1st Annual VIP Father's Day Picnic Video

Hello CreatingLegacies family.  This season we are grateful that you have participated in some of our exciting events.  We are honored to bring you a homegrown approach to family fun as we create our legacies together.  Most importantly we wanted to recognize all of the mothers, fathers and all who act as such.

On Saturday, June 14, 2014 Creating Legacies hosted the

1^st Annual VIP Father’s Day Picnic

in Brooklyn’s, Prospect Park.

Families shared in a day of food and fun!

Marilyn the Chef of DivineAppetite Caterers

presented a delicious and elegant spread for all to enjoy.

Tamara Dumay of Khinky Chic Hair

shared her artistic gifts with the children through face painting.

We look forward to celebrating our VIP father’s and father figures in the years to come.

 

PLEASE CLICK TO SEE THE YOUTUBE VIDEO:

Special thank you to Saidkamol Javadov of KOLLProduction and to Gulinoz Javadovaof Taken Forever Photography for capturing the essence of our families through video.  Please keep these bright and talented “Flatbush Artrepreneurs” in mind as you need services for you and yours!  

Dan Zanes Garden Party Highlights

Hello CreatingLegacies family. 

I hope that all of you had an amazing summer.  I hope that the little legacies had a great back to school experience.  It was wonderful to share in some of the activities of summer with you.  Creating Legacies

is collaborating again with

The Flatbush Enterprise and the Nostrand AvenueMerchants Association

for another series of,

“The Flatbush Artrepreneur Project.”

We are honored to have received another grant from

Citizens Committee of New York City

to inspire artists to entrepreneurship with this workshop series.

Our deepest appreciation goes out to

DAN ZANES, Grammy award winning musician for headlining our kick-off event leading our families in music and movement at the DAN ZANES Garden Party,

hosted at the Bergen Street Community Garden on July 26, 2014.

If you have not already done so, check out the short video produced by

Koll Production and Taken ForeverPhotography.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH:

Please share the video on your social media.

For those of you interested in music classes for your little legacies, DAN ZANES will be hosting the DAN ZANES House Party this fall at, The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music.

CLICK HERE to Check out the fall schedule for children ages0-4years! 

"Women of Vision" Vision Board Party Video Highlights

Hello Creating Legacies family.  This season we are grateful that you have participated in some of our exciting events.  We are honored to bring you a homegrown approach to family fun as we create our legacies together.  Most importantly we wanted to recognize all of the mothers, mother figures and all who act as such.

We hosted the Pre-Mother’s Day “Women of Vision” Vision Board Party on Saturday, May 3, 2014.  A group of amazing women collaborated to share their dreams and express them creatively through a vision board project.  We enjoyed brunch from Charmaine Aberdeen’s, Charming Delights from Home Caterers. We had an afternoon of inspirational and empowering FUN!

Click below to see the video highlights produced by Koll Production:

DAN ZANES Garden Party July 26, 2014

This Program is made possible by Citizens Committee for New York City

Creating Legacies 1st Annual VIP Father's Day Picnic

This past Saturday, June 14, 2014, Creating Legacies hosted the, 1^st Annual VIP Father’s Day Picnic.  We gathered in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park to celebrate fathers and father figures.  Whether in the form of television personalities or en vivo, it is because of the powerful men in our lives that we have such examples of strength, wisdom and leadership.  There are so many amazing men in our midst cultivating our little legacies and we were honored to be among a few last Saturday.

Tamara Dumay - Khinky Chic Hair

Artist, Tamara Dumay of Khiny Chic Hair, painted the children’s faces.

Marilyn Moore - Divine Appetite Caterers

Marilyn Moore of Divine Appetite Caterers, prepared a beautiful spread of whole grain sandwiches, sea scallops with rice and beans, and miniature plantain lasagnas for each guest.  

Father’s Day themed cupcakes were designed by dessert stylist, Aisha Zee.  The event was documented by Saidkamol Javadov and Koll Production.  Thank you to, “The Flatbush Artrepreneurs,” who dedicated their time and talent to making our first picnic so special.

