writing thank you's and much more

After the big event, writing thank you cards was on my agenda - but somehow that slipped away from me. Even though its almost been a month, I knew these had to get into the hands of friends and family - after all, we really are thankful. Especially Noah, who has been opening new gifts since then - every few days apart {this was an idea my sister gave me, and its worked like a charm.} Noah appreciates the individual toy so much rather than becoming overwhelmed with them all at once if opened at the same time. To him, it felt like everyday was his birthday {smiling}.

vintage carnival invitations

We finally decided on a theme for Noah's 4th Birthday - thanks to some cute vintage stuff I found at the craft store a few weeks ago. Plus, so much of it can be hand made, from games to decorations - and right now, I heart everything vintage...

I created these in PhotoShop using fun "carnival" style fonts - and colors red, gray and blue. My procrastination in getting the invites done were thanks to my fruitless attempts of finding red and white baker's twine at my local craft stores {who knew?} Etsy vendors carry a slew of these in small quantities and colors, but I didn't want to pay for shipping. More empty handed shopping trips followed, so I buckled down and ordered a giant spool online from We Sell Coffee - 3,400 yards to be exact {seems like the best value with shipping}. It finally arrived today, so we got to work... {I mean, this was our art project for the day}...

After I trimmed the edges with scalloped scissors, Noah pasted glue on the invite and adhered it to red card stock {8.5 x 11 cut in half}. Then he placed tiny colorful fasteners to the top.

Ava was in charge of cutting strands of string to lace around the fasteners...

I cut out triangle-shaped pieces out of origami paper {already had in the kids' art supplies}. Ava coordinated groups of 4 "flags" to go onto each card as the bunting... which I stuck on over the twine using double-sided foam tape...

This is how they turned out... in the grand scheme of things, I probably could have used any kind of string to create this effect, but for some reason, I had my mind fixed that it had to be red and white... oh well. So they are 2 weeks behind delivery...

Now, what to do with the rest of the 3,398 yards of twine?...

christmas eve 2010

We didn't make plans for Christmas eve - except to bake cookies. Lots of it. I've never baked cookies before from scratch - and thought tonight would be a perfect night to get started, and start a new holiday tradition with the kids. So my family came over to help... and it turned out to be quite an extravagantly sweet evening...

elving

More elving going on right before Christmas...including personalized tree ornaments filled with small buttons of candy, ice cream, princess crowns, stars, cars and trucks - all things the kids picked out from the craft store to reflect things they love this year.

the magic of christmas: is giving

Celebrating the holidays for us began with teaching our kids about our traditions - and one that I am very fond of, is giving to our loved ones - especially in the form of handmade. I still have the scarf I started knitting for Aaron 9 years ago {and yes, I plan to finish it one day...} - but to simplify and encourage the kids to make their gifts, we bought wooden projects ready for us to embellish with our own touches. Ava picked out a wooden train for Noah {his favorite toy}, and while he was napping, the 2 of us started elving in the art room...

wintry window decor - snow"girl"

As the wintry decorations go up around the house, Ava is busy in her art room snipping away, and gluing cotton balls on everything. I was outside in the backyard today and my eyes loomed over cut branches that have missed curb side pickup the last few months. Which was a good thing, because I thought they would be perfect for hanging up some of the xmas cards that have started to stroll in.

Of course, with all these little twigs darting out, it made me think of hands... and one thing led to another - and before we knew it, we had arms for a snowman craft! I pulled the rest of the supplies from drawers around the house, and improvised as we went along...

praise for new art

Every fall, an art explosion happens around town - artists with a spectrum of talent come together to share priceless visions of work. The Annual Cottonwood Festival is one of them, and it's one of our favorites. Maybe it's the scenic backdrop of families with their children stretched across the lawn, dogs scurrying underneath trying not to get stomped on, and loud live music that magically makes your shoulder bounce while zig-zagging from booth to booth... or maybe its the funnel cake...

This is our second time attending Cottonwood - and like the first, we didn't find that one "priceless art piece" to take home...



Until we discovered the ArtStop for kids...

... where they worked together to embellish one butterfly (cut out from felt, stuffed with shredded document paper, and stapled shut).

And tried their hands at using a pottery wheel for the first time - which was an artful experience for all of us. The vendor coordinated 10 stations at once, spinning the wheel at the same time while the kids cupped their clay and watched it turn into a... bowl?

The gooyiness between their fingers struck immediate laughter. After all, this was taking the routine finger painting they do at home to a whole new level. By the time we were done, we all had a sizable amount of clay splattered all over us...

