Next April, on Orcas Island, a small group of people will join together to unleash creative freedom and learn more about storytelling and writing through the experience of Write: a Doe Bay Workshop.   Hosted at the Doe Bay Resort, this second annual workshop marries songwriting, poetry, memoir and community to deliver a remarkable experience for anyone interested in unlocking the narrative within. 

I am honored to be a presenter at Write: Doe Bay, 2014 and am looking forward to sharing, learning and building community with a group of creative writers I so admire:  Nici Holt Cline, Claire Bidwell Smith and Daniel Blue.

This isn’t just a workshop; it’s a life experience.  You’ll hike, soak in hot tubs, tell stories over community meals at big tables, make friendships, listen to music, return to the process of real writing with pen and paper and hopefully leave more in tune with yourself as an artist. 

All photos by Jesse Michener.

Oh, and Daniel Blue will be singing for you.

Write: Doe Bay’s founders, Jen Furber and Jesse Michener, poured their heart into creating this workshop, and it shows in every detail. 

Only 25 tickets will be sold.  Workshop runs from April 10-13.  If you’re interested in attending Write: Doe Bay, you can register here.  If you have questions about the event, you can e-mail writedoebay@gmail.com.

And please.  Don’t let “I’m not a writer” keep you from this.  Do you love to write?  Do you want to learn more about unlocking your story?  Are you inspired by the thought of this?  Then, of course you belong there.

They say the island is magical.  We’ll find out next April.

With only one school week left before our official Christmas vacation, I’m preparing for hibernation this week. 

Our weekend happies:

A family shopping day and a trip to see Santa.
Nobody cried. In fact, Lainey had a hard time wrapping up her prepared speech. She was concerned that the letter she wrote to him in class included the wrong spelling of Rainbow Loom.

Kilwin’s Fudge (sea salt caramel–Lord have mercy.)

Post rain beach morning.
We were the only ones on the beach with the exception of a kite surfer. Nella chased seagulls and sandpipers (or she says, “quack quacks”) so far down the length of the beach, I was out of breath following her.  And I realize I’ve associated the beach with sunset so much that I’ve forgotten the allure of early morning shore strolling. 

And my favorite. Last night’s ballet recital.

I’ve managed to catch this very moment at every recital in which she’s performed. This smile? Oh, that’s when she finds her dad in the crowd.

Is anyone else over the Elf on the Shelf?  Ours came back this year after Lainey had some friends talking about theirs and requested ours return.  I love traditions and childhood memories, but Good Lord.  I’m so tired of thinking of new places for our elf to hang from.

Fresh week…heading to get some fresh laundry to match it.  

We just returned from our annual family Christmas date with my favorite scene from the evening–these two flying through Costco aisles in their dynamic duo cart because Nella wanted to GO FAST.  Psst…Costco is really a playground; they just call it a store to keep the fun factor on the lowdown.

Friday Faves is really just a craft post today.  Because I had a dream last night about an imaginary campfire ornament, and I remembered what it looked while I was in the shower.  You can’t ignore dreams.  I’m so happy with how it turned out.  I think the dream was triggered by these foam marshmallows Lainey found in Joann’s a few weeks ago.  I’ve been obsessed with thinking of something to make with them ever since.

So….with no further ado.

GONE CAMPIN’ ORNAMENTS

A Campfire:

…and a S’more:

Want to make them?

Here’s what you’ll need.

Random FYI about what you’ll need:

* We found the foam marshmallows at Joann’s (in the aisle where all the foam stuff is…of course).
* For the felt, we used a textured gray, a stiff dark brown, and regular felt for the following: a graham-crackerish brown and three flame colors–red, goldenrod and yellow.
* You could probably find gray pebbles outside somewhere, but we found a bag of small pebbles at Joann’s. 
* We did find our sticks outside.
*  Not pictured: one large embroidery needle (with an eye big enough to thread fishing line).  The needle was using the bathroom while I took this picture.  Okay, I forgot to include it.

Okay.  Draw your glue gun.  Let’s go.

1.  Cut the cardboard into three shapes:  one circle for the base of your campfire and two matching squares for your s’more graham crackers.

2. Put the graham cracker squares aside. We’ll attack the campfire first. Using the circle campfire base as a guide, cut the gray felt into a matching circle that will be glued on top of the cardboard.

3. Dot some hot glue around cardboard circle and lay gray felt circle on top to cover it.

4. Now we’ll make a pebble edge around the campfire. Dot hot glue along the edge of the campfire circle and push pebbles in place as you glue.

5. Cut out your largest flame from the red felt.

6. Cut out two smaller flames from both the goldenrod and yellow felt (for front and back side). You should have one large red flame, two smaller goldenrod flames and 2 itty bitty yellow flames.

7. Layer goldenrod and yellow flames on each side of the red flame and glue in place.

8. Break up your sticks to make “logs” that will fit inside your campfire circle. Hot glue a log on either side of the base of the flame.

It should look like this when finished:

9. Dot glue generously in middle of campfire base and push flame with logs in place.

Once secure, you can layer and glue more sticks to add more logs.

10. Press a thin roasting stick into foam marshmallow. You may want to secure with hot glue.

11. Thread embroidery needle with a length of fishing line and poke through flame. This will allow you to hang your roasting stick “invisibly” and also to create a loop for twine to be used for a hanger.

12. Tie a knot with the fishing line about two inches up from the flame, place roasting stick above knot and tie another knot to secure roasting stick in place.

13. Leave a small length of fishing line above roasting stick and add a loop of twine and a bow to the top for hanging.

Cute, huh? I also took a lighter to the edge of the marshmallow to give it a roasted look, but I can’t guarantee the weird smell that emits from burning foam isn’t harmful to your health. Don’t inhale.

That was the hard ornament. The s’more? Easy, baby. Here we go.

S’MORE:

1. Using your cardboard squares as a guide, cut along the graham-cracker-brown felt to match matching squares.

2. Dab each cardboard square with glue and cover with graham cracker felt.

3. Cut the dark brown stiff felt to make a chocolate square for the middle (I made two, one for each side of the marshmallow)

4. Glue chocolate to inside of graham cracker square.

5. Dab glue to inside of chocolate/graham cracker where marshmallow puff ball will be placed.

6. Add white puff ball marshmallow.

7. Add more glue and sandwich marshmallow in between two graham cracker squares.

8. Optional: Detail top of graham cracker with a brown permanent marker.

9. Hot glue a loop of twine to top of s’more for hanging.

Now look at you, you Crafty Crafterson, you!  Put your glue gun back in your holster and pat yourself on the back.

I’m hoping that wasn’t confusing.

In case it was, I’m throwing in an extra gift. Hilarious stocking suggestions from Sponsor Blue Q. I’ve been on the Erase Your Past Gum for three months now, and you guys. It’s all good.

All the above found on BlueQ.com

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This week, I thought about all the lessons we teach our kids every day without even knowing it–all those things we say to our babies and toddlers like “Be Careful” and “Mama’s always here.” They’re big life lessons. And there are some important ones I want my kids to know. So I’m sharing What I Want My Kids to Know over at BabyZone this week.  I loved writing this one.

And I’m at All Parenting talking about Narrowing My Kids’ Choices (I give too many sometimes, and it causes frustration for all!)

Good night!  Hope you have some fun planned this weekend.