Attention all Washington State Kid-lit junkies:
It's fantastic. I'm not even just saying that because it takes place in my own town of Bellingham. It really is fantastic.
I hope I'll see you there next year.
Here I share news, events, press, bits of my creative process, and the occasional snippet of adventure.
Happy Valentine's Day!
I love heart photos. The above picture I took in Chang Mai, Thailand. The below picture I took here in Bellingham, Washington when I was home visiting while living abroad.
And the below screen shot is from a link my hubby sent me this morning to his Strava page where he tracks his bike routes via GPS watch. This was the unconventional route he took to work and sent to me.
Isn't he sweet?
How about, while I'm anyway posting a valentine's mash-up, I also post some pictures of my other (littler) valentine making cards for his class.
Oscar wanted to make a rocket-ship valentine this year "with hearts coming out of the bottom instead of flames."
I drew the rocket for him. He cut out the hearts. I sewed the hearts. He made the heart stickers and put them on the front.
I wonder which one of us had more fun?
I heart crafty projects with my son.
One more Heart note. If you are unfamiliar with the site
, maybe today's the day you should check it out. Eric Telchin posts lots of pictures of Hearts he finds EVERYWHERE. I've heard he has a
out too. Hmm... I feel a valentine's day trip to the bookstore coming on.
Have a great day!
I made this collage using some of the paper-cutting techniques I've been experimenting with since attending the Nikki McClure workshop a few weeks ago. |
She's Nurturing a Dream |
Show and tell time.
These are my family's new bookshelves:
Ahhhhhhh.
I LOVE them.
Please note all the picture book shelves. And the face-out picture book rack on the wall to the left of the shelves. I am a proud picture book hoarder. I feel that this is a very fine thing. I have a five-year-old afterall (or maybe, yes, that 's just an excuse...).
Also! These awesome bookshelves do not stand alone.
How about some bookshelves just for all our handmade journals and photo albums?
Are two shelves too many? How about three? How about one for the wall? Face out!
Or maybe four?
Aren't these shelves AWESOME?
They are like half-tables stacked on top of one another.
Dreamy!
Now, how about some handmade shelves by yours truly (and my crafty sister):
Patchwork bookshelves for the nook at the top of my stairs.
Because every crafty lady should try DECOUPAGE at some point.
Here's the shelves right after I hung them, before I filled them up. My son helped me. He loves helping mommy with projects.
As long as said projects don't involve trips to the craft store.
Is it embarrassing to realize that this little list does not include the bookshelves in my studio? Or my bedroom? or the one downstairs for cookbooks? I mean, is that too many? Too many bookshelves?
NO SUCH THING!
In fact, how about I just add pictures of those shelves too. Why not?
Studio shelves, complete with flying pig light
Cookbooks under the T.V. Wouldn't we rather be reading anyway?
This one houses journals I'm still filling.
BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS!
"I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves."
-Anna Quindlen (from an article in the NYT)
Alright. Enough already. Go read a book.
Woman weaving an ikat piece. |
Ikat thread bundles, tied and ready for dying |
Ikat thread getting ready to go on a loom |
Firefly art: a collage I made in the last few weeks of living in Malaysia |
I love relishing moments of peace in the midst of a busy city. Here's such a moment: the Petronas towers with morning light, a morning moon, and morning birds. |
From an assignment in Andrea's Superhero Photo Class. |
Red-shirted girl in the distance |
My mother and my son holding hands |
Blue umbrellas at Angkor Wat |
The above picture was taken in Australia and the picture below was taken last week in Kuala Lumpur.
What do these pictures have in common (besides both having my son in them)?
They marked the beginning of two different canopy walks.
In Malaysia it was at the Forest Research Institute, where they reclaimed an old industrial wasteland and made it jungle again (above).
In Australia we walked among the giant tingle treetops (above).
But at both I found myself walking on tiny, looooong bridges, high, high up in the trees.
Amazing. Fantastic. I loved it.
But... these walks were not exactly for the faint of heart.
They felt like small practices in bravery (not to mention yoga breathing).
They were exercises in trust.
They felt a bit like what it feels like when you put your art out in the world, actually.
You trust that the journey will be a bit thrilling, you'll be glad you did it, you probably won't crash to the ground, but things will feel a little shaky and uncertain, even if exciting.
And your view on the world will be different, at least for a bit.
There may even be anchors along the way, to help calm your nerves, even while keeping the view.
You probably won't fly, but it might feel a bit like you are.
You might even decide to go for it again...
What a cheesy post.
But a bit of truth is there somewhere, I'm sure.
If not for being an artist, then at least for being an adventur-ess.
Now, back to the ground.