Previous month:
July 2011
Next month:
September 2011

August 2011

the painted piano

painted piano

painted piano

painted piano

It was silly, really, my obsession with this piano. As if I didn't have enough to do with two little ones, running a business, packing up all of our possessions, and moving. Once I saw this picture, there was no hope for me. I had to do it.

 

But you know, sometimes you need that one obsession to help you focus your thoughts. No better way to calm your mind than to paint a piano, I say. 

And this, my friends, is not just any piano. This is the piano that my own mother learned to play on. That music book on the stand? That's my Gram's book from the 1930's. That clarinet is my Dad's. My parents moved this piano from their home in California so that we could have it in our home, replacing the (much loved) electric piano that we've had sicne graduating from college. This one is a smidge out of tune. But unlike our electric piano, this one is always on. A fact that delights my two year-old. 

The piano was orignally a honey brown, with some water stains along the top. With a quick sanding and wiping down, it was ready for its first layer of paint. The color is called "Winter's Day" (a Martha Stewart color) although it was custom-mixed for us with Behr's paint-and-primer combo. It's gray, with a bluish tone. The whole piano required two coats of this stuff, and a quart of paint was plenty.

There was nothing fancy about the painting process, either. Just a microfiber mini roller, a few small paint brushes, and some patience in getting around those keys was all that was needed.

Source: designsponge.com via Meg on Pinterest

 

This photo gave me some styling inspiration. Oh, Pinterest. You certainly keep me entertained.

May the hootenany begin.


a farewell party

a farewell party

a farewell party

a farewell party

a farewell party

a farewell party

a farewell party

a farewell party

a farewell party

a farewell party

Despite the downed branches and power outages, we were thankful for one unexpected gift the hurricane left in its wake; our friends' out-of-town move was delayed, and Jeanne and Leah spent their last night in North Carolina with us before heading to their new home in Pennsylvania. Of course, a proper farewell party was thrown, and we were able to celebrate our friendship and that of our children over smores, lawnmower "rides", and a sing-a-long. 

It was, I dare say, a perfect afternoon and evening - the stuff of memories.  The best way to say goodbye.


tea time

tea time

tea time

tea time

tea time

tea time

tea time

tea time

tea time

Sometimes it's inside. Sometimes it's outside.

Sometimes it's picture-perfect, a la Little House on the Prairie. Sometimes it's more ... Adventures of Tom Sawyer-ish. 

But we love our morning tea. Finn has always been a fan of herbal tea, and takes his with an ice cube and milk. 

I happened upon this post and a light bulb went off in my head. This is just the activity we needed in order to smooth out that often chaotic period of time after breakfast when Patrick heads off to work and I am alone with a baby who needs to be fed and have his medicines and a toddler who needs my touch and attention before heading off for a long period of independent play. 

As we let our tea steep, Finn picks a book and I ready Lachlan's morning meds. We all cuddle up on the couch - the baby drinking milk on one side, the toddler drinking tea on the other - and read. Book after book (or the same book, over and over again) until legs start wiggling, signaling the end of Tea Time and the beginning of Outside Play time. 

He likes his morning tea, that Finn McElwee. A true Irishman. 


the long haul

little red wheelbarrow

little red wheelbarrow

little red wheelbarrow

little red wheelbarrow

Little red wheelbarrow from Montessori Services.

 I've been solo parenting the last ten days while Patrick was in New York City doing dissertation research. (With my camera, no less!) Now he's back (I did miss him more than the camera!) and we're getting back to a normal routine. I've missed being here on a regular basis this summer, what with the surgery and the move. As the evenings get cooler, classes resume, and summer oh-so-gently fades into autumn, I'm grateful to once again have the time to write with more regularity in this space.

 


playful learning - thoughts on crafting a space

our new studio

Our studio bustles with activity in the mornings. After thirty minutes of uninterrupted time to myself, spent cleaning up the joyful mess of the previous day's gathering, I peek in to find Finn totally immersed in art. He doesn't notice my presence, his concentration is so deep.

When we moved in to our new home a few weeks ago, I knew setting up this space would be a priority. Just as having a functioning kitchen is a necessity for mama, the art area is a necessity for the two year-old.

Fortunately for me, Mariah Bruehl's treasure trove of a book, Playful Learning: Develop Your Child's Sense of Joy and Wonder arrived on my new front porch just in time to provide plentiful inspiration.

