Saturday Giveaway #18

Time for my last follower giveaway until August.....

 

I accept that I am on a roll - making these little notebooks. The are quick, easy and satisfying to make. The covers are altered playing cards or ATC's. I paint and stamp the covers and then trim some paper to go inside. I know they are small, but you could jot little notes to self inside, poetic words that happen by or reminders to yourself to seek out the good, the true, the creative!

These 2 notebooks have homes to go to -

Today's winners are

Dandelion Daydreamer

and

Heidi of Hip Chicks Craft Too!

Let's talk over email so I can get your address and mail off your notebook!

Thank you to everyone for following along in this space. I am busy getting ready to go to Ireland right now. I will be doing a photo a day for June and July to document our getting ready, our time away, our travels, our moments. So I hope you will join me and my family on our journey!

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Last week I entered Sew Mama Sew giveaway. And I won a prize!! ~ A handmade journal from Dorit Elisha, who is the author of Printmaking and Mixed Media (a book I now own and will be enjoying this weekend). I was so excited to win a paper gift. Not that I would be opposed to winning something made with fabric, but I am really a paper girl at heart. When I was young I use to collect 'fancy paper' and swap the beautiful sheets with neighborhood girls (my huge paper collection is still in my mother's house, I will get it out and do a post on it when I am away). My mother always said I should own a stationery shop! Now I still collect notebooks, but also make my own papers.

I was so enjoying my gift yesterday, I decided to share it with you! A goal of mine this year is to do some video. So I made this little video for you. (The quality is not as good as it is on my desktop, I have not yet worked out how to get a better quality image online, when iMovie compresses it so much info is lost.... But if I don't compress it then it is too large to upload.... I will work it out someday!)

Enjoy:

Dorit Elisha Journal from Shona Cole on Vimeo.

Thank you so much Dorit!


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Check out some great kids book recommendations by a few of us Wishmamas over at the Wish Studio. 


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I will leave you with a peek inside my girl's world. After watching some of Lord of the Rings the girls wanted to be Elves, complete with white gowns and metal crowns (20 gauge wire)......

Have a lovely Memorial Day Weekend!

My kids poetry!

The Poetry Foundation has a fun, quick podcast entitled 'How to Raise a Poetry Imp'. It is worth a listen.

Reading poetry to my kids is part of our regular life. I have written about my kids listening to poetry here and about their poetry writing here, and about introducing kids to the arts, including poetry here.

I highly recommend you read some poetry to your kids. 'Poetry Speaks to Children' is THE best book to begin with. My kids ages 4  to almost 10 all love it! We also enjoyed a Robert Louis Stevenson coloring book this year.

We are just finishing our school year. I have been typing up all the kid's poems, between them there were almost 40 finished poems!

Our poetry class consisted of either reading/listening to a 'real' poem and discuss it or using  fine art painting as a prompt and then each of my kids would write a poem on a similar topic. It was fun to see the differences in their ages in how they wrote:

Laura, 6 has written 'poems' that are mainly train of thought narratives:

At the Park
By Laura Cole, age 6

At the park I play and play

Mom says ‘we will have our picnic now’

I have grape juice
My mother brought chips and salsa
I say ‘that is what I want’
She says ‘you can’t just have that’
I have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich
mmmmmmm

I have a Laffy Taffy treat
I go play on the monkey bars
I climb up on top
I say ‘yipee’

I say to Mom ‘can we go home now’
She says ‘yes’
We go home

I say to mom ‘I’ll just have a little dinner’
I go to bed
I forgot to brush my teeth
I get out of bed and brush my teeth
I go to Mom and say
‘I had a good time at the park’

Lily, 8, has written poems that attempted to mimic the descriptive nature of what we were reading:

The Sun
By Lily Cole, age 8

The sun, gold in the day;
The moon, silver in the night;
The stars twinkle like a dozen little jewels
and they all get together and make day and night.

Annie, 4 has written, well, dictated to me, the most rambling, random, funny 'poems':

Drops and Roses
By Annie Rose, age 4

Drops and roses
smell good
I love when it snows
I like when I eat the
ice off our car

I love flowers that are
pink and purple
Elves are so funny
I love the video*
pine cones and skittles,
M&M’s have chocolate in them
 

I love honey
roses and foxgloves and bluebonnets,
pen sharpeners and everything pretty
I love Mommy and I have love in my heart
and love inside my body.

* I am assuming she is referring to the movie 'Elf, one of our favorites!


Matthew, who is a very mature 9, wrote about things that are concrete and real and tried to make a point:

The Sun
By Matthew Cole, age 9

It’s destructive solar rays
could blast us out of existence
if they reached us.

