Life As We Know It

366 photos: day 44-50

 

Oops! Sorry about that! Didn't mean to go missing for a week! It was kind of crazy around here with all four of us at home, the reno, the flu AND a new tooth.

 

 

Monday: Reno time!

 

 

Tuesday: A poorly little guy. Al took him downstairs around 3 am so I would get some sleep and they slept down there for the rest of the night.

 

 

Wednesday: A day in town while the electrician was here. When we got there, there were some rides and things set up in the town centre. Aoife was so happy she got to have a go at the bungee trampoline thingy.

 

Thursday: This girl is such a trooper! She loves stripping wallpaper as much as her mother, and did a great job of it too.

 

Friday: This picture sums up the craziness of the week. Around lunch time Friday Alan asked me if I knew I was wearing odd socks. Errm, no! And I was still wearing odd socks when I put the kids to bed that night.

 

Saturday: Don't you just love it when you unearth a piece of your house's history when you're redecorating? I was blown away by this drawing we found under the woodchip, and curious about the dates. I think they're decorating dates. If so, the woodchip had been up there 30 years! I can well believe it. It was covered in several layers of paint.

 

Sunday: Playing with my new phone (a belated Christmas pressie from Alan).

 

And that ends week 7!

 

366 photos: day 37-43

 

Monday: Making a start on the Geisha

 

Tuesday: Finishing off the geisha

 

Wednesday: Going to bed at 8.30 with a hot toddy, my gratitude journal and my kindle (we were all sick last week, we still are now...not fun)

 

Thursday: I'm slowly clearing out my bookmarks; deleting broken/outdated links and stuff I'm not into anymore, and pinning anything that can be pinned.

 

Friday: Kirby was 13 months on Friday. Here he was "helping" me clear out his room.

 

Saturday:Whenever we start a reno/ decorating project we let Aoife draw on the walls before we get going. She wasn't too keen on drawing on the woodchip though and I can't blame her. I can't wait to get rid of the stuff.

 

Sunday: Sorting through the last "few" bits.

I can't believe the amount of stuff we have charity bagged/ freecycled/ recycled/ binned over the last few weeks in preparation for this reno. When on earth did Alan and I turn into such hoarders? I hate clutter! 

And that's the end of week 6. Here's to bright beginnings and a healthier week 7.

life is a doodle {art journal}

 

 

 

 

 

Hello my lovelies,

Happy Friday!

Hope you're all okay, and have something fun planned for the weekend. I'm knee deep in bags of stuff since we're starting the kids' bedroom reno this weekend (insert excited squeal here). But I just had to pop in to show you my latest art journal page. I'm so happy to be back journaling it is unreal! It's my bliss, I tell ya.

I started this page back in December (TWO LONG MONTHS ago), and only finished it this morning.

I started by writing my younger self (yep, that's me up there) a letter in pencil, then doodled on top, colouring in the doodles with markers as I went. When that was done, I added some pink tissue paper circles and glitter paint I found in Aoife's craft stash (sssh!). Next, I put down another layer of tissue paper (this time torn strips in yellow, orange and red), stamped some pink stars in batches over it, and  through a letter stencil down the left side (hardly shows up in the pics, but it's there). Then splattered the page with ink on a whim. To finish it off, I added a picture of myself as a child, stamped the title, did some more doodling and smeared a lot of oil pastel all over in red and black.

And there you have it. My first journal page in months. It's good to be back!

 

Geisha {mixed media}

 

 

 

 

Look!

It's finished!

This is what I have been working on for the last couple of weeks. A geisha! Who knew I had it in me?

Not me, that's for sure!

You see, the piece started off as a Valentine's project!

A Valentine's project I'd thought about for months at that... planned in some detail, gathered stuff for, and thought I knew inside out.

Shame nobody told my muse. She had other ideas.

Just goes to show you never really know where your inspiration will take you. You just have to go with the flow and hope for the best.

 

 So this is how I did it:

 

I started off by collaging a large canvas with newspaper.

Newspaper that was perfect for the project I had in mind. Newspaper we found under the lino (which we found under the fitted carpet) when we did up our bedroom the other year. Newspaper from the year Alan was born. Newspaper that had this lovely story about a local couple celebrating their 81st wedding anniversary.

