A few months ago I was asked to come up with a series of educational at-home activities to do with the kids as part of a collaboration between eHow (who I regularly contribute for) and Target. All together, I wrote 8 posts - many of which centered on developing STEM skills. This gum drop engineering project was one of my very favorites (second only to the inventor's box I shared with you guys last month). Our whole family had a great time building and creating for almost an entire afternoon with this activity. Go check it out for full details

This Redon artwork of a portrait print and Venus print is French symbolism that presents symbolist art as a large canvas print or museum print. This symbolism art or post-impressionism is for Boy Room Décor or Girl Room Décor or as a Kids Print. It makes a perfect large print. * Super-fast processing times and express post upgrade options. * Lifetime Guarantee: 100% Fade Resistant for 200 years – All Archival Prints. * Safe for Home: Vibrant Prints, No Solvents, Non-toxic. * Eco-Friendly: 100% Pure water-based pigment ink. * Museum Approved: Archival Acid-Free Fine Art Materials. BONUS: With every print 18 inches (long side) or larger you receive: Free White Handling Gloves, Free Fine Art Bookmarks, Free Gift Wrapping, Free Shipping in, Free Protective Tube, Free Support & Advice. THINGS TO KNOW! Whether you want to give the perfect gift or make a statement about your home or workspace we have the right artwork for you! We offer customers the ability to purchase the world's highest quality art reproductions from the most famous Artist’s or Periods throughout history. All of these have been professionally restored and colour-corrected by the Centre for Arts Research. Our museum grade prints are recognised as the highest possible quality reproductions. We guarantee that all of our prints are Australian produced with the highest safety standards using genuine Canon fade-resistant water-based inks, and our materials are all made in Germany. We supply many Galleries, Museums and Artists and now we offer our catalogue direct to the public. Check out the rest of our store before you make your final purchase to take advantage of our bundle discounts. To make things easier for you, and to save you the extra costs of shipping framed artworks and the high likelihood of framed artworks being damaged in the post, we only sell unframed and un-stretched artworks rolled up and gift wrapped in hard postal tubes. We have selected all of our print sizes so they can fit to ready-made frames that you can commonly purchase online from other sellers, or even purchase locally. Our customers find this is the best result for them, as they can purchase the print knowing it will arrive safely and then later select a framing option that best matches their home’s décor. You can also leave the option to frame later whilst they enjoy the unframed print. --- PAPER TYPES --- * Pearl Photo Paper Perfect balance of shine and colour with a semi-gloss, low sheen finish. This traditional style photo paper has deep blacks and saturated colours. This paper is 310 GSM and is made in Germany to the highest standards. We only bring you the best quality. * Semi-Metallic Gloss For maximum shine & popping colours, this unique paper has a subtle semi-metallic looking base that adds a unique touch to images that demand extra attention to saturated colours such as NASA and space images. By catching this paper in the right lighting, it shines beautifully with its Iridium coating. This paper is 260 GSM and is made in Germany to the highest standards. Note: This paper contains no metal, and is only an emulation of a very subtle semi-metallic surface. * Cotton Art Paper If you are searching for a true-matte finish, this is the perfect paper. Made from 100% Italian Cotton in a traditional fourdrinier in Germany, this 310 GSM Fine Art paper is always an excellent choice. We recommend this paper if you wish to frame your artwork traditionally. * Lustre Canvas Fabric This paper is our most popular and best in class for art reproductions. If you are looking to have your reproduction look closer the original, then this is an amazing choice. Each canvas has a semi-gloss coating to give extra protection to the print and add depth the to the blacks and saturation to the colours. We recommend selecting the option with a border if you wish to later stretch it around a frame, or with no extra border if you wish to have it traditionally framed. This paper is a strong and durable cotton/polyester blend at 340 GSM, made in Germany to the highest standards. *** Some Important Information: All Prints are sold unframed including canvas which are printed on canvas fabric only (not stretched). To be on the safe side we generally ship all orders with some additional white border to give you the option to keep it or remove it yourself. Some customers purchase prints to fit to standard frame sizes, and these frame sizes sometimes require no border, or can also require extra border to fill a mat board. We can only accommodate different frame sizes if you let us know before you order. If this is the case, please specify before you order if you would like a particular sized white border that is in addition to the