Tiny Drawings

Tonight after dinner we were drawing, and Tiny asked me to draw a princess as an extension of her drawing. So I complied with the above drawing. I know. Married to an artist. And clearly no skill with a texta myself. The shame. THE SHAME.

Anyway, Tiny came over to review my drawing and looked agog and aghast. Then started screaming blue murder before careening off to her bedroom.

Ouch. My drawing was THAT bad. Who'da thunk it?

The Doctor then asked if he could have a look at it and review why Tiny was so upset about it. He promptly added in the broomstick. Made sense really. 

Clearly they are NOT Louboutins. The dress is not Lanvin. But clearly my 4 year old believes I should start taking some drawing lessons pronto.

Then I had to cut off the offending princess from the rest of the drawing. Hence the above cut out. Totes awkes.

Have you ever flunked your 4 year olds art task, I ask?

Really Exciting News

This is my husband.

His name is Matt.
Sometimes known as PottyMouthPapa.
By day he's a father and a picture framer and about to become a secondary art teacher.
By night he's an artist.

And the super good news is that he's a Dobell Prize for Drawing finalist.

So super duper proud. And excited. And proud. And excited.

Pencil It In

We've kept doing our pencil + drawing time in the evenings, every other night, under the guidance of our artist-in-residence, the Doctor.

He rallies the pencils and paper, and gets everyone to sit down for drawing time. It's so good for our family life.

Particularly when everyone's been feeling pretty low, and we can't seem to shake these lurgies, to stay sitting down together post-dinner, and just hang out drawing, it's fun. Good for the spirits. Good for the soul. Anything's that's good for the soul is just fine by me.

Have you been busy creating? Soul-enriching? Do tell. Spill.

Caught In The Rain

Weekends. Ah weekends. How I love you!

Yesterday we went to the beach, hung out on the sand, enjoyed some time just the three of us. Bliss.

Today we went to see my MIL for her birthday. Then came home. Did a frenzied "tidy" of the house - and when I say "tidy" the term is very, very loose - but you can now see we have floor. We went walking in the afternoon - a brave move, the Doctor on his bike, everyone else walking. And of course, on our return trip, it bucketed down. Thunder cracked. Sheet lightning. The works. Tiny cried. I carried Tiny under the umbrella, like a koala. The Doctor kept riding his bike. Matt was soaked. We all were soaked. But it was fun. And funny.

And this weekend we kicked off a new family tradition. I've been feeling out of the loop on family life for a while now. Struggling to get involved. Exhausted by my four days of work, sad that I'm missing out, desperate to still be in touch with my smalls.

So I picked up my copy of Amanda Soule's 'The Creative Family'. I'm no Soulemama, but when I need some inspiration - who am I gonna call? And it ain't the Ghostbusters.

Our new family tradition is one that was picked up with gusto and the Doctor has already asked to do it every single night. Halleluljah! We sat and did family drawing for 45 minutes. So. Much. Fun. I can't wait to reprise this as often as possible.

WINNERS::

These peeps should email me (lexipmm (at) gmail (dot) com) ASAP to receive their tickets to the Powerhouse Discovery Centre. Hope to see you there!

- Permanently Twenty Three

- Aneets: Meandering Through Motherhood

- Lisa Tilse: The Red Thread

- Sarah at The Super Whites

- Sarah at ChoccyBangles

Outside In The Afternoon

In the afternoons, of late, Tiny and I have been making hay while the sun shines and getting our art on.

This means we arm ourselves with a wad of paper and a clutch full of textas, head outside to our grotty but ever so-cool table (that I coincidentally found on the side of the road) and draw the sunlight away.

And every so often I click through a row of stitches.

This is Matt's scarf that's been in the works since last year. At this rate I will be churning out a scarf a year? Yep. Seems that way. I am sloooow.

And This Is The Day I Catch Up

I've had the Doctor home all week sick with a cold and fever. I'm sick with a cold and fever. I'm sick of being sick. And when we've been going out people have said "Oh have you lost your voice?" Yeah no I always talk like a teenage boy whose voice is breaking.

Earlier in the week I asked a car wash man how much to wash our car. Apparently $180. I'd pay that if Jessica Simpson washed it wearing her Daisy Dukes, but not when the car park is in our local shopping centre and about 200 ninjas descend on the car for a thorough wash. Who pays $180? Not me. I'll get my own Turtle Wax and wash the darn thing myself. In Daisy Dukes.

