Miracles happen every day

Dear friend,

I would like to share with you all my miracles. Some of them are funny and pleasant some of them are sad and even anxious, and all of them are mysterious. I believe that miracles happen every day. They really do.

Old apple trees are growing around my house. Their branches pop in our windows and hang over our balcony.
It's wonderful to live together with apple trees and look how they are changed everyday. One month ago they were wearing snow-white fluffy dresses, later they got soft green dress with small apple buttons. Yesterday the apple buttons were green and today they got red and crimson glows. Very soon they are going to be sweat and juicy apples. And fairytales will be hidden in every single apple.

First apple story

Once there was a princess named Pomella who was very different from all other princesses.  Every day from morn until eve she toiled away in an orchard near the palace – her very own apple kingdom.  Every autumn at her command heaped baskets full of the ripe fruit were carried through the gates and shared far and wide throughout the lands of her father the king.  But the king was not happy.

“Should a king’s daughter be working in an orchard?” he asked.

“But, Daddy,” she replied, “my dream is to grow a new kind of apple tree.  One that isn’t afraid of the freezing cold or a summer without rain.”

“Ugh,” said the king, a frown on his face “Why are you filling your pretty head with such horrible things?  Much nicer to dream about sweets from the palace table.”

Everyone knew the king loved to eat.  Every day there was a sumptuous feast.  The enormous cakes, pies and candied dishes rolled out of the palace kitchen barely fit on the tables.  The king and his guests would eat so much that their stomachs hurt, and most days they had a hard time getting to sleep.  But the next day that was all forgotten, and the cooks were ordered to prepare another mountain of delicious sweets.

 The king grew fatter and fatter, his middle bulging out like a barrel.  It took four servants to lift him out of bed in the morning.  Doctors were summoned from all over the kingdom to examine the royal patient.  Fat, they said, nodding to each other wisely, fat in the heart and liver. They prescribed the strongest medicines they could think of, but the medicines only made the king itch.  Meanwhile the queen’s blood pressure was rising, and one after another the ministers took to their beds.  All of them were suffering from a lack of vitamins, for it had been years since anyone at court had eaten fruit or vegetables.

Soon there was no one left to run the kingdom, and the young princess put her foot down.

Story of a young Amerasian girl. ( by Rick Smolan, photographer)

I am inspired by people who do not pass by the people who need help. They start projects that affect the minds and hearts of people. And bring this project to the end. Deeds, not words adorn the human. Let's learn to do the projects! And our lives are filled with meaning :)

The new book "The Adventure of a Water Droplet Pally"

A new concept in paper quilling is a children's book with quilling artwork illustrations!

Quilling, also known as paper filigree, it has been around since the Renaissance age, but I was only recently introduced to it by my friend. This art of cutting and curling narrow strips of paper and laying them on edge to form intricate filigree designs sparked my interest and I found it fun and pretty relaxing. 

When Karina, the young artist, suggested making artwork illustration in paper quilling for our ecological fairytale about water drop, I was happy. But I cannot even imagine what a talented artist can do with just a few colorful strips of paper.

To see the fairytale with quilling artwork illustrations one feels like a MIRACLE!

  I’m a fairy taller and the author of the numerous children's books but I haven’t seen the illustrations for the children books as impressive as quilling artwork illustrations made by Karina. They are really magic, fairy and brilliantly introduce the conception of the book.

Quilling artwork illustrations give the book a magnificent look!  These artwork illustrations for the children book take quilling in the whole new level.  

This is the first our children book illustrated by the talented artist Karina. Now she is at work on the next book "The Golden Bee" about healing property of honey, and I can't wait to see her next artwork. 

with love, author 
Alexandra

Personal Photo books for orphans

Cover of the photo book. 

     I want to share with you one idea. Last year we thought that we should make personal photo books for orphans. But we could made only one book for one child - Sasha Ismailov, I wrote about him below. But I think it's a great idea! It's amazing present for child! not only for the orphans but for any child. We want to describe different parts of life of the child, may be use old photos from his childhood (if child has them), also include there photographes made by me and things this child is interested in. 
     You can see below a few pages from the photobook we made for Sasha. We put there his fairy tales (wrote on lessons of the Fairy tale therapy with Alexandra), Sasha's song ( we ask our friend wrote music for Sasha's poem), also we wrote inspiring  words especially for him. 

