• Raise & Shine Blog
  • Hey Sis, Try This Blog
  • Welcome
  • Search
Menu

Raise & Shine

Street Address
City, State, Zip
Phone Number
Wake up. Grab Coffee. Shine. Repeat.

Your Custom Text Here

Raise & Shine

  • Raise & Shine Blog
  • Hey Sis, Try This Blog
  • Welcome
  • Search

Caroline Crafts: Paper mobile

September 21, 2015 Rachel Nevergall

There has been way too much reflective thought on this blog lately. How about a little colorful fun for a change? 

It is not a secret that creative activities are my love language. So encouraging my children to participate in this activity is high on my list. But I have learned along the way what works and does not, or should I say I am STILL learning. These kids, they know how to keep things interesting.I would like to bring projects to you every now and then that are child friendly but pleasing to the grown up eye as well. And I would also love to share how I am learning to spark creative exploration in my children through the process. 

Up first, an eye catching yet fail proof project with Bleeding Paper. Ooh. Sounds kinda creepy. And messy. It is not. I promise. In fact, if you are one who cringes at the thought of glue and paint and, Lord help us, GLITTER, then you may like this little project. 

Bleeding paper is special paper you do have to order online or purchase at a Art supply store like Blick Art. Unfortunately, I was not successful in finding this at a big box craft store. But with the a few dollars (ok $6) and the joy of Amazon Prime drones you get a bajillion sheets (ok 100 sheets) to use for endless projects. It looks and feels just like tissue paper but I don't believe it can be substituted with tissue paper. The bleeding paper has special bleeding qualities (go figure) when wet that spread the color onto paper or canvas.

Here is how it works. Cut out your paper in whatever shapes you desire. I cut it into 1" squares but you could tear the paper or punch shapes. Whatever strikes your fancy. The next stages are pretty much all child led. 

Caroline took the pieces of paper and placed them on top of a blank piece of paper. I then guided her to take the spray bottle and spray mist over the paper. You want to make sure that each piece is damp enough that it sticks to the paper. Sometimes after she took a turn spraying, I went back and did a quick mist. I also found at times that some of the paper stuck better when the backing paper already had a bit of a mist from the spray bottle. Again, you can't screw this up. You just need the bleeding paper to get wet. 

Leave your paper to dry. When dry, you can peel off the little pieces of bleeding paper and you will see color is left behind on your back ground paper. It gives it this beautiful water color look, with zero mess. (And also, without the ugly black and brown colors that come from a child's watercoloring because they insist on mixing all the colors together. Is anyone else annoyed by this or is it just me?)

The finished paper is beautiful as is to hang in a window or wall as a stained glass look. But we took this paper further to use it as a medium for creating a mobile for Elliott's room. I cut up the paper into triangles and she helped pick out the triangles as I taped to string to hang like a mobile. She was beyond proud of this mobile showing it to anyone who came to visit. This is what is so fantastic about creative projects with children. They take such pride in their own creations focusing very little on the effort or quality.  And by turning her art into something I also loved to look at made it that much sweeter. Yes, I am a mom so I think the Disney princess coloring page taped onto our fridge is adorable. But that just ends up in the trash (by accident, of course.) This, however, is an art project we are all proud to showcase in our home. And even more special, it was a gift she made for her little brother.  

Mesmerizing isn't it? I think I might have her make one to hang over my bed next. Happy crafting!

← Cheers to FridayA Child's Faithful Journey →
IMG_5992.jpg

Hi there! I'm Rachel.

I believe each morning is a fresh start and I believe hot coffee is step one. 

It is here that I celebrate each day as an opportunity to seek the creative inside both our children and ourselves so that we can all       raise and shine. 

Learn More
If I showed you the sweet picture of the hairstyle I gave her for crazy hair meets Valentine’s day, would you also believe me that I don’t remember when she last bathed?

If I shared the fun crafty Valentine we made for his class would you also believe me that my house looks like a fraternity house at the end of a raging party?

If I show the darling babe all snuggled up under my chin that makes my heart burst with unspeakable joy, would you also believe me when I say parenting three is the hardest thing I have yet done in my parenting life?

Sometimes in these little squares, I have so much fear that I might post something that makes someone’s heart shrink a little bit with guilt or inadequacy. I worry you will think I am something you are not and that will make you feel smaller than you deserve to be, when in fact I struggle too. So much.

But then, if I keep quiet, not only am I not allowing myself to show you exactly who I am, how I like to love on my people, and what just makes me happy, I am thus not leaving space for you to do so as well.

If these things brings you joy, too, hurray. If something else does, I celebrate you. And if you aren’t in a space of joy, I’m sitting her with you too. And sending you ❤️. Never alone.

This has been my struggle for years. I saw self care as (by my)self care. And it seems it only got harder and harder to care for myself as I fought to be alone.

And so I’m trying something new. I’m learning to find the peace I need in my day right along side them.

So I move WITH them in tow. I read to THEM, as long as it something of MY choosing. I pick up a paint brush too when they paint.

And hopefully all this togetherness is teaching them what matters to me and my day too.

Shared on the blog today how I practice my *What Feels Right* list from yesterday when I can’t be alone.

What’s your go to care strategy when your little ones tag along? I test as a Highly Sensitive Person. 🙋🏻‍♀️Anyone else?

I like to think of myself as a noticer. From the way the snow sounds when it hits the ground to his sweet sigh as he nestles into sleep in my arms. I feel it all. And I mean ALL.

This can be a beautiful way to look at life, but it can also be EXHAUSTING.

