Enchanted Chameleon

~ anti bully ~

Today in Canada it is Pink Shirt Day.  Pink Shirt Day is an anti-bully movement started in Nova Scotia when a boy was bullied for wearing a pink shirt on the first day of school.  I'm very passionate about the anti-bully movement.  I was bullied.  I was an easy target: sensitive and different but there is never an excuse for it.

Except, in the past few years I've done some thinking.  I finally got over what the girls did to me when I was young.  It took a really long time.  It took being a parent.  I noticed in my own son that if we used little threats, 'no TV if you don't do such and such" that he didn't learn to do such and such.  He learned to use threats with us and his friends and others around us.  "I won't go to bed unless you do such and such".  The bullied becomes the bully.  I have become extremely careful to not use these tactics.  I want to raise a caring and compassionate little boy.  I have to slow down, get enough rest and really tune in to my sons behaviours to understand why he acts the way he acts and to meet him without power struggles.  And it's so worth it.

So if you're wondering what you can do to help support the anti-bully movement, to see a world where our hopeful children are not killing themselves because of isolation and hatred, the place to start is in our very own homes.  We can change the learned behaviours that we teach our children to compassion and caring.  Our world and our future depends on them.

My absolute favourite resources for parenting:

Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn

How To Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Fabor

These are the resources that I am using to ensure my language and my parenting best supports a child and a parent with the least amount of power struggles.  Win-Win-Win.  XO.  S

~ thrifty finds ~

I've been finding a little more time here and there to do a little thrifting.  I find the more I do, the more selective I am, and the happier I am with my finds.  For instance, the game of Sorry for $1 from my favourite thrift shop around the corner.  I frequent it the most because it is priced to clear as it is a charity store and the game of Sorry was a must have from my childhood.  Even better than good finds are good finds for 50% off.  I was thrilled thrilled thrilled to find a brand new copy of the Classic Art of Hand Shadows from Lee Valley at the Salvation Army.  To top off the thrill of finding something that we were going to buy brand new sometime soon anyways is getting it for half off:  a whopping .34 cents.  It's like winning a lottery!  XO.  S

~ first things first :: juice caboose opening for season ~

::  photo source  ::

Things are busy in these parts.  I'm starting to feel the butterflies in my belly.  Juice Caboose is opening up for 2012 this Saturday March 3rd at the Winter Farmer's Market at Nat Bailey Stadium from 10 am to 2 pm.  We will be there rain or shine!  I'm working on a delicious and weather suited smoothie for the Feature on Saturday and possibly some sampling for a snack food that we are hoping to carry this year. I'd like to start the year off with a bang!  If you are local, I do hope to see you there and if not every Saturday this month Juice Caboose is booked either at the famer's market or at Whole Foods for two events that I will share with you soon.  You can check all the details right now at the Juice Caboose blog. 

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!  Already looking forward to next!  XO.  S

{this moment}

Inspired by SouleMama

~ cold remedies ~

I tried out a couple of homemade cold remedies over at the Juice Caboose blog.  The first was non vegan and the second was raw and vegan.  Go on over and check them out!  XO.  S

~ changing face ~

~ c's choice ~

C plus my camera =

Impromptu Friday night photo shoot.  Night vision added in the editing process.  Of course, what little boy can't resist the effects of night vision on his pictures.  This is us not watching TV. XO.  S

~ r2d2 ~

It's strange that I had all these completed projects and I thought I had so many posts to write and yet I was completely away for a few days last week in this space.  Well, said projects had to get to their new owners first.  And to be honest, I'm not sure that the above R2D2 hat has even arrived at my brothers house or head yet, I can't wait anymore!!!

I made an R2D2 hat!  There I said it.  

Free pattern found here on the Excessively Diverted blog.  I didn't make it exactly and to get the colours that matched R2D2 I didn't use real wool.  I made the whole thing in the round cause that's how I like it. And instead of knitting the different colours and details of R2 I sewed felt pieces on instead.  I like how it turned out.  In fact, I think it's pretty awesome.  However, if I were to find those exact colours and size of wool in REAL wool, oh, the hat that would be made!  I'll keep my eyes out if you do.  Of course, the little one wants one now too.  I don't blame him.  

Hope you had a great weekend.  XO.  S 

~ enchanting friends :: serena from heavens earth ~

It recently came to my attention how lucky a lady I am.  Not just because of all the good things that happen to me but also because of the good people I know.  When I posted about raising funds for a new generator for the Juice Caboose, I was so honored to receive donations from fellow bloggers.  Women that I had never formerly met, with whom my relationship has been completely online.  How incredible is that?  I think it's pretty amazing.

One of those amazing ladies is Serena.  We connected a while ago during one of my Green Smoothie Challenges.  She is an incredibly talented artist, photographer and mama, and I really wanted to share her and her work with you.  She lives in Winnipeg with her two children and hubby, sells her goods on her Etsy Heavens Earth and blogs about life on What a Sweet Life.  Please welcome the enchanting Serena!    

