Some links for you (or I am too tired to pull together a better post)

Good Monday morning! I hope your weekend was great. I have no Monday Mission to share today, because quite frankly I am just trying to stay afloat! We have been so busy around here. A rental fiasco, birthday planning, Easter planning, room rearranging, guest posting, chicken escapes, late night owl fights and homeschooling! Whew!

I thought I would share some links with you instead.

Do not forget to enter my fabulous giveaway this week!

I had an article published in this cool gardening magazine.

Loving these weekly creative prompts.

So angered by this.

Bought my daughter this graphic novel for her birthday.

Bought myself this.

Charmed by this dream catcher garland.

Was blown away by this documentary about educator Albert Cullum.


Saw Leonard Cohen this week and loved it. Check him out if he comes near you. 79 and still going strong!



What have you been recently inspired by?

how we pick a winner around here

The winner to the giveaway of artists postcards from Christina Rosalie from last week is....Kirsten!

Her comment on what she could hear right now was: 

I can hear the Avett Brothers, playing through my laptop & making me smile. It is my one hour in the week when I explore new music, loved music, music to feed my heart. In 20 minutes I will collect 2 giggling preschoolers and listen to their imagination create carriages, rockets and lunch for the babies.

CONGRATULATIONS!

{poem} & happy halloween

hist wist

ee cummings

hist whist
little ghostthings
tip-toe
twinkle-toe

little twitchy
witches and tingling
goblins
hob-a-nob hob-a-nob

little hoppy happy
toad in tweeds
tweeds
little itchy mousies

with scuttling
eyes rustle and run and
hidehidehide
whisk

whisk look out for the old woman
with the wart on her nose
what she’ll do to yer
nobody knows

for she knows the devil ooch
the devil ouch
the devil
ach the great

green
dancing
devil
devil

devil
devil

wheeEEE

kick your family's creative quotient to the sky!

Hey! Guess what? I am offering two labs in November!

You can read all about the month long family e-lab here. That is a "master class" in big, creative living. When I wrote it, it was like writing a thesis on my family and how we have evolved over the years into a (fairly) cohesive unit of creatives. I promise if you take the lab and participate in the prompts, your family environment will be transformed!

The holiday e-lab is a ten day intensive lab. You can read about it here. In this lab, we will write, make, and share in order to discover and implement our ideal holiday. Setting intentions BEFORE the holiday is in full swing, will help us create a simple, slow and meaningful holiday. 

I would love to see you in either lab!

wishing you wonder & awe,

Amy

3 ways to know if you are on the right track :: reflections on my first e-lab

I do not really know where to start.

This month has been an amazing personal journey for me. I have long harbored this idea of an e-lab for mamas to celebrate the mundane and embrace the wild creativity that comes with being a parent. The 30+ women who joined me were kind, open and so smart. They gave me so much hope for the future. There are some amazing kids on their way to change the world - just wait!

I wanted to share a few reflections from the month, in hopes that they might be useful to you and your project too.

Mainly, I think I have finally answered a question that I have asked myself many times over the years:

How do I know I am on the right track with something (a project/ideology/idea)?

I have decided the following:

1. If you quickly and easily enter flow while working on your project, that is the one! Don't stop - you found it! When you are in flow, time slows as you become completely absorbed in your work. You feel refreshed and energized when you are done. It is an optimal state to aim for when working/playing.

You know you are doing the right thing if it gives you energy. While working on this lab, I would often work until 2 or 3 in the morning, relishing a quiet house and time to think and write. Amazingly enough, I still woke up refreshed and excited to do more. The more I did, the more energy I got!

2. Ideas beget ideas. Constantly being stuck for ideas or inspiration (beyond a short term funk) is a sign that you might not be on the right track.

The more ideas I have, the more ideas I have. 

Does that make sense? 

It reminds me of the morning glory vine on my back porch. It struggled for a while, but as soon as it started blooming, it exploded. And each blossom turned to 5 seeds that fell into the soil below and then even more morning glories grew. 

It is exponential!

3. You stop caring what anyone else thinks. As soon as the fear of embarrassment has left the room with its friend perfectionism, you can focus on your work and not your perceived idea of how anyone else is judging you.

Being true to your vision, bolsters your confidence and makes the people who do not support you melt away to the sea of their own discontent. They become so inconsequential.

And lastly, the empowerment of purpose comes not from a successful project, but from simply embarking on the journey. 

