Our new mascot..drum roll please....

Here is the preview of the new Little Birdie mascot

What do you think? 

Love is in the air.

Happy Valentine's Day.

we had a small class this morning. it was really nice.
we spent the whole time making things for those we love.
how simple and sweet.

TWO HOLIDAYS in one looooong weekend! Enjoy it....


{ courtesy of ominitia on www.flickr.com } 

Craft: Homemade Finger Paint

Here is a good one for you to try out! Let me know how you like it!
Homemade Finger Paint

1/2 cup flour
2 cups water
1 tablespoon glycerine
2 teaspoon lemon extract for preservative
small screw-top jars (recycle baby food jars anyone!)
Wilton food coloring paste

1. In a saucepan, mix flour with a 1/2 cup of water to form a paste.
2. Add the rest of the water and cook over low heat until thick and clear, stirring constantly.
3. Let cool. Add glycerine and lemon extract. If mixture is too thick and does not spread easily, add a little more water. Divide and pour into smal, screw-top jars (baby jars are great for this). Add food coloring to tint.
Store in airtight containers. Refrigerate for longer shelf life.


Another suggestion...try adding food coloring to yogurt and you can finger paint like this too. Nom, nom, nom!

{ recipe and picture from Busy Little Elf blog ~ thanx } 

In art,

Craft: Make Your Own Paste Recipe

When toddlers first experiment with paste I find they are more interested in getting their hands in it to feel it. So instead of putting some in front of them to stick together, just make a batch and let them play with it a bit. 

Squish! Squish! Messy fun!

Homemade Paste

1/2 Cup of Flour (we use all -purpose organic)

1/2 Cup Sugar

3 1/4 cups Water

any extract (vanilla, orange, peppermint, etc. for smell)

OR 2 drops food coloring

We combine our sugar, flour, and 1/4 cup of water in a bowl. 

Then bring 3 cups of water to boil in a saucepan. Stir in the flour mixture

and reduce the heat. Cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes (but stir constantly!)

Once it is thick remove it from stove heat + add your extract or food coloring (or both).

We save ours in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to two weeks when not in use. 

Voila! Try it out and let me know what you think! We won't be selling this (we are starting to sell our organic playdough). But we do use this in our classes. Whatever we can make ourselves or recycle/precycle we do!

I will take some pictures later this afternoon for you to see it's consistency.

Pics from OPEN HOUSE Jan 28

I am so tired now. We had a full house! I loved how the kids were clambering to get in the door and to the art room! They were so eager and all jumped right in. We had kids from ages 20 months up to 5 years old.

Thank you to all the parents who brought their little birdies. We really appreciate your support! I hope you all had a great time (and will spread the word if you did).

I will let the pictures speak for themselves...

"Free the child's potential, and you will transform him into the world." Montessori

OPEN HOUSE 1/28/10

O P E N   H O U S E

Thursday, 1/28/10

We are opening our doors for an afternoon of fun. Learn about our rich array of classes for children...hands on! 

Come see what our studio is all about! Space is limited so please R.S.V.P. to secure a spot

ages 20 months - 5 years old

2:30pm - 4:00pm

R.S.V.P. to this event by email: nicoleperrelle@me.com

Class Schedule

After long last...

Art Enrichment Classes:

Your little birdies will explore art through hands on experience with many different types of media at each session. They will interact with art forms such as painting, dough, gluing, sculpture, sensory, collages and other assorted projects. This is their time to create in a relaxing studio environment!

2 - 3¹/₂ Year Olds

Wednesdays 9:30 - 10:20am  OR  Fridays 3:30 - 4:30pm

January 20th - February 12th {friday is currently full}

February 15th - May 21st

3 Year Olds

Tuesdays 9:30 - 10:30am OR Tuesdays 3:30 - 4:30pm

February 2nd - May 18th

 All Ages 

Saturdays 10:00am - 11:15am

February 6th - May 22nd

please confirm enrollment 24 hours in advance
$25 per child. Discount 20% for siblings

Movement & Art Classes:

We are honored to be planning a joint class with two extremely talented dancers and a long standing dance school of Greenwich CT. In this class we will include a 45 minute session of dance and movement and then a 45 minute art session. The two will be linked together by a common theme each week. More information to follow.

3-4 Year Olds

Wednesdays 3:00 - 4:30pm

February 17th - May 22nd

check our website for most recent class listings and information....
LiTTLE BiRDiE ART WEB SiTE

Meet Our Team...Hallie Miller

So excited to add this wonderful addition to our teaching staff!....