The stuff Valentine's craft dreams are made of.

But no no, muse, I'm not bitter. You just go ahead and change it for a geisha any time you like. You know best.

Anyway...

I then added a layer of tissue paper that I had crumpled up a bit first to make the yummy ridges you see above. When that was dry, I slapped down texture paste that I pressed sequin waste into on part of the canvas.

I let it all dry naturally while I went off and played at being a housewife for a bit.

Next up...colour. I layered water soluble crayons, stamps, ink and acrylics willy nilly till I got an effect I liked. I also painted some book pages bronze and cut them out with a heart punch. I glued them down on one side of the canvas and outlined them with blue oil pastel. I stuck some gold mesh I found in my card making supplies on top.

Ok. So by now the muse was practically hitting me over the head with the idea I should make a geisha instead of what I had planned, so I looked up some pics online for inspiration and drew one up. I coloured her in with water soluble crayons, water colour pencils, ink, acrylics and graphite pencil. I then outlined her with the same blue oil pastel I had used for the hearts.

And there you have it! One geisha a la Carin.

 

366 photos: day 30-36

 

Monday: Curled up in bed reading ("One Day" by David Nicholls) with a cuppa by my side= nighttime bliss.

 

Tuesday: Ink on my hands= bliss too!

 

Wednesday: After school silliness on the sofa.

 

Thursday: Getting ready for a craft evening with a friend.

 

Friday: YES!!! I finally got it (kind of)! I have been trying to get a picture of the little man using the occasional tables and bar stools as walkers for ages, but as soon as he sees the camera he comes over to investigate.

 

Saturday: Waiting for their daddy.

 

Sunday: Snow!!! And a first for Alan and Aoife- making a snowman.

 

And that's week 5 done! And we're into another month. How fun!

 

The things they say (and do)

 

 

I had a different post planned for today, but when I updated the little notebook where I keep track of the funny things the kids (well, Aoife so far) say and do this morning, I was laughing so hard at some of the older stories, I thought I'd share.

 

August 2010 (Aoife 3 years old)

Aoife: Where daddy work?

Me: London.

Aoife: One day daddy take me to work in London?

Me: No honey. Daddy's work is too dangerous for little girls.

Aoife: Why it's dangerous? They have tigers there???

 

September 2010 (Aoife 3 years old)

Aoife and I were talking about the new baby. I said something about mummy's tummy getting quite a bit bigger before the baby comes.

Aoife: But daddy will not fit in the bed anymore!!!!

 

October 2010 (Aoife 3 years old)

Aoife is lying in bed singing "5 currant buns" to herself. When she to the part "along came Aoife with a penny one day", she suddenly exclaims: Again?! I'll get a tummy ache!!!

 

November 2010 (Aoife 4 years old, just)

Aoife: Good morning!

Me: Good morning Aoife! You sound a bit sniffly today.

Aoife: You know why?

Me: No, why?

Aoife: I think I have a dinosaur up my nose!

 

Christmas 2010 (Aoife 4 years old, I'm 8 1/2 months pregnant with Kirby)

Alan: How are you feeling today, mummy?

Me: A bit rubbish to be honest.

Aoife: Rubbish?! We'll put you in the bin then!

 

May 2011 (Aoife 4 years old)

Aoife: It's your pretend birthday today mummy. You can wish for whatever you want.

Me: Ok. I wish for you to be quiet for 2 minutes.

Aoife laughs, then says: But that's too boring mummy! You know I'm noisy!

 

June 2011 (Aoife 4 years old)

Aoife sits at the drawing table chatting away to herself as she draws her daddy a picture. All of a sudden she says: Dear God, I love you very much. Thank you for giving me so many biscuits! (that's cookies to my American friends)

 

July 2011 (Aoife 4 years)

Aoife coming down the stairs in the morning: Mu... why are you wearing THAT top?!?! I don't like it!

Fashion critic!

 

December 2011 (Aoife 5 years old)

We're all playing with some balloons. I lose my ballon and say: I lost my balloon

Alan, jokingly: And your youth

Me: That's not very nice.

Aoife: Well, mummy, you'll just have to live with it!

