Etsy favorites - recycled goodies!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Etsy Favorites Roundup - SactoMetro
A few fine selections from the Sacramento Etsy Street Team - Sacto Metro Etsy. On Etsy, search for the tag "SactoMetro." On Twitter, look for @sactometroetsy.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Thinking about homeschooling this fall...
Summer should be about relaxing, chilling out by the pool, fun and games. But, as any homeschooling parent knows, it is also a time to start thinking about the fall and homeschool curriculum and planning! This year, however, I am at a bit of a loss...my son is on the cusp of...I don't know what. Yes, he's nearly 12 and that means lots of physical changes, but he also seems to be on the verge of something huge intellectually. I see it, right there, just brewing under the surface. But, what is it? How to tap into it? How to help him bring it out? I'm at a loss.
I've been looking at homeschooling materials, curriculums, plans, and on and on but have yet to find anything that I think will truly tap into my son's desires, needs, and potentials. Everything seems to be either just oh so easy - read: boring. Or, so far above and beyond that I worry about his ability to really *get it* or about the possibility of burn-out.
Part of me wants to let go and let JP find his own way via unschooling (or, child-led learning). He has concrete enough interests that I know he will learn more than I can possibly imagine. But...I am not that courageous. I don't doubt my son's ability to learn and pursue his passions, but I doubt my own ability to help him in those pursuits. How do I help an 11 year old boy who is interested in nuclear energy? In how atomic bombs work? In all things warfare related (though he is a peace-lover)? In computer everything? I just don't know...
Sure, there is conventional wisdom like, "Go to the library!" or "You can find some great videos at..." or "Take him on field trips..." Guess what? None of that has been completely satisfying for him so far. I could sign him up for classes but who has the money for that? Not me... I could send him to camps. But again, with what money?
Right now I am feeling rather lost. So, what is the plan for fall? I have absolutely no idea...we'll figure it out when we get there...
I've been looking at homeschooling materials, curriculums, plans, and on and on but have yet to find anything that I think will truly tap into my son's desires, needs, and potentials. Everything seems to be either just oh so easy - read: boring. Or, so far above and beyond that I worry about his ability to really *get it* or about the possibility of burn-out.
Part of me wants to let go and let JP find his own way via unschooling (or, child-led learning). He has concrete enough interests that I know he will learn more than I can possibly imagine. But...I am not that courageous. I don't doubt my son's ability to learn and pursue his passions, but I doubt my own ability to help him in those pursuits. How do I help an 11 year old boy who is interested in nuclear energy? In how atomic bombs work? In all things warfare related (though he is a peace-lover)? In computer everything? I just don't know...
Sure, there is conventional wisdom like, "Go to the library!" or "You can find some great videos at..." or "Take him on field trips..." Guess what? None of that has been completely satisfying for him so far. I could sign him up for classes but who has the money for that? Not me... I could send him to camps. But again, with what money?
Right now I am feeling rather lost. So, what is the plan for fall? I have absolutely no idea...we'll figure it out when we get there...
Friday, July 9, 2010
Funky Friday - New Uses for Old Books
Hey there! Welcome to Funky Friday! Pull up a chair, grab a cup o' joe (I take mine black, thank you!), and sit for a spell!
If you have seen my primary Etsy shop, then you know that I have a penchant for altered book art. I recently had someone question why I would ruin a "perfectly good book." Basically I was being accused of defacing literature. I was horrified! NEVER would I ruin a "perfectly good book!" I love and respect books far too much! The discussion conjured up images of book burnings, book bans, and Nazi Germany. Awful, horrible stuff. It also brought to mind a discussion that cropped up on my Facebook page last year during the American Library Association's "Banned Book Week."
First of all, I *never* use books that are in good enough condition to be sold, gifted, or donated. For my art and for my envelopes, I only use books that are in some way damaged beyond their use as a book but that are not so badly damaged that they can't be used for some other purpose. There...now that I've cleared that up, I feel much better! Don't you?
If you have seen my primary Etsy shop, then you know that I have a penchant for altered book art. I recently had someone question why I would ruin a "perfectly good book." Basically I was being accused of defacing literature. I was horrified! NEVER would I ruin a "perfectly good book!" I love and respect books far too much! The discussion conjured up images of book burnings, book bans, and Nazi Germany. Awful, horrible stuff. It also brought to mind a discussion that cropped up on my Facebook page last year during the American Library Association's "Banned Book Week."
First of all, I *never* use books that are in good enough condition to be sold, gifted, or donated. For my art and for my envelopes, I only use books that are in some way damaged beyond their use as a book but that are not so badly damaged that they can't be used for some other purpose. There...now that I've cleared that up, I feel much better! Don't you?
The above piece is a print of one of my illustrations. I was flipping through an old beat up and tattered thesaurus and came across the word "death" and thought my drawing would go perfectly with that page! The drawing's title is "Death Masked and Cloaked." I have to tell you, getting this sucker to print was a challenge! I'm so glad that I did a few test runs on other pages! My printer was not happy with the very small pages - I trimmed this one to 3.75 inches square.
And, to go along with the whole thesaurus idea, I've also been doing original illustrations directly onto the pages from that same thesaurus! This one shows off a bit of my personality...I'm a complete and total word nerd!
Another great use for old books beyond repair but with fantastic imagery (or for old magazine pages), is to make envelopes. I've been doing this for years and years. The first few years, I just opened up an envelope and traced it. But, a while back I found a plastic template at a craft store and have been using that ever since. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find plastic templates in other sizes. So, I do still cut open envelopes to trace...sigh...obviously I should just do an internet search for the templates... The local craft store has some crazy template thing but it is not at all what I am looking for...
And with that, I am signing off! It has been a very long day, Etsy is being very temperamental, and I am exhausted! See you around!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Apologies for getting sidetracked - ETSY FAVORITES TODAY!
My apologies for getting sidetracked and not posting for the last few days. I have some great ideas for Teaching Tuesday's homeschooling posts but will save them for next week.
Before I get into our ETSY FAVORITES, I want to point out the tabs across the top, under the blog banner. I added a new one recently: Press and Publications. Under this tab we will be adding links and information about where you can see our work (outside of Etsy and blog features).
Now...on to Etsy Favorites! This week, I am featuring favorites from a team that I recently joined via Etsy. For those that don't know, a team on Etsy is a group of artists and crafters that come together for any number of reasons in order to help promote on another, learn, form friendships, etc. The team that I joined is called World Wide Etsy Sellers (or "wwes" for short). So far it has been a great experience! Check out the WWES blog HERE. And find them on Twitter HERE.
Before I get into our ETSY FAVORITES, I want to point out the tabs across the top, under the blog banner. I added a new one recently: Press and Publications. Under this tab we will be adding links and information about where you can see our work (outside of Etsy and blog features).
Now...on to Etsy Favorites! This week, I am featuring favorites from a team that I recently joined via Etsy. For those that don't know, a team on Etsy is a group of artists and crafters that come together for any number of reasons in order to help promote on another, learn, form friendships, etc. The team that I joined is called World Wide Etsy Sellers (or "wwes" for short). So far it has been a great experience! Check out the WWES blog HERE. And find them on Twitter HERE.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)