One Year

A year ago today I began this blogging adventure. 310 posts later and here we are! This past year has been incredible. One of my favorite years ever, in fact. Thanks for joining me on the journey.

I was contemplating what to do for my anniversary and chose to reward my readers. It is time for the first ever Mt. Hope Chronicles Contest. I thought about asking you to contribute something (pictures of your spot for beauty or some such thing) and then decided I didn't want you to have to work for your entry. This is my treat.

All I'm asking for is a comment (on this post) so that I am able to enter you in the drawing. However, if you feel so inclined, I would love one of two things: would you let me know your favorite post(s) of the past year and/or what you most appreciate or enjoy seeing on my blog. My main reason for blogging is to record a bit of my family's life journey, but the interaction and relationships I've gained through my readers mean a great deal to me. I hope to keep you around!


The grand prize (drumroll, please...) is a $25 Amazon.com gift card, arriving via email. Who couldn't use an Amazon gift card?!

The contest will be open for this next week, closing at midnight on Friday, February 22nd. I will draw a name for the grand prize winner sometime on Saturday the 23rd.

See you in the comments!

Designer Challenge

Today's episode of Project Heidi features a Designer Challenge.

Barb from I Was Just Thinking... commented on the silhouettes of my children as a group of three. She wondered if she should ditch one of her four children so that she wouldn't have an even number. I think she was just teasing me, but I decided to take the challenge. Although the Rule of Three isn't an unbreakable rule, I thought it might be helpful if I could show you a few solutions:

Add a fifth element.

If I was hanging 4 pictures in a long verticle or horizontal space, I might add a fifth element. With my silhouettes on canvases, I could paint an extra canvas adding a design in the center, possibly like this (ignoring the tacked-up extras...):

(I placed five corkboard squares in a long horizontal space above my piano. This is the center square.)

This technique would work just as well with framed prints. Just place the decorative design in the middle with two silhouettes on either side.

Anything that you can fasten to the wall could be placed in the center. A larger item would look nice as a focal point. A family picture. A beautiful white platter. A child's masterpiece. A black and white wedding photo of the parents. A tin star. A mirror. Let your imagination go wild.

Alternately, you could group the items to make one focal point and add two more elements.

Group the four silhouettes to create a square or rectangle similar to this effect:

You could either let the grouping stand alone as a focal point or add something on either side. If the silhouettes were above a shelf, mantel, or other flat surface, items could be set on the surface rather than hanging on the wall, such as the tall lamps flanking my silhouettes.

For the visual learners I am including my quite unscientific layouts. If I happened to be technology-minded maybe I could have created incredible, graphic designer-ish, print-out-ables. But no, it's just me, and this is what I was capable of today. The black squares represent the four silhouettes. The colored cut-outs represent the added elements:

I know that I have made many decorating/designing/crafting posts lately. I promise I will continue homeschooling and life posts for those who prefer those!

Decorating 101

I am going to use this display for our Decorating 101 lesson today on the Rule of Three and Visual Weight.

The Rule of Three: Other than the occasional pair of lamps or candle sticks, try to group an odd-number of items together. Start with 3. If the space is large, or the items small, try 5. If I had wanted to add more large pieces to this arrangement, I would have tried two more. Because the books under the wagon were a 'set' of their own, I went with three. (I often use books as a decorating element. We'll cover that later. I promise.) If you are taking notes: When grouping items, odd numbers almost always look better.

Just to confuse things, I don't always count something hanging on the wall as part of a grouping, but because the metal star was large and somewhat three-dimensional, it worked in this instance.

Visual Weight: Try to group items that have a similar 'visual weight.' Don't put a wimpy candle stick next to a huge potted plant. Notice that the large items in the arrangement above do not dwarf the armoir nor make it feel top-heavy. I specifically placed them on a sturdy, not-so-tall cabinet with plenty of surface room (wouldn't want the arrangement squished up at the ceiling or appearing to fall off). Alternately, this cabinet might look a little silly with three small figurines place on top. The term visual weight is used rather than size because a large clear glass vase packs much less impact than a bright red clay pot of the same dimensions.

I'll throw in a lesson on Complimentary Style for free. (Oh, wait. Everything here is free. And you get what you pay for.) I chose three items with a weathered, outdoor style. You don't have to have a theme (although I'm all about themes which we'll cover later...), but try to pair items that have a similar feel.

Following are a few more examples:

Three very simple white pots of grass. All the same size. Not too big or small for the shelf. Notice that the circle shape of the white pots is repeated in the collage. There are five circles across the collage. Lots of symmetry going on here. The colors in the books, pots of grass, and collage compliment each other:

Three large black and white photographs fill the wall space in the hallway:

Three cork board squares fill a vertical space in the bedroom. Notice each square has three items tacked to it:
For a bit more advanced example, we start with three items: an old kitchen scale, a glass pitcher with what used to be three green apples (one of the boys got hungry), and a pot of grass on a stack of three books (I consider them one item for this particular grouping). [If I had any desire to critique my own display, the pitcher of two or three apples needs a little more visual weight to balance the grass and books, though I could easily remove the books.]
Next, we'll add two candle sticks. (We're up to five.) Usually I will put a taller item in the middle, but I wanted the silhouettes to be the focal point. For this display, they are their own grouping of three, especially gathered within the wooden frame. Do you see how the tall lamps balance with the verticle lines of the silhouette grouping? The lamps and silhouette grouping form their own three-some.

