Growing

A little veggie garden:

{From this…}

 {…to this.}

A little girl:

{From the first day of kindergarten…}

{…to the last.}

Guess which one is growing too fast?

Sand, ocean, fresh air, family time…

{Malayna in Cape May, 2009}

We are taking our yearly Cape May vacation soon. I cannot wait to hear, smell and see the ocean. There's nothing like being at the beach to inspire me. It must be something about the openness of the space, breathing that air everyday and having no schedule other than sitting in the sand with the sun shining overhead. We park the car and leave it there for most of the vacation since everything in Cape May is accessible by foot or bike. We've been vacationing here for the last 10 years and it's at the top of my list of favorite places.

 {Philadelphia Beach in Cape May.}

I plan on taking a new sketchbook and some pencils and markers with me. Malayna makes friends easily and always finds someone to play with on the beach, which leaves us with the time to draw, read or do absolutely nothing!

 {Buried!}

{2009}

Do you feel freshly inspired after going away?

Sending love to another mama

I've been following Katie Allison Granju's story of her son's drug addiction and his subsequent death. She tells her story as a kind of warning to other parents: don't take your child's drug use lightly, no matter what kind of drug they are experimenting with. Her story is a reminder that it can happen to any one of us with children. Read her story, watch the video and hug your kids.

You can donate to the Henry Louis Granju Memorial Scholarship Fund, which will provide funds for families who are struggling to pay the costs of drug and alcohol treatment for their children.

New work & summer art classes

Hello all! Seems like during the warmer months I take an unintentional break from blogging. I'm still here, but it looks as though my website is down at the moment. You can still view everything (which is good, I guess), but you can't add anything to the shopping cart and I can't add any more new products (which I just took pictures of on Wednesday). I've started adding things to my Etsy shop, but I'm nowhere near finished. I'm pretty sure that the problem will be solved if I could update my shopping cart, but I have no idea how to go about doing that (even after reading the tutorial). I'm looking for someone to help me, so if you know of anyone drop me a line at milkshakecrafts at yahoo dot com. Thanks :)

 {New clematis desk clock}

If you are local to the Philly area (Elkins Park to be exact), I will be teaching art classes in my home (backyard) this summer on Thursday mornings from 9:30-11:30. The age is 6-8, and I already have a few children signed up. If you're interested or just want to hear more, email me at milkshakecrafts at yahoo dot com.

Have a great weekend!

Wordless Wednesday

 {Springtime 6 years ago.}

Summer!

{Look, no arm floaties!}

It's not officially summer yet, but it sure does feel like it. Malayna has been counting down to the end of school for a few weeks now. But she's not counting the days because she wants school to end - she's sad that she won't be in kindergarten anymore.

{Giant inflatable water slide.}

 

{Let me in!}

We have a few things planned for the summer, but I mostly want to enjoy not having a schedule for a few months. I'll be teaching an art class here on Thursday mornings for 6-8-year-olds in July and August that I'm really excited about. I love watching kids create and seeing how each one interprets a theme differently. We leave for our yearly Cape May vacation in June, and I cannot wait to dip my toes in the ocean and park my beach chair at the water's edge.

{Lola swims!}

 {This is what happens when a five-year-old applies his own sunscreen.}

Meanwhile, we'll enjoy swimming in our pool and playing with the ever-growing group of kids on our block. I love that Malayna can go outside and play with her friends - no need to get in the car and drive anywhere, no sitting inside watching TV, no complaining about being bored (okay, maybe a little of that). It reminds me of the neighborhood where I grew up and I'm so happy that Malayna gets to experience this. Our yard has the swingset and pool, the neighbors across the street have a trampoline and inflatable water slide. There are trees to climb, grass to run in and friends to play with. Isn't that what childhood is all about?

 {Not so sure about this swimming thing.} 

Creating and parenting

I've been a member of the group MamaCita for about a year now. (From our website: MamaCita is a Mothers' Cooperative in the Arts. Its purpose is to bring together female artists in Philadelphia and its suburbs to discuss and share their art, to offer constructive critique and encouragement, to find venues for the exhibition and sale of the group's work and ultimately, to inspire and motivate.) I had heard of the group a few times over the years, and last year around Mother's Day I attended a screening of the movie Who Does She Think She Is? hosted by MamaCita. It was at that time that I inquired about joining the group. Although I have artist friends, I wanted and needed a group to meet with regularly.

We are currently working on a group show titled (W)Holons (a holon is something that is simultaneously a whole and a part). Each of us is responsible for creating at least three 4" squares and one 20x20 piece of artwork to fit the theme. We met last week to put all our work together and see how it's all coming along. What an inspiring meeting! Since we have artists working in all different media, I thought the work might not work together. Not so - the fact that the squares are all the same size really ties them together. One of the places we'll be exhibiting this show is at the Abington Art Center, some time in December (details coming soon).

