Enchanted Chameleon

~ somebody that I used to know ~

One more song for the week.  I saved this one, my favourite video for last.  This video is just amazing to me.  And Kimbra - gorgeous!  Love her hair and her ways.  Enjoy.  XO.  S

~ what's a girl to do ~

Someone shared this with me yesterday and I LOVE it!  Just had to share it with you.  Might not be the inspirational music to start off your week but it was perfectly awesome for mine!  

Hope you had a great weekend!  XO.  S

~ wolftress and cub ~

I'm in love with this painting.  One of my bestees, a fellow kula member, painted it.  Just had to share some beauty and talent.  Spread the love.  More details on this paiting and the beautiful wolftress behind it can be found here.  

I love the little dedication to the Kula Clan near the end.  

"My Kula. My clan of women whom without you my life would lack such great depth and understanding. Ours is a wolf pack of strong Alpha females who arise to power in that of nurture."

LOVE.  XO.  S

~ mantra ~

My newest mantra.  The weight off my shoulders.  XO.  S

~ rhythm of the home :: spring edition ~

:: photo source ::

I'm super excited to see that the Spring Edition of Rhythm of the Home is up and online for our viewing pleasure.  Here's a few things that have caught my eye besides the Surprise Yarn Eggs pictured above!

Indoor Spaces for Imaginative Play

Inspiration in Your Own Backyard ::  Fairy Houses & Crowns

To Market, To Market Play Money

New Day ::  Celebrating the Spring Equinox

Spring Festivals and Celebrations

Spring Reading for Families

Naturally Fun Parties for Kids

There is always something wonderfully fresh and new to discover at ROTH. Enjoy the treasure hunt!  XO.  S

~ we speak for the trees ~

I was so happy to share this flick with C and his papa this weekend.  I really don't like cartoon movies.  I didn't grow up watching Disney flicks and I find most of them are not so much geared towards children but adolescent men and therefore don't get that excited about watching them.  But this one was different.  

We have a copy of the original The Lorax book by Dr. Seuss that was Jeff's when he was little.  C has loved reading it with us for a while and when he heard there was a movie for it he was very excited to see it.

I have to admit, per usual, I was impressed with the actual animation.  I may not get pumped to watch animated flicks, but when I do I can appreciate a good story (Horton Hears a Who and Wallee). The hair texture and now cloth textures are also quite impressive.  But more than anything I loved how they brought the story that is so present in our world today alive on the screen. An absolute must see in my opinion.  Ed Helms was fantastic.    

It made me extra excited to come home to our own little seedlings.  Since we're still in an apartment we don't have trees sprouting, yet, so instead we speak for an edamame, a pepper and a pumpkin plant.  Hopefully flowers to follow.  XO.  S

~ 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

~ changing face ~

~ 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

~ sharing the love ~

Among the many, many things that come with having kids, one of them is their viruses.  I used to never get sick before I had C.  Last year I had the flu for the first time in at least over 10, possibly 15 years.  Every year in January, C leads the pack and Jeff and I follow.  I am pleased to report though, C is usually the last child in his class to get it.  I feel like that counts for something.  Good immune system?  I have no proof but I'll believe it.  Anyway, I took the day off today and so did C.  He really is great company.  He made a bed on the couch for me and mopped the floor.  

Time like this gives us some space to create.  Today however, I'm still searching for inspiration.  I may not make anything for Valentines Day today,  or at all.  I want something that isn't going to get tossed into a pile of clutter and forgotten so I may go the book route for both my boys.  But, it doesn't mean I can't look and love and share the love!  

Felt Headbands from Katie Did

Hand Stitched Card at Martha Stewart

Russian Doll Screen Print on Etsy by Sacred Stitches

Be Mine Felt Brooches on Folksy by Betty Shek

52 Things I Love About You Book by Trans-Craft-inental

Anatomical Knitted Heart Necklace on Etsy by KnitKnit

Felt Heart Garland Tutorial by Betz White

Handful of Heart, Fingerless Gloves on Etsy by Yastik Izi

Looking at my list the boys are better off getting books!  This list is for ME!  Especially the matryoshka. I've been looking for a tatoo inspiration and there is a blank spot on my forearm with that picture's name on it!  XO.  S