Have I completely confused you yet? Is any of this helpful? I promise to get better with practice! We have lots of design tips and projects coming up, including hanging items on walls and essential decorating supplies. Any other specific requests?

Disclaimer: You will catch me breaking my own rules over and over again. Sometimes it is a deliberate choice (a reason that might fall under Decorating 201), but often I am lazy, distracted, ill, or careless. Or one of my boys somehow destroyed an element of my decor and I had to improvise.

Group three items (or five, or seven....) on your spot for beauty and send me a picture! Start simply. It is okay if it isn't perfect. We'll have lots more practice and tips over the next few months.

Stories of My Life

I have read very few biographies or autobiographies. Shame on me. They are a fabulous chance to see life from someone else's vantage point. To live their story.

Me: Stories of My Life by Katharine Hepburn was a story I enjoyed living for a short while. Her voice comes through loud and strong. I loved the conversational, rambling style.

My favorite aspect of her memoirs was the recounting of her childhood. I was fascinated by the attitude instilled by her parents. You can do it. Quit whining. Get on with life. Try harder. Never be the victim. You can see the results throughout the rest of her life.

And slowly my confidence returned. It was thrilling. And thrilling is what we can do with ourselves if we really try. My dignity returned. I stopped making excuses. And I began to try to look at myself as the leader of a group. Not a poor little thing who was trying her best and had been mistreated.

In the course of this book, Katharine talks candidly about her life, her relationships, her career, her strengths, her faults and her mistakes. She talks about the people she met along the way. I thought her memories of John Wayne were beautiful and touching.

Very observing. Very aware. Listens. Concentrates. Witty slant. Ready to laugh. To be laughed at. To answer. To stick his neck out. Funny. Outrageous. Spoiled. Self-indulgent. Tough. Full of charm. Knows it. Uses it. Disregards it. With an alarming accuracy. Not much gets past him...

...Self-made. Hard-working. Independent. Of the style of man who blazed the trails across our contry. Reached out into the unknown. People who were willing to live or die on their own independent judgement. Jack Ford, the man who first brought Wayne into the movies, was cut from the same block of wood. Fiercely independent. They seem to have no patience and no understanding of the more timid and dependent type of person. Pull your own freight. This is their slogan. Sometimes I don't think that they realize that their own load was attached to a very powerful engine. They don't need or want protection. Total personal responsibility. They dish it out. They take it. Life has dealt Wayne some severe blows. He can take them. He has shown it. He doesn't lack self-discipline. He dares to walk by himself. Run. Dance. Skip. Walk. Crawl through life. He has done it all. Don't pity me, please...

...Good simple long-lasting cotton. No synthetics. That's what you get when you get John Wayne. That's what I got. And as you can see--I liked it.

I think John Wayne and Katharine Hepburn were made from very similar molds. Incredible.

Valentine

Reading: Saint Valentine retold and illustrated by Robert Sabuda

Eating: Heart-shaped Rice Krispie Treats with red sprinkles and Strawberry Vanilla Ice Cream Sodas

Happy Valentine's Day!

Muse, bid the Morn awake!

Sad Winter now declines,

Each bird doth choose a mate;

This day's Saint Valentine's.

For that good bishop's sake

Get up and let us see

What beauty it shall be

That Fortune us assigns.

~Michael Drayton

Silhouette Cards

For the silhouette cards, I started with 4x6 profile pictures and carefully cut out the exact features with a pair of small, sharp scissors. I found it harder to cut out these smaller photos than the 8x10 pictures I used for the wall art. It isn't a bad idea to get a couple copies in case of errors.


Using a pencil, I traced around the cut-out photo onto black card-stock paper.

I cut out the silhouettes just inside the pencil mark. If you are feeling adventuresome, try adding a few hair details. Or you can just keep things simple. Either way, I think they look great! Erase any remaining pencil marks.

I've been crazy busy around here, so I didn't have as much time to experiment with Valentine's card styles as I would have liked, but here are two ideas. If you want a way to incorporate multiple silhouettes, try making a little booklet.

Here I cut a standard-size piece of black card-stock paper into fourths. I used three different red monotone patterned papers for the backgrounds and glued down the silhouettes, leaving a bit of extra room at the top to attatch the cards together. I added a fourth page for a Valentine's message. I found a box of vintage-style Valentine stickers and thought one would look nice.

I couldn't find my white gel pen anywhere, so I'll have to pick up a new one this evening. I think I'll write each boy's name at the bottom of each silhouette and then write a message on the last card.

I punched two holes at the top of each card and tied them together with ribbon to make a little booklet. They will be easy to take apart if the recipient wishes to display each silhouette or add them to an album.
I made a second card using one piece of folded black cardstock. Recognize the circles? I thought it would be fun to add that element to a card. In fact, if you don't have silhouettes, I think a card with a collage of small circles or other repeated cut-out would be fun. Using a variety of pink and red patterned paper and possibly a heart punch would make a great Valentine's card. It would be easy to use magazines and catalogs for the patterned paper when the punches are small.

