Design a Square Dance Outfit Coloring Page

There are a whopping 24 states that have named square dance as their official state dance (or folk dance). These include: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington. The point of state symbols is supposed to be to highlight what sets one state apart from the other 49, so I'm not crazy about the fact that 24 states share a state symbol. But it's not a coincidence: starting in the 1960's, square dancers across the country petitioned to make their hobby the official national dance. Despite many attempts, it never passed (the story is fascinating) and square dancers turned their attention to state legislatures. Obviously, that was far more successful. 

Because of the popularity of square dancing throughout American history and its status as a state symbol for so many, I wanted to design a craft inspired by it. I settled on the most iconic aspect: the outfits. Students can use my coloring page to design clothing for a square dance couple standing in promenade. I opted not to add faces or hair, as if the clothes were on mannequins. Feel free to add in whatever features you'd like.  

Square Dance Outfit Coloring Page

The first thing I did before making my coloring page was to research square dance outfits. Square Up Fashions gave me a good idea of what's popular amongst square dancers. Check out some of the dresses and skirts they currently have for sale: 

I used the basic shape of the outfits to draw a very simplified couple.

I scanned and copied my drawing. I put two couples on one page (so I could try different designs) and printed it out. 

I colored in both images with my Ohuhu Honolulus, then added details with a black fineliner. The first design (purple and black) is at the top of the post. Here's one in shades of blue. 

I tried to make the two couples look as different from each other as possible, while still staying true to what square dancers might actually wear. It was a lot of fun. As is square dancing! The last time I did square dancing was at Trevor's 4th grade Gold Rush camp in 2016. I'm overdue to do some square dancing again!

State Seal Glass Magnets

Today's project is a state-themed twist on a classic Mod Podge craft: glass magnets. Instead of using photos, magazine images, or ephemera for the design, use your state seal. Affiliate links below.  

State Seal Glass Magnets

Materials: 

• unfinished wood circles
• Folk Art acrylic paint - black
• flat-backed glass gems*
• state seal stickers
• Mod Podge
• self-adhesive magnets

Steps: 

Paint the wood circles black, then set them aside to dry. Center the sticker on the wood circle. Add a coat of Mod Podge to the back of a glass gem, then position it onto the sticker. Let the Mod Podge dry completely. Adhere a magnet to the back. 

When you use the magnet, pull it by the wooden part and not by the glass gem. 

*Learn from my mistake: Use slightly more expensive glass gems that are specifically made for crafting. I used the cheap ones I had on hand. Not only were they very irregular, but many of them were not crystal-clear. I tried to pick out the best ones for the project, but it's easier to use the better-quality gems to begin with. 

It's really interesting to me what each state has on their seal. Other than those states who have put their seal on their flag (ugh), I wasn't really aware of the details on most state seals. I don't think I have it in me to color all 50 state seals like I did with the state quarters, but I might pick a few of the more interesting ones and color those. 

Trivia: United States Airport Firsts

We have a trip coming up where we'll be meeting our travel companions across the country at a large airport that we don't know well. While looking at maps on the airport's website, I stumbled across a fascinating list of all of the "firsts" that happened there. It inspired me to put together this list of US Airport Firsts. 

United States Airport Firsts

1909

The oldest continually operating airport, not just in the US but worldwide, is College Park. It has operated continuously since 1909, when it was started as a military demonstration site for the Wright Brothers. 

1927

Cleveland offered the first scheduled interstate passenger services in the US in 1927. 

1928

When Newark opened in 1928, it was the first commercial airport in the US and the first to have a paved runway. 

1929

The first international airport in the US was Douglas Municipal Airport, located on the Mexican border of Arizona. Starting in 1929, passengers would board in Arizona, then the plane would taxi through a gate to the airport in Agua Prieta, on the Mexican side of the border. After clearing customs, the plane would take off and head to its destination in Mexico. 

1930

In 1930, Newark became the first airport with an air traffic control tower and an airport weather station in the US. 

When Cleveland installed an airfield lighting system in 1930, it became the first airport in the world to have a lighted airfield. 

