Happy Mother's Day

It is so easy to come up with something to say about my mother on Mother's Day. She is my constant supporter and biggest fan. She teaches me how to be a mother to my own children, and to be their biggest advocate in turn. Thank you, Mom, for always being there for me with an encouraging word or a listening ear. I will always love you to the moon and back. Happy Mother's Day!

Reviews Are In

When someone takes the time and effort to give words of gratitude and encouragement, well, it just feels good to be appreciated. I have at times taken the time to write that letter or send that email, just because I was so happy with a product or service that I felt compelled to let them know. Yesterday I was on the receiving end, and I just had to share an excerpt of the email I received because, well, it just feels good to be appreciated. :)

"I love, Love, LOVE the [graduation] card! It is absolutely perfect and I am so glad I happened upon ChalkandSlate on Etsy...It's been so reassuring these last several days knowing that THE card is taken care of...not just any card, but the perfect, unique one that conveys the exact message that I want to give my daughter. The color is perfect, I love the diploma with colored ties...Thank you so much for doing such beautiful work, and putting so much thought into the outlay to make it "just so"...I will definitely be back to shop for more...I really love the uniqueness of your products; each one is truly a work of art...Thank you once again for beautiful art work, and for a graduation card that I will give my daughter with great pride on her graduation next week."

Teachers Rule

When I read the email soliciting parents to help with teacher appreciation week, I waffled between bringing in paper goods or making handmade cards for three teachers. The paper goods would have been a little easier, but not nearly so much fun.

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The first card I made was for a teacher who is quite diverse in her subjects. She teachers language arts, literature, history, and drama. It was easy to come up with elements: this year's drama productions, a couple of the books they covered, as well as the history themes. And well, she is just a Mel Gibson kind o' gal. (I didn't really have the subject of grammar thematically covered, so the inside greeting reads rough--full of errors. :)

The next teacher is the science and religion teacher, and also ran a science fair. I added a miniature science fair board to her card, as well as religious elements.

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The last teacher teaches math and is also the librarian. The 'thank you' tag is on a replica card catalog file.  I enjoyed spending a Sunday afternoon working on these cards, but I am glad I am not the one who gets to gather several classrooms full of student signatures!

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Trash to Treasure

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I love yard sales, both having them and going to them. There is just something so addictive to finding that one thing that is treasure to another's trash. It's all a matter of perspective. So on the way home from a friend's house one fine Saturday, I could not resist turning at the signpost with three different yard sale signs taped to it. The first two were bust (except for the three like-new hardcover Harry Potter books for $5), but the last one had all sorts of disheveled, dusty, old books.

The hardcover Two Towers was in such sorry shape, I hardly recognized it as once part of a very expensive deluxe set. I had to flip through it holding my breath to get the cat hair off the sides. It was pretty bad, but sadly the pages were pure white. Still, it had potential.

Then I spied the curled and ratty paperback of The Hobbit. I flipped through it, thrilled to see the pages already deeply bronzed on the edges. I asked for a price for both, and countered a dollar to his original dollar-fifty. (Really, dude? Those books were nasty.) I left happy; his trash, my treasure.

Flipping through The Hobbit for inspiration, I could have used any page really. I have read the book so many times that each page had something familiar. I chose page 29, where Thorin praises his new friend and fellow conspirator, Bilbo Baggins. It would seem sacrilegious to rip a page out of a book, but not this time. After I was done ripping and gluing and painting, I used a new embellishment, a clear sticker that draws the eye to where it is placed. One is on "Bilbo," and the other on "Baggins."

I am enjoying making these little treasures. I have made three so far, but I have collected four from around the world. I need to get busy and catch up!

What is an ACEO? It stands for Art Cards, Editions and Originals. These cards are miniature collectible works of art. The only rule is that the cards must measure 2.5 x 3.5 inches. These cards are a great way to collect affordable art and connect with the art community. 

A Garden of Another Name

"What'chu looking at, Willis?"

I noticed my membership to Quail Gardens was soon to expire, so I propped my card on my dashboard to remind me to go next opportunity. Sure enough, a sunny Sunday afternoon presented itself and I took my camera and set out. It was a lovely burn-in-the-sun, cold-in-the-shade San Diego day, making one alternately wear a sweater either fully on or tied around one's waist.

The garden is a bit more in bloom than the last time I was there, maybe even a bit past the height of bloom being it is late April. I am always in awe of the multitude of different plants and flowers along the path. I found myself breaking the rules often by stepping off the path to get just the right lens angle. But I did resist the temptation to peel bark off the paper bark tree to take home. I could peel that tree all day long if I wasn't at risk of being arrested. Alas, the only thing I took was pictures.

PEEL ME!!!  AHH!!!

There was one almost-mishap with stepping off the path when I almost squashed a very trusting lizard. He blended in so well, I did not see him on the rock. I forgot what I was going to photograph, and focused on him instead. He let me get my lens within inches of his face, and gave me the queerest look before running off into the bushes. I was amused to see I caught his look on camera.

I had a nice interaction with a relocated British family, after volunteering to take a few photos of their sweet sixteen tea party in the grass. I also chatted with an old man taking photos with a 30-year-old Canon AE-1, the same camera that I have tucked away somewhere from my teen years. We agreed that camera sure does take nice photos. I can't imagine being limited anymore by the cost of film and developing, as well as the number of pictures on the roll. I took a couple hundred pictures at the garden, unlike the old days where clicking was gold, and bracketing was too expensive to do. And not being able to see your picture instantly? Polaroid had that concept figured out early on. There was a time I swore I would never go fully digital, but that time is far past.

