VeryMeri is Back – Supercool Products Designed by Kids!

For anyone who has been following my blog for a while, you may remember the days when I’d talk about my t-shirt company all designed by kids, verymeri, appearing in Nordstroms and showing up in the press all over the place.  Well, I ended up taking a big break from tees to get married and have two littles.  Now that things have settled a bit, (not really) VeryMeri is back and stronger than ever!  We have a whole new line of products, all new challenges for kids to enter, and a brand new website.  All of us on the VeryMeri team are super excited.  Our products are actually designed by kids from all over the world.  If you have kids please encourage them to enter one of our challenges.  Winning designers not only receive a portion of the sales, but get to pick a charity to donate a portion to as well.  You can design everything from backpacks to tees to superheroes.  So, in honor of our launch I am switching over my blog from Meri Cherry to VeryMeri.  It will still be arts and crafts and family, but definitely some new content as well for older kids.  I’ll be looking for kids to interview and actually teach some crafts on the blog.  If you know any kids who might be interested, please let me know!  Thanks so much for visiting and keep checking back.  Great things to come, veryMERI

Planting a Garden with Little Ones

It was super hot in LA this weekend.  Perfect weather for gardening and swimming.  Saturday morning we took a family trip to a local nursery and Gigi and Ev picked out plants and flowers.  We got oregano, cilantro, dill, lettuce and a purple flowering plant (Gigi’s pick.)  Gigi had a blast in the nursery running around all the flowers and putting her hands in all the fountains.  I wasn’t quite as enthused since I was carrying d and it felt like it was a million degrees outside.  I thought we were both going to pass out.  Poor little d.

After a good nap for everyone, we got out all the supplies.  I try to use real tools with Gigi as much as possible.  I know she prefers it and I think it adds more depth to her experience.  I know there are real philosophies about this, I just don’t know what they are but I’m sure I’d agree with them if I did.

The planting was a huge hit.  I think what will be even better is the ongoing learning and enjoying we will get from the garden.  I can’t wait to use some of the herbs in our cooking.  This is a project I’ve wanted to do for so long.  We got these amazing metal planters at an estate sale over a year ago.  So happy to put them to good use.  I think the second one will be dedicated to just moss so Gigi can play with little animals and gnomes on it.

After a full day of planting, we jumped in the pool.  What a day.  Truly blessed.

Sticker Making for Little Ones

I’ve gotten so much great use out of these UPS sticker labels, leftover from my verymeri shipping days.  This morning I drew some simple drawings on the labels and Gigi colored them in with paint dots, markers and colored pencils.  I cut each one out leaving a small white border as an outline.

I thought Gigi would want to make a picture out of them but instead she just wanted to wear them.  All of them.  At once.

Once again my little g money is teaching me to let go and stop trying to control her process every second.  Thanks g.

I think we’ll do this again for Gigi’s 2nd birthday party favors.  The little birdies are so cute.

I Couldn’t Help Myself

I had to order my own tee shirt even though I have a box of them right here.  I was dying to see how nice they look all packaged up with the verymeri tag and everything.  I started my business over five years ago.  There were times it was so rough and so challenging I just wanted to give up and wash my hands of the whole thing.  When I see the screen shot above my heart just swells with awe and something sort of like pride.  It’s not pride though. It’s more like joyful satisfaction mixed with disbelief.  It just took me so long to get here.  I am so very grateful.  Big time, verymeri gratitude.

 

It’s My Birthday and Nordstroms Gave Me Two More Presents

It’s 4:45 am and I have been up for almost an hour.  I fell asleep at 8:30 last night because Wednesdays are the looooonnnnggggeeeeesssstttttt kindergarten day for me.  Woah.  All day in the classroom and then two afterschool classes and I am pooped.  So this morning when I woke up at 3;45, I was especially excited to remember it’s my birthday.  Then I checked my crackberry to find this verymeri link!  Woo hoo, two more tees up on Nordstrom.com!  The tees look so great too.  We’re very excited around these parts.   Two more tees should be showing up shortly.  I just can’t wait to see them in the actual stores.  Regardless, this is a great birthday present.  Thank you Nordies!

 

I Broke My Camera and I Heart Nordstrom’s

Which has sent me down a non-posting spiral.  I dropped it the other day carelessly and now I think Best Buy won’t take it back because it’s all battered and bruised.  It’s really my own fault.  I don’t take care of it like I should.  I don’t even have a camera bag.  From this point forward I promise to keep my old camera, once fixed, or my new camera, once purchased, in a camera bag.  Oy a yoy.

In other news, verymeri, my t-shirt company designed by kids, is now officially available on Nordstrom.com, which is a big deal over here and has taken me five years to do.  If you have a daughter, friend, sister, niece or neighbor who loves cool tees that give back and promote art and self-esteem, then go here and get one.  The xl will fit some adults.  Hopefully all five designs that they ordered will show up shortly.  Yay verymeri!  Thanks for your support everyone!