How to Draw an American Lobster

I feel sorry for lobsters. 

I literally can't think of another animal where every craft project, sign, or other visual representation portrays it as dead. A red lobster is a dead lobster. Can you imagine if you wanted to make a cute chicken craft and instead of this 🐓, the only options looked like this🍗? It seems... rude. So today's craft honors the living version of Maine's state crustacean, the American lobster. 

My lobster, while realistic, is not intended to be a scientific drawing with every feature exactly perfect.  This is the level of detail I'd use with the 4th or 5th graders who are most likely to be studying their state symbols. I chose to use watercolors, which is the easiest way to mimic the mottled colors of this fascinating animal. Affiliate links below. 

How to Draw an American Lobster

Materials: 

• watercolor paper
• pencil
• watercolors
• colored pencil

Steps: 

Start by drawing the main part of the lobster's body in the middle of your paper. I'm struggling to describe its shape; the best I can come up with is a stubby carrot or an elongated guitar pick. 

Next, draw the abdomen. There should be six segments, not four like I drew (sorry). I was looking at a photo of a live lobster while drawing and it looked like four from that angle. 

Add the tail fan - two segments on either side of the middle segment. 

Now draw the claws. An American lobster's claws are asymmetric. The larger one is used to crush its prey. The smaller claw is for holding or tearing the prey. A lobster can be right or left "handed" depending on which side has the crusher claw. 

Time to add legs! The lobster actually has ten legs, but you've already drawn two of them (the claws). There are 8 "walking legs" along the body of the lobster. The first three pairs have small claws, but you don't need to draw that level of detail unless you want to. 

From the angle we've drawn, one pair maxillipeds ("jaw legs") are visible near the lobster's mouth. There are two other pairs that are hidden in this view. The lobster uses them to pass food to its jaws

I've also added the eyes, antennae, and smaller antennules. If you won't be painting your lobster, draw them now. Otherwise wait until after painting. 

I said before that a red lobster is a dead lobster. That isn't quite true, as approximately one in ten million lobsters is red while it is alive. Read this article to learn about other rare colors! Most American lobsters are a mottled greenish-brown color, so that's how I chose to paint mine. 

I painted the lobster itself, let that dry, then painted a watery background. When that was dry, I used a brown colored pencil to outline the lobster and add some details. I used a black pencil for the eyes, then went back to the brown pencil for the antennae and antennules. 

I learned so much about lobsters in the last 24 hours! I love how much I learn with practically every craft project I do. 

"Unofficial, Proposed, or Facetious" State Symbols

While I was working on my state-inspired crafts chart, I checked to see if any states had adopted new official state symbols that would be potential craft projects. Indeed, there have been a few new additions that I'm considering for future crafts. But that's not what I want to talk about today. Instead, I want to talk about the list of Unofficial, Proposed, or Facetious State Symbols that Minnesota maintains. 

Every state has a list of their official state symbols, but (as far as I can tell) Minnesota is the only one with a publicly accessible list of state symbols that were voted down and/or were proposed in jest. I love this. For the ones that were actually serious, it's really interesting to read the bills and follow the debate. For the others, it's a fun look at Minnesota culture / humor. 

You can read about the many (MANY) attempts to name a state mammal (I am #TeamTimberwolf)... 

... or the tongue-in-cheek options for a state insect. (I'm voting for the wood tick.)

I have a lot of thoughts about the debate over an official state soup. I would laugh, but that's hard to do when you're shuddering so violently. 

Source

I really wish the other 49 states kept a list like this. If you're aware of one that I didn't find, please let me know!

Mini Keepsake Quilts 1 & 2

It is extremely rewarding to make quilts and give them to people in need. I love knowing that someone who is facing what is likely the most difficult time in their life will receive warmth and comfort in the form of a quilt that I made. I've shared photos of the first quilt I ever made and, two weeks ago, my second quilt, but I wanted something more to remember my quilts. So I gathered up the scraps, cut (or pieced) twelve 2-inch squares, and turned them into mini keepsake quilts. 