My three squares were inspired by Malayna starting kindergarten this year. After I would drop her off in the morning, I would take a walk in the park where we used to go to play. Each time I would find something (leaf, seed pod, flower, etc.) to bring home and would put it on the table for her to see when she got home from school. Each of my squares features a drawing of something I found in the park for her. The words relate to how I was feeling at the time. Also included are the words to a song by Dar Williams, "But sometimes I will ask the moon where it shined upon you last, And shake my head and laugh and say, It all went by so fast."

I'm so glad I found this group. It's given me the push I needed to create work like this again - work inspired by my experiences as a mother. It's a struggle to do work that is just for me as opposed to the work I do for milkshake. Each is satisfying, but in different ways.

New necklaces!

Spring is upon us here in the Philadelphia area and it's wonderful! Flowers are blooming, bees are buzzing, and there are even some butterflies fluttering. 

Do you know that this Sunday is Mother's Day? That snuck up, didn't it? You can still order something for mom (or sister, or aunt, or even for you!) and have it delivered in time. If you live close to me, I can even deliver it in person :)

I just added lots of pretty new necklaces, which would be a perfect gift for someone special. There are chickadees, butterflies, and even clematis flowers.

{orange clematis}

Thanks to everyone who came to the Chesnut Hill Home & Garden Festival on Sunday. It was great to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. For those of you in the Philadelphia area, I will be participating in Glenside's First Friday event this coming Friday the 7th. Join the members of MamaCita at Sweet Magnolia and Leather Case (both on Easton Road) from 6-8:30 pm. We'll have artwork for sale, wine to drink and snacks to munch on. Hope to see you there! Have a great day!

Wordless Wednesday

Telling your story

This phrase has been on my mind for months. Everyone has a story - be it sad, inspiring, heartbreaking, troubling, or exciting. Your story is what makes you YOU. Have you shared yours with someone lately? Has someone else shared theirs with you? Has it changed the way you think about them? I love reading or hearing about people's stories and I have a soft spot for the sad ones.

This is part of mine.

What's your story?

Experiments with type

We had a lazy, rainy Sunday here yesterday. It was nice to have nothing to do and just hang around the house - no pressure to work on the garden, either.

I've been thinking of having art classes here in my backyard (or inside if the weather doesn't cooperate) over the summer. I posted about it on Facebook last week and got a pretty good response. I think I'd do two sessions (if there's enough interest) - one for 5-7 year-olds and one for 3-4 year-olds with a grown-up.

I've been compiling a list of potential projects for the older group. Yesterday Malayna and I played around with the lightbox and some big type. I printed the alphabet on paper from the computer and we traced words over the lightbox. Then we colored in the letters with different colors and designs. Malayna loved it - kept asking to trace over and over again. The project would have to be more involved if it were part of the summer art class, but it's a good starting point.

Camera strap slipcover tutorial

A few weeks ago I posted on Facebook about wanting a funky camera strap made by a local artist. No luck. I found lots of handmade camera straps, but none of the makers were local. Instead of spending more time searching, I decided to make one myself.

At first I figured I could head out to a fabric store and find a cool fabric to use. Then I realized I have all these patterns that I've created that would look fabulous on fabric. And, being the collector that I am, I just happened to have this photo fabric lying around. (It's fabric that you can put through your printer.) I don't even remember when I bought it or if I ever used it. See - there's a reason why I save everything!

I chose some of my favorite patterns and reworked them with different colors. After I measured the strap, I created a 26.25" x 4" Photoshop file and played around with how I wanted the patterns to look on the strap. When I had something I liked, I printed it out on paper, pieced it together and used it as a test on the strap. I wrapped the paper around the strap to make sure it would fit.

After tweaking the Photoshop file a bit, I printed it on the photo fabric. Since I couldn't fit the whole thing on one piece of fabric (they're 8.5 x 11" sheets), I had to stitch some of them together, which is one of the reasons I designed it in blocks - like patchwork. I hand-stitched instead of using the machine simply because I would be able to do it anywhere.

Some of the block were printed together and didn't need to be stitched, but I stitched anyway to keep the look consistent. The whole piece was then stitched into a tube shape.

The hardest part of the whole project was fitting the strap into the slipcover. I had made it to fit pretty snugly, so lots of wiggling had to be done to put the cover on.

I love it! Since it's my first one, I'm not sure how long it will last. Not a problem, though - that just means I'll have to make another one!

My little girl (still)

Sometimes I forget just how little Malayna still is. She's six, which means she can brush her own teeth, (almost) take a shower all by herself, help set the table for dinner, go on playdates without me with no tears (never thought that would happen!)… The list goes on.

But then again, she's only six.

Her new favorite show is America's Funniest Home Videos. She loves the host, Tom Bergeron, and thinks he's the second funniest guy around (after her daddy, of course). Last night was the show where the winner of the funniest video gets $100,000. We asked her what she would do with all that money, and she said, "I would buy a pick-up truck." Jimmy asked her if she would buy him a Jeep, and she said that of course she would. I asked her what else she would buy, and she responded, "Would I still have money left over?! I would buy a husband. He will be Jewish, have brown hair, and be named Yair." (Our neighbor and her very good buddy just so happens to be named Yair.) She said they would live in California.

