Capturing Joy

Maud Lewis was born into a loving Nova Scotia family who accepted her physical limitations. When her parents died and she was forced to find her own way in the world, she married and set up a modest household in a small cabin. Despite the hardships she faced, she was able to find joy in her life, a joy that she expressed through her art. She painted canvases of animals, children, and her surroundings. Her art spilled over into everything from dust pans to the walls of her house. Maud Lewis died in 1970, but her wonderful, life-affirming art lives on and is treasured by people who understand and appreciate folk art all over the world.

Forget the endless scroll of curated moments. The Little Book of Making Memories guides you beyond staged smiles and filtered photos, inviting you to ignite the sparks of joy in everyday life and weave a vibrant tapestry of lasting memories. This charming companion is your ticket to: Unleash the Art of Mindful Joy: From savoring sunrise walks to crafting shared laughter, discover practical tools and mindfulness practices to transform the mundane into extraordinary. Dive into the Science of Memory: Unravel the fascinating secrets of how your brain captures and holds onto precious moments, empowering you to create experiences that linger in your heart. Reconnect with the Symphony of Sharing: Find inspiration in the wisdom of diverse cultures and communities who celebrate life through shared experiences, from storytelling around crackling fires to collaborative adventures. Design Your Own Masterpiece: Learn to become the architect of your own joy, with chapters brimming with creative ideas for crafting unforgettable moments – family game nights, surprise outings, collaborative art projects, and more. Leave a Legacy of Laughter: Discover the art of preserving and reviving memories, from journaling and storytelling to crafting unique keepsakes that keep the past alive and enrich the present. The Little Book of Making Memories is not just a guide, it's a compass, leading you not to a single destination, but to a way of life where joy becomes your daily practice, connection your currency, and laughter your legacy. Are you ready to weave a life brimming with vibrant memories? Dive into this inspiring book and let the journey begin.

"In Crafting Calm: Art and Activities for Mindful Kids, kids engage in and practice mindfulness through fun and easy exercises, crafts, and activities, with the goal of learning a deeper sense of calm, peace, joy, and connection to the world around them, all while improving emotional intelligence, boosting self-esteem, and reducing anxiety"--

Hoarding Memory looks at the ways the stories of the Algerian War (1954-62) have proliferated among the former French citizens of Algeria. By engaging hoarding as a model, Amy L. Hubbell demonstrates the simultaneously productive and destructive nature of clinging to memory. These memories present massive amounts of material, akin to the stored objects in a hoarder's house. Through analysis of fiction, autobiography, art, and history that extensively use collecting, layering, and repetition to address painful war memories, Hubbell shows trauma can be hidden within its own representation. Hoarding Memory dedicates chapters to specific authors and artists who use this hoarding technique: Marie Cardinal, Leïla Sebbar, and Benjamin Stora in writing and Nicole Guiraud and Patrick Altes in art. All were born in Algeria during colonial French rule but in vastly different contexts; each suffered personal or inherited trauma from racism, physical or psychological abuse, terrorist or other violent acts of war, and exile in France. Zineb Sedira's artwork is also included as an example of traumatic memory inherited from her parents. Ultimately this book shows how traumatic experience can be conveyed in a seemingly open account that is compounded and compacted by the volume of words, images, and other memorial debris that testify to the pain.

The Joy of Dog Training is an engaging and interactive guide for training your dog by teaching them 30 fundamental tricks.

"Wit and wisdom for every mother, everywhere."--ERIN LOECHNER, author of Chasing Slow Becoming a better, happier mom starts with the stories you tell your kids As a mom, you want to nurture a strong family, but fear steals your joy. Sometimes you wonder if you're failing your children or whether you're cut out for this. Beloved writer and mom of seven Jennifer Pepito understands. She was intent on loving her children well, but fear and worry pushed her around. Ultimately, she found her joy in a most surprising place: the pages of classic literature she was reading aloud to her children every day. These stories helped her reclaim the wonder of childhood for herself and her children. In Mothering by the Book, Jennifer takes you on a fascinating, whimsical journey that will bring freedom and fun to your parenting--one great book at a time.

In the tradition of Holy Cow and Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven, a fascinating travel memoir of finding yourself in the India of rickshaws and rainy seasons. Jenny was miserable, and it was all India's fault...until she realized it wasn't. When Jenny's husband gets transferred to India for work, she looks forward to a new life filled with glamorous expat friends and exciting adventures. What she doesn't expect is endless bouts of food poisoning, buffalo in the streets, and crippling loneliness in one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Ten thousand miles away from home, Jenny struggles to fight off depression and anger as her sense of self and her marriage begin to unravel. But after months of bitterness and takeout pizza, Jenny realizes what the universe has been trying to tell her all along: India doesn't need to change. She does. Equal parts frustration, absurdity, and revelation, this is the true story of a Starbucks-loving city girl finding beauty in the chaos and making her way in the land of karma.

25 kid-tested lessons in drawing and painting—perfect for children ages 5 to 10 Encourage and empower kids to make art! The 25 art lessons in this book present step-by-step drawing instructions paired with a range of painting techniques and styles for endless creative exploration. Designed by an elementary art teacher, each creative exploration offers tips on using the best art materials (that won’t break the bank), shares art-making techniques that add variety and ease to the projects, and provides insights on engaging kids in the process. The lessons include: · Beginner projects. Discover easy ways to get started making art. Through flexible instructions, you’ll create big and bold paintings. · Art lessons inspired by the masters. With projects based on celebrated painters like Van Gogh and Monet to contemporary artists like James Rizzi and Jackson Pollock, you’ll explore a range of painting techniques and styles. · Paintings inspired by nature. Draw and paint familiar and imagined landscapes and animals as a fun way to engage with art. More than just a simple how-to draw and paint book, Draw, Paint, Sparkle is an invitation for kids to unleash their creativity through color and paint.