I.M. Pastry Studio Kickstarter Community Event

I.M. Pastry Studio Kickstarter Community Event

Sunday June 1, 2014

12:00pm – 5:00pm

1133 Nostrand Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11225

(between Midwood St. and Rutland Rd.)

I.M. Pastry Studio is looking forward to joining

the Prospect Lefferts Garden Community in 2014! 

Join Brooklyn's own,

pastry designer, Tiffany Washington and

dessert stylist, Jo-Laine Duke-Collins

at

I.M. Pastry Studio

for an afternoon of Music, Raffles Giveaways, Family Friendly Activities and

Free Cupcakes!

Kids can design their own cupcakes! 

The dessert duo is looking forward to giving back to their community and can’t wait for you all to visit in their new location!

There are only a few days left to contribute the

Kickstarter campaign

CLICK HERE TO DONATE:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/988804510/im-pastry-studio-is-coming-to-brooklyn-ny

www.impastrystudio.com
Instagram: @impastrystudio
Twitter: @impastrystudio

Local Garden Stroll: Kings County Nurseries

Spring was long awaited this year and I plan to enjoy every moment of it.  Neighborhood walks are one of the joys of living in Brooklyn and this year, my 2 year old son, Sage can finally partake in the joy.  We started our day talking about seasons and the type of weather that we experience in the spring.  We read, Zinnia’s Flower Garden by, Monica Wellington and then headed out for our afternoon walk.

Our main stop today was King County Nurseries.  My mother used to take me to Kings CountyNurseries after school on Fridays in the spring. She rewarded me for a good week by allowing me to choose a flowering plant, of which I always chose tulips.  Here I am, decades later, relishing the same tradition with my son.  We walked up and down the verdant aisles learning about, herbs, flowers and plants and reflected on the springtime story that we read earlier today.

I introduced my little one to the fabulous couple, Joe and Lisa Merola who are the owners of the family landscaping company.  Kings County Nurseries was founded almost 60 years ago.   This husband and wife team continues to serve Prospect Lefferts Gardens and beyond with providing everything you want and need for your household gardening.  Additionally, they provide landscaping services throughout the city.

It was a wonderful outing for Sage to see a family legacy in action and interact with Joe and Lisa.  This visit, he chose to take home a Melissa and Doug Blaze Firefly Kid’s Flashlight.  Apparently one of the chief buyers is the couple’s 2 year old granddaughter who decided that they should carry the full line of Melissa and Doug gardening supplies.

Stop by Kings County Nurseries when you get a chance.  It’s a great place to visit with your family and get the supplies to grow your family garden together.  If you are new to gardening, the staff is knowledgeable and patient in helping you through the process.  It is a powerful feeling to know that you have grown the food that your family eats, or at least some of it anyway.  Have fun, Creating Legacies.    

Kings County Nurseries, Inc.

625 New York Ave. (bet. Rutland Rd. and Fenimore St.)

Brooklyn, NY 11203

(718) 493-2363

The Flatbush Artrepreneur Project Reception Highlights

We culminated the 2013-2014 workshop series inspiring artists to entrepreneurship at The Flatbush Artrepreneur Project Reception, Friday, March 21, 2014.  We ushered in spring with an amazing collective of creative people.

The evening began with hors d’oeuvres , catered by, Charmaine Aberdeen’s, Charming Delights from Home and Marilyn Moore’s, Divine Appetite Catering.  Many connections were made as artists networked with others in the community.  Lindiwe Kamau and Pia Raymond of The Flatbush Enterprise, NostrandAvenue Merchants Association and Creating Legacies presented participants and volunteers with certificates encouraging their continued growth as entrepreneurs and community leaders respectively.