I'm pretty sure it wasn't the funnel cake that has me still talking about the festival. But the pieces of art I did get to take home... and add to my growing collection of handmade art from the kids - 2 clay bowls and 1 ornate butterfly... simply priceless!

try pottery!

2's will need help, but 3's can rock n' roll with the wheel. There are so many facets to pottery, and we're so glad we gave it a try. Some local resources include: Quiggly's Clayhouse and Paint Yer Pottery

storyboard made from recyclable materials

Art projects are a norm around our house. And with an abundant of resources on making crafts online and in books, I sometimes find myself completely empty on ideas. But that doesn't stop us from completely inventing one of our own. Today, Ava and I snatched the top of our pizza box and decided to make a board game.



After we sketched the traveling path, we flipped through old issues of Parent magazines and started clipping. I worked with the scissors while Ava glued them on...

And before we knew it, we had covered our gameboard with more pictures than we anticipated. So we decided to call it a story board - and here, Ava holds up her board and tells a story about the duck who was trying to cross the road and "looked both ways" before crossing...

So even though we didn't have an agenda when starting this art project - the time together, and process working on it, was the artful beauty in itself.

Create your own storyboard
1. We go through our recycle bins for inspiration - because when packages are repurposed, they are a whole lot more interesting. Last night's pizza did double duty here... Shoe boxes are another idea...

2. Magazines - I like to keep my parenting issues on the hap chance that I'll use them as references when needed - but who has time? So I contributed some issues to the project and most of the pages that were cut were advertisments anyway. If you don't subscribe to any magazines, pick up the free parenting guides you'll find at your local library or grocery store. What I like about "parenting" magazines is that more than likely you'll find visuals that are kid-friendly.

2. Glue - you can't just have one. Paper items require the delicate streaks from gluesticks, but for heavier or odd shaped items - we love using Aleene's Tacky Glue.

3. Let your kids decide the steps. Sometimes our natural parenting through a process like this would be to clean up along the way, or suggest where to paste items... do this.. don't do that... and so on. But I can't stress enough the importance of letting them work through something like this in its entirety. Parents can engage in projects like this by being the "assistant" - In other words, don't disengage yourself - stand back and watch - but work alongside your child and be there to help. Not only will you be modeling favorable behaviour, but you're also letting your child's creativity take center stage.

Happy storytelling!

in love with handmade

A surprise package arrived for Ava - from ARGENTINA! We ordered her more of Julie's fabulous handmade clothing, and it was nothing short of absolute sweetness... Beginning with her signature tissue paper Ava tore out of the box, drawings from Julie's daughter, Zoe, tumbled out. Personalized and thoughtful, Zoe drew Noah a "bug" which resembled very much like a centipede I thought, and many "moons" for Ava, with a special message noting it was for the Moon Beam Academy! - which is the name [inspired by your comments] of the new "school" Ava attends at home [big SMILE]. More on that later...







The skirt, adorned with a hand embroidered moon and star, is a brown linen trimmed with a matching gingham check - the perfect uniform for Ava's MBA don't you think? So we had to steal this one from her online store right away...

After the initial surprise wore off, she was ready to go - in other words, make the most of playtime and build tall towers while king kong was napping. So I did - but not before tying the beautiful smock on her. I love the playfulness this fabric already exudes ... the little bow that forms in the back... and the front center pocket made to hold secret treasures... no bigger than a marshmallow or two...



That same week, a surprise package came for me this time - from PORTUGAL! And my heart swelled up - for many reasons: Like the grand thoughtfulness of Zelia, a new friend I met from this blog, to go out of her way to hand write me a letter, buy me Portugal fabric and pencils - and send them to me along with tips on how to create Una-na handmade dolls of my own - which I adore so much.






The romantic European fabric made my head spin thinking about all the beautiful things they could be instead... And I just couldn't help but picture Zelia handwriting my letter one night before sealing the package. What was I doing the exact same time I wonder? There's just something extra special about handwritten letters from afar... the time to write down cascading thoughts... the distance of travel across land and water...and the countless people that handled it before dropping it in my mailbox... wow!

All of it simply reminded me of how powerful our hands are - and how they create and move the worlds between each one of us...

Do you have a favorite handmade piece? I'd love to know...

the making of brownies... and new chefs in the kitchen

Kids - baking brownies is a very serious matter. Just ask your mother. Dad... can I crack the eggs?



First, you measure your ingredients Noah...
But Dad? The egg? Can I do it?



Son, I think we better let Ava handle it this time. Your mom likes her brownies to be extra chewy.

