Live, Love and Laugh – The Blog

I have been busily working away in my craft studio reviving my love of Encaustic Art.

For those that don’t know, Encaustic Art is working with wax.  For me, this means using an iron (think travel size here, not household!) instead of a paintbrush, and using wax blocks for colour.  I melt the wax onto the iron plate and voila – pictures are formed.

I decided to take part in a few challenges to get me back into the groove of things.  The first is the Three Muses challenge.  This week the challenge is “Time”.  I made a gothic arch using rubber stamping and encaustic art.

Time Flies By

The next challenge I took part in was Sunday Postcard Art, where the theme this week is Flourishes.  All entries have to be 6″ x 4″ in size.

Again, I used rubber stamping and Encaustic Art.

Magical Kingdom

I made a couple of “Twinchies” – which are 2″ x 2″ pieces of art.  The first was made for the Small World of Inchies an Twinchies challenge Blog – the theme this week is Purple.

The Raven

The next Twinchie I made was for the Awfully Big Art Adventure challenge, which this week is Glitzy and Glitter.  I don’t have any “practical to use on a Twinchie” type glitter, all ours have huge flakes.  So I used sparkly gold wax instead to give it a bit of a glimmer and glitz.

Soaring Love

Whilst I was playing, I made a few more things just for fun.  This is a “Skinny” (3″ x 5″) and the whole picture was made using an iron and wax.

Idyllic Dream

I made a Bookmark and an ATC

Snowy Mountains

The Windy City

Thanks for visiting, I hope you like what you’ve seen

My day started quite well with the arrival of a pair of “Killah” boots I bought from a seller on Ebay.  I was a little worried about them fitting, but did think that Chelsea would soon nab them off me if they were too small for me.  Besides, at just £1.70 (yes, you read that right!) it wasn’t too much of a risk to take was it? 

Anyway, they fit perfectly and are sooooo comfy, so I’m a happy bunny.  They are leather, and have a great grip on the soles – perfect for dog walking in icy weather to make a change from my wellies or DMs.  

After nipping out to run a necessary errand, I arrived home to wait the return of Chelsea.  She has stayed the past 3 nights at my parents house.   It’s amazing how the dynamics of the household really change when one of the children are missing, it just doesn’t feel right somehow.   I do like to have all of my brood back safely under my wing, I’m such a mother hen *grin*.

With Chelsea back home and my dad fed, watered and returned back to whence he came, the children and I sat and did some reading together.  Upon completion, the children got on with their individual project work.  Chelsea is putting together a “Famous People File”, and today she was looking at Ghandi.  Tiegan was doing work for her animal file, hedgehogs being her chosen theme for today (again!).  Joseph was reading lots about World War 2.  He retains so much information with ease, it always astounds me.  Callum flittered from room to room, drawing, reading with me, playing on the laptop, or making a mess playing with lego.

I had a nice bit of news today that gave me one of those “proud mummy moments” . Apparently, Chelsea was able to help my mum with her crosswords whilst she was staying there.  Why does this make me so proud?  Well, as much as I love my mum, she is also a frantic worrier and my biggest critic.  She has made it very clear that she thinks home-education is a bad thing, and has gone so far as saying that my children will only ever be clever enough to work at the check of a local supermarket.  Now, I do hope that comment doesn’t offend any readers out there.  I myself, would still be incredibly proud of my children if they were happy and chose to work in a supermarket.  It wouldn’t bother me in the slightest as they would still, I’m sure, be incredible human beings.  But obviously, we all have high aspirations for our children and wish them to be successful and financially secure without stress or worry.  Upon hearing such derogatory comments about their (in her eyes) “future failures” doesn’t do me any favours on my wobbly “Eeeeek, am I doing the right thing???!!!” days which I’m sure many fellow home-educators will sympathise with.   Anyway, after successfully answering one question (and apparently, my mother questioned it’s correctness and consulted the dictionary – only for Chelsea to be proved right *grin*), Chelsea was asked to help a few more times and was able to answer each.  My mum then went on to say how clever Chelsea is, but not only that, she also said how clever all of my children are, complimenting their individual strengths,  so I’m chuffed, so very chuffed!  It feels like a battle almost won.

I want to take a moment to change subject completely now and introduce “Stanley”.   Stanley found us and decided he would like to stay.