My cousin, Amy, made small silhouette cut-outs and glued them to petite artist's canvases (painted with a background color) as Valentine's gifts for the grandparents. What a terrific idea!
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UPDATE: Bella Art Girl posted pictures of the Valentine silhouettes she created before my post was up. Isn't that fun?

Hope to Bliss

Sarah at Small World wants to hear Our Story. (Actually, she wants to hear everyone's story, but I can only tell ours.) If only I could tell a compelling love story like Ree. But I doubt you would want ours to go on for months and months, even if I could think of (or be willing to share) enough details.

I'll try for more details than 'we met at the pool, later started dating, and then got married,' but fewer than 50 chapters worth. I won't torture you and drag this on, so I'll post the whole story here. Feel free to skip or skim.

Although Sarah is hosting a contest, I have automatically disqualified my entry on the basis of photographs. She wants goofy, embarrassingly silly wedding photos. I don't do publicly embarrassing. Or steamy. Or romantic even. Besides, the pictures of our wedding aren't embarrassing (yet), just not spectacular (somewhat blah, actually).

February is a perfect time for relationship reflection, particularly for Russ and me. Our twelfth anniversary occurs just ten days after Valentine's Day.

Almost thirteen years ago, I thought I was an old maid at the distressing age of twenty one. My best friend and I had no plans for another exciting Friday evening. Her parents were heading over to the local pool to test out their scuba diving equipment before heading out on vacation. My friend was going along to help. When she realized that she would be sitting alone with nothing to do, she invited me.

We sat at the edge of the pool, our toes in the water, gossiping about the pool manager who had nothing better to do than practice his diving. (What guy wouldn't want to practice his diving with the undivided attention of two beautiful girls?) The little my friend knew about his background fascinated me. This was a guy who had intelligence, ambition, and was able to pull himself out of a rough childhood. And he had great legs. Very few guys have great looking legs.

The next day, I was taking a walk with my mother and told her that I had met the guy I was going to marry. She was appropriately nonchalant about the whole thing. After years and years of practice listening to me talk and talk without expecting action or results, she very likely murmured, 'That's nice, dear.'

I knew that I could probably arrange to be set up, but I was so very tired of blind (or set-up) dates. I hated dating. Really. I disliked going out with someone I was uncomfortable around and painfully attempting small talk for an entire evening. I would rather be home in sweats, watching a movie or reading a book. It is tough being an introvert. No wonder I was an old maid.

Two months later, my friend, Char, was at the coast with her family and their close friends. I was aware that Char was becoming very close to their friend's son. He happened to be best friends with Russ. She called up out of the blue that Thursday. 'Get ready. Two young gentlemen are taking us out for dinner and a movie. Be at my house in an hour.' Yes, thanks for giving me time to be mentally prepared.

We went to a cozy local seafood restaurant. Russ drove the four of us. We had a nice, uneventful dinner, then headed to see While You Were Sleeping with Sandra Bullock. I had already watched it, but it was a good clean date movie. And no surprises. I don't do surprises.

After the movie, we headed to a park to chat. Char and John went for a walk. Russ told me that he was teaching with a degree in biology and read sci-fi books. A science teacher? I hated science. Teaching was dull. Sci-fi books? Just about the only thing I didn't read. And he loved swimming. I wasn't sure I could swim from one end of the pool to the other. I began to think this wasn't going to work.

The next day I was at Char's house when he called for my phone number. Char ignored my pleading and frantically waving arms (No, oh, please, don't tell him I'm here!) and handed me the phone. He asked me if I would like to go out the next evening. Not really. 'Sure.' It was settled.

He picked me up. It was Saturday evening. I had told him that I did a little line dancing. (Do I have to admit that?) This was back during the height of the line dancing phenomenon. So we went to a western dancing thing. I don't even remember much about the date, other than wanting to crawl in a hole. Way too much for this introvert. During the course of the evening, he asked if I was going to church the next morning. Yes. What time? Do I have to answer that?

He shows up for church the next morning. My mom leans forward in the pew and looks surprised and inquisitive. Who on earth is sitting by Heidi? I had neglected to mention the first two dates. (Oh, and I was living with my older sister and her husband at the time.) While walking to Sunday school, she asks Russ, 'Where did you two meet?' (Don't answer! Don't answer!)

'The pool.'

My mom is vaguely remembering an old conversation about the man I was going to marry. She decides to invite Russ to dinner. Without asking me. Thank you mother. I'll just cancel my other plans.

We lived through dinner. My dad had just woken up. He was working a security job and had been up most of the night. He looked very confused.

I thought I might get a few days off. The phone rang Monday evening. Russ asked if I would join him for a walk. Why not. We enjoyed the walk and engaged in conversation. Real conversation. With a guy. This was getting interesting. He was leaving in just three weeks for the summer, hours away in the middle of nowhere to manage a swimming pool and coach a swim team. This might be perfect, I thought. Enjoy dating someone for three weeks and then have an easy out. Things were spicing up. I was sorry to see him drive off.

