RESOLUTIOiONS

Ring out the old, ring in the new,

Ring, happy bells, across the snow:

The year is going, let him go;

Ring out the false, ring in the true.

~Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 1850

                                               

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!!!

Last year I gifted Violet with a 2010 calender on New Years Day.  I selected  Becky Kelly's Enchanted Little Moments tear-off  calendar that I found at Barnes and Noble.  They always put their calendars on half price the week after Christmas.  Wahoo!!  We really enjoyed the artwork--lots of faeries and woodland creatures.  It was a great way for her to be more interested in the workings of a calendar and the pages were the perfect size to recycle into lunchbox notes.

Anyway, this year I decided to carry on the tradition. Unfortunately, there isn't a Barnes and Noble for like 200 miles around here, and it was too late to order on-line.  I perused the Internet and found a bunch of cute ones on Etsy (you should check those out).  My search continued and I ran across a free one on My Owl Barn.  Jackpot!!    It is an awesome collaboration of artists that have painted the most wonderful pictures of owls. It is also down-loadable, and printable for that instant gratification or last minute timing.

I had it printed and waiting for the first day of 2011!  She loved it.  We are both fans of owls. They are such magical creatures.  We have several barred and screech owls that live in the woods surrounding our house.  Actually, several years ago, I first became aware of our little screech owl friend while feeding our cats.  As I was rationing out the Special Kitty, this scream erupted from the woods. Kalin thought it was hilarious when I came running inside the house proclaiming that we had a panther in our front yard.  (I think the story in Little House in the Big Woods where Pa gets chased by a panther, had stuck with me. )

So, if you are an owl lover head on over to the site and print your very own copy.

Best wishes for the new year!!  Cheers!!!

****Oh yeah!  So my resolution, or well, one of them is to make more time for sewing, sketching, knitting, spinning, felting, and basically all things creative.   I am sure that I did not allow myself enough of that this year.  It is food for my soul.

One of my favorite books is Amanda Soule's Creative Family.  She stresses the importance of making  creative time for yourself and your kids, even when it seems that their are too many other things to do.  I myself have noticed when working with children that there is a certain confidence they adopt upon completing a creative project.  It gives them something they can be proud of.  It is great for adults to!!

So whats your resolution???