we're moving!!

Just a block away...but after putting in an offer 7 months ago, we finally closed on the house yesterday. It is a home I have loved since we first moved here 5 1/2 years ago.  Now we are making that scary jump into the unknown that is "californiarealestate." This new world includes things like earthquake-proofing the foundation and termite inspections.

Our goal is to paint and get new carpet in the next 10 days and move in by Halloween (scary thought - the move, not Halloween). I've been pouring over my favorite design sites and my inspiration binder that I started putting together in March when we submitted our offer. It's a whirlwind of to-do lists, but D and I are excited to be working on it together.

After stumbling upon this inspiring post by SouleMama (if only we could all be as awesome as she is) I'm thinking I need to set up our library/studio first:

Doesn't this space ooze creativity?! There's no TV in sight! I'm trying to convince myself to cancel the cable when we move - the jury's still out.

I'll post more design inspirations as we dive into the projects on our list. First, here are my current daily reads:

Little Green Notebook
Apartment Therapy
Ohdeedoh

picasso update

I posted the lesson for the Picasso portraits over at KidCulture. Check them out! Here's Little S working on her masterpiece.

Mondrian at KidCulture

I wrote up my Mondrian art lesson for the preschoolers over at KidCulture. I've got some great pics of the class working on their art, including the Picasso portraits, but must do some photo editing before I post them. I don't think it's appropriate to post pics of kids that aren't my own (I'll blur their faces in photoshop). Art class is going well - it takes a lot of time but I really do enjoy it!

Mondrian's Composition II in Red, Blue and Yellow, 1930

My friend and KidCulture author Becca just told me she's been invited to join a Fine Arts Class with 8 other mothers from her ward. They rotate having the children in their homes and preparing an arts lesson for them (I assume it includes music, literature, etc). Doesn't that sound lovely?

I was recently on a blog where the author-mother wrote that she decided to put away her passions like sewing projects and other creations in an attempt to spend more time with her children - teaching, helping them practice instruments, etc. I thought to myself how happy I am that my passion for art can be translated into projects, museum visits and time with my kids quite easily!

Picasso at Preschool

I'm teaching Picasso at the preschool art class today. We'll be attempting Picasso-like self-portraits. I'll let you know how it goes. In the meantime, you can create your own Picasso masterpieces at PicassoHead.

Above is one of Picasso's works I'll share with the kids: Maya with her Doll, 1938.

I've been out of the office...

It feels like I've been all over the place! I went to Washington, DC on a last minute trip to see my brother get married on a boat on the Potomac, I started teaching an art class twice a week at Little S's preschool and I launched a new blog.

Check out the new blog: http://www.kidculture.net

This blog idea has been swirling around in my head for almost a year. I gathered a few like-minded friends together to be contributors and it finally launched a few weeks ago. KidCulture is dedicated to arts+children.

she cut it herself

You can see some of the hair laying below on the ac unit - there were piles of it. She did it at 6:45 am while sitting on the back porch playing with fabric scraps.

Me: Little S, why did you cut your hair?

Little S: My hair kept getting in my eyes.

My guess is that the ac kicked on and blew her hair and she got frustrated.

Did I mention I was going to have some sisters pics taken in a few weeks, not to mention my sister's wedding in Oct. I think I'll start giving her the vitamin (D, I think) that promotes hair and nail growth.

Santa Barbara and birthday week

I turned 31 last week...

D instituted Birthday Week when we were first married. The tradition has lasted these 12 years and I think my birthday week 2010 was the best yet. I'll post more of the week's festivities later but we finished the week with an overnighter in Santa Barbara as part of the festivities celebrating the blessing of Ryan and Whitney's twins (though we couldn't make it to the actual blessing on Sunday).

Ryan and Whitney's families rented a beach house for the weekend and they offered us their extra room Friday night. (Chris had his last weekend of MBA school at UCLA - we missed him but are excited for him to be done!) The weekend was awesome - staying up late Friday talking and laughing, brunch on the beach Saturday and a trip to the Santa Barbara zoo included feeding the giraffe! Not to mention the delicious coconut birthday cakes Whitney made for me and the best part - holding those cute twin boys all weekend.

Little S took this picture of D and I - she's becomming quite the photographer.

Little S chickened out and wouldn't feed the giraffe after the giraffe shot its tongue out a good 8 inches at her. D stepped in to help. Apparently, the tongue felt like sandpaper.
The lion was sunning right in front of us - Baby J, Izzy and a random kid were posing, though Izzy doesn't like any kind of cat including giant ones.