Craft: Shadow Art

My wonderful daughter asked me for some paper the other day while the boys were playing nicely in the livingroom.  So, I gave it to her and she started cutting shapes out of blue and pink paper and glued it onto white paper with a glue stick.  Blue on one side, pink on the other.  Noticing what she was doing I asked her, "What do you think it will look like if we put it up on the window?"  "Let's try it and see," she says.  So we did and here is the result.

Pink side against the glass...

Blue side against the glass...

I love the organic shapes she cut out, but you could do this with any recognizable shape or random paper cuts work too for a more abstract approach.

To cut the shapes, she cut oval-ish shapes out then folded them in various directions and cut on the crease (like when you make snowflakes).

Some things we noticed about this project:
It looks different depending on which side is next to the glass, or even different still if it's on the table.

Overlapping shapes from one side to the other has a nice effect.

We both love it!

I'd love to see your work if you try this with your kids (or just by yourself).

Keep it crafty!

Kristin

Featured Artist: Heidi of Little Tadpole Designs

Say hello to the very sweet Heidi, owner of Little Tadpole Designs and fellow team member on both SAHM of Etsy, EtsyKids and Christian Artists Street Team (CAST) teams. She is offering you, my wonderful readers, 10% off any purchase from her shop when you use the coupon code BLOGLUV10.  This offer expires next Monday night, so you only have one week to get in on it. 

Custom Binky Leash

What do you make and what was/is the inspiration for your shop?  My creations revolve mainly around babies and preschoolers right now… because that’s what my children are!  I have a 28 month old and an 8 month old and they are most definitely the inspiration behind all that I do.  Soon after my son was born, I made my first Cuddle Blankie and binky clip for him… and things just “took off” from there, pulling me along with it!  It is very exciting to me to look at a need my children have, and come up with a unique design for satisfying it that is adorable, functional, offers something “different” than the conventional, and is of high quality.  In addition to the blankies and soother clips, I make mitten clips, Snap Belts for preschoolers, fun infant-sized and pretty flower hair clippies, and one-of-a-kind crocheted dolls & toys.  I’ve already got a few NEW things “in the works” that I will be adding to my shop in the very near future.  I love variety… of materials, designs, ideas.  It’s what makes it fun!

Tell us how your creativity has woven itself into your life’s journey to make you what you are today.  It seems that I’ve never really been “cut out” for the daily 9 to 5… but I never imagined that I’d be able to use my creative talents in the way the I am now able to thanks to Etsy.  It was always my husband and my plan that I would be a stay-at-home mom and I don’t miss “going to work” in the least!  I love making “stuff” though and I guess I do need some outlet for my creative energies that doesn’t involve the kiddos.  I still feel that my shop is really my hobby even though I spend a lot more time at it than I originally imagined.  Perhaps that is the difference when it comes to doing something you really love to do… it doesn’t seem like “work”!  That’s the way it is with being a mom, and with my little business (most of the time at least!). 
       Before we had children, we had our dog and cats and my first small business venture was pet-related and it was a very good endeavor that I was proud to pour my time and energy into until we moved to a new home.  That experience was what got my feet wet and really showed me that having the freedom to create my own job was the way I wanted to go.

Cuddle Blankie "Circles"

What is your vision for the future of your business?  I have pretty modest goals.  I’d like to be able to balance things so that when I’m inspired with a new design I will have the funds to buy what I need and continue the creative process without having to dip into our family budget.  Because I don’t have any other income, it really feels good being able to have my shop support itself.  Pretty much every sale goes directly back into getting what I need to make more items and I’m happy with that.  Of course, I wouldn’t mind having just a teensy bit of extra for myself… after all, I also love to SHOP on Etsy!!

