supporting the arts at a local school

Last year, I helped launch an arts fair at our neighborhood elementary school, and somehow I ended up chairing the event this year.  (Note t...

i heart portland

Portland has its share of nicknames.  There's City of Roses, PDX, Rip City, Stumptown, and P-Town, which is the most commonly used name ...

My week

i am in love my new hand-dyed scarf and pouch from driftwood & fossil what a great project for kids! i bought this dinosaur topped jar a...

working with water soluble crayons

A few weekends ago, I picked up a set of water soluble crayons at an estate sale for $1.  They are the Neocolor II crayons from Caran d'...

my week

new painting // lost lake found these sweet and tiny vessels by elycia camille at tender loving empire just a few dollars apiece! i gave th...

Young Picassos all around us

Marla Olmstead .  Painting on the right: Dory , 36 x 48 inches, painted at age 5 (2005).  [image sources: map , marlaolmstead.com] Kids love...

Tom Tierney's fashionable paper dolls

My girls think I'm famous because I have a blog.  I told them that I'll be famous once I'm a Tom Tierney paper doll.  Tom Tiern...

My chalkboard wall

It's been over a year since I mentioned [ here ] painting one of our walls with chalkboard paint, and I'm happy to report that I fin...

My Week

Apparently, I'm digging reds and greens right now . . . my latest work, Cherry Blossoms // it just got snatched up as a swapathon trad...

Felt gift bags for any occasion

Christmas is a few days away, and the wrapping frenzy has just begun at our house.  I normally use kraft paper and twine when wrapping gifts...

Helping kids draw animals

As a child, I loved Ed Emberley 's drawing books.  His easy-to-follow drawings of chipper animals have made millions of kids feel like a...