Paint swatch love notes

Remember my love of paint swatches?  I saw something similar on another blog (for the life of me, I can't remember which blog), so I decided to tweak it a bit and make lunch love notes for lil O and P - whom I will now call Mr. UpCyclist (because of his love of all things cycling).  I bet you can tell which lunch love note is for Mr. U.

Anyway, they are made. They are kind of cute.  Tell me, art majors and art educators of the world, how do I keep the stamped ink from smearing?  Please leave a comment below, email me at jen at upcyclededucation.com or post info on Upcycled Education's Facebook page (the link is to the right).

Stumped,
Jen

Paint swatch activities

I don't know about you, but I am haunted by things that are free. Two of my biggest haunts - FedEx envelopes and paint swatches.  Paint swatches, in particularly, are like sirens calling my name at Home Depot and Lowe's.  I can barely walk by the paint section without caressing a colored swatch and dreaming how (or why?) I need a swatch collection.  Must be genetic, little O loves them, too.

Thankfully, teaching gives me an excuse.  Free swatches + gorgeously inspiring colors + students = An activity.  Here's what I've come up with so far....

Pick a color.....

Convenient way to group students (Thank you, Linda, Nathan and Jordyn)....

Choose a swatch.....

Colorful way to debrief a lesson with exit tickets.....

Pick up some of the multi-color paint swatches.....handy for mini-KWLs.....

And mini-KWLS....

Mickey friends, I bet you have a way to put these to teaching and learning use.....

Fabulous blog reader (or follower), what clever ideas do you have for paint swatches?  Are there free items that haunt you?  As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts.  Please use the comments section below (no password required, so comment away - Yippee!).

UPDATE:  Here's another idea how to use paint swatches.

Best,

Jen