Our fabulous door prizes provided by our Flatbush Artrepreneurs went home with our fortunate winners.  We extend special thanks to, UltimateTax Preparers, Inc. for providing 4 winners with business owner gift bags.  We appreciate, Kareen Fagan of Enid B. Artisnal Skincare for donating a jar of French Gardens Shea Butter.   We are grateful to Aisha Zee for the splendidly themed cupcakes and for the grand prize, an original painting on canvas of a beautiful spring bird.  Most of all, we thank Gulinoz Javadova of TakenForever Photography and Saidkamol Javadov of Koll Production for capturing the essence of the evening on camera and production of the video.

We look forward to continued growth of our entrepreneurs.  Please support The Flatbush Artrepreneurs businesses and help spread the word.  We look forward to more exciting programming this summer from, The Flatbush Artrepreneur Project.  Stay creative!

This program was made possible by, Citizens Committee for New York City

Pregnant Women and Breastfeeding Mothers in the Workplace

Council Member Robert Cornegy will host for employees a, “Know Your Rights” forum.  Women 

breastfeeding experts and women lawyers talk about women’s new rights at work.  Learn about and discuss laws that protect pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers in the workplace.

Wednesday,  April 23, 2014

12:30pm-2:00pm

Office of Council Member Robert Cornegy

1360 Fulton Street, Suite 500

Restoration Plaza

Brooklyn, NY 11216

(718)919-0740

New Full-Day Pre-K Seats for September 2014!

Friends of Wingate Park Address Gun Violence

Monday, April 14, 2014 on the corner of Flatbush Avenue and Beverly Road in Brooklyn two innocent youth were shot. 

Friends of Wingate Park invites concerned Brooklyn residents to come out to an Emergency Forum on Gun/Gang Violence at Brooklyn Borough Hall on April 16, 2014 from 2-5 P.M.

For more information call:  917-627-7690

The Flatbush Artrepreneur Project Encore Highlights

The Flatbush Enterprise, Creating Legacies and the Nostrand Avenue Merchants Association partnered to present, "The Flatbush Artrepreneur Project: Encore Edition." Participants gathered at, Brooklyn Public Library's, Crown Heights Branch to present this informative business workshop for Brooklyn's emerging artists. Representatives from, NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs, NYC Small Business Services and The Brooklyn Public Library shared a wealth of information.

Click here to watch the YouTube video for highlights from

“TheFlatbush Artrepreneur Project: Encore Edition.”

This program was made possible by Citizens Committee for New York City.

The Flatbush Artrepreneur Project Reception

Hello Creating Legacies Family.  The CreatingLegacies partnership with The Flatbush Enterprise and The Nostrand Avenue Merchants Association to present, “The Flatbush Artrepreneur Project” was an amazing and energizing workshop series inspiring artists to entrepreneurship.  It was well attended and we are honored and humbled that so many Flatbush Artrepreneurs chose to share their brilliant business ideas with us.  Moreover, we had overwhelming support from our extended community including, The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, Small Business Services, The BrooklynPublic Library, The Ultimate Tax Preparers, Blue Pictorial and Dream Big, Go Hard!

Spring is finally here! We look forward to celebrating our blossoming Flatbush Artrepreneurs on Friday, March 21, 2014 from 6:30pm-8:30pm.  Please join us at Spring to Success an evening reception celebrating the graduates of, “The Flatbush Artrepreneur Project” Class of 2013-2014

@ MY PLACE 1150 Nostrand Avenue (corner of Rutland Road) Brooklyn, NY 11225.

Spring to Success promises to be a wonderful opportunity for networking and creative exploration.  We look forward to sharing with you.

If you would like to donate something (i.e. promotional products, piece of your art, gift certificate for your service etc.) as a door prize please let us know.  We will be sure to announce your company to the audience upon presentation of the prize.

RSVP: nycreatinglegacies@gmail.com or (718)774-5466

This program is made possible by Citizens Committee for New York City

The Flatbush Artrepreneur Project Encore

Hello Creating Legacies Family.  I hope that 2014 is as beautiful as each of you. Thanks to your support and encouragement, the Creating Legacies family is growing.  We have shared in parties, play dates, workshops and events these past few months and I am thankful that our little legacies are sowing and growing as we are blossoming into spring fulfilling our purpose.  I try to keep you posted as much as possible about things that I think may be of interest to you.  Today I am calling out to all of you visionary entrepreneurs who have existing business or ideas about starting one.  You know me well and how my life is steeped in entrepreneurship, so business is in the blood.