 

Yesterday (Aoife 5 years old)

I'm struggling to get Aoife out of bed for school. She eventually gets up and asks me: Mummy, how much longer do I have to go to school? I can read now.

Me: Years, and years, and years honey.

Aoife: Whoa!!! I'm going to be soooo tired!

 

Have a good weekend everyone!

 

Under the stairs

 

 

Yay! Things are finally starting to take shape in this awkward little corner under the stairs. I love it!

The new desk is just perfect for the space. It's nice and sturdy, looks lovely, and, best of all, it fits (you wouldn't believe how many nice- looking desks I had to reject because they were too big)!!! Next up... a shelf and an office chair. Oh, and finding some way to hide all those cables!

 Happy days!

Surface Treatment Workshop {a review}

 

 

"Surface Treatment Workshop: Explore 45 Mixed-Media Techniques"

by Darlene Olivia McElroy and Sandra Duran-Wilson

 

 

In this wonderful introduction to mixed media techniques, the authors show the readers how to create 45 different textures for mixed media. In addition, they show variations of the same techniques (in less detail), plus examples of their own art work having combined them. They also tell you what surfaces the techniques work best on, how well they keep, and address common problems you may encounter when using them.

 

 

I LOVE this book! I got it in the mail Friday and poured over it all weekend, dreaming up all kinds of wonderful projects using the techniques mentioned, especially the more unusual ones like plaster gauze and ventilation tape. Mostly though, the techniques shown are made using things you probably already have around the home, which is great because you can start experimenting straight away.

The layout and presentation of each technique is fantastic. It's very well thought out and gives you just enough information so you can try everything out, but not so much you start copying them. Some may be frustrated with this lack of detail, but I love it.

I gave it 5 stars on goodreads.

 

366 photos: day 23-29

 

Monday: Ignore the cute baby, it's supposed to be about the box! The new desk arrived! Woo hoo! Alan then kindly spent a couple of nights putting it together after the kids had gone to bed, and we moved the furniture around on Saturday. Pictures to come.

 

Tuesday: I got a phone call early Monday afternoon, asking me to pick up Aoife from school because she wasn't feeling very well. She was much better in the evening, but I kept her home another day to be on the safe side. She was quite happy to have a pyjama day and to curl up on the sofa with her dolls and a hot water bottle.

 

Wednesday: I started my catch-all journal and was sooo excited about it. I feel a bit silly for not having thought of this before because it suits me down to the ground.

 

Thursday: It was still all about the journals as I went trough and worked out how to best simplify them.

 

Friday: Again, ignore the cute baby, it's all about the hoover (although he sure likes to "help"). Friday was big clean up day around here since I didn't get much done during the week.

 

Saturday: And another willing helper. This time Aoife, helping her dad with the new floorboards for her future bedroom.

 

Sunday: I was back in the craft room clearing stuff away. Alan helped me move out the old desk and bring in the dressing table I am going to use as a sewing table once it's done up. There's still a lot to be done out there, but I am making progress.

(Btw, if you look on the work station on the right hand side, you can see the mixed media project I showed last week is making some progress too)

And that is the end of another week!

 

The Happiness Project {a review}

 

 

Source

 

Sitting on a city bus one day, Gretchen Rubin realizes she is not as happy as she could be, and that she is taking a lot of stuff for granted. Being a writer and researcher, she meticulously researches happiness and decides to try out her findings over the course of a year. So she divides them into 12 topics, and works on a new topic each month (while carrying over the stuff she has learned from previous months).

 

I really wanted to read this book. And I really wanted to like this book. I think most happy people share certain traits, so it sounded like a cool experiment. Can you become a happier person just by applying those same traits to your own life?

So far so good.

Buuuut...

I just couldn't get on with Gretchen's persona and writing style. She may lovely in real life, but my goodness, that sure isn't how she comes across in the book. Even though we seem to have a lot of interests in common, I felt no connection with her whatsoever. She just annoyed the heck out of me.

I persevered with the book till the end, hoping her conclusions at the end of the year would be worth it. They weren't. And the more I read, the more she grated on me.

That said, the author did produce one of my favourite quotes of the moment; "the days are long, but the years are short". For that I'm grateful!

I gave it two stars on goodreads.