This book size - 20 sm x 20 sm, 38 pages. Name - "The beginning of a long journey".
Only problem is money. Such personal photo book is not chip. But we're looking for the donations and we plan to make such photo books for orphans in future.
   P.S.  Sasha Ismailov lives in Republic of Adugea (Russia) and this photo book are also there ))

Page with Sasha's fairy tale. We scanned paper with fairy tale and his picture.

Sasha, people from his orphanage and inspirational quote

Sasha learns in the Cossack Cadet School and we put there photos with cossacks

A few words about the art exhibition in our town.

I wrote below that 2 Masha's paintings were bought there. And now, about exhibition! "The world through the eyes of countryman". People from our region show their paintings and other artworks. 

    Organizers of the exhibition took 5 of Masha's artworks. 

Also there were some of Masha and Alesia' books. 
Masha is always happy to show her artworks. And it's so nice that people like them. 

 Paintings and books 

The art exhibition was placed here

Two paintings were bought at the exhibition )

  We were so glad! One lady opens new ecological center for kids and bought two paintings with trees and flowers for it.      It's great! Paintings will take their place and will please people.

Trees' dance

Fantazy

      

Video clip about Masha and Alesia' project "Kind books"

       Not so long ago Masha and Alesia have got a proposal became a TV heroes :-)) It was so fast and unexpectedly that we do not have time to wind up! Our city held a competition between broadcasters from  Moscow Region. All participants should made a short video clip in a few hours. It was named "From the wheels". And one camera crew chose storytellers from town Vidnoe ( Maria and Alexandra).

This video contains a lot of video clips, and video clip about us begins from 10:20 min. It's in russian, of course. 

FILM "EVERLASTING MOMENTS"

"EVERLASTING MOMENTS"

Penetrating story about a talent which hidden in everyone! we should just give a chance this one... 

In a time of social change and unrest, war and poverty, a young working class woman, Maria, wins a camera in a lottery. The decision to keep it alters her whole life. It's a good, touching film.

I like films which give me food for my mind )

This movie made me strong emotions... About life, human choice, destiny, talents, wishes, opportunities... In short I suggest you look it!

Photo studio for children "The Light" in the Orphanage #24. Moscow.

     I started work in the orphanage and yesterday I spent my first lesson there. I worried very much. I prepared. Red books, red my own diaries and notebooks.  And think, think and think! What I should to do, how I should talk to children and in which manner? It’s not just lessons for them and for me. It’s very important. I wish my photo lessons will be “fresh air” for them! They need attention to their personality very much. And I want to help them open their mind. I want to show them freedom, real friendship, kindness, respect and DESIRE TO CREATE. They should have desire to create not only photos but their life and themselves!

     Many ideas I took from book by Johannes Itten “Design and form: the basic course at the Bauhaus”. It’s a great book for designers and artists. And there Itten describes his teaching method. I reflected a lot about Itten’ method and I try to make these ideas a reality in my photo studio. By the way I called it “The Light”. Now I have 2 groups of teenagers (11 children in each one) and 1 group of children of secondary school age (8 children). 

     I planned teach children to be open to the World, to feel their responsibility for that planet, society and themselves. Every week I will give them “food for thought”, I want to wake up their Personality, their Mind. And I will do it through The Photography. They all are at the beginning of their life and I know that I can change their lives. I hope… You can connect with me if you want to do the same things. We could help each other by our experience and our ideas. It will be very interesting for me! 

     Also I want to share with you Johannes Itten ideas:

1.     Above all the Teacher should release and enhance the imagination of pupils. Release their creativity. 

2.    Respect for people is the beginning and the ultimate goal of any education.

3.    See natural gifts and temperament of people and reveal them.

4.    Person must develop harmoniously. All sides: physical, spiritual, intellectual, sensual.

Photo by Romualdas Rakauskas

Book presentations. Novgorod.

