AKA Knucklebones

Jacks.

That’s how I know the game’s name. Saw this display at the Artist and Craftsman store.

IScatter the metal pieces. Throw the little rubber ball up. Quick! Pick up the right number of jacks. Onesies Twosies. Threesies……..hand eye coordination a must. I didn’t purchase the box and try to play. I remember my dad playing jacks with us. For the rules and list of tips and fouls and how to play correctly click here on The Genius of Play site Yes, there are rules.

Did you ever play Jacks? What name did you call them? Stepping on a stray game piece, when your feet are bare,would be as painful as a piece of Lego.

Knucklebones, also known as scatter jacks, snobs, astragalus, tali, dibs, fivestones, jacks, or jackstones, among many other names, is a game of dexterity played with a number of small objects that are thrown up, caught, and manipulated in various manners.” Wikipedia

Binding Contract Statue – Guest Blog

I received this photo from long time friend Shuey this afternoon. He’s in Oklahoma. It’s in front of a bank,he says.

This bronze sculpture by artist Bradford J. Williams It’s in front of the Bank of Western Oklahoma in Woodward.

It symbolizes the handshake as a true meaning of a “Binding Contract” link

“Binding Contact”

“Binding Contact”
One of my favorite statues: Woodward, OK.

You might remember one of Shuey’s guest posts of a Barred Owl. That is is you’ve been following the blog eleven years! It is one of the most viewed posts on the blog’s existence, last time I checked.

Barred Owl in Niceville, Florida

Manna Pottery is All Painted by Hand

Meet Rezgar Mamandi who hand paints the beautiful pottery and tiles you see in the photographs below.

Manna Pottery was at Shadyside.. the Arts Festival on Walnut Street on Saturday.

The pencil lines will burn away when fired
Close up detail -all hand painted by artist
The colors even more vibrant in person
The tiles can be made in any size
Vases, bowls, mugs, tiles, teapots, plates, lidded jars .
All beautiful.

Watch this YouTube video to see Rezgar Mamandi paint and glaze a ceramic plate for a wedding gift.

From the Artist’s brochure
About the artist

Remembering Claes Oldenburg

A favorite with my art students, Swedish Artist Sculptor Claes Oldenburg passed 18 July 2022 at 93 years of age.

You may have seen some of his well known sculptures. They are huge!

Oldenburg also created giant soft sculptures– some of food- hamburger, cheeseburgers, ice cream cone, profiterole. He took everyday objects and created giant sculptures.

The Clothespin in Philadelphia

Batcolumn in Chicago

Spoonbridge and Cherry in Minneapolis

The Shuttlecocks in Kansas weren’t immediately embraced…..four-large-sculpture birdies placed throughout The Nelson-Atkins-Musueum-of-Arts-Green by husband and wife team Claes-Oldenburg and Coose-van-Bruggen.(d. 2009). Each birdie weighs 5500-pounds standing nearly 18-feet-tall.”

My nod to Claes Oldenburg

C

Rectifying a Mayo Stain with Reverse Tie Dye

Laura spilled some mayonnaise on her cotton dress. It left a nasty oily stain. Wash it with some Brown fels naphtha soap first before washing, I advised -she didn’t even leave the soap on – but it took the color out of the fabric. Hmmm so much for my advice.

My solution. Rubber bands and yarn ties all over the dress for a reverse tie dye in a solution of Clorox water. Good thing I’m a retired art teacher

You can see where the color came out along with the oily stain
Success

Columbus Mosaic at Clinton Elementary

Friday we went to Charlie’s school for Art Night and saw the students’ artwork displayed.

Charlie and Laura read the explanation

As we toured every floor, we saw this ceramic tile mosaic mural in the cafeteria. It was striking.

The ceramic tile artist Marlo Bartels Mosaic Saved article describes the journey the mural has taken. Here’s a short video telling how this colorful mural has been moved THREE times. You can not only hear the artist interviewed, but see Marlo Bartels do repair work on his mosaic mural at Clinton Elementary.

Mosaic by artist Marlo Bartels
Detail

Pool Noodle Carrots and Bricks as Books Yard Art

A true work of yard art.

We even met the artist Karen as she was outside hauling bags of mulch. Laura, Mary and I were walking to meet Charlie at dismissal time. Laura said “I have a surprise for you.” And she walked me to this home of yard art extraordinaire.

Karen explained how she made the carrots with pool noodles and showed us a photo of her winter snowmen made with the same methods.

Pool Noodle Carrots
How About this carrot for yard art ?
Bricks painted to look like books
Fun in every inch
Yes there’s a bathtub back there
Zombie crossing
The balls have been on the Tri Colored Beech Trees for four years

Balloons on Hudson Street

Happy Passover. Eappy Easter
from Big Head Balloons

On the way to the parking garage as I was leaving town, luggage in hand….I had to stop and take a photo.

There is a Balloon Banksy at work (although the article says he’s retired) Joel Klein has been in the ballon biz for more than 40 years and runs Big Head Balloons and you can see his creations on Instagram bigheadballoons.

Silent Sunday

Thanks Laura for sending a photo of the picture at your home
Tiny glass beads detail
This one is at my house
Embroidery (no beads) at my friends home
Embroidered holy picture

The beaded art holy pictures and embroidery are stitched with loving hands and passion by my DIL’s Grandmother in Kyiv.