Playful Learning Book

And today, I'm honored to be sharing this space with Mariah as part of her blog tour! Read on to find out how you can enter to win a copy of Playful Learning or a spot in Mariah's e-course Playful Learning Spaces.

I'm pretending that Mariah's actually here with me now ...

Meg: Hi Mariah! Welcome to my new house! And please excuse the five-foot-high pile of books to your right as you walk in the door. ;) 

our new studio

Mariah: Thank you for having me. I feel so honored to be able to get a sneak peek into your studio!

Meg: I feel so shy showing our new playing/learning space so early in its (hopefully very long) life. I spent many, many hours dreaming about this space - making lots of lists and rearranging furniture in my head. It still feels like it needs so much tweaking. It was easy to feel overwhelmed at the beginning of the design process, but it was only in the (finally ... ever so gingerly) stepping out of the dreaming phase and into the hands-on arranging of the space that it really began to come alive properly.

our new studio

Some of the design came directly from those pictures in my head, and some of it came from the singularity of the space itself - its own idiosyncrasies combined with those of my toddler which made the space into a functional living area. I'd say that embarking on creating a playful learning space in your home is an exciting, yet nearly paralyzing process if you let yourself get too bogged down with all of your ideas for the space. It just kind of has to develop of its own accord. Has this been your experience with creating learning spaces both in the home and in the classroom environment?

Mariah: Most definitely! I am often overtaken by analysis paralysis. You are exactly right. The best way to break out of it is to dive-in and start experimenting.  When I view the process of creating spaces for my children as being experimental, it takes the pressure off of me to make things perfect. I find it helpful to take breaks and watch the way the girls interact with the space for a bit (you should see the piles outside of the atelier door!) and then make more changes. Taking the time to observe how your children are responding to a space can spark a lot of ideas. I also find it helpful to focus on one area at a time. I usually find that one one area falls into place, things start clicking all around. It is important to remember that small changes can make a big difference and everything does not have to be accomplished at one time. 

our new studio

Meg: Playful Learning has a very helpful checklist for items to include when setting up your space - be it the art area, writing center, or nature/science corner. I found myself referring to these pages quite often as I dug through my closet of supplies. (Oh my. That's another subject for another time - but eventually I need to have a super organized closet so I can find the supplies that I need when the inspiration strikes!) 

our new studio

Mariah: The checklists of supplies in the book are a good place to start when thinking about setting up different areas in your home that encourage reading, writing, science, art and so on. It is always fun to tune into your child's new interests in topics or materials and then create a space for further exploration.

our new studio

For example the play dough sculpting activity you put together for Finn was the right activity for him at the right time. You picked up on his interest in play dough and took it to the next level by providing him with interesting tools and modeling for him how he can independently take out and put away the activity. I will never forget the video you shared of Finn doing just that!

our new studio

our new studio

The same is true for the cutting exercise you created. Learning to cut is a developmental milestone for children Finn's age and they love to repeat it over and over again until the skill has been mastered. I am sure that Finn is loving that you created such a lovely tray for him with everything he needs to work on this important task. I loved seeing that Amanda Soule is experiencing the same phenomenon with her toddler. She shared a photo here (third picture from the top) and stated that she is "loving Harper's love of scissors." 

Meg: Playful Learning's ideas and activities, while written with the 4-8 year-old in mind, are certainly applicable for younger children as well. For Finn (27 months), art and writing are one and the same, so I have an art area set up for him. Eventually, as his interest words continues to blossom, I will begin to put together a writing center. That said, I found your suggestion for creating a "Mailing Station," complete with address labels for family and friends, as well as envelopes, stamps, and place for outgoing mail, totally ingenious! I have plans to set up our own Mailing Station in the near future, so Finn can send his artwork to his great-grandparents in California or to his friends who live in town. (As a sidenote, another cool feature of Playful Learning is that Mariah includes SO MANY book suggestions - the guidelines for setting up a Mailing Station are accompanied by mail-themed books to pique interest in the subject.)

Mariah: The mailing station is a big hit in our house! The goal is to provide children with what they need, so that when they  have the desire to reach out and send something they have made to a loved one, they are able to act on their idea. Once they realize that they can be successful at tasks like mailing letters, it becomes a part of their routine. We want our children to develop lifelong habits of heart and mind—children who write because they have something that they want to share, or they want to capture an idea or they want to connect with someone in their lives. When we create an environment that provides them with the tools they need to act on their natural inclinations, writing becomes a valuable medium for self-expression, rather than an end in itself.  

