SweetMyrtle

decorating for the holidays

I am lucky that I get to attend tutor evenings from time to time.
As well as keeping up to date with teaching methods and discussing the importance of equality and diversity within our sessions this Friday's meeting gave us a chance to try something new. I think it is so important as a tutor to be a 'beginner' again as it helps us to understand how our students may feel when they first arrive. At this meet the guys from 'the Special branch' showed us how to make willow festive decorations. It was great fun, and my willow star is now on the top of our tree.

this week we have been decking the halls too; our mantle now is feeling wintery, using the clay houses we made a few years ago at a pottery morning. They each have space for a tealight but this year we have used a strip of LED lights to light up the windows, i love how magical it looks. My youngest teen used the tree prunings to add little 'trees and to make them stable we poked each one into a cork.

the tree is up too and decorated with our precious vintage baubles thrifted many years ago and some delicate glass and ceramic decorations bought from  local artists over many Christmasses. To make it a Solstice tree we have added dried orange slices too to represent the sun and have topped it with my rustic willow star.

it is starting to feel wonderfully wintery and festive in our home ...all i need to do now is to finish making the presents!

raspberry red

we are having a busy holiday with lots of trips and fun adventures.

i am also trying to find some time for experimenting and creating. to give me a focus i  have joined Louises creative color challenge.

this week's colour was raspberry red, so i collected lots of scrap fabrics, mono printed up a piece of old sheeting and mixed in a little wool felt and some stitch and created another cuff.

 

i used a lovely old button and a small remnant of saved ribbon for the clasp. the cuff  is very rough with frayed edges and sketchy stitches, a real departure from much of my past work but i am really enjoying the freedom it brings. i have been wearing it everyday since i made it too and now want to make a necklace to match.

today we woke up early and i continued to experiment in preparation for a junk jewelery workshop i am running next week. my youngest joined me and has made me the sweetest bracelet  from plaited scraps of fabric and suffolk puffs. i am now wearing this instead of my raspberry cuff. i will add a photo to my flickr site as soon as i take one.

i love creating alongside the children but it doesn't always happen so easily and finding time to continue to create and to prep for work can be a struggle during the holidays. i have lots of prep to do for our autumn program too which i am slightly anxious about. i am interested to hear how those of you who have small creative businesses manage to balance work and play during the school holidays? do you balance it well , get childcare or try and juggle it all and end up feeling a little stressed?

for more raspberry creations by other participants see the creative color challenge flickr group here

Happy Easter!

i have been taking a wee self imposed break from blogging  whilst i catch up on a few projects and spend a little more time just relaxing and being with my family.

i now have a few weeks off with my girls. it is set to be busy but hopefully will also  be productive with some more sowing and planting  happening in the vegetable garden.

the girls have lots of 'play dates' arranged and i am going to be spending one day of the holiday with my two sisters here...and i cannot wait!

today though we are looking forward to meeting the new doctor and singing along with dorothy.

here's wishing you all a very Happy Easter whatever you have planned... and  finger's crossed that the Easter Hare travels past your garden and leaves you a few treats.

my girls made an Easter Word search for their nanny and granddad's visit yesterday.  i asked if i could post it here and they said yes. so if  you would like to download it please click here... ENJOY!

Download Wordsearch

en vacances...

 

a relaxing week in france with my wee family... it is the first time that we have taken the girls abroad. sometimes it is so good to just breathe in freshness, newness... and observe the wonder of small eyes. my reading companion was this great book by Patti Digh about living intentionally, a perfect complement to the holiday.

we ate crepes, galettes,crusty bagettes and lots of pastries. We paddled in the sea, enjoyed an icecream or two,  walked through beautiful countryside. and chilled out. perfect!

today the girls have been hunting for eggs.. happy easter!