Cobwebs, Giggles, and Shadowlight Theater

An afternoon of reading with my daughter is the highlight of my day. It's a special time for us to snuggle, unwind and travel to new towns or far off lands. We love to meet new friends and I enjoy introducing her to some of my old, favorite ones all within the pages of a book. My Omi and I finished E.B. White's Charlotte's Web (again) and it was so much fun to read together now that she is old enough to engage with the story. We did not want the adventure to end! As a parent, I want to encourage her excitement for reading….so I felt compelled to create something educational for her while keeping it eco-friendly and  crafty. What could we do?  I immediately thought of our family trip to Colonial Williamsburg, located in Virginia, and how much she loved watching the Victorian Shadowlight Theatre performance. Perfect! We could continue our adventure with Charlotte and Wilbur by learning more about the history of Shadowlight Theatre and creating our very own shadowlight show about Charlotte’s Web!

Shadowlight Theater DIY: Before you get started make sure you have the following supplies.

• pencils
• Old cereal boxes cut apart and flattened
• Scissors 
• X-Acto knife 
• Tape and glue
• Bag of lollipop sticks
• Stencils or pictures of animals
• Clip lamp for light source
• White sheet 

Tips on how to decide the characters to make: Try to focus on a few of the characters/ animals that make your children/audience laugh or the ones that invoke the most questions. If this is a project for home and not storytelling then let your child(ren) choose how the characters should stand or what expressions they should have. Once you have your characters decided then practice sketching out the animals freehand or using stencils. If you are not gifted in drawing you can trace a picture or use a stencil to get the perfect puppet.  Then if the child is old enough to use scissors begin to cut out the puppet character being mindful that you need nice clean edges for a good shadow. Below I given you a glimpse at our own puppets that we created. 

Mr. Zuckerman's Barn & Charlotte's Web

The Gander

The Goose

Wilbur

Wilbur with a sad/scared expression

Charlotte

Templeton

Fern Arable

 Once  you have all the puppets designed and cut to your liking have the children set up the "stage" using chairs or anything sturdy to hang the white sheet. Then place the clip lamp/light source behind the white sheet so that it can create the shadows needed for the Shadowlight Theatre. The children will be excited and after some practice they will be ready to perform their first interpretation of the book for family and friends. Remember to let the children have this opportunity for fun, imaginative play as well as learning how to retell a story that they learned. Giving this gift of imaginative play as well as a chance to practice reading comprehension is a beautiful gift that will spark a greater love for learning.


Don't forget to bring out the camera and document this fun adventure!

KtMaude

The Perspective of Gratitude

It was 7:47 am and I was holding my hands under the water at the kitchen sink and quickly turned to run my damp hands through my daughters curls. Rushing...look at the clock...fix a curl...grab backpack...snack... and all of the sudden my husband's voice says with a smile "Mothers and daughters."  I stopped suddenly looked at my daughters big brown eyes, rustled her curls and smiled. "I love you and I would do this everyday for the rest of my life if I could."  I was so grateful for that moment and the wise short words of my husband that truly gave me perspective for the day. It was for that moment that I didn't dwell on my downfalls of not being a early riser or not being able to pack Naomi's lunch the night before type of Mommy. Instead, I was able to enjoy the moment and find perspective for my day.

The perspective of gratitude...so simple but yet so difficult to keep in the flow of life. I am so thankful for my husband who is my daily reminder that I need to come to a position of gratitude daily or my heart's posture will surely stink of entitlement, ungratefulness, and selfishness. When I mentor younger women here on Princeton's campus or encourage friends I find it easy to see the things to be grateful for. Yet, in my alone time when my children have said "Mommy" a zillion times and my dishes are piled high with expected guests in an hour...I tend to lose perspective. Therefore to help keep perspective (with a nudge from my handsome husband) I started a gratitude journal at the beginning of this year. It has been such a blessing as well as a reality check for me to have documented moments in time for which I can return to and remember how good I really do have it. This sweet journal, my Gratitude Journal has been such a blessing for me that I wanted to share it with you.

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom."  -Marcel Proust (1871-1922)

"In this world of sin and sorrow there is always something to be thankful for." Henry Lewis Mencken (1880-1956)

May you enter today with gratitude and joy!

Tending to my Heart's Garden

A new year...a new town...a new baby...a new beginning

I have sat down many of times over the past year to blog about my crafting, adventures, and my day dreams. Each and every time I became distracted or just couldn't find the words. I have often come back to read some of my old posts but I end up kicking myself for not blogging faithfully.



Photo By Ron Saari http://www.ronsaari.com/

Then I realized...its okay that I don't share my every thought and creative idea... as long as I am pouring into my family and teaching my sweet children the beauty of art, creativity and love. This is what is important...that I daily love my husband and express my appreciation towards him in as many ways as possible. What's most important? That I hug my children and take time for myself and the things that I love, which is the hardest thing for most young mothers, like myself. I'm challenged to look back and grab on to the things that grow my soul and my joy; namely, the things that make me...me.

The spring season is awakening the sleeping buds that are ready to bloom. As I have this creative stir growing within my heart, I ask myself what is it that I need to do in order to get started again? What must I do to tend to this fragile garden that is in need of such care? What must I do to allow these buds to grow and flowers to bloom in my life? Not just for my sake and sanity but for my family. This garden inside my heart must grow and bloom so I may be a better mother, wife, sister, mentor and believer.

