{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. soulemama
Project: Make a Shadowbox Artwork from Children's 'Art'!
This year, Fern started preschool. Just one day a week, but it has transformed both her life (and mine) in very positive ways! I realise post on this is long overdue, but it's going to have to wait a little longer, because today I want to talk about something else... but still sort of related!
If you have children that attend preschool, I have no doubt you have a fridge full of squiggly bits of painted 'abstracts' you are not entirely sure what to do with. Or maybe you have reached the stage where you 'forget' to bring them home? But when I pick up Fern from preschool, (almost certainly because the novelty has not yet worn off) I am the mother rifling through the 'artwork to be picked up' box looking for my child's name. There is a lot of 'art' in that box, and it takes a while!
This week, I plucked 2 paintings out of the box. Even through my rose coloured specs I could see there was nothing overly special about them, they were just splodges on paper, really, and I was tempted to drop them into the recycling bin on my way out except... I couldn't quite bring myself to. Surely there was something I could do to recycle these paintings and make Fern feel special about having created them, short of littering my already-over-cluttered refrigerator?
I brought them home.
What to do? But suddenly, I had an inspiration. And, in about 45 minutes yesterday I created a piece of art from Fern's art that now sits proudly on the wall and cost me NADA. Love that.
Want to see?
Yayee!
Not the best photography, and you can't really see that the hearts are 3d and sticking up in their shadow box. But you get the idea! Want to know how to make one for yourself?
Step 1. Decide what shapes you want to make, and how large you want to make them. It could be hearts like mine, or circles, or butterflies, or paper dolls... the ideas are endless! Then, fold the painted paper in from the edge roughly half the size of the shape and draw on the wrong side of the paper. I then cut the first one out and used that as a template for the rest. Cut your shapes out and then keep folding and cutting shapes until you've used the whole sheet of paper.
Step 5. Frame your wonderful artwork and place it with pride on the wall!!
See? Easy! Have a go yourself, and send me what you come up with so I can post pics on my blog! I'll be back with more ideas of what to do with your kids artwork at a later stage... have a great weekend x
Read More...
If you have children that attend preschool, I have no doubt you have a fridge full of squiggly bits of painted 'abstracts' you are not entirely sure what to do with. Or maybe you have reached the stage where you 'forget' to bring them home? But when I pick up Fern from preschool, (almost certainly because the novelty has not yet worn off) I am the mother rifling through the 'artwork to be picked up' box looking for my child's name. There is a lot of 'art' in that box, and it takes a while!
This week, I plucked 2 paintings out of the box. Even through my rose coloured specs I could see there was nothing overly special about them, they were just splodges on paper, really, and I was tempted to drop them into the recycling bin on my way out except... I couldn't quite bring myself to. Surely there was something I could do to recycle these paintings and make Fern feel special about having created them, short of littering my already-over-cluttered refrigerator?
I brought them home.
 |
| Fern's original masterpiece |
What to do? But suddenly, I had an inspiration. And, in about 45 minutes yesterday I created a piece of art from Fern's art that now sits proudly on the wall and cost me NADA. Love that.
Want to see?
 |
| My adaption. Can you believe this is the same bit of paper as above?! |
Yayee!
Not the best photography, and you can't really see that the hearts are 3d and sticking up in their shadow box. But you get the idea! Want to know how to make one for yourself?
Step 1. Decide what shapes you want to make, and how large you want to make them. It could be hearts like mine, or circles, or butterflies, or paper dolls... the ideas are endless! Then, fold the painted paper in from the edge roughly half the size of the shape and draw on the wrong side of the paper. I then cut the first one out and used that as a template for the rest. Cut your shapes out and then keep folding and cutting shapes until you've used the whole sheet of paper.
Step 2. Choose a frame and piece of art paper on which to mount your artwork. I used a white shadow box frame from Ikea and a shiny piece of off-white A4 card I had leftover from making wedding invitations years ago!
Step 3. Lay your shapes roughly out inside the frame so you can play around with the colours and decide on placement. You can draw some guides with pencil at this stage if you want to make sure you stay in a straight line. I did... but havnt quite gotten around to rubbing out the pencil marks yet ;)
Step 4. Using some little pins or those special paper-pins you get to make paper crafts and invitaions, push them through the centre of the shapes and then through your mounting paper. I got mine at
Eckersleys. If you make a mistake you simply pull the pin out of the paper and try again, hopefully your shape covers the mistake... luckily, mine did!
