Monday we brought home our precious bundle! and her Aunty and cousins came over for a visit. Then later on another Aunty came to visit.
On the way home from Hospital first car ride
Tuesday we managed a nice quiet day at home, walking the dog was that days greatest effort
On Wednesday l spent the morning watching Aria and Harvey, at the same time my husband had his pre op assessment for his hip replacement in June, and later on Wednesday the midwife Ash, who delivered her came for her first at home check up and she had gained 80 grams back from the 100 grans she’d lost at birth. So that was exciting news.
First midwife appointment Violet with her Sister as a doll! They’re both beautiful dolls!
Thursday my Bloke took me on a date day into Melbourne we caught the train and a tram, he spoilt me with a walk through the laneways full of Art! And then took me to an exhibition called “She oaks and sunlight” Australian impressionist at the National Gallery of Victoria, l hadn’t been there yet so that was a lovely surprise! After the gallery we walked along South Bank and ended up at Crown Casino for Chinese lunch. Then some more art down alleyways. With a stop at Young and Jackson’s Pub, famous in Melbourne. Had a beer and a cider in the roof top bar, checked out the famous art the nude- Chloe on display in the lounge! We ended up walking 17 kms during the day! My poor feet!
Breakfast in bed with a side cuddle of Miss Violet!
Friday- Violet is one week old, sheesh, where did that week go??!
I love the thumbs up symbolism in this photo. “One week old” or “It’s all good”
Today we went to Castlemaine to visit our eldest son Kit and grandom Rafiki who is not feeling very well, but he was happy to see us! The best bit about Autumn is the coloured leaves and so we enjoyed those around Castlemaine. I got a few blog posts done this week and maintained my weeks worth of art for #bloomingmarvellousmay it’s been a week and frankly lm tired!
Today l had one job, to watch Aria and Harvey while my daughter Jasmin went to school to help on Chase’s schools Mother’s Day Stall. The Bloke had a pre op appointment before he gets his hip replacement in June so he dropped me at Jasmin’s house at 8:00am.
I had one job to watch these small people while Jasmin went to school with Chase for a few hours. Put Harvey down for his nap at 11:00am and that was all- easy really.
So we did our usual cuddles and watching their shows, each had a favourite show for me to watch and then we decided to do silly photos!
Grandma and Aria rocking a bouffantHarvey’s bouffant Harvey! Cheese says Aria!!
So Harvey wanted to get into the spirit because we were laughing he wanted to play the clown and so up onto the coffee table and he was dancing.
My Clown boy!
Before l even had time to tell him to get down he fell! Straight into the window, l’ve never run so fast or scaled a coffee table so quickly as l did today. Telling him “Stay still Harvey!” He was so good he just stayed still till l could make sure he wasn’t injured and oh my gosh hugged his little being till l almost crushed him!
All he was worried about was his Mummy would be mad! But l reassured him “Mummy will only be mad at Grandma not Harvey!” l checked him over so thoroughly and made sure he was all in one piece, then l issued Aria orders.. “Where does Mummy keep the vacuum cleaner? Watch the kitten doesn’t go bear the glass, stay over there right away” She was so good showing me where the vacuum was and then showing me how to work it 🤷🏼♀️ in the meantime she’s reassuring Harvey “It’s ok Harvey you’re not in trouble” turned my back for a second the kittens trying to get through the hole, luckily Dookie the dog was on the other side keeping her in. For about 10 minutes it was bedlam! And Jasmin had been gone less than an hour!!
Oops broken windowMy Soul Sister was on duty today as Guardian angel.
My “Clown boy” suddenly became Grandma’s cuddle bunny. Aria was keeping watch on the clock to make sure Harvey was on time for his nap, she had a vested interest she could have her iPad time when he went to bed.
As he snuggled down he asked for his Mummy l said “When you wake up Mummy will be home” he nodded and said “Mummy mad!” No l told him not with my Harvey boy, kissed him and told him “I love you” he grins “Luff you too”
As l made coffee and lunch for Aria it hit me just how badly that might have ended and l told myself “You had just one job!” And l’d messed it up! I also thanked my Soul Sister in spirit for catching him and not letting him be damaged. Luckily my Bloke got home and patched the hole with some MDF panels until we can get a glazier in but then l had to break the news to Jasmin, and pray she wouldn’t yell too loudly!
As soon as Jasmin got home l explained and thankfully none of us got into trouble but l will pay for the glass because they’ve only been in their new home two months and l’ve already let a window get broken!! “You had one job Grandma!”
