The Sketchbook Project

Introducing the coolest thing Papa and I have made together in a long time. (Well, except for Big B and little b, of course). The Sketchbook Project from Art House Co-op.

As students together in college studying architecture, we carried sketchbooks everywhere, and prided ourselves on our improving drawing, composition, and conceptual communication skills. Now that we are juggling full-time careers, non-profit work and two very active boys, neither of us find the time we really need to nurture our own creativity--let alone each other's. Then this project came across my computer screen one day and a lightbulb went off!

Here's how it works: for a small entry fee, the Art House Co-op will send you a small and lovely Moleskine sketchbook and a theme, either selected by you or randomly generated, with which to fill it. We will send in our finished sketchbook, and it will join many others on a tour of libraries and museums nationwide.

Of course, I chose a random theme, and was overjoyed with the serendipity of it all when we received our book:

Our theme: Boys and girls. How perfect is THAT? We thought about it, talked about it, and came up with a way to treat this theme that we think will be fun for each of us while allowing us to see from the other's perspective. Rather than making each page "about" boys and girls, we decided to each take half of the book. On a given night, we pick a topic, and we each interpret that topic as we see fit. We talk about our interpretations, it's not secretive, not competitive, just...fun.

For our first topic, we did the old open-the-dictionary trick, and landed on the word PALM. These are our entries:

BOYS:

GIRLS:

I look forward to each night we are able to work on this project together. It's date night + creative outlet + being a part of something bigger than ourselves--and that's just fabulous.

Wedding from a Two-Year-Old Viewpoint

How do you keep a VERY inquisitive two-year-old busy at a wedding? Give him a camera. I've blogged about children and weddings before, but I've never been able to try this tactic with little b...until now. These are some of my favorites from quite a lovely collection.

Sending Summer Off in the Sunset

The end of a great summer is so bittersweet. As this was the first summer which truly embodied a break in routine for our family, I am proud to say we embraced it fully. I am excited beyond words for the new experiences Big B and little b face this week, but there is a lump in my throat that holds the memories of beach days, field trips, lazy mornings and explorative adventures.

Many of the families in our village felt the same way, so we gathered at a favorite beach spot yesterday evening to enjoy the sunset, one last time. (For a little while anyway.) Us mamas and our babies have been so incredibly blessed to grow up together, but these gatherings with our partners are truly special. We are able to witness the harmony of our community and the common thread of parenting we all share: LOVE.

We played...

We gathered...

We laughed...

Our children worked together...

And explored in solitude.

And us mamas? We watched, fully soaking up these last moments of summer,

Until they were going...

going...

...gone.

And we have enjoyed every minute. Here's to the next adventure!

Yard Sale Score: The Perfect Lamp

On the way home from a quick road trip yesterday, Big B, little b and I saw a hand-painted, funky yard sale sign one block south of our street. I had a good feeling about this one.

Because it was late in the afternoon, the sweet family hosting the sale had reduced their prices in half. I scored this lamp for only $5. The photos do not do the color matching justice, but the print matches my bedroom walls (Benjamin Moore 'Timothy Straw') perfectly.This is a great addition to our bedroom, and with the fabrics I've chosen for our new king-sized stacked coins quilt, I hope to up the grown-up factor in our marital suite and create a romantic, calm atmosphere at the end of our very busy days.

Happy Father's Day: Silhouette Painting

“Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today.
Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime”
--Author unknown

Papa is a constant teacher by example, instilling respect, laughter, and love into our boys every day. Big B and little b simply radiate at the sound of his truck pulling into our driveway. He is our pater familias, our strength, a wonderful partner and a really, really good dad. I am beyond grateful, today and every single day since Big B's birth (almost five years ago!), that he is the father of my children.

We made some art to capture the faces of Papa's boys for this particularly special Father's Day.

HOW TO MAKE A SILHOUETTE PAINTING

MATERIALS: Printed profile photo(s), pencil, trace paper, clear contact paper, scotch tape, scissors, watercolor paper, watercolor paints, paintbrushes

STEP ONE: Using trace paper and pencil, trace profiles
STEP TWO: Tape the outlines onto front of clear contact paper
STEP THREE: Cut outlines
STEP FOUR: Peel contact paper off of back and position outlines onto watercolor paper as desiredSTEP FIVE: PAINT!STEP SIX: Allow paint to dry, then peel away contact paper for your silhouette painting!

Holding Hands in the Country

As I was looking through the pictures from our visit to South Georgia, it struck me how many special things--and people--our hands held in only a few short days.

Our hands held fresh wildflowers each morning. The boys sought out the rare oranges and purples. The whites, yellows, and lavenders were everywhere.Our hands held family heirlooms. I was able to spend some time with Papa's grandmother, looking through her quilts-in-progress, and some finished ones as well. Her hands have lovingly stitched quilts for almost every marriage and baby to come through her family (six children, thirteen grandchildren, sixteen great-grandchildren plus one on the way, and one great-great-granddaughter).
Our hands held fresh vegetables from Grandma's garden. The boys seemed to understand how rare and special a treat it was to pop vine-plump green beans into our mouths like candy.
Our hands held lessons. Papa's hands guided Big B's in the fine arts of gear-shifting, trail-riding, and gopher tortoise seeking. (Little b's hands just wanted to be wherever Papa's and Big B's were.)
Our hands held creatures, big and small.
Our hands held the joys of being children, in the country, with huge imaginations.

An Ordinary Day with Papa: Racecar Building

I am scheduling this post to be published on May 25th, in honor of Papa's birthday, which we will celebrate in South Georgia. This is a collection of photos from a recent project Papa did with Big B: a model racecar.
I wasn't intentionally saving this one for Papa's birthday. I just hadn't posted it yet, because it's a plain old ordinary, run-of-the-mill project. And that's what's so great about it. Papa spends time with each of our children in a very one-on-one way, so much so that it becomes mundane, everyday, normal. And I am so grateful.Happy Birthday, Papa. I celebrate you today, the man you are, the father you have become, and the partner you continue to be. I hope that right now we are laughing, covered in mud, and have no idea what time it is.