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Feb 9

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organized chaos

In our house I’m famous for saying “i’m sure we have one of those… somewhere”.  I love organizing, colour coding, putting away – and having a wonderful space.  And then we both go to work, the kids wake up, we eat, play, dress, mess, and repeat … five times.  And the following weekend I finally get around to that whole organizing thing once again.  This time with the added fun of our version of hide and go seek for the item that is mysteriously missing.  Right now it’s the awesome rounded bags I found for Matthew’s valentines.  Can’t find them anywhere…

Seems a bit futile some weeks.  But I do admire those people who make an art of it.  My favorite organizational blogs:

1. Honey We’re Home: Megan has lots of great diy tips and a fun fetish for washi tape

2.Simply Organized: Samantha is real, innovative, and has great diy ideas that she shows you in great steps

Like most people we struggle daily with keeping everything organized – and celebrate the little successes like a bench and cool coat rack in the mud room or wrapping paper on a curtain rod in the craft room.  A few other organizational things that we enjoy:

1. ikea cupboards for the kids play room and my craft area – keeps (almost) everything away and in a place

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2. zip lock containers for all left overs (who doesn’t do this?), and old mason jars for all my craft supplies (looks vintage – costs pennies)

3. OXO containers for all our baking/dry food storage – amazing for freshness, price, and durability

Any fun organizational tips you live by?

Feb 5

2 Comments

water-colour love

Pablo Picasso famously said,  “every child is an artist, the problem is staying an artist when you grow up”.  Life re-enforces this little statement for us over and over.  I see the first part of this quote on walls of kids art often in schools or libraries. On Houzz and Pinterest it’s adorably written framing a child’s artwork in a bedroom or play room.  I can’t help but wonder if we remember the last part of the quote, and yet think it’s equally as important – isn’t it?  So today is for the artists – I’m a little cheater, but I do admire you all so…

We made some water colour art recently.  Kate and I.  painting  It was a blast.

 

We loved the artwork when we put a little too much water in the colour and let the image take on a little more of it’s own life.  Kate made 10 or 12 master pieces of multiple colours with enough water on each page to fill a pool… and they were gorgeous … and will one day dry I’m sure.

I took the opportunity to paint some hearts.  Thinking of valentines day coming up – and my hopes of sending some personalized love our family near and far.  I dipped in more water than one normally would and just let it take shape.  I then ripped out the hearts and made kraft card stock cards to put them on – offering a laid-back loving look.

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Kate wanted to see more than hearts … so I made a few balloons as well and ended up with the a few fun birthday cardsballoon

 

I hope you have a chance to create something today.  Whether it’s muffins, or music, an essay or a really great drink … or maybe pull out those water colour paints.  I hope you get a chance to find that inner artist!

 

 

Feb 2

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artist

Growing up my oldest sister was an artist.  She still is, but her art is information on an intellectual canvas now.  In university my roommate was an artist. I still have  a few of the pieces she created with her ridiculous raw talent.  In my professional life I surround myself by artists – creative genius hums in the field of branding.  When I had more time, I took every course I could get my hands on to learn the skills that came naturally to those around me.  I just love being in the presence of artists.  There is a weight lifted, when I watch them at work.  A close friend brings his guitar every time he comes to visit us- knowing our son swoons over the notes and artistry.  I watch my son’s face light up as our generous friend strums the notes and sings some of Matt’s favorite tunes – and I think to myself – I know that feeling.  It’s awe.  I am so impressed that people can stop all the thoughts and worries and lists in their heads long enough to sit. And to create.  Real art.

I hope we can encourage our kids to be artists.  I hope we have the patience and the wisdom to give them that gift. Not just the practiced art of music lessons or art class – but the time and space to find their own passion and art.  My husband recently shared the now somewhat famous Ted Talk by Ken Robinson on creativity – and the importance it plays in learning.  I loved that talk.

Last night, I found a little artist in our house.  I was sewing in the corner of our family room, and C and M were chasing each other playing a game of super-hero, soccer, princess-dragon, tag (they are each still in their own worlds shouting orders about what game they are playing at each other – but enjoying every minute of it so … whatever).  Kate wanted to see what i was doing. I ended up distracting her from her obsession with my sewing machine with a big long piece of white paper and scissors.  She sat there for 45 minutes. Cutting swirls and twirls and tiny pieces on imaginary lines.  Getting up every 5-6 minutes to hand me  precious creation, shake herself off from all the tiny white bits and move to a new area of the play room to sit and cut some more.  Never saying a word.  After 45 minutes the whole floor was covered in tiny pieces of swirly paper.  She has none of the large piece left.  She stood in front of me -scissors in hand big smile on her face.  An accomplished artist.

In the chaos of another make-it sunday on top of lots of work and crazy (fun) kiddos – it was really nice today to hear Matty humming his way through a one-man soccer game, watch K & C intensely drawing over our credit card bills, and even see my cutie husband moving with a smile to the music playing through the house as life happened this evening.  Creativity lives.  This week I hope we’ll find some time to paint together, and finish some home made valentines that I’ll post later.

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