Posted in Fun Stuff for Kids, tagged art, entertainment, family, festival, Lake Eola, music, playground magazine on April 1, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Fun for the whole family at Lake Eola!
Sunday April 18, 2010
What do you get when you mix live music, high-energy dance, never-before-seen interactive art installations, traveling performers and families? A community experience that will impress both kids and parents. Let your family explore through sight, touch, taste and sound the most creative multi-sensory event in Orlando. (more…)
Posted in Action Alerts & Activism, Fun Stuff for Kids, tagged art, children, ciw, coalition of Immokalee workers, coloring, contest, homeschool, kids on February 17, 2010 | 2 Comments »
When I first got this notice , Julia and I immediately sent her teacher an email about the upcoming Coalition of Immokalee Workers Kid’s Coloring Contest and guess what? She gave it to the school art teacher who is now getting ALL the grades involved! It’s awesome!
Here’s the flier and info if you and your kids want to include this in a homeschool “food unit, ” share the news with friends, or just enter in the contest!
To young people, their parents, and all their teachers:
Farmworkers across the country pick the fruits and vegetables we need to stay healthy. And though they help put food on millions of tables across the country, most farmworkers don’t earn enough to support their own families, and many times they are treated unfairly at work in the fields. Through the Campaign for Fair Food, farmworkers and their supporters across the country are working together to create a more just food system in which farmworkers are respected and treated fairly.
To highlight the connection between young people and farmworkers, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers announces the first-ever Campaign for Fair Food drawing contest! To enter, use your imagination to draw what “Fair Food” means to you, and show how you can work together with farmworkers to make a fairer world for the people who pick our fruits and vegetables.
Farmworkers in Immokalee will select one winner from each of four age groups:
- Pre-K – 2nd grade
- 3rd grade – 5th grade
- 6th grade – 8th grade
- High School
Winners’ drawings will be featured on the front of new Campaign for Fair Food postcards, which will be distributed around the country! Each winner will also receive a framed copy of their drawing signed by members of the Immokalee farmworker community.
Submissions will be accepted from now until April 1, 2010. Drawings may be created in any medium: crayon, colored pencil, marker, etc. There is no size requirement.
Click here for the drawing contest entry form.
Fair Food Curricula
Age-appropriate curricula are available for both secular and faith-based classes by clicking on the approprite links below. If you have difficulty downloading a curriculum, please contact drawingcontest@ciw-online.org.Pre-K through 1st Grade: general | faith-based
1st through 5th Grade: general | faith-based
Junior High: general | faith-based
High School: general | faith-basedComplete Curriculum: general | faith-based
(Pre-K through High School; zip archive containing 4 files)Click here for photo galleries from the fields that might serve for a little inspiration!
Please contact drawingcontest@ciw-online.org with any questions.
Posted in Spirituality, tagged art, buddha, exhibit, heart, india, maitreya project, relic, shrine, spiritual, sustainable design on September 22, 2008 | 2 Comments »
A new one hit my desk for The Heart Shrine Relic Tour. It sounded fascinating!
A unique and precious collection of more than 1,000 sacred Buddhist relics will be permanently displayed in the Heart Shrine of the completed Maitreya Buddha statue in Kushinagar.
Meanwhile, it is the wish of the Spiritual Director of the Maitreya Project, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, that the collection should travel throughout the world to bring the blessings of the holy relics and the message of loving-kindness to people everywhere.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The relics going on tour is all part of the larger Maitreya Project.
While the throne building being created as an educational facility, the project’s crowning glory is a 500ft / 152m bronze statue of Buddha that is being built at Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh in northern India.
Throughout the world, the Buddha is recognised as a symbol of peace. Maitreya means ‘loving-kindness’. The vision of Maitreya Project is to effect peace at every level of society through the practice of loving-kindness: peace within the family, the community and the world, as well as inner peace for the individual.
SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
What caught my eye was the project’s eye toward sustainable design.
A sustainable society must seek to protect and enhance the environment, meet social needs, and promote economic success. For the Maitreya Project to achieve the aim of promoting such a sustainable society the Project’s design process will:
- ensure that water, energy and other natural resources, are used efficiently and with care.
