Farewell to Summer

Farewell, sweet summer...

Where did it go?

I know we probably all say that each year, but this past summer really seemed a blur.

Such a blur, in fact, that we were only able to sneak in one mini camping trip - and that after school had actually already started.

Here are the boys inside a giant sequoia in Kings Canyon National Park.

On the trail. (Now that's the way to hike, don't ya' think?)



Aiden peeking out from inside the Fallen Monarch - (Fun fact: Since this massive tree fell more than a century ago, it has been used as lodgings for various settlers, a hotel, a saloon, and stables for the Calvary - now that's a BIG tree!)

And did I mention school? Yes, my first baby started school this year!

(Okay, this isn't a school picture - it's actually at a visitor center in King's Canyon - but it does look intelligent, eh?)

Garion is starting kindergarten and we are starting our homeschooling adventure. We're enrolled in an amazing charter school that follows the classical education format. It's a hybrid model that requires two days of class at school, and the other three days of home learning.

So far, we are having a great time with it.

With these new changes, I've also had lots of ideas for some new (hopefully amazing) jewelry designs. I've sketched everything out, and completed most of the prep work:

Gathering lilac branches and other bits of nature from the backyard....

Creating a small garden of flowers from polymer clay...

I've made a few of the molds I need out of silicone putty, but what I really should be using is a pour-on mold compound. But there's one sadly pathetic situation holding me back. No empty yogurt containers! "Come again?" you say? Yes, I need some sort of empty container, with a lid, to pour the compound in and create the mold.

It seems our recycling is filled with those things until I actually need one! *Sigh* The closest thing I could find is the 3/4 full sour cream in the fridge - so it looks like we'll be having baked potatoes and tacos for a few nights to use that baby up.

Once I make my molds though, I'm ready! Here's a batch of paper elements, all mod-podged and ready for embedding in resin.

I am so excited, and can't wait to share with you the finished products!

In the meantime, our weather here is finally cooling off, seeming to say that summer has indeed passed and autumn has come to stay for a bit.

Looking forward to coming changes...

(inside the Settler's Cabin)

Hope you and your family had a fantastic summer!