Tuesday evening, I was again hanging out at my friend's house. (We spent a lot of time together.) We giggled and talked about 'the boys.' Things were spicing up for her as well. Her phone rang. It was Russ. He asked if I was there. How did he know? Look out the window. Oh, he is in the driveway. This was back in the day when only the 'cool' people had cell phones. I was certainly impressed. We talked a bit. I told him I had to have a night off to do laundry. He reluctantly agreed, but we made plans to attend a concert on Thursday.

I managed to get my laundry done, and we headed out to the concert Thursday evening. I don't remember much about the evening except that my car broke down. I hated when my car broke down. Russ said he would take care of it and drove me home. Wait! A guy to take care of things like that? I could get used to this. I almost forgot, I met his 'adopted parents' (long story) that evening. They were the kindest people. I hoped they liked me. I think Russ cooked dinner.

We were invited to spend the weekend over at the coast vacationing with Char's family. We left on Friday afternoon. Russ drove. We had an incredible weekend. Saturday afternoon I was feeling disgusting. We had been out on the beach. I felt sticky and wind-blown, no make-up, my hair was in knots, my cloths dirty, and I had a gash on my leg. Russ told me that I looked beautiful. He meant it. I was starting to really like this guy.

Russ picked me up from work every day the next week. He had gotten my car into the shop where it was being repaired. He cooked dinner for me and then drove me home. Two weeks. We had been together every day (except for one laundry Wednesday). We were simply comfortable together. Perfect together. I warned him that I was planning on homeschooling my children some day. He didn't run.

He bought me a simple ring. I think we had been dating three weeks. He was heading out of town for the summer. I was going to miss him. Greatly. How did that happen? Time was a blur.

Five weeks into the relationship. We were trying to see each other whenever possible. He had swim meets all over the state. If he was less than three hours away, he would visit. We talked about marriage. I traveled with my little sister to visit him. We looked at ring catalogs. We racked up huge phone bills. We wrote letters. He would send me the funniest faxes at work.

We were perfect for each other. We loved being together. We never fought. I brought stability and hope to his life. He brought adventure and delightful chaos to mine.

Three months after our first date, Russ came back to town. We were officially engaged. He was taking a job on the coast, two and a half hours away. My family knew that I must really like him. I never wanted to live on the coast. I was marrying a science teacher and moving to the coast.

We had six months to plan our wedding. Mom and Shannon did most of the work. I was tired. Too many late nights on the phone. A couple jobs. Russ and I spent every possible moment on weekends together. I ended up with mono. I felt like I was half dead. Luckily there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

Char and John were married in December. We had the privilege of being their maid of honor and best man. They returned the favor the following February. I was still twenty one. Russ was twenty five.

The wedding was lovely thanks to my mom and Shannon. They worked so hard, along with so many friends and family. I can't believe all the work they did! My mother sewed my wedding dress, cooked food, decorated, and worked herself to a frazzle. Shannon was the master-planner and handled a huge amount of the decorating. Dad built the pillars we used as a backdrop on the platform. A friend did most of the work on my wedding cake. I helped decorate it.

Didn't Russ look handsome?!

[You can barely see it in the above pictures, but the aisle carpet had a beautifully written poem on it. I can't remember where I found the poem, and I can't find it again. The ending says: So shall each hope and charm ideal, still live in blisses bright and real. Does that sound familiar? Does anyone know what the rest of the poem might be? I tried to Google with no luck.]

We spent a few days in the snow. I learned that I am a terrible skier but not bad at ice skating. Russ had to get back to teaching and coaching. I joined him at the adorable little beach house he was staying at.

Twelve years later, we have three amazing little boys and live in our forever house in the country. Russ has changed careers and become a computer guy. He is teaching our boys science. I have learned to like Stargate SG1. We are still in love and life is good.

I feel like I should name our story due to my compulsive naming obsession. I like the name 'Black Heels to Tractor Wheels' but I don't want to copy. And it doesn't really fit. I thought I might go with 'Swimming Pool to Boy Drool' but that doesn't quite have enough pizzazz. 'Order to Chaos'? 'Dream to Reality'? Then I decided that this says it all:

So shall each hope and charm ideal,

still live in blisses bright and real.

Pick a Spot

Today's Project Heidi: Decorating 101 lesson is on one of the decorating essentials--a fireplace mantel or simple shelf. Actually, you just need to pick an area that you will keep beautiful and fresh. A spot that is self-contained and devoid of life's clutter such as car keys, sippy cups, cell phone chargers, and wayward dirty socks. For those of you taking notes: Choose and dedicate a spot for beauty.

I liken this spot to Flylady's shiny sink. Start small. Pick an area that isn't overwhelming and focus on making it beautiful. Then you will have a place to rest your eye. You'll smile. You'll notice that it is contageous. The feeling of accomplishment will encourage you. You'll want to extend the beauty to a new spot.

Our first house didn't have a fireplace. When we moved into our new home a year ago, I was thrilled to finally have a mantel. It was the very first place that was cleared of all screwdrivers, paintbrushes, and new doorknobs still in their plastic packaging. Maybe those who came to see our house laughed at the one or two little decorations on the mantel when the rest of the room was a chaos zone, but it gave me a peaceful and lovely place to rest my eye when I had no control over the visual atmosphere in the rest of our new house.