Meg: I really believe that a space will evolve with the child, and that we, as parents, must often take a step back and evaluate the current set-up to see if it meets the needs of the little people who move through it and use it in their play and creative exploits. The designer/artist in me wishes that I could just create a beautiful space and leave it at that, but that's just not the reality of life with a child who is constantly learning new things both about the world in which he lives and about himself and how he moves in the world. I know that this studio of ours will change with time, while keeping a familiar and orderly backbone so my boys can use it with confidence. A few tips I have for creating a studio space:

our new studio

- Rotate, rotate, rotate! The older a child gets, the more materials you can have available (i.e. collage materials.) This isn't the case for a toddler. Keep a collage tray on the shelf, but rotate out the materials every week or so. Our art area is very much a Montessori set-up from my own background, and I think this balance of having a limited number of materials on display with which the child can explore freely fits the 2-4 year-old age range quite well. The older the child gets, the more access they can have to all of the family art supplies. Currently, Finn can use everything on the red shelf, but can't yet reach the supplies on the white shelf. He can see the paints and ask to paint with me if he wishes, though.

Mariah: Yes! You just brought up some really important points...

Less is best. Over the years I have moved towards leaving out less and less in terms of toys and materials for the girls. I have found that when there is less to choose from, they make better use of their things. With that said, I make sure to have everything they need for the activities that I do make available. I love creating theme based baskets and trays, that rotate as the girls interests change. For example, my youngest daughter loves to paint so I leave out a tray with a blank canvas, paints, brushes, a color wheel, and a color mixing palate so that she can create whenever the mood strikes her. I love how you have done the same thing with Finn—making age appropriate materials available to him that he can access and use independently.

You are never "finished." The spaces we create for our children are never “finished”, but are continually evolving as our children grow and develop new interests. We can create a useful “infrastructure” but the materials and activities need to be revisited and rotated on a regular basis. I like to take a fresh look at our atelier approximately every six months to replenish, reorganize and update the materials and displays according to where the girls are both developmentally and interest wise. It never ceases to amaze me how a few little tweaks can inspire the girls to move right into the fresh space filled with new ideas and projects.

Meg: - When it comes to envisioning the perfect space, there's no better way to store all of your ideas than on a Pinterest board. Mariah has very inspiring boards. Try keeping one board for "spaces for kids" and one for "activities for kids." 

Mariah: Being a visual person, Pinterest has opened up a whole new world for me. I have found it to be a wonderful resource for inspiration, especially in terms of creating spaces for children. It also gives a glimpse into the thought processes of some of my favorite bloggers. It is a really fun way to connect, share and become inspired.

our new studio

Meg:  Make a wish list. For example, the area to the left of the red art shelf and pin board is where I will eventually put a big, black chalkboard - I just don't have the time to do that right now. I'm also on the hunt for a child's rolltop desk and a just-right shelf for our writing area. I have a list that I take with me thrifting, and when we have some cash to spare I search Craigslist, Ebay or Etsy for a specific item. For example, I had a pastry stand on my wish list for displaying materials and recently found one for just a few dollars. 

Mariah: I definitely have my fair share of wish lists! I also find it helpful to add general things to the list, like "ribbon storage" or "glitter management". Then I try to look for unconventional ways of storing and displaying those materials. Often times I already have something that can be repurposed to meet our current needs.

Congratulations on your truly helpful book, Mariah. I know that it is a resource that parents of young children will reference over and over again. 

To enter to win a copy of Playful Learning or a spot in Mariah's upcoming e-course Playful Learning Spaces, leave a comment with your favorite idea (include a link for inspiration if applicable!) for a child's Playful Learning Space. The winners will be drawn on Sunday evening, August 21st. 

Comments are closed! Congratulations to Misha and Christine.


celebrating

mima's birthday celebration

mima's birthday celebration

mima's birthday celebration

mima's birthday celebration

mima's birthday celebration

My mom turned 60 on Saturday, and we hosted the party at our house. Much has changed since her 59th birthday celebration. Last year she celebrated without us at my parents' home in California. This year?

Well.

This year, we celebrated with her in our new home. Which is just a handful of miles away from their new house. My parents moved to North Carolina right before Lachlan's second surgery! Even though we are both still getting used to our new surroundings and unpacking this and that ... even though we are far from our beloved California mountains ... even though life is not always peaches and cream ... we are together. With Mima and Papa close by, we are all happier. We eat berries and cream together. And chocolate cake (a yummy recipe from A Homemade Life .) 

