Happy Mother's Day!

Sydney made me this beautiful weaving in school. She explained that during wood woking class the students measured, sawed and filed the notched around a pre-made frame. Then she made a sketch of the design and began to weave. The leaves of the tree were felted with roving wool. I love it!

Jasper made me this two sided card for Mother's Day. I love it too!

I am such a lucky mom!

warm and cozy

Here is Jasper with his new favorite quilt designed by our friend Rachel and made just for him. Rachel is one of our dearest friends and a total blogger goddess. Not only is she a beautiful designer, she is full of love, which as you can see, comes across in her designs. She made the quilt from scraps of the kid's favorite old PJ's and tee shirts. As you can see Jasper loves it! Please visit Rachel at her blog, Hi Happy Panda. Stay tuned for more handmade treasures by Rachel.

Easter

The Easter bunny brought a giant egg this year...

... a surfboard and a couple of wet suits. This is a foam learning board for the kids. Grownups can't use it. So far lessons are going pretty well. To be continued...

Each year we make Greek Easter bread. It's an egg based bread that's braided. Then hard boiled eggs are tucked inside the braid before it's cooked.

Some fruit, feather and flower inspired people by Sydney

Bananaman by Jasper

yosemite

Giant Sequoias

Our tent cabin in Curry Village. No heat and 30 degrees at night!

Mirror Lake. The mountain at the top of the frame is reflected in the lake.

venice

While it's cold or snowing over most of the country this is what it looked like in Venice yesterday.

hogan of pencils

Jasper wants to build a Native American Hogan for his shelter project at school. This weekend he did a study in pencils.

Halloween

Two Greek Godesses, Charlie Chaplin and Spiderman

Jasper's school costume, a Greek sailor.

retro Jasper

Here is a photo our neighbor Isabelle took of Jasper a couple of years ago. We've known Isabelle since she was about 6, now she's all grown up and studying abroad in Prague.

Isabelle had this quote attached to the photo on her Flickr page.

"There is nothing easier than lopping off heads and nothing harder than developing ideas."
Fyodor Dostoevsky

eyeworks

We made a trip to LA Eyeworks this afternoon where we have been going to get our glasses for about twenty years.

When Sydney needed glasses we called ahead to see if they would fit kids. When we got there Kevyn had pulled about 30 frames to show Sydney. She found the pink and purple frames that she wears everyday.

Now it's Jasper's turn to pick out frames.

He found this retro pair of sunglasses c. 1995. It's the same pair his dad had picked out 15 years ago.

Like father, like son...

tiny canvases

We found these tiny canvases at Blick art supply store. The kids seemed to have fun with them and some acrylic paints. Could make awesome holiday gifts....

Wax

Creations made from beeswax.

Stockmar modeling beeswax can be purchased through Rock, Scissors, Stone.

Heating the beeswax up in warm cups of water will help to soften it, making it easier to work with. Otherwise, it can be softened in your hand.

Kids having fun with melted wax from the ghost candle.