That's right Noah. Back away from the bowl. This is serious business. You're just the assistant to the chef - which is me.



God help me. Please don't let me smack her with my spoon.



Aaaaaaaaa.......
You're not smiling anymore are you?



Kids, kids... let's focus and make magic here. This brown gooey mush is going to make everyone happy again. Watch this...



But Dad... I wanted to mix the gooey.



Mom. Are you paying attention to this? I didn't get to do anything!



Hang in there Noah. The assistant always gets to test the chef's masterpiece first.
Here you go buddy.
Slurp.



Dad you were right. Mom is soo going to love this.

old is new again

Remember those "stray things" I bought home a few weeks ago? Well this one is from a little girls' bedroom set [desk, hutch, dresser and mirror] that I made off with for a sweet deal. Ahem. I know, I know. But it was the vintage flowers on the drawers that got to me. And when they were willing to part with it for less than a meal out on the town, I caved.

After two weeks collecting dust in our formal rooms, I was finally inspired to stow it away for Ava's growing years. While pushing this dresser to the back, I took a detour to her room to see if it'd fit. And then... I was inspired to...

Dreamy isn't it? The best part is that it's from the lovely left-over paint I used for my studio walls - which happened to be an "oops-paint" - they hated it, but I love it kind of a find. In 30-minutes, I brushed on a new life to this piece. As I put back the vintage knobby drawer pulls... I wondered about the hands that pulled and pushed these knobs for decades... reaching for her beloved books stored on top... or inside for her most precious valuables...

After a few hours, I returned to dress it up and read some books with Ava - who responded to her new bedside table...

"wow Mommy... you painted it? I like it!"



Ava's new dresser holds her sweet two year old valuables.... [top] suitcases for mini-roadtrips, a photo of her playing at the beach, a sea shell from Seaside, Fl., reading lamp for bedtime books... [and inside] hair clips and ribbons for her and dress-up clothes for her babies...

wearing childhood fashionably...

One of the greatest wonders since joining the social media arena has been the gift of having a conversation with someone on the other side of the world. Such was the case when I happened upon Julie Alvarez from Buenos Aires. A mother, singer and creator, Julie snaps photos of brilliance captured in days with her family, creativity, and art. She also maintains a blog, of which she personalizes with real stories - straight from a Mama's heart.

What I was most impressed with was Julie's naturalness for being a mom with a creative spirit. To surround her daughter Zoe with all that is beautiful - real - natural - and simple. I truly understand what it means to create out of love [when Aaron and I sat together during my pregnancy with Ava making things for her... stuffed animals... knitted booties....] And that's exactly what Julie does so well with her very own original clothing label, Boton De Amor. Handmade shirts and aprons are uniquely designed, showing off every bit of Julie's "button of love" and more. When our package arrived, Ava pulled out the gorgeous colored tissue paper with a sticky note for Ava - from Zoe. On it was a picture of a heart, balloon and fish [thanks to Mom Julie who labeled them for us!] I was so deeply touched that I had to steal the note from Ava when she wasn't looking and pin it on my inspiration board.

I also giggled inside, remembering how much I loved having a pen pal to write to. Remember those? Strangers we'd share our day-to-day thoughts.... confessions of crushes and betrayals.... and adolescent revelations scribbled on postcards and notebook paper carefully folded and now neatly stowed away in a shoebox with a ribbon tied around it.

My very first pen pal was my best friend Karen, who I have known since the age of 2. Karen moved away with her family to Brazil when we were just 5 years old. We became pen pals at 8. Just this week, I received an email from her -from Argentina - where she is currently traveling. It makes me smile just thinking about the irony of my most recent online order, Zoe's picture... and how wonderful pen pals are...

The linen blouse I ordered was customized for Ava. Perfect for all weather - this blouse was meant to be lived in... Make memories and dance through childhood with.

And just like that, she was off - doing exactly what I imagined her doing in her very own handmade shirt made from Boton De Amor .... Ava ran around the room laughing - having the time of her life...

Get one for your favorite girl to grow into -

1. You can order your very own Ava Linen Blouse here on Etsy. [This divine shirt was renamed after Ava ... ] The shirt buttons in the back, so it can be used to slip on as a smock.

2. Email Julie about specific toddler sizes and colors ahead of time. Each order is customized. You are getting a handmade piece tailored to fit your little one. The prices make you want to order several!