Step 5. Frame your wonderful artwork and place it with pride on the wall!!
Back on the court
Last Thursday night I tied up the shoelaces, put on the orange singlet, put on the 'WA' bib and hit the netball court for the first time in ohhh ummmm 9 years I think it's been now! Driving up to the sport center I must admit I was so nervous! I started playing netball when I was 7 years old and it became my life! I was hooked! I don't know what it was about this game but I loved it! I loved being a part of a team, working hard and being the best. I made some AMAZING friendships through netball and I am still friends with most of them today! I trained hard, worked hard and it paid off! I still remember every coach I had and everything they taught me! You get where I'm going - I LOVED IT!
Read More...
Lately Ive been a bit blugh! I work by myself with no peers or adults around. Day in day out its just me and the 3 kids I look after. I get home and Rob is (80% of the time) asleep or not far from it! Let's just say my life lacks that adult conversation and fun! Yes I love playing building and ninjas and cheering on football and giving tips on ballet but I'm not a mum and Im only 25 so this should be MY time where I can let loose and have fun and be an adult with no children! So last week I decided that I wanted to start a team sport! This way I knew that once a week I can catch up with friends and have fun! We don't need to talk - just have fun - adult fun! So I rang up and signed us up that day and we played our first game last Thursday night!
OMG I SUCKED - 9 years really does change a person! hahah I couldn't catch, I couldn't throw I felt like a 'newbie'! In my defense we are playing mixed netball so catching and throwing to a boy is a lot harder than a girl hahah THEY THROW SO HARD :( arrr toughen up princess! This week was a little better! I caught a few more balls and got a few good passes in hahah I'm sure I will improve a bit more every week as I gain confidence! I have a fantastic team and we have fun together! I also get to play with my husband which is a DOUBLE bonus! Looking forward to a great season of fun, laughter and hopefully some wins ;-)
~ After my first netball game 1993 ~
x S.K.K x
Pretty Laundry Supplies
This week on "Wonderful World of Etsy" I bring you a selection of pretty laundry supplies.
- Eco-friendly dryer sachets
- Retro vintage-inspired embroidered laundry bag - Be A Lamb and Wash
- Ironing board cover - Larkspur birdie
- Fabric covered clothespins springtime flowers, set of 4
Have a sweet day!
Dealing with Difficult People #10: Rude Bastards
Some people are just not very nice. They don’t seem to have learned the golden life rule about treating others the way you would like to be treated yourself.
That bloke in accounts who lets the door shut in your face every single time. The kid who thinks 'merge' means 'push in immediately'. That guy on the train with his legs spread across three seats (his balls are apparently that big). That mother at the school gate who turns slightly away every time you approach. There are so very, very many of them.
They just don’t get the fact that life runs on little everyday niceties; they are Life Rude. Would it kill them to be kind?
So, how do we handle this unnecessary business without being rude right back?
1. Don’t reach for the PowerPoint
Tempting though it is to launch into a Modern Manners lecture complete with Venn diagrams, I wouldn’t go there. I remember cringing as a woman on the train once tried this with a big-ball-leg-spreader and she just sounded so whiny. The trouble with rudeness is that it is actually quite a trivial matter on its own. The more you sound off about it, the more inconsequential their rudeness seems.
2. The boxer approach
Depending on the type of day you’ve had, you could always just get physical. I’m pretty sure that squeezing yourself in next to that big-ball-leg-spreader and giving him a whacking-hard shove out of the way would make you feel a whole lot better. And imagine just walking up and decking that imperceptibly-snobby mum at the school gate. Oh, the blessed relief!
3. Cue your Look of Utter Contempt
Of course, I could never condone violence of any kind*, so instead I’ll recommend the non-verbal equivalent of a slap to the face. The Look of Utter Contempt.
This is the look you would give if you were the Queen of the World and they were some simple little serf prone on the floor in front of you beseeching you for their life. Your foot would ease out from your bejewelled gown to give them a smart kick to the face… oh, sorry, back on the violence again.