EC - What are your biggest challenges as a mother?

Serena -  For me the biggest challenge is giving up control. I generally want to just go go go and always have a new project in my head, something I want to do with the family or a place I want to visit. Having a just turned three-year old, a seven month old, and a husband who is on 24/7 call, means that if we want to have quality time as a family, we can't have a set schedule where on Monday we would do this, Tuesday that and so on. Living without a schedule is actually pretty freeing. We do have a rhythm at home that we fall into regardless of who is home and what we may want to do that day. I've also had to accept that just because I want to finger paint in the morning and bake cookies in the afternoon with my son while wearing my daughter on my back, doesn't mean that either of them want any part of it or any part of me, sometimes they just need their Daddy!  I'm learning to just roll with it and not take it personally.

EC - How did your work as an artist begin?

Serena -  I don't have a grand story about how I became an artist. I didn't go to school for it, in fact, I did the opposite, I was a science student in university. In my late teens and early 20's I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease - this became my wake up call. I wasn't studying sciences in university for the right reasons; suddenly having a "good" job wasn't important to me anymore. I decided not to finish my degree, got a job (that turned into a wonderful career) with the federal government and started to do things just for me. I have always loved art.. always. I honestly can't remember not being interested in it in some form. Being "sick" suddenly made it ok for me to start exploring art on a professional level. At one point I was in a local gallery and just casually asked the owner if they were looking for new art and she said to bring my stuff down, so I did, and she loved it! This was a pretty big milestone for me. From there I started to do more and more art, have it displayed and sold in more galleries, and explore what would be involved in representing myself as an artist. 

My husband has also been very involved with me pursuing art - he has always 100% encouraged every new project, every new genre, medium; I know how blessed I am! He really encouraged me to open up Heavens Earth on Etsy and put in the time to create new work. 

EC - What motivates you?
 
Serena - My family is my biggest motivation. I love my family more than anything in the world and I just want them to be proud of me. Pretty simple eh?! 

EC - What lessons have you learned from selling your artwork and starting a business?

Serena - I think the biggest lesson that I've learned from selling my art online is to not take it personal. I used to feel bad about my work when it wouldn't sell hours after being uploaded on site. I soon realized that there is a lot more to just making art available for purchase.  Promotion and advertising is huge and something I struggle with. I've also had to learn and embrace that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. It used to make me very upset to see people using very similar techniques and layouts. When Cloth Paper Scissors magazine contacted me about doing an article on my technique, I didn't know what to do!  Thoughts of everyone knowing how I create my art and copying it started rushing through my head! I did come to realize that no one gains anything by hoarding techniques, and that even if everyone knows how to do my work, it doesn't mean that they will do it or if they do, that it will be exactly the same... its like cooking; just because you have your favourite restaurants recipe, it doesn't mean that you'll stop going there to eat! 

EC - What fulfills you?

Serena - So many things!  And they do change from day to day, season to season. Right now I'm finding fulfillment in: seeing the way my children look at each other;  making my husband come out of his comfort level and try new things; nourishing my family; being authentic (living the beliefs I preach); letter from our sponsor child overseas; giving thanks for the small things (I think its the easiest way to make someone's day); finishing a custom painting. My list could go on and on! 

EC - How have you evolved over the years as an artist?

Serena - Over the years I've leant that it's OK if I don't want to do something that will generate revenue every day, or even every week; that its ok to do art/create something for me and my family.  Being ok with this, makes me a better artist because I'm truly doing my art because I want to, not because I "have" to.  I've also learnt to embrace my style and not be so worried if someone will like it. 

EC - What is your ultimate creative goal?

Serena - This will sound strange I think, but until about a month ago, I never had any creative goals! I've just been happily treading along doing my own thing. Around Christmas, for some reason, I got it in my head that I want to be in House and Home magazine - ridiculous eh?! Id love to see my painting, jewellery or my fabric in it; I would be over the moon! 

Thank you Serena and family for sharing your stories with us.  You can read more about Serena at her blog What a Sweet Life.  If you are interested in Serena's art work, jewels or fabric check out her Heavens Earth Facebook Page or go directly to her Heavens Earth Etsy site.  

For the month of February you can receive 20% off anything in Serena's Heavens Earth Etsy store!! Just use the code:  feb2012 to receive your discount.  Start your Easter shopping early.  There is such fabulous stuff to be had!  XO.  S

~ heart felt ~

A man is not where he lives, but where he loves.

Latin Proverb

Turns out I did have some time for a Valentines Day project, not that much time is really required for this little bunting.  The free tutorial is by Betz White found here.  It really is a tiny tutorial, this bunting fits on my fridge and combines two favourites:  hearts and felt.  It's just missing some cute little heart washi paper tape to hold it on over the plain jane scotch tape.  Next time I'd love to make it super long long long and traipse it all over my house!

Happy Valentines Day.  XO.  S