Kids, Pockets and Shelves

My dear friend Linda reached out to me today and shared a story that she thought of when I posted about the stars in my pocket.  Several years ago as she was leaving church a seminarian named Joy handed everyone a little piece of paper. Linda's said "JOY" and she slipped it into the pocket of her coat that she wears just a few times a year.  To this day that piece of paper is still in that pocket....and each times Linda wears the coat she thinks about Joy, who taught her so much....and each time it warms her heart and brings her a little JOY all over again.  

Thanks Linda....I love everything about that "joy" in your pocket.

I had a nice visit with Patsy, her daughter Alex, and sweet little Yemaya today....who also had some joy in both her pockets.  I have known Patsy and Alex since Paul and I first moved to Maine in 1987 and have met Yemaya, Alex's daughter two or three times in her two years of life. When I arrived Yemaya was busy giving all her animals breakfast....and my heart melted at the sight of them all around the little table.

I think this how all the animals got to Yemaya's breakfast diner.

There is just something about children....and their toys and books that capture my heart. I spent part of the day continuing to gather things for a large bookshelf in our little TV/reading room off the living room. This is the first time I'm assembling ALL my childrens books and toys in one place....and I'm pretty excited about it. Doesn't the saying go..."if you build it they will come?" I'm still gathering, assembling, and tweaking but I will share my second shelf styling soon. These kinds of projects are where most of my creative energy is going these days...the paper and paint in the studio is waiting patiently.

Just a couple of days ago when I posted about my living room bookshelf  Tracie texted me this photo of her grandson's styled shelf.  Needless to say I was smitten....and I'm getting a little inspiration for my own.