listed print sizes and we will try to accommodate this for you. Without any special request you may receive a standard size border from us ranging anywhere from 3mm – 50mm (or possibly no border). Please note that all images in this listing are illustrative purposes only, and the images do not indicate the size of the border you will receive or give an accurate representation of their size related to objects in the images. The images also display the print itself as being adhered to the wall, and do not display any of the prints as being mounted, framed or stretched on wood bars. Note: the option ‘Canvas’ refers only to the fabric material that the artwork is printed on. The term ‘Canvas’ does not denote the print is stretched on wood bars or framed in any way. Note: The images found in this listing are for illustrative purpose only, and only give an approximation of how prints may appear on a wall give certain customisations. The images also only show the images as prints themselves unframed, and any resemblance to these prints being framed is unintentional and should not be taken as an indication of how prints will appear on a wall framed or unframed. Best Value Guarantee: We work hard to professionally restore artworks and images, making sure they are historically true to the original. Prints are sent rolled up in a packing tube and can expand or shrink slightly based on humidity levels. Prints sent rolled up will also require sometime to flatten out. Please use the provided gloves and be very careful after receiving the prints as they can scratch easily if you touch the printed surface. As mentioned already, please specify if you would like a particular size white border in addition to your print, otherwise you may receive no white border, or you may receive a standard size border from us ranging anywhere from 3mm – 50mm. All pictures in this listing are for illustrative purposes only and do not intend to indicate any additional services or features being sold that is not contained in this description or item specifics. Australian Owned & Made: Since we operated our first retail outlet in 2008 we have been proudly Australian made and owned. We pride ourselves in selling eco-friendly sustainable products to help protect our beautiful environment for future generations. We are trusted by hundreds of artists around Australia and Internationally as their only source for reliable fine art prints. We make sure that our prints are safe for the home and do not use any toxic-solvent products that are widely found in the printing industry. Our prints are not only found in thousands of homes across Australia but are found in major Australian museums and galleries. About Us: We are a team of passionate artists & technicians dedicated to the goal of producing the highest quality and most competitively priced Fine Art Prints in the world. With over 15 years’ experience selling Fine Art Giclee Prints to the top Galleries, Museums and leading artists, we are now selling the world's highest quality art prints here at wholesale prices. Our customers enjoy the free benefit of all our reproductions being compliant with Australia's and US copyright laws. All images & prints are appropriations of the original artist's work and/or appropriation of the photograph of that artwork (photographs which are slavish reproductions of the original painting). We retouch each image to include edits that the Centre for Arts Research feel best represent the true vision of the artist and in doing so professionally adjust the image in a way that it becomes our own original appropriated artwork. This involves remastering & restoration techniques that include sharpness, colour correction, scratch removal, distortion removal, cropping, colour adjustment, spot removal, tonal adjustment, and hue/saturation adjustments. Have Questions? Want To Customise? We care about your needs! Feel free to contact us any time if you need any help. If you want prints in a different size, aspect ratio, border size, extra width for canvas stretching, bleed or any other customisation feel free to ask us any time. We can also arrange discounts for large orders or even express shipping if you need your prints in a rush for a special occasion. Prints as Gifts: Our customers purchase prints for a wide variety of reasons. The most common is for gifts to others. Some ideas you may consider when buying prints could include: Gift for Mum, Gift for Dad, Kids Print, Baby Print, Gift for Boyfriend, Gift for Girlfriend, Gift for Wife, Gift for Husband, Gift for Teacher, Gift for her or Gift for Him. Places for Prints: When looking for prints our customers have several locations in mind for where to display their prints. This includes Wall Art, House Décor, Nursery Decor, Apartment Decor, Home Decor, Girls Room Decor, Boys Room Decor, Dining Room Print, Living Room Print, Bedroom Print, Renovation Print, Decoration Print, Boys Room Print, Girls Room Print and Bedroom Décor. Special Occasions for Gift Wrapping: There are many special occasions when our customers like to purchase prints. It is for this reason all our prints come gift wrapped. Some ideas we may recommend for special occasions include: Mother’s Day Print, Father’s Day Print, Wedding Gif

