Girls' Day Out

This weekend was a girls' weekend.  Annie and I spent this past Saturday in Baton Rouge doing things that girls love to do.

First up was shopping.  We (I) really wanted to hit up a local boutique called Noelie Harmon.  What an awesome place!  The store focuses on things I support and love.  We were in search of some vintage threads.  Annie walked away with more than me, but shopping for her has become more fun than shopping for myself.  That's just the way it goes.

Ashley and Annie

Next up was lunch with our friend, Ashley.  We dined at a new restaurant called Truly Free Bakery.  It serves up some great tasting eats that are allergy friendly and health conscious.  Sounds like my kinda place.  It's great to see different restaurants pop up that cater to people with allergies.  It's also great to see places that really care about the food they serve to their customers.

Our final destination came at the suggestion of Ashley.  We visited a new ceramic teaching studio called Red Hot Center for Clay.  Wow!  This place blew me away!!  To sum it up, it's a place where people can go to take lessons in pottery making.  With lots of options that range from memberships to paying by the hour, people of all ages (including kids 3 and up!) can get some hands on experience creating art out of clay.  We watched some demonstrations by such artists as John Gargano and Danielle Runnels (I wish I had some links to post so you could see some of their finished work).  We browsed the ceramic sale where I scored this baby:

by Leanne Cambric

You may not know this, but while in high school I took a course in ceramics.  I loved it.  I loved the meditative quality of throwing on the wheel.  I loved watching something emerge through all the spinning.  I loved the non-permanence of the wet clay.  Watching the demonstrations this weekend really reignited that passion in me.  I wanted to study more ceramics in college and began my college career as an art major.  I eventually lost touch with that passion and instead pursued a degree in fashion design, still creative but not quite so calm and meditative.

John Gargano

I still create things on a day to day basis.  There is a list of projects that I'm working on, from pot holders to felted food to sock monkeys.   Add ceramics to the list of things to pick back up.  Add smocking to the list of things to try.  Although my interests in various things have waxed and waned over the years, it is good for me to realize that what I loved about those things was the same.  It's the ability to flex my creative muscle, so to speak.  And I've learned that indulging all my interests was okay.  Collectively they have helped me to grow in my knowledge and love of making things.

Fried Eggs and Toy Snobbery

I've wanted to be a snob at various points in my life.  I once thought that I should be a literary snob.  Only reading books that are classics; written by men and women no longer living.  It was an okay idea in theory, but I soon realized that I would be missing out on dozens of really great books out there; books that are easier to understand because they were written in modern language.  Then there's the part of me that would like to be a food snob.  Only eating the finest of foods.  Comparing the most minute differences in flavor of the same thing prepared in different ways.  Then I remember that I have kids.  Boy, that's a fantasy, that one.  But my snobby side is still trying to peek its elitist head over my 11 foot high hedge.  Toy snobbery.  Oh yes.  It's come to that.

It started with a book that I read by Amanda Blake Soule.  The book is titled, "The Creative Family".  In the book she talks about the kinds of toys that we should give to our children to play with.  Some suggestions are: 1) simple toys; the less the toys do, the more our kids do,  2) beautiful toys; aesthetically pleasing toys will help our children to appreciate the artistry of the toy and the work put into handcrafting that toy, 3) natural toys; toys made from natural materials that are better for the Earth and our kids.  In this section she has a picture of her own family's play kitchen.  And an idea was born.

I loved my Strawberry Shortcake kitchen set (looked like this) when I was a kid.  It was made from particle board and painted pink and red.  Man, I really have some fond memories of that thing.  So of course I want to pass on those precious memories to my girl (and boys too).  But I want to keep in mind those suggestions. So I am making a no-plastic play kitchen!  I'm so excited!!!  Can you tell?

Now, when I say that "I" am making it, I am stretching the truth.  "I" talked to my wood working father and he has agreed to make them a stove with an oven, a refrigerator, a sink and countertop, and a table (because the best part of pretend cooking is pretend eating!).  Who knows what we will end up with.  I'll be pleased as punch with whatever he comes up with.  And I am making (for reals) the food out of felt.  I Googled "cloth food for play kitchen" and lots of items come up, but they are out of our price range (besides, where's the fun in that...).  I spent about 5 dollars on the felt and with that I plan to make carrots, lettuce leaves, tomato slices, cheese slices, cookies, and slices of bread.  I've already made the fried eggs and donuts.  I'm sure I'll have left over pieces that I can fashion into a food of the kiddos' liking.  Pizza is my most recent brainstorm, but we'll have to see just how big this oven will be.

I'm really excited to see my kids' reaction when it's all said and done.  Orry already asked if he could eat the donut.  But my ultimate goal is to make a space that is just for the kids.  A space where they can play while using their imaginations.  My super ultimate goal is to save this play kitchen for my grandchildren.  A play kitchen made by their great-grandfather.  As far as the snobbery goes, I'll try to keep it in check.  I won't run straight to their room and start throwing out all the plastic and replacing it with more expensive items.  But you better believe that here on out, there will be more making of toys than buying.  And that's something I'm proud to be snobby about!