I live in a small space with three destructive little boys and a chaotic husband. I know how hard it is to dedicate a spot to beauty. Much of our furniture must be sturdy and functional. I need storage space and work areas. As lovely as it is to have a table covered with a delicate table cloth and a gorgeous centerpiece, that isn't my reality. It happens on occasion, when I'm entertaining perhaps, but usually we are eating, doing school work, paying bills, or playing with playdough on any large flat surface. That is why a mantel or shelf works so well. It doesn't lend itself to a catch-all or utilitarian purpose.

A shelf or mantel (or piano top, or...) takes very little to adorn but is full of endless possibilities. Take, for example, Sarah's white shelf.

In the Beginning:

Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog

Sister Bernadette's Barking Dog: The Quirky History and Lost Art of Diagramming Sentences. This book itself is delightfully quirky and I enjoyed every minute of it!

Author Kitty Burns Florey says of diagramming: "It was a bit like art, a bit like mathematics. It was a picture of language. I was hooked."

Did you diagram sentences in school? I remember my only brush with the practice. Mr. Taylor. Eighth grade advanced English class. I felt exactly as did Kitty Burns Florey. It is a bit like playing solitaire. There is something calming and zen-like about getting all the cards in just the right places. I haven't played in ages, though. Maybe I should try diagramming sentences to clear my mind.

I had to laugh when the author mentioned that the dying art of diagramming sentences is being kept alive by a few home-schooling parents. My poor boys will be subjected to the art.

The teachers I've talked to who teach diagramming seem to have found a nice balance: the kids are free to express themselves, but they're being taught the skills they need--and diagramming is one aspect of that teaching--to express themselves not only freely but also in correct, intelligible English that's a pleasure rather than a chore to read.

Kitty Burns Florey has written a book that is truly a pleasure to read, even if diagramming sentences isn't your thing.

Now I need to re-read Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss. Maybe it will help my comma addiction.

Making Me Happy Today

This adorable paper crafting party invitation from my sister, Shannon:

A beautiful hook given to me by my mother. She purchased it while on her trip to France. I finally decided on the perfect spot:

There was a bare space (heaven forbid) between the two closet doors in our bedroom. Every time I looked at it I thought I should hang something there, but I didn't want it to be something too bold. Now I have something lovely to smile at when I wake up:

Reading Ali Edwards' blog, I was inspired once again to create a little something. I wish I had the awesome butterfly punch that she used for her collage, but it wouldn't have looked right for the large collage that I had in mind anyway. The display on this bookshelf was very stagnant. I was excited to do something new:

The artwork was very simple to create. I started with an artists' canvas. I often paint them, but decided to leave this one white to stand out against the wall and showcase the circle design.

I dragged out my folders of paper and chose a variety of designs. I love red and thought it was fitting for February. I added a bit of black and a few naturals. Then I popped in some green to tie in the grasses. Using my circle cutter, I started right in.

I placed the circle cut-outs on the canvas to get an idea of layout and how many I would need. I didn't want a lot of white space.
After all my circles were cut out, I played around with them--arranging them until I liked the positions of the colors and patterns. Then I simply glued them on. No measuring, just eye-balling it! Voila! Wall art.

I loved the smaller framed collage that Ali Edwards showcased. Any repeated shape would be fun, and you could use tiny scraps of paper or magazines and catalogs to make your design.

Baking, Growing, and Crafting

Randi over at i have to say... is hostessing The Recipe Box Swap today. I've added my grandmother's grape salad recipe. Consider participating, or at least checking out the delicious recipes others have shared.
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Unveiling my attempt at out-of-the-box decorating:

I purchased this old metal wagon at a flea market years ago. It was coated with white paint, which has since started chipping away to show the original red. (Every room in my house has white and red...perfect!) I love found items, but rarely am able to put them to use. I had to hunt around for the wagon. Eventually I found it, out in the rain, upside-down in the dirt. It was begging for purpose.

The instructions for this simple project were posted a little while ago, but for the procrastinators and visual learners (I hope you can see my grin) I will show you how I planted this wagon of grass.

I decided to line the wagon with a plastic garbage bag. It is pretty rusty, and I didn't want water leaking on my books or armoir.

I filled the wagon an inch or two from the top with potting soil.
I scattered wheat grass seed liberally.

(For those of you having trouble finding seed, I purchased wheat berries in the bulk food section at the supermarket for 69 cents a pound. They seem to be sprouting just fine!)

I covered the seeds with more potting soil and watered. (It doesn't take much soil to cover the seeds. I added too much and had to remove some when the shoots were having trouble pushing through.)

The picture at the top is less than a week later, if you are wondering how quickly the wheat grass will grow. If it gets too tall, feel free to give it a good haircut with a pair of scissors.

Jen had the great idea of planting chives rather than wheat grass. The seeds are easier to locate, they will have a similar visual effect, and they are yummy.

