St Patricks Day...

yes I know it is tomorrow but I am face painting today at the London Irish StPatricks Day match in Reading. Going to be super fun I think!! Im not Irish but to look the part I am dressed in green and Phoebe has approved my outfit!

Colin was going to come with the children as there is a whole kids zone but he was invited out for lunch to watch the opening season of the grand prix...guess which option he took!!

inspiration

Spring is in the air. The sun is shining and I have got a head full of ideas. Most frustrating thing is I have had to do housework today, so no creating! Good thing about housework it is so mundane that I have time to churn ideas over and over. I need to get my sketch book and put a few of these ideas down before I forget them.

I am going to do something creative with the children when we get back from school as tuesday is my free evening.

I have found a big twig which we are going to decorate for easter so may be we will begin that or Phoebe want to make a little film. We will see what takes our fancy. I love afternoons like this when there is nothing to do...a kind of chilling out creative time.

These are some blogs that are inspiring me right now...

Moopy and Me Such a cute idea for an art activity with children

Print Pattern thanks Emily for the heads up on this web site it is full of inspiration!

Garden Trading..mmmm love all these vintage look things....could easily buy most of the shop!

your park + my park = satisfaction

Your Park

When you go to the park you see a world of possibilities. Slides to go whizzing down, steps to climb up, swings to make you fly, seesaws which make you bounce. Challenges to overcome. Imaginary games. Running, climbing, action, round and round, trying, repeating it over again, never still, always moving and non stop fun. That is your park.

My Park

Watching you play and listening for your call for help. Waiting, usually on my own, devoid most of the time of adult conversation. Part of your world but outside it... a spectator to your imagination. So I look and see things differently while I am waiting. I see colour, pattern, texture, shape, line and form. Your playing and my looking makes me love going to the park because it satisfies the mother and the artist in me.

(The Lookout and Yateley Park March 4th and 7th 2008)

see things differently

I had a good day at work teaching art. Really tired out after being on my feet all day and then coming home to finish the things in my house. :) So after all the jobs (well nearly all) had been done I could not resist doing some blogging to chill out. Found some interesting blogs I will share with you another time.

I wanted to share some photos I had taken yesterday. It was a really cold, sunny day but with lots of cloud around. The light was fantastic especially as most of the photos were taken late afternoon.

I was trying out some different settings like the multiple photos ( i can take only three quick sucession) This was fun with two children on the swings!

I was also trying out different angle....ie using objects as a frame for my subject.

The best one (bc the light and cloud was so contrasting ) was half holding down the button whilst pointing at light/dark object and then moving the camera onto my subject. This resulted in the contrasts in the dramatic sky.

discoveries

Have been sorting the loft out and found some really interesting things. These buttons were taken off old clothes which were not good enough for the charity shop.....all for free, how good is that! The metal heart is an old cake mould. I love old vintage items.

Vintage door keys

Grandad's prayer book and an old school ruler

Letter from a relative of Colin's from 1922

Old jeans with a cool design

New stuff...

Just got some scrapping goodies in the post today from an etsy shop called Every Jot and Tittle Have a look, there is some great things in the shop.

This week has been quite crazy (im sure some of you are saying which weeks are not crazy) Before we went to Cambodia I was offered a job at my daughters school teaching art two days a week. This is such a dream job for me as I am passionate about teaching and anything to do with art.

I went in on wednesday to see some of my classes and it was like slipping into a favourite pair of shoes. It fits and I know that I am going to love it.

I am also keeping up with my fortnightly crops so for those who live near they are staring again next week on thursday March 7th at 7:30 at Yateley Manor School in the drama studio. If you know anyone who would like to come just email me on colin.saunders1@ntlworld.com There is always space for more! I am also looking into a all day saturday crop, so when I get the date finalised I will post up here with the details.

I really miss the Odiham crop and it would be lovely to see what people are doing so if you have done any lovely pages or mini books post a link on here.

Inspiration..

I found the trip to Cambodia so visually inspiring. So much colour and pattern every where you looked. The light is so good, all the colours vibrate. It was a mixture of old and modern influences.
Painting on a shutter in the Royal Palace

Old Pedicab in the French Quarter

Crumbling building in the French Quarter



Fruit in the market..so colourful

Chinese New Year decorations and dragon masks

Houses often painted in these vivid blue and red

I will post more tomorrow but these give you a little taste of what I saw!