Baby Things

..because all the mommy bloggers are doing it... 

(and I always found it helpful when they did!)

1. Cloud B Sound Machines - These are awesome. They look like cute little stuffed animals, but are actually sound machines with 5 different sounds, like ocean waves, rain etc. We were actually given two of these and we use both. The giraffe lives by his basinet in our room (so Mom and Dad can still talk or watch a movie) and the sheep comes with us to work on Mondays and Thursdays when he and his friend Evan need to nap at different times. It works perfectly for when one boy wants to play and one needs to sleep!


2. The Snap N' Go - Also awesome. It's basically just a stroller frame that you snap your car seat into. It's so lightweight, and really easy to fold up and down (one-handed, which is important!). When I need to go into the store for a minute, I just take his car seat and snap it right in. And it's great when he falls asleep, since I don't have to transfer him into a different stroller. It's also sturdy enough for long walks on the bumpy cobblestone and brick streets of Salem.


3. Infantino Vintage Twist Activity Gym - He plays on and with this every day. He loves looking at the animals and grabbing at the rings. I like the colors and the "vintage twist". It's one baby thing that doesn't offend my design sensibilities too drastically.


4. Eric Carle Elephant - He got this little guy from a student of mine and it is his favorite toy so far. It's great because there are so many elements to it and I can just stick it in the diaper bag and he'll be entertained all day.


5. Sandra Boynton Books - they're clever, they have great rhythm  and fun illustrations. Snuggle Puppy and Barnyard Dance are our favorites. 


6. Ring Sling - I got my sling from Raspberry Baby on Etsy. I loved the fabrics she used and her slings were much cheaper than the name brand versions. I've tried other wraps and baby carriers and Levi loves this the best, by far. I do too...because it's comfortable, but mostly because it's just so very pretty! And last Saturday I square-danced with him in it...do-si-dos, promenades, swings - he had a grand old time hanging out, twirling around with Mama. Probably the ultimate test in my book!

7. Bath Luv - Love this!  Levi is a boy who greatly enjoys baths and I think this little towel cover has a lot to do with it.  It's so cute and keeps him nice and warm. I like how, unlike a regular washcloth, it has "legs" that cover his legs as well as his torso(Thanks, Gail!).  


8. Natures Sway Baby Hammock - Where do I begin? Everyone needs a baby hammock. When he was more fussy as a newborn, this would calm him instantly. It bounces in the most calming of ways and he is usually asleep in seconds. We hang it in our living room from one of the beams, but it also comes off and attaches to a piece that you can put in any doorway with molding (you know, like those jumpy seats that you hang in doorways?) Anyways, we take this with us when he is babysat (or away for the weekends) and it's a perfect place for him to sleep or just "hang" out. This is definitely my favorite of the favorites! (although I do adore my sling...hmmm - tie.)

9. Sophie - Ok, so I don't think that he is using Sophie to her greatest potential quite yet (he's not teething or anything), but he has started loving to put things in his mouth and Sophie is his  "thing" of choice. And she's cute, too.


10. Bundle Me - Keeps my baby warm and cozy in the chilly weather, easy to use and clean. The first time I put Levi in it, he cuddled it up to his face and grinned. Now if that's not a good review, I don't know what is.


There you have it. Our list, so far. I'm sure it will change as time goes on, so maybe we'll have another edition in a few months when he is doing all sorts of other fun stuff like teething and eating and crawling...(ahhh!)

Annie Stec!

I am certainly no fashion blogger, but I thought my recent good luck deserved a shout-out. You must know that if I'm ever in what would be considered a "fashionable" outfit, it is usually by accident!


My friend and fellow blogger, Annie (in fact, we almost started a church together in Detroit!...long story), hosted a giveaway on her blog recently. I ended up winning the $100 gift certificate to her shop where she sells her own handmade designs. Cha-ching!


It took me a while to choose (everything is gorgeous), but I ended up going with a denim embellished skirt, a striped jersey skirt and a little black and white tote bag. The clothes are beautiful and they fit perfectly (yes, I chose two elastic waisted skirts; the baby weight is almost off, but not quite!). I look forward to using the bag when I'm no longer carrying around a diaper bag everywhere!


I love that they everything is an original design and handmade. Simple and beautiful; definitely items that I'll wear a lot.

Special thanks to my photographer - 

the good-sport and good-at-everything, Brian James. 

There you have it - 

probably the only "fashion" post you'll ever get out of me. 

Thank you, Annie Stec, for getting me out of those yoga pants and into some much more flattering attire!

Thankful...for 3 months!

This Moment - A Blue Horse

{this moment} - A Friday ritual

Joining with SouleMama

Art Room Diaries - Music and Art - Kandinsky Style

Is it possible to show what music "looks" like through art?  

Do different kinds of notes and chords have a color?

Could a line show qualities of a specific voice or instrument?

What sorts of feelings or emotions can you effectively portray through these elements of art?

These were some of the questions we explored as we studied Russian modern artist, Wassily Kandinsky in my "Inspired by the Masters" workshop.  Kandinsky once said "Color is the keyboard..the artist is the hand that plays."  He actually had a condition (synesthesia) where he literally saw colors when he heard music.  Can you imagine? 

Composition IV, 1913, Wassily Kandinsky

For this lesson, we listened to different types of music, from Beethoven to French jazz to bluegrass.  Each student filled a rectangle on their paper with lines, color and shapes that they felt portrayed the music playing. We used oil pastel and watercolors as our medium. It was so interesting to see the variations in the kids' work, but also how similar they were.  There we a few pieces of music where most students used the same color palette or similar lines. Maybe that Kandinsky was onto something!

This lesson is easily adapted to almost any age. I've done it with 1st graders and 12th graders and everyone learns some important lessons about the inherent power of line, shape and  color - a basic tenet of modern art! This is often the first non-representational art that really clicks with kids and they are able to easily connect with the elements of line, color and shape in an abstract way that they understand.   

Yet another fairy tale - The Tale of Two Cuddle Sacks

ONCE upon a time, there was a teeny tiny baby whose mother knit him a teeny tiny cuddle sack.  The baby loved nothing more than sleeping and cuddling in the little satchel his mother made him. And it fit, just right.

But soon that teeny tiny baby wasn't so teeny tiny anymore.  His warm little sack barely covered him past his tummy! The baby's mother knew that wouldn't do, but she also knew that the little (bigger) baby still needed to be warm and cuddled all winter long. 

So the Mother did what she knew she must. She quickly went to work choosing the softest of yarns and knitting the cuddliest of cuddle sacks for her growing baby boy.

So, the little (bigger) baby snuggled happily into his new cuddle sack, stretching and squirming, making sure it fit just right. And it did. He nuzzled in and fell into a sweet and happy sleep, knowing that his Mama would always make sure that he was properly warm and cuddled...

all

winter

long.

THE END.

(at least until he grows another few inches...)

(pattern linked here) 

The Three Bears - Halloween, James Style

"ONCE upon a time there were Three Bears, who lived together in a house of their own, in a wood. One of them was a Little, Small, Wee Bear; and one was a Middle-sized Bear, and the other was a Great, Huge Bear..." *

*an excerpt.


(Details: Baby bear's hat is this hat with simple crocheted ears that I just made up(rounds of single and double crochet). Mama and Papa Bear's hats were old hats I made a while ago and I just safety- pinned the ears on. Papa Bear's hat was the one I made in this post. Mine, I think I just made up a few winters ago.
Baby bear's hand "paws" and tail were made from this pattern (just stuff it and sew it closed for the tail).)