African Masks [Children’s Art]

February 27, 2017May 21, 20178 Comments

My son is all better and back in school, but I must say, I was in kiddie art heaven last Thursday while I waited to meet with his teacher to collect the assignments he missed. The school held its annual art fair and though I didn’t see everything, what I did see was pretty impressive.

I’m in the throes of midterm grading, so I’m just going to share the colorful masks done by my son and his peers in Mrs. Trott’s 5th-6th grade (combined) class.

They all started with a basic mask and added touches that express their personalities.

Adam

Antonio

Brianna

Edyn

Elijah

Emani

Hannah

Jaleesa

James

Jasmyn

Jolynn

Josiah

J’Sai

Kyemoria

Malcolm

Mekhi

Micah

Naomi

Tahjee

Vaughan

Zahra

I love every one of these masks!

The students have been learning about the continent of Africa–its landforms, peoples, histories, and cultures–so I’m sure this was a fun exercise to complement their lessons.

Well, I’m back to grading. I’ll be back eventually with pics of some of the other art.

Happy Monday!

Photography: Taking Shots and Finding the Right Challenge

February 23, 2017March 3, 20176 Comments

Last month I attempted Fat Mum Slim’s Photo-a-Day. I completed the challenge a few times and thought it would encourage me to get a little creativity in each day. Unfortunately, the timing was wrong. The semester was beginning and the weather was strange.

I captured about nine days before the possibility of capturing a photo every day in January slipped away. I gave up when I realized I was pretty much just “taking shots” and not actually “crafting” or “creating” anything. Here’s what I did capture as part of the challenge.

Day 1: Favorite Color—Purple, of course. An ornament on my Aunt Elaine’s Christmas tree.

Day 1: Favorite Color

Day 2: Delicious–Avocado. My favorite fruit. Yum!

Day 2: Delicious

Day 3: Circle–The circular ironwork on a mailbox. I know it’s more a nautilus, but you get the point. 😀

Day 3: Circle

Day 4: Animal–Ferret. Say “hello” to Gnash! He’s kind of a ham–or maybe just curious about the camera.

Day 4: Animal

Day 5: A Favorite Thing–Books! A tiny sneak peek at the books in our home library or the reason why I can’t be a minimalist.

Day 5: A Favorite Thing

Day 6: Me–A Selfie. I’m not into selfies, so I played around with the pic. A bit cheeky, eh?

Day 6: Me!

This is me too! Same photo. Different manipulation.

Day 6: Me!

Day 7: Time–Quotes in my planner on time. It was such a coincidence that the quotes in my planner coincided with the theme for the day! I had to capture it.

Day 7: Time

Day 8: A Wall–This is a part of the inspiration wall in my office on campus. It has quotes, beautiful images from friends and students, photos of family members, sunflowers, cards, and so much more. Eye and soul candy to get me through the challenging days.

Day 8: A Wall

Day 9: Mail–Beautiful postage from Senegal that I’d planned to use in a project and postcards and a letter with vintage postage that were “adorning” my desk.

Day 9: Mail

Day 12: Leaf–I captured the leaf photo late one windy evening. Bronze leaves against the black sky.

Day 12: Leaf

I found it boring, so I altered it. This “shows” the wind.

Day 12: Leaf

I “failed” at photo-a-day, but some good came from this failure. It freed me to have some photo fun at the New Orleans Botanical Gardens (I’ll share that adventure another time). (And) through this exercise, I learned that I want a more intentional photo challenge, one that is about more than a photo and a theme.

Thanks to Alice’s Grand Adventures, I found The Dogwood 52 Week Challenge. This challenge is manageable during the busy academic year: it removes the pressure to capture a photo every day based on a specific theme, and it’s about stretching and growing as a photographer. The assignments are “in one of three categories: storytelling, technical, artistic impression.” The good news is that even though we’re seven weeks into the year, I’m not late! The challenge is designed to begin at any time; it’s up to the individual photographer.

So…I’m in!

I’m looking forward to sharing the challenge with you each week.

Microblog Mondays: He Restores My Soul

February 20, 2017February 20, 20176 Comments

My little one is sick for the fourth time this season, so when I woke up this morning, worried and stressed, I needed a simple and familiar scripture to start the day. I opened the Bible App and the “Verse of the Day” provided the first few verses of Psalm 23–just what I needed to help the little one get through the day.

“He Leads Me Beside Peaceful Streams,” Wheeler Lake, Huntsville, Alabama.

The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
He leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
Psalm 23:1-3a NLT

Photo Walk: Praying with Trees

February 16, 2017February 18, 201716 Comments

I had to take a walk today. I had to get out of my office and soak in the sun and rid myself of some of the ugliness that had been clawing at my soul.

The last few weeks have been bad. Not because everything has gone wrong and life has been topsy-turvy, but in soul-killing ways. I’ve been dealing with too many people who simply aren’t nice and it was making me physically tired. Like, I-want-to-sleep-to-not-deal-with-people tired.