Ideas... I look to God's magnificent creation and I see what the plants need... sunshine...water...fresh air. So, this is where I begin...fresh air. To take a walk everyday and think of the beauty surrounding me and allow it to fan my creative desires and blow away my failures. I am learning that as a mother and a wife there is always things that can be done better, words to regret and dirt to be swept. Yet in still, God extends His grace so that I may bask in the beauty of his gifts and all that He has given me.

Since moving to this historic town, Princeton, New Jersey, where some of the greatest young minds in the world are taught and shaped at Princeton University...I pray that I have the boldness to be shaped and taught...that I may learn who I am in the midst of this busy season of life. For spring is the busiest season of all...new life and growth...yet despite it's business, it does not cease from faithfully producing the breathtaking masterpieces that we all enjoy- year after year and season after season.

May this spring be the beginning of our masterpiece...so put down the broom...take a break from the computer...do the laundry another time... go for a walk and get some fresh air.

In love, on a budget, and ready to design!

Do you remember when you were a newly wed, "crazy in love", and on a "crazy tight" budget? As a young, ambitious, and often times, overly eager wife of almost five years, I love to host, decorate, and cook. Yet, we have relocated several times within those five years, and because of our frequent moves, we have had our fair shair of rentals. Young, newly married, and renters; it's no wonder why- we we're on a very strict budget! This situation looks to pose three hurdles for a beautiful home: First of all, being young and eager is an unbalanced mixture that has a strong potential for style disaster, especially if both parties have strong opinions and tastes; secondly, a majority of young married couples have a common challenge that some call...."living on a dime"....also known as, financial hardships; lastly, when you have yet to plant roots in a home, you usually live in a space that is either not your own (rental) or if you are a home owner, you are learning as a couple, how to turn your house into a home.

How do you over come these three obstacles? The first step is to pick a style that best describes you and your spouse. Just simply pick up a magazine and window shop. Write down the following: what emotions they exude, the colors that are used, and what it is that you like about it.Then identify and accessorize the pieces that you already own & absolutely love. This will be a great way to work on "communication" and day dream together!

As newly weds, I encourage you to go ahead and give it a try...even if you're not ready to buy! Communication is key- knowing what you both like and don't like is half the battle. Here's an example of how we begun to accessorize our Master Bedroom. We have picked one item that we already own, my King Louis Chair, and we want to accessorize it with a picture of the Pale-green bedroom (below): Hamptons home by Jeffrey Bilhuber, from Elle Decor: 'Hancock Green' by Benjamin Moore.

I am in love with this design & look forward to adding my own twist to it!

Remember: financial hardships and budgeting difficulties should not stop you from planning your dream home; communication is the key! Learn to appreciate one another's style, so that your house can be redeemed into a beautiful home. Enjoy day dreaming together!

KtMaude

HomeGoods StyleScope - I'm an Elegant Classic

After a very long holiday week of cooking, coughing and caring for my sick family... I had the cleaning itch! I bounced from one room of my house to the other trying to organize and declutter. Much to my dismay I accomplished very little... but what I did accomplish was this fantastic quiz at one of my favorite home decorating stores... Home Goods! Thanks to the creator Deborah Needleman...she completely got me!


HomeGoods StyleScope - I'm an Elegant Classic

Ciao,

KtMaude

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas...

Today as the sun is shining in my bedroom window... I can hear the radio playing one of my favorite Christmas songs... "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...just like the ones I used to know..." I love the long smooth voice of Bing Crosby... it makes me miss my childhood winters in Michigan. Growing up my mother had such an amazing ability to transform my childhood home into a Christmas fairyland. Another fellow blogger, Rebecca at {The Ardent Sparrow}: A {White} Christmas..., has a taste for beautiful things much like my mother. Rebecca has been posting the most beautiful collection of Christmas decor. She has such a great eye for color that it provokes such warm emotion as well as conveying a new look with good ole' vintage feel. Enjoy...

As for me... my little family and I will be spending another Christmas with just the three of us. My daughter Omi is praying the sun doesn't melt the remaining snow and my husband hopes that Miami will beat the Lakers. I am just grateful for time to slow down and enjoy each others company.

Merry Christmas

KtMaude

I'm back....

October was a long month for my family. We have been looking forward to November and fixing our thoughts upon the amazing blessings that the Lord has seen fit to give us. Through all of the ups and downs that October brought… I am even more impressed and grateful for God’s faithfulness and His unchanging ways. The theme that is evident to me in this season of life can be found in the words of David from Psalm 92:1-4...

"It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night,
to the music of the lute and the harp,
to the melody of the lyre.
For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
at the works of your hands I sing for joy."

I have so much to be thankful for and David helped to remind me that I need to be more thankful for my Lord and Savior, husband, sisters, friends and daughter. So this Thanksgiving I plan to give my time, attention, and love to others...and stop thinking so much of myself.

This thanksgiving my fun project will be helping a dear friend redeem her guest bathroom. I have been playing with different colors and textures that she is interested in and finally came to this result. I will be giving her bathroom a beautiful cool gray that will be complimented by this artistic shower curtain. All of her hardware will be switched to a brushed stainless steel. To compliment the cool gray, I will add a beautiful natural pallet of greens, browns and grays to give it a modern finish with a rustic feel.

Tomorrow we will be treasure hunting at some of the local architectural salvage storage spaces as well as consignment shops. I pray we can find some of the beautiful drawers and art to fill her space. As I have stated before in my previous posts... I love my treasure hunting! I tend to catch myself smiling and daydreaming of what fun things I am going to discover (I feel like Christopher Columbus)! A thrilling hunt for something discarded...broken...somewhat ugly and adding "pazazz" to it...the best part of it all is spending time with such an amazing friend.