NaNoWriMo has started!

Let the writing begin!

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!

September 30- Relaxing!

Relaxing.

Dear Tara and Sandra,

By the time you read this poem, I’ll be on the banks of river

Camping.

Soaking up sunshine, and probably damaging my liver,

With too much wine, and too many songs

Relaxing and doing nothing wrong.

Camping is my happy place, to feel the sunshine on my face,

Kick off my shoes and feel the sand beneath my toes

Stare into space and let my mind wander wherever it goes!

When we are camping, not much gets done,

We might fish, drink wine, do art have fun!

Away from home I’m free to be me,

Relaxing under the swaying gum trees!

Another month has come and gone,

#sketchathon, #BlogfestSeptember and #poetember are done.

I’ve drawn animals, machinery, trees and more

Written poems and lines and rhymes galore.

As always much fun has been had, even made some new friends.

But all good things must come to an end,

Looking forward to Octobers challenges-

Working out the prompts sometimes takes some balancing.

Thanks again for challenging me.

#poetember #kickinthecreatives #blogfestSeptember

September 29- Something fun

September 29 – Something fun.

Something fun!

This could be a tricky one, because

“Something fun” is different to everyone.

Whats Fun for me, might not be for you

Just like, I love green and you love blue!

“Something fun” for me is, camping!

Although they way we do it- has been called glamping!

It doesn’t matter what you call it, spending time in the great outdoors

Wins hands down from doing mundane chores!

“Something fun” for me is travelling, hopping on a plane,

Or taking long road trips, I’ll never complain.

Seeing the world around me is so much fun!

I can never imagine saying “I’m done!”

“Something fun” for me is being creative.

Whether its art,drawing or crochet, I find it to be very meditative.

When things upset me as they often might,

Scribbling in my journal gives such insight.

Gluing and glittering, slapping on paint,

Art is surely not for the faint.

“Something fun” at times for me can be- cooking

When Im in the mood, whip up a new recipe from a cook book

Or used a well worn recipe its worth another look.

Throw in a glass of wine and get outta my way-

I could work in the kitchen all day!

Then there are days when my “Something fun”

Is more of a laid back boring one.

When the rain is pitter pattering on the roof

I like to curl up with a really good book!

I can get lost in worlds far away, or somewhere much closer-

I can step into the life of a music composer!

My Dad often said “You always have a friend when you have a good book”

And “Never to judge a book by its cover” so I open a chapter and have a quick look!

So my “Something Fun” might to you seem a bore

But for me, reading a book is never a chore!

#poetember #kickinthecreatives #blogfestSeptember

September 28- Favourite Foods

Favourite food.

How to choose my Favourite food,

It all depends on my mood!

If I am unwell, I eat a Vegemite on bread with butter

It settles my tummy and makes me feel better.

Some days I prefer my fabourite Italian food,

Spaghetti or pizza, I don’t mean to be rude-

but I make the best Lasagne around

Its guaranteed to calm everyone down.

Meatloaf is another favourite food at home,

Its hand made with love, they’ll never far roam!

A mean sausage casserole I also make

With tomatoes and onions and pasta to bake!

In Winter one of my favourite foods-

Is home made vegetable soup, it brightens your mood!

This recipe from my Mother was handed down,

No one eats my soup with a frown!

Another favourite food of mine

Is cinnamon bagels with raisins- divine!

Especially spread thickly with cream cheese

Making it is as easy as ABC!

#poetember #kickinthecreatives #blogfestseptember

September 27- Headwear.

Headwear

When it comes to headwear, there are lots to choose from.

There are peaked caps and golf hats and some that are dumb!

There are safety hats in fluorescent bright colours

a mortar board is worn by university scholars.

Crochet beanies and knitted pixie hats too,

Eskimo wear parka hoods inside their igloos.

Aussie Ackubra are made from rabbit pelts-

Bonnets of cotton and Fez caps made from felt.

Silky Skull caps to pray in, net hats for hygiene

Keep hair from food when you work in the canteen.

A tiara for a Princess, a Crown for the Queen.

A prettier sight I’m sure I’ve never seen.

Some people wear head wraps in colours so bright.

And boxing headgear are worn when in fights.

Helmets are worn by the rugby league players,

White powdered wigs are worn by judges and lawyers.

When attending the races, its custom to wear

a little pillbox or a big picture hat to hide your hair!

In days of old nurses all wore paper hats,

But the Sisters wore hats with wings like a bat!

Babies wear bonnets to keep their heads warm.

Captains on ships wear caps as part of their uniform.

Bee Keepers wear veiled hats to avoid a bee swarm

Some milliners have made hats an art form!

So you see there are many types of headwear

I think I’ll just stick to styling my hair

#poetember #kickinthecreatives

Art coming soon!

September 26- Friend

Friend

When I was younger and at school,

I read this poem and thought it cool!

“True friends are like diamonds- precious and rare

False friends are like autumn leaves- found everywhere”

I always wished I would have one true friend,

Someone to share my life with till the end.

Over the years they came and they went,

not understanding what true friendship meant.

Until the day that Deanne came along,

We clicked together like lyrics and songs.

We met at our job, and got all the crap shifts,

But it was blessing disguised as a gift.

We talked about life, and family and things,

We talked about feelings and realised we were kinda like twins!

My true friend is precious and rare!

Its been 31 years and we make such a pair.

Next year we are taking an overseas holiday

to the UK, and we’ll laugh and sing and play!

31 years is precious and rare.

And I wouldn’t swap her on a dare!

I don’t share well, you find out soon

For her I’d travel to the moon!

She’s my “Bestie” there will never be another,

More precious to me than any other.

#poetember #kickinthecreatives #BlogfestSeptember

There is no art today! It was a crazy hectic day, school holidays, one daughter home sick, and another daughter with ante natal appointments so watching small people does not leave a lot of time for art! I’ll catch up tomorrow. We’re off camping by a river!

September 25- Attitude

Attitude!

A is for Aria- who has a feisty attitude!

T is for Tanny- her humour can be rude.

T is for Tony- his attitude to family sucks!

I is for Island- which is the breeding ground for the ducks.

T is for thinking- we should before we speak!

U is Ursula- a nicer camper you’ll never meet.

D is for derision- another form of attitude.

E is for evaluation- whether its rude, crude or subdued!

Attitude means many things, it differs for each person,

If you over evaluate it, the situation might worsen.

The girls in our family all have feisty attitudes,

But we love them any way! And thats how this poem concludes.

#poetember #kickinthecreatives

#sketchathon #Blogfestseptember