Walking fully into your passion is where all your power is. It does not matter what happens after that, as long as you put yourself out there fully, you will reap the benefits and confidence. You will be changed.

checking in - july is starting with a bang!

How is your month going? The weather here is hot but not unbearable. The mosquitos, however, could carry you away. I am deep into my classes, which are amazing. I love working with and sharing with people all over the country. There are some seriously interesting and talented folks out there!

Art camp came and went. It was fun for everyone this year!

We bought a pressure washer and all fought over it. It is so satisfying to clean dirt from cement and brick and decks and gutters.....

 And I made a wreath, which is pretty uncharacteristic of me. 

_________________________

Oh, and my kids started blogs, on this month of my blog break! Check them out and leave a comment if you would. 

They are loving the feedback!

Fashion Fools - all about art and fashion

Florida Backyard Bugs - about Florida bugs and habitat making

slowing down for the july

I know it is common for bloggers to take mini sabbaticals in August - but I think I need mine now!


I am taking two writing classes this month, my kids are enrolled in art and swim and dance, and we might try to have some slow, easy times too. 


So, I will be back in August. Maybe with some new things to offer. In the meantime, I am going to run some forgotten posts from the archives (from when I had no readers). And might pop in with some photos just to say hi. 


I hope your month is as great as it can be!


Amy

5 reason swimming is the perfect sport for kids

My kids are big swimmers. They take several classes every summer, one has particpated on swim team, they swim at their grandparents, friends and the beach frequently. As I spent the last few years waiting for kids in class or team practice, I began to feel that this sport is really amazing for kids bodies and minds and for some reason, maybe under rated. 

This is my commercial for swimming.

1. Swimming keeps your body and mind healthy. Swimming is amazing exercise for all kids, no matter what their level. The physical exertion is huge, but because the exercise is low impact, kids can work longer and receive more of the  benefits of rigorous. 

It is a great sport for overweight kids because they can move easily in the water. And asthmatic kids are said to do much better with swimming than any other sport. Kids with autism or attention disorders often do very well in swimming too. 

And unlike other sports where you might not get play time because of your skills (or lack of skills), in swim everyone is swimming the whole time. 

The effect on the mind is just as amazing. When my daughter first started swimming, she had a hard time falling asleep at night and often complained of stomach aches. Swimming cured her racing and unsettled, worrying mind. Not only was she working out stress through her body, but her mind was basically benefitting from long meditation sessions. She told me when she swims, it is like she is flying and she is free. I have read similar accounts from swimmers who feel the pressures of life melt away as soon as they start swimming laps.

2. Swimming has the benefits of both team sports and individual sports. For the noncompetitive kid, swimming offers the camaraderie of a team, but the ultimate competition is always against yourself; trying to beat a time, or perfect a stroke or flip turn. 

3. There are few injuries in swim Because of the low impact nature of swimming, injuries are rare. The biggest potential issue might be muscle over use, but swim coaches should know how to condition their team so that this is never an issue.

4. Being a good swimmer keeps kids safe around pools and on boats. That is pretty obvious, but my kids seems to have assumed a very safety conscious attitude around water and it makes me feel much more secure at events where water is involved. 

5. Swimming is a life long activity. This is one of the biggest benefits of swimming. You can swim when you are old! The gift of proper form and built up endurance as a kid will help swimming carry you through your life as a paradoxically gentle and rigorous activity. 

Do you have kid swimmers in your house? What are some of the benefits you have noticed?

this weekend

beautiful weather

my son found both a local scorpion he has been looking for and a coveted rock plant

comic shopping and reading

foam tray printing

box top marble run making

alligator sitings and holdings

huge epiphyte love

2 kids obsessed and breezing through harry potter

sling shot making

roast chicken eating

party planning

rocket ship designing

alternative fuel exploring

hot baths with breezy windows open

chet baker

sweet

let's be friends

an unrelated and sorta creepy photograph

I love connecting with people and sharing resources on Facebook.  I feel like I get at least 3 great ideas a day from FB.

If you want to hook up - you can just like me here. I send out blog updates and links to other great blog posts and resources. Some great stuff gets shared there that never makes it on my blog.

Also, I am pretty active on Pinterest. You can follow me here. I will follow you back - and we can fill our boards with fabulous inspiration!

So, give me your links so I can keep up with all your greatness too!

hey, mom - look what i made from trash!

It never stops amazing me, after all the presents have been opened and all the candy eaten, we go back to what we love. 