1935  

Newark opened the first passenger terminal in the US in 1935. It was dedicated by Amelia Earhart. 

1939

When the American Airlines Admirals Club opened at LaGuardia in 1939, it became the first official airport lounge. 

1946

Indianapolis started operating the first control tower equipped with radar in 1946.

1952

Newark installed runway lights in 1952, becoming the first airport allowing nighttime operations. 

1958

In 1958, O'Hare introduced the first passenger boarding bridges. These air bridges provided shelter between the terminal and the plane and significantly sped up aircraft turnaround times. The air bridges were better known by the brand name "Jet Way." 

1965

In 1965, Cleveland was the first airport to establish an emergency medical technician (EMT) program.

1970

In 1970, New Orleans became the first airport to use walk-through metal detectors to screen passengers. (There were there were 40 plane hijackings in the US and a total of 89 worldwide.... just in 1969.)

1973

Concorde 002 flew to Dallas-Fort Worth in 1973, markng the first US visit of the Concorde.  

2001  

Shortly after 9/11, therapy dog Orion began offering comfort to anxious passengers in San Jose. This was the first airport to introduce therapy animals in the terminals. 

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I left it off the list since "First Desegregated Airport" only makes sense if you ignore the many US airports that were never segregated in the first place, but the story of the desegregation of Washington National Airport in 1948 is well-worth a read. There are many other fascinating stories of aviation on the National Air and Space Museum website. 

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Interested in other fun facts about US airports? Check this out!

My Life in Tree Rings: A Dendrochronology Craft

I loved counting tree rings as a kid. It's really interesting to be able to determine the age of the tree, but absolutely fascinating that the rings reveal times of drought, fire, or other stresses, as well as good times with rapid growth. Dendrochronology is so cool! I love visiting state parks and museums with events from human history marked on a cross-section of a tree. That's the inspiration for today's project. 

This craft is best for kids who are at least 11 or 12 and is even better for teenagers. For my sample, I went back to age 18. Making this craft as a 53-year old would have taken a lot more time and much larger paper! Affiliate links below. 

 

My Life in Tree Rings

Materials:

• hot press watercolor paper
• paper trimmer
• colored pencils
• watercolors
• black fineliner
• glue stick

Steps: 

Use a paper trimmer to cut the paper so that it is 9" x 9". Cut some of the scraps into 1/4" strips; these will be what you use to label your rings. 

With a pencil, lightly draw a small circle in the center of the paper. Then draw rings around that circle, stopping when you reach your age. It is perfectly ok if the rings are uneven; that's how they are in a real tree! Draw bark around the outermost ring. It should be thicker than the rings and have an uneven, craggy texture. 

Trace each of the rings with a brown colored pencil. Use a darker brown to trace the bark. 

Paint your tree rings. The innermost ring should be the darkest and the outermost rings the lightest. Be sure not to add so much pigment that the lines are obscured. You can add as much (or as little) pigment as you want to the bark and the background. 

While the paint is drying, make a list of the most important events in your life. These can include the birth of younger siblings, starting school, major vacations, adopting a pet, changing schools, joining a club or team, or whatever else you deem important. Write each item on a strip of paper, then cut the ends to make an arrow. Glue each strip so that it points to the proper tree ring. 

Here's a closer look at my sample. I've included my birth (1972), my sister's birth (1975), the start of kindergarten (1977), joining 4-H (1983), my first international travel (1986), MOAS (1989), and high school graduation (1990). 

I wonder if I would have chosen the same items at age 18. I'm guessing not. There's probably something else that would have felt more important. From my perspective at 53, it's a lot easier to see which events from my childhood had the biggest impact on the rest of my life. One item that's missing from my project (because I don't know when it happened) is my first visit to UC Davis. It was probably around 1984 or 1985, but whenever it was, I instantly fell in love and knew that's where I wanted to go to college. That day had a huge impact on me, because not only am I a UCD alum, but I'm also a UCD wife and a UCD mom!

All About Me Magazine Name Art

Back-to-school is the perfect time for name art. Today's project lets kids introduce who they are through words and images cut from a magazine. The project incorporates reading skills (a great opportunity to practice scanning) with fine motor skills, a combination you don't find together often. 