If it came an inch closer
we would explode;

an inch away and

we would freeze.

The sun, a blazing juggernaut

The sun, a curse and a gift.

I plan to make a handmade poetry book of their poems, combining photos with each poem. It is a project I will work on slowly over the summer. I think the kids will like having a finished copy of their work in hand, they may feel like they have been 'published'!

I know poetry sounds like something from the dark ages of high school memories, but really if you give it a try there are some great poets and poems available; and kids that are exposed early to poetry don't know it is not cool to read poetry and will have their perspective enriched!!!

Reading poetry together is like sharing the secrets of the universe!

If you have any poetry books that you have found are great for kids, please let me know. I need something new for next year.

Write your own fairytale! & Saturday giveaway #17

This week I made something for my little girls. It is a cross between three projects in my book, The Artistic Mother - the Altered storybook, p96; the Fairy Finding Box, p108 and the Poetry Box p120.

It is an interactive 'Story Box'!  

Step 1

I altered the interior of a cigar box with some of the coolest rubber stamps I got from Stampington - The Carved Hand stamps by Colette Copeland and some background papers that I made  (p68 of my book) or here. I created collages by layering other scrapbook type papers, trimmed stamp images, the painted papers and some canvas.  I decorated not only the interior of the box, but also the lid.

 

Step 2

Inspired by the stamps, I wrote a quick children's story. I printed it out onto white paper and formatted it into a book. I stamped some of 'The Carved Hand' stamps on the pages opposite the words.

Then using the same stamps and background papers I turned some cardboard into the cover of the book. Then assembled the book in it's cover.

Step 3

Lastly I made 2 little puppets by stamping the images onto cardboard and gluing them to some dowels (I stamped on the dowels).

The point of all this is when you are reading the story to your child they can play with the box & puppets! The box can become a backdrop to the story and they can act out the story with the puppets!

Here is my Annie Rose, 4 doing just that as I read to her (photography by Lily, 8, thanks sweetie):

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For this week's giveaway I made:

1) ATC notebook

2) Another ATC notebook

The winners are:

1) Sofia of Cherry on Top, she lives in Greece!


2) Andrea of Andrea creates.

The first one to contact me will get her choice of notebook! Let's talk via email, I can get your address and put your prize in the mail.


This only one more of these giveaways in the month of May. We are off to visit my family in Ireland in June & July (more details on the how, why and what about that trip in later posts) and probably won't be crafting much. I will be doing another Follower's giveaway in AUGUST, so sign up as a follower (man, I wish they would come up with a better term than 'follower', even 'member' or 'friend' or 'visitor'... or more appropriate 'like minded' ;) and you are automatically entered.


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2 recent places to find me on the internet:

1) Diva Craft Lounge, podcast!!! I really don't like how I sound.... who does?

2) The Wishstudio - I have a post there this week about living with vision (and I am not talking about eyes :)


Have a lovely weekend!

Opinion.... please & Sew Mama Sew winner

Accountability is key in my opinion. It keeps me creating. It keeps my energy up. It makes me work when I am not 'feeling it', when I am tired and drained from life, from the kid's endless energy.

I crave arty friends. They are gold to me.

I am in a little photography threesome with Shannon Mucha and Anita Michelsen. Our group is called Tribloom. The goal of Tribloom is to produce 3 collaborative photo pieces a month. Each piece is illustrating that week's quote or poem (picked by us).

For example, this week's piece is a quote by Lewis Carroll:

“Child of the pure, unclouded brow And dreaming eyes of wonder! Though time be fleet and I and thou Are half a life asunder, Thy loving smile will surely hail The love-gift of a fairy tale."

How lovely is that?

Well, it was my turn to put our photos together and I can't decide which one I like better. Will you weigh in?

Version 1:

 Photo credits:
Shannon Mucha - Top; Shona Cole - Bottom left; Anita Michelsen - Bottom right


Version 2:

Photo credits:
Shannon Mucha - Bottom; Shona Cole - Top left; Anita Michelsen - Top right


Which do you prefer, which do you think illustrates the quote the best? version 1 or 2?

When it is all done we plan to make a Blurb book with our art work to enter into our church's Fall art festival. It will be lovely to see it all together in book form!


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So, Sew Mama Sew is over!  It was short and sweet this time around. I got a lot of comments on Monday, but wow did it drop off the last few days. I wonder why? I wonder did others notice that? I also noticed that the the category of 'Sewing + Knitting Supplies/Materials' got much more entries than 'handcrafted' things alone, especially when it came to giveaways of those funky Amy Butler type fabrics. Interesting!

