When I was little, chalk was only used by teachers in our classrooms. I don't know what's so amusing about their smooth perfect little shapes crumbling against a blackboard - but it was. Until its fine powder would dry out my hands, give me goosebumps and make me run for the Nivea cream.
Today, it's a different story. Pieces of chalk fill almost every room in our house. An old Robin Hood tin holds the broken pieces, while a silver flower pot holds new ones. We have chalk boards for travel and on an easel. I even keep a small bucket with outdoor chunky sizes by the front door.
We are drawn to our streets to depict rainbows, sunny skies or trees with "pink" apples. What ever the color or method, we find ourselves outside, illustrating on top of the grayest of palettes - beginning always in character - our family.
Today, it's a different story. Pieces of chalk fill almost every room in our house. An old Robin Hood tin holds the broken pieces, while a silver flower pot holds new ones. We have chalk boards for travel and on an easel. I even keep a small bucket with outdoor chunky sizes by the front door.
We are drawn to our streets to depict rainbows, sunny skies or trees with "pink" apples. What ever the color or method, we find ourselves outside, illustrating on top of the grayest of palettes - beginning always in character - our family.
Our chalk tips:1] Buy them in bulk and split them into several various batches - one for the back yard, one for the front, etc.
2] We picked up a lap-sized board and eraser at Lakeshore Learning for her to use in the car. The board is lined for practicing her penmanship - and it keeps her busy in the backseat repeating A - V - A over and over.
3] Chunky pieces of chalk are our favs. I love how I can hold one in my palm and "fill-in" layers of rainbows in one swoosh. Ava received a carton of egg-shaped pieces for Easter - and they are perfect for this. I would recommended [highly] getting these at Target during the Easter sales.
4] But since the season is over - you can create some of your very own - here's a recipe [we haven't tried yet] but came across from our favorite learning store: Chunky Chalk Recipe
5] Leave messages for each other outside the front door - it's a pretty special feeling coming home and Ava has "I love Mommy" written across the path...
About 8 or 9 years ago when Zarlacht worked nights at the Denton Record Chronicle, I used to visit her every so often when I was in the neighborhood. I was going to have a late dinner with her when she got off work and had an hour to spend, so I went ot the store and got some sidewalk chalk. Then I went to the the DRC and made a HUGE drawing of a heart and wrote a love note there in the parking lot next to her car. I wrote and drew until my poor knuckles were scraping against the gravel and antifreeze stained asphalt. When I was sure I would pass out from loss of blood, I continued for 5 more minutes…. then stopped.
ReplyDeleteI met up with her later that night with this smug look on my face waiting for her to comment on how sweet and romantic it was. When I found out she didn’t see it we decided she would go in the morning and look at it when it was light out.
Then it rained that night.
Ugh.
Maybe that is why now every time I do something remotely special, I have to take credit for it right then and there… no matter how small it is. (Just in case I vacuum right before a dust storm comes through the house… I need to know she knows I vacuumed gosh darn it!)