All About Me Name Art

Materials: 

• magazines
• scissors
• construction paper or cardstock
• glue sticks

Steps: 

Select a magazine for your project. It should have plenty of large, colorful images, as well as lots of text. Good choices include magazines about travel, cooking, or nature. Special interest magazines can work too. I used the Visit California guide. 

Start by tearing out large images from the magazine that appeal to you. You'll need as many as there are letters in your name. Set them aside for now. 

Write your name in block letters on scratch paper and cut them out. You do not need to cut out the counters if you don't want to. I opted to leave them for the D and the Y in my name in order to give me more space for my words. 

Arrange the cut-out letters on the images you've chosen, moving each letter around to decide where it looks best. Then cut out the letters. You can see below that I wanted to incorporate the sunset and the crops in my letter Y. I positioned it midway between the two, avoiding the white text on the page. 

When all your letters are cut out, glue them to the construction paper background. As I was doing that, I decided my I needed to be dotted with a heart, even though it's a capital letter. Artistic license. 

Now, go through the magazine and scan for words that appeal to you. They can be any part of speech: adjectives that describe you, nouns that are things you like, and verbs that tell your favorite things to do. Arrange the words onto the letters however you'd like. I grouped them together in a way that was meaningful for me, paying attention to the colors to maintain balance. In the D and the Y, I concentrated words in the areas where I didn't cut out the counters in order to reinforce that shape. 

I love how my project turned out. It would be so much fun to see a whole classroom's worth of names and a great way to get to know each other through art.

Football Helmet Refrigerator Magnet Craft

If you have a football fan in your life, you're going to love this football helmet craft! It's fun to do as a team activity, at a sports-themed party, or to make as gifts for football players and fans. You can customize the helmet however you want. Make a replica of the helmet from an NFL, college, or high school team, or design your own from your imagination! Affiliate links below.  

Football Helmet Refrigerator Magnet Craft

Materials: 

• wooden football helmets
• Folk Art acrylic paint
• paintbrushes - flat and liner
• Mod Podge Sealer (optional)
• self-adhesive magnets

Steps: 

Use a flat brush to paint the base coat for each helmet you are making. 

When the paint is dry, you can draw your design freehand. Or, if you need a little help getting the proportions of the logo just right, print out an image of the actual helmet that is the same size as the wooden helmet. Cut around the edges, then use this transfer technique to get the design onto your wooden piece. 

Use the liner brush to paint the logo onto the helmet, then paint the facemask in the appropriate color. 

The facemask continues onto the body of the helmet. I painted mine freehand, but you can sketch it out first or use the transfer technique again. 

If you are going to be putting your magnet on the refrigerator or somewhere else where it could get wet, use the Mod Podge to seal it as soon as the paint is dry. You can skip that step if your magnet is going onto something like an office filing cabinet, where it's very unlikely to get splashed. Finally, apply a magnet to the back of the helmet. 

Here's a closer look at each of the helmets I made: 

Indianapolis Colts

Cincinnati Bengals

Minnesota Vikings

Green Bay Packers

Cleveland Browns... who famously don't have a logo 

As I was painting these, I was thinking about other things you could do with them besides turn them into magnets. Drill a hole into the top and turn them into ornaments. Link them together to make a banner. Or write names on them to use as place settings at a team banquet or party. Lots of possibilities!

Bunny Moon

Bonding Brayden and Tulip was much more difficult and time-consuming than I'd ever imagined. More painful too - I was bitten four times breaking up fights between the bunnies. Thank goodness, they are now best friends who live together happily. This layout documents their Bunny Moons.  

Bunny Moon (affiliate link)

Seeing Brayden and Tulip so happy together is very rewarding and makes all the struggles worth it. That said, I don't think I would ever go through the bonding process again unless Tulip or Brayden dies young and the other needs a companion. Otherwise, I would adopt a pair that is already bonded. 

The States with the Most and Least State Symbols

When I wrote about California's newest state symbols, I mentioned that the Golden State is up to 47 state symbols. The obvious question: how does that compare to the rest of the states? Today I want to look at which states have the most and the least official state symbols. 