Tell us about your typical day.  My day usually starts with getting my son breakfast and then seeing what is happening online while he eats.  Often I even have the freedom of both hands as my daughter is getting more and more able to entertain herself too!  Later in the day, during little miss’s naptime, I follow up on anything that I started in the morning.  My husband is always wonderful about being a helping hand with the little ones in the evenings so I can run to the post office or put an order together for mailing.  Then, after the youngsters are in bed, I can do some creating!  It’s really just a matter of fitting it in here and there where I can.  Some days I get lots done… some days not so much.  It’s a juggling act really!

Are you trained as an artist?  If yes, what degree(s) or certificates do you hold and where did you earn it/them? If no, how did you learn to make the items you offer in your shop?  I have to give most credit to my mom.  She taught me the basics of sewing and crochet when I was a little girl.  Most of it I used sparingly until after I got married and even then I kept it pretty basic.  I actually just picked up a crochet hook for the first time in years only a few months ago!  I’m no good at all at reading and following patterns… so I just try things that I think should work and usually they do!  Most of my family is pretty creative and isn’t afraid to try working with new materials or different styles of activities… and that helps to push me to experiment.  

Crocheted Shanice Doll

In what other areas of your life (or interests that you have) do you see your creativity shining through? (gardening, music, performing arts, writing, creative ‘foreign’ language expression etc.)  I love to paint.  I haven’t picked up a brush and palette for many years but I really want to get back to it.  Something else I really enjoy is building things.  I’m slowly building up the variety of tools I own and very much want to try making wood art (also known as Intarsia) like my Grandfather does.  I’d also like to try my hand at some simple furniture making.  I don’t really have any time to develop new skills right now because the kids are so young and my focus is on them… but as they grow up I hope we can learn some of these things together.

What is one thing you will be going out of your way to learn more about in the coming year to benefit your business?  There are so many things!   J  I really feel that there are so many thing that I don’t even know that I don’t know, ya know?  Really though, I’d like to continue working on my photography and internet skills.  I’ve gotten a lot of help from fellow Etsians but I know there is a LOT more that I can learn and play around with to have my shop be represented the very best that it can be. 

What steps are you taking to ensure your products follow applicable child safety laws?  Because I’m in Canada, we have similar but not exactly the same requirements that crafters of children’s items are faced with in the States with regards to labeling and testing finished products.  However, I believe strongly in the intent of the child safety laws on both sides of the border and because the items I make are first and foremost made for my own children, this is something I consider in every design.  I have checked with the companies that I buy from to ensure that the materials I am using either have been tested according to current Canadian & US standards and have the documentation to back that up, or are already exempt according to the legislation.  This satisfies the intent of the laws and I always make sure that if an item has small parts or may present a safety concern it comes with a caution to that effect.   I’m sure everyone will agree that children are too precious to take risks with and their safety should always be considered first.

Be sure to check her out in the following places on the web:
www.littletadpoledesigns.etsy.com  
www.littletadpoledesigns.ca  
www.facebook.com/LittleTadpoleDesigns

Keep it inspirational,
Kristin

Bloom: Teacher! Teacher! Oh, You're Talking to Me!

Last week, I had the remarkable experience of teaching a classroom full of 4 year olds at our church's Vacation Bible School Program, A.K.A. Summer Blast.

What a wonderful, challenging {and tiring} time it was!  Since this was my first 'real' teaching experience and Mondays being what they are... the first day was a little sketchy. But by Tuesday, I had my sea-legs (so to speak) and thanks in large part to Linnea and Carol, things went great.  By Friday, 14 of my little ones prayed to Jesus and told him they were sorry for the things they had done wrong, and that they wanted to do what Jesus wanted them to do. {Humbling!!!}  {Wow!}

Only God knows how much of it will stick, but at least there were seeds planted in those precious little hearts.

 But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children." Matthew 19:14 NLT

Here's a video clip from our time in the worship center singing to Jesus:

I was really blessed to have all the helpers in my class that I did.  Gloria and Hannah had such dear quiet spirits about them that helped calm kids down when separation anxiety struck, Brandy just jumped right in and saw what needed to be done and did it, Grace had the awesome idea to quietly sing Jesus Loves Me when we were walking from one part of the church campus to another {It quieted those kids right down!}, Carol with her 20 years of teaching experience helped me through the logistics of classroom management, and Linnea made sure I had everything I needed.  The people you serve with, become your friends and you help each other out....

