I dreamed of having children that loved art. Watching Priya over the years as she learned to sew, bake, cook, recycle, and re-purpose old things….my heart has been so happy. The girl could craft all day if I’d let her.

Then about a year ago, my 3rd child, Riah, brought me a post-it note with a crazy guy drawn on it. The vibe reminded me of art you would see on a Radiohead album, or some sketch Tim Burton would do for a character idea. I was head-over-heels! I immediately asked him to please draw the picture on a big piece of paper, and the kid hasn’t stopped since! It has led to a fun hashtag on Instagram called #XYZart, which is the signature he came up with. I had hoped that he would use his amazing XYZ initials for something cool!  ;)

Which leads me to this…..

We have this amazing event in Cincinnati called The City Flea, which was started by our sweet friends. It’s not your average Flea Market, but a curated event for local artists to share their work. The vendors are amazing, and I love seeing all the local artistry we have in this city.  So, a few months back I got the idea….”I bet the kids would enjoy having a booth. Why not?” We homeschool the kids, and what a lesson this would be. I just can’t wait for the enriching experience they will gain from it all! They already beg me to go each time the Flea rolls around, so I knew they would be THRILLED to now be a part of it. Will they sell anything? Ah, that’s really not what’s important. I’ve told them, “Don’t get worked up over that. Be excited to be a part of a community, talk with people who reside in our lovely city, walk around and meet other vendors, and most of all- be proud of your work. You’re artists!”

They jumped at the idea, so Priya and Riah will be splitting a booth for both the August and September markets!  Priya and her good friend will have one side called “Pizzy & Jojo,” where they will sells bracelets, headbands, banners, and a other crafty girl things. Riah will have the other half of the booth called “XYZ ART,” where he will be selling prints, t-shirts, framed art, and original works. :)

Want to come??  Tomorrow, we’ll be at Washington Park in downtown Cincinnati from 10-4! If you’re in town, I encourage you to come down and look around at all the booths, and bring your appetite because the food trucks are super tasty!

These kids have been working their little behinds off, and this mama is so happy and proud. Today we’re working on our signs and all the elements to make our booths super rockin!’  Here are some photos from Instagram, and my real-deal camera. ;)

 Hope to see you there!!!