I entered a few contests myself, but not as many as last time, I had a busy week. I doubt I will win anything as it is all the law of averages. But is really was fun visiting new blogs and gaining a few new readers here, thank you very much for signing up and taking the time to leave such sweet comments!

So the winner of my apron and wall hanging is:

TAMMIEMARIE of Crafty Tammie

Congrats!

I will talk to you over email and get it in the mail to you soon!


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I will leave you with this video I did of my son juggling last night.

He is 9 and taught himself to juggle!




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Check in tomorrow to see if you win my regular Saturday Giveaway! (and I have a fun post about something I made this week, something fun for kids)

and
Let me know which version of the Tribloom photo you prefer!

Maximus eats!

(go here for SEW MAMA SEW giveaway, it closes tomorrow)

Thank you to everyone who weighed in on the 'when to feed Max solids' last week. I was surprised to hear some folks say not to start with cereal! I have always done that first. So after deliberating the food issue all weekend I bought one little jar of sweet potatoes for Maximus.  I still didn't have a plan on when to feed him, our schedule is so hectic and dinner time so loud that it never seemed the right time.

Then last night I decided on a whim to try it out! He was sitting in his stroller in the hall between the kitchen and the dining room. We were just back from a family walk, Annie was in the bath, the big kids were listening to music in the living room. I was cleaning the kitchen and Maximus was starting to get a little fussy. So to distract him I grabbed the jar, poured a little into a dish and off we went.

Of course my whim turned into a big event, even the dogs joined in! Everyone gathered around and had a go feeding Max sweet potatoes. And he loved it! He is the first of my kids to not pucker up at the odd, new taste and texture.

I don't know if I will keep it up. After feeding him I remembered how messy and time consuming it is. And I would have to get the high chair out of the attic and all. But he did so love the sweet potatoes!

Please check out my thoughts and a short poem on living with a personal Vision Statement on the Wishstudio. 

Thanks Mindy for creating and hosting the Wishstudio, I love that space!

Playing around with Photoshop Elements

(go here for SEW MAMA SEW giveaway)


So thanks to Susan Tuttle's new book 'Digital Expressions' I am back playing around with my Photoshop Elements. Her book is really full of layering ideas and inspiration, it just makes you want to have a go. I have been feeling a little hum drum lately and wanted to play with something other than paint. This is the perfect diversion.

In school the kids have been learning some Proverbs like.....

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And he shall direct your paths."
Proverbs 3:5

This piece is a note to self.....

still working on it



(SEW MAMA SEW giveaway below)

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway 2010 - something for a little girl

I am participating in the Sew Mama Sew (handcraft section) giveaway again this year. It was fun last year and I know it will be this year too!

So what am I giving away?

Something perfect for your daughter, grand-daughter, niece or best friend's child.....

This altered canvas child's apron (I couldn't fit the whole thing in my light box, I will take another photo in the daylight):

And this little wall handing, which is 10x10 inches.

The apron was spotlighted in Apronology, Vol. 1 in 2009.

I made this for my daughter, Lily, 8 but by the time it came back from the magazine she had moved on from pink, so I am making her a new one! She is OK with me giving this away! My Lil is so sweet!

TO WIN:

To win these 2 pieces simply leave a comment in this post (anyone can enter, even those not doing a giveaway themselves).

If you want a second chance to enter, sign up to be a follower of my blog 'An Artful Life'. Leave a second comment to tell me you are already signed up or have just done so. For a third chance to enter, add me to your blog roll!!! Each comment left will be counted as one.

* If you are a follower you are automatically entered in my Saturday Follower giveaway, which is running in this month of May and again in August, 2010. For details visit here*

Please leave me a way to contact you, either a blog or email.

The winner will be announced on Friday May 21.



Just for fun, here are some more images of the apron, wall hanging and the magazine article where the apron was published:

You may have noticed that the Ballerina Fairy in the wall hanging is a mirror image of the one in the apron. Well that is because I created the Ballerina using Sandra Evertson stamps (I used Prima and elements from Botanical Illustrations to create her) and then scanned it in to the computer and then printed it onto iron on fabric (the transfer is a reverse image). Fun!


For anyone new to my blog - welcome! Come back by for a visit when all the madness of the giveaway is over! I do try to visit those who visit here. I see blogging as a way to build community and like minded connections.


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I was a guest on Diva Craft Lounge, well my voice was! Danielle and Rayme interviewed me about my book.  They are such bright, cheerful, crafty folks. Their show is 30 minutes long in all and is posted on their site once a week. You can watch the show I was on or listen to the podcast on iTunes (I come on at about the 7 minute mark). If you watch the show you can see them flicking through my book and holding up the pages we are talking about.

