So... what was in the box?!

The box.

The box jammed in between the children contained the sweetest pressie I think I have ever been given.

My mum and dad together made my family a hand-knitted nativity set...aw.  Not only had they made this for us, they also made one for my sister and family too.  Mum knitted the wee figures and Dad (a cabinet maker and joiner) made the cot and the shelter.  I can't tell you how much I love it, we all love it.

On with the photos.

And then, onto the very essence of what Artypops is all about.  This is a drawing that darling daughter has done of the nativity set...I LOVE to see how these things naturally get digested into the minds of our little ones and spring-off new ideas.

Even the box was a mega success...

Well done the olds..we love it x x x

Pushing, lifting, bending, scooping, walking, scoffing, Grrrring and woofing...read on, read on...

Ah yes, it's all getting proper snuggly, cosy and baltic.  Yesterday, as much of the family as possible was summoned to my aunt's house, who lives deep, deep in the countryside to help stack the huge pile of logs from pile to 'dry-log-room-in-shed' (all very rural.)  We worked like little elfs, loading up the wheelbarrow (flat-tyred wheelbarrow of course) tipping out, stacking and bending over and over again..and again...singing merrily as we worked.  

And then there was the real version.  Summoned to my aunts house in the freezing freezingness with teenagers and toddlers to move a gazillion logs...marvellous, yay...no really.   Our part of the family swung in to our local bakery to purchase hot pasties, sausage rolls and mince pies for the whole team to scoff once our work was done.  They tasted goooood and we ate them next to the real fire with the (really) big dog looking lovingly at us/our pasties.    After nosh, we walked said massive lab dog in beautiful countryside.   Our bellies full and thoroughly exercised, we waved, laughed and jollied ourselves into our cars to reverse through the garden and back onto the lane to be off our our merry ways...Oh such fun, tra la la.  

The car didn't start.  Nice.

Butting up to two cars to try and jumpstart said motor, no avail.  Rush into nearest town to purchase new battery..an hour with the babes in the cold..nice.  Hurray they are back, battery in...no start.  Bugger it.  Left car in the village and went home driven by aunt.  Grrr.  

Home, hot baths all round.  Hot choc all round.  Bed by 8pm for all apart from Daddy to watch two lots of The Killing (apparently brilliant but bit too gruesome for me in places).  Woken at 10 for two lots of puke from darling son and then back to bed, via a quick dip into twitter after loading wash 1 of 20 in the w. machine.  

Hurray for rescue services.  Fresh-faced and jolly once more (it being the next day) we all arrived at the broken down car at the same time...  The nice man started our car and instructed us not to stop or stall until we get to our local garage (no pressure there then).  Once there, dump the car.  We did as told.

Back into the maroon Corsa that we purchased last week for 450nicker to be runabout for me, allowing me to get to art classes, etc etc.  We jammed ourselves in, along with a big big box that my mum had given me sheepishly and told us to open when we get home.

Back at home, babes (one very white one) jammed in the back of tiny Corsa with massive box, out we spilled..or planned to but snap - the handbrake on the Corsa snapped, amazingly this time...I didn't and neither did Darling husband.

Once untangled from the far-too-bigger-bodies being in a far-too-smaller-car for us...home home home.  Sofa day for wee boy, wee gal on and off it too all day in sympathy.

So where is the art in this post then eh?  Well, dearest readers. the art is in the everydayness of life. The beautiful countryside that we walked the dog in.  The fire that we scoffed our pasties by...from every situation we have to find the  good bits...

My best bit was seeing my teenage nieces pushing the car, along with my mum, aunt, massive dog, Darling husband and babes!  It felt distinctly 70's!

A new post coming about what was in the box...its very very special.

Merry December everyone...no really!

x

The (occasionally dreaded) Christmas run up and Let's get making. Starry Stars for the Christmas Tree! (Tres simple I promise!)

It's coming, we all know it.  

Sadly, I catch myself going off on my instant reaction to Christmas.  You know the old 'Oh Blimey no...already?  Am not ready...where are we going to find the extra few hundred that dribbles out of my wallet into someone's else's, etc etc etc...in short, proper MRS MINUS thoughts about the forthcoming Season)  Easily done and with good reason, especially in current climates with two freelance parents.