- minimize waste, then re-use or recover it through recycling, composting or energy recovery, and finally, sustainably dispose of what is left.
- limit waste to levels that do not damage natural systems.
- safeguard and promote health and amenity through safe, clean, pleasant environments.
- meet needs from locally available resources wherever possible.
- maximize local access to training and skills development.
- give full consideration to the social and community impacts of decisions.
- work to create a vibrant local economy that gives access to satisfying and rewarding work without damaging the local, national or global environment.
WHERE TO SEE THE RELIC TOUR IN FLORIDA
Admission is free to all the relic tour events. More info in the press release!
October 17, 18 & 19, 2008
Kissimmee, Florida, USA
Friday 7pm Opening Ceremony
Saturday 10am to 7pm
Sunday 10am to 7pm
Wat Florida Dhammmaram
2421 Old Vineland Road
Kissimmee
FL 34746
USA
Contact: Chih Ho
Email: chihho2004@yahoo.com
Telephone: +1 407 538 6491
October 24, 25 & 26, 2008
Orlando, Florida, USA
Friday 7pm Opening Ceremony
Saturday 10am to 7pm
Sunday 10am to 7pm
Phap Vu Buddhist Cultural Center
716 N. Dean Road
Orlando
Florida
USA
Contact: Venerable Thich Nhat Tri
Telephone: +1 407 277 7262
October 31, November 1 & 2, 2008
Clearwater, Florida, USA
Friday 7pm Opening Ceremony
Saturday 10am to 7pm
Sunday 10am to 7pm
Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater
2470 Nursery Road
Clearwater
Florida 33764
USA
Contact: Frank Tedesco
Email: truedharma108@gmail.com
Cellphone: +1 727 512 4805
November 7, 8 & 9, 2008
Boca Raton, Florida, USA
Friday 7pm Opening Ceremony
Saturday 10am to 7pm
Sunday 10am to 7pm
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
2601 St. Andrew Blvd
Boca Raton
Florida
USA
Contact: Elaine Blumenkranz
Email: elaineblu@comcast.net
Telephone: +1 561 865 3455
Posted in Deals Around Town, Fun Stuff for Kids, Local "Green" Events, tagged art, bands, concert, entertainment, festival, First Unitarian Church of Orlando, FUCO, green team, local, music, recreation on May 15, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
One of the perks to my job as chair of the “Green Team” is that I get to do really fun stuff once in a while. And I’m event coordinating these days for a music/arts fest type shindig over at the church.
It’s a non-profit community service project to help promote local artists / performers / musicians/ groups/ businesses. We don’t charge them any kind of “exhibitor” fee. We just want to help them broadcast “LOCAL” to Orlando!
As a perk to my readers who like the square foot gardening front and other eco-bits I broadcast here….
The Green Team VIP Ticket! (Click pix for larger version)
Good for up to 4 people and valued at $60 total. Knock yourselves out! Just print this article and bring it in.
The “Evening Entertainment Escape” is on May 17th, 2008.
First Unitarian Church of Orlando
1901 E. Robinson St.
Orlando FL 32803
Doors open at 6 PM so you can browse the tables and get snacks and drinks. Concert starts at 7 PM.
The concert line up is looking hot with local talent:
|
7:00-7:15 |
Lost Soul Tribe |
Rock/Folk Rock |
|
7:15-7:30 |
|
Originals, Unplugged |
|
7:30-7:45 |
Ben Basile |
Classic Blues |
|
7:45-8:00 |
AmeriCorps Youth |
Ethnic Interpretive Dance |
|
8:00-8:15 |
Tuesday Nite Band |
Orlando UU House Band |
|
8:15-8:30 |
|
|
|
8:30-8:45 |
The Forefathers |
World Music Fusion |
|
8:45-9:00 |
|
Originals |
|
9:00-9:15 |
Dances of Universal Peace |
Interactive World Dance |
|
9:15-9:30 |
Doug Halper |
Appalachian Dulcimer Artist |
|
9:30-9:45 |
Old Guys On The Porch |
Folk Music |
|
9:45-10:00 |
Black Ship Sky |
Rock |
|
10:00-10:15 |
|
Originals, Unplugged |
|
10:15-10:30 |
Jam Session – All invited |
|
And the tall drink of water in the Tuesday Nite Band on guitar/bass with the blond bangs falling in his face is my hunny bunny. Yay! 