Let's start with the state that has the most: Texas. The Lone Star State has a whopping 76 state symbols. Besides the flag and seal, the first Texas state symbol was the bluebonnet, named the state flower in 1901. 

A state tree (pecan) and bird (mockingbird) followed in the next two decades. A few more symbols were adopted in the decades after that, but the vast majority of Texas' state symbols are from the 1990's to now. The most recent state symbols, adopted in 2021, include the state handgun (1847 Colt Walker Pistol), the state knife (Bowie knife), and the state mushroom (Texas star mushroom). Some of the more unique state symbols of Texas include a state bread (pan de campo), a state cooking implement (Dutch oven), state domino game (Texas 42), a state gemstone cut (the Lone Star cut), and a state vehicle (chuck wagon). 

The state with the least is Iowa. The Hawkeye State (its nickname, but not an official state symbol) has 7 state symbols: a flag, a state seal, a bird (American Goldfinch), a flower (wild rose), a tree (oak), a rock (geode), and a song (The Song of Iowa). The most recently adopted was the geode in 1967. For comparison, of California's 47 current state symbols, 36 of them were adopted after 1967. 

Source

While Texas and Iowa represent the extremes in terms of numbers of state symbols, more states are Texas-like than Iowa-like in that regard. The vast majority of states have added multiple state symbols in the last decade or two, just not at the same rate as Texas has, and I don't think the trend is going to stop. 

Boston 2023

I've mentioned many times that scrapbook layouts from our travels are some of the most difficult to do. Narrowing down the pictures and then squeezing in the ones I've chosen (while still leaving room for a title and journaling) is always a challenge. In the case of today's layout, even the title gave me trouble.

My rule for a multi-state trip is one layout per state. That usually works out, but during our epic 15-day New England adventure, we visited Massachusetts, then Rhode Island and Connecticut, then Massachusetts again, then Vermont and New Hampshire, and finally... Massachusetts. I didn't want to do three pages for Massachusetts, nor did I want to combine them all since the chronology would be weird in the album. I decided to do two Massachusetts pages: one for the places we visited at the beginning and middle of the trip (Plymouth, Cape Cod, Springfield, Amherst) and one for the end of the trip (Salem, Lexington, Concord, Cambridge, Boston). It bugs me a little bit that Springfield and Amherst are out of order, but I'm dealing with it. 

Anyway, the title: I went with Boston, even though the layout features four other locations as well. They're all part of Greater Boston, so close enough. 

Boston 2023 (affiliate link)

We have another trip coming up soon that includes a day in Boston, so I'm glad to have this page in the album. 

States with Pledges to their State Flags

I was doing research for an article and came across something that absolutely shocked me: There are 17 states who have a pledge to their own state flag. What?! I had no idea. I thought all of us in the United States were pledging allegiance to the national flag and stopping there. That's the case for 33 states, but citizens in 17 states continue on with a state pledge. Crazy.  

If you are also surprised by this information, take a minute to guess what the 17 states are. Don't guess California - if we had a state pledge, I'd have known about it and wouldn't be writing this post. 

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OK, do you have your guesses? Check the map to see how you did. 

I'm assuming many of your guesses were Southern states - specifically, ones that seceded during the Civil War. If so, that was a good guess: 10 of the 11 Confederate states (all except Florida) now have their own state pledge. But those pledges weren't adopted in the Reconstruction era; they are all far more recent than that. 

State Flag Pledges

Texas (adopted 1933, amended 2007)

Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible. 

Georgia (adopted 1935, amended 2022)

I pledge allegiance to the Georgia flag and to the principles for which it stands: Wisdom, Justice, 

Moderation, and Courage.  

 

Arkansas (adopted 1953)

I salute the Arkansas Flag with its diamond and stars. We pledge our loyalty to thee. 

 

Virginia (adopted 1954)

I salute the flag of Virginia, with reverence and patriotic devotion to the ‘Mother of States and Statesmen,’ which it represents - the ‘Old Dominion,’ where liberty and independence were born. 