The “everydayness” of the pettiness and meanness and slights were taking a toll. No matter how well I let things “roll off my back,” when the assaults are hard, fast, and consistent, tiny slights feel like boulders. They aren’t so easy to roll away. They just sort of pile up and impede my ability to “move on” or not take things “to heart.”

I found it difficult to shake the mood that was gripping me and dragging me to a dark, dark place. I had to do something, so I “escaped” for a bit.

I didn’t take my camera. I didn’t plan to take photos. (I had my phone with me out of habit and for security). I just needed to walk and talk with God for a moment. I needed him to “right” my perspective and reset my mood. I needed him to expel from my spirit the foulness that was intent on sullying my soul.

After a few steps, I looked up.

The trees were communing and basking in the warmth of this so-called winter and playing against the clear blue sky.

I paused.

I took a deep, cleansing breath.

I listened.

I allowed God’s Spirit to bathe me and exorcise the yuckiness.

And fill me with good things–things that are lovely, pure, right, and true.

I’m light and airy and my gratitude is floating in the wind, dancing with the trees.

love is a place…yes is a world

February 14, 2017February 14, 2017Leave a comment

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Note: This is the “Love Post” we sent to family and friends last year. As usual, this year’s post will be sent “late,” but I’ll be sure to share it after everyone receives it. 😉 For now, read slowly and savor every movement of, with, and through love and life.

Microblog Mondays: “I Will No Longer Hide in the Shadows”

February 13, 2017February 13, 201713 Comments

“I Will Be The Place Where Need Is Met with Love and Compassion”

If Trump does no other good, we must acknowledge that the reality of his presidency has awakened a slumbering nation. Many finally realize that we can no longer resist in silence and leave the fate of our nation in the hands of elected officials, many of whom for too long have served their own political interests and agendas and have paid attention to their constituents only when it was time to collect votes.

“I Speak for the Trees Too.”

I am particularly proud of the way one of my nieces, Tiffany, has “awakened” and is [re]claiming her voice. She has been wearing out her boots marching and standing up for human rights and against oppression since the day Trump took office. On that “fateful” day, she responded to her peers who claimed to be taking a social media hiatus to avoid the political talk and conversations. In a post that I’m sure set their teeth on edge she called them out of their stupor and demanded that they finally see her and her struggle as a Black woman.

I’m glad that many of you can take a social media hiatus, avoid Facebook for the day and disengage from political conversations. I’m glad that you can “take a break” from all of the hate and negativity that you feel you are seeing. I don’t have that luxury.

I cannot take off my skin.
I cannot un-know what it feels like to have white men tell me that they’ve “never had a black girl suck their d*** before.”
I cannot go back and ask all the things I wanted to know in science classes dominated by men who made me feel inferior, insignificant and ignored.
I cannot forget the fear of being followed and harassed for miles on the highway and being spoken to in demeaning ways by men in grocery stores who thought that they had every right to behave that way.

I will march and I will raise my voice. I will face fear and the pain of the things that have shaped my heart and kept me silent and left me afraid. I will not ignore and turn my back to hate. I will look hate directly in the eye and say, “no more.”

Brokenness mends best out in the daylight, and I will no longer hide in the shadows.

Tiffany marched again this weekend, this time in the 11th Annual Moral March in Raleigh, North Carolina, coordinated by the NC NAACP. “Big” sister Erin–one year older–who is also socially conscious, marched with her. They were interviewed by WRAL News.

With Erin at the Moral March in Raleigh, North Carolina–being interviewed by WRAL

Tiffany is about more than the march. She realizes real change takes more than getting her boots dirty. While there are things happening in the political arena that we can’t ignore, there are crises in people’s personal lives that need immediate attention, so she’s doing what she can to make life better for others. This year she’s participating in the Make-a-Wish Trailblaze Challenge to “raise funds and grant wishes for children with life threatening medical conditions.” It is her goal to “enrich their lives with hope, strength, and joy.”

Travel and Protest: In the airport standing up for immigrants and against the travel ban.

Thank you for coming out of the shadows, Tiffany. The world needs you!

March on…

Bear Carries Sunflowers, or More Children’s Book Illustration Postcards

February 11, 2017February 11, 20173 Comments

From the Big Book of Bear and Hedgehog, Ingrid & Dieter Schubert

Should we be concerned that the first thing I noticed about this postcard is the sunflowers that form part of the bouquet Bear is hiding? My obsession with sunflowers has hit an all new high.

The cute card, featuring two animals hiding gifts behind their backs, was sent for the Book Lovers Congregate Children’s Book Illustration Postcards Swap #12. Sammoning (Netherlands) sent the postcard and admitted that she joined BLC “just to participate” in children’s book illustration swaps! How cool is that? She’s fortunate enough to live near a bookstore that sells “beautiful illustrated postcards with typical Dutch characters like Miffy and also more unique and current stories.”

The postcard illustration comes from The Big Book of Bear and Hedgehog, which is actually a compilation of four books of the duo’s adventures written by husband and wife team Ingrid and Dieter Schubert. The bear is described in reviews as “clumsy and rather silly,” and the hedgehog as “cheeky.” They were introduced to Dutch children’s literature in 1998 and have continued to line the shelves of children all over the world.