Actually – he wandered into our garden, where Kira (dog) found him and decided he was her new playmate.    Luckily my son saw her chasing something around frantically, and called me before any damage was done.  I managed to catch the rabbit and put him in a spare cage.  We did all the usual thing – putting up found posters, calling vets and animal rescue centres, etc etc, but no one came forward to claim the poor little fella.  So he kinda stayed put.  The children called him Stanley, as coincidentally at the time, we had borrowed a book from the library that had the saying “He’s not bunny wunny – he’s Stanley” (which I only seem to be able to say in a ridiculously stupid accent for some reason).   Anyway, cutting a long story short – Stanley has now taken up residence in our garden.  He hated being in a hutch.  He detested it more than I have ever seen before – growling, kicking, biting.  He became ultra protective of his food bowl, not allowing anyone near it.  We tried putting him on the lawn in a run, but it was traumatic for both us and him when trying to pick him up!  He bit, fought, kicked and scratched with such viciousness, it had to be seen to be believed.  One evening, when trying to get him from run to hutch, he escaped.  We tried in vain to catch him, but just ended up exhausting ourselves and terrifying the little fella.  So, we left the hutch open and left him to it.  Our garden is pretty large, and fully secure, so he couldn’t escape with any ease.  His hutch is fully prepared for him at all times – fresh bedding, hay, food and water is on offer should he choose to accept it.   He does go in it for food and water, but much prefers to make his own homes – currently the compost heap, the conifer trees and bushes, and under the tree that was once a great shelter but is now losing it’s leaves at an alarming rate in this wind – are the chosen spots for burrowing.   Kira has now accepted his presence, and pretty much leaves him be now.  And he himself is so much happier!  He now allows himself to be stroked and petted, and often follows us around the garden to see if we have any offerings for him.  He is now an ultra cute bunny, and a pleasure to have around.   We just have to work on the picking up bit – I dread the time veterinary treatment may be needed….

I have had a busy day today – a good one though so musn’t complain.   It started off with a visit to the Orthodontist with Chelsea (eldest dd).  She has a fixed brace fitted and it needed to be checked over.  Chelsea spent last night at my parents house, so it was a case of having to arrange for them to meet me in town so I could get Chels to the appointment, then hand her back over to them afterwards (at her request I should add!)  My children often spend a night or two at my parents, I think they enjoy the individual attention that they are able to get.  My parents are both retired now and just potter around their home most days – the children add a zest to life.  Anyway, I digress.  The appointment went very well, they are pleased with the progress with the brace, and the oral hygiene got a tick, so I’m a happy mummy.

Whilst out and about, I took the opportunity to pop into a newish shop that I have fallen in love with.  I bought these *ahem* rather bright and stripy knee high socks last time I was there.   Don’t you just love bright and cheery things when it’s cold, damp and dreary weather?  Anyway, it’s tough if you don’t really as I treated myself to two more pairs today *grin*.  My (already large) collection of overknee socks is growing bigger, and I love it.  The lady that runs the store is just stunning.  She is one of those people that thoroughly intrigue me.  Her whole look is fantastic.  It is difficult to judge her age (but I’d guess she is of older years…), but I love her dress sense, and I long to find out more about her background.  Definitely a person that you take notice of as she walks into the room.  She is very kind and complimentary too – which is always welcome   Telling me today that I had a “lovely pair of legs”, and that I was “very with it”.  I like her lots *grin*.  She has always admired my pink Dr Martens when she sees me wearing them too, so she had already won me over long ago!

Chelsea loves the shop too as it sells her type of clothing.  I won’t give her a label as such, but she does tend to like the “goth” and “emo” type of clothing.  Black, skulls, chains, you know the kind of thing.    Lots of things will be going on Chelsea’s Christmas wish list from there I’m sure.

I popped around a few other shops, but it was more just browsing than buying.  I did treat myself to a new nail varnish colour (Me Me Me brand – colour known as Splish Splash if anyone is remotely interested).  It looks a little like this on my nails.

I quite like it

For those that don’t know – I am an avid nail varnish fan.  Often I am found wearing an array of colours, a different colour on each nail, just because I can   I’m such a kid – and have no intention of growing up just yet thank you.

I treated myself to a magazine – well, more of a book really.  It is about Knitting and Crochet, two crafts that I am determined to do more of in the coming months.    As well as very easy to understand instructions and tutorials, it is packed with patterns, so it was worth ever penny of its £4.99 price tag.  Watch out for makes coming to a blog near you soon…

Once home, I did what every girl should do and pampered myself – well ok, I painted my nails to try out the new polish – after making lunch, doing the dishes, preparing dinner, playing on the wii with Callum, then cleaning out the rabbit hutch!    The varnish is meant to last for 5 days, so we shall see.  I have never had a polish live up to it’s promises yet – will this one be different? 

I spent much of the afternoon playing around with the new website.  Don’t ask me why I chose the name – live love and laugh – I just liked it, wanted it, and took it.  I love designing websites, and always play around with them for ages, so don’t expect it to look the same when you next visit!  Over the coming weeks you will see lots more content being added – crafts, recipes, tutorials, allsorts.  If you like that sort of thing, you won’t ever be bored.  It will be updated daily (as will this blog) so make sure you come back and visit soon – oh, and tell your friends.  New visitors will be made most welcome with tea and cake for all *grin*.