Sky, Faces, Flowers

A great big kiss in the sky over school today, created as we watched!
I started a new online class with Misty Mawn at the weekend-more faces-but learning new techniques too. She is a good teacher. Lots of ideas to try and good advice. The main technique is not one at all-more of a policy-keep practising! This week we are working on pencil and charcoal portraits and I have done a few so far-this is my first one-from a photo of Lily Cole. The pretty red rose is no more-I over watered it, it had no drainage, and it died! I was a little put out, but it did give to the end with these dried flower heads. What is their colour? It is not quite purple-maybe maroon.
Mauve Muscari. (Reminds me of Vulturi!) I needed calming flowers when I came home last night as I had to speak in front of a meeting of four different schools-at short notice I might add! We are taking part in something called The London Challenge, which is a project to raise attainment in writing (well I think it is in general but our group has chosen to work on writing) We had to meet in our phase (age) groups, then feed back the key points from our discussion (which I also had to chair-ha ha-luckily they were all very nice) Honestly, I thought I was going to cry and half way through actually said "Sorry, I'm a little bit nervous!' Apparently I didn't sound as bad as I felt-or were they just being kind?! The other three teachers from my school who had to do it too all said they felt the same but who knows. I was speaking in front of about 60 people! I know I am banging on a bit but it was traumatic. I was pleased with myself afterwards though and I enjoyed the applause! (sympathy applause?!)
Face number two-drawn from a photo of a really beautiful girl who I have distorted somewhat. I liked doing her lips!

I needed calming flowers when I came home tonight too-the nursery felt like chaos this afternoon-lots of new children still settling in so lots needing extra reassurance and help-but they then have to be ignored for a while when other children have run into metal poles, had accidents (euphemism for pooing on the floor then trying to clear it up with a whole pack of toilet tissue then walking half of it over the floor!), had more accidents (euphemism for weeing), need help to wee, undo belts, do up shoes, turn on computers, share cars and so on. By the time it got to home time I felt exhausted! So I came home early, looked at the flowers, had a bath, did some work and then did the last drawing below. What a day!
Isn't her lacy headdress beautiful? This is my first go at a three quarter view. I like how my drawing came out but I can see how the eye on the right is not quite-right! I often hold drawings up in the mirror to see them better and looking at a photo of the drawing can help too.
Roll on the weekend. I am driving to Rugby on Saturday to pick up a 60s Bungalow I bought on eBay for £10. Not a full sized one obviously. I don't know what comes over me-well I kind of do-I read an article in Elle Decoration about this woman designer who had done up a dolls house with miniature wall papers and other amazing things. It inspired me and made me WANT ONE! There will be pictures sometime I expect.

P.S. Here is a link to Interior Divine, which has an article on the house I mentioned-it is by Emily Chalmers, owner of London shop Caravan. Visit this page even if you miss the rest out!

Two Quick Things

A Daddy Long Legs found by C. today in Forest School. She was being ever so gentle and was stroking it! I have never looked at one so closely before and thought it was beautiful. It had such lovely greeny browns on its back and delicate lacy wings. I saw a small but horrible drama involving one of these last week. I was collecting the milk from the gates and was surprised by a rapidly flying thing landing on the ground nearby. My first thought was that it was a wasp spider! That's what it looked like. When I looked closely I could see that it was a DLL brought down in mid-air by a wasp which was then grappling with it and killing it as I watched. I did wonder whether to stomp on them but decided I should not interfere-and the wasp was very quick and efficient.

This is part of Maisy's drawing of Mummy (and other family members) today. I love the eyelashes!

Shadow Shot Sunday and children's art

Today was hot, hot , hot and then, as so often happens after this kind of day, there was a massive thunder storm. It was great! We all gathered in the bedroom, opened the blinds and turned off the lights. The storm was most entertaining although Lily thought it was a bit too scary to stay on top of the bed for long, and soon disappeared under it. Tiger is made of sterner stuff! Here are her ears in shadow against the window. This shot is from a few weeks ago. It was another lovely day and I had the urge to visit my favourite church around here-St Nicholas in Deptford, after work. We used to live near here and found this church when on a bike ride. It is just off the main road. It is very near to the river and we used to visit a bit of the shore near here. Over the years I have lived here it has changed around there a lot-new flats, the shore is closed off and there are even more developments springing up all the time despite the recession. But this church remains as lovely as ever.

This plaque commemorates Christopher Marlowe who was murdered in Deptford. He is buried in the churchyard in an unmarked grave

I have included my bike as it is a reminder to myself to get it ready to ride on Wednesday as the car is going for its annual MOT and general replace and repair session. It will be missed but is a good reason to get on my bike!
Lichen on one of the cut branches from last week's tree work-which I have not actually mentioned but it was most exciting! There are little shadows if you look closely!

Last of all this week is my plasticene man. I was really pleased with him and even more pleased when one of the children made her own version.

This is Jessica's painting-we were using cotton buds to paint (good for hand muscle development you know!) but this was Thursday and that had lost its attraction. Hand and finger painting is always so much fun! I thought the effect she got looked like the sky in one of those beautiful renaissance paintings with angels and other religious imagery.This is a boat that Bobbie made for me. I put the boat on my wall as promised but it looked empty. The next day I asked her to make me a person to go in the boat and here he is! He has special little cut out purple buttons. I think it goes well on the polka dot wall and the face looks like the sun. It is making me think of the owl and the pussycat.

Visit HeyHarriet here to see shadow shots from all over the place!