kids' art class - mosaics

On the weekend (when the rained finally cleared!) we visited the L'Arte Mosaic Cafe and Scuplture Garden in Taupo. a must see!

and so, with mosiacs fresh in our minds, we set to making our own.

i precut the pieces - much easier and quicker!

i freehanded the outline of a pattern/image onto black paper with HB pencil.

we used a glue stick...until it ran out, then used paste which i wouldn't recommend at all, doesn't dry completely invisible and makes paper warped)

our new pieces of art.

tips: keep the pattern basic..or large...or large and basic.
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and to really drop some jaws we googled some historical pieces of mosaic art.

Jada's comment was, But how did they know how to do it then because we weren't there to teach them?

i resisted the urge to lead her through the history of the world then and there.

time is so much bigger than now!

can't wait to discover history together :)

yoo hoo~

(i feel like the crazy, over-friendly neighbour who always rushes out to the front gate in her pinnie, waving a little floral hankie while calling "yoo-hoo")

be that as it may, i am back! (we are back)

my dad turned 60 (wow!).

the ratio of kids to adults was 10-20:4 the whole weekend.

they did GREAT!

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(except for maybe just this once!!)

hehe

no time to write more!
(my JR cut a large gash in his head yesterday and needs some attention :) )
xo

Make my Week # 24 &25

i missed last week for no particular reason, just didn't get around to it (did someone say "slacker"??)

anyway, here's what i made:

i wanted to be cool like bobby robin and make a mega funky necklace like hers.

it ended up being mega-fail. sooo, i taught myself to finger knit (head nod, you tube) and turned it into a chunky braided necklace instead. i still think it's only about half a step up from the mega fail it was though (i'll probably end up cutting the beads off and giving it the hiff-o)

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and then, this week i made this:

i had a request for a golly doll.

(she has knickers!! hehe)

i tried to avoid the traditional type golly and bring a bit more of my own personal flavour to it.

i think she has potential :)

happy weekend!! xo

make my week (dad's version)

so, i leave JR alone for a few hours on Tuesday afternoon and this is what i come home to:

some cousins came to try it out

spiderman costume: trade me

fancy blue hat: salvation army

cute kid: mine!

PS. thank you so much for all your words of encouragement about this guy.

it has been a really lovely week....we have a massive test this weekend - we're going away for the weekend with my parents, brother and my sister and her husband (and i don't think anyone on that list especially 'gets' Ty, instead he's the 'naughty kid', first-to-be-blamed kid, etc.) mega-pressure.....*nausea*....

The Question

we had 4 university students for dinner last night. it was fun.

(i had to keep reminding myself that they see me as being really old - even though i'm sure i only graduated from their same university a couple of years ago...!)

anyway, i got asked The Question...

so, Dee, what do you do now? just looking after the kiddos?

(yep. you know the one) i actually surprised myself - instead of being indignant and offended by the question, i was actually totally confused and stumped by his question. what do you mean, "what do i do?" the clean house...? the meal...? the kids...? huh? isn't it OBVIOUS what i do??

honestly, for a moment i was completely baffled. then i remembered he was just a kid (didn't you *hate* being called a "kid" when you were 18/19!! haha) and what clue did he have.

i smiled kindly at him and said, yep, i look after the kids and let him off the hook.

sweet kid...at least he asked.

maybe i should just get this and run through it with the next person who asks :)

a freebie

click on image for larger size. print.

instant "art".

you're welcome :)

i kid myself!! haha

My Ty

last night JR made me a delicious coffee. one problem - it was a double shot. as a result, me (and the baby, cos i fed him when he stirred around 10pm) were wide awake til midnight.

Ty was heavy on my heart so i got up (with the baby!) and wrote some thoughts down...

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Meet Ty (thanks to his almost-2-year-old sister when he was born, he is now known as Ty Boy by almost everyone)

Ty is my son who is an absolute mystery. he doesn't fit any labels. he is constantly behaving completely opposite to the moment before. to be honest, i don't often "get him".

and this is what has been so heavy on my heart...the power i hold...to choose to accept him as he is even though i don't entirely understand him.
or not.
and it's terrifyingly clear to me how it'll all pan out if i continue to interact with him with frustration and exasperation.

his dad already knows and lives this. he totally accepts Ty as he is and Ty is so confident and secure in his presence.

during my caffiene-induced reflection, it suddenly dawned on me what it was that makes me so desperate to change him...
a fear that people (his peers and adults alike) won't like him.
specifically, that everyone will eternally be annoyed by his quirky personality and not want to be friends with him.

as a mother, i have so much power to do good in his life (and, equally, to do bad!)
to accept him as he is
to love him entirely and without condition
to support him as he learns wisdom
to allow him the freedom to mature at his own pace
to be his soft place to fall.



and though it's often the last thing i *feel* like giving, i know Ty needs (and responds) to kindness and graciousness. getting in his face is totally counter-productive.

