Working on the Creative Self

So here is me NOT making dinner, instead posting some pictures of the work I have done in the art class I am currently participating in. MADE is wonderful, it is really blessing me, and the community is so good for my soul.

These first photos are of the hand made journal that we made. We were given instructions, but the over all 'look' was up to us. So this is mine! I do feel I rushed it a bit, I was eager to get it done. But at the same time, I thought it was going to be a LOT more difficult than I expected, as I have done some book binding in the past (I have added some pics of that below this journal), but it really really wasn't. I am looking forward to doing it again, but I had better use this one up first ;) I decided to just let go with the cover, and ignore my inner perfectionist. I am glad I did!

Outside Front Cover of Handmade Journal

Bound with Bakers Twine

Inside Cover of Handmade Journal

The next few photos are of journals I made and bound in a class a few years ago.

 It is only now that I look at them that I realise I took the photos in such a hurry -

so I could post the off as gifts, that I forgot to check if the photos were focused....

 So you see fuzzy binding stitches.... probably makes them look a bit better anyway ;)

I didn't feel like drawing one night, so I got out my iPad. I made these next two using a drawing app. I was quite pleased! And I wonder if I could have actually managed to do it on paper.... What encourages me is I have always thought I'd like to illustrate children's books, but never thought I could. But I could see these in a book.... hmmm...!

And finally just a few pages from my journal, and a step by step as I get to the last picture :)

I didn't get 'inspiration' until well after I had laid the foundation for this page.... so consequently you can't see any of the papers (that I loved!) in the final product! Have to let that go....!

A Step Back In Time

We had a real treat this Saturday. 

Rouse Hill House and Farm have had free weekend entry over the month of August. We were able to go and visit this weekend. I have embedded the link above, but the basic facts about the house are:

• It was founded in 1813 by Richard Rouse, who was a free settled entrepreneurial pioneer; a cabinetmaker by trade.
• Rouse Hill (suburb - and our local shopping mall, designed by MOTH's employers - before we arrived ;) ) was (obviously!) named after him by Governor Mcquarie after Rouse built a tollhouse there. You can see the old 'main road'. 
• The 'stuff' on exhibit span six generations of the Rouse family - the house has never been restored, it is in it's original condition; ie, incredibly run down and fascinating! It is the setting of a tragic historical novel, full of mystery. A place where your imagination could really run away with you. Especially when you learn that a surviving member (in their 80s) still lives part time in an excluded wing....!! In a derelict Victorian style living room is a 1960s huge TV. (The kids didn't recognise what it was!) 
• It is one of the oldest continually occupied homes in Australia. Seriously - I was too busy chasing kids and telling them not to touch that I didn't get any photos of it, but the stair case and landing look like they could fall down at any minute, it is amazing.
• It is next to Vinegar Hill, which is famous for a battle in 1804.

A painting depicting the Castle Hill Battle

• Two generations of the Rouse family enjoyed affluent lives financed by Rouse's success in business, investment and farming (to name a few of the ventures he did well in!) They lived lives of 'picnics, races and parties'.
• In the 1890s the family was affected by drought and depression, debt and bad business decision that sent them into a downward spiral that they never recovered from. 
• When the Historic Houseing Trust took over, only 20 acres of the original 230,000 acres belonging to Richard Rouse remained in the family.

Sadly, because of excited kids, we didn't get to read enough of the plaques etc for our liking! I can't tell you much about the schoolhouse, which was established in 1888, but it was the kids absolute highlight.

1888 Schoolhouse 

 Events had been arranged so that the children could play with traditional toys and touch almost everything. They spent over an hour running around outside playing, how wonderful!

Hobby horse, Hula-hoop, Skipping Rope.... what to do first?

The real excitement came when they were allowed to join a class.....

They were lined up, and told how to pledge allegiance to Queen and Country. Just between us, I was a little alarmed when I heard one woman ask the 'teacher' which queen the portrait on the wall was of...!! If you don't know who was Queen in 1888, I don't want to think about my reaction! If you don't know, for goodness sake at least google it.

And salute the flag, before the were MARCHED inside. Mr 10 thought that was brilliant...

First there was a quick hygiene check, nail and nits.

Then they were taught the 'proper' National Anthem. Do I need to tell you that it is God Save the Queen? 

And you had better do it on your feet with some respect, thankyou. 

Demonstrating how to use a cane and reminding students what sort of behaviour would necessitate it's application!

Then practice some copperplate...

And after 15 minutes and a reminder to pay fees, school was dismissed. 

The kids decided that it was the BEST fun they have ever had at school, and went back for the sewing lesson, to make some bunting to take home.... Mr 10 complained that it was much better than our school. I told him I would happily find a meter length of bamboo to help him in our school.... He stopped complaining. A bit!

Mr Two, taking the arithmetic class...

And they also had an opportunity to try on some Victorian clothes. How cute are these kids??

Such a lady....

Pretending to be a Victorian street urchin!

It was a HOT day, I really felt for the poor teacher, all in black. But the rooms were reasonably cool, nice thick walls. But dusty and dirty everywhere outside. But then, the boys had so much fun playing in it. 

And I am still amazed to say, I had to bribe the kids (with ice-cream) to leave. They just did not want to go. It is just over $100 for a years (household) membership to Sydney Museums, and that includes entry to Hyde Park Barracks, Museum of Sydney and The Mint.... I think we have filled up our Saturdays!

You Have To Start Somewhere..

I have just signed up for an amazing art class, I am so excited about it, it starts tomorrow!

As I was reading through the forum of all the ladies who have also signed up (it is an eCourse, which suits my timetable!) I was amazed and humbled by the amount of amazing women I will have the privilege of learning and journeying with. It is also a little daunting seeing some of the talent there!