Matt's been painting. I've been unpacking what seems to be a mass of neverending boxes. The only thing worse than packing is unpacking. Especially unpacking those boxes I packed towards the end of packing when I was completely over packing and literally just chucked everything in there. Does everyone do that sort of special packing or is that just me?

Oh and that illo up there is by my charming husband of me.

Anyway. Weekend. What are your plans?

Pretty Things

Thank you for everyone who voted in the polls. The decision has been made, and it wasn't easy. I am a hopeless decision maker, and throwing it open made it even more difficult. But I do thank you for helping me, because I was swayed by the voters - and thanks for those who said try again - I didn't. Well I did see yet another dress that tore at my heart strings, and if I had an endlessly replenished wallet, I would buy all three. Alas, I will have to wait until I win lotto (must be my turn soon, yes?). Eating is overrated anyway, right kids?? Right?! The Doctor even told me a couple of times to just buy them all (probably hoping that it would end the boredom of being in frock shops).

I sometimes read/look at The Selby. Though sometimes not, because let's face it, I could get lost over there for hours looking at all those beautiful homes. Sometimes I just need to get offline and get real. It's true. Shocking but true. All those gorgeous couples with gorgeous houses. And what always strikes me is: how do people meet?

I think I've posted previously how Matt and I met. Actually, yes, yes I did, and here's the link here if you feel like tripping down memory lane.

How did you meet your lover?

Today the Doctor and I have been doodling together. Sometimes we free-style it, sometimes we're inspired by stickers and then we draw scenery to go with them.

I've also been:

- washing the bed linen

- burning pine nuts

- grocery shopping

- listening to Parallel Lions

- watched Beautiful Kate

Please feel free to inspire me.

Things and Things

I've been doing some things lately.

Such as:

1. I packed the Christmas decorations away. Funny that no one else wanted to be involved in this, after so much enthusiasm to get them out, no one else wanted to neatly put them away.

2. Tidying up our house which amongst other things means going through my wardrobe and tossing things that I don't wear. Easier said than done. I've only gotten rid of two t-shirts so far.

3. The Doctor and I have been chalk drawing.

4. Writing thank you notes.

5. Avoiding the sun. While I enjoy warm-ish days, super hot days just aren't my thing.

6. Sleeping. Is it just me, or is everyone feeling super tired? I feel as though someone's drained the life out of me.

7. Bright Star. Be still my beating heart. John Keats, Fanny Brawne, Jane Campion. What a stellar mix. This is one film I WILL go back to see again. And again. And again. I'll write more about it tomorrow.

And I have a giveaway coming up later this week for my US readers. So stay tuned!

Drawings:: China Heights Gallery

Drawing

a duck - see the bill? wild!

We gave the Doctor a chalk marker to draw on the windows. Some people might think we're asking for trouble, grooming our own little graf artist, but we see it as a little art gallery in our house. He's been decorating the windows madly drawing us, the dog, the cat, the ducks. Oh man. Do you know how exciting it is to see his figurative work evolve? Damn exciting. I love those little figures. In fact, I am hooked on them. I am always asking him to do me artworks because they are so damn clever.

On another front, how beautiful is this new clip from Sia? Shadow play and sign language, colour and cool. She's a clever AUSSIE gal. I know you love it. And this old clip is one of my all time favourites.

A Week of Super Freaky Happy Happy

Mikes is hosting 'A Week of Happy'. Go over, say hi to Pip and join in, beat the grey cloud that seems to be lingering over our pretty world, beat it back with a big rainbow of happy things.

I've got plenty to make me happy. I might have to post a year of happy.

Today. What makes me happy?

My little dude's drawings. We sit and draw together. It's such fun. I always have requests for train drawings, then I can branch off into free-styling. I love asking him about his drawings.

Other things that make me happy:

- seven weeks 'til Christmas - go stock up on super cute presents now!
- it's sunny. It's beautiful. The birds are chirping. The lizards are coming into our house (gulp!) but luckily The Doctor catches them and pops them back out into the garden
- the big fat slab of vanilla cake I baked last night (mmmm)

What makes you happy?