A new twist on the Farmer's Market.

OK, so I have this idea -

You know how much I love the farmer's market - and mostly because it's grassroots and it's community etc. etc.

Well, what about a booth that's a creativity booth. Not selling anything, but a place where people - ok, kids, probably, but not necessarily, would come and make something - I haven't figured out the details of that part yet, but it could be collage or painting or whatever we wanted. There would be a donation jar to hopefully get enough money to pay for the table rental and maybe some supplies but that's not really the point, it's about getting people together and opening up their creativity. I think this could be really fun.

Thoughts??

25 Things to do this summer:

1. nature scavenger hunt

2. what to eat while camping

3. weave a rug

4. zoo journal. or maybe camping journal. or roadtrip journal. or nature journal.

5. coloring pages and fairy puppets to make.

6. draw something.

7. draw together.

8. finish someone else's drawing.

9. doodle pad.

10. read books.

11. make books.

12. counting the house - wouldn't this be fun with outside stiff - count squirrels, flowers, logs, bugs, wheels...

13. make bannock

14. creating zoo maps. why stop at zoos? How about a campsite map?

15. go for a picnic

16. coloring mandalas

17. conduct a pond study

18. finger knitting. I remember spending hours and hours on this as a kid. "Dad, what's your favourite color" must have seemed like a suspicious question.

19. say you're at the beach... sandcasting

20. learn all the words to Red Grammar's the ABC's of you.

21. leaf printing on fabric.

22. visit small-town museums and coffee shops. Like this one.

23. Make sun tea

24. make butter with children. it's magic.

25. nap in the sun.

I just have to do something with my hands.

My daughter has what she calls her "bad brain". Sometimes her brain just gets carried away on a train of thought and she can't help it. I know exactly what this is like cause it happens to me too, and probably everyone, I'm guessing. I have a couple of good fixes. Meditation (finding stillness). Yoga. Breathing (this works well for my daughter). And doing something with my hands. It’s the latter that really works the best for me. I always forget how therapeutic it can be to work on a project. To just sit and sew or draw or paint, how it calms the mind. I was thinking about this today when I came upon these 2 blog posts by very different people who also create and have run-away brains.

I started something new yesterday as I was home sick with a cold and going a little stir crazy. Something biggish and fun. I really ought to post some work in progress pictures but that would mean stopping the sewing to take pictures. And that would defeat the purpose.

If you have the time, Stefan Bucher also talks about this a wee little bit in his video talk on design in the Architecture/Design series on iTunesU that I mentioned in an earlier post. I really loved this talk (it was, by far, the best of the bunch I have listened to so far) and will certainly be revisiting it from time to time when I need some inspiration.

Please add to the list!

Hi, all!
I've been sick with a cold, so away from the blog for a bit. We're getting ready for the May Long weekend here - the official start to the camping season, and while hubby is getting all the vehicles etc. ready (and there is a lot of etc. this year) I am thinking about food and things to do while camping. I'm compiling a great big list of things to eat and do and ways to enjoy the great outdoors this summer. Our summers are relatively short so we tend to do them with gusto.
So, if you have any favourite camping foods, projects, crafts, etc. please leave a comment and I'll add it to the list.

Friday Links.

I have two fantastic links to share with you today, and one of them’s not even a link. I feel like I’m cheating but it really is worth sharing.

Link #1: Fear.less magazine. Read the story about the bus crash that almost killed the photojournalist. What I loved about this: People thinking about what’s happening is a really to-the-core kind of way.

Link #2: Look up iTunes U Advertising / Design podcast out of the Walker art center. Go through iTunes, it should be really easy to find.
I just discovered iTunes U and am so excited to devower and entire education via podcast. Nerd? Yes. Reminds me of when I took Sociological Theory for fun. And then picked up a second major. Ahem.
Anyway… oh, yes… hour long video lectures from some really smart graphic designers (so far I’ve devoured Ed Fella and Stefan Bucher. Figuratively.). Graphic design lectures are really interesting mainly due to all the pictures. What else would you expect? Like the Project Management class I took. It started and ended exactly on time and was exceptionally well organized. Just what you would expect.
What was I saying?... oh yes… smart, entertaining - who knew artsy fartsy people had so much to say. About what’s going on in the world, not just art. Stefan Bucher, in particular, made some really good points about greed, authenticity, work, searching and values.
I think I’m about to fill up my hard drive with podcasts again.

stormy skies

The weather is finally starting to clear, but we've been in blizzard mode for a couple of days here. School was even cancelled for a day. We're getting pretty tired of talking about the weather which is odd for Albertans, we are always going on about the weather. I've heard spring is coming, and wouldn't mind seeing that someday soon. Little green bits are trying to poke up their heads in my garden but I'm afraid they'll take one look at the snow and give up. It is MAY, for crying out loud!

By the way, today is the last day of the sale. There are over 70 shops participating with a very wide range of things you might really need. or just want. or need. for a birthday present or something.

go here for a complete list (with links) to all these shops.