On other subjects… Baby Violet had her home visit from the midwifery team today and it was Ash who delivered her. When Vi was released from hospital she’d lost 100 grams that was Monday, today is Wednesday and she’s up 80 grams! Yay Violet!! She’s a good baby so far!
My renewed creativity is going well and this months art prompt is “blooming marvellous May,” each day of the month you do a floral piece. I did Violet first so l decided to do each of my seven grandchildren, Chase wasn’t a flower so l did his name and added some Climbing Jasmine to his letter C! Today ironically was Harvey’s day, no flowers or plants called Harvey, so l wrote his name and gave him a floral hibiscus border!!
Harvey and hibiscus!!
I wonder if l’ll be invited back to baby sit again!
I say that so many times for so many reasons. I’m going to try and restart that exercise program (after hurting my back in Jan!) I’m going to try and incorporate more vegetarian/vegan meals in to the menu (apparently the rest of the family’s opinions matter more than mine!) in April I said “I’m going to try and do a monthly Blogging challenge (tick) and a monthly art challenge where you do some form of art for a given prompt. (BIG ✅) not only did l do both the blog and art, I realised how much l’ve missed both of them!
So this month I’m going to try and do both again! So I’ve decided to try #kickinthecreative’s monthly challenge for May it’s called #bloomingmarvellousMay and each day of May you can produce a piece of art, any size, any medium anything goes and you post it and add the hash tag so that the gals Sandra and Tara from Kick in the Creatives can find your work. Some people take photos, some use real flowers in their submissions, some even write poetry on Blooms really anything is open. Does any one want to join me?
My first submission was called “Violet Avonia” these names as previously discussed are family names but l only found out yesterday that apart from Violet being a flower Avonia is a flowering succulent and her surname Campion is a flower as well! We have a bouquet of beautifulness!! So I thought in honor on Violets birth “I’m going to try and paint a Violet” despite only getting three hours sleep and being a bit like a zombie l think this turned out ok!
1st of May submission “Violet Avonia”
Then l wondered about the names of the other grandchildren and how l can make them into works of art for this challenge I’ve got some great plans.. follow along if you like! Today I’ll be creating for Violet‘s big sister Scarlett, then I’ll work my way through the rest of the Grandchildren that gives me a weeks worth of inspiration then l’ll be looking for suggestions so if you have a favourite flower yell out and l’m going to try and do a whole months worth! I’m not saying they’ll all be good! I’m not promising they’ll all be on paper or in water colour or paint, I’m going to try and mix things up!
I’m going to try and get back into regular writing and creating of art because part of me felt lost last year when it all went away! I’m going to try to find my way back!
Of #the100daychallenge l finished a series of 10 postcards.
For my pen pal in QueenslandFor my Pen pal in Germany For my Soul Sister in the US
So l’ve been keeping busy in #lockdown gardening and doing different arty bits and pieces. My Husband has taken to walking with me and we have seen places we didn’t even know existed in our neighbourhood.
Each day (except we forgot today) we take a walking selfie!
On First of June the government is unlocking us to allow us to go camping. I cannot tell you how excited The Bloke and I are!!
We have missed camping. We had to cancel a planned camping trip and my trip to America was cancelled. Hopefully we can reschedule but who knows when overseas travel will reopen. In the mean time Winter creeps closer.
In one of my art groups this months theme was “Nature” so l started a nature junk journal collecting bits n pieces on our daily walks. I had so much fun l plan to do one signature for each of the seasons!
So from my crazy locked up family to yours stay safe and wash your hands 🤪
I’ve been pretty slack with my art this year, so l decided to go for the challenge and l made it fairly loose, “create something for 100 days” but l know me and l know l’d go to the studio and sit there and think “What shall l make?” Which would probably lead to me making nothing and so l sat down and broke the challenge into 10’s.
I called them “Weeks” until l realised there are NOT in fact 10 days in a week… not one of my brighter moments!
Then out of the 10 NOT weeks l chose subjects like “Chakra and Yoga Symbols” there are seven chakras so l added three yoga paintings as well. That was my first “Not a week” series.
This “Not a week” series is “Collages” so l went a step further and broke it down into five subjects and l’ll make two of each. So last night l made “multi coloured collage” that was the second one today l made one of “Stamped images”
Multi coloured CollagesStamped images collage
I am going to use both of these pieces in an upcoming “Not a week” series.
This was the collage that started it all off! My daughter got the idea on Facebook and we ran with it! It looks great framed on the side dresser.
And last night while l was thinking about “What shall l create?!” I made a video of my art studio..
So l can honestly say l am enjoying #The100daychallenge its getting me back into my studio and keeping my mind active!!
