Inspiration from the telly!

Recently we have been watching Downton Abbey. Now it's not often that we all sit down to watch something and are ALL hooked but I have to say that we loved this series. It is shot beautifully, the attention to detail is amazing and the acting superb.

It has also inspired our learning and have been researching the Edwardians. We trotted off to the library yesterday in search of books but sadly the Edwardians seem to fall foul to that National Curriculum and there seems to be hardly anything available to children about this era :o( We found a few books on the First World War and one on Edwardian dress but it seems very difficult to find more.

Looking into the era has inspired us to establish afternoon tea though and we've dug out my old tea set that belonged to my Great Aunt Lily. Yesterday we had sponge cake and fruity scones and today I think cheesey scone might be the order of the day. It's great when you have that afternoon dip and stop the children asking for snacks before dinner.

Crochet

This is our table at the moment. Alice is working hard on commissions she has to finish but I seem to have hit a plateau and am feeling really frustrated about my inability to follow a pattern!!

Art

The two older girls have started an art course that will progress into a Cambridge IGCSE. This is what they've come up with for their first attempt at still life. I've been blown away by what a difference it's made having an artist show you how to take measurements with your thumb!

Inspiration

I've had a lot to think about recently. Family issues and friendships that have sadly melted away. I'm sad about both of these things but have also been using them to walk a new more positive path.

Firstly Paul has a new job which will give us more stability. I've never really want to be stable before but suddenly it feels like it might be nice to know that a pay check will be arriving month after month and that our future is more secure...... sorry I've just realised how boring that sounds....I'll move on.

I've been reading a lot of Glennie Kindred and revelling in her simple but beautiful illustrations.

This way of being makes sense to me and my heart lifts the more I know about it.

Things at home have lost some focus, I think this has happened because of work commitments (who'd of thought that working in a bookshop could be so stressful). It may be that finding rhythm to our day is the key to getting everything done. How does that work for others?? I've been experimenting today so will let you know how that goes.

Alice has been working really hard on her commissions from her Etsy shop, she's working on a really beautiful cotton blanket for a lady who's son is an eczema sufferer. She's also been working hard on her work for the tutor group she goes to. She's reading The Great Gatsby and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - both beautiful books. I love it that she's being exposed to beautiful literature at a young age, I wish I had!

Izzy's been seeing a Kinesiologist to help with her allergies, it's been amazing and I'm very excited about where this journey will take her.

Liv's just taken part in her drama performance, she was the scarecrow in The Wizrd of Oz and as ever we believed she was the star of the show (proud Mummy and Daddy moment).

All in all we're doing ok and feeling really positive about where this latest journey is taking us. Watching the performance had special meaning for me as I feel like Dorothy stepping on to the yellow brick road.....

Can you feel it?

Source

What is it about THIS month that sets my spine a-tingling? There is magic in the air and my unconscious always reminds me of the turning wheel as we reach this point. I have found an awful lot to inspire me recently and I'd like to share but later I fear as time is short this morning.

Room by Emma Donoghue

I have been wanting to read this book after seeing that it was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize this year. I started the book with some trepidation as the subject matter is fairly grim and not something I would usually go for but..... I have been totally blown away by this beautiful story. The book is written from 5 year old Jacks perspective and because of that fact the abuse and violence that has obviously occurred is somewhat veiled. Jack’s view is always the beauty he sees in his tiny world and the love he has for his Ma.

The relationship that Jack and his Ma have developed is magical and the strength of this unnamed woman is breathtaking. I would defy anyone who reads this book not to be utterly moved by it and hope that it inspires us to look at our world through Jacks eyes even for just one day.

Absence

Where have we been? Well things have been really busy, we went to Hes Fes which was great as ever apart from the sick bug we picked up on the last couple of days.

I've started a weekend job at a bookshop which is fine but really tiring. I work with a lot of students and their energy has no bounds. The job is going to enable us to do something later in the year (secret - ssshhhh).

Alice has opened a shop, well I opened it but she is making. I am amazed by how focused she has been and the photographs are really beautiful (having a really cool photographer in the house is brilliant) . She is so creative and her attention to detail always blows me away.

I'm hoping to start up my blogging again so will be back soon but in the meantime please take a moment to look at Alice's shop and leave a message of support if you can.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/alicemakes

Ta Ta for now! xx