Friday Finds

Chalk writing by Mia Nolting (Image courtesy of Design Mom)

Because I was out of town last weekend, I didn't have the chance to post my new Friday Finds. Well, today you're in luck.

I've stumbled on a few cute things this week, the first being the opportunity to help out a talented artist who also has her fair share of student loan debt.

Mia Nolting Draws Letters is the brain child of an artist who is still literally indebted to art school. For $1 (via PayPal), she will draw in chalk the name(s) and/or phrase(s) of whatever you submit. The letters are in a lovely script, and the hi-resolution file is then emailed to you for you to frame. Not bad for a buck!

I ordered one for CC and can't wait to find the perfect place to hang it.

Just looking on Mia's website, it seems she's catching up, but check back with her soon, or visit her site for other available art pieces.

While I was at the Fort Worth Stockyards, of all places, last week, I found this book for CC that's pretty amazing.

"Gallop!," by Rufus Butler Seder, is a "scanimation" picture book -- meaning the pictures of the animals inside move, as if the animal is running, strutting or, you guessed it, galloping. It works sort of like a zoetrope and it's super cool. CC loves it.

Little Passports

How cute is this? I love to travel. (I don't get to do as much of it anymore, but I still love it when the opportunity arises.) And I love the idea of giving children the opportunity to explore the world -- even if it happens to be from their own living room.

Little Passports is a company that introduces kiddos to a new country every month via characters Sofia and Sam. They travel the world and send adventure kits, including stickers and activity sheets, to kid subscribers, who can then learn about the geography, history and culture of another country.

The first month's kit is great, complete with a little suitcase and passport.

Happy Friday!