So much to be Thankful and Grateful for!

December is near and it will be almost a year of ownership of Time For Art, LLC. Around this time many of us reflect on things that we are grateful and thankful for. I am truly thankful for this opportunity to provide a place and experience for young and novice artists to be creative. I am so thankful for all the role models that I have had along the way in this journey of art and art education. However, I must highlight one particular amazing woman, affectionately known as Ms. Olivia.

Ms. Olivia was a friend of my mother and an amazing seamstress and crafter. During my elementary school years, my mother decided that my twin sister and I needed something a little more constructive to do with our weekends. So she would take us over to Ms. Olivia during the November season. This was the time when Ms. Olivia was making elaborate decorations for her Christmas tree and for loved ones for the holidays. I remember entering her cozy home warmed by the brick fireplace. It was so nice to enter into the front door, step down into a nook, and look to the left to see this immaculate tree filled with the most gorgeous ornaments I’ve ever seen. Ms. Olivia taught us how to make some of the most creative ornaments such as the drummer boy, felt stocking stuffers, strawberry ornaments made out of walnuts, and the Hershey kiss holder. We learned so many knitting and hand sewing techniques. This truly elevated my love for the arts and sewing. I remember the excitement of getting up and going to Ms. Olivia’s. Excited to see what we would be making and what Little Debbie snack cake we would get that day (Oh the little things that meant so much). Then at the last class of those sessions, she would allow us to select a special ornament off her tree! And she would stuff a little money in the ornament as a Christmas gift to us. I still to this day have those ornaments at my parents' home and yes, they still go up on the tree each year. I will always remember and love Ms. Olivia for that. So I strive to instill this love and passion for arts and crafts in the kids at Time For Art, and I hope remember and cherish their experiences in the studio the way I did with Ms. Olivia.  

I encourage you all to continue to seek out the Ms. Olivia experiences for your young artist, to continue to inspire them creatively. Your children will thank you for years to come.