Book presentation in Veliky Novgorod took place 8/10/2011. Our friend Zhenia organized two meetings, in children' library and book shop "Bukvoed". It was not ordinary trip, really! We went there by our car - 9 hours with one stop for 30 minutes rest. And as result - I was half asleep, but it was worth it.
People got kind books and inspiring words. Alesia had very nice speech. She told about humanistic education, about exiting ways to teach kids, showed all her books, they include different subjects: music, ecology, morality, wise fairy tales from all over the world, healthy food, mathematics, short tales, tales about animals, professions and another subjects. All of these are important themes for children, for their good education. And these books are a great help for parents! ))
Information about Alesia and Masha' books heard the people who needed it, I think. And I was glad to  feel it. And also it was a great pleasure to met our friends. We ate wonderful dinner and we talked about deep spiritual matters. I feel myself full of warm, sunny thoughts after such meetings! And, of course, photo report:

Children library

Masha sings her song "Little ships", Alesia shows painting "Magic lights".

Masha and Alesia' Kind books ))

A tit in the hand !

“A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” This proverb is a very popular warning, widely used in many English-speaking countries. But in Russia it sounds " A tit in the hand is worth a crane in the sky".
And today Alesia gets in her hand pretty tit! )))  But this one was obstinate and grabbed Alesia's finger. But nothing serious...))) It was amazing. This tit flews into her room and landed on the aloe. 
 I think it was Yellow-breasted Tit. You know, such happenings aroused my interest to birds! 
It's like ecology lessons for me! And now I know who is singing in my garden ))

Yellow-breasted Tit grabs Alesia's finger ))  

 Such happenings show me how we can teach kids ecology. Children will support Nature and all creatures around them if we touched kid's hearts by ecology lessons. 
I want take book "In Harmony with Nature" like basis ( there are a lot of information about our planet, about trees, flowers) and also "Funny Animals" ( about different animals). There are games, questions and tales...Such lessons are interesting and useful not only for kids but also for adults. We can combine these books with our wishes and imagination. And... It will be great, I think! 
It's Good Idea to start ecology lessons with your children!  
How we can teach kids to love Nature >>  

Photo study group. Orphanage.

Wednesday. 5/10/2011. 
It was my first visit to the orphanage where I will start my photo circle for children... I was like little rabbit. I'm not a professional teacher... But I took myself in my own hands! And say: Be strong!
There was nice atmosphere and I hope, everything will be good.
It was Teacher's Day and I took photos.  

 Music was from film "Step Up". 7 class. 

Magic portrait and old door ))

Sometimes I feel myself boring…I don’t know what exactly I should to do, but… I start to looking for something new. And I ask myself: What do you want? I sort in my head all activities I know.  One day I feel that I have great wish to try paint on glass. And these photos represent my first  efforts in this field :-) I used acrylic paints for glass.

This is Masha and her Inspiration )) 

This is our old door. I try to refresh it ))

"In harmony with nature"

      "In harmony with nature"
     The first contacts with Nature is the most IMPORTANT as it will stay in his memory all his life. Thus, The First Books on Ecology shouldn't be dry and push-off.
      The stories and poems tell the children things how beautiful and valuable Nature is.
       Aim of this book: Formulating in children an understanding of the mutually dependent relationship between humans and the surrounding natural world.
       Overview: 
1. Every human being is responsible for nature. 
2. Nature needs my care and attention. 
3. I can lend nature a helping hand.

      We offer you stories about flowers and tress: Nature's Beautiful Gifts. Each story in friendly and entertaining form introduces children with scientific knowledge of a role of trees and flowers in ECOLOGY of our planet: 
- how they grow; 
- how they look like; 
- how they cooperate with people and with the World of animals and birds.
       The aim of these stories is to cultivate love for the nature, so that the child would feel himself as inseparable part of the Nature. And will learn to benefit from its healing and life-giving forces that people of today are so much in need.
       By losing connection with Nature, we are losing our health - physical and spiritual. Hence, we need to realize it before it is too late! And we must do our best to make our children closer to nature, to help them to feel nature and together with them take care of Ecology of our Planet Earth!
See this book here >>
       The authors would be pleased to receive any comments you may have! 

Painted fence

This week we prepare our house and our garden for the Wedding! Alesia's son will marry on Saturday. It's a great day! Then I and Masha decided to paint our fence. We did it in our abstract, free style :-))
I don't know...May be you will like it or not...But we tried as best we could!
Masha has her painting "Blue tulips" and we use this motive in our work.

OUR INSTRUMENT ))

BEFORE... 