We talked about lots of things concerning my book - how I chose to write about motherhood and art, about the contributors to the book, my favorite project in the book and more. I mentioned Trudy Callan's Artistic Mother art group and how awesome it is to see a group of women doing the book's workshop and keeping each other accountable and posting their art.

To hear/see the show I am on go here. You can listen to past shows and interviews in their archive.

Saturday Giveaway #16

Thank you to everyone who left their happy, supportive comments on my last post about being a nursing mommy.

I love this online community! Such a lovely positive place. When I was growing up I always wanted lots of friends, like minded friends. I went in and out of groups. I changed schools, people moved, I moved and changed and became who I am meant to be and lost touch with the majority of people. I am fortunate enough to have found a group of like minded friends here in Texas, in the community at my church, but now also here on my blog, on the blogs of all those sweet people listed on my blogroll below and other blogs I visit. How wonderful this is! The world really is a better place because of the internet. We can connect and support each other, we can 'meet' people that totally 'get' our vision and we can share ideas and inspiration and a little cheer leading. We are so blessed.

I am doing these follower giveaways to say thank you to you for being a part of my blog 'An Artful Life'. This is the 16th Saturday I have done this (including the starter kits & other giveaways on this blog I have given away about 25 things!). Really it is such a pleasure to give my handiwork away, I like to know that what I make is going somewhere where it will be enjoyed.

For this week's giveaway I made:

1) a little off center wall hanging:

2) a square mini notebook made with the Bind It All machine:

The winners are:

Christina of Christina's Creative Moments

and Francesca Di Leo of Ode to Posterity

The first one to contact me will get her choice of the picture or the notebook! Let's talk via email, I can get your address and put your prize in the mail.


There are 2 more of these giveaways in the month of May. I am off to Ireland in June and probably won't be crafting much. When I go to Ireland I shift into photo & poetry mode, it somehow goes with the sense of the place. Anyhow, I will be doing another Follower's giveaway in AUGUST, so sign up as a follower and you are automatically entered.

Monday I will be doing the Sew Mama Sew giveaway too!

Loving being a Mommy

Let me announce to the world: I love being a Mommy. I love my little Max, the way he NEEDS me, like his life depends on it, hmmm oh yes, his life does depend on me! Somehow he made it to 6 1/2 months and I have not yet fed him any solids. You have heard me lament the fleeting nature of time before here, it is all going so fast... well my goodness isn't it time to give him some baby rice cereal or something? Nursing is an amazing thing. I just nurse and somehow he grows big and plump, but someday I need to get the high chair out of storage and put a spoon in his mouth!

Tell me, when did you feed your babe solids? Or stop nursing?

But, doesn't he look healthy? I am so blessed!!!

I also love that my kids are always with me. I love that we can do face painting in the middle of the day for no reason other than the girls were watching the musical 'Cats' after visiting some friends who had a Mama cat and 4 kittens (lily wrote me a note to say how much she wants a cat, but we can't as Matthew is highly allergic to them). Once they had cats on the brain they then wanted to be cats -  princess cats, flower cats, never an ordinary cat!

Before I came to the US (fifteen years ago) I had worked for a number of years as a face painter for an entertainment company. It paid really well and was so much fun. I was paired with a juggler and sent around the country to fairs to paint faces. Well, I still have some of those face paints today! I probably paint my girls faces about 6 times a year. This week was one of those times. I was sitting on the porch checking emails and Laura arrive out with the face paints, brushes and some water! what could I do but make her a princess cat?

And of course when there is dress up, there is a photoshoot. It comes with the 'Artistic Mommy' territory, right?

I did paint the others, but they wouldn't come back outside, they were practicing their 'moves' inside with the music.

Ah, being a mother of little ones is a lovely thing. Thank you God, what a wonderful idea.

Poetry Peek Treasure

I thought I would give you a closer look at the poetry project on Week 12 of my book 'The Artistic Mother':

Inside this poetry box are a few loose papers with photos I took in Ireland when visiting my mother & in my back yard in Texas and a poem I wrote, another one of the topic of being a mother.

Treasure

Treasures collected:

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Thank you to all for the well wishes & prayers on my back. I have degenerative disc disease and a partly bulging disc. No injury, just bad luck and prone genes. Thankfully I do not need surgery now (why the dr. even mentioned that on the phone last Friday I really don't know, just to worry me?!?). I am seeing a physical therapist today to learn some strengthening exercises and I have to take calcium & vit. D, fish oil and turmeric pills and avoid lifting heavy things. So really it is a shift in lifestyle. I can handle that. I will be fine. And now to return to the regularly scheduled programming!


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I was interviewed by the lovely Jen over at Create Well, Create Often. I get to talk about my creative process and inspiration.