My dear son,

i love you so much, my heart breaks for you. you often have to learn the hard way.

forgive me for not always being your soft place to fall and for my impatience at your immaturity. i am excited to see you grow and mature into a man.

i promise i will continue to train you, but i have given your heart over to God. only he is able to change your heart's desires and motivations.

and above all - know this with certainty, that even if there is no one else, your family will always accept and love you without condition.

team rolston would be mega-dull without you.

i love you my Ty.

(pics from date night with dad on tuesday night)

happy mailbox

a few weeks ago, stella from the golden adventures of a very dark horse organised a craft-it-round craft swap.

it is better than my birthday!

i keep getting these delightful handmade treats in the mail...

Allana ( high maintenance hippy) sent these gorgeous cards (which are far too yummo to actually send to someone else!) with handmade envelopes and a sweet little pack of 'vintage tape'....i adore~~

then, a couple of days later, this lovely handmade shopping bag from Frith (who, as far as i can sleuth is the sister of Hanna at craftykin? please correct me if i'm wrong)

i love the upcycled fabric and the message on the bag is oh-so-true! :)

and the best news is, there's still more to come~~~

bribery & babies

can you believe there are 100 people who "like" my facebook page?? i can't. i thought i'd maybe get about 15 if i was lucky!! seriously astounded. (of course, there is nothing quite like a little bribery marketing to boost the numbers is there? :) )

and so...i present to you:

The Tiny Eyes Lucky-Liker Dip Giveaway

one facebook liker will be randomly chosen at 10am tomorrow (17th June) and will get to "dip" from one of the 3 choices above....

it's gonna be gooooOOOood! very excited.

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and if it's the 17th tomorrow, that means it's the 16th today and that means this guy is SIX MONTHS OLD!!!

was this really 6 months ago?

paintingettes

well, hello there friend!

the last few nights i've given up sewing dolls for painting them instead.

there is something so soothing about painting with watercolours. i've really enjoyed getting to know how they work.

i've done 6 tiny paintings so far - (paintingettes i shall name them) - will reveal when done. yay!

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PS i have vowed to run another giveaway on my facebook page if i can get 100 "likers". 6 to go... it's gonna be a gooooodie :)

kids art class - near and far objects

i have decided to feature an "art class" every so often.

here's one i did with the kids last week.

1. we looked out the window and discussed the size of objects near and far.

things that are closer seem larger, things that are further away seem smaller.

2. after running outside between rain showers and collecting 3 leaves each, i had them draw one so that it looked very close to the viewer - so close that it was going off the page.

then smaller (further away), then even smaller (even further away).

they drew these with black Sharpie pen (doesn't run when wet!)

3. then i had them draw some leaves with white pencil crayon in the background.

4. then, using autumn-y colours, they painted in the leaves using watercolours.

5. after this was completely dry, we painted the background dark grey - mega glee when the white leaves magically appeared :)

i think my 4 year old did great. don't you? later that day he came and showed me a picture he'd found in a magazine of a row of cars - the cars in the foreground were so big they were partially out of the picture, and the ones further away were tiny. he was so excited: "we learnt about this today!"

happy monday xo

what dreams are made of:

i would love to do this one day. (it could be a great distraction for when the kids leave home! )

introducing, moomah.

they say:

The creative process is a way for parents and children to deepen their conversation and find starting points for new dialogue. Therefore our intention is to help you and your child co-create artworks that you will not only cherish but want to display.

oh, yes please!

the space also includes:
- a cafe where wholesome food served in a fun way, in the most gorgeously decorated interior.
- an art gallery (with decent art)

so, if anyone is downtown new york sometime, please visit for me!!

oh, and check out their fun create area you can do online for FREE

make my week #23

this ex-hamilton city library book caught my eye at an op-shop a few weeks ago and when i went back on tuesday it was still there so i knew it must've been waiting for me! :)

the illustrations are fascinating. gesso paint on boards of plywood.

and the story/poem is just gorgeous.

perfect for a bunting for a little boy's room (corner) don't you think?

the easiest bunting i've ever made!

i cut a triangular template, picked the best pics and parts of the poem, cut them out with a craft knife then sewed a ribbon across the top. easy-peasy!

and the coolest thing? no other little boy in the world has one the same :)

scarf how-tos

(by request)

the weave

fold in half around neckover n under

under n over

ta da!

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also

the bohemian

and

the cowl

like a regular tied scarf but with the tied part hiding behind the roundy part, which has been pulled over the tied part. (i know, my instructions are clear.as.mud!)

xo