The Crafting Beast

Things have been very hectic in the past couple of weeks, but in a good way, I suppose. I haven't so much been struck by inspiration as I've been beaten bloody by Wanderlust and a Muse. Everything has been one little project after another varying from "Yet another worksheet...yay?" to "Holy crap, this thing is BOSS! YAY!"

The past couple of days, I've been shamelessly milking the holiday season for my lesson plans indulging in games, activities and coloring with just a dash of structured learning. I bought a sparkly Santa hat at the Hyakuen (100 yen) shop and have thus been nicknamed "Santa Sensei" by a few classes! Adorable.

Other lessons have involved listening to English Christmas music, writing letters to Santa Claus, decorating stockings I've sewn from felt, and pasting together green paper hands upon which students wrote their Christmas lists...and making them into a big Christmas tree!

At や中学校, the class of three little special education boys made Christmas cards for me! Their teacher  provided the colored paper and pictures and these kids wrote the cutest holiday greetings to me. I was actually a bit surprised when the teacher pulled them aside at the start of class. Then I turned around and they were in a line, saying "Merry Christmas" and handing me their cards. The teacher then gave me a little giftie...tangerine soap from Lush!

 

 

Lush is no joke, folks. It's indulgence in organic, lumpy bar or bath bomb form and I have developed a passionate love affair with it's perfumey goodness.

I also had a bout with not so fun creativity last week. FK wanted me to draw a picture and write encouraging words to the graduating students. Last year, the ALT drew a picture of the school and the teachers all wrote on the paper with the image at the bottom.

Now, I will be modest about my creative abilities. But when it comes to buildings, I suck. That's not modesty. I freaking hate drawing buildings. They hold no interest for me. Architecture is cool. I do not have the ability to make a structure look good. I hate it I hate it I hate it.

That being said, I did a few pastorals first. A boy and girl watching birds. A view of the soccer field with cherry blossom trees. And the topiary in front of the school. I showed them to FK...and he ever so politely shot each down. He really wanted a picture of the school. So, okay, I agonized over that for a few days. Finally was able to come up with something passable only because the deadline was coming up.

I had to write another encouraging message for another school, but at least I didn't have to draw a building! I got some creative license on that one. Much more relaxing!

As for my free time, yes, I've been working on this deer head. I'm proud to say it's almost done and I will post pictures of the process as soon as it's hanging on my wall. I did a bit of papier mache when I was little, but the lust for newspaper and flour paste has been lying dormant for many years. Now, the beast is risen and I HUNGER!

It's also getting a hell of a lot colder all of a sudden. The forecast for the week is snow snow snow and more snow. As a mid-east coast girl, I'm familiar with the magic force of a snow-dance having done several in the past...distant and recent. The idea of seeing glistening white ground cover for Christmas was a fairy tale that has only come to pass a few times for me. But this year, I started seeing snow on my car and the nearby mountains for a few weeks!

But as much as I love the snow and winter weather in general, I like it outside my apartment, not inside. Unfortunately, Japan ain't too keen on insulation in the buildings, so my place was a little drafty around the door. I'd wake up to a freezing floor and condensation at the edge of my door. Finally, enough was enough. I went up to the craft floor of the Sakurano and bought a bit of faux fur material and kitty litter from the Hyakuen. (Stop with the judgement. Pinterest is my ally!) After a couple evenings of sewing, I have a really cute draft stopper lying at my front door like a wayward baby Arctic seal!

Well, that's all for now. It's time I get back to lesson plans...suddenly less fun because the classes are busy cramming the last lessons before winter vacation. Ah well. I'll find a way to be holiday spirit-rific!