But I decided to start using this skill for the better. I started to pay close attention to my day to notice patterns of when I feel off and when I feel right.

My list is not revolutionary. It is nothing you don’t already know to be true. But sometimes we need to really acknowledge the simple ways we can manage our days to feel joy, to feel peace, to just feel right.

Sharing my list of What Feels Right on the blog today to maybe inspire you to pay attention to your own list.✨Now your turn...What Feels Right to you? Yes his sweatshirt is on backwards. Yes this happens on the regular. It’s become his signature look. But the important thing is he got himself dressed and no one had to use their angry voice!

I am quite excited to introduce a new series on the blog today called ☀️Raise your Mom Game☀️ It’s a way to share the great ideas learned from regular, cool, smart moms (and dads) like us. I believe parents are super heroes with powers to battle the everyday parenting struggles. And they are willing and happy to share these with fellow superhero parents so we can all win.

It’s not about the quick fix, because none of us are broken. We just sometimes need a fresh perspective to tackle familiar challenges in parenting, another play in the playbook, tool in the toolbox, option in the portfolio. Am I giving you enough metaphors here?

Today, I go first with my big frustration in getting kids dressed. I feature two great ideas for both of my kids from fellow parents @kelseywilliams and @ladderica. And I filmed one in the stories so go check it out. After you read the post, of course 😉. And remember, this is a village. So please share with me how you are Raising your Mom Game. And what helps you Shine.☀️ “...I make so many beginnings there never will be an end.” Louisa May Alcott

She opened up 6 crisp white books, completely blank, exactly as she asked them to be, for writing down her own stories. Obviously I was thrilled to grant this Christmas wish. It wasn’t 5 minutes later that I turned around to find her set up at the dining room table, pen in hand, words flowing to the book. “Now you realize these are special, right. You can’t throw them away and start over if it isn’t just as you want it to be.” “I know.” Barely glancing up. Back to work.  Her confidence and self assurance just taunting me.

She has no trouble diving in. She doesn’t worry about where the ending is taking her. She doesn’t hesitate and doubt herself along the way.

She just BEGINS.

It is with this same resolve that I choose to take with me throughout this new year. To not hesitate with my step one. And to not be afraid to be new at something.

Last year I explored being enough. And with that I determined, there is also enough time, space, energy to take more step ones.

To BEGIN.

Introducing my 2019 word of the year ✨BEGIN✨ on the blog today.

A month in and I already love where this word is taking me. My skin is still soft from the humidity of Texas, and my heart, and stomach, are full in the way only a winter escape can bring. But it feels right to be home. It feels right to see snow softly falling in February. And to be all piled up together as a family again. ❤️❤️❤️ You know that welcoming feeling you get when you go home to mom and dads?

They make you your favorite meals. You take comfort in the familiar space. You just feel so warm and loved and cared for.

We got that welcomed feeling when we made it back to our old home in Austin town this weekend.

We had all our favorite meals, barbecue, tacos, queso, more tacos. Memories flooded us around every corner, date nights, family adventures, milestones crossed. And most importantly, we got to feel loved by “family,” or rather the friends that became family when you needed it most.

This is how it should be when you make a place a home, no matter how short the time was in your life. It should make itself a little home in your heart and always open its arms wide to you when you come back.

So glad we will always have Austin.

And tacos. 🌮 Confession time... I sometimes daydream about being a mom of just one baby.

Not that I don’t love each and every one of my kids more than my heart can even find words for, because obvi I don’t even need to clarify that for you.

It’s just that this multiple and different needs thing all at once is very very hard on my brain capacity. And also my heart.

I sometimes dream of a world where I get to have each of my babies one day at a time. And then we all come together for one big epic fun filled Sunday as a family of five. Wouldn’t that be fun??!! But then I see the oldest reading a book to the middle. Or the middle tickled with himself at how he can make the baby giggle. Or there’s the epic family snuggle sessions in the king size bed before someone, all of them, demand breakfast. And then I remember we are right where we need to be and who we need to be with.

But also sometimes it’s super fun to just be with one. We snuck away together with our baby to a place that still has a piece of our heart, Texas. And while I miss the other two, it feels like a gift to enjoy that stage where it’s just you and me and a baby makes three. I can hardly remember him that tiny, but I’ll never forget when she started reading to them. 📚 Reading creates strong memories, doesn’t it. “For some it’s a physical place in which I remember reading. The beach, the hammock, the couch under a blanket. For others, it’s a place in time. A difficult pregnancy. A foggy newborn stage. A challenging stage of parenting. And for some, it’s a moment that I realize is one of a momentous milestone. Like seeing her read a book for the first time. Or reading our first chapter book series together.” Eighteen Memorable Book Moments in 2018 on the blog today. The answer to snow-mo and other FOMO related cases (see last post if you are confused 😊) ?? Be a noticer.

As promised, I shared about my process of creating a Reverse Bucket List on the blog today.

You don’t need a fancy planner, a complicated system, or even a lot of time. You just need a photo storage system of your choice, a few questions I list in the post, and a couple of minutes to do some thinking.

It’s my own way of doing goals and reflection. But I would love to see what you learn too. So I’m creating a hashtag!! Tell me how it works for you with #raiseandshineandnotice 🥳
“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away”
— Pablo Picasso
Featured
Feb 13, 2019
Practicing my *What Feels Right* List When I Can't Be Alone
Feb 13, 2019
Feb 13, 2019

Powered by Squarespace

Blog Header Design by Rachel