Textiles In Service to Others... Mask Making

So last week, I didn't post a lot. Why?
Well, my alma mater had reached out to students and alumni and asked that we make masks for hospitals and nursing homes in the NYC area.

I volunteered!

And it became a family project.

As I have mentioned before in other places, I feel very strongly about teaching kids community service! I focus on the fact that it makes people resilient and helps us overcome trauma.
Well COVID-19 is just that. The time to use the gifts you have received... the talents, the skills, the materials, the time.. to help others. And by helping others you will help yourself to overcome the possible trauma that you may experience from the anxiety, fear, stress, etc. from this experience.

Cards for kids in Foster Care Project that talks about how helping others, helps ourselves.
https://www.capenews.net/sandwich/news/sandwich-students-create-cards-for-foster-children/article_463c2a60-4098-57e5-8636-4d5b00973f21.html

Once I volunteered, we were hit with some challenges. I had tons of fabric scraps growing up in a family of sewers. But I didn't have elastic. And it was no where to be found locally. I searched stores, asked friends, etc.

So we opted for using hair rubber bands after learning about that on some websites.

I sewed. I sewed some more.

And my kids, sewed on the elastic! It became something they loved to do. They had some quiet time, listened to an audiobook and hand sewed on the elastic bands!

We completed our first 25 and sent them out!

It felt good! And we are doing more!

Yourself in a Mask

Masks mean so many different things for us.

Make a list of all the ways people use masks. Some positive some negative

• Halloween
• For ceremonies... I was thinking of cool African masks I have seen. 
• To protect yourself against the cold in the winter when you ski
• For surgery or at the dentist office
• When you see a sketch of a bank robber or that scary person in the movies

I am sure you can come up with more. We know the references to "That person" wears a mask, when they don't want us to see their true colors or to present themselves a certain way. We know that part of the disconcerting feelings of masks is that we aren't able to read expressions that people have under the mask. 

So this new state of being in society is very loaded and hard to get comfortable with. Some of our basic instincts are being taken from us in our interactions with others. Not only are we being challenged by distance in our socializing we are being thrown off by not being able to see people's whole face. It feels eire. 

I thought doing some sketches of ourselves wearing masks might helps us get more comfortable with the necessary situation. I feel strongly about the positive role portrait have on people. It gives you time to reflect, time for you to see how you change from one time to the next when you do a portrait. So this is an important moment in time and it will help us to see how we feel about ourselves in a mask and to get time to "sit with it". 

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Somedays this feels like a dark tunnel we are in and it is hard to see where the end is...

I want to see the light at the end!

So we drew tunnels! And we made our light!

Give yourself the light....
Get creative. It doesn't actually have to be a light... it could be whatever your light would be.
A star of hope...
A school bus pick-up...
A smile....
A loved one...
Freedom.

Have fun!
Stay Safe!
Be well!

Mandalas

What is a Mandala?

Here is a great definition or what they are and where they come from.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/mandala-diagram


We are going to focus on the fact that they are a circle. And that they are used as a "collection point"or "receptacle".

So you are going to ask how we are going to create a circle that can hold something?
Simple... get a pie plate. Trace it. You have a circle. A "place to put what you need to express."

Whatever you put on the inside is being contained, held, kept safe or kept away from the rest of the page. You can put all the good on the inside that you want to care for or you can put all the anxiety, fear, frustration, etc. that you feel on the inside.

This is great for anyone. Give the kid a pie plate when they feel out of control. Trace it. And let them create!

For older students you may want to learn more. You can bring meaning to the colors, designs, etc.
https://indimode.com/blogs/news/designing-the-mandala-and-its-meaning

Here are some great books to take you in other directions rather than just using 2D materials.

Safe Space Boxes

While we are inside for awhile, we can all need our own space!

No matter how big or small your living situation is, we all know what it is like to "need some space!"

Giving kids the opportunity to take a box and make a space that is just for them during times like these can be relieving. It can be a box that they fill with favorite items, memories, thoughts, etc. so they know they are safe in these uncertain times. It can be a pace where they are keeping all that makes them happy when they are worried about what is going on around them. When they feel anxious they can turn to their box to find items that remind them of things they love to do, be, see, etc.

Or the box can be a container. A place where they can draw a picture of how angry they are that they can't see their friends at school, crumble the paper and throw it in the box. A place to "contain" the emotions they don't like. Write it down and toss it in there,  to let the feeling out and not stuck inside so they burst.

You can also use larger boxes! Boxes you or your child can fit into! Make a place they can retreat to and take a break, destress, get time alone, etc. 

Make one for each kid or make one for the whole family.

Use any kind of materials: fabric, cotton balls, tape, glue, wrapping paper, paint, scissors, chalk, anything you have! String is nice if they want to be able to tie it shut. Be creative. It doesn't  have to be big, it just has to contain and be sturdy (so you don't have crying kids as they are working on it and their "safe place" falls apart... see the metaphor....yes, that would not be fun!).

And hey... parents can do these projects too! Doesn't hurt to get to experience what your kids are.... it helps us all understand each other better!

I will be posting our work as soon as my kids finish theirs :)

More box ideas:

http://www.beactivekids.org/assets/pdf/50_Things_Cardboard_Box.pdf

And keep yourself healthy. Mentally Healthy!  Be optimistic! Be hopeful!

https://www.capecodhealth.org/medical-services/behavioral-health/staying-optimistic-in-a-turbulent-time/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NEWSFEED-3-17-20&utm_content=NEWSFEED-3-17-20+CID_5f4b87252020d06065347819e6860942&utm_source=CampaignMonitor&utm_term=Take%20a%20look

Navigating a New Experience: Ship drawings or building ( all ages)

Imagine:  You are on a journey, exploring new lands. You don't know when you will reach land and get to see other humans again. Your crew is only those people living in your home with you. You may encounter stormy seas, have days where you are bored or tired of being with each other, other days when you rise to the challenge, listen to your Captain and overcome great challenges. We all must be careful in how we express our emotions on that ship because we don't want the crew to declare mutiny. We are depending on the strength of our ship, our team and working together.

Now Create:

Take time to create your ship and draw your team. Or even use boxes, recyclables, etc. build a ship. Name it. Name all the crew members. Decide if there are any rules people need to follow on the ship. Talk about how it is hard to not be able to jump in the shark infested waters and how you miss seeing everyone on land. But you are navigating the unknown and we are all brave on this journey.

Love to see pictures if you want to share!

Have fun! Be well! Express yourself!

What would you say to the Coronavirus? Cartooning for all kids (especially our younger ones)

Kids have a lot to try to figure out right now. It can all be overwhelming. But trying to put a "face" with a name helps kids start to figure out their feelings, what is causing their emotions and possibly what they would like to say to that virus.

Drawing cartoons can be a fun way to imagine what things look like, create a character in this battle of good and evil, give them something to aim their feelings at. And they can take it a step further and  make a comic strip. Let them talk to the "virus" character, play out some scenes, etc. This can be a nice way to get an idea of what they know and understand about what is going on around them. And then let them draw out a scenario.

We want to keep giving our kids an outlet, a voice, an opportunity to understand. Things that we understand are less scary. And as Olaf said in Frozen II, " We are controlling what we can control when things feel out of control." Here they can control what is on the page and start to feel a more in control with knowledge and understanding.

This will then give you the opportunity to talk with them. 

Here is a great resource. Help our kids be resilient!

https://childmind.org/article/talking-to-kids-about-the-coronavirus/