I had camera woes a few days ago. It suddenly stopped working and I was devastated. Thankfully Google allowed my husband to find the issue and the solution to the problem so a day later, he’d fixed it! What I had wanted to share was some photos of my children and I making our family’s favourite treat. Grapesicles!
They’re so good, the kids love to make them annnd they’re a healthy substitute to ice cream and ice blocks. All you need are some grapes and a packet of skewers. That’s it. Super simple and delicious. It’s also a great way to make the grapes last (my kids take piles of them otherwise) and you don’t end up with any grapes going off if you don’t get to them fast enough.
(Not my image but this is what they look like)
We spent the weekend sorting things out around home. The kids are growing so fast this year, I can barely keep up with them. We go through so many pairs of shoes in this house it’s insane. Out went a pile of clothing to the donation bins and we made a list of the things needing to be purchased.
We discovered one of my favourite pairs of pants for my daughter had been outgrown and so had all of her cute little shorts so because my daughter just seems to grow upwards and never outwards we decided to take those pants and turn them into shorts. I asked if she wanted them long or short and she chose short because she has a lot of longer styled ones. So we chopped off the legs, frayed those edges and now she has a new pair of shorts!
On a side note, That Damn Chicken was dropped off at Jay Jays during Easter week and I got a couple of shots of him in the window for you all to see. If you missed what this is all about you can read it here and here.
I hope all you Mothers out there have had a wonderful weekend. xx
Boston is at a beautiful age right now (20 months). For the most part he’s allowing me to create throughout the day while he ‘draws’ alongside me or just enthusiastically watches. It seems living from such a young age with all my materials around them, my kids have grown into understanding what they are and aren’t allowed to touch so it’s only when they’re extremely young (under one) that I have issues with them touching my projects or products. I’m feeling really grateful that we’re back to a stage where I can trust each kid (for the most part) to not destroy what I’ve got in the works. It’s allowing me to create as often as I want…which is constantly right now. I love it.
So right now I’m working on a few projects and really just experimenting again.
Up next I am part of a fundraiser for the SPCA in an event called The Funky Chicken. You’ll find my creation at Jay Jays on Esk St, Invercargill from the 25th-29th of April (Easter week). After that it’ll be available to purchase via silent auction at H &J Smiths, Invercargill store. On the 22nd of May the sculpture/chicken will be able to be collected/delivered to the highest bidder.
Here is a photo from last week, it’s had a lot of progress made on it since then but I won’t be revealing any more until it’s completed! Exciting 
Right now I am heading in a more loose abstract expressionism direction with my paintings and enjoying the freedom it offers. It might have a lot to do with my absolute despise of being ‘told’ what to do. Everyone has issues, that’s my biggie. My parents would strongly agree I’m sure haha. It runs through into my hatred for people saying what art should look like. There are certain things that make up a good creation but not everyone should use the same techniques and styles. I get really annoyed when I hear people try to argue that someone like Pablo Picasso didn’t make ‘real’ art. Yes, I have in fact heard people talk like this. The art world would stifle if we all stopped listening to our own creative prowess. These two paintings shown are recent creations and I have two complete abstracts in the works that I’ll get to once my deadlines are done.
Below: Forever in my Memories
(excuse the poor photo below – painting currently untitled)
I’m working on a portrait commission of a gorgeous wee girl at the moment too. I forget how much I love to sketch. Hopefully I’ll get her finished this week.
I’m also helping my kids design their ‘dream rooms’. They’re making little models and taking great pride in their designs.
My oldest boys actually share a room so my youngest in the photo is just painting his weet-bix box turned piano hehe. The others were painting and he didn’t want to be left out.
Coming up I have the annual NZAG collaborative project to work on but I haven’t started on that yet. I’ll be sure to share a peek of that when I finally get around to it!
This is what my driveway currently looks like.
You’re Inspiring
I wanted to say thank you to everyone who messaged me and commented the other day on the post about living on less. I was so inspired by you all that I got the ball rolling with my husband, on more ways to save money. I remembered a few months ago a friend of a friend had talked about getting firewood for her family for $5. Of course, this peaked my interest and I asked her for the details thinking that one day I might try it. The day I posted that article we tracked down how to go about getting firewood for $5. We got together with some friends and with their help we rallied up our tribes (10 kids) and by the weekend we were all out in the sun lugging logs onto trailers. The children collected pine cones and I managed to get myself a tan in the process of gathering wood. My poor friends & hubby got sun burnt, who knew having brown skin could have such a good payoff lol.
It gets really cold where we live and in NZ our homes are just not designed to cater to this. Firewood is essential for survival here. The firewood in the picture above, is likely to only last a month at the most. We’ll be back out there this weekend sweating our guts out, working all our muscles. Carrying the wood isn’t the hard part, it was the constant walks back and forth with the logs to the trailer that takes it out of you, although thankfully I felt pretty good the whole time. Not sure how I’ll feel this weekend though because today I’m feeling exhausted.
The place is not a simple, drive in and pack the stacked wood type of place. You find the logs amongst debris, you cut them up, you carry them over branches that stab your legs and through mud and puddles, then you arrange them on the trailer. It’s actually really fun to get your hands dirty. We all have a few scratches now and I just clicked last night why my ankle has been annoying me (I forgot I rolled it in a ditch) but it’s been great bonding time with everyone. I hadn’t done anything like this in years. Since I was a teen! So thank you for reminding me about how to make my money go further and adding in a new way for me to get exercise in. I love it.
Thanks for the free jellytips!
I spent the afternoon out with my kids. Andrew joined us for a few minutes too. We headed into town because yesterday, an invite went around pretty much everyone in NZ’s Facebook page telling them of the place in their town that would be giving away free ice blocks. A jellytip ice block is a kiwi classic, so the place was pretty busy with loyal customers but the crowds moved fast, it was great. They did make us all sing happy birthday though lol.
The cue went around down the street.
Moving through quickly.
Bosco getting his first taste of jellytip ice cream.
Andrew enjoying his.
Me enjoying it a little too much. Hooray for cheat days.
We headed out straight from school, hence the uniforms.
As we were eating the photographer from the Southland Times asked if she could use my kids for a photoshoot.
Where there are crowds, there’s a chance to make some change.
He posed for me but I forgot to take my memory card for my camera! My phone is a bit lagged and I missed the shot.
A street performer that does moves with flags and sticks. My boys liked him.
Even the Mayor of Invercargill came out. Thanks for just for me posing Tim!
We spent the rest of the afternoon at the library. Fun times.
The chicken or the egg?
In this case it’s the chicken. Here’s the very beginning of a chicken leg:
It’s quiet around here today because I’m creating. Thinking of you though I’m busy making my very first recycleart project and it. is. FUN.
Totally inspired by Robert Bradford’s ‘Plastic’ sculptures. I’ve got 2 wardrobes full of old toys to get through so what better way to get rid of them!
