Isia wakes up with the sunshine these days. Her first question, as soon as her feet hit the floor, is "When can we go outside?" I usually stop for a moment and groggily try to visualize our day to give her an answer. Sometimes we need to wait until after errands (much to her chagrin) but usually we're able to go right away- after everyone's fed and dressed of course. As soon as she dashes out the back door, reluctantly stopping to put her shoes on along the way, she goes around the yard visiting her many projects. There's the fairy habitat we've been working on- I'll share more soon, promise- and the assorted holes she's been digging around the yard. And always an art project or two in the making. Sometimes it's a stone & sand pile, other times a collection of leaves. Lately it's been this mound of wonderfulness.
Isn't it lovely? There's a system to it, and Isia would tell you all about it. She'd let you know that the mulch needs to go down first, then the rocks, and then the leaves. She'd then point out her favorite stones or leaves that she's "saving for Daddy."
Since we love nature and art, we've studied a lot of Andy Goldsworthy. He's one of my favorite artists, and the inspiration behind several of our projects. So it's not surprising to me that she makes these Andy Goldsworthy-like sculpture, even though I don't think she set out to consciously emulate him. Did she choose to make it circular since so many of his sculptures are? Or to create a gradation of materials- mulch, stones, leaves- like he often does? While I think she'd recognize similarities between his work and her work if they were side by side, at three and a half I don't think she's analyzing her process as she goes. I think she's just enjoying the materials and the sunny day.
It's my joy to pick up hints of the process along the way, and tuck them away to share with her later. And to realize, again, why we should keep exposing kids to art. Because art becomes a part of us. Informing our perspective and creative processes in ways we may never truly understand- even if we're just a little girl playing in the backyard with sticks and leaves.
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Hello friends! This middle of the week finds me...
...enjoying this little bud vase, a recent gift for Cory as he finishes his school year. Not only did he really like it, but I get to see it daily too. Win, win.
...thinking more vases should have feet. Aren't they sweet?
...spending more time outdoors than in, soaking up this gorgeous sunshine.
...proud of the big sister that Isia is becoming. Yesterday she asked me if they could both have bananas, then got them all by herself & peeled them before giving him his.
...happy that Billy can keep up with her these days, it's pretty much his full time job!
...blown away by how cool it is to see your children become friends.
...admiring my fabric project pile: a vest in need of buttons, a half-way sewn dress, a basket half-mended, another basket in progress... I have some catching up to do!
...trying to work on my paper pile too. Somehow shuffling it around isn't actually depleting it (ahem).
...looking for some new music to add-
What are you listening to these days?
Maybe it's just the Peter Pan in me, but I think shadows are magical things. While our recent days have been chilly enough to require a bit of layering, there's definitely been enough sunshine to go around. Which has made for some wonderful shadows- and shadow art!
The kids and I were having the best time the other day, walking around the yard and admiring the shadows. Isia kept holding things up to make shadows, admiring her silhouette in the grass. Then I thought, what if we were to include some paper in our exploring? So I ran inside and grabbed our large easel paper...
...and we began experimenting with our shadows on the paper. Don't the shadows look so nice and crisp on the white paper? We were enjoying them so much that I began to trace them. This would be an excellent activity for older kids, but my 3.5 year old isn't quite there yet. She was very adept, however, at over-seeing the tracing: "Mama, did you include any dandelions? We need to have more dandelions..." Until everyone was satisfied with it,
and ready to move onto the next activity. Such as chasing each other around with big sticks (ahem).
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for more fun & easy creative ideas!
"A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."
(words and inspiration via Soulemama.com)
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| My Mama |
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| My (Maternal) Grandmother |
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| A Little Something for a Soon-to-be Mama |
This middle of the week finds me...
...appreciating the beautiful women responsible for my life even more as Mother's Day nears.
...thankful for all they continue to teach me- and their confidence in my Mama skills.
...glimpsing bits of all of us in my daughter, especially my Mama's smile.
...blocking a little something for a dear friend's first baby. It's my first piece of clothing, thank goodness for little bodies!
...including lots of good thoughts with each stitch.
...finishing up The Journal of Best Practices
& enjoying it a lot.
...eyeing the next book to finish in my pile, Simplicity Parenting
...realizing I will probably not be completing the parenting book before the book club on Saturday.
...looking forward to some friend time anyways... and some book discussion too (wink).
...blocking a little something for a dear friend's first baby. It's my first piece of clothing, thank goodness for little bodies!
...including lots of good thoughts with each stitch.
...finishing up The Journal of Best Practices
& enjoying it a lot....eyeing the next book to finish in my pile, Simplicity Parenting
...realizing I will probably not be completing the parenting book before the book club on Saturday.
...looking forward to some friend time anyways... and some book discussion too (wink).
Wishing you a great rest of your week!