Keep on Bloomin'!
Kristin

Craft: New Bows Available Now at Love in Bloom Boutique

It has been a while since I added new items to my shop so I added a couple...
Keep it Crafty!

Kristin

Show Stopper

Show Stopper (Too)

Quick Healthy Snacks and Give-Away Winner Announced...

Congratulations to Rachel! She won the chance to pick out one free item in my shop! Stop by her Little Birdie Blog to say hello and let her know I sent you.

Now on to the snacks...

Ok so we all know that veggies and fruit are great snacks for the kids, but we all get bored with the same old thing. Here are some ideas for healthy snacks that you may not have thought of (at least for a while) to add to the lineup.  Enjoy!

Image Courtesy Heartfelt3

Bumps on a log (Peanut butter inside the celery with rasins or crasins on top)

Apple or orange slices with cinnamon sprinkled on them

Apple with peanut butter for dip

Peanut Butter or cream cheese and any kind of fresh fruit sandwich

Garlic Toast on high fiber bread

Roasted chickpeas... My kids LOVE these!

Make fruit kabobs

Dark chocolate milk (Put 2 tsp unflavored fiber powder and a very little bit of cocoa powder in a cup and add 1 cup of milk a little at a time while stirring or put it in the blender... The dextrin is sweet enough to make it like dark chocolate... you can add more cocoa as desired.)

Mexican style dark chocolate milk (add cinnamon to the recipe above)

Image Courtesy Prrint

Frozen Pea Salad (Peas frozen - do not thaw, sour cream, salt, pepper, a pinch of garlic granules and onion powder. Add chopped salted nuts to individual portions if you like. Store any extra in the freezer or it will separate... and no nuts in the freezer, unless you like them squishy later.)

Green cheese spread and crackers (with fiber in them) or celery...  I call it 'Monster Goo'

Toss chopped tomatoes and lettuce with pesto (or mild salsa) and a tiny splash of apple cider vinegar and salt to taste for a yummy salad (freeze leftover pesto in ice cube trays for future use)

Marinate a couple of sliced cucumbers and a few slices of onion in a couple of Tbsp. red wine vinegar, salt, olive oil 1 tsp. honey and a little water for a couple of hours in the fridge Serve cucumbers to the kids, toss the onions (or eat them yourself ;)  This is quite refreshing on a hot summer day and also makes a stellar side dish to go with grilled burgers.

Make a healthier smoothie (Add to your blender 1 cup of plain unsweetened yogurt, 1-2 bananas, and enough fresh or frozen strawberries, raspberries or blackberries to almost fill it up and add some fiber powder. Blend. One banana should be enough sweeten the deal, but you can add the second one if your strawberries are super bland.) Serves 4-5 people.

Image Courtesy HaveArt

Chimichurri Hummus (1/2 a recipe chimichurri sauce blended with one can drained chickpeas - I haven't tried this one yet, but I did make the sauce {It's delicious!} and this was the application that immediately came to mind. Let me know how yours turns out!)

Banana Delight (Mash a banana and add plain unsweetened yogurt to taste then add some fresh berries, serve with chopped walnuts or slivered almonds on top)

Harvest a couple of home grown tomatoes or cucumbers... Serve with a sprinkling of salt and eat.

Split an avocado with someone, salt it and eat. (This is also good with a tiny splash of lemon or lime juice.)

Keep it Yummy and Healthy!
Kristin

First "Real" Featured Artist... by that I mean someone who is not me...