(via so cozy)

As a wise man once said, "having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card!"

Squishy, soft, white as snow, and oh-so-delicious. MARSHMALLOWS! They’re not just for eating anymore. This summer your Happy Buddies are about to become Marshmallow Architects, Marshmallow Warriors, and Marshmallow Artists. 🙂Marie over at Make and Takes had fun with her Happy Buddies building things out of Jumbo marshmallows and cut straws. So clever! I love […]

Learn about our bodies with these human body activities for kids! All of these ideas are hands-on way to explain the body's systems and functions for kids.

It's been a couple of weeks since Sukkot ended and we took lots of photos... but wanted to share a few here that I compiled into collages. ...

This gorgeous interior project in Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, Barcelona was realized by interior designer Susanna Cots. The home features sea as the main element, which gives shape to the distribution of the house, the

[you are me and we are all together]

Color the Egg Puzzle Today I am posting a music worksheet and game to identify notes around middle C. I plan to use it as a coloring sheet to send home in their binder because I don’t have time to do this at a lesson. However, I think students might enjoy cutting it out after […]

Helloooo, and a happy day to you! The King is planning on leaving the castle and traveling across the land to the summer residence. It's common occurrence every summer as the black plague returns and many people sicken and die with its return. For some reason it seems to stay away from the country and so for the past several years going to the country to spend the summer months has become the normal thing to do. The King's summer residence is almost 40 miles away and takes a month or more to get there, what with the carriages, carts and conveyances that are used to move most of the king's castle. The roads are rough and muddy or difficult to travel on. Why the King's very bedstead is disassembled and moved piece by piece to be reassembled whence he gets to the summer castle. To travel, the food is not as typical and it must be made to travel well. The Master Chef of his highness has several recipes for meat pies or tarts as they are called. A simple meat filling wrapped in a dough of flour and lard and baked until brown and hot and bubbling inside, are a delight to even the king's palate and make a perfect traveling companion on long trips. A meat tart can be kept and eaten for several weeks after they are made. It is common for meat pies, large pies meant for several people, after several weeks to have the top crust removed, the filling scooped out, and reheated then replaced with the top crust put back on top, and then the entire pie reheated again. This method allows one to save the meat inside for as long as a year! Although meat tartees never last very long around the castle. * (See author's note) Let me show you how. This is the exact recipe from the master Chef's little bitty book he keeps his recipes in. Tartee Take pork y sode. hewe hit & bray hit, do þ(er) to ayro(u)n. rayso(u)ns. cora(u)ns sug(ur) & poudo(ur) of (gg). poudo(ur) douce & smale brydd(es) þ(er) among & whyte grees take p(ru)nes. safro(u)n & salt & make a crust in a trap(p) & do þe fars þ(er) inne & bake it wel. &c. .clxiij. Tart i(n) ymber Day. Take & p(ar)boyle oyno(u)ns & erbes & presse oute þe wat(er) & hewe he(m) smale. take brede & bray hit i(n) a mort(er) & te(m)p(er) hit vp w(t) ayro(u)n. do Other foods for the long trip to the king's seat in the country would be dried and smoked venison and beef, breads, cheeses and dried and smoked fyshe.Meat pies and tartees would be plentiful as would fruit pies and little cakes. Cask of ale and water would be brought along and the traveling is not so difficult being in the king's company. Much better than the lowly traveler that wanders the roads alone or in small groups often beset upon by brigands and thieves, murders and the like. It is a difficult and dangerous thing to travel the roads in medieval Europe unless you traveled with the King's army. We'll be summering in the country and I'll write more of the experiences I have along with the recipes I get a glimpse of from the Master Chef's little book of royal recipes. For now this is the proper recipe to create these tasty meat tartees for yourself. Have a pleasant evening. Mrs Pippery ( First make the crust: Place in a mixing bowl flour ( I believe small bread or brydd is referring to flour not bread crumbs), lard, salt and a small amount of water and make a crust with it. For the filling, place in a frying pan a couple of cups of pork cut finely and cook it with parboiled onions, herbs, drain any liquid from mixture, and add eggs, raisins, course sugar and poudour douce, prunes, saffron,bread crumbs to thicken then pound finely in a mortar. Place filling in pre-baked crust, top with another crust and bake well. Pork Tart or Pork Meat Pie Crust: 2 cups flour 1/2 cup butter 1 - 2 Tablespoons ice cold water Mix and gently combine to form a delicate pie crust. For modern cooking methods use a pie plate to hold recipe together. *(The flour that was milled in medieval times would have been a courser and tougher material yielding a tougher and stronger crust, most likely more difficult to chew by our modern standards but it would have held the pie together without the need of a baking dish. Even in medieval times the crust was often not eaten ans it was so chewy and hard, but was primarily thought to be used as a container which would preserve the meat for up to a year!! The crust surrounding the meat mixture was called a 'coffin' and if it was eaten it was usually given to the poor, minus the tasty filling as a 'leftover' or ground up and added as a thickener to soups in wealthy kitchens. It was not until the Victorian era that meat pies became street vendor fair and became a dish enjoyed by all classes. * With today's knowledge and understanding of food poisoning, toxins and modern sanitary food safe practices we would never eat meat that has been left out of refrigeration for any length of time. Please do not do this, as its a dangerous practice. Always refrigerate any cooked or raw food and follow proper food handling practices. To address modern sensibilities when it comes to our modern diet, a more delicate, tender crust goes well with this dish, although it probably would not have traveled as well as the original version and certainly would not remain edible without refrigeration for very long. The meat mixture: 3 cups finely diced raw pork 2 cups parboiled onions parsley sliced leeks small baby carrots cooked 1 cup water salt, pepper to taste poudour douce ( 1/4 tsp of each nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger) 1/4 c chopped raisins 1/4 c chopped prunes 3 beaten eggs 2 Tablespoons sugar 1 pinch of saffron 1/4 c breadcrumbs to thicken meat mixture Cook pork in fry pan in a small amount of oil, then add the rest of the ingredients except for the breadcrumbs. Cook over a medium heat until everything is heated through. Add breadcrumbs to thicken if desired. Place crust in bottom of pie plate and place in hot oven 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove and let cool. Place meat mixture in pre-baked crust, brush the edges of the crust with water and then place a second crust over the top and pinch the edges tightly and trim away excess crust. Then pierce 6 small slits in top of crust to allow steam to escape while baking. Bake at a medium temperature over 350 degrees for up to an hour until the crust is brown and the filling is bubbling through the steam slits.) ©2011 Enchantments, LLC If you know someone who would like my work, please send them this link. If you or they would like to be included on my weekly email distribution list send me an email with your email address to be included. If you ever wish to unsubscribe to this blog, please contact me and you will be immediately removed from our list. Comments and suggestions are always welcome. (Author's Note: I will allow Mrs. Pippery to tell the story of her encounters with the Forme of Curye, the recipe book of the Master Chef for King Richard II during the years 1367 - 1400. The owner of this manuscript (University of Manchester, Manchester, England, see Attribution Section below) does not currently know the actual name of the Master Chef. Accordingly, as used in this series of articles, the names of the Master Chef, Mrs. Pippery and any other principals mentioned, are fictional. This author’s personal comments, translations or interpretations of the manuscript are presented in parenthesis and in italics. The supporting story including the description of the day-to-day life of the characters were created by the author, using her historical research of the time period. The modern recipes provided are based, in part, on the author’s interpretations of the recipes appearing in the manuscript, adapted to today’s cooking equipment and techniques.) Attribution: The Forme of Curye is an ancient manuscript owned by the University of Manchester, Manchester, England, under its Manchester Middle English Manuscripts, of the John Ryland's Library Middle English Manuscript Digitisation Project. The transcription as they appear in these article were done by or for the University and appear as released by the University for research and for the use of scholars and other interested parties.

