A Summer Kids' Craft: Nature Bundles

While we were away on our vacation, the children invented a Nature Bundles game where they found lots of different tiny bits of nature and packaged them up with gorgeous, natural wrapping.

Each one was unique and interesting, and each had a story to go along with it.  Some were spells, some remedies, and some extremely thought-out gifts.

Like, this one, which had a note explaining what each part of the bundle represented in me:

2 shiny leaves because you are also shiny
Unripened holly because it grows together like our family
Pine because it grows wild like you
Pink flowers because it is unique like you
2 sea shell pieces because they are to make your roads to home
Yellow flowers because they are bright like you
Wheat because it stands tall like you
Four pebbles because YOU ROCK

Did I almost die because of how much I loved it? Yes. 

Why not send your children off into the backyard, woods, wherever in search of bits of nature to wrap up in small packages.  It is just the kind of freestyle play that leads to imaginative storytelling play.

If you take photographs, will you share with me?

Follow Red Bird Crafts on Facebook for lots of posts and creative ideas for art&story.

Have fun!

Spring Story Stones

Spring is finally in full force in our Massachusetts valley, which means my family has been in search-for-signs-of spring mode. In the past, we've collected our signs of spring, traced our signs of spring, and made non-dominant drawings of our signs of spring. This year I decided we should make spring Story Stones!

First, find signs of spring! It is easy enough to close your eyes and image some, and this is fine, but I think it really helps if you go out searching.  You'll maybe surprise yourself?  I chose robin's egg (we found one in our yard!), magnolia blossom (my favorite backyard tree), maple keys (or helicopter seeds), and a cherished spring sprout. I don't think I would have remembered the magnolia blossom if I hadn't been outside mindfully observing. Once you've gathered stones and given them a quick rinse, use a pencil to draw spring shapes.

Use acrylic paint to fill in the pencil lines and allow plenty of dry time.

Display your stones in the center of a table or give stones as little token of friendship.  They would make nice end-of-year gifts for teachers and friends!

Story + Art Tip:  Consider using a thin Sharpie marker to write words on the back of each stone.  A poem, haiku, two word pairing, or even one simple word.

Have Fun!

my wish for you.

Shop Update Announcement (and saying goodbye to summer)

Hello!  I've been receiving lots of requests and inquiries about when I plan to sell more Story Stones in my shop, and I'm happy to announce that the time has almost arrived.  On Tuesday (9/4) at noon the shop will be stocked with lots of new Story Stones. There will be new faces, animal friends, and other random bits (like pies and books and envelopes).  I'll post another reminder on Tuesday.

Last night after dinner, we were outside and I was feeling a little bit lip quivery about the end of summer.  I was drying a load of beach towels from last weekend while thinking about our long summer days together, and my heart was achy.  My oldest sensed it, I think, and came bounding up rattling off all of the fall things she is excited about:  "climbing trees when they are red and orange, apple pie, pumpkin pie, and feeling the cold wind on our faces." I smiled through my mopey heart and chimed in with a chipper "wool sweaters." I will follow her lead.  It is tempting to drag our heals when it comes to this end of summer business, but I think I will try to look forward with my heart filled with memories of damp, grassy fields, bike rides in the setting sun, and sandy sandwiches and also with sweet things to come, like baskets of apples, warm fires, and hot bowls of soup.

Have a beautiful, restful, long holiday weekend, my friends.

See you in September.

xoxo emily

p i c t u r e d {summer reflection series}

This photograph is a family favorite. It rests in a frame on my daughter's bookshelf. Her grandparents at the lake often speak of "the photograph of the marshmallow on the mountain" and the magic of roasting her first one.  

Thank you for joining me this week as I spent time with some of my favorite moments of summers gone by. 

Enjoy this day, friends.

xox e

  
Each day this week, I'll post a summer photograph from the past four years.  The photographs that I've chosen show some of my favorite summer treats and moments.  My children will pop up in a few, which means that you'll see them when they were chubby little babes (sigh). 

p i c t u r e d {summer reflection series}

Local peaches mean the end of summer around these parts.  This means that I was feeling sad and happy in this moment before my first bite.
 
Each day this week, I'll post a summer photograph from the past four years.  The photographs that I've chosen show some of my favorite summer treats and moments.  My children will pop up in a few, which means that you'll see them when they were chubby little babes (sigh). 

p i c t u r e d {summer reflection series}

We were on the coast of New Hampshire last summer, playing with rocks and water until we were tired.  


Each day this week, I'll post a summer photograph from the past four years.  The photographs that I've chosen show some of my favorite summer treats and moments.  My children will pop up in a few, which means that you'll see them when they were chubby little babes (sigh). 

p i c t u r e d {summer reflection series}

Tiny, red plums from our CSA farm.  Sweet, sweet, sweet.
 
Each day this week, I'll post a summer photograph from the past four years.  The photographs that I've chosen show some of my favorite summer treats and moments.  My children will pop up in a few, which means that you'll see them when they were chubby little babes (sigh). 

p i c t u r e d {summer reflection series}

I remember feeling so lucky to be hanging with that grass next to that fence under that sky. 
 
Each day this week, I'll post a summer photograph from the past four years.  The photographs that I've chosen show some of my favorite summer treats and moments.  My children will pop up in a few, which means that you'll see them when they were chubby little babes (sigh). 

p i c t u r e d {summer reflection series}

That one cheek shows you how much fun she is having, right? Oh, my baby.

Each day this week, I'll post a summer photograph from the past four years.  The photographs that I've chosen show some of my favorite summer treats and moments.  My children will pop up in a few, which means that you'll see them when they were chubby little babes (sigh). 

p i c t u r e d {summer reflection series}

Each day this week, I'll post a summer photograph from the past four years.  The photographs that I've chosen show some of my favorite summer treats and moments.  My children will pop up in a few, which means that you'll see them when they were chubby little babes (sigh).