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.....

Random Adorableness....

Oh my it has been raining for a long time over here.  And not fun-summer-maybe-play-outside for a little bit rain.  It is cold, damp, muddy, miserable weather.  So I am trying to find the bright spot and posting some pics of Jude to lighten the mood.  We installed our chalkboard in the kitchen and started our Summer 2011 list.  Paddle boats is number one....suggested by Elizabeth.  I don't even think I have ever been on a paddle boat.  My shutter project is under the eaves and on hold until the rain lets up.  I have been running this week.  Today I was so spun in the woods, I ended up on someone's front lawn and standing next to their big No Trespassing sign, Private Drive.  Oops!  My Special Needs class ended last night and now I officially have nothing to do.  It's weird.  Elizabeth has requested I home school her this summer.  Today was the first day and we completed the first couple of pages in her workbook.  She is a smart cookie but in such a rush. She is so worried about everyone else, she loses focus on her own work.  She also over strokes all her letters...multiple times she goes over and over them.  I was coaching her a bit on relaxing her grip and letting it go a bit.  Geesh! All I can say is come on sun before I lose it!

Shutters

Old Shutters everywhere!  At last count I have 22 shutters.  Some I pulled off the side of the road.  The others all acquired on freecycle.  Love it!  On Sunday I had a poor soul digging through all the mistake paint at ACE hardware.  We must have looked through 30 cans of paint to get the right color palette for the project.  I removed all the hardware and managed not to strip a screw.  The hubby's back is out so he couldn't help get some of the really tough ones out.  That I will do later.  I hosed them all off but no scrubbing.  I want there to be a bit of dirt to add to the vintage look.  Today I set a table up out side and Jude and I went to work.  A 3 and 1/2 year old actually has the perfect painting technique to achieve a 'shabby chic' kinda look.  Once I have finished painting them I will go over the edges with sandpaper just to give it a bit of a worn look.  Then we will install.  I have not visualized this process.  Except I do envision me standing back and my husband doing a lot of shuffling with shutters against the wall.  I am having so much fun!  This entire project will only cost me the cost of the paint which was only $5 per can. Grand total $25 bucks!

Clifford

Clifford is our latest spectacular addition.  I see tons of dogs posted everyday who need homes.  For some reason this guy spoke to me.  I quickly found the amazing woman responsible for pulling him from a kill shelter in Georgia and let her know we wanted to foster him.  My husband made the journey to meet the transport.  Their journey home was not ideal.  Clifford had an upset belly. (the smell is still lingering in my jeep.)  When I met him I instantly knew he was my dog.  Like he was hand picked for me.  He is about 20lbs under weight and has worms but is on the mend and loving life.  He is my snuggle buddy after the kids go to bed.  He is so laid back and just wants love.  I am super smitten with him.  He is not a foster, he is home.  Now our little Memphis is with his forever home.  Such an amazing pup.  He will be with our cousins so we can see him anytime.  The kiddos did an amazing job saying good bye to him.
After 11 years, I have decided to leave teaching for a bit.  My husband has his dream job.  This means more hours and more $$$ paying a babysitter.  Quality of life is my most important goal.  As soon as it begins to suffer, I reevaluate.  Will I go crazy? Yes!  Will I be cursing myself at the end of summer for quitting my job? Absolutely!  I am keeping my feet wet and visiting a preschool that actually sounds like a perfect fit for me.  My last Special Needs class is this Thursday.  I really feel like I have a calling there.  I would love the opportunity to make a great impact on my community by helping out these kiddos.  But for now, I am home.  Pressing shirts, cooking, craft projects, beachin' it, freecycling, and remodeling the master bedroom.  The last one is funny since there is anything master about our bedroom.  My first project is creating an old shutter collage as a headboard.  I collected about 20 shutters on freecycle and bought other peoples mistake paint at ace hardware.  Let the fun begin.  I suppose it would make a couple of cool blog posts.....

