Early Literacy #3: Literacy Opens Doors

Literacy is more than just reading and writing. It’s the foundation upon which we learn and grow.

Building literacy skills in children is one of the most effective ways to ensure they can achieve their full potential in school and throughout life.

Literacy opens doors to understanding, empathy, critical thinking, and the capacity for lifelong learning. (Canadian Children's Literacy Foundation)

The Cupola Corner Literacy Project promotes early literacy and helping young children learn to love reading because #readingisFUNdamental. 

The Cupola Corner Literacy Project purchases books for young children. When you buy a product that generates funds for The Cupola Corner Literacy Project you are helping to promote early literacy and helping young children learn to love reading. 

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Journaling #5: Keeping a Gratitude Journal

 A gratitude journal is where you write down and possibly reflect upon the things for which you are grateful. It has sometimes been called “three good things”, but how many things that you write about and how often you write are completely up to you. 

I am currently reading Anne Voskamp’s “One Thousand Gifts.” Anne was challenged by a friend to write down one thousand gifts or blessings. Her list included things like the iridescence of bubbles. Everyday things for which to be grateful. 

The book is not a gratitude journal. It’s about her journey and what she learned by keeping a gratitude journal. There are lots of fascinating things on her list and I’m thinking that we’d all have lots of interesting things upon which to reflect if we considered the things for which we are grateful. Do you have a gratitude journal?

• Cupola Corner sells a curated selection of handmade and handbound journals that would be perfect for a gratitude journal. 

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Paper Palooza: Mulberry Paper

Mulberry paper is a type of handmade paper made from mulberry trees. I had never seen a mulberry tree until a couple of weeks ago. It was covered in small blue-y purple-ish berries that looked a lot like blackberries. You can eat mulberries and apparently you can use them in recipes just like any other berry. I’m thinking mulberry jam. Yum!

Mulberry paper is made from the inner bark of the paper mulberry tree. The long fibres of the paper mulberry make it ideal for paper making. The bark is boiled to soften it, soaked and then beaten to a pulp. The pulp is spread out onto screens and allowed to dry. Mulberry paper can also be machine made in a paper mill.

Mulberry paper was first made in China about 2000 years ago. It was the beginning of paper as we know it today. Up until this point, people wrote on hides, papyrus or clay tablets.

Almost all mulberry papers are made in the far east where the paper mulberry tree is native and grows abundantly. The paper mulberry tree does grow in North America and mulberry paper is made in Canada and the U.S. as an art or craft.

Sheets of mulberry paper have a deckled edge which can be used as is. You can cut mulberry paper with scissors or a paper trimmer. You can easily tear mulberry paper to get a lovely, feathered edge. If you wet the paper where you want it to tear, you can create lots of different shapes.

Mulberry paper comes in lots of different colours and designs. Some of it is so pretty that you could frame it! You buy mulberry paper in sheets, but you can also buy flowers that have been made from mulberry paper. These little gems are a great for cardmaking.

You can stamp on mulberry paper. You can use if for printmaking. It can be used for decoupage and origami. Calligraphy looks amazing on mulberry paper. Need a unique gift-wrapping paper? Mulberry paper might just be what you are looking for. You can even use mulberry paper in your Sizzix or Cuttlebug embossing folders.

Mulberry paper is as beautiful as it is versatile. If you’ve never used mulberry paper, it’s time for an experience that will leave you wanting more. Mulberry paper is a little bit of luxury that leaves a lasting impression.