painting with water

One of the things that I am finding that can always entertain ALL the kids no matter what their age is painting. We have tried so many types of paints over Liv's life as a creative little being. We've used acrylics - don't wash out of clothing when dry. Tempera - kind of messy and they go mouldy in their containers. Cheap watercolours - lumpy, non homogenized colour. Then, for Christmas, Liv received some Stockmar paints. Only the red, blue and yellow.

These paints are awesome. BEAUTIFUL, continuous colour. Concentrated making it able to add as much or as little water to create whichever intensity you'd like. I admit, they are pricey at $8 for each 20 ml bottle but I am now a true believer that they are worth it.
We mix the colours to create green, orange, purple, brown in a muffin tin and fly at it. SO. MUCH. FUN. We've been creating hearts for one our seasonal tree. It has gone bare for the Winter long enough, I figure.

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Liv has been creating art for the Artist Trading Cards Swap. She's been having a great time working with various media to get what she believes is her best work for the project. I can't wait to send them off and she can't wait to receive some in the mail form other budding artists! Like a chain letter that is more creative! (Although I do hope that she gets a few in the mail - I never did receive replies for any chain letters. Did you?)

I'll take some photos of the new updated tree in the light of day and add them to the post tomorrow.....

thanks in leaves

We've been working again on our 'seasonal tree'. I was trying to think of an activity that educational, seasonally appropriate and fun. Sometimes a hard task. I happened upon these amazing colour diffusing paper leaves that served the purpose beautifully. We used a variety of mediums as we experimented with the resulting leaves. We tried watercolour paints, water soluble felt pens, and watercolour pencil crayons. Spray bottles of water, wet paintbrushes and dunking the whole leaf in water. Liv had a fabulous time and worked on hers for days. While they dried, we thought of things we were thankful for (Thanksgiving is October 13th in Canada). They were as follows:Daddy

each other

friends and family

stranger friends (Thanks for the secret of the 'strike', Marissa!)

chickens

pets

our house

our garden

healthy food

warm beds

Canada

rain

rainbows

ham & homeschool

I don't know if the kids are feeling a little happier again or if I am just noticing their silly antics more, but I love to see them ham it up. Briar's sense of humour seems to be growing and he either gives or receives giggles constantly lately. Liv loves to be rewarded with a laugh and definitely puts on a good show. These kids have Jeff's love of laughter and I am So thankful for it. Life is never dull around here.

I am trying to get back on the 'homeschool horse'. As our learning consultant once said to me, 'kids are learning all the time' but I do want to be actively participating in that learning as well. So today, we updated the 'seasonal tree'. We put up our renditions of some of the leaves ffrom local trees. Liv still is not ready to part with the birds we made for the tree. I think we may have to add some more....goldfinches, etc. I must say that I love the seasonal tree. It is a fun way to notice our surroundings and to change up our living space as well.

getting back on the horse...er...oven

We're just in the process of trying bread AGAIN - but this time with Thegoodwitch 's recipe. (Thank you so very much!) I am SO hoping that it works!!!! I am tempted to say that if it doesn't, then I'm finished with bread. *deep breath* I shouldn't work myself up...yet.

Anyhow, I had to share a very sweet and funny thing that happened while making the bread:

Liv: Can I see one of the little yeasts, please?

Me: ....okay....

Liv: *ponders for a moment* But I can't see its' mouth....or its' eyes!

Me: Huh?

Liv: You told me that we were using 'live yeast'.

So cute!
We've been working on our seasonal tree to get it ready for the coming of Spring by making cherry blossoms out of four layers of flower shaped tissue paper and a dot of yellow paper in the centre. I suggested that we remove our display of the birds that we ahd seen at the birdfeeder recently, but I met with some reluctance. So the birds will now be in the company of flowers!
I think they turned out very pretty....a bit sparse as someone got tired of making them before I had anticipated, but pretty nonetheless.

I find these moments when they are playing quietly and enjoying each other's company so much as close to heaven as I can imagine. I love to watch them and listen without them knowing. I love the names that Liv picks for them, 'Clarabelle and Rabbie'. I love how Briar plays along and copies all his sisters movements. They are so sweet.

Sunshine!!!!!

Oh, what an amazingly fabulous day it was today!! The sun was out all day. The kids played outside for the majority of the daylight hours. I managed to complete AND post the newest crown. I sold a windchime! We made ginger snaps with our homemade butter.

We did foot print paintings and removed all the hearts from our tree and started with our new seasonal theme.

We have decided that decorating our window tree with the birds that we have seen throughout the Winter at the feeder and the newly arriving birds would be appropriate for this 'in-between' season. I wasn't sure how to show root babies, etc. with the tree so we've gone with a more avian theme. So far, we have the red-winged blackbird, the fox sparrow, house finch, rufous-sided towhee, red-breasted robin and the common flicker. Tomorrow, we'll add the dark-eyed junco and the black-capped chickadee. I think the swans, Canadian geese and the ducks may be too big fo our little tree....also, I have never, ever seen any of the larger birds in a tree...the thought of it makes me giggle, in fact...kind of like a monkey wearing glasses or a fish on a bicycle....Okay, maybe it's just lack of sleep.....

I had to include this photo of Briar pretending to breastfeed the cat. My sweet, sweet little boy.

Hoot and other adventures...

These are the 'Rainbabies' that I made for Olivia for Chirstmas....Unfortuantely, the book didn't arrive in time...So she got them for a rainy day toy after Christmas. I actually think it worked out better this way. She enjoyed the surprise and has been taking them everywhere.
A close-up of one of the babies....
I made Briar a whole set of farm animals out of wood for Christmas. They have been well-loved and this poor horse has already lost his ear. They're a definite hit, though!
Moe, in his usual day-time position.
Olivia attending the 'Snowflake Ball' with her Sparks troop. She was SO excited! We did have a bit of a fiasco regarding her clip-on earrings and losing one of the stones, however. Poor kid. She was VERY upset.

We had an encounter with a barred owl...at the mall (it was in the parking lot). I had no idea that barred owls hunt during the day!
He was dozing the majority of the time.
Liv was catching rainbows in her hand.
My sister moves this week to here in town!!!!!! I've been keeping an eye on her little house for her while it waits for them to arrive. It was lovely and sunny there yesterday.
Our window tree has been turned into a Valentine's love tree now. We wrote all the people that Olivia could think of that she loved....I think it's so sweet she included 'Mother Earth'.

P.S. I am having intermittent computer troubles....It's actually a miracle that I ahve managed to get this stuff on here. Anyhow, if you don't hear from me for awhile, that is why!