For Mima's big birthday, we were excited to welcome my aunt and her partner from up north, and we were all surprised when my other aunt from California showed up as well! Much laughter ensued, and we all learned a bit about campfire cooking as we tried out our pie irons for the first time, christening our new backyard fire pit. Homemade bread, fresh tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and some butter makes some delish pie iron paninis. 

I'm thinking I could eat that for every meal for the duration of tomato season.

Here's to my own love-filled Mama. My boys are lucky boys indeed, to have their Mima's presence warm their days.

P.S. More on the shelf (it's actually our old bookcase) and the kitchen soon. I'm still too shy to show it off in its unfinished state quite yet!


getting outside

getting outside

With so many half-finished projects inside, we've been spending as much time outside as possible. We wake up to half-primed walls, give them a tip of the hat, then politely exit stage left, escaping to our beautiful gardens.

getting outside

We're slowly getting to know them, these lush, green "walls" of ours. It seems we discover a new flower daily, a new insect hourly. 

getting outside

getting outside

getting outside

When we first toured this house, it was the end of a long day of house hunting. We were tired. Hungry. Discouraged. As we drove to this house, we were resigned to rent for another year because nothing was working out for us - nothing felt right. We got here, climbed out of the car, grumpy as ever, and started to walk around. Like a balm for the soul, this place started to work its wonders immediately. Finn perked up and began to explore the many wonders of nature and hidden spaces. Patrick's furrowed brow relaxed. I immediately saw us here. Outside. 

getting outside

getting outside

There is always work to be done outside, as stewards of this plot of land. However, it's so much less weighty than inside work. If a plant grows wild, it is still beautiful. (If a sink leaks, the beauty is less ... umm ... striking.) If the grass grows too tall, it is a better playground for a cat. 

We love it out here. 


trying it on

trying it on

Putting together a home is sort of like going shopping for jeans that fit. I try on this, throw it aside, try on that, spin around a few times ... nope, not quite ... and then, finally, try on something almost just right, resigning myself to a few future alterations.

There are a few key differences in putting together a home and shopping for a pair of jeans. The first is obvious - who likes shopping for jeans? Not me. I do, however, love putting together little useful corners to live in. The second is that, instead of purchasing new items, I get the creative challenge of reinvisioning the furniture and decor items that I already have, and every time I do this I'm so surprised at how different yet comfortingly similar newly conceived spaces can feel. A few coats of paint. A lot of just standing and staring at a space, rearranging in my head. 

trying it on

This little corner is one of my favorites. It fits us just right. No matter the half-painted bookshelves across from it. No matter the art area in its non-functioning infancy just out of the photo frame. This spot is where we live.

Our studio. 


this boy

20110803_L's first swing and swim_6908

20110803_L's first swing and swim_6931

20110803_L's first swing and swim_6911

20110803_L's first swing and swim_6902

Oh, this boy. He only gives you one passing quizzical look in a new situation before deciding to go with the flow and enjoy whatever comes his way. In these past few weeks, as I bulldoze through the day trying to unpack this and find a place for that, this little fellow be-bops along close to my heart. I look down at him in his carrier, returning to reality after drifting into planning mode (I should do this, I need to make that, I must sit down and write back to so-and-so ...) He flashes me a wide-mouthed grin, then bursts into a belly laugh.

This boy. What a gift he is. Joyful. Round. Forgiving.

 


moving day(s)

20110730_6751

20110730_6746

20110730_6745

20110730_6759

20110730_6754

moving day

Somehow, two weeks have gone by! Somehow, we are all moved out of our old house and have cozied in here. Somehow, despite working from dawn until (way) past dusk for two weeks, we still have boxes and boxes to unpack! I know that I don't have to explain myself to anyone who has ever moved anywhere with a baby and a toddler in tow, but holy cow, that was hard! Over the two weeks, I composed many posts in my head, with the following titles: greetings from chaoslandia ... recovering from the great plaster distaster (which involved a sander) ... I'd write a post but I can't see through my head fog ... and the list goes on.

But you know what? We're here, thanks to our friends and family. Without all of their help, I'm pretty sure I'd still be holding Finn on my hip in our old house, looking at all of the stuff that still needed to be packed. You know the lyrics to the Beatles song - I get by with a little help from my friends? Mmm hmm. I'm pretty sure our circle consists of some of the most generous and loving people around. They've helped us through so much these past six months!

So here we are. So happy to be here. Home. As I write this, I hear Finn, Patrick and Lachlan playing the guitar/piano and singing. It feels so right.