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!

Shop Update!

As of noon today,  I've added a new group of Story Stones to the shop. 

Happy day after Labor Day, to you all.  May the transition out of the summer schedule feel as easy as possible.

xo e

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

Hey, you two.

 
Penguin meet Piggy.
Piggy meet Penguin. 
Now, go play.


(a special order Story Stone set)

xo e

conversation Love Rocks!

Love rocks! Just in time for Valentine's day. These conversation Love Rocks! have a heart on the front and a witty (or just plain sweet) message stamped on the back. Make your hearts skinny or bubbly or teeny tiny or really big - each rock ends up with its own little personality.

I used both fabric and paper with some Mod Podge for the hearts and a black stamp pad and mini alphabet stamps for the lettering. It is best to first fix your heart onto the stone with Mod Podge. Then, after the heart is dry, stamp the other side with your word(s). Once the lettering is dry, you can give that side a coat of Mod Podge as well. I chose to leave the lettering side plain (no Mod Podge).

One last little crafting note: I used a VersaCraft ink pad for the lettering because I use this ink pad for any kind of printing that is on a material other than paper (like fabric or wood). Since rocks are not paper, I went the VersaCraft route. This does not mean that another kind of ink pad won't work. You'll just have to try a few different kinds of ink pads and rock surfaces to see what works best. I recommend letting it dry overnight, and then, the next day, giving it the smudge test where you rub your thumb over the lettering.

Now, about that elephant in the room. I live in the northeast where we have over three feet of snow on the ground and a seemingly endless amount of snow days. I'm so sorry if you don't have any stones to work with. If you don't live in a climate where rock collecting is possible and you don't have some extra stones kicking around your house, then just collect some stones this spring and save 'em up for next year. Or, just make some spring rocks when the time comes: a big sunny sun with "you melt my heart" or a tree with "don't ever leave" or a flower with "pollinate me." That last one was a little sassy, right?

Make a few, put them in a little muslin sack, and give them to someone you love.

They might make nice paper weights?


This is definitely a fun kids craft. Chick cut out hearts to use for a whole bunch of love rocks! for her friends.I'll share photographs of those closer to Valentine's Day. Older kids can do the lettering as well as the cutting and gluing. You might even want to nibble on candy conversation hearts for inspiration: love bug, u r mine, sweet talk.


Maybe make a few tiny heart rocks with magnets to give as little magnet sets. Maybe?

love rocks!
heart rocks!
you rocks!

xo e

n e s t

These are a few of the little people story stones that I made as part of the collection for the Brooklyn Lyceum Food and Craft Market .

Tom found this glorious little bird's nest snug in the corner of the ceiling in our wood shed. I can't get over the layer of moss on the outside. Isn't it just perfectly beautiful? That mama bird is so my idol.


Why won't my almost 2 1/2 year old Miss Mouse nap? Why? Why? Why? Sorry, just had to complain to you guys. Now I'm off to rescue her from her snug bed. Maybe, I should hot glue a layer of moss around her crib?

Happy weekend.

xo e

this week

a little apple hook board for a dear friend

magnolia blossoms

a field of tiny violets in our own backyard

a meandering walk in the woods

some pink sparkly wine

my love home after nine days away

a flock of wee story stones


sandbox kisses

And, a huge thanks to everyone who offered such lovely, supportive words about my mom's paintings. You guys rock!

xo e

i'll be there

I'll be at the Hartsbrook Winter Festival on Saturday, from 9-4, selling

these


and these


and these


Hey locals, stop by and say "hello" if you end up going.

Happy weekend!

xo e

busy, busy

t o g e t h e r

Here are some Story Stones from the Play series that I spent much of July and August working on. There are many more little children and play things in the series, and I plan to slowly share them on the blog in the coming months. Recently, I was honored to be asked to sell my wares at The Hartsbrook School's Winter Festival in late November, so I think I'll bring some of these along.


This past weekend, while the little ones soaked in the grandparent love, Tom and his father installed a beautiful white pine floor in our upstairs bathroom and I led a craft project at Cradle's open house. At the end of the day on Saturday, we sat down to a big autumn feast with sweetly roasted vegetables and apple crisp for dessert.

The open house was bright and cheery. It was one of those events where kindness blanketed the room, and everyone there was just happy to share in friendly vibe.



The craft was a simple repurposed cardboard square collage with some cotton yarn tied through a hole for easy hanging. I'll post pictures of the finished craft in the next few days.

There were busy little (and big!) hands working all morning.


I'm off to do some work and then to read to sweet Chick who has a bit of a cough.

xo e

small places :: story telling in a jar

I've been spending some of my evening time developing new story stones that belong to different groups and series. I've already posted about the fairy tale series, which has made me beyond happy and, at the same time, feeling sort of creepy since most of the old fashioned fairy tales are mostly about being eaten and other random, gruesome deaths. These days, I'm particularly excited about the new back-to-school series that features a diverse group of children with different hair colors, clothing styles, and skin colors. The series isn't meant to be limited to children who go to traditional schools; instead, it is meant to celebrate the reacquainting of a group of children who have been apart during the long, warm, free-roaming summer. Stay tuned for pictures of those new story stone children and play things in the coming weeks.

On top of developing the actual stones, I've been pondering various settings and play areas for the stones. Lots of ideas have been flooding my mind, but, just yesterday, while dealing with a jar of pickles, I came up with one of my favorites so far: The Story Telling Jar.

It is made with a clean, transparent jar, some felt, stuffing, a needle and thread, a button, a little bit of glue (optional), and a wee bit of fabric scraps and paper. It is the kind of project that can be tailored to whatever imaginative story you and/or your child hold dear.

1. It begins with a large felt circle and a basting stitch around the circle. I filled it with stuffing, pulled it tight, and knotted. This is the grassy hill that goes in the bottom of the jar.


2. Before putting the grassy hill in, I placed a circle of green felt at the bottom to sort of fill in the areas where light filtered through the bottom. I used a dot of glue under the circle of felt to be sure it stayed in place, but the glue is optional since the felt gets wedged in there.

3. Once the hill was in place, I used a hole punch to make some fabric and felt circles. Using tiny, tiny dabs of glue, I glued the little flowers on place on the hill. I think the the hill can be adorned any which way.

4. There is a bird flying around in the jar. Do you see it? It is a tiny paper bird dangling on some blue thread. I punched a hole in the lid of the jar, threaded the bird thread through the lid's hole, and tied the end to a button to keep it from falling through.

5. Put some story stones (or any small critters or people) inside the jar. Fun.

xo e