Art and Words

In our effort to do some good days work but be a bit more interesting and diverse than we had been, we set to it yesterday. (I have yet to respond about writing below, my brain started spinning but i will!) There were music lessons going on downstairs so the girls worked in shifts with me. I’m trying to do short exercises of just “putting pen to paper” – regardless of whether they come to like writing for its own sake, all of them could use some practise at basic skills – punctuation, spelling, formulating pieces of writing. There aren’t many walks of life where you never, ever need to do that and even entirely practical courses tend to want written work (you should hear my hairdresser on the subject of the course she teaches!)

Maddy has finished her write up on her PGL holiday (i haven’t blogged that either yet – argh…) This was not without some sweat but it is all her own work – she struggles more with spelling and sounding out than Fran ever did, but her punctuation is excellent in general 🙂 Fran is working on a story about Nazi’s on Dartmoor 🙄 and trying to ape the style of an amazing book she read recently – will blog that too. Amelie has been busy writing a story in the style of the Rainbow Fairies.

Once music was finished, i let them all open a laptop (major treat for Amelie!) and asked them all to write 4 sentences describing themselves – how they look, what they like, who they feel they are. Then, in varying amounts of time and speed, they worked on the same thing about each other. They want me to join in, so i will. I’m trying to help them to think about description and so on, but in small quantities, using words and vocabulary well. They all seemed to like this and i’ve got a few ideas planned for what we’ll do with it.

*I* have been back at work, working on words myself with lots of search engine work on one of our newest product ranges, which is Djeco. This has been somewhat painful for me, as i ordered it all in the last two weeks of being pregnant and some of the baby toys I specifically picked out intending to buy for him. It has rather hurt watching people buy packs i never planned anyone to buy until I did 🙁 Still. Having done the work, it reminded me to use some of the samples we were given, particularly these rather lovely gel pens which make fabulous effects. I sat and joined in too – i think i’ll blog my own pictures too to inspire me to do this again 🙂 They all want to do more today, so i hopefully there will be more art to add later. I definitely recommend the pens though, even if i do sell them – not messy, great fun and easy to do different types of effects with. They do seem to suit spoof Van Gogh and Monet well too.

Really loved this by Maddy. Major achievement for her too as she had got cross with these pens before and relaxing enough to enjoy smudgy was a big deal.

Amelie’s Monet water.

Josie joined in eventually.

The only thing i can draw – a tree!

This whimsical little man used to adorn all my rough books (i really am a totally one trick pony 😆 ) My mum always drew me certain little things – 3 intertwined fish and a dog head made from a thumb outline – and this seems to be the thing i draw my children. They asked for him yesterday. I laugh looking at him now, because i think he was a forward glance at the man i was going to marry – a thoughtful, centred, strong silent type who loved to be outdoors on the moor and would happily smoke a quiet pipe in peace 🙂 When i was a teen, i thought my little man was sad – now i’m not so sure. Reflective.

I guess he does look a little melancholy all in one colour (silver gel pen) – i cheered him up with some colour.

We might try doing that with some other pictures too.