I have long awaited the day when I would begin featuring other remarkable artists who make great things for kids.  Hooray! Today is the day we feature one of my fellow Etsy Kids Team members,  the fabulous Rebecca of:

on Etsy

What do you make and what was/is the inspiration for your shop?  I specialize in hand dyed and stenciled onesies, but dabble in some sewing projects like pacifier clips, hair bows, look books & I SPY bean bags. I'm just starting work on a line of fabric appliqué's of my favorite onesie designs.  I think about what I like, what my kids like and go from there. I'm not a pastel & puppy dog kind of girl so my onesies are bright & designs usually un-"baby". Though the occasional animal does slip in there. Who doesn't love a baby crawling around in a little cute animal onesie?

How cute is this?!?! I love Vespa's.

Tell us how your creativity has woven itself into your life’s journey to make you what you are today.   I worked as an HR Director in NYC for over 7 years. Working until 9pm, having dinner, going to bed and then waking up to do it all over again was not how I wanted to spend the rest of my life. I'll say this though, it helped me realize that if I really wanted something, only I could make it happen. Going from Wall Street to Stay-at-home-mom was tough. My desire to have my own projects and have an identity other than WIFE & MOM is really what fueled me to keep going with Max & Magnolia. I learned from my own mother that having your own "life" is healthy and ok. She managed to have her own activities and hobbies on top of being a wife, mom, sister & friend.  Plus, I have a husband who really understands that I need my own outlet and "me" time. I'm convinced providing that for each other is key to our great marriage. 

What is your vision for the future of your business?  Things are plugging along great lately. If I can continue to earn my own $ to support the nasty shoe-buying habit I picked up in New York, I'm happy :)  Oh, & If I could find some time to build my own website that would be wonderful.

Tell us about your typical day.  What I plan & what actually happens often don't coincide at my house.  I imagine my day is much like any mom who works from home. I aim for:

-Boys up and fed. By their father, I'm not a morning person.

Perfect road trip toy...

-Play time with mom

-Announce "Mommy has to work for a bit". They are usually pretty good at letting me check my Etsy shop, emails and Facebook for about 30 min.

-Stories and train tracks re-built.

-Lunch

-Naps for boys. During their naps is usually when I fill any non-sewing orders that have come in that day.

-Afternoon play date or trip to park

-Cartoons while I attempt to make dinner

-Dinner with Dad

-Family time

-Bed time for boys- usually around 7:30 or 8

-Sewing time . Any sewing can't happen until after the kiddos go to bed, or if Daddy takes them on a bike ride. My machine is in the family room where they play and if I'm in the room they selfishly insist that I be doing something with them.

-Catch up on my taped TV shows

-Bed time for my by 10:30

Are you trained as an artist?  If yes, what degree(s) or certificates do you hold and where did you earn it/them? If no, how did you learn to make the items you offer in your shop?  Nope. Mostly I’m a self-taught girl dying, stenciling & sewing away. Although I have to say my mother is a great quilter and sewer. She attempted several times in my youth to teach me. I was too impatient to absorb most of it.

In what other areas of your life (or interests that you have) do you see your creativity shining through?   I do have a small garden, but I don't enjoy taking care of it. So I guess that doesn't count.  Hmmm... probably in my GNO's. I have a fun group of friends and we try to get together at least once a month for a craft night. Projects are selected by the hostess and we sit around and craft, gab & eat.  I also like to make things for my boys. Dad's dress shirts or sweaters have become shorts or vests & some fabric from a friend became a Teepee.

What is one thing you will be going out of your way to learn more about in the coming year to benefit your business?  Definitely website design. I'm spending time researching how I want my page to look & work.

What steps are you taking to ensure your products follow applicable child safety laws?  Thankfully a lot of this is just good common sense. People want to know what your product is made of & how to care for it, and babies should not be chewing on things that are small enough for them to choke on.  I put all that in my ETSY listings and on the tags I put on each item.   Google search & fellow shop owners were great resources as well.

Where can we find you?        

www.maxandmagnolia.com

www.facebook.com/maxandmagnolia