Then I remembered that I have never actually posted a picture of my first actual canvas painting. Have to fix that!

I started it at a weekend painting course (2010? Too many children, memory not quite what it was...) - I needed somewhere to help me get started, get the ideas out. I finished it at home. It is a bit knocked around a bit now, after too many homes where we haven't been allowed to put picture hooks up :/ and having kids who like to touch things... I can't be too upset, I like to touch paintings too! In fact, the more I want to touch a painting the more I like it and enjoy it.

I based this design off a sketch I did off my Mother-in-law's sofa! I probably have never told her that, and I have used enough artistic licence to completely change the colours and distort it quite a bit. I used a lot of masking fluid as I carved a stamped design to do the large flower, which had a base colour and the stamp colour was a reflective metallic paint in orange/gold. It got a bit messy. My art usually does. That's how I roll... :)

I put up two pictures to try and show the difference in the light reflection, it is always difficult to show in a photo.The photo doesn't show either that it is actually more of a deep teal/peacock colour - here it looks more blue. Oh well!

I hope you like it. I still do, and I loved painting it. Makes me want to do some more....!

So Much Done, So Little To Show For It!

August has been a whirl wind- It is not quite over and I feel like I need to change down a gear to survive September. I do have a few things planned for September though.... Well, they say you get enough sleep when you're dead?? So, for the sake of my mental health, I am letting as much cleaning slide as I can possibly stand this week. Which probably won't be much, but I am going to try to focus on the important things. Seriously, I love a clean floor, but the last time I mopped I found myself yelling at a child for walking (after many instructions not to!) on the wet floor. I completely ruined both of our days. My floor is just. not. that. important. I plan on more hugs and being in that moment with them, instead of stressing about which basket of washing hasn't been put away (there is always a choice of baskets....).

There is plenty of crazy around here to enjoy. Really, more than enough to go around....

August is a birthday month. Miss Sparkly-Sanguine turned 9 this year. Nine? Really? I barely remember the first week of her life (looong story with plenty of drama and drugs); how did we get this far? She is so gorgeously vivacious; so delightfully full of life - and beans. Sitting still and being quiet are not something my kids are good at (which I am fine with, btw; I do cherish my peace and quiet, but they are kids and I want them to be themselves, that is one of the reasons we homeschool, after all.), but this girl.... This girl is an all singing, all dancing, all. the. time! Why walk somewhere (even indoors) if you can cartwheel there instead? Belting out Abba or Singing In The Rain from the moment she gets out of bed; which is late, as it happens, because in our bed (I mean 'burrow') at night we snuggle down, get lost in books or fill our journal with drawings of all description. I just don't realise how busy she keeps herself! I laughed out loud the other night when I heard her ask Daddy 'What do you think about when you just stare into space?' The look of absolute confusion, bewilderment, disbelief and shock when Dad said 'Nothing.' 'Nothing??? How can you think of nothing? I am ALWAYS thinking SOMETHING!' And there, my darling, is your first glimpse of how men and women are so different..... Don't worry, you will have years to marvel over that one! ;)

True to form, Mum was told at the last minute that she had invited everyone she knew to her birthday (!!) and it was going to be a pirate party.... and of course, she had chosen the cake. A vegetable garden, made out of fondant. I can hear what you are probably thinking; I thought it too. Really? Sugar paste vegetables? Can't we just have the real thing? But it was a cute idea. So we made it together. Nice not to do it all myself this year, and so cool to see her getting involved and using her creativity.

We were so blessed to have Nan and Grandad come down from Queensland for the weekend too! Very spoilt little girl, er, young lady. No, let's stick with girl for as long as we can!

I looked at all the photos we took, and there is not one with a majority of kids looking in the same direction, so I chose the nicest one of the birthday girl!

Miss Nine - she couldn't settle on a pirate name she was happy with! 

Veggie Garden resplendent with handcrafted vegetables; tomato vines, pre-picked corn and peas (lets not get too carried away making corn stalks!)

Corn lovingly dusted with pearl shimmer; Watermelon with carefully added seed details. She did very well!!

And finally, we had to have something 'on the day'. Her birthday fell on our 'park' day, so we had to make enough cookies to share with a gazillion Homeschool kids. My dear SIL asked me why I didn't just buy some. I found myself shocked to think that that had not even remotely crossed my little wee brain. I could have saved myself hours of work! But they were yummy...

And now I need a holiday!

I have been remiss taking photos of what we have been up to too. But then, a lot of what we are up to really isn't 'news'; I don't think you need to see every meal we make, worksheet we complete, piece of art etc; as amazing as it all it ;) Just the highlight reel!

This month we have been reading about the Ancient Phoenicians and Assyrians. Especially fun was making our own dye. The Phoenicians were ancient-world famous for their ability to make purple cloth. They made is from boiling sea snails in a process that was long, expensive and extremely smelly. The kids found it very interesting to learn that that is why purple is known as the colour of royalty (because you had to be, to afford it!) and that an ancient insult was to tell someone that they 'smelled like a man from Tyre!'! Ie - not great!

To make our purple dye we used blueberries; there are many ways to do it, but this was the easiest choice for mum.... meaning we had them in the freezer! We boiled the berries for over an hour, then when they had cooled we strained them.

Then we took turns to dip our cloth.

Ta-dah!

I especially love how enthusiastic Mr 5 was....

And squeezing it out....he loved that part!

So, for a very busy month, I have precious little in the way of photographic record. I also am a little low on energy! But we have managed to enjoy learning what we have pursued, so that I am chalking that up as a good month!