4. Cue your Look of Utter Distaste
If you get no luck with the Look of Utter Contempt, try the Look of Utter Distaste. This look is similar to what you might find on a face that has just discovered its attached foot has stepped in slightly-sticky dog poo, walked it through the newly-carpeted house, up the 27 stairs and into bed.
“What are you looking at?” says the loud-mouthed buffoon.** Cue your Distaste aimed directly at their eyeballs and say “oh, I’m looking at absolutely nothing”.
5. Beat them with niceness
When the looks and the brawling fail, it’s time to resort to being nice. Rudeness is always louder when surrounded by impeccable manners. Up your own nice factor, smile sweetly and bring them to their knees.
Rudeness: The hidden societal stress factor.
How do you show people that rudeness is not okay on your watch?
What’s the rudest thing you’ve ever randomly had done to you?
* Please ignore my 'blessed relief' comment in the point above. As a complete pacifist, I should never have written that. I don't know what happened.
** I’m not entirely sure what a buffoon is but I’m pretty sure I would know if I was Queen of the World and writing this with my quill.
[Image by the delightful Suse at Revoluzza as always. Thank you for your marvellousness, Suse.]
another day @ the office
with my
photo taking
little ballerina
with mismatched shoes
who is just as happy to play in the kitchen
anywhere really
as long as she is
close to
me
♥ her
seven things with gratitude
- Andreia over at tricotaria - makes pretty accessories (as the name says) and cute craft items for her Etsy store
- Miss Becky over at Shaking The Tree - talented photographer who shoots amazing landscapes, urban scenes, skylines and more - always from a fresh angle with soulful words to match
- Kate over at Another Donkey Design - is a creative talent and stationary extraordinaire
- Emma over at Happy Snaps and This Beautiful Mess - is a lovely photographer, busy blogger and great gardener
- Amy over at Amy's Life - is a delightful blogger who uses great daily post titles like 'Post-it Note Tuesday' to share her news
- Catherine over at A Time to Create - is a lovely lady who sews and crochets gorgeous creations
Ten (of the many) blogs I love:
1. Lona De Anna - my real life friend and earliest supporter, Anna has an amazing interior design eye and paints beautiful watercolours
2. The House of Isla - an astounding creative talent, I can't wait for Aileen's online boutique to open on Friday
3. Mocking Bird - Amanda's blog is one of my daily reads and my inspiration for starting a photography blog
4. Life on Planet Baby - Jane blogs passionately and brilliantly about life, family and all things French
5. Rain and Sage - Sonia is the home renovator/furniture makeover queen and an all round lovely blogger
6. Between 7 and 9 - Karen draws me in with her lovely photos taken when the light is right.
7. Vintch - a future novelist, Courtney's posts tear at the heartstrings.
8. If the Lampshade Fits - Raina is sharp-tongued, hilarious and possesses fab interior design style
9. A Cup Full of Sunshine - Anne's gorgeous and growing little family is rock-solid: loving, welcoming and full of warmth.
10. The Audacity Effect - Ching is funky, engaging, fearless and fun.
Seven Things About Me
1. I won't pay to see a film unless I've read a review. It's not about the critics raving... I just need some idea of what it's about.
2. Used to wear reading glasses until I got laser eye surgery in my 20's. Life changing, especially as I like swimming.
3.Parenthood has changed the way I view life - the way I perceive and respond to many things.
4. In 1994, Prince Charles visited our farm. Our property was part of his Royal rural lands tour of Australia. Dad got to deliver a speech to PC (about soil reclamation work) while mum and I got to curtsy! Awesome. I was 19 (a tad rebellious) and somewhat disgusted by the pomp and ceremony. Until the Royal convoy turned up with a Sopranos-style detail, that is, packing all kinds of weaponry. Two days earlier, there was a hoax assassination attempt at the Australia Day ceremony, so they were leaving nothing chance - even though we were on a farm in the middle of nowhere!
5. If we had room for a "collection", I would collect teapots.
6. I love music (..not alone there). Don't really have a fav genre, but I prefer albums over singles, or compilations. Once I find an album by an artist/group I love, I'll play it for years.
7. I can't stand the sound of a balloon popping - it scares me more than snakes or spiders.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)