Yarn Along: Hope Shining

There is something about these days of August that fill my heart with hope. The new school term nears and with it comes the promise of the fulfillment of all the lofty goals I can dream. I was definitely off my knitting rhythm for a few weeks, there. It just felt tedious and tense. Thankfully, I found a joyful rhythm again at Mint Springs Lake while my little girls, in sandy bathing suits, climbed the ladders and slid down the slide again and again and again. Back and forth I knitted across the body of this sweater, while up and down they played. Rhythm. It's a good thing.

And environment. A prepared environment sings hope to me as well. I know it's time to leave the sewing studio for a few hours a day or so and begin to put the right books in the baskets, spruce up the art supplies, re-think the spaces. I was delighted to receive Playful Learning:Develop Your Child's Sense of Joy and Wonder in the mail while I was away last weekend. I had forgotten that I'd pre-ordered it ages ago, when I ordered Amanda Soule's new book. I put The Rhythm of the Family aside for now and dug into Playful Learning yesterday as I forced myself to be still and rid my body of a nasty infection. 

I've been reading early childhood education books for thirty years or so. It takes a serious gust to qualify as a breath of fresh air. This is it. This book artfully, masterfully, and very clearly presents a lovely marriage of the theories of Maria Montessori, Loris Malaguzzi, and Howard Gardner. What you get is an accesible and immediately implementable roadmap to the best of Montessori, Reggio Emelia, and Harvard Project Zero. It's absolutely not a theory book though--it's all very practical. This a visually inspiring book full of hands-on reading, science, and social activities for children from three or four to about eight or nine. There is just enough child development background to give underlying  meaning to the activities. There are reproducibles to make it come to life easily. And there are very thoughtful, helpful, and beautiful pictures to inspire the viusal among us. This book has me happily reorganizing and purposefully planning to capture  the joyful moments of  my children's natural inquisitiveness and wonder right along with them. I'm sitting surrounded by a few beautiful things, drawing spaces and sketching simple plans. All good.

I can feel it coming. The next few days are going to be fifteen degrees cooler. The baskets of art supplies and books and science tools will be refreshed and replenished. The knitting needles will click merrily towards the completion of fall cardigans. Hope shines a sunny yellow in the learning space that is my sunroom.

Please visit Ginny for more reading and knitting inspiration. (Hey, I visited with Ginny in person last week. And neither of us knitted. Can you imagine? That baby sure is sweet, though.  Plans must be made for a knitting visit soon.)

Sponsor Introduction: Memoria Arts Design

If you are a frequent reader here, you will notice that we did some sprucing up last spring: a new theme, a new banner, new graphics. What you may not have noticed is the deep cleaning underneath. The goal is to get this blog looking beautiful and working beautifully. All that design work was done by Joy of Memoria Arts Design and her husband James, who makes it all go ever so smoothly.

Now, you can contact me in an abundance of ways and you can subscribe on your reader and subscribe via email--lots of little buttons right there at the top of the sidebar for your clicking happiness. (The rainbow-looking one allows you to add the feed for this blog to your reader and that "R" will take you to my knitting passions if you are a member of Ravelry:-).  Beneath the pretty sidebar pictures are links to useful, prayerful sites I visit every day. Things are feeling happy and spruced up and I couldn't be more pleased and grateful to Joy. We're gearing up to do a Serendipity overhaul soon. Yes, long overdue, I know. Joy keeps gently prodding me; I've been dragging my feet. 

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Stitch by Stitch: Reversible Totes

When I asked who wanted to make tote bags, every girl responded enthusiastically. What is it about girls and bags?

I made mine first and made it a little smaller than the one in the book (because I made a cutting mistake). I kept the proportions the same, though. My straps were supposed to be the same as the ones in the book. I measured and measured and measured again. They definitely look skinnier. Whatever the case, Sarah was very happy to have this bag as her own. I used Lipstick dots and Lipstick flowers by Darlene Zimmerman.

Katie made her bag from that ubiquitous quilt fabric that keeps and giving and giving and from some fabric Elizabeth DeHority sent her way in a stash box. I did the cutting for her, but she did the rest all on her own. She was tickled with the result and packed it full of clothes to take to Charlottesville with her last weekend.

Gracie's bag was made from some fabric her Nanny picked up and some different fabric from Katie's DeHority stash. Gracie and Mary Beth made this one together. I wasn't even around for the production at all. Gracie especially loves that magic moment when you turn a reversible object all to its right side and the straps are where they belong. Very cool:-)

 

Mary Beth chose the fabric for her bag. She's a devoted Amy Butler fan. No matter where she wanders on fabric sites, she ends up back at Amy. She's used Delhi Blooms in Rose and Peacock Feathers in Blush.  In case you're interested and you just can't wait, this Etsy shop was super quick--great service, great selection! (need a picture...hmmm.)

