Oh dear. I have five scribbled blogposts floating around. Well, not full blogposts or anything. More like, ideas, thoughts, possibilities that could, had I a few more hours sleep, an extra finger to type and less children, possibly fashion them into a coherent few sentences. Paragraphs, even.
But a week and a half of teething, coughing, snots and a heck of a lot less sleep has been problematic for these fantasy blogposts.
(Sick babies need lots of reading to… and our smallest who, on recovering, took to mastering the art of climbing steps. Now her favourite place to perch!)
So… In order to try keep the cobwebs from settling (and because I have found, when I leave it too long, days become weeks and sometimes even months: hence I’m trying to check in at least once a week, if only to say hello!), this is what’s happening around here. It’s likely to be rather short due to my excuses written all above; and because I have one small baby on my knee doing her best to type this for me.
I chopped my hair off. As in, I chopped it off myself, using this super tutorial. It’s very layer-y which is great, because I am unfortunately suffering from a case of post-baby new-hair growth which has manifested itself in alarming tufts of hair growing straight up at my temples. I’m hoping that there are so many layers going on here, that the tufts will be genius-ly disguised as though they are meant to be so. Do I sound like the lady doth protest too much? (Yes, yes, I know …and after all that, Fergal doesn’t think it looks any different. Sniff) (And photos, you say? Ah, now, don’t be ridiculous. Besides, I look particularly insane in any of the selfies (an art, I tell you) that I tried to take of my handiwork)
I had great and numerous intentions and resolutions for the new year. Then babies got teeth and sick and didn’t sleep and so I’ve resolved to do as much as I can, when I can. And when I can’t, I won’t dement myself lamenting my lack of doing (even when I’m bursting a gut to do something -anything!- vaguely creative)
I’ve been making another art-doll; this one has been a long time in the making, and there are body parts of many more littering the house. I received some “Creative Paperclay” as a present for Christmas, and it has been a revelation. I’ve tried many paperclays, this stuff is brilliant. Worthy of a blogpost (which will be forthcoming, I promise) (also photos: wee babe is now attached to boob and I can’t find the (obviously fantasy) photos I had taken)
Michael has been making little felt figures all over Christmas. They are fantastic, the detail is wonderful. He spends entire days sewing and cutting and drawing patterns (so Liam and Grace can make their own versions) Our days (pre-sick babies) were very art-productive for all of us. Bliss. Wooden blocks have made a return, and the floor is a constant obstacle course of towers, Colosseums, and the omnipotent baby-wrecker…
I made these journals as a limited print-run for my friends this Christmas. I am super-pleased with how they have turned out and have been really enjoying filling mine in. At the start of every month, which folds out as the monthly calendar, there is a page to write all your “inspiration, plans, hopes, dreams, intentions” This year I want to be more proactive in writing down my intentions, gratitudes, dreams. It will be interesting to see what transpires over the year!
(These, let me add, were one of my “great ideas”: a gift that I could make several of, and because I was getting them printed, would be time efficient. I didn’t take into account how long it would take me to decorate each page individually (why do things by halves, says I) and how long it would take to collate, ring bind and fold pages in: this was a family effort, over many nights…)
We had snow! Real snow, the first this winter. Many snowmen were made. The hens didn’t know what to make of it. It was great!
So now, I will finish up: I think I will announce at the start of all my future blogposts that they are likely to be short… As evidenced here, my capacity to waffle an entire blogpost with armies of children, no extra fingers and meagre amounts of sleep, knows no bounds…
Well now I am definitely up to speed with all your goings on. I am always so jealous when I see or hear you being creative, and your little ones all following in your footsteps,(and big ones)
I love your journals, they look fantastic. Are you going to sell them in the future?
Sick babies or not, your whole family from tots to teens just seem to radiate creativity. Tell me, are they patient with omnipotent baby wrecker? If I had another few kids would it diffuse the situation because I feel like I’ve spent the last couple of weeks keeping toddler from Lego/robotic wooden dinosaurs/meccano/boardgames with many pieces and breaking up fights over the above.
Thank you Tric 🙂 I think I will sell the journals on a pre-ordering basis next year; this year was a test run to see if they worked! (And yes, I think they did. I even surprised myself)
Oh Jill… Mostly patient, because she crows in glee and claps her hands and they all melt… But!! There have been “situations”… I try, when there’s any serious work/building being done, to get them to do it on a tray so we can move it quickly, out of reach. But, there have been tears and lego towns trounced (by the bulldozing 3year old) so I keep reminding them that that’s the “joy” of Lego: you can re-build!! (They aren’t really buying that line though)
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Delicious as ever Emily. I’m in awe of what you achieve surrounded by children.
The journals look amazing. I’m already looking forward to your next post x
What a wonderful post for such a “short” one! I am in awe of all the creativity and oh my those diaries look and sound amazing.
Gorgeous post as always, Emily. I so love the scenes of your children around the table working on their own projects and so obviously full of creativity. It’s something I’m always trying to orchestrate here, but the smaller participants are not always as interested as I’d like them to be! I’m excited to see your next art doll!
Your house is a hive of creative activity. I have tonnes of stuff I am BURSTING to get to.
Lovely, lively post. Enjoyed every second from cuteness perched on the step to chickens in snow! You still get my award for most appropriately named blog ever! Hope everyone is feeling better soon x
Those journals are bee-yoo-tee-ful! I want! Love your art style so much. Hope everyone is on the mend. Cannot believe you cut your own hair, is there no end to your talents? 😀
Emily, loved your post… BUT I want my money back! I clicked on thinking you had made waffles and thought there would be lovely virtual photos of food over which I could salivate. xxx
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