Whoo-hoo! My graduation!

This weekend was a big one for me--I graduated with my Masters of Arts in Teaching from Plymouth State University in New Hampshire!! Whoo-hoo! I've been diligently working on my Masters for the past couple of years and, I ain't gonna lie--it wasn't always easy with four kiddos and working part time. The hardest part, I think, was having to stop teaching the after school art classes I loved so that I could devote more time to my studies. Having to stop teaching so that I could eventually be able to teach was a hard thing for my brain (and heart) to rationalize. This degree is really significant to me since it unlocks the door to becoming an art teacher--a dream I have had since I was around 9 or 10. I cannot believe it!

Here I am with two of my four kiddos.  That would be #1 and #3.

And, of course, I could not have tackled any of this without the love and support of my family, especially:

• My husband (who, among other things, patiently listened to educational theory on our "date nights," was awoken countless times at night while I taught art lessons in my sleep, and encouraged me when I hysterically sobbed in our driveway because I just didn't think I could make it through finals and get my second portfolio done). 

Here's that good-looking guy! Twenty-six years together, what a wild ride!

• My children (who patiently--pretty much--endured mom at the computer in her p.j.'s mumbling about art at all hours of the day and night and who told me they were proud of me for working so hard instead of pointing out that we were having frozen pizza for dinner (again).
• My mom (who always said yes to watching my kids and who is my original cheerleader, and I think, the President of my fan club. I think this may have been a bigger deal for her than for me, and that's saying something!).

And here I am with my mom who was going to go to my graduation. No. Matter. What.
I'm surprised she isn't wearing her "Brandie Pettus Fan Club" t-shirt...

• My sister (my behind-the-scenes gal, who watched my children--even when she wasn't expecting it, fed them healthy meals and played countless board games with them, played outside and went bike riding--all with a smile on her face).

And the amazing people who taught me so well! Namely, Jason Swift, my advisor at PSU who put up with my lengthy phone calls and my enthusiastic, quirkiness! Marianne True, for giving me a chance as a Program Associate at PSU. That job was the reason I was able to attend PSU and her guidance was truly amazing. Trish Lindberg, for your positive attitude and belief that I am "a star." For my cooperating teachers, Meagan Read and Martha Rives--every day I learn from you and you are both such patient teachers. To Porter Dodge and Rachel Rouillard for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to be the long-term art sub at AMS. You opened doors for me.

All of my friends and family, thank you for encouraging me to follow my dreams, letting me be myself and encouraging such high standards of excellence.

There are a WHOLE BUNCH of other family members, friends and colleagues not mentioned here and that doesn't mean I am not thankful for their help and love and support along the way. It really has taken a village for me to be able to reach this milestone in my life and I am humbled by the kindness of those I am surrounded by. Truly, thank you.

Merry Christmas to me! a.k.a. WHEW! It's done!

Well, hello again!

This little house is one of the many that my children
and I created this holiday season from leftover Christmas cards.
The directions can be found here:
http://christmasnotebook.com/2009/11/11/christmas-card-putz-houses/

It's been a while since I have posted, but I've been trying not to stress over it (too much), since I've had a VERY busy few months. It went kind of like this:

• (March-June) I had a long-tern substitute art teacher position at the Middle School in my town (which I absolutely loved!). I have a bunch of stuff to show you about that, and I promise, I will in the next few posts.
• (June-August) I had four kiddos at home, went on three camping trips (one by myself with the kids for WHOLE WEEK--yes, we had a blast, it just sounds scary). Also, I took two graduate classes--that really was scary :-) Naw, it wasn't that bad, but I definitely used up a good portion of my summer working hard.
• (August-December) I student taught. I taught first-fourth grade at Riddle Brook Elementary in Bedford, NH and then hopped over to Souhegan High School in Amherst, NH for another 7 weeks with ninth-twelfth grade students. 

I just finished student teaching about a week and a half ago and apparently there was this Christmas thing that people were talking about!?! YIPES!

So here I am, a day or two after Christmas and realizing that I am done graduate school (like, really done) and am now able to realize my dream since I was nine years old: becoming an art teacher. I am speechless--and if you knew me you'd realize that I am rarely speechless. Finishing graduate school was a great deal of work, but thanks to my husband, mother, sister, and children, I made it! I couldn't have done it without their love and support (and cheerleading efforts!). I am so lucky and thankful.

Merry Christmas and I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season full of love and friendship.

Spring is here in NH!

OK, I have to brag! That's what you get then you follow a blog of a mom of four! :-)

My oldest son, took a wonderful photo this weekend! He was retrieving a ball that had got stuck in a beauty bush in our yard and was surprised to find two robin's eggs in a nest we thought had long been forgotten!

He took the photo with the iPad and immediately posted it to Instagram for his "peeps" to see (couldn't resist). We were looking at the photo together and I told him how much I truly liked the composition and he said the most wonderful thing..."I love photography."

SIGH, I ain't gonna lie--this artsy momma was happy! Not just because it is nice to have a child who is interested in art, but because I always like to see people talk about things that they love to do: read, dirt bike ride, scrap book, cook, etc. I love to see people light up when they talk about their passions.

And the photo was even accepted on our local TV station's website:
http://ulocal.wmur.com/galleries?groupId=400855&type=1
So now he's famous! :-)

So, enjoy this bit of spring from NH care of my 12-year-old!

My Bear Mask With Plaster Gauze

I'm going to Grad School at Plymouth State University in NH to become certified to teach art. I'm having a great time and learning so much!

This is meant to have the face be vertical,
but my background wasn't big enough! Sorry!

The class I'm taking this semester is Art Methods and Materials For Elementary Education and it is SO FUN! We get to make art! Oh yeah, and write lesson plans and research papers...BUT, MAKE ART!

As a mom of four and doing all sorts of other things over the years, I don't make time for my own art--I'm not sure what my own art even is after all this time. But, I've been enjoying making art for this class. The last project we did was create a mask using plaster gauze. I had done this about a million years ago when I was in high school, so I was excited to think about possibilities for my grown-up mask.

We were challenged to create a mask that represents us in some way and it needed to have some sort of extension of some kind (we could use Cellu-clay, plaster gauze, cardboard, etc. to make the extensions).

Ahhh...the possibilities! I started to think about what I would be known for at the end of my life and I thought, "Well, people would say I was a mom." Of course, this is among other things, but I take my mom job very seriously :-)

I thought about creating a totem pole on my mask of all of the totem animals of my children, husband, and I, but as I designed it, I didn't really like how it was going. Then I focused on me. My totem animal, right now, is the bear. So here I am wearing a bear mask over a human mask, because there's always a part of me that I keep private.

I love constellations, so I have Ursa Major and Minor in the night sky. I love silhouettes too, so on the left, under Ursa Minor, you'll see my four little cubs. My daughter's the last cub scurrying to catch up to her brothers. My oldest son is turning back and watching over his siblings (just like in real life). And, on the right, there's mom, under the constellation of Ursa Major.

I'm happy with the way the mask came out--I had wanted to incorporate twigs and beads and such, but I stopped here to rest for a bit and think. I really enjoyed making this project and I could see making a series of masks: a marriage mask, a Mrs. P-only mask, an artist mask...I think it would be interesting to see all of the masks I wear.

So what are you making lately? Are you inspired by the projects you teach your students?