Spring is in Swing!

I will try to get some pictures of my own pretty flowers (I now have 9 tulips, 6 irises and several beautiful knock-out roses), but until tomorrow, when I will be planting the discount roses I bought for Ben, this beautiful shot will just have to do.

image  via House of Turquoise via Belle Maison

DIA Design Fun

Here it is...the big design!  I'm so excited about our event!  See below for details:

Also, check out the new preliminary design for our new website!  I love it! 

http://leer.mjinteractivedesign.com/

Please check out MJinteractive design--she's amazing and works so quickly!

Calling all Columbia area kids and their families!

Join us for DIA (Diversity in Action)—a free, fun-filled festival celebrating children and culture through books. Enter the Storybook House or “Casa de Cuentos” for an afternoon of adventure. Your children will participate in interactive storytelling in English and Spanish, as well as dancing, music, crafts and food from many different cultures.

It will take place on April 24th from 1-4pm at the Keenan House in Columbia, SC (801 Wildwood Ave. Columbia, SC 29203). For more information on the event or if you would like to participate through song, dance, storytelling or crafts, contact Shelley Whipple at shelley.whipple@columbiasc.edu

Presented by: Columbia College Division of Languages and Literatures, L.E.E.R. Family Outreach, Palmetto Luna and Maria Palito USA

Asheville Art

Thanks goodness it's Spring break!  The winter doldrums are starting to clear as I have one daffodil blooming and one iris!  There are many tulips popping up as well, but no blooms yet.  As inspiring as the Spring weather is, you all know that I'm always inspired when I get a chance to head up to Asheville for a little visit back home.  Not only is it refreshing to see my family (and my most adorable nephews!), but I always try to hit a few art galleries while I'm downtown to keep an eye out for something fresh to post here.

And my last trip did not disappoint.  I found two artists that I really like.  The first, Maggie Hopper, has made it difficult to copy pictures from her website, so the little bitty pics will have to give you a taste until you can head on over to her site to check her out for yourself.

And for the second Kristie Taylor, I don't believe the photos do justice to her work, so I'm only posting two shots.

They look better in these shots from a distance, than they do in the shots up close, but seeing them in person would be better.  Oh well, at least you get the idea.  What do you think--are their stars on the rise?  I hope so.  Enjoy.

Maria Palito

I've just discovered the cutest little website.  One of my students and I are planning an event called DIA (Diversity In Action) to celebrate diversity, children and literacy.  A friend has connected me with the designer of this website Maria Palito who does all her own graphic design, and sells super cute stuff for kids!  Jewelry, dolls, illustrations and more.  She's amazing!

image via maria palito

She's creating the design for the posters and flyers for our event so I thought I'd give her a shout out here.  I can't wait to post the design--it's going to be perfect!  Check out her site and tell me what you think.  (And her jewelry is 100% eco-friendly.)

Lacking Inspiration Where Design is Concerned

I'm trying to post something, but I just have nothing creative and inspiring to post regarding the design world.  Right now my mind is swimming with thoughts of Performance Based Assessments for my students, the 50 compositions I still have left to grade, and the inspiring, yet difficult topic of Critical Race Theory.

Will you all abandon me if I begin to rant about some of the injustices I'm learning about as I delve into the world of language and literacy, looking at how power and position-even with regards to something as seemingly simple as language--affect our public schools and society at large?  I imagine you will, therefore I will just briefly mention this book.

Racial inequality is not a topic for the faint of heart, but this book has caught my attention!  Each time I pick it up and begin reading I think, "Critical Race Theory--where have you been all my life?!?"  And why aren't we talking about it more and thinking about how to solve problems of racism in our country? 

Well, that's all I'll say about that.  Thanks for humoring me.  I'll try to make my next post about something pretty!

A Good Cause

http://waldenhouse.blogspot.com/2010/02/wreath-fundraiser-and-cool-family.html

As you may remember, Ben and I are in the process of trying to adopt.  And while we are excited about this, there are many challenges along the way, one large one being the financial aspect.  Thankfully, our money is already provided for, but we have some good friends who are also trying to adopt.  Our pastor's wife, Stacy from the blog Blessed Chaos, is making these cool wreaths to raise money for their adoption.  They are only $15.00 and the money goes directly toward Kenny and Meredith's adoption fund.  I've already ordered mine, so if you want one too, just click on the link under the picture and follow the directions.

The One That Got Away

Have you ever missed a golden opportunity to be on the cutting edge of design before anyone else? You were flipping through a magazine and thought, "I saw a (fill-in-the-blank) just like that two years ago! I should have gotten it when I had the chance." Well, that doesn't happen too often, but these chairs:

image via sundance

I see them everywhere!

Let me just tell you. In the first house we ever rented. Our landlord was a homewrecker. Literally, he tore down buildings for a living, and often got to salvage whatever happened to be left in the building before destroying it. He also stored many of these "treasures" in the shed in our backyard/junkyard. He must have had 50 of these cool aluminum chairs he had gotten when one of the state mental hospitals closed down (creepy, I know). Anyhow, we thought they were the coolest and used them in our house. When we moved out, I wanted to keep some, but in the hustle and bustle, never got around to asking him (although I highly doubt he would have noticed if a few had gone missing.)

Well, now that I keep an eye on what's in style, I kick myself every time I see one of these chairs in a designer magazine! Oh well, c'est la vie.

What's your one that got away?