I love the quote she posted on her blog:

Of all the wonderful things in the wonderful universe of God, nothing seems to me more surprising than the planting of a seed in the blank earth and the result thereof. ~ Julie Moir Messervy

Just so you know, time is never up in Project Heidi world. If you complete a project or challenge months after I've posted it, please. please. feel free to share. Leave a message in the comments, give us a link to your blog post about it, or email me pictures. [heidi (at) poetsgarden (dot) com] I would love to share pictures of your projects and links here on my blog. I don't want this to be all about me.
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Next week, we will be making silhouette cut-out valentine cards, so this is your chance to get photos ready. This is the hardest part of the project. Try to get exact profile shots. Vertical pictures work the best, with the head filling as much of the frame without getting cut off. They don't have to be fancy or pretty. These are the simple shots of the boys that I used to create their silhouettes:

Always My Baby

More Here

Spreading the Feast

I have just begun a bit of reading about Charlotte Mason and her educational theories, beginning with A Charlotte Mason Education by Catherine Levison this past year. So far, I really like what I have read. So many little bits of wisdom that I need to let sink in.

My sister gave me the book For the Children's Sake by Susan Schaeffer Macaulay for Christmas, and I was anxious to dive right in. While I am not sure a perfectly 'Charlotte Mason' education is right for my boys, there are so many points that I need to take to heart. This book will be read again and again. I think I would recommend reading For the Children's Sake prior to reading A Charlotte Mason Education.

Probably the single most striking piece of advice that jumped out at me is that we as parents and teachers need to spread the feast. We need to take the best of what is available in music, art, literature, nature, and the other things that surround us. We must make the real stuff readily available for the children and let them feast. Less lecturing, explaining, disecting, and much more letting the child make his own relationship with the best our world has to offer.

This idea seems to run in the opposite direction of current schooling. We have watered-down, tasteless text books which we then use to lecture, disect, and explain until we are blue in the face.

I feel as if I am doing a decent job spreading the feast, but always feel as if I have to explain everything Levi might not understand. Note to self: more spreading, less talking.

Charlotte Mason's views on children as individuals and the respect she showed for each is a breath of fresh air.

I am inspired to allow my boys more free play time and as much of that outside as possible. Hopefully that will get easier with time as Luke and especially Leif are able to spend time outside with less parental involvement.

There is a little danger in these days of much educational effort that children's play should be crowded out, or, what is from our present point of view the same thing, should be prescribed for and arranged until there is no more freedom of choice about play than about work. We do not say a word against the educational value of games (such as football, basketball, etc.)... But organised games are not play in the sense we have in view. Boys and girls must have time to invent episodes, carry on adventures, live heroic lives, lay sieges and carry forts, even if the fortress be an old armchair; and in these affairs the elders must neither meddle nor make.

Charlotte Mason

The website Simply Charlotte Mason is an incredible resource I have recently discovered. It is added to my favorite websites on my side bar. I urge you to explore their site if you are intrigued by the ideas of Charlotte Mason.

A New Favorite

My grandmother was kind enough to send me this recipe. It is on my new favorites list. Crisp-fresh grapes, tangy-creamy dressing, and a scrumptious-sweet-crunchy-nutty topping. You have to try it to believe it. I've convinced myself that this salad is incredibly healthy. Fruit, dairy, nuts (have to get your protein somehow!). I think we'll just have grape salad for dinner.

Grape Salad

3 pounds seedless grapes, (red, green or mixture, cleaned)

8 oz cream cheese
8 oz sour cream
l tsp vanilla
1/3 cup sugar

Mix together these 4 ingredients with electric mixer and add to cleaned grapes. Pour into serving dish (long, flat dish like 9x13 works best to give some topping for each spoonful). (A full batch makes a very creamy salad. You can use as little as 1/2 the creamy mixture and still have a delicious salad!)

Topping:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup finely chopped pecans (or walnuts)
2 Tbs melted butter or marg.

Mix together and spread on baking sheet and bake for 6-7 minutes at 350 degrees. Keep an eye on it as it burns very easily, stirring a couple times. When cool, crumble and spread over grapes and refrigerate overnight.

Warning: Do not, under any circumstances, be tempted to snitch some of the topping. Not even the tiniest bit. Believe me, in two minutes you will have no topping left to put on the grape salad. (Ask me how I know.) If possible, make a double (or triple) batch of topping. Snitch some, put extra on the salad, and save a bit for ice cream. I'll be making batch #3 today.

Project Heidi

The longer I live the more beautiful life becomes. If you foolishly ignore beauty, you will soon find yourself without it. Your life will be impoverished. But if you invest in beauty, it will remain with you all the days of your life. ~Frank Lloyd Wright

This isn't about keeping up with the Jonses. It isn't about impressing visitors to your home with your designer style. It isn't about obsessing over the latest and best new thing. It isn't about spending money. It isn't about spending all your free time pouring over catalogs and 'wanting.'

It is a little like learning to paint. Or maybe even playing the piano. It is personal expression. It is about finding and appreciating beauty in your own life. It is about creating a spot for your eye to rest and be joyful.

For me, it is not only something I do for myself, but also a way of giving to my family. It brings me joy to create a beautiful personal space for them, and even if they don't know it yet (or isn't something they could vocalize), it is just one thing they will look back on to let them know they were loved.

Some of you may have the artistic thing down. You may find beauty in other ways. You may have no desire to decorate your home. Many of you are way ahead of me in the design department. Some of you would rather have a clean and organized home. Some of you already have a clean, organized, and artistic home. I'm not there, yet.

