Food Drive, the Receiving End

Yesterday, a very long and heart breaking day, will not leave the back of my eyelids. I was at a Cleveland public school for my current Artist Residency, an elementary + middle combination that is nestled in the heart of the projects, and situated on a corner of the Central neighborhood.

I saw piled-high boxes of food.
Heavy big corrugated boxes stacked, like a warehouse.

A food drive.

Insert warm and fuzzy [white, middle-class, naive] feelings here. My own, I am referencing here, to be clear. I am judging only me. My head aswirl with idyllic images of children lugging cans + pantry goods to school for families in need. I nearly wept thinking about these children with so little, giving to those with less.

Seen and participated in those many a times, and many a holidays.

What I hadn't seen before yesterday: columns of heavy plain-colored book bags lined in between rows of desks, in already crowded classrooms. Bags with first names written huge in permanent marker, and their home room number beneath. Backpacks that did not contain books or papers, but food. Food for the desperately impoverished, and the homeless. Ones with less than little.

The desperately impoverished and even homeless children within the walls of this place I love. This very school, this very class, these very smiles. Hungry. And many, how could I be so surprised by reality, without homes.

And I left exhausted. Seven straight printmaking classes with the youngest in the school, and no lunch break. But yesterday, not so physically exhausted, as much as heart-heavy and emotionally whipped.

Weekend Moment, Slow Sprint to the Finish Line

Nearly two years in the slow and spotty works, Nate's room is at last finished. At almost three, the baby is moving out of the nursery. We converted a once too-large laundry and storage room into a little blue cave for our little man. And finally, on Sunday, we moved him across the hall. To a room. With a door. Mom-readers, you know how important this is. A little bear sleeping in a tandem room...all the tip-toeing, and sneaking by. He has a door now. And a cozy little cave to call his own.

More images forthcoming as we process the long and dramatic room overhaul. And most certainly, a room tour will be in order. Right now, I want to savor the sweet, though slow-coming, satisfaction of a long project completed.

Family Pictures, Autumn Edition

Several Weeks ago we went on family play photo shoot in the Metroparks at the peak of Autumn's Splendor. How does one begin to select their favorites from over 200 stunning photographs? Here is but a tiny glimpse, a sneak peek into our newest family pictures, just in time for Thanksgiving.

Photo Credits: all Dan O'Keefe of Z Media, 2009

More to come, I assure you. I simply would not be able to resist. Our friend so magically captured the team, and all the photos of lovely miss bella and sweet precious nate are music to my spirit. An intoxicating song playing on repeat.

My heart is so full.

We have so much to be thankful for.

Stuff my Stocking, Installment I

Perhaps it is the love of the teeny tiny; the miniature -- well scaled and detailed. Or the nostalgic love for new school supplies? Maybe the thrill of the towering brightly colored display, each pick only 99 cents?

We stumbled upon these in a local art supply store, and I was head-over-heels. There must have been well over 100 beautifully miniaturized little packages of iwako Japanese erasers. So lovely. So functional. And so extravagantly fun. And did I mention TINY?

The bowling set was instantly my favorite. My selection. We were each allowed to pick one. The standard rule initially created for the Craunlets, but needed also for restraining myself from all the cuteness and selection-overload.


The clincher with this set? The milky white pins, the scarlet ball, and hello--the stickers, and the ever cute Japanese instructions for application...all nestled into one little bag, waiting for play. Seriously??! That little red bowling ball -- the thumb hole is even sized slightly larger than the finger holes. And wouldn't you know, those lovely pins machined in precision, stand perfectly upright until the ball crashes them down. STRIKE!


I am certain, given the insanely vast selection, combined with their diminutive size and price, that there is a perfect gift pairing for every person on your list. In my opinion, this is a stocking stuffer must-have. Take a looky-loo right here.

Reading Lists

We find ourselves always reading here, and surrounded by piles and piles of bound pages. [remember?] With the holidays fast approaching, and all four of us soon celebrating our winter birthdays, I was thinking it would be a good time to intentionally grow our library.

Here is Nate's newest book, resting on Bella's desk.

Bella is just starting word memorization and letter sounding, and is slowly amassing a small Henry & Mudge Pre-reader collection. Any suggestions to further motivate her reading? Nate could really stand some additional alphabet/letter recognition help, and he loves his few lift-the-flap books about Trucks, Diggers, and Trains. Both could benefit from more variety in the read-aloud category, as it is our bedtime [and now afternoon] ritual. Mom and Dad would like a little more to pick from also.

What are some of your favorites? New fantastic books and treasured Oldies? Moms, what are your favorites in your collection? What childhood books do you remember most? Please share...

For the Love of the Book

I watched this video last week, and loved it. Like my soul sings when I watch it, kind of love. I have watched this start-to-finish artist book edition video now a handful of times. For any of you wondering just what it is to print, and to make books, take a click. Behold 3,000 photos laced together in stop-motion video, and be tantalized by printmaking, hand papermaking, letterpress and book arts production.



This morning, still somewhere between asleep and awake, I finally identified just what it is that resonates with me about his video -- I do this. I do all of this. And this video, makes it all look so good.

Weekend Moment, First of Christmas

This weekend we wrapped up our very first Christmas presents. One for little girl, and one for little boy. We packed them into shoe boxes, and readied them for travel across the globe, through Operation Christmas Child. To children who don't otherwise know presents as a part of Christmas.

Our packages are loaded with toys and health care items, much like the ones we packed up + sent off last year for the little girl and the little boy. Only this year, a new feature is included: tracking. We get to follow our package; know when it is delivered, and to where. I cannot wait to locate the place on the globe with the Craunlets; sometime much closer to our own Christmas celebrations.

Here is a peek inside of our boxes:


For the little boy: Planet Earth Animal Coloring Book, big crayons, toothbrush + toothpaste, sponge-covered bar of soap, 2 pairs of socks, a plastic comb, 2 lip balms, a foam football, cuddly teddy bear, wooden block toy train, and a candy cane heart.


For the little girl: Planet Earth Animal Coloring Book, big crayons, toothbrush + toothpaste, sponge-covered bar of soap, 2 pairs of socks, a plastic comb, 2 lip balms, a play purse + pearl necklace, cuddly teddy bear, hair clippers, baby doll with change of clothes + milk bottle, and a candy cane heart.

Again, I am surprised and delighted at how much you can squeeze into a shoe box. And glad that again, these are our first presents purchased and given.