She then got very quiet. Her bottom lip started quivering and she said, "When I think about moving away from you I get sad." We told her we'd come to California with her (we'll follow her anywhere!) but she was already crying. She said, "Just thinking about it makes me cry." She cried for about 10 minutes.

Six is a funny age. She is so self-sufficient, wants to do things without our help, barely bats an eye when she leaves us, and for the most part would rather be playing with her friends than us. The cuddling she used to want 24/7 has whittled down to mostly once a day, maybe a little more if we're lucky. But then there are moments like last night when we're reminded that she's still our little girl.

All this talk about her growing up makes me think of the song The One Who Knows by Dar Williams. Have you ever heard it? (Get your tissues ready. We played this song at Malayna's blessing when she was about 3 months old and there was not a dry eye in the place.) This line gets me every time: "But sometimes I will ask the moon, Where it shined upon you last, And shake my head and laugh and say, It all went by so fast."

Work-in-progress

I'm almost finished with this clock, which was a special request from my brother and sister-in-law. They let me stay in their trailer near the beach (a whole lot) last summer, and to repay them (a little) I offered them a clock of their choice. None of the colors I usually use really worked in their living room, so my sister-in-law Maria suggested using a black background. What a great idea - I really like the way it looks so far! I just have to attach the clock mechanism and hands and it'll be on its way to Havertown, PA.

Child of my heart

When I write posts like this I struggle with wondering if I'm sharing too much. But then I remember that this is my blog, about my life and it's not always rosy. I don't want to be one of those bloggers whose life looks so perfect online because they never write about anything crappy that's happening. Fortunately, for me, the happy outweighs the crappy most of the time.

If you don't know the story of Artie, you can read here, here, here (scroll down a little), here, and here. In short, he's a kid who holds a piece of my heart. (I was going to write that's he's special to me, but that doesn't even begin to describe the relationship we've had or how I feel about him.) I've known him since he was born and have loved him and hoped for him since the first time I saw him. My heart's been broken because of him (not by him, necessarily) many, many times, but he's the one who taught me about loving a child. He's a wonderful, creative, funny, charming kid. I guess I should call him a man now, since he turned 20 in March. I can't quite do that, though, since I still think of him as the little 2-year-old boy with the beautiful brown eyes and independent spirit. The little boy who had a whole life ahead of him to do great things: to prove to the world that even though he had an awful childhood, he can rise above it; to be the first in his family to finish high school; to show that even one person rooting for him matters.

I could say that I loved him like he was my own child. But it was different. He wasn't mine and yet I still loved him and gave him all I could. It wasn't enough. It couldn't be enough - he deserved his mom's love and support and everything else a good (even average!) mom gives. He never got that and I can tell you that it eats away at a child when they don't have it. His mom always put her own selfish needs above her children's and wonders to this day why they are such screw-ups.

I've always been there for Artie, his brother and sister and their mom (whom I grew up with). There were many times when I (and Jimmy) rescued them. We filled their refrigerator when the only thing in there were roaches. We took Artie to the hospital when she hurt him. We bought clothes for the kids when they had nothing to wear to school. I volunteered at his schools. I did his homework with him. I called CPS when she abused them. (All before they came to live with us.) We raised for her kids for five years so she could get clean. It never happened. What did happen was that two of them hate us. All three are lost and struggling. What did we accomplish?

I'm not writing this to get pats on the back. I have enough of them. I know that we did a great thing and that not everyone would do what we did. I don't care! We did it thinking that we could make a difference. When I say that to some people they remind me how bad it could be - that he could be a murderer or something equally awful without our influence.  That does not make me feel better. You know those after-school specials/commercials/movies that tell you that just one person can make a difference in a kid's life? They make me angry.

We saw the horrible, disgusting things Artie's mom did to him and his siblings. We tried to make it better. We tried to help. All three kids were in therapy. All three had healthcare, clothes on their backs, food in their bellies and a clean, safe house to come home to everyday. We loved them. Instead of thanks, we were threatened by their family (who, by the way, never stepped up and offered to take care of the kids).

As Artie's therapist once said to me, "You and Jimmy tried to fill the Grand Canyon. You can't."

I never wanted Artie to grow up and be a doctor or a lawyer or anything like that. I didn't even care if he went to college. I just wanted him to grow up. To be happy. To rise above. To be proud of himself. 

I feel like I have to end this on a positive note. What that whole situation did do for me was to make me so incredibly grateful for Malayna. She's loved. She's ours. She has a normal, perfectly happy life.

Photo Friday

I finished my spring project! I'm excited about this because usually things that aren't related to my business get started and then tossed aside halfway done. It was a good bit of work and now that it's done I wish I'd taken pictures throughout the process so I could write a tutorial. I might just do that anyway - I could easily recreate parts of the project.

Anyway, here's the big reveal! A "bloom" banner made from vintage and new fabrics. I didn't purchase anything - all the fabrics I used were from my studio. I'm glad I finally got to use some of them. I have lots more…

What do you think?