Get the wiggles out with this fun exercise cube game! Great for toddlers or preschool. Exercise for kids

Where Did Swiss Family Robinson Land | Their Unique Homes | Cave Activity | Free The Swiss Family Robinson Unit Study & hands-on

I was thinking about prayer labyrinths the other day and came across finger labyrinths- a portable and very sensory version of the tradition! I had a go at making one and really found that tracing the path helped me to focus in prayer. I thought about buying some for the children to use because it might appeal to the more kinaesthetic while they are listening to God in silence but soon realised it was going to be very expensive as we might like to give all of the children a chance to try it at the same time! The next best thing I could do was make my own. I'm afraid they're not as tactile as wooden ones might be, but the sense of following the path on a journey with God is the same! We tested them out with three of the children at Powersource and one, at least, really seemed to find it useful. We'll introduce them to the children as a whole in the coming weeks. As with everything, what appeals to some will not appeal to all, but if they can help just a few children deepen their engagement with God then it's worth it! A printable version of both labyrinths is available here

I am obsessed with this project. My roommate came home a few months ago after studying at the National Art Gallery with these little pentag...

Explore Ginger Garden's 4280 photos on Flickr!

Guests feel like they traveled back in time.

The pipe cleaners I received in a free package from craftprojectideas.com are particularly fluffy, and I've been considering for a while what to do with them. Today, I finally spread them out on the table to help get the creative juices flowing. It didn't take long before I had two curious little girls at my side, eager to partake in whatever fun was to be had. They seemed to get an inordinate amount of joy out of my shaping some of them into letters at their requests. After that, we got started on a project I've wanted to try for a while- borax snowflakes (more on that in an post coming soon!) Finally, though, I decided that the fluffiness of the pipe cleaners was just crying out to be woven into something lush and soft. It also seemed like a good idea because M had never done any weaving before, and I thought the stiffness of pipe cleaners might make a good beginning project. For the loom, I found a box that was a little less wide than the length of the pipe cleaners. Using a knife, I poked holes at equal intervals on both sides. I strung the pipe cleaners through those holes and curled the ends up over the edge of the box to make them stay put. Weaving the pipe cleaners over and under going the other direction did turn out to be pretty easy. M was able to do a line or two without any trouble, but it was pretty tedious work for her four-year-old fingers; so for most of the project, she picked out the colors for me to weave, and she got to push the lines together tightly after each row (I thought the smushing together part was fun too). When our swatch of "cloth" was large enough, I cut it off of the loom with a pair of scissors, and turned down the edges of the swatch so the ends of the wires wouldn't be exposed. (It turned out to be impossible to entirely get rid of the sharpness though, unfortunately) Then we shaped our cloth into a cute, little bowl. It really is fun to have a soft and bendy piece of cloth to form into a shape. While it was a little advanced for my girls, I think there might be a lot of possibility for unique projects with this basic craft. Any ideas?

Here is a paper cup weaving craft for kids to make and gift to a friend or keep themselves. It’s creates a decorative cup that you can store odd bits and pieces in. This craft is ideal for children of school age and you’ll find they struggle to stop at making just one. I find […]

Couches are great, but it's time to up your napping game.

