It's the first Sunday of the month and time for the kindness chronicles.  A few of us each month write a blog to talk about the kind things seen or done each month.  Please feel free to join us and write a blog of the kind things you or someone else has done each month.

 

• The top of my list this month ......I lost my mobile phone at the mall and a woman found it and is posting it back to me for free.  Boy am I so thrilled.  the phone isn't worth much,  I only use prepay but it is all my contact lists and personal details I need back.  I am so very grateful for her kindness this month.
• Second on my list are the wonderful kindnesses my family have shown each other this month. What a great bunch of people they are
• My son doing his sisters animal jobs because they had busy days
• the same one helping his sister with the chickens as the job was really big
• Comforting each other when someone was sad
• My husband letting me move his desk yet again so I can have a bigger studio
• My husband staying up till 11.30 pm last night to make sure the Internet was up an running for me again so I could start blogging again.  An amazing act of kindness seeing he had to get up to milk at 4:15am this monring.  Thanks babe.
• My daughter at university sending an e-mail to her brothers to tell them about university and how much she loves them
• My daughters offered to babysit for a couple with no family nearby
•  I was able to listen while someone shared a personal major problem 
•  Picking up a person which was out of my way
• Ran an errand for my hubby when I was very busy
• Picked up library books for someone and delivered them to them
•  Looked after my sick boy

 

Have a great month serving and

being kind to others and help

make our world a better happier place

Sketchbook challenge

I don't know what it is about drawing that I find so therapeutic. It seems to help me disappear into a different world. An escape from the challenges and demands of life.

I can go into such a zone that I have to sometimes be spoken to a few times before I hear the person talking to me.  It is a cheap holiday or vacation.

I particularly enjoy patterns, of my culture and of others cultures.  There are so many wonderful designs that different cultures use.  I love how many motifs are repeated between cultures. It creates a common bond between everyone in our world.

Those commons bonds are become more important in our now global world.  We need to reach for peace, love and harmony.  We are fundamentally all the same.  We have hearts that beat,  hands that love and create and minds that think and feel.

Art helps me see the best in our cultures and creates harmony for me.

The pages I have created this week are all based on different cultural patterns. The tiki is from the Maori culture of NZ.  It is a pendant hat is often made from greenstone.  And it depicts the human form.

This doll is from ancient Egypt.  It is made from wood.  I love how similar patchwork quilt designs are to the patterning on this doll.

the ancient Egyptians used yellow, red, blue, green, white and black in their art work.  All pigments were made by different natural resources around them.

I created these pages using Inktense pencils and a black ink pen.

ATC Cards

I have have started making ATC card AKA Artist trading cards.  Boy they are addictive.  I've made 3 in 2 days and I think I am going to have to restrain myself from making too many each day.  They are quick,  a fun way to explore ideas and provide instant gratification.  What more do I need.

While I was trying to find out the size of these wee little cards I came across some interesting information about these wee little cards.  They are 2 1/2 x 31/2 inches the same size as a modern baseball card.  ATC can quite handily fit into standard card collector pockets, sleeves and sheets. 

The front of the cards invites an artist to create an original piece of work in miniature size to give away, swap or trade to a person of their choice.  On the back of a card the artist can include their

name, contact details, title of the ATC, number if it's a limited edition, and sometimes the date it was created.

An artist can choose any medium or technique to work in.  These 3 wee cards are watercolour,  black pen and Inktense pencils.  The only limit you have is your imagination :) It is wonderful to be able to be creative on a small scale and to be able to communicate with other creative people.

An ACEO is short for Art Cards, Editions and Originals.  The only difference between a ATC and a ACEO  is that the second is sold.  Though it is customary to only trade them. They are a bit like a business card: a small sample of your art work. 

The whole ATC movement developed from a the mail art movement and now is a popular way of meeting new artists all over the world. It is a great way of networking with other artists and to keep in touch with other artists.

They are also a lovely thing for children to make as they are a very easy project for them to finish. 

So how do you start.  Cut out some little cars from a material that can hold the medium of your choice.  I have used watercolour paper for mine.  Then add what ever you want on top.  just try going with your mood of the day.  Finish off with your name and details on the back and then find someone who will do a trade with you.  There are a number of websites that engage in swaps if  you have no one to you know to swap with.  Why not set up your own ATC group and begin creating. 

I've got my children interested so I am looking forward to seeing what they come up with.

Sketchbook challenge

My posts are a little backwards this week.  It just seem to work better with my life this week.

I have been Drawing with ink and colouring with Inktense pencils by Derwent.  these pencils work like a traditional water colour pencil but have a far more intense colour (hence the name inktense)  The are delightful to use and give brilliant colour to fabric and paper. 

 

Photography this week

I"m finally starting to feel better again.  Just a wee bit tired especially since I've had my boy sick at the same time.  He has ended up with another ear infection and asthma,  So he has been pretty miserable too. I'm grateful that we get sick though it really helps me appreciate being well.

I had a few moments yesterday to do some photography. My daughter graduated from university a few weeks ago.  Lat week we held a graduation party to thank everyone who helped her get her degree.  One member of the family brought her a beautiful pink begonia.  I spent a bit of time yesterday photographing the beautiful blooms.





Sorry for the lack of posts this week.  I will be back hopefully next week once I have recovered from the flu and once my boy is better. I hope I will be better rested and ready to go again.  I am creating and dreaming marvelous things in my head that I am excited to try out next week.  Have a nice few days and I will see you then. :)

Play

I am away in Waihi beach on holiday with my children.  It is the most beautiful beach on the planet. It is a visual symphony of long stretches of white sand, surf and stunning NZ scenery.  Yesterday the children wet swimming and boogie boarding which is almost unheard of at this time of the year.  We have had a very cold summer and warm autumn which has been lovely but unusual.  We all even got a touch of sunburn and I very flatteringly look like Rudolph the red nose reindeer.

The children spent many hours yesterday making dams and then letting them go.  They were an amazing engineering feet

They used wood wet, dry and half and half sand to build up a dam that could withstand the water build up behind it.

As the water started to rise there was a mad panic to get more sand on the top to stop being a breach in their wall.  Then after the water was deep enough they let it all go.

I think children are the best example in my life of how to be creative and how to play.  They have no inhibition and just seem to create as the play evolves.

What can we learn from children’s creativity? 

·         Forget about time

·         Play till you drop

·         Problem solve as you go

·         Plan as a group

·         Enjoy the moment

·         If you have any challenges with others give them a hug and carry on

·         Use what you have on hand

·         Make friends instantly

·         Stop worrying about who you are and focus on the project at hand

·         Accept others ideas and at your own to make a great plan

·         Laugh

·         Enjoy the finished product for a moment then play again

·         It is the process that is important not the finished product