Enjoy!
Posted in Fun Stuff for Kids, Lessons and Classes for Kids, Natural Products, tagged art, art studio, baptism, christening, craft, Haba, handiwork, heirloom, knitting, sewing, wood toys on March 22, 2008 | 5 Comments »
I just had the loveliest conversation with Daisy, owner of a new boutique and art studio in Winter Garden. The store has educational toys, special occasion clothing, and heirloom gifts by local artists.
In addition to the great products they offer, the art studio has sewing and quilting classes for children! On Saturday mornings they offer a free craft class for 7-12. This is a great spot for our children to learn the “lost art” of handiwork! I mentioned to Daisy it would be great if she offered a homeschooling class.
If you are looking for top notch toys for your kids, this is the place. She has all the good wood toys, Haba, Imagiplay, Guidecraft, and so many others I can’t list them all! They also carry tons of craft supplies for all of your projects.
Daisy Boutique and Art Studio is located at 103 South Main Street in Winter Garden. If you stop by, make sure and talk with Daisy, she is great!
Posted in Deals Around Town, Fun Stuff for Kids, Lessons and Classes for Kids, Study Groups and Classes, tagged art, artsfest, crafts, festival, museum, theatre on January 20, 2008 | 1 Comment »
I really look forward to this time a year when I know that the ArtsFest is coming! My family and I have been attending ArtsFest for 5 or 6 years now! What is ArtsFest, you ask? Well, let me tell you!
ArtsFest is a festival that kicks-off the fundraising campaign for the United Arts. It is being held this year from February 7 – 17, 2008. It includes about 285 free arts and cultural events held in 48 locations throughout Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties.
All events are free and open to the public, although venues such as theatres have limited seating and you do have to get tickets (free!) beforehand. The first ArtsFest event I attended was to a showing of “Lily and the Purple Plastic Purse” that was being staged by the Orlando Repertory Theatre. Up until that time, I didn’t know that there was quality theatre for children in Orlando. After that show, my family and I were hooked and now attend several shows every year. Thanks ArtsFest!
Other venues that are offering activities are the Annie Russell Theatre, the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, The Center for Contemporary Dance, Central Florida Ballet, Creadle School of Art, Lake Eustis Museum of Art and the Maitland Art Center, to name a few. Some of it is for watching only, but others offer free activities for all ages. The Center of Contemporary Dance offers dance classes such as a creative movement class for ages 2-8 and a jazz dance class for ages 9 and above. The Maitland Art Center is offering yoga and creative writing. To find out who is participating and what they are offering, go to the Red Chair Project website to see the schedule online.
For the events that will require tickets, you do need to register with the Red Chair Project ArtsFest ticket Lottery.
A more comprehensive FAQ can also be found at the United Arts website.
WARNING: Once you participate in ArtsFest, you will become hooked and want to participate in activities every year!
Posted in Natural Products, tagged aromatherapy, art, birthday, budget, cheap, chirstmas, crayon, essential, gift, holiday, jewelry, oil, party favor, pendant, rock, soy, stocking stuffer, terractotta, unique on November 15, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Late last night I was searching for something “different” for small holiday gifts.
For the adults, I found terracotta pendants. With 53 designs there is something there for almost anyone. The neat thing is that one drop of an essential oil turns these fun jewelry pieces into personal aromatherapy diffusers.
For the kids, I liked the soy-based Crayon Rocks. They come in an attractive pouch or box and the colors are vibrant and bright. The sampler pouch is cute/cheap enough to use as a unique birthday party favor too!
Natural Family Living Blog
Mrs. Zeiger
Melita Franzen
Cat