Skills we Learned

openings and reversibles

linings

handles and straps

flat bottom techniques

Our lessons so far:

See our knitting needle cases and Kindle case here

See our Fancy Napkins here.

Daybook

Outside My Window

The sun shines brightly. It's just a matter of minutes, I'm sure, before the haze settles. Today's true temperature is forecasted to be 100 degrees. Not even looking at the "feels like." 

I am Listening to

The hum of the refrigerator. 

I will never tire of these two and their ferocious hugs. They just love each other so much and they hug with such intensity.

I am Wearing

A t-shirt, boxers, and a bathrobe. And it's going to take all kinds of self-discipline to force myself to get dressed this morning.

I am so Grateful for

my father and stepmother and all the effort they put into our weekend in Charlottesville.

Joyful anticipation at the top of the slide.

I'm Pondering

You don't need a perfect world to teach well. You need a perfect strategy. You need a strategy that does not involve manipulating events that are largely out of your control. Each year I have discerned "what" we need to accomplish. We make checklists to help us stay on track and cover the necessary ground.  The "when" of it varies but it always happens and surprisingly well.  Real life and real learning are unnerving to those who are wedded to absolute control. With faith and a fun loving attitude you can roll with the punches and thrive. It just requires a bit of thinking outside the box. : )

~more here. 

I am Reading

Revisiting August Inspiration. Thinking lots of the same thoughts. Weaving new plans from old ideas.

I am Thinking

that I need to spend this week taking really good care of myself because the rest of the summer is going to require 100%.. 

kids and canoes: summertime bliss; those are Elizabeth DeHority's children with mine

I am Creating

sewing:

this week's projects from Stitch-by-Stitch are eye masks and buttoned belts.

knitting:

I didn't touch  tiny tea leaves cardigan until Sunday. I was just feeling too sick all last week to knit much. So I missed the opportunity to get Ginny and Elizabeth help me pick up stitches. I did knit yesterday though, and it's really happy the way it's all turning out. Mary Beth and Elizabeth had a chance to work out legwarmer details.

On my iPod

Chris Young.

Towards a Real Education

I'm making a list of things *I* want to learn this year and gathering some resources. I have this sense that one of the best things about home education is learning alongside one's children in a very tangible way. So, I want to learn

~to sew garments and to tailor the fit.

~to upholster furniture.

~to draw well

~to embroider well

~to golf (Actually, I don't much want to learn this "skill" but I think I should. Mike tried to teach me to play twice, once when I was about 14. It's one of my earliest memories of him. I was so flustered by his arms around me trying to teach me to hold the club that I didn't hear a word he said. Then, he and my dad tried a few years later. They were both so frustrated by the second hole that I just tagged along and enjoyed the setting. I seem to remember being forbidden to drive the cart, either.) My kids have gotten the golf bug and this is a good season to begin, I think. Nicky will let me borrow his clubs.

Towards Rhythm and Beauty

Mike stayed home last weekend while we were away. He focused on tying up some loose ends from his production company and cleaning a bunch of stuff out of his home studio (the sewing studio by day;-). He had a quiet, productive weekend in his house. He so needed that and I'm grateful he was able to have the time. 

  

I am Hoping and Praying

for Elizabeth deHority. She is constantly on my heart and in my prayers. She needs you now. Please, please pray with me. 

 for all the people who have written me recently to ask for prayers.

for healing

 In the Garden

We have tomatoes. Not many, but some. Next year, I'm going to draw garden plans in February, consult experts, and do this right.

Around the House

I don't know. I just got home. I need to evaluate.

From the Kitchen 

This is the first week of Patrick's assumption of grocery duties. I think he'll do the Costco run and I'll do Trader Joe's.

One of My Favorite Things

Mint Springs Lake.

A Few Plans for the Week

Doctor's appointments this morning.

Mary Beth is having some friends here this afternoon to hang out at the pool later today.

Mike has some travel plans and they keep changing. 

Soccer practice has begun.

Soccer practice has begun...

That was a very good summer. I'm sorry to see it end.

Picture thoughts:

Pictures are from lakeside days last weekend. I wasn't real quick on the shutter button, I'm afraid. I was actually barely moving as I "nursed" abscessed mastitis. so I missed a lot. Ginny did much better.

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual.  Photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.  A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit Soulemama to leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.