I met Deb Ingino of My Wired Style.  We had an hour long conversation about our mutual interest in children and how they learn.  With My Wired Style, she focuses on the different Learning Styles of children and their parents and guardians.  She skillfully guides parents through seeking out their child’s particular style of seeing the world, as well as, their own.  This enables adults to interact and encourage each child in the way that is most effective for them.

I have just begun going through the My Wired Style E-Kit.  Already I can see why My Fashion Fairy NEEDS to pick out her own clothes and is personally offended when I tell her that velvet is not appropriate for the playground.  It also gives me a little insight into why my Dancing Dragon is so hard on himself when he doesn’t get the wings exactly symmetrical on the robot dragon.  By the way, he was also disturbed, not complemented, when I put his Robot Dragon on the website, because the second rear leg was not yet attached.  

<Sigh>

At least I can see that it is not ONLY a clash of the wills, but perhaps our different forms of communicating that cause us to stumble at times

I finally took the plunge and started a Twitter account….well…two accounts.  DreamArc was taken as a name.  So, I am registered under JuliaAshley, but still believe that having DreamArc in the name would help you find me.  Then….I started a second account under JuliaDreamArc.  I will most likely delete one of them, after I decide the best course of action.  

If you have any experience with Twitter, please, feel free to share your experience and advice!

On the DreamArc website, I just added a mini-blog and RSS feed to help keep you up-to-date on the latest images and information on the site.

The mini-blog page on the DreamArc website provides a list of current additions and changes to the site; including Kids Art, Free Coloring Pages, Free Printables, Imagination Quotes and Information on Bridging Your Imagination with Your Future.  By subscribing to the RSS feed, you will be notified as these additions and changes are made.

This Blog will remain the place to get glimpses into the behind the scenes creation of DreamArc and my musings.  The comments section here is also the easiest way for you to share your thoughts and creations with me.

Tomorrow, I will post the next Coloring Page on the site, a WASP from a photo I took while on a fieldtrip with my son and his class (photo below).  We will see if it updates on the mini-blog and pings out to all the RSS subscribers.  If not, I will have to wrestle the code to get it to act right.  THEN, I want to add the RSS feed to this Blog.  I would attempt it now, but my little creatures are waiting for me to pick them up.

Cross you fingers.

DreamArc is just beginning.  Where am I headed with it?  

Let me give you a glimpse of my plans through the end of this year.

§     Additional Printable Pages to download for personal use

§     Audio Recordings of children’s poems and stories

§     Prints, Cards, T-shirts & Infant Wear with DreamArc Images

§     Coloring Books with images generated by DreamArc

§     A CD compilation of the audio works recorded for the website

§     A Children’s Book of characters introduced on DreamArc

§     Lesson Plans for developing imagination and creativity 

§     Links to sites and products that encourage your imagination

Some of these, such as additional printable pages and products, will be implemented quickly.  Others, such as the children’s book and CD, I will develop over the next few months and should be available by the end of the year.  I will dedicate a post for each, giving you more details and keeping you informed of my progress.

Thank you for sharing the future of DreamArc with me.

KEZA         

WOW!  You go Moms!

I learned about Keza this year, an organization in Rwanda, Africa.  The name, KEZA, means “beautiful” in the Kinyarwanda language.  It is an organization of single mothers who are banning together and using their creativity to make beautiful jewelry to support their families.  You can learn more at http://www.keza.com/.  How impressive to step up to the plate and take charge of your life and care for your family through your art!  I find these women amazing and wanted to share them with you.  I receive nothing but inspiration from this organization.  So, feel free to take a look and tell me what you think.

www.DreamArc.com