MASHA IS READY...))

We used instrument with sandpaper at first.

Masha at work...) Actually it was really nice, I like such activity.

AFTER...)

Our gate ) I think it's cheerful !

 I hope guests will rate our work...Why people do not make multi-colored fence? It's much more cheerful...)

Summer "Good habits camp" for children

     If you’re interested in children education, worry about morality, want to teach children ecology and healthy way of life and so on….If you want to teach kids good way of life….Then there is a great idea to open camp (summer, winter, autumn and spring). And there you can set your rules, good and right rules! You as Director show good example and….I think you know – all depends on the head!

In yellow T-shirt (behind Sasha) - Vladimir ( The Director of this camp).

     And we ( I, Alesia and Masha) were in such camp. Vladimir ( The Director) can’t get over the fact that all the smoke around, drink, say terrible words and do nothing…  And he decided to open “Good Habits Camp”. Vladimir and his crew show children healthy, active and interesting way of life.  This camp is not large (maybe 30 kids). All depends on money…It’s not easy. But it’s a great pleasure and profit for these 30 kids!

Sasha Ismailov likes it very much. And also it’s good for him to have normal social contacts. This camp placed near Moscow. But we could wish to see not only one but a great number such places))  Ordinary educators in camps look after physical conditions but not moral and creative ones.

Patronage of orphans

Sometimes miracles happen… I  think so when I remember one boy, Sasha Ismailov. Alesia met him in Adygea, the republic of Russia, in 2010. This was orphanage.  Sasha immediately impressed Alesia. He was 14 years old. He grown up in terrible conditions, but he wrote kind, sensible poems and tales. Sasha opened himself in fairy tales which he wrote in Alesia’s project “Fairy tale therapy”. Alesia and Sasha became friends. After Alesia came back from Adygea they continued communication and… He comes  to us in January 2011. It was amazing holidays for him! He was nowhere except for his small town… Alesia prepared a great interesting program for all 10 days. We showed him our way of life, shared our thoughts. He knew only one way of life… not good… But we try to give him a chance for better life. He’s already adult (15 years old), we can’t change him, but we can help him to do the right choice.

Sasha visited us again this summer. We talked about everything; he’s so clever and smart! Also he was in summer camp for 3 week. It was very interesting, I talk about it later.. ))

Alesia and Sasha. Summer 2011, Moscow

It’s a great idea to help such teenagers! They have no support from parents. We are not parents but we could become real good friends for them!  They just start their life and we could help them  don’t do silly mistakes.

About hobby...

"We can do more than imagine, we can create."

 Any action suppose two steps: imagination and creation. One of these can't be without another one... A lot of people can only imagine ( it's already great! ) but human beings are created in order to create. And through this creative process we open our inner skills and talents, it gives sense to our life. If we have sense we are not empty. The Sense gives us Happiness. And we are created to be happy!

I will  show you the beautiful talents of my friends. I hope you will share their happiness with them. Maybe it will inspire you to do something in your way! ;-))

Painted Glass Bowl 

I caught the idea....

Today we were in the park. Actually, this is Sukhanovo estate, an architectural ensemble of the late 18th-early 19th centuries. But nowadays …just wild park. And there is a Spring with pure (…I hope…) water.

There we meet one interesting person. Old man with an armful of leaves. He swept ground near the spring. Also he asked us to put something into the bird feeder. This man gave me Good Ideas!

1. We can always have a package with bread or cereals in our bag to feed up animals.
2. We can put everything in order, take away garbage everywhere we are (town, forest and so on) 

Bird feeder

What Silence Says

 This short tale is for Dima. 

So...Dima special. Of course everybody are special in their way, you say...But he is very kind, soft, sensible, reasonable and calm. Yes, he knows what Silence Says...

 What Silence Says

A teacher let his pupils out to play at break time and went off to eat his lunch. Everyone ran out the school. Danny was the last boy to go out, but someone had locked the door. 
When the students came back to school, Danny was sitting in his seat.
“Why didn’t you climb out the window?” one of the students asked. 
“I didn’t want to – I was listening to the silence,” Danny replied.
“And did you hear much?” someone giggled.
“I listened to the specks of dust rustling as they brushed against the sunbeams. Our tables creaked from tiredness, and whispered sadly.”