Bio du jour: Meet Hallie Miller. Hallie graduated from Muhlenberg College in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in Media and Communications. She is currently working on her masters degree in Early Childhood/Childhood Education for birth to sixth grade at Manhattanville College in Purchase, NY. She has training and experience in working with people of special needs. She also volunteers as a teachers aide at Coman Hill Elementary in Armonk, NY. For as long as Hallie can remember she has had a passion for working with children. Whether it be at day camps over the summer or babysitting throughout the year, Hallie enjoys bringing the best out of children.

She is wonderful and we cannot wait to get started!

Trial Classes Being Offered!

I am excited to announce that I am now ready to open my studio for children's art classes for two to three year olds.  Here is information about the trial classes:

Art Enrichment   2-3 years old   $100

Wednesdays 9:30 - 10:20am January 20th - February 10th
OR
Fridays 3:30 - 4:20pm January 22nd - February 12th

Your little birdies will explore art through hands on experience with many different types of media at each session. They will interact with art forms such as painting, dough, gluing, sculpture, sensory, collages and other assorted projects. The focus is on the experience and enjoyment rather than the end product. This is their time to create in a relaxing studio environment!


if you are interested: NicolePerrelle@me.com
I will send you detailed information


We appreciate your support!

Friends for dinner

What a lovely night last night. We had our friends the Hagen's over for dinner. They are the kind of people that everyone wants to be around and socialize with. Plus they are as close to family as we have in this part of the country. It was so enjoyable having all of their kids over and to play together too. Brooke felt like she had siblings for a night. Other than a few small skirmishes there was a "kids table" & an "adults table". Brooke slept till almost 8:30 this morning she was so tuckered out!

{counterclockwise - on left Brooke Perrelle, Carter Hagen, Duke Hagen, Hollis Hagen}

I wish I can remember the wine they brought. Both Jen and I polished off our own bottles. Oh man!

Here is the recipe for the risotto we had. We've made it twice in two weeks, it was that good.

Butternut Squash Risotto with Bacon & Sage

found this recipe in fine cooking magazine

Here's to friends...cheers,

Craft: Recipe for homemade play dough

We made our own dough today.

We have a secret ingredient that we use for the magnificent color. It was stumbled upon of course though since I failed {miserably} at Chemistry in high school. But decided this could be a fun part of little birdies. We can sell our eco-dough for take home play. My great friend Jen Hagen suggested we make it "green" and all "non-toxic". Thank you Jen!
So we picked all our ingredients up at Whole Foods.




Here is the recipe now for those of you that cannot wait


1 1/2 Cups - Organic Flour
1/3 Cup Kosher Salt
2 teaspoons - Cream of Tartar
1 1/2 Cups - Water (cold if possible)
1 1/2 Tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 teaspoon of preferred food coloring (or more - up to you!)...
{at Whole Foods you can pick up food coloring too. Like IndiaTree.com}
cook over medium heat in a saucepan


Here is the pictorial...

after about two minute of stirring constantly, drop your food coloring in. Then continue to stir constantly until it begins to stick together.

It should take about 4-6 minutes total for the dough to be complete. You will know when it sticks together into one big clump.

Take out of pan and cool for 10 minutes or so. Then knead and play!

Keeps for about 4 weeks give or take if you store in airtight container after each use. I put ours in the fridge since it keeps it so much longer. 

Be and live well,

New Year

a NEW YEAR...to me, it always translates as "a fresh start"

"If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one",

This was originally posted by Thérèse'n

Little treasures

I had such a wonderful evening with Brooke. She is such a two year old now. Having a daughter is fantastic! For us...soccer, singing {still jingle bells}, pizza {daddy @ a bizzy din-din}, and we used WAY TOO MUCH PAINT for an art project, then a super long bath to wash it all away. A WHOLE BOTTLE OF SOAP!


Then she is off to bed and I was off to research. Nothing gets me going more than inspiration and the excitement that is building around this. Found some great dripping trays that are perfect, given our mascot and all {birdies}

{BARBAR tray from IKEA - only $5.99 - Love It!}

Does anyone have a great website designer they want to recommend? Please email me!

and so it begins....

Here it goes. I am finally going to follow the dream. I am opening an art studio for small children in my home in Greenwich, CT. I have always felt that you should let the child feel their own way through the materials with out giving too much instruction or direction. Let them enjoy the experience rather than focus on the end product. Make it theirs! 


So here is a small snapshot of the studio before we do some remodeling to prepare

and here is partly the inspiration for the name of the studio "Little Birdies"...

Everytime I would paint or draw this summer in the studio with Brooke I would think of and draw/paint little birdies or get sewn birdies, or cut out birdies...you get the picture.


















Stay tuned...I will be posting dates for trial classes soon for late January on Fridays and Saturdays


TO DO:
Web site
Remodel studio for little people
Supplies/class plans
Dates
Sign up! and begin


email me if you want to be considered for the trial classes.

About Us