Wee Sculpters

Had to share these cool paper-mache sculptures the boys have been making. We've been studying birds in science and Ru had the bright idea to make models of some of the birds we've been reading about. They carefully sculpted and painted them themselves, using our big family bird book as reference. Mostly the littler boys are playing along while Ru and I read about birds together. Jolly times though, learning about how the blue jay's favorite food in the world is acorns and how long a cardinal lives vs a blue jay! Next up he has a plan to make a life sized model of a blue jay nest, complete with stones picked from the beach painted to look like songbird eggs. We may present at our local monthly homeschool sharing night!

The Lovely Pear

 Is there anything prettier than Bosc pears? That dusty brown green color...and those elegant long stems. So lovely. Shapes hardly could be more graceful. And to think that they call women who are pudgy on the bottom "pear shaped." as though its some sort of ungainly descriptor.

Heavens! I'll be pear-shaped any day.Which is handy...since that's how I fall on those charts anyhow.

I think I ought to try painting pears. They are some of the most beautiful things I know. And I'm not the only one who thinks so! I love this giant pear sculpture near Boston [sculptor: Laura Baring-Gould] that I hope to visit someday, and this flock of giant pears [sculptor: George Baldessi] that I won't be visiting anytime soon, in New Zealand. I also think this, this and this are stunning examples of  pear beauty but my very favorite is this whimsical piece. *grin grin* Such happy pears!

Got any other favorite art pears that I should know about?

Mobile Love

Been busy! Of course...never a dull moment around here. I have been by turns: working on craft projects, painting, arranging the house, working on poetry, catching up on email finally, doing laundry, baking, landscaping, visiting friends and family and enjoying a little time outdoors.

I thought, I'd share the crafting bit.  Today, I helped throw a shower for a friend who is about to have a baby and I made her a little Peter Rabbit themed mobile for her nursery as my gift. She's having a little boy who will have the same, P. R. initials. I do love Beatrix Potter. Before I started, I got out our big collected stories volume and thumbed through it for inspiration, then I went off to the yard and the studio fabric collection respectively and gathered materials. Here's what came out:

I love it and fortunately, so did the mama I made it for. I am especially pleased with Peter himself and the little carrots. They are all made out of cloth scraps, embroidery floss and a touch of stuffing to make them look full enough.


Little trivia for you on the subject. Did you know that Alexander Calder (of giant orange sculptural fame) invented mobiles in 1931? Its true! And I bet he had no idea he was inventing a staple nursery item. Little known facts you can learn, right here.