For Children’s Book Illustration Postcards Swap #12 (public), Mollypop (USA) sent this sweet postcard of a little girl with her teddy bear (because she knows I like teddy bears). The illustration is by Alice May Cook (1876-1958), a Scottish painter and illustrator.

Alice M. Cook from Blackie’s Children’s Annual

The image is from Blackie’s Children’s Annuals, which were published by Blackie and Son Limited, a publishing house in Glasgow, Scotland (1891-1991). According to the Abe Books website, children’s books were published in periodicals and distributed weekly or monthly. At the end of the year, the best stories were collected, bound, and released just in time for Christmas gifting.

You can find a selection of Cook images here. Though limited, the collection demonstrates the range of her art. Unfortunately, I found very little about the illustrator and even less about this postcard in particular.

Swaps #13 haven’t made their way to me from Israel yet, but good news–both postcards for swap #14 arrived today! Look for those here soon.

Until next time…

Enjoy!

Another Round of Love!

February 9, 2017February 9, 20176 Comments

We completed the first round of Love Notes 2017 a couple of weeks ago. Again, I had a beautifully artistic soul with whom to exchange cards and messages. My partner, Carolyn D. of Garden City, Idaho sent handcrafted cards with elegantly handwritten messages. It was always such a treat to find one of her notes in my mailbox.

For week 1’s prompt “I can trust the universe because…,” Carolyn sent:

“Create Art” by Carolyn D.

I can trust the universe because of its maker, who shows Himself in the laughter of the children, the beauty of nature, and the kindness of strangers.

Week 2’s prompt, “I invite you to tend to your soul…” provided me with a gorgeous card and much needed advice. I should have heeded this advice before I was forced to spend four days in bed.

“Feathers and Spools,” by Carolyn D.

I invite you to tend to your soul in a tub of hot water with your favorite bubble bath… Then, donning warm socks and a pair of sweats and reading your favorite book while curled up in your favorite chair.

I’ll be tending my soul and body in this way tomorrow with a hot cup of tea added to the prescription. My soul and body need this.

And for “Love is…,” the dreaded week 3 prompt (dreaded because that means the round has come to an end), Carolyn appropriately sent hearts and love.

“Hearts and Love” by Carolyn D.

Love is…

taking time to help someone when you’re in a hurry

being kind when someone’s opinion differs from yours

God giving you strength when you are overwhelmed by the events in the world and in your country

I’m intrigued by how Carolyn can take torn paper and cut outs and make such visually appealing cards.

We were similar in our approaches to the prompts and I thoroughly enjoyed our exchange. She ended the swap with a nice lengthy note telling me a bit about herself. I’m happy to add her to my growing list of postcard pals.

As usual, I received extra cards from other Love Notes participants turned pen friends. I shared Martha’s cards here and here. If you haven’t seen it already, you’ll fall in love with the adorable raccoon watercolor.

Jacki sent a multi-paneled postcard, “Driftwood Art” by Martin Wiscombe. This one was sent from the future, as it was dated February 18, 2017. I love it! I’ll make a point of revisiting it on 02-18-17.
Lorelei sent a “Did You Know?” postcard about Five Missions of San Antonio, Texas.
Sheila, a new Love Notes friend shared a woodblock print by Holly Meade, a Maine artist. Check out Reach Road Gallery for more.
Marrianna, another new friend and very talented photographer shared her gorgeous flower, edited in iColorama, one of my favorite editing apps. You can see more of her work on her blog, Snapshots in Time.
Christine, who is a prolific postcard sender, sent her cheerful watercolor tulips.

[Click an image for a closer look]

“Driftwood Art” from an original design by Martin Wiscombe

Five Missions, San Antonio, Texas

Woodblock Print by Holly Meade, Reach Road Gallery, Sedgwick, Maine

“Flower” by Marrianna Dougherty

Tulips Watercolor by Christine B.

The next round begins in April. Plan to join in! For more information and to sign up, click here.

Microblog Mondays: Reflect.

February 6, 2017February 6, 201710 Comments

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. –Annie Dillard.

I’ve spent the last 72 hours in bed. Sick. Ugh! I wasted a significant amount of that time fretting over the things that weren’t getting done. Initially, I was too sick to read, write, or do much of anything and too irritable to be good company, but a letterpress card Martha S. sent to me last month helped me find value in being sick.

“Reflection.” Designed by David Radarvar.

Reflect.

It will help you learn. It will help you heal. It will help you grow. It will help you better help others. It is the only way to become who you are meant to be.

The card and the accompanying booklet are the perfect journaling companions as I recuperate. The booklet has six panels which guide reflection on the past year–the good; the bad; career and work; change and growth; friendship and love; and summary.

If you’d like to take some time to reflect, the Holstee guide can be accessed on the site. Click the “Download the Action List (PDF)” link and you’re there.

What do you do when you’re trapped in bed?