3. Know of any toddlers that would like one? Nothing sings more to a mother's heart than a handmade gift for their child... [hint, hint].

finding new art

There wasn't much talking at the sandbox today - but there was a lot of sand flying out of it. Maybe it was because the kids haven't played in it for over a week and they were desperate to rebuild their forts ruined by the rain. After 10 minutes, their interest evaporated so I turned on the hose and made huge puddles for them to splash in while I cleaned out the backyard. This made Noah extremely cranky and tired - quickly. So while he napped, Ava and I both tried something new for the first time - hand embroidery.

It seems like fun - and an excellent way to let our fingers do the creative work. Plus, there's no sewing machine involved. On top of that, the book I'm reading right now shows how embroidery can be a fun way for kids to express their artwork. That was enough for me to try it with Ava.

After showing her this morning how to poke through the burlap just once, Ava took on the challenge and mastered making lines! She even asked to use different colors! I couldn't believe my eyes.

It lasted about 15 minutes before she jumped off the chair and wanted to play with the Remington typewriter instead. But that's ok - it was more than I ever expected. The important thing is that I gave her the opportunity to try something new. I don't know too many 2-year olds who have tried this craft, but it really is a good one. To use their hands to create... to build patience as they push and pull the string... and to feel proud of themselves when they see what they just created.

As for me - well, I don't have a clue what I'm doing. I don't even know how to knot the threads so that they don't pull through. But I tell you this - it is definitely a relaxing craft. I put all of our skeins and hoops into a basket and placed it next to the couch so that we can pick it up when ever Ava felt like it. I wonder how long this process will take... or if it ever will. But at least it's there, and I have today to remember forever.

To get started with your little one(s), here's what you need:

1. 2 hoops - a big and small one for each of you. I got a 10-inch hoop and a 6-inch one for Ava's hands.

2. Burlap makes the most sense to use for your little one to practice with. [A good tip I got from the book]. The holes are malleable and big enough to accommodate the large plastic dull needle they will need. For you, buy a pack of tapestry needles [they look like regular ones, but I'm sure there's a difference.]

3. Buy lots of colorful skeins. At only 29 cents a bundle - you can't go wrong mixing colors. We had Ava help pick out colors at the store. The decision [as if she was picking out ice-cream flavors] was exciting.

4. I threaded all 6 threads on her plastic needle so that her lines would be big and bold. For myself, I split it into 3 - I think that's average for linen fabric.

5. After threading the needle, I tied a knot so that the needle wouldn't slip while she pulled.

6. To get started, I poked the first hole from the bottom-side and then slipped it back through and tied off a knot so that the string would hold onto the burlap.

7. And that's it. I've never used a hoop before, but when you get one, you'll see how there are 2 circles, one big and one small. Place the fabric in between and pull the fabric so that it's stiff. Re-tighten.

8. Good luck - and let me know how this experience goes for you.

creating a space of her own

I am simply amazed at how natural the process is for children to be creative. And if we pause and take time to watch, nurture and embrace their desire to create - magic happens. What a tremendous gift this is for them and to us as parents. Dreams will be sketched here first. Stories will come to life on paper bigger than herself. The alphabet will swim in brush strokes of colors she only will bring to life.

This morning was such a day. With her pajamas still on, she was determined to create a palette of new colors by combining a few primary ones. Ava has shown a tremendous amount of interest in art [paint especially] for quite some time. When my mom took Ava for a "day out" alone, and told her she could have something to take home from the toy store, she chose a watercolor set, which she followed by giving the most genuine thank you [I am told] that made the store clerk's jaw drop and mom tear up.

So when we stumbled upon a craft table at Pottery Barn Kids yesterday, I was sold on the idea of creating a special space for Ava to do her art. So after the kids went to bed last night, we assembled the new table in our breakfast room, added a roll of butcher paper on top and cushions from an old sofa underneath. We tossed her crayons, chalks, markers, watercolors, finger paints and acrylics in the middle. Her Aunt Wagma came by today to visit and even she was drawn to the table to "create." They did her first art project at the table - with crayon shavings... Remember those?

We really enjoyed watching her curiosity grow with excitement using a sharpener for the first time and turning her crayons into chunks of glitter. We hung her "project" with stickers and color forms on the bay window behind her table so that she can be proud of her piece and remember the time spent with family creating it.

If you forgot how to... here it is:

Crayola Glitter Recipe
1. Use broken crayons or start collecting free ones from restaurants.
2. Peel off the paper and sharpen. We used an egg crate container to hold the shavings.
3. With your fingers, grind the curls to your preferred size.
4. Apply Elmer's glue to your picture and then sprinkle the shavings on top. You'll get better
results if you work in small sections at a time.
5. Turn the paper over and shake off excess shavings and re-use these to cover the remaining areas.

have fun!