Art = Happy

Tonight's Performance

"The Fisherman's Daughter"
(Stage made possible by Ryan's cribbing)

Weekend Highlights

~ An overnight at Grandma Lee's and watching my kids play and ride around on bikes with all the neighborhood kids just like I use to do when I was little

~ My new books, especially this one, I am so inspired

~ Spending the afternoon at Katie and Kris's new house with family and friends

~ Enjoying a day at home with just the five of us- playing in/cleaning the barn and family painting being my two favorite things we did

~ Ryan and the big kids making fish (that they caught this winter) for dinner- so yummy

"Spring" Painting

A Little Bit of Spring Cheer

Jackson's Bowl

Fabric scraps...


Plus a lot of glue...


And one silly boy...


Makes for this cute bowl.
(Idea found here)

Waiting for Hot

It has been a long few weeks.  Filled with sickness, sleeplessness, class, papers, presentations, Ryan busy at work/working long hours, and filing our taxes.  And most notably, snowstorms.



I won't lie, there is a part of me that is glad that we still have snow on the ground.  With everything going I feel a little sense of relief that I'm not being pulled in one more direction.  That being said, one of the curses of this here is blog is that I can look back and see just what I was doing this time last year.  It is then that I don't care what I have going on now and just wish it was sunny and hot.  I had peas, kale and lettuce in the garden already for heaven's sake!



But here we are.
Winter is (still) all around.
And so I buy tulips.
And we make butterflies.
And plant a few seeds.
And I bundle up in my snow pants and sit outside with my eyes closed facing the sun (while Jackson builds a fort in the snow next to me).



Eventually it will come.  I can see the light at the end of this (very long) tunnel.

A New Hobby

Jackson found this idea in one of his craft books a couple days ago and ever since we have been hooked (I remember loving making them as a kid too)

How to make a God's Eye
1.  Gather two sticks (Popsicle sticks or actual sticks work great too).
2.  Gather some yarn (this is great for those left over scraps of yarn too pretty throw away).
3.  Cross the sticks over each other to form an "X" and start winding some yarn around back and forth over the center to secure both together.
4.  Then take the yarn and go around each stick in a loop and then on the next.
5.  You can change colors as often as you like.
6.  Leave a tail at the end to make a loop and hang up.

Castle Building

Painting With My Boy

Homemade this Year

It was especially fun to make our gifts this year because Grace and Jackson were so into it too.  During the week while Grace was at school Jackson helped me make some of our handsalve for those who like handsalve and some of our granola for those who like granola.



In fact Jackson just might have been the busiest of all of us with his gift making.  He made some ornaments for people of which he created and sewed completely on his own.  He also found this idea in one of his craft books and wanted to make it for Grace to hold the colored pencils we gave her for her birthday.



Ryan helped him with this project but he did a lot of the sanding all on his own.



Grace decided to make a sleeping bag for Jackson's beloved "Pengy" for him Christmas.



She also did the sewing all on her own.



And for my two little artists I decided to make Grace and Jackson some art aprons.  I filled the pockets with glue sticks, paints, tape, a small chalkboard and a few other little odds and ends.







And then for their chalk a little chalk pouch.





Nora's present is still unfinished.  She doesn't seem to mind at all though.  Sometime this month I should get it all wrapped up.



But the all star gifts this year definitely were Ryan's.  For Jackson a sward and shield.





For Grace a dollhouse.





Ryan worked so hard on these, sometimes until late in the night (in a cold barn) to make sure they would be finished (or almost finished... the dollhouse is waiting for some stairs) by Christmas Eve.  I think he would say it was all worth it though to see their faces when they first opened them.



I'm now trying to talk him into changing his profession into a toy maker.

Art With Jackson

Jackson has been in project mode lately.  He has a few "idea books" (as he calls them) that he has been pulling off the shelf each day for inspiration.  Anything that involves painting, cutting, or sewing is usually a big hit these days.  Specifically he likes to use the sewing machine all by himself (usually with me hovering near by) to do "fancy" stitching.



He sewed some of this drawstring bag and almost all of the pillow by himself.  Quite the little seamstress he is becoming.

Sidewalk Art

The End of Summer

We are trying to make the most of the last days of summer.  Tomorrow the beach...