As I was leaving the gardens, I passed through my favorite desert section, harkening back to my Tucson upbringing. I was admiring the barrel cacti in bloom, and the various prickly pear, and the ocotillo metal sculpture. A young mom was saying to her toddler, "See honey? Remember these plants with the prickers? They are called cactus. Don't touch them!"  Poor kid. A San Diego native. She'll never know a single name past cactus. And a lot of them together will be called cactuses.

So until next time, Quail Gardens. Just like I eventually accepted digital photography as the norm, I will most likely someday accept that fact that my favorite garden changed its name four years ago. I don't see the acceptance happening anytime soon, but when I renew my membership, I will probably have to write my check to the San Diego Botanic Garden. Heavy sigh.

Fruits of Destruction

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Inspired by my project from yesterday's class (lots of "whoa, cool"), I made a card today with the same plastic sheeting that my son heisted from some laptop or other that he took apart. (No toaster is safe in this house.) I put the word "love" behind the sheeting and depending on the angle viewed, the word either appears or the sheeting becomes opaque and mirror-like. Not to lose the meaning, inside it reads, "My love may not always be apparent, but it is always there."

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These art projects are one good thing that has come from my son taking apart everything in sight. I have found perfectly good calculators in pieces, as well as alarm clocks, toys, and computers. I know it is his way of learning, and his very competent and electronically-savvy dad says he did the same thing as a kid. So, it's a moderately tolerated behavior. Last year, I even went so far as to take my son to a rummage sale and buy every inexpensive electronic item we could find. That $30 kept him busy all weekend, and I don't think he touched a single legit item for months. I believe we are due for another rummage sale run, but in the mean time, I am enjoying the fruits of his destruction.

Not Seeing is Believing

Sometimes I'm just so durn impressed with myself.  Or maybe it is just a happy accident that this little art project for Sunday school came together the way it did.

My son took apart yet one more laptop, and gave me the clear plastic sheets behind the LCD display.  The reflective properties are really cool, and change depending on the angle at which you view it.  When you look at the plastic directly, it has a mirror effect, and when you look at it from the side, you can see through it.

With that in mind, and discovering that tomorrow's reading is about doubting Thomas who needed to see Jesus to believe, I devised a little art project to take advantage of these nifty plastic sheets.  I put the verse "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" behind a square of the plastic, and the verse disappears looking at it straight on.  Tilt it a little, and it is clear as day.  Awesome!

A little inking and some bling, and a magnet on the back, and this will be fun tomorrow. :)

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Welcome Home

These housewarming cards are for my dear friend Marina who is a real estate agent in San Diego.  She plans to give them to her new home buyers when she presents them with their key.  What a special way to welcome your clients home.  She won Rookie Salesperson of the Year in 2012 for her sales volume, and it's this kind of extra bit of thoughtfulness that makes her stand out from the rest.

These cards were actually a second go-around from last year, and it certainly showed me how much my style has evolved.  And just as I was about to glue down the tag and the key in a random place, it occurred to me to tie the key to the tag.  Major aha moment.  Seems rather obvious now. :)

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Dear Sister

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Happy birthday, dear sister. You have reached a milestone, and earned the respect and wisdom that goes along with it. You are delightful to be around, and genuine to the core. I have always loved you, and will always need you in my life. You are smart in ways that I am not, and giving in ways I don't know how, and I learn much from you. Enjoy your special day!

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I wanted to try something different for a gift, so I bought a chalky tile and pulled out my archival pens.  I did look at a small plate that I own as inspiration, since this was the first inked tile I have ever done.  It is completely freehand, except I drew a star grid to get started.  (My star grid was off, so that didn't help immensely.)  It was fun to make, and did not take as long as I expected it would.  I decided to keep the matte finish and not coat it with gloss.  I could see me starting to paint over it and smearing the entire work anyway.  So, keep this one inside, dear sister!

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Blessed Easter

photo credit Pamela Smith

Sometimes it is the smallest gesture that makes the biggest impression, especially from a child.  As I was leaving Sunday school on Palm Sunday, an 11-year-old boy ran up to me out of breath with a handful of flower buds.  I recognized him as one of the children who had joined our class that day because his teacher was not there.  He said, "These were for my regular teacher, but you can have them." Amused by his little-boy tact, I thanked him, taking them gladly.  He still had the tissue paper egg in his hand that he had made in my class.

I was a little concerned when the six extra students joined us last minute, hoping I had enough paper mache eggs for everyone.  I share art with my Sunday school students almost every week. One reason is that creativity and spirituality are inseparable. I sometimes offer up an example piece for the children to emulate, but more often I just offer thematic supplies and maybe a few suggestions.  I am always impressed and awed by what they create.  Another reason I bring them art is because there is not too much in the way of art class offered in public schools these days, particularly not in junior high. I think they really appreciate being able to play in a way that they haven't been able to since they were little.  I mean, what junior high curriculum plays with tissue and white glue? Or, maybe one week I might show them a new tool they have never seen before, like a crimper or an eyelet punch. Mainly, I love to provide something to keep their secondary attention occupied while I talk to them about their faith.  It seems a win-win.

Speaking of small gestures that mean a lot, there is this one little girl in fifth grade whom I see now and again on Sunday. I don't even remember how we met, but we get along famously and I can't wait until she is in my class.  I went by myself to the Easter Vigil to volunteer at the reception, and she was there with her family.  She saw me sitting alone at the end of her pew, and she had the two women between us get my attention.  She waved and patted the pew next to her.  My heart melted as I moved to sit with her and her mother and little brother.  She's so small that she couldn't see the baptism while everyone was standing, so I had her stand on the pew next to me.  And she told me I sing pretty.  What a sweet soul.

Those flower buds turned out to be yellow daffodils.  They bloomed that day, and stayed strong until Easter.  They have given me such joy all week on this holiest of weeks, that I think I'll write a thank you note to that little boy for his inadvertent gift.

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