These past several days have been spent preparing for my graduation open house and senior art exhibit, and we’re getting closer to being done! I thought I’d share another quote with you from one of my favorite books, “For the Family’s Sake.” This is such a rich book! I highly recommend it.

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Charlotte Mason spent her most productive years and gave much time and energy to creating a home and a balanced life for herself, some friends who worked closely with her, and the young adult students who came to study there. This was their “growing and learning place” for life, whatever they did later on. . . . In fact, once as a young student arrived in the cold of January to begin the course, Charlotte Mason asked her, “What have you come for?”

“I have come to learn to teach,” was the answer.

Charlotte Mason gave what may have been a startling response: “You have come to learn to live.”

Learning to live! How enviable is the person who succeeds in mastering the gift of a life well lived. And what is that?

. . . Charlotte Mason comments here on our Lord’s words in St. John’s gospel: “Hath eternal life” - not a joy merely reserved for the future, but fullness of living now - “hath the full life.” Life. Our Lord appears to be speaking in the connection of the liberty of soul, the vitality and joyousness of spirit, of which He speaks when He says: “I am come that ye might have life, and that ye might have it more abundantly.”

- Susan Schaeffer Macaulay, For the Family’s Sake

*Joie de vivre (Fr.) means “a life lived with joy”

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“How can anyone dare to suggest or say that working at the huge task of making a home and carrying on through the years and years of ups and downs is not one of the very few truly worthwhile ways to spend our energies and gifts in human life?” - Susan Schaeffer Macaulay, For the Family’s Sake

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Time is ticking and the Zimmermans need your help! The deadline to pay the neonatal bills is fast approaching, and if you would like to donate the the Little Tait preemie fund, you don’t have to just buy a print. Donate directly by clicking here.

To buy a print of the Library and help, click here.

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A sunny Monday morning. Two baby girlies came to play. and romp.

and eat. these are the most cutie-pie girls alive!

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If I could share the number one thing I have most benefited from the blogosphere, it would be “meeting” women who have inspired me in godliness and femininity. My parents’ teaching have been echoed back to me through the writings of these women.

So today I want to share a list of some of the Titus 2 women I’ve encountered, and been emboldened by, in the blogosphere.

Mom, at Robin’s Egg Blue - My mother, my daily example who’s taught me so much! All these other blogs only add a resounding weight to what she and Daddy have already taught me.

Ann Voscamp, at Holy Experience - Every posts she writes is an artistic gem of wisdom and reflection. I always come away refreshed and inspired.

Rebecca, at Renaissance - She gives me great heart-aches for motherhood with her beautiful children and posts on being a homemaker. Just one darling lady!

Sarah Mae, at Like a Warm Cup of Coffee - This friend has a beautiful heart, so transparent and loving. Her posts are fun, thought-provoking, and convicting. Sarah writes on a whole host of topics, and you’re sure to come away uplifted.

Rhonda, at Sarah’s Daughters - “Drops of pearls” is the first description that came to mind, and that’s exactly what her posts are. Brew yourself a cup of tea and take some time to soak up her wisdom.

June, at A Wise Woman Builds Her House - Full of beautiful art work and quotes, the aesthetics alone draw me. I have only recently subscribed to her blog, but she is another a lady of wisdom I am already thankful for.

Jennie Chancey, at Ladies Against Feminism and Sense and Sensibility - The LAF site has kept me and my family updated on news related femininity and the biblical family. We have many patterns from S&S and we deeply appreciate the work that has gone into these historical and feminine patterns.

- Who are some of your favorite blogging Titus 2 Women? -

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Alrighty, here’s the Homeschool tag! I usually don’t do tags, but I thought this was one worth sharing, revealing a few details of what the home-education experience has looked like in my life. Thanks Eyebright!

1) How long have you been homeschooled?
Eleven years. Kindergarten and half of first grade was spent in a small government institution before God led us back home.

2) What grade are you in?
I have almost graduated - two weeks to go!

3) What is your favorite subject(s) in your homeschool?
Art, Music, English, Reading, Writing, History (Church, Art, American, European)…more recently Worldview, Philosophy, and Government. Sometimes I think I have too many interests. What do you think?

4) What is your least favorite subject(s) in your homeschool?
Most definitely Algebra! That ‘x’ is as elusive as the will-of-the-wisp!

5) What is a current/previous homeschooling challenge you’ve faced?
Schedule. Our Homeschool motto is “Next year we’ll have a better schedule!” (Whose isn’t?)

6) What are you looking forward to over the coming year?
Creating more, studying more, loving more. I’ll have more time to cook and sew/knit/crochet if I can keep focused. And I’ll be teaching more art lessons and possibly illustrating a book. All of this I would love to do indefinitely!

7) Name three things you like doing in the summer with your family.
We enjoy walking and talking together, camping (or anything with a bonfire), and day trips. And I always like these best when water is nearby.

8) What other activities do you enjoy, such as sports, hobbies, etc.?
Piano and nature walks.

9) Are you taking a foreign language? Are you going to in the future? Which one?
Not currently. I’ve taken two years of Latin and a bit of Spanish.

10) Where do you homeschool? (Kitchen table, livingroom, etc.)
Dining room table, living room; we’ve even had a classroom. But throughout life it has trailed far and yon, from hospital waiting rooms to smoky campgrounds. When you’ve learned how to learn, you find education everywhere!

Anyone who would like to do this tag, feel free!

From May 9 - June 1, $10 from every “Library” print sale in my Etsy shop will be donated to the Little Tait Preemie Fund. To order, click here.

Little Tait was born on November 6, 2008 at 3:29 pm, a 27 week preemie weighing 2 pounds 9 ounces, and 14¼ inches long. He and his family spent several months in the hospital as God used the doctors to help sustain his life. After 3 months he was allowed to go home, doing very well.

Tait’s parents, Tait and Lauren Zimmerman now have to pay the neonatology bill. It was originally $186,769  but was negotiated and reduced to $51,644.35. If it isn’t paid by June 4th, it will be raised to the original amount. Tait and Lauren have decided not to accept government support, as this would restrict their control in the care of their little boy.

Would you like to help Little Tait and his parents? I will be donating $10 of every “Library” print sale to the Little Tait Fund! If you choose to help them by buying a print, be sure it’s before June 2.

For more info on Little Tait, visit www.LittleTait.com

Thank you and God bless!
-BreezyTulip

The past few weeks have artfully revealed what three girls, a helpful friend, some reeds, and a bit of elbo-grease can create. My last year of 4-H is rapidly approaching, and I’ll be entering my fourth basket.

Planning Emily’s basket

Packing in the bottom reeds

Waiting on the rim and lashing as it soaks

The finished basket

Maggie’s basket, as well as mine, are complete, but the handles Emily’s basket needs are yet to arrive. We all plan on filling them with our favorite books and supplies.

One of my latest illustration studies was based on the book “The Apple Pie that Papa Baked”, illustrated by Jonathan Bean. In my version of the last picture, two boys and a girl, with a handful of farm animals to help, are harvesting baskets of apples.

Transferring sketch via vellum

Painting with acrylics - not used to them, but they turned out delightful to work with!

I’ve been busy creating pieces for my senior art exhibit.
The prints - as well as many others - will soon be in the Etsy shop!