Shine

Winter sunshine is my favourite kind. Cassie agrees. This photo has a name-I name most of the photos used on my blog and find myself using the same unimaginative ones over and over again-which I suppose shows my interests. I keep photos on my desktop until I have used them, or decide not to, and the names help me find them quickly. This one has been on there for ages waiting to be shown. It is called 'Goldeneye'. I loved the way that Cassie's eyes are almost the same colour as the gold part on the cushion behind her. This picture is the odd one out, as there is nothing shiny about it. It is a very mundane subject but one I love. It is the sponges we use to clean up in the creative area at work-the area with the paints, playdough, collage, water and sand, amongst other things. When I have finished the last bit of tidying in this area at the end of each day, and then the end of my week there (we work in a four weekly rota of areas to set up and work in), I rinse out the sponges in hot water, squeeze them, line them all up the same way around then squeeze them into their wire holder. I love things to be neat and tidy-though you wouldn't believe it sometimes, and like the subtle changes of colour in the sponges. There is something to enjoy in the tiniest of tasks if you look hard enough! The texture I have used is one of Kim Klassen's and is called 'Embrace' which is quite appropriate for the subject. Looking again, I see that the wire is shiny.

This morning it was icy on the rubber matting outside, so I had to go to fetch rock salt from the other playground. The frost was glistening in the sun on top of the bin, making this quite ugly object quite beautiful.

Autumn loveliness and circles

Autumn is my favourite season I think, as I love the grey days, and when the sun does come out everything sparkles and glows. This morning we had thick frost-so thick that I was almost late for work, scraping and waiting for it to melt. Then, as I drove down the last hill before work, there was thick fog, where before, at the top, there had been bright sunshine. Then, in the garden, we found iced leaves in the lid of the unused compost bin. (we have a big compost heap so the bin is not needed really)

I know these mosaics will come out tiny on the page, but you can click if you want to see detail. Not that there is much in fog! The frost on the other hand, brought out all the tiny leaves and blades of grass perfectly.

For once I didn't alter anything in photoshop-apart from cropping them a bit. The day was really this colourful!
I am doing a page in my journal everyday-or at least part of a page, after having a long break from doing anything. The first part of today was, as you can see, beautiful. The final part, with even more demands for even more paper work, and some intense discussions resulting from this, was not. It was difficult and not that pleasant. Consequently, I wrote down my negative feelings on the page before this, then drew some circles on this page. There is something about drawing circles that makes me feel relaxed. I love the feeling of it. Big or small, I don't care! The circles reminded me of the rusty section of bed spring-I think from the Thames-that is hanging on the back of the box room door-hence the picture!

I wonder what tomorrow will bring?! Hopefully the chance to finish my 3 billy goats gruff display which I love! The drawings a couple of the children did of the characters are so good.