Beautiful Words

I have a friend who is a talented musician with a beautiful singing voice. I put her demo CD in our car a few weeks ago and we have listened to her songs on journeys here and there.  My boys starting asking what she looks like.
Does she have chubby cheeks?
Is her skin dark or light?
How old is she?
I relayed their questions to the musician and joked that maybe my boys have an image of Billy Holiday in their minds.  I think this was a compliment to the musical artist who is a young beautiful light skinned woman with a deep heart.
I'd like to surmise that the beauty and inquisition she has for life is reflected in her music and this is the energy we pick up on.  Children are so perceptive...

And then I started to think about words.
Positive words to write in a Valentine.  Beautiful words to inspire my space.
I wrote some down. I framed some.
It felt good.

Live, Laugh, Love

I need a lot of positive reminders. You can ask any of my family members. I can slide off the cliff pretty quickly to the realm of doom. Start me talking about modern day agriculture or education and you might think doomsday is near.  This is all the more reason I need to create reminders of beauty and love.

Many days my mind is filled with a list of things to accomplish.  Sometimes I notice my boys have been playing together for most of it only hearing my words when I need to be mediator. 

I must remind myself to take time for these two little people in my life.  To speak or sing to them with love, positivity, and to help transform our energy.

Positivity is so important and sometimes so hard to maintain.
Everyone wants to be in a positive space. Everyone wants to be loved unconditionally.

I am reminded of the work of Masaru Emoto.  He published the pictures of his work with water crystals.  He has frozen and observed water crystals from all over the world under a range of conditions.  He has taken "ugly water", said a prayer, and transformed it.

He recorded the effects of single words like: Love, Peace, Beautiful, Evil and the effects are seen in the frozen water crystal.  To see more check out the website.

http://www.masaru-emoto.net/english/water-crystal.html

Considering that our bodies are made up of mostly water we could surmise that we create beauty within, when we speak, write, and sing, kind words to each other.

It is amazing to me to see the effects of just one word.  Some of my favorite words are displayed around my house to remind me to say them to myself and to others.  It is so easy to do, but so underdone.

Feel free to use these ideas.  Copy the words, if you wish.  Display, say, and give them to your loved ones and friends. Share them, because we, the people and children of the world, continually need positive energy around and within us... 

I wrote this as a reminder to share with my little family.

What Andrea Creates

Hi. I'm Andrea, a mother, a wife, an educator, a maker, a gardener, and a birth support person.

My family enjoys discovering our local landscape and devouring delicious local food. I often cook and bake with alternative ingredients. 

I write about local experiences and recipe revelations on my blog.

I also create clothes, dolls, and wool animals that encourage imaginative play. I will be including some simple patterns here on my blog.

My background is in Horticulture, Waldorf Education (a type of education that's goal is to educate the whole child, head, heart and hands) Gardening, and Storytelling.

I have created and worked in a series of gardens over the country and many in my own back yard.

I enjoy incorporating my Waldorf training and teaching experience, my love of gardening, sewing, and baking, and my love for my children into our days.

Engaging children in meaningful activities can be rewarding and challenging. I like to share ideas that are enriching.

I would love for you to come along on our journey.

I write this blog for the same reason I create art, soft sculptures, and food. It enriches me. Doing something for myself is very important.  It is easy as a parent to go through the day's tasks of work obligations, feeding, transporting, and caring for others, without spending time for you.  When I create, be it a little knit chicken, a large crocheted rug, a blog post, or a simple lemon curd, good energy is created for myself.

Just the other morning I awoke early.  The house was quiet. I tiptoed over the creaky spot in the hall. I delicately reached for my coffee supplies to brew a pot undetected. After updating a few things, checking the weather, renewing an etsy listing, and peeking briefly at a favorite blog, the house remained quiet.

I looked below my desk.  There was a basket of items that did not sell at the Holiday Craft shows.  I intended to photograph them once the sunshine came in the window.  I picked up a kit of a rug hooked heart, found the right size embroidery hoop, and spent a half hour making a sweet little wool heart.

My boys awoke as I was pulling the last loops through to the surface.  I was happy, having created a little piece by myself in the early hours, alone.  I was able to greet my children, to be present with them, my time alone was done, but complete.

Doing things for myself helps me to be more present with others.

This is a little piece of who I am, why I continue to create whenever possible, and the juggle that must exist to do so.  

Thank you Dear Readers for coming along.

I welcome your comments, suggestions, and insight on this voyage.

Andrea's Education:

Associate degree in Horticulture.

BA in Education. Her Bachelor's thesis was titled “A Waldorf Garden Curriculum”.

M. Ed. in Waldorf Education.

Her Master's thesis was titled, “The Benefits of Teaching Mythology”.

Andrea has worked in two different Waldorf Schools, in gardens over the US, England and in her own backyard. She has no culinary training, but loves reading cookbooks and making nourishing home cooked food for her family.