le second voisinage

Last year our class worked on a pretty amazing project:  The Neighborhood.  I documented every step we made, every little thing we did.  I was part roadie, part crazed-fan.

This year, we decided to tackle it again.  In a totally different way.  This year, it was Shadowboxes of The Neighborhood.  And we've been so dang busy I haven't shot a thing!  We are putting together a (inspired by) book of all the storefronts, so we dragged them outside and shot 'em.

(you should see the helmets E. made--they're hanging inside the garage)

They're crazy good.  And these are just the storefronts.  The details the kids decided should be included were unreal.  M. wanted to make little napkin holders out of model magic, colored it silver and black and then pasted a little piece of paper coming out the front.  O., who made the laundrette, made every detail in this overcrowded, old-school, family-owned 'mat.  Right down to the wrapped packages of clean clothes, stacks of newspaper piled on a folding table, and a Buddah statue that rested on the counter.

(you can just barely see the napkin holders in the Mexican restaurant)

The beauty salon has a lamp, hair magazines, a wall of hair-do's you can get and a whole bunch of nail polish made from good ole model magic.

(there was a bit of adult help on this one, A. had to fill a bookstore!)

Most of the kids have finished the project and are waiting with baited breath for the big celebration night with the parents.  Some of the other die-hards come up with a new detail that they just have to add to make it complete.  So, we pull out the hot glue, the model magic, the pens and the paint and get to work, 

again.