Teljesen biztos vagyok abban, hogy már nagyon hiányzott nektek egy újabb gurigás ötlet. :-) Ez a mostani mondjuk nem az a kimondottan villámgyors dolog, de annál kedvesebb - a mi Kisebbikünk azonnal nagy rajongójává vált, és sok-sok percen át képes figyelni. Az ötlet eredete megint csak egy nagyon kedvező árú beszerzés volt: az egyik kreatív webáruházban 50 Ft/db áron lehetett venni kis baglyokat, gondolom, készletkisöprés okán. Nagyon helyes kis baglyok voltak, szépen kidolgozva, rokonszenves ábrázattal, úgyhogy mindenképpen szert kellett tennem jó néhányra... :-) Amikor megérkeztek a kis baglyok, rögtön éreztem, hogy az ilyen helyes kismadarak valami különleges felhasználást igényelnek. Úgyhogy arra gondoltam, mindegyik saját kis házat kap, a házakból pedig egy felakasztható mobil készül majd, ami minden bizonnyal nagyon szépen fog mozogni, ha légáramlat éri. És ez azon rtika ötletek egyike volt, ahol a végeredmény egészen pontosan olyan lett, mint amilyennek elképzeltem - úgyhogy most éppen ez a kedvencem a dolgaim közül. :-) Először is fogtam jó néhány darab vécépapír-gurigát, és lefestettem őket különböző színűekre. Mindegyiknek a közepére egy sniccerrel - nagyon óvatosan - vágtam egy ablakot, és ki is hajtottam a széleket. Következhetett a tető: kiválasztottam a szükséges mintás papírokat. A papír hátoldalára tettem egy kistányért, és körberajzoltam. Aztán a kört megfeleztem egy ceruzával, és kivágtam az egyik félkört, majd összetekertem tölcsér formájúra, és egy pötty pillanatragasztóval rögzítettem. (A tölcséreket úgy hajtottam össze, hogy felül maradjon egy kis nyílás.) A papírtölcséreket a gurigák tetejére ragasztottam: Mivel a baglyok sosem laknak vadiúj házakban, gondoltam, kicsit lelakottá teszem a gurigákat. :-) Narancssárga papírra téglamintát rajzoltam: Aztán mindenféle amorf alakúra vágtam a papírt, és a téglamintás darabkákat a gurigákra ragasztottam. Az ablaknyílások közepére egy-egy pötty pillanatragasztót tettem, és ráültettem a kisbaglyokat. Jöhetett a felakasztás: egy fonalat átvezettem a papírtölcsérek tetején, alul pedig kötöttem rá egy gyöngyöt, hogy biztosan ne csússzon ki felakasztáskor. Vágtam egy hosszabb darab fonalat, és egy bot két végére kötöttem: És innentől már csak annyi dolgom volt, hogy a házikókat felkötözgessem a botra, különböző magasságokba, és készen is lett a baglyos-gurigás mobil, a Kisebbik nagy-nagy-nagy örömére. :-)

If you like a place to nap or read that has a wonderful cozy-cave feeling, the alcove bed is for you.These beds are natural space saving solutions because they usually occupy corners or other "not the most practical" parts of rooms. Alcove beds are a very beautiful and also quite popular type of bed. This is surprising especially since alcove beds can't be bought. They have to be built and custom-made. The thing that separates these beds from your average curtained bed is the fact that they're more fully enclosed, as opposed to standing in the middle of a room. Typically, they have three sides closed in by a wall, with the open side covered with a curtain. I have an alcove bed in my old home and love it....except for the fact that it is hard to make the bed when you are surrounded by three walls. That is the only drawback and I feel obligated to give you all the facts so you can make a good decision. Just make sure that your bed looks great even if it is unmade.You can do this by using beautiful sheets and voluminous layers of beautiful bed dressings. Some are classic, others modern, but they're all great and cozy beds. If you are looking for some inspiration on designing your own alcove bed, take a look at the creative and beautiful ideas in the images below and start creating. digitalgallery.nypl.org In France it became fashionable to place beds in alcoves, The alcoves were usually decorated with lambrequins and side curtains held back with rope cord or rosettes. tumblr.com picasaweb.google.co... Alcove beds provide an elegant yet cozy appeal. zoearcher.tumblr.com apartmenttherapy.co... They can be as elaborate as your style dictates. google.com The placement of curtains can give an area an alcove appearance. www.elledecor.com 25.media.tumblr.com a-l-ancien-regime.t... wakeupfrankie.com This looks like a place I would like to curl up in with a good book. ourhouseinpictures.... Alcove beds are sometimes called cupboard beds. monpompadour.tumblr... omnia--vanitas.tumb... Thomas Jefferson's bedroom featured an alcove bed which he adopted from France after a visit. He could access his study from one side and his chambers on the other. splendidsass.blogsp... linxy-zn.tumblr.com This is a different but none the less lovely alcove style. greystonecourt.4orm... inspiracionline.blogspot.com midnightpoem.tumblr.com Not exactly an alcove but this was so pretty I included it anyway. www.relais-des-rois.com ivyclad.com vi.sualize.us justbesplendid.tumb... Your built in alcove can be customized to your interior. itiebitiebrittney.t... google.com This one has great storage underneath the bed. theplanc.wordpress.com Alcove beds are a fabulous concept for saving space in your home design. They are inviting and fun and create a very intimate space to curl up and enjoy! shabbyinlove.blogsp... lh3.ggpht.com Bed nook in home of Reese Witherspoon, by Kathryn Ireland cemayawindowsinteriors.blog... This is a fabulous space saving idea. www.ivyclad.com grannemedselma.blog.. google.com A wonderful multi-patterned space to relax in. franciskasvakreverd... An alcove bed can create an unusual bedroom design because it maximizes a narrow space and makes them into cozy beds. houzz.com Another example of how curtains can create an alcove. This can be done to give the effect without have to build an alcove. pinballmind.blogspot.com This one can be closed in with doors. Catalano Architects google.com.au allmyownnow.blogspot.com Use you imagination with this kind of bed. This style bed can range from elegant to fun and funky! Click here to see the previous post! http://eyefordesignlfd.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-elegance-of-canopy-beds.html This blog post was published by Lisa Farmer

Fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for the Roman Catholic Mass.

The Language of Flowers Here in the south, winter is ever mercurial. There are Januarys when the supermarket shelves are stripped bare by those whirled into a panic over the latest snowy weather report. Then there are Decembers when the Christmas wreath adorning the front door finds itself totally obscured by stubborn scarlet leaves that still hold tight to the limbs of the dogwood tree by the porch. We never know what to expect. It is a rare year, however, when winter shuns us completely, with nary a snowflake nor gale. But such has been our fate this year and Edward and I, both ardent lovers of cold, have been seriously displeased by the weather. January felt like March. February flirted like May. So it was on this hot March day that we two disgruntled souls made our way along the sidewalk for our afternoon walk, both of us feeling fairly resentful towards the vernal mantilla that now draped itself so lavishly over our street. But like any coquette, this newly born season so famous for beauty began, ever so slowly, to win us both over in whispers. The first voice we heard came from the wisteria vine escalading up into the pine trees, its raiment of lavender blossoms seducing the air with sweet fragrance. Then we came to the chorus of cherry trees, with petals so white as to be a reinvention of the colour. They dotted our pathway - one here, one there - their beauty both shy and extravagant at once. We stopped under this ivory umbrella, both of us breathing deeply. Edward glanced up at me just as I looked down at him. And we smiled. Ah, we couldn’t help ourselves. All around us, it was Spring. Red and purple tulips, yellow daffodils. Azaleas and hyacinths, foxglove, wild violet. Each flower seemed to be speaking to us in a language almost audible and one heard so clearly on the first day of Spring. Colourful voices lifted up all around us - a Strauss waltz, a Wordsworth poem. Perhaps the Victorians understood better than we the communicative power inherent in the natural world, a power most manifest in Springtime. These romantic souls used floriography, better known as the language of flowers, to express their deepest feelings; feelings that usually could never be spoken outloud. Lovers would send coded messages to one another hidden in bouquets of flowers. A posy of baby’s breath told a lady she was loved everlastingly and if that posy included some jonquils, honeysuckle, daphne and moss rose, well then... she was a lucky girl indeed. But oh, it was a dark day when a clutch of yellow roses was left at the door. Purple Hyacinths begged for forgiveness. Verbena requested prayer. I cannot help but think of this language now as Edward and I make for home. Each flower we see is sending us a sweetly secret message for this new season. The wisteria calls out a welcome, the tulips speak only of love. The pear blossoms remind us of comfort while the daffodils vow a new beginning. And as we pass by the little bed of lily-of-the valley that returns every year to a neighbour’s garden, I swear I can hear those tiny flowers singing again and again, “return to happiness, return to happiness”, their perfumed voices fading slowly on the afternoon breeze. Return to Happiness. Is there a better way to think about Spring? ************************************* I would be remiss if I did not mention The Language of Flowers, by Vanessa Diffenbaugh, a book I recently read and completely loved. A wonderful story of forgiveness that also communicates in a floral language. A perfect story to read in this daffodil month of new beginnings. You can also investigate this most expressive of languages for yourself with A Victorian Flower Dictionary, HERE.

These sixteen incredible bookstores have both the looks and the books.

Why We Love Sarah's Silks (and an International Giveaway!)