 

South Carolina (1966)

I salute the flag of South Carolina and pledge to the Palmetto State love, loyalty and faith. 

 

Mississippi (adopted 1972)

I salute the flag of Mississippi and the sovereign state for which it stands with pride in her history and achievements and with confidence in her future under the guidance of Almighty God. 

 

Louisiana (adopted 1981)

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the state of Louisiana and to the motto for which it stands: A state, under God, united in purpose and ideals, confident that justice shall prevail for all of those abiding here.

 

Tennessee (1st pledge adopted 1981, 2nd pledge adopted 2006)

1) Three white stars on a field of blue, God keep them strong and ever true. It is with pride and love that we salute the Flag of Tennessee. 

2) Flag of Tennessee, I salute thee. To thee I pledge my allegiance with my affection, my service and my life. 

 

Alabama (adopted 2001)

Flag of Alabama I salute thee. To thee I pledge my allegiance, my service, and my life. 

 

North Carolina (adopted 2007)

I salute the flag of North Carolina and pledge to the Old North State love, loyalty, and faith.

Before moving on to the rest of the states that have a pledge to their state flag, I have a few comments about these. 

• I cannot believe that people in Tennessee and Alabama are pledging their LIFE to their state. That seems extreme, to say the least. 
• Mississippi's pledge refers to the state as "her." Is that a thing? I know boats are traditionally female, but states?
• Virginia's pledge desperately needs a copy editor. 
• North Carolina's pledge is an exact copy of South Carolina's. I guess I'm ok with that, given that South Carolina has my favorite of the 10 pledges and they're both Carolinas and all. 
• It is so strange that Tennessee adopted a second pledge without retiring the first pledge. It's also strange that the first one starts with a rhyme. 

Here are the other seven states that have adopted a pledge to their state flag. As with the former Confederate states, they are listed in the order in which they adopted the pledge. 

Rhode Island (adopted 1910) 

I pledge allegiance to our State Flag, and to the Republic of which Rhode Island forms a part; one Union inseparable, with honor and reverence for both State and Nation. 

 

New Mexico (adopted 1963)

I salute the flag of the state of New Mexico, the Zia symbol of perfect friendship among united cultures.

Michigan (adopted 1972)

I pledge allegiance to the flag of Michigan, and to the state for which it stands, 2 beautiful peninsulas united by a bridge of steel, where equal opportunity and justice to all is our ideal. 

 

Oklahoma (adopted 1982)

I salute the flag of the State of Oklahoma. Its symbols of peace unite all people.

South Dakota (adopted 1987) 

I pledge loyalty and support to the flag and State of South Dakota, land of sunshine, land of infinite variety. 

 

Kentucky (adopted 2000)

I pledge allegiance to the Kentucky flag, and to the Sovereign State for which it stands, one Commonwealth, blessed with diversity, natural wealth, beauty, and grace from on High.

Ohio (adopted 2002)

I salute the flag of the state of Ohio and pledge to the Buckeye State respect and loyalty.

Thoughts on this group of pledges: 

• Rhode Island's pledge, the first, is the only one to mention the Nation. 
• Michigan's pledge could use editing, as it is quite cumbersome. Also, note that "steel" and "ideal" rhyme, but the phrases they're in have radically different rhythms. 
• Um, Kentucky? You are not a sovereign state. 
• I love the pledges of both New Mexico and Oklahoma. Both of them "salute" the flag (rather than pledge anything) and both reference unity amongst their people. 

It's your turn to weigh in! Let me know in the comments what you think about these state pledges, either in general or specifically. What are your favorites and least favorites? Should state flag pledges even be a thing? 

Scrapping Tulip

I had so much fun putting together this colorful layout about our beautiful girl, Tulip. 

Tulip (affiliate link)

I'm particularly proud of the title work on this page. The patterned papers are from a birthday collection that included die cuts of the words CELEBRATE and HAPPY. I used the T, L, and P as is, then did quick snipping to change the R into an I. Then I cut a U from scraps of patterned paper, doing my best to match the font. 

Creamy Lemonade

After an abnormally cool summer, things have heated up here in Northern California. Time for a refreshing glass of what I'm calling Creamy Lemonade. 

