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

Photography this week

Last Saturday I was up early preparing to attend a wedding for my dear neice.  I had a lot ot do and then as I opened the curtains I saw the moon in the sky and just had to divert my focus for a few minutes on some eary moring photography. 

I love the creative streak that is inside me and I love even more that I know what is important each day in my life so I can give myself permission to stop and do the omportant things.

I hope you can enjoy the moment too....



Smell the roses

I haven't done anything for the sketchbook challenge this week.  It's holidays and life has got very hectic this week :)

I love having the children home.  It is so nice not having to go anywhere and keeping our own time.  We have spent the week being and doing what we have wanted to when we wanted to do it. 


We have read books,  played cricket,  played with the new remote helicopter my son saved for and challenging each other at bop it (electronic game....I'm the champ much to the teenagers disgust).  We went shopping with my mum yesterday and helped the kids spend money that was burning a hole in their pockets.  We have organised 4 rooms better and got rid unused Items. We have cooked and eaten,  finished a book out loud,  just sat and talked and caught up with Downtown Abbey (english tv drama) We have visited my best friend on her 40th birthday and the kids played in their new tree house while we just talked.  Just priceless and wonderful moments to just stop and smell the roses. 


We often miss time to do these things because life takes over and we become just too busy yet without these moments life is nothing.  It is empty and shallow and has no depth.  I'm glad I have taken this week and wrapped it with love and put it into my memory box to open again later in my life.

I want to give you a quick sneaky look at a quilt I have just finished  and entered into a Auckland competition. 

I have had alot of fun and challenge with this quilt.

It is called double crossed



The meaning of easter

I love the Easter season.  It means so much to me to be able to celebrate the life, death and Resurrection of my Lord and redeemer Jesus Christ.  He is so special to me and my friend who has loved me enough to suffer,  die and be resurrected for me.  My heart burns with the testimony I know that her lives.



I also love the special meals as a family,  the Easter egg hunt-always loads of fun especially when I can get cryptic clues so hard the Teens can't figure them out for ages :)  watching the Easter story,  and all the wonderful aromas of Easter. 



My favourite are hot cross buns.  Yummy!  The smell of yeast, fruit and cinnamon brings me back to my child hood when my mun would cook them for me. 



My kids favourites are Resurrection buns.  We make these on Sunday morning to remind us of Jesus being resurrected. Find your favourite bread recipe and make up as normal. (or you can look at the link below)  When you get to the part where you shape into buns pop a marshmallow inside.  Tell the children the marshmallow represents Jesus. Cook following the recipe and when they pop out of the oven the marshmallow will have melted away leaving you with an empty tomb.  Jesus has gone and is risen.  They love them and they have become a solid family tradition at Easter time. 



 http://tummyummys.blogspot.co.nz/2010/04/resurrection-rolls.html 

Happy Easter everyone.  I hope you have a peaceful and beautiful one.  Love Catherine

Sketchbook challenge

This week is last week of the theme flowers.  I have painted these pages again this week and played around with a twink pen again.  I tried creating each page using predominately one colour.  Colour makes my soul feel differently and plays with my emotions.

It amazes me how many tones of one colour can be used to create depth and interest.  Even thought I used yellow for just about all this page it still sings.  Yellow makes me feel bright inside and full of sunshine and light.

  Green is so tranquil and peaceful.  It soothes my soul and gives my eye rest.

Even though blue can be quite a peaceful colour the white makes is pop more and give it more zing. I think of fresh and cool when I see this colour combination.

What I love when I have the house to myself all day




• The house stays tidy for 6 hours

• It is quiet

• I can re-charge myself for the evening

• I get to do art and quilting!

• I can listen to my own music and no on will complain

• I appreciate my family more

• Space

• To be able to think in sentences

• That I can sit still for longer than 5 minutes



What I love when my family is home



• Laughter

• Secrets and whisperings

• Playing noises

• Hugs and cuddles

• Reading children’s books (I really don’t need an excuse)

• Games

• Helpers

• People who want to tell me about their day

• Love and joy



It is nice to know that different parts of my day can bring me joy in such different ways. 

How do you feel about the different parts in your day?



Kindness Chronicles

What a lovely kind month it has been.  The kindness overflows at my house some days.  What I have spotted this month

 

• My son doing his sisters job because she was stressed
• My son saying it was O.K. to an adult when he couldn't go over to play because she had double booked herself.
• My daughter texting her sister to say she missed her
• My daughter controlling her temper and speaking nicely to me even though the call I made as a mum she didn't like.  She even hugged me
• My son making his brother's bed
• My boys did their Saturday jobs without complaining
• My husband gave me a hug when I was having a bad day



What I've done this month

• Cared for 2 very sick calves.  I spent time with them touching them and making them as comfortable as possible.  One died the other one is doing well but it was still a pleasure to serve them.
• We tided and cared for my husbands great grandparents grave. 
• I sent a pleasant e-mail to someone who hurt me
• I listened when it wasn't convenient
• I told 10 women this month they looked beautiful just randomly out at the shopping mall and supermarket. 
• I didn't wait to be called on the phone I made the calls to them first.
• I sent thank you notes for service rendered to me this month