a zip lock for a tasty snack anytime. 

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