Author | Lightnews

Laura Jane

@laurajaneswanson.bsky.social

1.1K followers 480 following 4.5K posts

I read, I think, I write, I take photos. I love beautiful, useless things. Usually found outdoors or lost in my own thoughts, sometimes both simultaneously. (she/her)

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Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Apr 1

Hi, friends! I’m popping in with a request. Does anyone know of some quick tutorials on making simple pop-up books? One of my kids is taking a book arts class at her university, and has a really interesting idea for one of her projects. (Feel free to tag people or share. Thanks!)

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Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Apr 1

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Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Feb 14

Also haven’t been on lately. We’re doing ok, very busy. Hope you’re also well!

Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Feb 14

Just peeking in quickly to wish my friends a happy Valentine’s Day, with a quick doodle I did last night. (I’ve been mostly avoiding social media lately, and will probably continue to do that for a while.)

A little doodle in black ink in a handmade paper journal with a pen lying across it. The doodle has six steps.
1 a shovel and a seed packet sit on unbroken ground
2 the shovel is digging a hole
3 five holes with a little pile of dirt beside each, and a heart in each of the first four, with the seed packet dropping another heart into the last one
4 a sprout growing from each of the little dirt piles that filled in the holes, and a watering can watering the first sprout
5 five plants growing with a bud on each
6 each of the buds has bloomed into a heart
Beneath the doodle is written “Plant something that will grow into a little extra love. The world needs it. Happy Valentine’s Day!”

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Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Jan 9

We’ve had some snow, but not much so far. It’s turned cold here, which is a good change—it had been much too warm for this time of year.

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Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Jan 9

Good evening, friends! I’ve been busy lately, but I wanted to stop in and say hi.

Pale, gentle sunset colors at the horizon above woods, with a snowy field in the midground and a row of bare trees in the foreground. The sun is just below the horizon, and the sky is almost completely clear.

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Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Jan 7

I definitely would have!

Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Jan 7

Oh my. 😱😡😱😡😱

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Reposted by Laura Jane

Maria Strutz @mariastrutz.bsky.social · Jan 6

Three wise personages
Heilige 3 Koenig*innen
#Epiphany 🦊🐾✨

three foxes looking out at the viewer. The stars of Ursa major above and behind them. Linocut, orange, white and black, Maria Strutz

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Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Jan 6

Good afternoon, friends! I am continuing to start the year with useful tasks—in this case, backing up files. Boring, but wise.

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Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Jan 6

I’m tired, so I’m off early tonight. Stay safe, friends. Good night, see you tomorrow.

Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Jan 5

I expect my kids will help, but I just don’t want to tackle one more task. And yet it must be done. Sigh…

Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Jan 5

😂😂😂

Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Jan 5

That task is on my list for tomorrow, and it sounds gloomy and exhausting. Not looking forward to it.

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Reposted by Laura Jane

Maria Strutz @mariastrutz.bsky.social · Jan 5

Fox walking along a stony beach full of fossils
a forest of cuetlaxochitl in the background
🦊🐾🖤

Fox walking along a stony beach, right to left, full of fossilized sea urchins. Plants with red leaves striving upwards in the background. Line drawing, water colour, shades of white and grey, fox-brown, red, and indigo, Maria Strutz

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Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Jan 5

Good afternoon, friends! It’s another busy day for me, full of ordinary tasks and some preparation for a few bigger dreams for the future. I am trying very hard to direct my time and energy toward what I really want, rather than wasting it on people and things that continue to disappoint me.

Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Jan 5

Well, this day did not go according to plan. However, the important things got done, and I still found a little time to do something fun this evening, so I can’t really complain.
And now I’m off. Stay safe, friends. Good night, see you tomorrow.

Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Jan 5

I’ll pass them on to another kid, of course, because they still look almost new, even after being worn by four kids.

Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Jan 5

I can’t speak to their adult boots, but Kamik makes some great ones for kids. My youngest kid is *still* wearing a pair that all three of her siblings wore! (But I’m finally about to take them away and replace them with some adult boots, because she is 13, and her feet are down growing.)

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Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Jan 4

Here too, and apparently it’s going to be even colder next week! Though I suppose it’s really about time; it’s stayed warm much too long this winter.

Reposted by Laura Jane

Maria Strutz @mariastrutz.bsky.social · Jan 4

Stella Maris
Our Lady Star of the Sea ✨🌀🌒
#SketchoftheDay

sketch of a Madonna in flowing blue shawl featuring golden stars, holding a BIG fossilized sea urchin, surrounded by more sea urchins, stones and shells, a crescent moon in the background, surrounding yet another sea urchin. Linedrawing and water colour, Maria Strutz

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Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Jan 4

Good morning, friends! It’s another busy day for me, but I’ve planned a few small nice things to look forward to this evening. 📚🫖😌

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Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Jan 4

I haven’t heard or seen any foxes this year. It’s snowing again tonight, though not a lot—we’ve had a few rounds, but none that lasted.

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Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Jan 3

More important, they’re a huge help to the younger kids. And the younger kids help them too in other ways. When they were younger, I put a lot of effort into encouraging them to help and support each other, and I’m really happy with the results. So different from how I grew up!

Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Jan 3

(I think part of the reason they’re so serious about sharing their knowledge is that they’re very aware that the younger kids don’t have a second parent to provide that different perspective, and they know it’s valuable. And they know I want the younger kids to get that from someone I trust.)

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Laura Jane @laurajaneswanson.bsky.social · Jan 3

My older two are 14 months apart, and thanks to the quirks of their personalities and some very deliberate parenting choices, they have generally functioned as an amazing team. They *did* pay attention when the other was learning things, and they each offer different perspectives to the younger two!

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