This is our new guy Memphis.  He is 13 weeks old and 30lbs.  He is already as big as Penny.  His spirit is awesome.  He is super laid back.  He just goes with the flow.  Penny is able to displace some of his energy with this guy.  Memphis has no idea how big he is and insists on being a lap dog.  He will just cuddle up in your arms and fall asleep.  We love him so much.  We are fostering him and originally thought we would keep him.  He is such an incredible dog that we feel like he belongs with an equally incredible family.  We just took in another dog, Clifford.  And yes, like the big red dog.  He is 75lbs and has spent the last 6 months being shuffled from one animal rescue to another after being pulled from a kill shelter the day he was supposed to die back in January.  Another awesome guy.  It's like having a small dog in the house.  And he'll stay with us.  Not sure he would be very adoptable.  But we love him!
I am hoping this will be the beginning of many blog entries to come.  With a heavy heart, I left my teaching job.  The hubby has a new job and it's quite the commute.  And as soon as my nanny starts making more than I do, I quit!  So, I will be a stay at home mom --crinch-- for a stint.  I am in search of an old school chalkboard and plan to fill it with ideas.  It will be a visual for me to keep busy with activities and ideas!  See you soon!  And if you are interested in Memphis, send me a comment!

8 years, 10 days early, and a new moon....

Fairy face paint of course!

Stylin' new outfit from Auntie Sam

leftover Tigra paint this morning

Eight years ago today I was stacking the stools in my art room.  I was very pregnant and unusually grumpy.  I knew something was up so I called my mom for advice.  "Could you be in labor?" my mom inquired.  Or course not, the baby wasn't due for ten more days.  I didn't even have a bag packed.  I called my doctor who confirmed my early labor symptoms but informed me because of the new moon there was literally no room at the inn.  I was encouraged to go home and relax.  Phew, time to take a shower, shave my legs, and pack my bag for the hospital.  I drove myself and checked in.  My mom arrived shortly there after and little did she know that in eight hours she would be cutting the umbilical cord of her granddaughter.  I'm not sure if my mom has ever looked so proud of me in my whole life.  She was unbelievable that day.  Eight years later and this little girl is sprouting into a young lady.  She grew an entire inch since last November.  Today we visited the park we used to take her to all the time when she was little.  It was totally spontaneous.  A little park with a couple of swings, monkey bars, a slide, and a big wooden boat.  It's the perfect amount of 'stuff'.  A weeping willow tree to provide just enough shade and a perfect spot for a picnic blanket.  Hard to imagine I was working seven days a week waiting tables to support us.  I would scoot home after working a double and scoop Elizabeth up for her last feeding.  I think I had the Norah Jones album on repeat that year.  I would sing her "The Nearness of You." every night.  Although that time was hard for me, Elizabeth and I were bonding for life.  She taught me so much during that time.  I wonder if she will ever realize?  3:38 am.

confessions of a preschool teacher

I am feeling a bit defeated today. This is not an emotion I entertain very often. After a long day of conferences, I am a bit at a loss. I am super passionate about teaching to the level of dorkiness. I love love love to learn all there is to know about preschool, child development, etc. All teachers must put in a certain amount of professional development hours. For someone like me, this means nights and weekends. Although it takes time away from my family, I am happy to be privy to the cutting edge ideas of educators. I am blessed with a school who funds these workshop. Now to the point at hand, I am bewildered by the expectations that have been set forth for preschoolers. I am here to tell you we are focusing on the wrong developmental areas of children. After meeting with several parents, who were concerned about letter-sound connection, pencil grip etc, I am feeling the urge to vent. We are discovering that children ultimately succeed in a child focused play based learning environment. A place where open-ended play is embraced. This means blocks, play dough, process art, dramatic play. As children, we fondly remember playing outside with little supervision. This kind of play is so important because we used our imaginations in sustained, elaborate role play. This is where we discovered what we wanted out of life and how to resolve conflict. Children are becoming more and more unsatisfied with toys because they are so used to being entertained by media. From the womb we hang toys in their faces then on to being entertained by tv leading to toys that make noise and talk for them and on to video games and computers. Toys are give to children with a script. Here is a toy, here is how to play with it. Also, we have to schedule play dates. We are no longer in a world where the back yard and the neighborhood is a safe place to play unsupervised. Parents hover and pounce on kids when conflict arise during a play date. And we play with our kids! I can't remember a time my mother played with me. Our kids don't know how to play by themselves. I am guilty of all of this as a parent. As an educator, it's time to make parents aware of what our media-saturated world is doing to our kids. It's time to get kids back into play....free play....open-ended play. But how do we get back there? How do we rescue childhood? Who can remember games of kick the can, cops and robbers, capture the flag? When we played these games we resolved conflict, worked as a team, learned defeat and success, helped our wounded friends, etc. What will happen if our children aren't given the opportunity to develop these skills? How come we don't keep score anymore? Isn't winning and losing part of life? If everyone wins then what is the point of trying our best? Feeling depressed yet? Or inspired? Let's get inspired and rescue childhood for our kids sake!