Building with recyclables, using the glue gun, creating our own battle ships and worlds of adventure. And that is why January is my favorite month. We get back to us.

black friday, rainbow saturday, cyber monday...

I am horrible at promotion, coupon codes, email blasts, marketing plans, etc. So here it is:

Buy some mama merit badges. 

You can do that here.

I will mail out badges as soon as I get the order. And if it matters, I use the money on good things: like books, music, art supplies, good cheese, and my kid's many interests (one son can not have enough mason jars for bugs and the other is a fledgling ballerino, and my daughter is whipping through fantasy/girl adventure/dragon books quicker than I can keep up). 

So, buy one for yourself, or better yet for a mom friend to brighten her day through this hectic season. 

Thanks!

Amy

one little pick

Uh oh....I just meant to pick that one little paint bubble. Now, I feel like picking off the rest and leaving it distressed. Or is that junky?

stuffed animal avalanche

Do your kids sleep with so many stuffed toys, they hang off the bed all night? Can you spot the one real animal? (This reminds me of the closet scene in ET).

the butterflies emerged

update to this post.

I will never tire of watching butterflies emerge from their chrysalises. I never saw this as a kid. At all. Maybe I did a worksheet where you cut out and order the stages of the life cycle. I don't even remember that. As a homeschooling mom, I really appreciate being able to fill in the many gaps of my early education. And hearing my 5yo excitedly explain to me how he saw the insect pull its body from the cocoon - sorta puts me over the moon.

Have you raised butterflies with your kids? Do you remember doing it as a kid?

back with a new perspective

I am back! My week off was pretty great - I made pickles and homemade maraschino cherries with my husband, lost and re booked an apartment for NYC in September, hosted a mini-slumber party, bought a few hundred pounds of produce for canning, rode my bike with all 3 kids (by myself!), and tried to get my fall somewhat organized. I stayed off the computer as much as possible and realized that if I am going to blog, and sell badges, and support others, I need to set a schedule of when I am can be online. Being connected all day is exhausting and rattling my brain! How do you manage your online time?

I will be here tomorrow with a book review and a themed week!

endless summer - a wee break

Whew! This summer was one for the books. We tend to be busier in the summer because of all the fun classes and camps that are available. This summer, the classes combined with all sorts of milestones - and boy are we exhausted! We met new levels in swim, won ribbons and conquered some big fears. Bikes were ridden without training wheels and kids went to either their first camp, or their first all day camp. Ears were piereced and sleep overs and solo playdates were enjoyed by all. Body surfing and bowling were mastered, first words were read and chapter books endlessly consumed. Throw in a juice fast and lots of blogging, and you just about have the picture!
Alot of people are taking off August, which seems like such a great idea, but I think I would like to take off just one big week. We are in the midst of furniture rearranging and some renovations, so I doubt I will be resting too much. I will see you here again on August 22nd :) 

new york, new york

I am going to New York next month! In celebration of this (and to earn money for food trucks) I am offering a one week, 20% off coupon off of anything in my etsy shop! The code is newyorknewyork. Feel free to share and pass along.

The Children's Zoo::Central Park

 

Growing up, I loved this book. It is the very simple story of a brother and sister, Susie and Ned, who spend the day at the Children's Zoo in Central Park, NYC. While the zoo seems more like a petting zoo than the mega zoos we have today, it is sweet as they go from animal to animal holding their helium balloons. 

 I think my real attraction was the fact that the children visited on their own. In this big city of tall buildings and crowds, there was a place just for kids, where they could spend the afternoon on their own and be safe. Their mother picks them up at the end and says she will return another day to visit the zoo with them.

We are headed to NYC this fall with our kids. It will be their first time to Manhattan and when booking our trip, I immediately thought of this book and zoo. I want to see the whale itself with my children. I want to see the big, blue sappy whale with the fish tank in its mouth that was so great, people would queue for it. 

Well,  this story does not have a happy ending for the 5 year old me. Jonah the Whale was moved to Roackaway Beach in Queens when the zoo had a major overhaul in the mid 1990's. He now sits, mosaic-ed with his mouth close up, in a traffic triangle, an eyesore to many.

At least he still exists in his glory in books, photographs and the collective memory of the many adults who grew up visiting him or just reading about him and dreaming of the big city.  

http://vintagechromes.blogspot.com

http://www.nycgovparks.org

http://missmossblog.tumblr.com

monday, monday

I am off for a few days...more treats later in the week!