Tuesday, September 10, 2013

It Takes a Community...

When I was in high school, I babysat for a family with three kiddos. The oldest was a self-entertainer. The middle, I could play babies with and she'd be happy (she even named one of her baby dolls after me--quite an honor). The youngest, well he was never happy without his mama. One of the most helpful things in managing all three of those kids at age 16, was a subscription art club that the oldest girl could take out when I was there watching the three of them. Now I was down to two kids to entertain...after Donald stopped crying, anyway.

And that's the beauty of life...things come around full circle.

I'm now the founder of Little Scribblers Art Cluba subscription art club for toddlers, twos, and children with special needs. I'm appreciating several influences in this process...consider this my thank you and acknowledgements page. :)

1) Summer baby art classes at my local community center that made me want to keep going through the year.

2) That art club from long ago...that made me search the Internet high and low for just such a thing for my own toddler. 

3) A bad experience with a toddler art club by mail. Look at that, something positive from something negative! :)

4) Friends who were on board with trying things out in a test group with their own toddlers and preschoolers: Annette, Tauna, and Ben & Stephanie (with my godkids)!

5) My bestie, who designs like no other! Having an amazing graphic designer backing you is pretty awesome.

6) My Early Childhood Education program at George Fox University. Who knew I'd ever use those art classes? Not me!

7) A blogger who freely gave art ideas to me and reshaped my thinking about whether this was a club for a particular age or developmental stage.

8) Another friend who used his photography talent and shared business tips.

9) A magazine that influenced the eco-friendly practices and even the formatting of the direction pages in Little Scribblers Art Club.

10) My early supporters, friends and family, mostly found here, other test groups, friends who let me use pictures of their kids doing art, people who let me yak about the business end of things even though I know nothing about the business end of things, supply companies who make sure their products are environmentally conscious and have slave-free initiatives, mentors like Bernie, a cousin who spent time cutting yarn and sorting glitter, a particular post office that was super helpful and friendly, a husband who has taken on the "Vice President" title even though there is no such thing in our company (but, hey, at least he contributes to the work load) and I'm sure this list will be ever growing...

And of course, my own Little Scribbler:




Pin It Now!