I don’t know about y’all but I feel like this year has just flown by. Is it that as we age time slips away or we’re just so busy existing it flits by.
This year I have pretty much done nothing but art! It was my goal for this year to immerse myself into art and it’s paid off when one of the art teachers I am doing a course with commented that she has seen a real growth in my work this year, YAY! I wasn’t imagining it. I am loving that I set myself this goal, my husband brought me a year long art course and I have been working through that, not finished yet, BUT I am have also been signing up for any free class that I could, just to experience new teachers and new types of art, new styles, new supplies, new to me anyways! Some of them have produced really nice pieces and some well, they were free so it didn’t matter! I brought myself a class with an Australian teacher and loved her work. I’m currently working in my third sketchbook for the year and I’ve won a few competitions one to a year long art class with Tiare Smith and then I won a free art print from one of the teachers in my Lets Face it Class, his name is Robert Kelley look him up he’s beautiful.. oh and super talented! Hey come on! I’m an artist (I never say that aloud!) I can appreciate great beauty when I see it!
Another goal I had for myself for this year was to read 40 books… sadly I am not going to be able to reach that target this time, I think my latest look on Good Reads told me I need to read three books a week to reach my goal, sorry I cannot do that! I think I’m currently on book 35, so close but not quite!
My health progress has been up and down, weight lost, weight regained and inches lost. Started a 7 minute a day exercise program with a You Tuber called Lucy Wyndham Jones and wow! So easy but really effective, then I started work and stopped exercising and never got back into it… it’s all coming together in 2019!
This year I had a new Grandson Rafiki in July and another one due any day! So the family has grown, throw in a new boy friend and a new girl friend for children, Christmas this year is huge! All up 16 of us! Eeeekk! Where will I fit ’em all?!
Anyways I’ll be back next week to share with you this years wrap up and goals for 2019. I have decided my word for 2019 is YES! Its a small word but it’s powerful and I am quietly nervous about what it might bring!
How has your 2018 been? Did you achieve goals set for yourself? Do you make resolutions? Do you stress out about not completing them? Lets chat!!
National Novel Writing Month… is November and last year I signed up when I heard about it from my fellow blogger Corrina. That book which I called “September Moon” practically wrote itself and I smashed the 50,000 word count for the month.
This year I have decided to finally write that travel memoir that I’ve always wanted to write, so today it began. First day, I forced myself to stop at 4,006 words. I’m happy with that start. This month is also my busy work month, I only work one month of the year, and a few odd days here and there, I am a Chief Exam supervisor and that means I do the setting up, supervising of, collection of the exams and take them home to await the courier. The first day was yesterday, English is the biggest in number and the longest exam. Today it was psychology and smaller group and less time 9.00 am till 11:45am. So November is my busy month.
Last Month I did my first “Inktober” art challenge, which meant that all the prompt for that had to be drawn in ink. I got mixed messages, some people said only to write in ballpoint pen, some were using real ink, some were painting with ink, some were using ink markers, some used colour, some none colour. Confusing much?! I ended up using ball point pen and the odd marker, and some I added a touch of water colour paint to.
At the same time, I participated in #Jentober with Jenny Manno over at Next JENeration Art in a Facebook group. So Jenny offered prompts and we were invited to interpret them in any medium. I had never heard of most of the characters, thank goodness for Google!
Then over in #Kickinthecreative another Facebook group, I chose the challenge #outandaboutOctober, because I knew we were going away to Cairns. The idea here was you take your sketchbook out and about with you and paint, or sketch what you see. I did that a few times, bit the rebel in me ended up taking photos and using them at home sometimes. Some days I felt like I pushed myself too hard, especially when I slipped behind for a few days. But at the end of the month I am so happy to look back and see what I have achieved! One thing I did achieve was I stopped pre drawing with pencil and just started painting with watercolour. Yay me!
In #kickinthecreatives this month, I am doing #kickcollageNovember each day we are to make a collage, whether it s a whole image or just a background or some element of collage.
Here are some I prepared for today.
So I will check back in and update you on NaNoWriMo, if you are there and want to add me as a buddy my user name is Kkitten. Lets get writing!
The alarm will go off at 4:00am. The taxi will be here at 4:30am and our flight leaves at 6:30am! We’re off to Far North Queensland to a sleepy resort town called Mission Beach. Remind me to tell you about the time we accidentally discovered Mission Beach and how we all left our hearts there.
So on the first Anniversary of my 50th Birthday and planning a mini getaway, of course I would choose Mission! Today we leave for five glorious days and apparently the weather is going to be superb!
Kim L Hine 