BUT, dear readers it doesn't have to be this way.  Christmas day is really just a day, when thought of as a proper snuggly Sunday, we get to be with those that we love, eat good nosh, play games, watch movies and lounge en famille under a duvet on the new (second hand) sofa that now seats all of us (at a real push!)

Hmmm, am beginning to feel a flicker of excitement.

My children now are 8 and nearly 5 years of age.  This means that they have now reached an age where they can actually get involved, get excited and get making independently given the materials, some instructions and a finished article to work to.  

I don't know about you but previous to this age, when doing creative activities with my babes, the art session was much more of a 'damage limitation' hour that involved, setting up, manhandling the mess created by the (very happy it has to be said) children and then another hour clearing up.  All for the five minutes of actually doing the activity, until darling children lose interest and off they go - I know ALL about that trust me.  

But, once again dearest reader, for however long, for very little thanks and in the name of creativity...puhleeze continue with said activities for all ages of your babes.  They LOVE it, will remember it and guaranteed when they are older (like me now with DS) you look at the odd thing that we haven't lobbed out as it was broken (& quite crap) and think aww...I loved doing that with them, its a trick of parenthood, you may have a rubbish time making with them but guaranteed you won't remember it this way!

So...onward to making.

Dead simple to start with.

'A Starry Christmas Tree Decoration'

You will need:

3 x lollypop sticks

Lashings of glue

Sequins or can be made perfectly nicely too with buttons.

Cotton or fishing wire (to hang star on the tree with)

1.

Take your lollies and glue together one on top of another in starry-like fashion.

2.

Apply lashings (love that word) of glue, stick by stick.  Take your sequins and place on one by one.  I wouldn't try the glitter effect (that is pouring the sequins over the glue) as they stick in all the wrong places.  I did it by hand but with the help of a wee pen (with the lid on) just to help me place them.  Once your lolly sticks are covered, step away from the decoration and leave to dry for a good 24hrs...

Tada!

The only thing left to do with this baby is to hang my cotton from the top of one end of the sticks and  it's all done and ready to hang on the tree.

Well done everyone!

Fab Christmas Pressies for Arty Children. 'Art in a Box' by the wonderful Sarah Richardson & The Tate.

Quite frankly I have to ask myself 'whats not to like' about 'Art in a Box'  by the wonderful Sarah Richardson & The Tate (Darling).  

If ever I run dry'ish of ideas of things to do with my children and those in my children's art classes I head straight for the Tate (Modern normally) as they are stuffed to the brim with innovative ideas of high creativity for children.  Learning by mistake as it were - actually is this not the holy grail of teaching?  

I digress.  Inside of this natty little magnetic box (very Tate sweetie) are 20 cards with well known and mainly contemporary Artists work on. Peter Blake, Chris Offili, Cornelia Parker cards sit alongside Picasso and Albert Irving.  On one side of the A5 card is a well known work, covering the whole side bar a couple of mm at the edge.  On the reverse are the Artist's details, birth, death etc and up to 8 bullet points about their work and thought provoking questions for for the children to read and think about themselves.

Lastly, the 'Your Turn' section.  An activity to make something along the lines of said Artist.  For example, Albert Irvin.  'Make your own abstract painting in the style of Albert Irvin'.  Using suggested materials that are easy to grab, using two colours from the included colour chart in the box (LOVELY touch) and suggested materials, we are guided to produce something akin to the Artist's work itself.

Tactile, easy to comprehend and frankly delicious for parents and children to work on together I fully endorse this pressie.  Enjoy. 

Sam

ps.  Find it here  for £9.76.  nice.

'Open Art Sessions' for all those interested...children, adults and families.

The children's art classes that am doing after school, are proving to be very popular.  They begin the week after half-term and are going to be small sessions of 8 children at a time.

In fact, so popular that am considering doing another open day rather like the one I did this time last year.

That was a 'Art Family Day on the Farm' and we had a ball.  68 children and 40 adults in a barn on a farm doing art...perfect.  Enjoy the movie..its only 2 mins long and tells you all you need to know.

I have slightly held off doing more events as I wasn't overly sure exactly what it was that I am promoting!   Now I see it's important to do them quite simply for doing them and having a ball.

I can village-hall it, perhaps get the day sponsored, plonk ourselves somewhere and make lots and lots of Art...yummy.

Please register your interest in attending by emailing me info@samanthabarnes.co.uk  marvellous stuff!

Samantha