A few of my readers, however, have asked for a push in the right direction. Project Heidi will incorporate basic design principles, simple projects, and decorating essentials. We might even throw in a few designer challenges presented by Mt. Hope readers. I'm not a professional, and I am not promising innovative and impressive shows of skill and talent. You just get me. Take it or leave it.
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Do you have your grass planted? I want to see pictures! Here is a sneak peek at mine. Can you guess what I planted it in?

Finances

Unfortunately, the word (and Project 2008) that I have chosen for the month of February is Finances. There is just nothing beautiful or artistic about it. Nothing homey or calming. Not a bit soul-affirming or invigorating. Nope. Just money and paperwork.

As a child, the months of January and February were torture. There wasn't anything but rain, mud, and school. As an adult, my first impulse is to go weak in the knees with thrill at the thought of quiet, simple days of cookie baking and reading. I even start to get ambitious planning all of the organizing and cleaning projects I might be able to complete. Then it hits me like a ton of bricks. End of the year book-keeping. Taxes. Paperwork. Ugh. My dream is shattered.

I have a bit of envy when I see those who meticulously keep records and receipts all year long. There are people not the least bit daunted by a tax form. Why couldn't I have that gift?

Even though January and February would creep along at a snail's pace as a child, they no longer do. I blink and my winter is gone. Gone are the dreams of snuggling on the couch with the blustery wind outside, fire crackling in the fireplace. (Not that my gas fireplace crackles.) Suddenly it is the middle of March and panic sets in. What happened to the projects I was going to tackle? The to-do list with satisfying check-marks?

At the very last minute, I force myself (under extreme duress) to add up numbers and gather any information that might be needed by our tax-preparers. Things were so much easier before Russ and I both had our own mini-businesses. How I miss the days of turning in one or two W-2 forms. Now, I stuff everything in an envelope and cringe as I hand it to my mother-in-law. That's right. She's an angel. Who else could deal with the mess I hand her with a smile on her face?

You would think I might buckle down and get it over with in January so that I could enjoy the rest of my peaceful winter, but, no. I'm an avoider. So this winter, my goal is to have all my paperwork finished and turned in by the end of the month. It might not be January, but it will do.

If I manage to get my paperwork done before the end of the month (gasp!), it is quite possible that I could even move on to making a household budget. Wouldn't that be amazing? And just because I like a challenge, how about I add reading Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover just for kicks? Okay, that might be going a bit to far. We'll see. Do you think I can live up to my Potential?

Have you chosen a project for this month?

January Project Update

How did you all do on your January projects?

I am so glad that I chose Routine as my first project! We aren't completely there, but we've made a great start. I posted an update a while back, and there isn't much new to report.

Working:
I love my evening routine. I have been getting the kitchen cleaned up including sweeping (and often mopping) the floor. Quite some time ago (I think when Levi was a baby) I was following Flylady's routines. Even though I haven't been doing this deliberately for some time, it is amazing how much of her advice has stuck with me. I have returned to the simple act of setting out my clothes for the next day. Even if it is just jeans and a t-shirt, this seemingly insignificant act makes my mornings go more smoothly. And I need all the help I can get.

Not Working:
Leif's naps. He goes to sleep just fine, but is it too much to ask that he stay asleep for longer than an hour and a half and wake up cheerful? It is really tough to finish Levi's lessons with a crying (and very heavy) 17 month old. I usually let him fuss for a while in the hope that he will magically drift back off to sleep. It never works.

Have you chosen a project for February? Be thinking...
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Semicolon hosts the Saturday Review of Books today. Check it out!

Book Talk

Sorry to have been MIA so much the past two weeks. The stomach flu hit us hard this week, and I am offically done being sick. For the next year or two.

Anyone have their wheat grass planted? In a unique container? I do! We'll have to share pictures next week. I'm still open to title suggestions for the project/decorating series coming up. Donna is the winner so far with Project Heidi. Caralyn gets the 'um, maybe not' award for My House is Nicer Than Yours and This Is Why. Grin.

How is everyone doing on Project 2008? I need to post a routine update and project word for February. Soon.

With the stomach bug still lingering, I was forced to miss my book club meeting last evening. The only other book club meeting I have missed was four years ago when I had a sick two-year-old and Russ didn't get home from work on time. Even with two pregnancies, births, and infant-hoods, I have not missed a meeting since! I'm going to blame it on the biography. We've only read biographies twice. Sounds fishy, doesn't it?

When a friend and I started our book club just over four years ago, I had no idea that it would last this long, or what it would mean to me. Incredible. We've read some great stuff over the years! The friendships have been life-affirming. The dessert~ well, let me tell you! Our book club, ChocLit Guild, enjoys a fabulous chocolate dessert at each meeting. More than four years of chocolate desserts. Books and chocolate. It doesn't get any better than that!

So, desperately missing the book talk, you will get it here instead! I'm loving my 888 book list. I'm loving having time set aside in the evening for reading. I have thoroughly enjoyed the books completed and started this past month. [I just happened to glance at the calender and realized that it is February 1st today. How did that happen? I guess I've been really out of it this week!]

