Last week it was 'Open Studios' in my town.
I had the chance to visit a few and come away with a fabulous ceramic picture (more when it's on the wall!), a lovely jug and the enrolment onto a printing course.
No 2 - my artist in residence - came out all inspired... and, although we need to have a chat about his habit of 'creating' in bed, it's great to see him inspired and ready to let his imagination go.
Good stuff.
I have a new toy!!
It's big and heavy (I love the fact that it's made out of metal) and solid and quiet and super fast.
I can cut the thread by pushing a button and wind a new bobbin using a separate motor without unthreading everything.
I love it.
The tester project. (Finished 7 minutes before the party... ehm... but that it's a different subject)
I can't wait trying quilting with it!
It's getting a bit late and the air is a little too chilly for me but the boys are still outside playing nicely together and I daren't disturb them. They seem to have found a common language in long cricket matches and I love listening to their chatter and laughter without being seen.
Another sunny day.
Yes!
Sport, sport, sport. Pakchoi for lunch and a few stitches stolen here and there.
Chocolate milkshakes and little frogs.
And I made this. Because it was in my head and needed to get out.
(Talking of OUT... how do I get the boys to come IN? Wish me luck).
Mr M is in Hong Kong.
He sends beautiful photos of amazing skylines and dimsum breakfasts. I'm trying really hard not to be jealous.
At the moment I'm failing.
Still raining here. It has done so all week.
Today I revised the world climates, the story of Joseph and all about the Sikh religion.
Sigh.
My nephew popped in and asked to learn to crochet, the boys got their old train set out of the garage and went on a trip down memory lane, No 2 made figures out of wire and I finished my first portfolio tunic.
Oh and doughnuts.
Yes, there were doughnuts too.
Last week:
- I became a British Citizen
I swore my allegiance to the Queen in a ceremony in the local town hall.
No 3 was expecting the Queen herself to attend (actually when I picked him up off school he thought we were heading for Buckingham Palace...) but he soaked up the whole thing like a sponge nonetheless.
What a wonderful age 7 is. He asked me afterward: "Mum, now that you are half English... does this mean that I become 1/4 Italian?". Sweet.
No 2 was worried about missing cricket club and No 3 was just happy to have missed any school at all. Philistines.
- Last week I also had an art session at school making felt with 7yr olds. Mayhem.
Chaos. Anarchy. BUT they produced some really really cool 'landscapes' and had lots of fun, which in the end it is all that matters. We used this method here.
"Is this real wool from a real sheep? ... I've never seen a blue sheep".
Oh dear. City kids.
- I made Palmiers. And ate lots of Palmiers too. Couldn't be helped.
(basically I got a store-bought pack of rolled puff-pastry... covered in granulated sugar pressing the sugar into it with a rolling pin, folded the lot, sliced it and baked it. Totally and dangerously delicious)
- And last but not least, I received in the post the most beautiful spoon rest in the whole wide world:
I bought it on Etsy from this shop.
Love it.
A lot more happened last week... the last hockey tournament, the last rugby session... Mr M and I went to a ball, my sister bought a car and I lost 2lb (hurray)... I am reading "Wolf Hall' and am loving it. Hope you had a good one too.
Random weekly round up.
- Today is No 1's birthday. He's 12, which I found quite upsetting.
He's not a bad kid (a part from the part where he doesn't want to shower) (or when he uses the laundry basket as a tool to tidy up his room) (or when he spends ages doing his homework and then somehow 'forgets' to hand it in and gets in trouble with the teacher).
In fact he's a pretty good kid. Excellent. Amazing. Handsome. Smart. Funny. Kind. And only yesterday he was little and cuddly and not tall and spindly.
His brothers are still at school so me and him spent the morning in a freezing cold wharehouse
He climbed. I didn't.
Maybe if I felt better...
who am I kidding... I have as much strength in my arms as a sea cucumber (yes I'm aware they don't have arms... geeesh)
- I have a terrible cold and feel very sorry for myself.
- My new tissues make me smile
- I'm reading "the perks of being a wallflower " . I'm enjoying it.
- Still walking the dog and still finding lost property
(pink day at the park yesterday)
- The boys have taken to playing football in the garden after school
this is the result of a hard fought match.
- He's playing minecraft on the computer... I wonder if he'll notice if I go to bed for a while....
Warming myself up before a 3hr hockey/marathon in freezing temperatures.
(new thrifted cup. So happy)
- My dishwasher is broken.
- This weekend Mr M and I survived:
one school visit
archery training
cricket training
a birthday party
a swimming gala
two rugby matches
one hockey tournament
one family birthday
- and did I mention my dishwasher is broken?
- This morning Lilli and I met an ancient Rottweiler called 'Bruce Wayne'.
- No 1 was told to tidy up the 'primordial soup' that was the floor in his bedroom and he thought he was being very clever in rollying everything in a tight ball (clean clothes/shoes/coat/slippers/pjs/dirty laundry/school uniforms etc. etc.) and hiding it (badly) at the bottom of his closet.
- He regrets it now.
- "No 2 stop annoying your brother!" "it's not my fault that he always falls into my traps"
- ?!
- No 3: "it's not fair that I'm always the youngest"
- Sigh
- And the dishwasher is still broken.
Monday randomly...
- This time next week I'll be on a ski slope. Can't wait.
- People are still losing stuff around here
- No 2's school hockey team has qualified for the National Championship
- No 1 has joined an Archery club
- Italy beat France at rugby in a stunning game.
- If any of you has discovered the secret of how to be in two places at the same time please share.
- I have no idea who won the Super Bowl this year.
- Heard Jake Bugg for the first time (where have I been!!) this morning on the radio on the way to school
Amazing. And so talented and so young.
- Off to cast off my latest project. Will show you soon.
