A Montessori Kid

To say that I have been enlightened by our new adventure at Harborlight-Stoneridge Montessori would be an understatement.  A year ago, I would not have dreamed of letting Elizabeth use the iron.  But now that our household and school life is under the direction of the Montessori Philosophy, interesting events like this happen daily around here.  Elizabeth asked if she could iron the napkins. Let me emphasis, she ASKED if she could iron the napkins practically begged me. I instantly shot off an excuse.  "It's really hot today. Do we really want to make the house hotter?"  Then I thought there is something going on inside Elizabeth that I am not aware of that is asking her to iron these napkins.  Just give up the control.  That is what it is about.  Following my kids instead of imposing my parent agenda on them.  This kind of focused work does wonders for her.  When things start to get hairy around here, I will think of a focused work we could do together.  Not only are they happy they get to help with an 'adult' chore, they are ready for the rest of the day.  They want to be a part of what we are doing.  Toys don't bring them satisfaction.  We all love how we feel after a good days work.  Children feel the same way.  Here is a great website for some ideas of what children really are capable of For Small Hands.  If you have small children, you will be inspired!

Resurfacing....

Wow, it has been almost a year to the day since my last blog.  I just got the feeling I needed to blog so here I am.  Impossible to catch up on the last year of life.  However, my husband and I just celebrated our 7th Wedding Anniversary.  It also happened to be the day of my daughters Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy surgery. Elizabeth and I spent the day and night at the hospital. A romantic way to celebrate, I know.  The 7th year of marriage is marked by copper and wool.  Since I didn't think I had time to knit a sweater, I started brainstorming some ideas with Pennies.  Here is what I did...

It is the birth year of our children and the year we were married.  I used a steel letter stamping set and stamped "Lucky Us" on a brass plate.  It was super fun to make.  I found my materials at AC Moore and Michaels.  (Michaels jewelry selection is amazing, I could do some serious damage in that place)

Here are these two monkeys a year later.  Elizabeth is going into 4th grade, and Jude is heading into his 3rd year of preschool.  (Poor guy will have another year of preschool before he reaches the required age of 5 to start Kindergarten)  And, of course, I am teaching where they go to school.  It is a brilliant Montessori school in our area. Harborlight-Stoneridge Montessori School It amazes me that a hundred year old philosophy is considered one of the most progressive in the world.  I start my official training to become a certified Montessori teacher in just a short couple of weeks.  I have to say the nerd in me is excited to dive in and absorb all things Montessori for the next year.  Even if it means giving up every Saturday from 8am-5pm.  It will be well worth the invested time.  So with a fluttering in my tummy, I am posting this for the first time in a year.  Hopefully, I will remember how to do this and what makes a good post sooner than later. 

Spooky little mask project

The feeling of a mid-life crisis has passed.  A new plan is in the works.  Hopefully, involving a clay studio.  It has been ten years since I have worked in clay.  But I know it's still there inside me...it's in the tips of my fingers just waiting to come out.  My super awesome sister-in-law has a wheel she is letting me use.  We are working on a kiln and studio space.  This is the first time it actually feels like a reality.  Already thinking about my favorite combination...porcelain and raku.

This is week three of what I call solitude.  The hubby is on deadline.  He leaves about 6:30am and resurfaces around 10/11pm.  I could literally go all day with out seeing another human being above the age of 8.  The thing about solitude is I dig it.  I love being alone.  I am weird that way.  This is how I know I am meant to be living on a secluded piece of land in Vermont with my art and a farm.  The longer you are alone the easier it gets.  Maybe its easy for me to think because it is not forever.

Jude sportin' his super cool tie dye he made.   I am jealous of his technique.  I helped him fan fold it and secure it with rubber bands.  Then I let him have at it with the dye.  It was super controlled from a kit.  Just three colors in squirt bottles.  I love how kids are so uninhibited in their creative endeavors.  Adults are focused on the final project/results.  Kids can get lost in the process.  

Ok, now for some honesty.  I think I am having a mid-life crisis.  Not the 'get a divorce-buy a motorcycle-pierce my ear' kind.  More of a "ok I quit my job and what I have done my ENTIRE life no longer appeals to me" kind.  I started out teaching art 11 years ago and somehow morphed into a preschool teacher.  I don't know what I want now.  A studio? A new profession? No profession?  How can I be 34 and not know what I want to do with my life?  I have never been ho-hum about anything.  I am trying to embrace the idea of an opportunity presenting itself.  But how hard should I look for this?  Doing something with art again would be amazing.  But what I really think about is my love for music.  Those who know me day to day, know my obsession with music.  Even as I am writing this, I am drumming my fingers on the counter, thinking....thinking....Goodness, I love this blog. It provides space for me vent.

Have a great weekend!

Heart and Thoughts, They Fade....

 Jude's heart-shaped road rash

 Elizabeth's awesome heart rock find

Mumma's warped heart rock find (so fitting)

August, really?  We all say it "where did summer go?"  I am pretty sure part of my summer went to putting the slushy kids on the beach through college.  Part of summer is on my face in form of a few new wrinkles.  Elizabeth is sporting summer in her hair, a green tint from all her swimming.  Jude is lovingly sporting summer on his arm in the shape of a heart from his bike injury.  Summer is on our forever dirty calloused feet from dancing barefoot on a Castle lawn, tiptoeing across hot sand, gripping barnacle covered rocks.  Summer is in our bellies from all the berry picking we did.  Part of our summer went to saying 'yes' as often as I could to things like spontaneous play dates, ice cream for dinner, messy art projects, endless days spend life guarding our pool, bike rides, the mushroom park, staying up late.  This is the first time I have no pending engagements looming over summers end.  Nothing to worry about or plan or budget or schedule.  The husband is working like a dog.  Late, late nights.  My voice may be hoarse at the end of a bad day around here but most days I collapse in my bed, exhausted from spending time with my own kids instead of someone elses....We still have our overnight together at Storyland, my brother's 40th birthday party/pig roast, and maybe a girls weekend for the mama...

bubble run

Jude and I started this game a few days ago and it is his new favorite.  He just runs the length of the porch making bubbles.  He likes to catch one and bring it back to me.  He also likes to pick out his own clothes.  Notice the lovely plaid shorts paired with an inside out tie-dye.  We encourage self help skills around this joint.  The self confidence gained by dressing himself far exceeds any outfit agenda I might have.  Oh how I have changed since my first baby.   I love how a simple photo tells so much about what goes on around here.  None the less, bubbles are just simple, good fun!

projects, projects, projects

 Well this project did not turn out exactly how I had hoped.  I blended two bloggers ideas and created this one.  Check these ladies out...here and here  Ugly or not?  I am leaning towards ugly.  My father in law was gracious enough to cut the piece of wood.  Maybe he will do it again?  I would like it to look more white-washed and I wouldn't add the rust effect.  I would also make the line around the clock thinner.  It was super fun to do regardless of the outcome.  As an artist and teacher, my perspective should be it is the process not the product.  I am happy my kiddos are old enough to let me do bits and pieces of it through out the day.  I loved working on it last night on my back porch.  So happy to be making 'stuff' again.  I can actually visualize maybe making real art.  This is something I have not done for a long time.  Just this little project has sparked the flame again!

The shutter wall collage is complete!  I am contemplating filling in the screw holes with wood putty but I kinda like the industrial look.  Our bed is now on the floor.  Thinking maybe building a platform for it.  I have about 8 beams that run across the room.  I found a cool old wooden ladder that I stretched across them.  Deciding what kind of treatment they should get.  I was originally thinking Japanese paper lanterns but they are too big.  I think twinkle lights might be cheesy.....