Artfully Lighting the Way

Some of you may know that each and every week I teach a few arts and crafts classes at assisted living centers with little old ladies. Also I hold classes at local library branches. So each and every week I have to come up with a new and different project... that they will like. Kids at the libraries are easy. A little glue, a little glitter and they are happy-happy-happy. The Little Old Ladies, however, are a different story. They are more cynical, more demanding. And if their project isn't easy enough it is my fault. And if their easy project isn't beautiful it is my fault. And if their easy, beautiful project serves absolutely no purpose, it is my fault. Sheesh. I am in it no matter where I step.

Little Old Ladies never say they are disenchanted with the current easy-beautiful-useful project... rather they ever so slightly curl an upper lip and hum. It is disconcerting. But this week's project, meeting all the criteria, was a hit. A huge HIT. It was EASY. It was BEAUTIFUL. It was USEFUL. They will be talking about this one for years. And from my point of view it was cheap-cheap-cheap, in fact free!!!! Somebody gave me a shoebox of shells and my beloved friend Francie sent me a passle of brand new nightlights! Put them both together -- rather encourage the Little Old Ladies to put them together and here's what we got:



It was easy, it was beautiful, and it lights their way in the dark, ergo, useful. Have an artful day.