I am humbled to share that the mayor’s office reached out to us directly in efforts to collaborate in presenting an encore workshop of, “The Flatbush Artrepreneur Project.”  This time we are honored to welcome special guest presenters, Maria Cruz Lee, Project Manager at the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, Gregg Bishop, the Deputy Commissioner Business Development Division, NYC Department Small Business Services and a representative from The Brooklyn Public Library.

Creating Legacies, Nostrand AvenueMerchants Association and The Flatbush Enterprise will host this next workshop on Saturday, March 1, 2014 11:00 am -1:00pm@ The Crown Heights Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library.

It will be an informative and invaluable experience.  The flyer is attached.

Kisses to little ones and hug rubs to the babies in bellies!

Please register soon as space is limited.

RSVP: nycreatinglegacies@gmail.com or (718)774-5466

Special thank you to: Citizens Committee for New York City for making this program possible.  

The Snowy Day

It’s nap time on this snowy day, so I have a moment to relax and reflect.  Staying inside with a toddler in this weather can be challenging without continuous activity.  I try my best to have some themed activities for our 2 year old son, Sage.

Today we read the children’s classic, The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats.   I am a fan of arts and crafts, so I chose to follow up with a winter crafts activity.   I strapped Sage in the high chair and pushed him up to the table covered with a plastic table cloth.  I put on his Ikea apron and put some card stock in front of him with Crayola washable finger paint in paper plates and two paint brushes.  I let him exercise his creative genius on the sheets of paper and left them to dry.

After the finger painted masterpieces dried, I drew an outline of a mitten on one of the pieces of the card stock and cut it out.  I traced the mitten onto all of the painted pieces and cut them out for Sage to embellish.

I placed a bunch of buttons in a paper bowl and some cotton balls on the table.  Putting Aleene’s Clear Gel Tacky Gluealong the edges of the mittens, I assisted him in placing the cotton at the edges to look like fur.  I then put dots of glue all over the mittens for him to add the buttons.

When his mittens were all complete, we hung them on twine from the 99 cent store with clothespins.  (Be sure to always write your child’s name, date and age somewhere on their projects.)

We will read the Spanish edition of, The Snowy Day after nap time ;)  Enjoy The Snowy Day.  

A Conversation about Service and the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Creating Legacies

Community Conversations

A Conversation about Service and the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. King’s life and work has inspired generations of Americans to serve and make the world a better place.  Each year we pause to reflect on his legacy of service and its meaning in today’s world.

Creating Legacies families gathered on Saturday, February 1, 2014 to read an excerpt from W.E.B. DuBois’s 1898 commencement address at Fisk University and talked about the personal and social importance of public service and civic engagement.  We look forward to more family community conversations in the months to come.  We hope that you will join us.

This program was made possible by New York Council for the Humanities

Man Up with Mr. Clean Magic Eraser

Our little one just turned two and everyone has been warning us that we are in for trouble.   We already have to hide all of the pens in the house because our living room arm chair was the first casualty.  Since the vandalism occurred, we made sure to bring only washable crayons, colored pencils and finger paints into the house.  The antidote is the most important thing to have, Mr. Clean Magic Erasers – Extra Power.  You can find them in most local discount stores and definitely in your large general retailers.  The white sponge-like piece of foam is water activated.  Saturate the foam with cold water and lightly scrub the affected area.  As the stains disappear the eraser disintegrates.  Despite all forms of the NO!, we have already scrubbed our fair share of crayon masterpieces from the walls.  Mr. Clean Magic Eraser stays stocked in the house.  In fact it should be the goody bag gift for parents at every first birthday party.  “It’s toddler time,” as our friend Nina warned months ago, “you better man up!”