Hello everyone!! It’s been a wild week around here! It is always crazy to me how we can go from doing absolutely nothing and then have a week that is nonstop. But that is what happened to us this past week. It’s all been good but lots of things were happening!
After our super slow weekend last week, with the big snow and being stuck inside, we hit the ground running on Monday. Wyatt and I had a jam packed day of school, followed by our Cub Scouts meeting at the library, which was awesome. The kids were learning 3-D printing, and Curtis, the librarian in charge of this event, did a fantastic job setting things up for our scouts. He put a lot of thought and work into it! He even had some premade ideas in the program that the kids could customize, like key chains and bookmarks and Cub scout related items. It was very cool. He also surprised Wyatt with a Cub Scout statue with a snail on it, because he remembered Wyatt loves snails. The kids (and the parents) all had a great time!
Then the rest of the week we had therapy and equipment deliveries for Wyatt, a basketball for his cousin – the first he has ever been to, bowling in his new special needs kids league, and I had our blogger Zoom crafternoon event! We are having so much fun with our crafternoons and hanging out that we are going to continue them instead of ending this month as we had originally planned.
Friday we had so much fun in art too. I love when I find an artist that just resonates with us, and Maud Lewis seems to be one of them. I love her whimsical style and bright colors and Wyatt likes them as well. I didn’t know much about her myself before this study, but I am loving her story. She was a Canadian artist, living in Nova Scotia. She lived her life with a disability, one that caused her a lot of pain, as well as affecting her hands and legs and stature. But that didn’t stop her from seeing the joy around her and spreading that to everyone else. One of the videos we watched described her life as “the power of creativity and resilience” and I loved that. We read the book A Tulip in Winter together, and then Wyatt’s art project for the day was to recreate the Maud’s windows! She had brightly colored tulips painted in the windows of her small house, so Wyatt and I used window markers and did the same to our front window. We are both so happy with how it turned out, and every time I see them, it makes me smile. They are hard to see in this photo with how the sun was shining (yes the sun was shining!!) but they are so joyful, and reminds us that spring is on the way.
I spotted this online during my research for this art study, which will continue into March, and I think I need it.
I also learned something new this week! I learned that Japan has stationery awards! How did I not know this before? I have always loved pens and markers and stickers and paper and notebooks. I worked in an office supply store that sold fine pens and stationery and all that good stuff and it was like a dream. I own so many really nice pens from my time spent working there. And honestly, they just aren’t available like they used to be, it seems like. There are so many cool things! I love this little pouch for all of your writing materials!
Billy and I have been watching one of my favorite shows this week, The Great British Pottery Throw Down. This group seems to be very talented, and now I am really inspired to make some cool things with my MIL this spring or fall. She is going to teach me as she is a potter with her own kiln, and I of course have all these big ideas. LOL. I’ll be happy though even if I can only make something very basic. We also started the Gabby Petito documentary as well, and we only have one part left. I find myself getting so very angry while watching it.
Later today we have a family get together to celebrate both Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day. It will be fun to hang out for a bit with everyone.
And that is it from me today! I hope that whatever you do today, you do something that makes you smile.
Talk to you later my friends!
Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs.. 
I am so sorry I missed yesterday’s crafternoon. I got busy, and then my daughter called to see if I wanted to go shopping with her and my granddaughter. I’m glad you’re going to continue them.
You have the absolute best library! How cool that they showed your group how to use a 3D printer. It seems like just yesterday those came out, and, now, you can find them everywhere.
I love your “Tulips in the Window.” I may do something like that with the front window. It gives the effect of stained glass. I think your art lessons are my favorite!
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We missed you but “real life” and family come first!! Lol. I hope you got some fun things shopping!
I really do love our library. They do so many things for the community and are always coming up with engaging events. Plus they love Wyatt and that make me happy as a mom. 🙂
Thanks Marsha! It was such a fun pick me up for us both, during this last bit of winter. And yeah – I think art is the best part of both Wyatt and my homeschool week too. Lol. Thank you!
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That does sound like a busy but wonderful week. I love your window tulips! I had never heard of that artist before but i will definitely be looking her up. Good luck with your pottery! I took pottery for a couple of years in high school but my projects were very hit or miss… too often they didn’t make it through the kiln firing without “blowing up” as I was really bad at not putting more air bubbles into the clay as I worked with it.
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Thank you! They just brighten our little den right up on these gray days! I had not heard of her either; I found out about her researching new artists for Wyatt to study. 🙂 And I have these huge plans but I know that I should be prepared for … er.. more misses. Lol.
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Those tulip windows are awesome!! What a cheerful spot of color for the lingering winter 😀 And I had not heard of that artist before, but just from the cover of that book, I think I’m in love ❤
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She is wonderful. She is a folk artist which is my personal favorite style, and when you know where she comes from and how painful her life was, it is amazing to know such vivid happy images were created by her. She must have had a beautiful soul.
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I first heard of Maud Lewis when I stumbled upon the movie “Maudie” on TV. Not an easy life, but she managed to fill it with art and beauty to help her.
Japan really has amazing designs.
I was so mad when my cable company took away our access to NHK on TV, well, I still am. I loved watching the programs about design and architecture and crafts and old traditions.
My favorite festival is Harikuyo or the Festival of Broken Needles.
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I ran into that movie when I was researching her! I added it to our list to watch. I feel so inspired by her life and I love introducing artists who have disabilities to Wyatt.
Well now I need to look those up!!
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I’m sorry – stationary awards? How did I not know this! The librarian sounds beyond amazing! What a fun program. And yes continue crafternoons as long as you can. My kid is 15 and is way too cool to do the fun stuff anymore – just ask him. I still do fun stuff but miss having a little companion! Have a great week!
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Isn’t that cool! I want to be a judge for those! Send me all the stationary and pens and journals please! Lol.
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That librarian is wonderful! I love the bowling frame thing and also the tulips on your window, how pretty are they!
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They really are a library full of great librarians. We love everyone who works there honestly. Curtis though went above and beyond for my kiddo and the scouts! And thank you!
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The 3D printing event sounds so fun! I always try to be aware of things like that so I can use them with my scouts if I have the chance! Your tulips are beautiful! What a fun idea!
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Wow, what a busy but exciting week! I love that Wyatt’s librarian went the extra mile with the Cub Scouts project—those little personal touches mean so much. Also, Maud Lewis’s story is so inspiring, and I bet your window tulips look beautiful and bring a little extra joy to your days!
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Girl, I am still catching up. Lol.
The librarians at our library are amazing. They really do so much for the patrons and the community.
Thank you! They really do cheer it up in these rainy/snowy gray days.
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It sounds like a great week! I love that snail statue and the tulips in the window. It is neat to discover new artists. This week was challenging over here with my mom fainting (she hadn’t done that in almost 2 years) and going to the ER but we did get some info and insights from her follow up at the doctor (I’ll be going to her appointments from now on, I think it really helped to have an advocate -me) and looks like she will qualify to get some weekly help from home care services. So despite a very stressful day or 2 this week, some good might have come out of it.
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Thank you!
Oh my goodness! I hope your mom is doing well now! And my parents are at that age too, where it is really good to be there with them. I am glad that you are able to advocate for her. And that is wonderful if she could get some weekly help!
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Oh, I love stationary and pens too. That’s so cool about you working in a store.
and I really want to look Maud Lewis up! Thank you for sharing about her.
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Maud is super interesting and I love teaching Wyatt about artists who also had disabilities. 🙂
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