Borrowed vision for today

Love this video made by Amy Krause Rosenthal, a very talented writer on a mission to make the world a lovelier place.

Check out her "Loose Change the World" project here.

As the new owner of a terrific little flip camera, I'm looking forward to making a vid for this space sometime soon (after the notebook cover tute - I promise it's coming! My husband is sitting his FINAL EXAM on Monday morning - after studying (and working full time) in various forms for over 10 years - and then things will free up a little around here. Can't wait!)

Chicken Tonight

Had Tandoori Chicken from this book for dinner tonight. Delicious. Sorry, no photo. Arms full of babies.

I bought this book for my sister for Christmas and now Jane Kennedy has a blog and is reproducing some of her recipes on it. So click here if you'd like to see a little more.

I like the way in the book she credits some of the recipes to Jamie Oliver (and perhaps others, I'm not sure) and the way she writes is fabulous. Down to earth ("You say you can't cook. What are you? A baby?") and entertaining ("Boombah - food that makes your arse huge").

Just a little community service.

Photos that tell a story

Here's a story about a really expensive lunch box that is designed so that you don't have to use any packaging - and that makes it better for the environment... and yet it breaks after the first use! I'm going to email the company on this one and I'll report back.

Here's the one about the 11 year old who now proudly mows the lawn... but occasionally has some trouble with the mechanics of it all.


Love the expression!

And here's the story about the second egg. Held ever so carefully in two year old hands. And only dropped once before it got cooked and eaten. Delicious!

A birthday and a chook shed in action

This is what the birthday painting ended up like. The dress was Jacinta's valedictory dress, made for her by her amazing mother. Her mum made a lot of her clothes, but this was an extra special one, and Jac wore it a few more times while we were at uni. It was so heavily boned she sometimes couldn't quite sit up on a couch. This dress brings back so many lovely memories of our friendship all those years ago.

This is us now. A lot more black going on. Hopefully we'll be back in gold again by the time the 50ths roll around.

And look at Jacinta's amazing blue eyes. She's just gorgeous.

On a totally different note, here's S checking out the roosting box in the new chook shed.

Here it is. All ready to go.

And here are the chooks. Patiently waiting for their check in time. One got so excited she laid an egg, which was carefully washed by young J, and then fatefully dropped, just in front of the sink. So egg number 2 will be our egg number 1. That's how he's figured it anyway. It's all very exciting.

No more art or craft to report. Made chocolate cupcakes and have covered school books, but that will be all until school goes back on Wednesday. And then the year can really start!

Mixing Skin Colour

After about 38 years of attempting to mix a true skin colour, I've done it! (As demonstrated here - totally blending above the lip!)

Unfortunately it wasn't in paint, but in a delightful mix of banana and apple puree and yogurt. Go figure.

The Chookshed

I haven't spent much time on the computer this week, but because I have had so many lovely friends ring and check that I'm getting by with such little sleep, I thought I'd better check in. We're having some success with daytime sleeps at the moment, they're not long, but they're not on my lap. We've also just realised that the little one has 3 teeth coming down at the top, so that may account for some issues. The bigger one is just being two I think.Anyway, we're all ok for now.

The pic above is inside the current work in progress - the Glenn Whitton Memorial Chookshed (below). Of course, as it's built by David, it's the taj mahal of chook accommodation, and we're looking forward to spending less on eggs (we're going through so many at the moment!). It still needs to be painted, and he's down there now doing some extra things so that I can do the painting.
Speaking of painting, we're off to a dear friend's 40th this Saturday and I've done her a painting. I can't show it yet because I don't want to spoil any surprises, so here is a teaser. I'll post the finished work next week.


That's it for now. Next week is back-to-school prep, so if I'm not here much, don't worry. Normal transmission will return soon.

she's up

45 mins

not a personal best, but a start

(can you tell i'm typing with one hand?)

to sleep, perchance to dream...

NB. This pic is not from last night.

Last night was a doozy.

First baby had to be put to sleep about 5 times. She just keeps waking up. She does have a top tooth coming though, but even with panadol the little one just wouldn't stay settled. Then the toddler came into our bed at 2am, then the 8 year old was up with tears 'just scared'. So I reassured him, left more lights on, moved the toddler back to her bed, then the bub was awake again. I fed her to sleep in bed (my falling asleep on the lounge while feeding her is getting a little predictable) because I could fit her there (the toddler is usually there these days) which is where she stayed until morning. Not the most comfortable night.

So, that's given me the strength to finally teach this gorgeous last baby of mine to fall asleep in her cot. And here, at 10.45am, I'VE JUST PUT HER DOWN FOR A SLEEP IN HER COT. I realise that shouldn't be impressive. But she's been a hopeless day time sleeper and I feel like I'm pinned under children all day at the moment (toddler S is having a stage of clingyness and jealousy), and she's at granmas this morning, so I'M FREE!

But just in case it's only for a moment or two, I can't stay here - there are things to do!

This is amazing

Life Before Your Eyes – Pictory

Go have a look at these photos and the stories attached.

Spellbinding.

Reflections

Geez - it's the 7th already! School holidays definitely make the days fuller and less predictable - hence the lack of blogging around here. I have been reading a few blogs though, as I try and build the text for my first blog of the year, but hey, one of my plans for this year is to let go of my quest for perfection, resist the idea that I'm being constantly judged, and just do things.

So here, in all my imperfections, I go.

Here are a few of my plans for the coming year (in no particular order - which is probably obvious!)

• to really 'see' - noticing reflections (see our playground in my son's eye above?), negative spaces, colours and tones, and sketch/doodle more
  
• to enjoy every minute that I have with the two wonderful little girls I have here at home
• to make time to have a cuppa with my husband each day, and kiss him goodnight each night
• to do a business plan for Shiny Happy Art (I totally know how - I just have to DO IT)
• to do a course and learn Adobe Dreamweaver and Illustrator
• to spend time with my kids individually
• to lose 30kgs (it's started!)
• to focus on a project at a time and prioritise distractions
• to illustrate the two books I have been given text for (believe it or not, Emma!)
• to work small, but creatively, on canvases for the TGS and Downlands Art Shows
• to finish paintings for my dear (older than me!) friends who turn 40 this year
• to be calm
• to teach my kids how to work with me and help keep the house liveable - not perfect - liveable
  
• to document at least 5 new tutorials for my blog
• to complete a Project 365 challenge - a photo a day - and make a photo book from it
• to finish and have printed a photobook for the year 2009 (also started!)
  

... now I'm on a roll, I think I could go on and on!

Best not to or it'll all seem too much.

Right now I have to order school books for one child that is finishing primary school this year (how exciting for him and his amazing eyes) and the other that moves into Year 4, with more responsibility, project work and maturity required. It'll be a big year for him.

And I have have have to finish the thank you cards (the design of which has percolated and is now ready to be printed) for the lovely people who sent gifts for the now 7 month old (how embarrassing). It's a very high priority, and you read it here, they'll be done by next Thursday 14th Jan (we're off to a 40th in Sydney on the Friday, so that's a nice deadline).

OK, now my 'first post' hurdle has been jumped and the blog year is christened. I'll do that diary cover tute soon and I'll try and make this an interesting and useful space for you to stop and visit. Say hi and I'll be extra motivated (Marissa?)!

Bub's awake, off I go...

HAPPY 2010!