This Pennasilico art of a portraiture print is a night scene and domestic scene that presents impressionism art as a fine art print or artwork on canvas. This Italian art or female portrait is for Girl Room Décor or Nursery Décor or as a Kids Print. It makes a perfect large print. * Super-fast processing times and express post upgrade options. * Lifetime Guarantee: 100% Fade Resistant for 200 years – All Archival Prints. * Safe for Home: Vibrant Prints, No Solvents, Non-toxic. * Eco-Friendly: 100% Pure water-based pigment ink. * Museum Approved: Archival Acid-Free Fine Art Materials. BONUS: With every print 18 inches (long side) or larger you receive: Free White Handling Gloves, Free Fine Art Bookmarks, Free Gift Wrapping, Free Shipping in, Free Protective Tube, Free Support & Advice. THINGS TO KNOW! Whether you want to give the perfect gift or make a statement about your home or workspace we have the right artwork for you! We offer customers the ability to purchase the world's highest quality art reproductions from the most famous Artist’s or Periods throughout history. All of these have been professionally restored and colour-corrected by the Centre for Arts Research. Our museum grade prints are recognised as the highest possible quality reproductions. We guarantee that all of our prints are Australian produced with the highest safety standards using genuine Canon fade-resistant water-based inks, and our materials are all made in Germany. We supply many Galleries, Museums and Artists and now we offer our catalogue direct to the public. Check out the rest of our store before you make your final purchase to take advantage of our bundle discounts. To make things easier for you, and to save you the extra costs of shipping framed artworks and the high likelihood of framed artworks being damaged in the post, we only sell unframed and un-stretched artworks rolled up and gift wrapped in hard postal tubes. We have selected all of our print sizes so they can fit to ready-made frames that you can commonly purchase online from other sellers, or even purchase locally. Our customers find this is the best result for them, as they can purchase the print knowing it will arrive safely and then later select a framing option that best matches their home’s décor. You can also leave the option to frame later whilst they enjoy the unframed print. --- PAPER TYPES --- * Pearl Photo Paper Perfect balance of shine and colour with a semi-gloss, low sheen finish. This traditional style photo paper has deep blacks and saturated colours. This paper is 310 GSM and is made in Germany to the highest standards. We only bring you the best quality. * Semi-Metallic Gloss For maximum shine & popping colours, this unique paper has a subtle semi-metallic looking base that adds a unique touch to images that demand extra attention to saturated colours such as NASA and space images. By catching this paper in the right lighting, it shines beautifully with its Iridium coating. This paper is 260 GSM and is made in Germany to the highest standards. Note: This paper contains no metal, and is only an emulation of a very subtle semi-metallic surface. * Cotton Art Paper If you are searching for a true-matte finish, this is the perfect paper. Made from 100% Italian Cotton in a traditional fourdrinier in Germany, this 310 GSM Fine Art paper is always an excellent choice. We recommend this paper if you wish to frame your artwork traditionally. * Lustre Canvas Fabric This paper is our most popular and best in class for art reproductions. If you are looking to have your reproduction look closer the original, then this is an amazing choice. Each canvas has a semi-gloss coating to give extra protection to the print and add depth the to the blacks and saturation to the colours. We recommend selecting the option with a border if you wish to later stretch it around a frame, or with no extra border if you wish to have it traditionally framed. This paper is a strong and durable cotton/polyester blend at 340 GSM, made in Germany to the highest standards. *** Some Important Information: All Prints are sold unframed including canvas which are printed on canvas fabric only (not stretched). To be on the safe side we generally ship all orders with some additional white border to give you the option to keep it or remove it yourself. Some customers purchase prints to fit to standard frame sizes, and these frame sizes sometimes require no border, or can also require extra border to fill a mat board. We can only accommodate different frame sizes if you let us know before you order. If this is the case, please specify before you order if you would like a particular sized white border that is in addition to the listed print sizes and we will try to accommodate this for you. Without any special request you may receive a standard size border from us ranging anywhere from 3mm – 50mm (or possibly no border). Please note that all images in this listing are illustrative purposes only, and the images do not indicate the size of the border you will receive or give an accurate representation of their size related to objects in the images. The images also display the print itself as being adhered to the wall, and do not display any of the prints as being mounted, framed or stretched on wood bars. Note: the option ‘Canvas’ refers only to the fabric material that the artwork is printed on. The term ‘Canvas’ does not denote the print is stretched on wood bars or framed in any way. Note: The images found in this listing are for illustrative purpose only, and only give an approximation of how prints may appear on a wall give certain customisations. The images also only show the images as prints themselves unframed, and any resemblance to these prints being framed is unintentional and should not be taken as an indication of how prints will appear on a wall framed or unframed. Best Value Guarantee: We work hard to professionally restore artworks and images, making sure they are historically true to the original. Prints are sent rolled up in a packing tube and can expand or shrink slightly based on humidity levels. Prints sent rolled up will also require sometime to flatten out. Please use the provided gloves and be very careful after receiving the prints as they can scratch easily if you touch the printed surface. As mentioned already, please specify if you would like a particular size white border in addition to your print, otherwise you may receive no white border, or you may receive a standard size border from us ranging anywhere from 3mm – 50mm. All pictures in this listing are for illustrative purposes only and do not intend to indicate any additional services or features being sold that is not contained in this description or item specifics. Australian Owned & Made: Since we operated our first retail outlet in 2008 we have been proudly Australian made and owned. We pride ourselves in selling eco-friendly sustainable products to help protect our beautiful environment for future generations. We are trusted by hundreds of artists around Australia and Internationally as their only source for reliable fine art prints. We make sure that our prints are safe for the home and do not use any toxic-solvent products that are widely found in the printing industry. Our prints are not only found in thousands of homes across Australia but are found in major Australian museums and galleries. About Us: We are a team of passionate artists & technicians dedicated to the goal of producing the highest quality and most competitively priced Fine Art Prints in the world. With over 15 years’ experience selling Fine Art Giclee Prints to the top Galleries, Museums and leading artists, we are now selling the world's highest quality art prints here at wholesale prices. Our customers enjoy the free benefit of all our reproductions being compliant with Australia's and US copyright laws. All images & prints are appropriations of the original artist's work and/or appropriation of the photograph of that artwork (photographs which are slavish reproductions of the original painting). We retouch each image to include edits that the Centre for Arts Research feel best represent the true vision of the artist and in doing so professionally adjust the image in a way that it becomes our own original appropriated artwork. This involves remastering & restoration techniques that include sharpness, colour correction, scratch removal, distortion removal, cropping, colour adjustment, spot removal, tonal adjustment, and hue/saturation adjustments. Have Questions? Want To Customise? We care about your needs! Feel free to contact us any time if you need any help. If you want prints in a different size, aspect ratio, border size, extra width for canvas stretching, bleed or any other customisation feel free to ask us any time. We can also arrange discounts for large orders or even express shipping if you need your prints in a rush for a special occasion. Prints as Gifts: Our customers purchase prints for a wide variety of reasons. The most common is for gifts to others. Some ideas you may consider when buying prints could include: Gift for Mum, Gift for Dad, Kids Print, Baby Print, Gift for Boyfriend, Gift for Girlfriend, Gift for Wife, Gift for Husband, Gift for Teacher, Gift for her or Gift for Him. Places for Prints: When looking for prints our customers have several locations in mind for where to display their prints. This includes Wall Art, House Décor, Nursery Decor, Apartment Decor, Home Decor, Girls Room Decor, Boys Room Decor, Dining Room Print, Living Room Print, Bedroom Print, Renovation Print, Decoration Print, Boys Room Print, Girls Room Print and Bedroom Décor. Special Occasions for Gift Wrapping: There are many special occasions when our customers like to purchase prints. It is for this reason all our prints come gift wrapped. Some ideas we may recommend for special occasions include: Mother’s Day Print, Father’s Day Print, Wedding