Reading-aloud, as always, is an absolute joy. I'm not saying that the boys are perfect, attentive, enthusiastic listeners (actually, Levi is most of the time, but Leif and Luke not so much), but I love well-written children's literature. I would read it even if I had no children. It is nice to have an excuse, though!

Little Pear is a hilarious, joyful story of a little boy living in China a century ago. Little Pear is always getting into mischief. I appreciated the peek into life in a small Chinese village. The story is simply written and the illustrations full of personality.

Owls in the Family is a perfect 'boy story.' Told in first person, the adventures truly come from a young boy's point of view. Not content with the veritable zoo of animals he has collected at his home, Billy is determined to add an owl to the fray. You will have to read this book to find out how the owls, Wol and Weeps, become part of the family. I enjoyed the descriptions of nature in Saskatchewan.

The Story of the World: Ancient Times is part of our history curriculum this year, but so far Levi and I are fascinated by this story as much as any of our other read-alouds! The author manages to keep the writing simple and clear enough for an elementary student without sacrificing content or talking down to the reader. We are reading just a chapter a week so that we will have time for additional reading, mapwork, and activities. I'm happy to savor The Story of the World all year long. After four years and four volumes, I'll finally feel like I have a basic grasp of the flow of history! You can be sure to see many more posts about our history reading and activities in the future.

We've just begun Emily's Runaway Imagination. Beverly Cleary was born in Oregon, and this book is set in Pitchfork, Oregon, at a time when many small towns were without a library. Levi has perked up at the mention of familiar cities, such as Portland and Salem, and I think that he will feel a great kinship with Emily and her runaway imagination.

Levi is listening to The Cat of Bubastes on audio CD. The story fits in beautifully with our study of Ancient Egypt. I hope to find time to listen to the story myself, but I find that I have a very tough time following stories on CD. Most of the day I am wandering from room to room, and even if my body stays in one spot, my mind does not! For those of you who listen to audio books successfully, what is your secret?

I had fully intended to review the books that I've read on my own this past month, but the house and children are calling. I'll get around to it in the next few days (along with everything else...).

Happy Reading!

Decorating with Heidi

At the urging of one or two of my readers, I hope to begin a decorating series here on the blog sometime soon. I'm not exactly feeling qualified. Very few of my projects are original. Most of my projects are very simple. There isn't much time these days for elaborate decorating schemes! Maybe I'll ask my sister, Shannon, to be a guest decorator on occasion. I'm sure she has nothing better to do, and I've failed at my attempt to get her to create her own blog.

So, for those of you that might appreciate little decorating tips, ideas, or projects: this series will be for you. For those of you that have no trouble reading a magazine, seeing an idea on your own, and copying it: you might want to skip future posts on the subject of home decorating.

I would love to see pictures of the projects that you complete! Check out the silhouettes that my cousin Amy created (didn't she do a great job?):

Amy also gave me the great idea of using silhouette cut-outs to make Valentine's cards for grandparents (or other family and friends who might appreciate them). Watch for ideas and instructions next week. (Mom and Haley, pretend that you didn't read that, okay?)

If you are anxious to get started on a project, try planting some wheatgrass. (See top photo.) It is fresh, fun, easy, and grows quickly.

The first step is to find a {container}. You could do something classic such as a terra cotta pot, step it up a notch and use an old tin pail, or go for the out-of-the-box prize and plant in a.... Wait. I'll have to call my sister. Drat, not home. Let me look through a few decorating books. Ah, yes. I have it. Plant the wheat grass in a watering can with an open top. Or an old metal recipe card box. Really, you can use anything that will hold soil, not leak water, and have room for the grass to grow out the top.

Prize. Hmm. That is giving me an idea. If you plant wheatgrass in an unusual container, send me a picture and we'll have a little contest. Shannon, you are disqualified as someone with a unfair advantage, but send me a picture anyway and I'll post it. Maybe I'll see what I can come up with, as well.

The second step is to locate some {wheat seed}. I happened upon some at the craft store while picking up some artists' canvases. You could also try a health food store. And don't forget to grab a bag of {potting soil} while you are out and about!

Now it is time to put it all together. (I told you I would be giving you difficult, involved, astoundingly intricate and amazing project, right?) {Fill} the container with potting soil, about an inch from the top. {Scatter seed} liberally. {Top} with another thin layer of potting soil. {Water}. I prefer to use a spay bottle filled with water on a mist setting. That way the seeds aren't disrupted. Kids love to perform this step!

Put the container near natural {light}. Keep the soil moist. Wheat grass grows quickly, another reason why it makes a terrific project for kids to make with you! {Trim} the grass with a pair of scissors as needed. I usually put the container in a window sill until it gets a good start, and then put it wherever it looks attractive once it is an inch or two tall.


Browse other decorating/project/art blogs that are an inspiration to me:
Nesting Place
Ali Edwards
i have to say

Finally, I think this series needs a snappy name. I am terrible at coming up with witty titles. Have you ever entered Ree's photo naming contests? Not me. Nothing comes to mind. I am so impressed with the clever titles her readers come up with. Maybe it helps to have 25,000 hits a day. Hmm. I'm not quite there yet. I am positive, however, that I have linguistically creative readers. I'm counting on you to come up with a name. Let's start with Decorating with Heidi and go from there...