 

I became familiar with the joy that is Brazilian Lemonade in 2014 and promptly did a taste test to see if I could improve on the original. It was a delicious experiment. When I got a bunch of fresh lemons recently, I thought it would be fun to see what other directions I could take this drink. After some trials, tweaks, and simplifications, I'm happy with this frothy, refreshing, creamy version of lemonade. 

Creamy Lemonade

 

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

3 T. sweetened condensed milk 

2 T. sugar 

1 cup milk

Put all ingredients in the blender and mix until frothy. Serve over ice. Garnish with a lemon slice and a dollop of whipped cream.

Physical Therapy: Adhesive Capsulitis & Lymphedema After Breast Cancer Surgery

When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, I naively thought that once active treatment was done, that was it. In my case, active treatment was surgery and radiation, but there can be much more to recovering from breast cancer than just the active treatment. Because my cancer is ER/PR positive, I am taking hormone blocking medication for ten years. There are a lot of unpleasant side effects that go with it. 

One side effect that had nothing to do with the medication was that my right arm (the surgery side) was incredibly painful after I finished radiation. My raw skin healed, but I couldn't lift my arm without screaming. Sleeping was very difficult. I kept my arm pressed by my side as much as possible because moving it hurt so much. At the same time, I noticed that my right breast was oddly swollen, pitted, and heavy. It felt uncomfortable at all times, much like the feeling of being engorged in the early days of breast feeding. Eventually, I received two diagnoses: adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder syndrome) and lymphedema. Both are linked to breast cancer treatment. 

I started physical therapy for both conditions last fall. After many months of going to appointments and doing daily exercises at home, my therapist felt I was ready to stop the in-person treatments in May and just continue the home therapies. I was thrilled. 

Physical Therapy (affiliate link)

It has been 14 months since my breast cancer surgery and almost a year since I finished radiation. My shoulder is significantly better. I don't have quite the range of motion that I used to, but it is no longer painful and I can do all daily activities without help or modifications. The lymphedema is not better; my PT warned me at diagnosis that it could be a lifelong condition. That's frustrating, but now I know how to treat it and get temporary relief when it is bothering me. 

Summer Creative Workshop: Neon Heart

The sixth (and final) project I completed during Summer Creative Retreat was this neon heart. 

The instructor, Mako of Makoccino, taught an excellent class about how to use watercolors to paint a neon flamingo. 

I decided to simplify the project and switched my design from a flamingo to a heart. I tried using watercolor for the project, but I got really frustrated with not being able to control the pigment. Rather than give up on the class entirely, I switched from painting with watercolor to painting digitally. That allowed me to erase my mistakes with a single click - if only you could do that with watercolors!

How to Paint a Neon Heart (Digital Version)

Add a white heart to a rosy pink background. 

Select a darker shade of the same pink. Use a spray paint tool to color outside and inside the heart, leaving a visible band of the original pink.   

Select an even darker shade of the same pink and darken the outer edges of the canvas. 

Set the spray paint tool so that it is three times as wide as the white heart. Trace over the heart with white. This gives it the glow.  

Duplicate the white heart and change the color to a medium gray. Drop it down and slightly to the right to make a shadow. 

Add very faint horizontal lines to the canvas to mimic the wall where the neon sign is hanging. Move the white heart to the front. 

Use the airbrush tool to soften the entire design. 

This was so much fun to make! It's far from perfect, but I loved trying something completely new. I'd like to get more into digital art. You really can't beat that undo button. 

Summer Creative Workshop: "Be You" Cut Paper Collage

The fifth project I completed during Summer Creative Retreat was another paper collage. It was so much fun to make and I love how it turned out! Appropriately, it's totally me. :)

This class was taught by Lynn Giunta, who is now one of my favorite artists. I adore her collage work and the positive messages they convey. She has been a master artist with Hallmark for over 40 years. 

This is the project that Lynn made during her workshop: 

I love Lynn's teaching style and will be looking to see if she offers any more classes. I would definitely like to explore her artwork further and see what else I can learn from her.