10 Amazing STEM Gifts for Kids (chosen by a Science Teacher!)

We LOVE colour here at my house… to help us celebrate SPRING and colour and our LOVE of fairy folk we decided to create some simple Rainbow Fairies!! To make your own you will need: paint in rainbow colours paintbrushes pinecones wooden bead "heads" wood rounds "wings"…we used silk leaves for ours (felt would also work for wings) glue gun and glue sticks! To begin enlist the help of a pint sized friend, (willing 5 year olds are great), paint each pinecone a colour of the rainbow! This is how ours looked after they dried…we glued them to our bases, (which were some cut up small pieces of wood we had) Paint "hair" on your wooden beads Using a very small brush, paint on faces…when they are dry using a red pencil crayon or a beeswax crayon, draw on small cheeks. We used food colouring to dye our wings all the colours of the rainbow… soak them for about 10 min, then drain them and dry on paper towel…easy peasy! Grab your glue gun and glue on the bead "heads" and wings…they should look like this! This simple craft inspired LOTS of rainbow play at our house… it was an inexpensive and JOY filled craft to do with my own little rainbow loving gal. Wishing you all the colours of the rainbow!

Beautiful tea-light holders are shaped like tiny bowls. Colored in lilac, orchid and ivory; the smooth exterior finish is aged with golden and coppery tones. Clean, polished interior is gently fluted to amplify candle glow. One set includes 12, four each of three colors.

Last month I told you a bit about the continuing saga of me knitting an argyle vest, which has given me lots of opportunities for writing tutorials about different skills that were used in making i…

Hello Everyone! Another quick share tonight. Next week we will be studying the differences in homes, food, and activities of humans all around us. Kids love learning about other cultures. I put together a very tiny unit where kids can be introduced to those differences. This unit includes a book list, a poem and mini book to make, a research activity, comparison activities, a hands on visual with heart, a word search, abc order, and "think outside the box." I'm not sure I will get all this in next week, but I will have it handy in case. If you need it or want it, CLICK HERE!! Free printable!! Gotta dash, my bookclub is wondering where I am!! :) Till next time, have a wonder-filled week!! Joyfully! Nancy

Do you ever have an "Ah-ha" moment? Let your child have one of those moments while learning with this red cup STEM challenge.

Live 012 - optional by BPC Architecture on Flickr.