eye eye

The boy and the fox is coming along. I am playing around with different eyes. These ones are not stuck down yet... he looks a little bit startled to be sitting next to a giant orange fox

shabby shabby

I spent Thursday sorting out one of the bedrooms. Lego in one box, playmobil in another, dirty socks in the washing basket, broken things in the bin etc etc. My little helper and I got a little distracted and ended up playing shops, cafes and making dens. As i was pushing a row of drawing pins into the ceiling I realised how liberating having a tatty house is! Don't get me wrong, I enjoy looking at well styled interiors pictures as much as the next person and daydreaming of stylish storage boxes, tastefully coloured walls and beautiful bedspreads, but then where would the children stick their stickers and spill their drinks and crumble their crayons!?
 A friend was telling me about her son having a melt down in B&Q last week because he wanted to paint his bedroom bright red. My friend was sure that she had convinced her son that a dusty Farrow & Ball neutral paint, world map wall paper and a bespoke cabin bed would be perfect, and whilst she tried to pretend that she wanted his opinion to count, there was no way she was painting the freshly plastered walls of a very small room bright red! I felt grateful that I am able to say yes to stickers on the walls and drawers, yes to sellotaping pictures around the beds and yes to hanging big bits of old sheets and net curtains from as many drawing pins as you can find! 

good book

My children often complain that they can't draw. As much as I tell them how great their drawing is and how it doesn't have to look exactly like the thing you're trying to draw, they always get a bit despondent when it doesn't. We bought his book at the weekend and its really good! We've also got the' 20 ways to draw a ...' series which are fab, but this step by step guide makes it even easier to get good results and boost confidence. 

all by Eli aged 8.

a happy week

Half term holidays done. We've had a really good week, just full enough without being hectic and something for everyone.

A good week chez nous goes a little something like this.

Mon: Walk in the woods with a gang of friends, (14 kids 4 adults one dog), picnic on some logs, then to the rec. for swings, wrestling and build up 'it'. Home for early baths and a bit of screen time.
Tue: To a blissfully sunny seafront to watch some pancake racing, including a v dangerous dogs race which involved a dog owner holding a lead in one hand, a frying pan and pancake in the other, racing along the prom, flipping all the way, trying to not trip over the dogs trying to eat the flying pancakes...Needless to say we didn't participate but thoroughly enjoyed watching! Down to the beach where the boys couldn't help ending up in the sea, fully clothed meaning a hasty return home to warm up with hot drinks and more baths. Next a drive over to Grandma's, stopping for more swings and 'it' at the playground on the way, where the children stayed the night while I raced home in time to get ready to go to the Fat Tuesday celebrations in Hastings.
Great night out with husband and friends, a little too much beer.
Wed: Too much beer last night to go to yoga, oops, but managed to get some work done and take the dog for a good walk. Children helped grandpa stacking logs, playing hide and seek etc, then went swimming with Grandma, who dropped them home at dinner time. (thank you Liz!).
Thursday: Dropped the big two at their pals house, then took the smaller two to Great Dixter little explorers. We walked through the woods, warmed up by the campfire, cooked pancakes and made sock hobby horses. Had lunch with the big ones and friends, home for a bit before walking round to some other friends for dinner.
Friday: Did some baking in the morning (pizzas, fruit buns and lemon cake) had some chums over for lunch, vegged out and played lego in the afternoon. Got v cross with the dog for knocking the lemon cake off the table and eating half of it when I'd only had a little slice (I may have cried a bit!).
Saturday: Our usual lazy Saturday morning, then walked through the park, into town with the dog and the bigger two, meeting the others at the car. To the book shop for one book each, to M&S for one edible treat each, then home.
Sunday: Walk in Powdermill woods, cake at Great Park Farm, home to tidy bedrooms, find school uniforms etc. Then Dads roast chicken before baths and bed.

Obviously in between all of this there was plenty of time on the computer/playstation/tv, don't get me wrong there were plenty of arguments too but focussing on all this good stuff proves that the good definitely outweighed the bad. Unfortunately, I didn't keep the camera close enough at hand to record all these wonderful days, or the morning I went upstairs to find all four lying in bed reading, or the afternoon Rog I were washing up only to turn around, noticing the quiet, to see them all lost in some colouring at the kitchen table. But I know that it all happened and it makes me smile.

slow down

I need to slow down. I am trying to do too much. I am moaning about not having enough time, still, even though I actually have more time than I have had in years. Even that doesn't make sense...I think that might be the crux of it, time is time. There are only 60mins in an hour no matter how you spend them and there is no changing that. I keep trying to stretch time, trying to fit more and more into each hour and thus ending up feeling constantly rushed and frustrated. So I'm going to try and slow down. Sounds good, I'll see how it goes!


Finished the garden collage, even framed!

Made a birthday card for a friend...

Enjoyed Reubens home learning project this week...

Started an idea for a new baby illustration (but think I will shelve it for a week or two because of my new not doing too much regime!)

And now I'm going to take my achey over yoga'd arms and make a coffee and eat one of the nutty flapjacks I made for the Pre-school AGM I attended this morning!

collage

I haven't been doing much making over the last couple of weeks, instead I have been stuck into this collage. Still work in progress but I think I really like it and hope that I can find a way of finishing off without over doing it. It's always this last bit that I find the hardest. Interesting that I have spent today at yoga, dog walking, blog writing and about to go and cook a roast chicken. Avoiding my desk perhaps?...

perfect

oops missed my Friday deadline last week. In my defence I was helping the tall one with his tax return, which I found quite enjoyable! Using a rarely exercised part of my brain was satisfying. 

After a bit of a grumpy weekend I decided to look away from the people I love for inspiration and instead focus on some things that I love which has resulted in this little round up of photos and comments. 
(Luckily we have had a turn around in the last day or two and I can once again gaze upon my family and remember how lucky I am to be surrounded by such a wonderful lot.)

A new sofa inspired a furniture move around, perfect activity for a Friday morning.

These beautiful printed card animals were a birthday gift for number three, over the course of a morning they kept appearing around the kitchen. Quiet entertainment for 4 children and so cool to look at, well done Granny, perfect present!

Yummy anzac biscuits and fresh coffee, perfect combination.

I am loving my new jumper, thank you Toast sale, perfect for this chilly weather.

Re reading Prodigal Summer is transporting me to the forested mountains and small farms of southern Appalachia, it is the perfect escapism.

So all in all things are pretty darn perfect, no reason to be grumpy!