Geocaching

Ok, I think I might be the last person on Earth to learn about Geocaching. Today was our first time. Did we have a good time or what! It amazes me that I am still finding new incredible places after thirty-four years of living in this area. The story with the tower is it was built in the 1890's as a watch tower for boats coming in carrying coal. It was originally three stories higher. This is 3.5 miles from my house. Who knew. The cache was located nearby. The kids each took an item and left two pieces of their coveted sea glass. I am surprised Elizabeth left her favorite piece. Elizabeth chose a geocoin which we logged and tracked on the computer. Now it's our turn to drop it at a new cache for someone else to fine. Oh my, this is my new favorite thing. We love spending time in woods. We are usually tracking animals. But this puts a whole new spin on our outings. We are already planning our next one.

the dog ate my homework....

I am going astray from my photography project the joy of luck. The thing is I 'm not much of a luck girl. I don't consider myself lucky or believe things happen because of luck. I think everything happens for a reason. So I am going to do my own thing. If you know me you know this is pretty much par for the course. I can stick with something for a couple of weeks maybe a month then I get bored.
About this picture: Elizabeth came home with her first quiz. This was her answer to "Would you like to be President?" If you know Elizabeth, you know this answer is spot on. I love the perspective of a seven year old. How much this statement says.....

day 4: favorite material things

I wish I could say I was a 'regular' kind of girl. I don't collect shoes or care about expensive jewelry. My favorite material things are on a short list. My jeep is probably up there as far as favorite material things. It's red has a sun roof and plows through all weather conditions. Second on the list is my itouch. Music is sacred to me and therefore not attached to my phone. I love that my music doesn't ring in the middle of a good tune. I do however collect purses. Vintage for the most part. This is a pic of my favorite Bakelite purse. It is the coolest. My mom found it for me in a vintage shop in Florida. I am in love with my medium format camera. It sadly collects dust but it has taken it fair share of gorgeous photos. It we come out of hiding again when I have my barn/studio and room for a dark room. These photos were taken with my digital point and shoot. I was going to take a picture of my digital slr but who knows what happened yesterday afternoon. I do love my camera so very much. Even if I did have all the money in the world, I would probably still by old things....I am weird. It's my busy season at school....comment writing, conferences, mother's tea etc. My blog posts may be every couple of days so hang in there with me!
This is joy of luck: day 3

day 3: lucky symbols

I am not one to carry a lucky symbol around with me but who knew my husband did. In jest, I asked him if he carried something lucky. "Actually, I do." he said. His dear friend who passed was buried with the twin. It's just as you imagine, heavy, worn, beautiful. I am not one to believe in luck. Maybe because nothing ever lucky has happened to me. Maybe it's perspective. Many on-lookers would consider me very lucky. I guess my idea of luck would be winning the lottery or something of that magnitude. But you have to buy lottery tickets to win and I just don't do that. I do however throw salt over my shoulder when I spill it and twitch if no one blesses me after a sneeze. Bless you.

day 2: green

I had a clever idea for today's assignment but alas life got in the way. We woke up to a broken water tank. I headed to work without a shower...ewwwww. Then Elizabeth started the day with the tummy bug....double ewwww. My grand plan was to head to the local windmill for the "green" assignment. But with a sick wee one and no water I decided to poke around the yard for a little green. Elizabeth looked at the second picture and said "mom why did you take a picture of trash?" Its gravel and a little sprout. This house is new to us this spring so I am excited to see what comes up. It was almost 70 degrees here today. Bare feet. Shorts. Outside fun!
This is joy of luck: day 2