Just like the originals, the minis have plenty of mistakes, but I'm fine with that. I'm a beginning quilter (and beginning sewist) and I'm proud of these mini quilts. This time last year I couldn't have made them at all. The mistakes show my progress and motivate me to keep improving. 

My plan is to hang a cord on the wall like a clothesline, then use mini clothespins to display my mini quilts. It's going to be so cute!

State Name Art: Kentucky, Missouri, New Hampshire, South Dakota

It's Round 3 of State Name Art! This time, Kentucky, Missouri, New Hampshire, and South Dakota. As before, I love how different they each are. It's great fun figuring out how to place the letters of the state in its silhouette, then deciding what scene to add. Affiliate links below. 

State Name Art

Materials:

• Bristol vellum
• Flair pens
• colored pencils
• microtip scissors
• colored cardstock
• glue stick

Steps: 

Print or trace the outline of the state onto paper. I like to use Bristol vellum when working with colored pencils. I made the outlines using graphics from PicMonkey, but you could also draw or trace your own outline. 

Use a pencil to sketch in the letters of the state. Sketch lightly so you can make adjustments if necessary. Some letters will have missing parts or distortions; that's not a problem as long as the state name is legible. Outline the letters with a Flair pen, then color in all spaces that aren't part of the name.  

Lightly sketch a scene across the white space of the letters, choosing an image that represents the state. When you are happy with what you've sketched, fill it in with colored pencils. I drew a horse in a pasture for Kentucky...

... Gateway Arch for Missouri...

... sunset over the mountains for New Hampshire...

... and a buffalo grazing for South Dakota. 

Cut out the state and glue it to colored construction paper. 

I'm continuing to have a lot of fun with these. This makes 12, which is a far cry from 50. I'll keep taking them four at a time until it's not fun anymore.

College Towns That Double as Great Tourist Destinations

I love college towns, so it was with great interest that I read the article 15 College Towns That Double as Great Tourist Destinations. Of the 15 places on the list, I have visited six: Burlington, VT; Boulder, CO; Madison, WI; Annapolis, MD; Ithaca, NY; and Santa Fe, NM. I enjoyed all six of them and concur that they are excellent tourist destinations. 

That said, in my mind there is an enormous difference between Burlington, Boulder, and Ithaca vs. Madison, Annapolis, and Santa Fe. The latter three are all state capitals, which gives them a completely different feel than the previous three. They're less tie dye as they are power tie. That got me wondering what the actual definition of a college town is. It can't just be a town with a college in it; literally no one would say New York City is a college town despite being home to a shocking number of colleges and universities.

 It turns out there is an accepted definition for a college town:  

• College towns have a population smaller than 350,000 and are physically separated from a larger city. 
• College students make up at least 20% of the population. 
• The college is the major/primary employer in town and has a significant impact on the local economy. 
• The college shapes the cultural identity, public events, and social life of the town. 

This definition came from Blake Gumprecht, author of The American College Town (affiliate link). 

In 2008, Gumprecht developed a list of 305 cities in the US that meet the criteria to be a college town. In general, they "are known for having lively downtowns, picturesque residential neighborhoods, unusual cultural opportunities for cities so small, ample parks and recreational facilities, safe streets, and good schools."  They also tend to have a diverse culinary scene and plenty of hotel rooms for visiting parents and scholars. All these things add up to a great tourist destination. 

I've been to several dozen of the cities on the list. Of those, I picked my top 5 that I think belong on the list of great tourist destinations. (Yes, my alma mater is first.) Click on each graphic to read about our time in each of these awesome college towns. 

Yes, I do realize that Columbia is a state capital, but it feels more like a college town than any other state capital I've visited. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts about college towns that double as great tourist destinations. Do you agree with the 15 listed in the original article? How do you feel about my choices? Are there any ones you'd like to add? Let me know in the comments!