0 Make it: Tabletop art gallery

This morning when I was thinking what to do with Tilly and Jasper I suddenly remembered something that I did once when I did a short stint as a nursery assistant 5 years ago.

I was having trouble getting some of the boys to play at the drawing table, so I covered the table in paper and drew lots of frames all over it before inviting them to pretend to be a great artist and create their own masterpieces! They were all quite excited to join in, even the ones who were complaining that they couldn't draw/didn't know what to draw.

Afterwards my supervisor came up to me and told me she'd been watching and listening (I hadn't noticed as I'd been just a little bit engrossed in what I was doing!) and was hugely impressed with what I'd been doing considering I was unqualified... and had only had about 3 weeks experience of working with children!

Even though that was with 4 year olds I thought Tilly and Jasper would enjoy having a go too... and it has the added bonus of not having to continually pick the paper up off the floor for them... still have to do it for the crayons though!

I spent about 5 minutes setting it up, and when Tilly and Jasper got up at the table they knew instantly what they had to do... I've no idea why, but they instinctively went to draw inside the frames! Much fun was had by all :)

All you need is a roll of any type of paper (I used greaseproof paper, shiny-side down), some tape and a black marker pen... and then crayons, pens, pencils, paints to paint your masterpieces.

Tape the paper to the table... doodle frames everywhere... Bob's your uncle, you've got yourself one tabletop art gallery!

I posted these photos up on facebook earlier today and the lovely Maria suggested that you could also stick photos inside some of the frames and even stick the whole thing up on the wall when finished (although I would suggest using white paper if you are going to do this).

The possibilities are endless! You could use stickers... cut out and stick pictures from magazines... try to get older children to recreate famous masterpieces... use black paper and chalk. It's also great to keep them busy in the kitchen while you can get on with other things (hopefully) uninterrupted!

Tilly gets straight in there with her trusty red crayon!

Oh, and look... Jasper's gone straight for the blue pencil... imagine that! He's a leftie, just like his mummy :)

If you have a go at this I would love to see your pictures... and please let me know if you can think of any other things that you can to with a tabletop art gallery :)

0 motivation | inspiration

Catalogue image from Next

My new Next Directory came through this week and it took me back almost 16/17 years! It's amazing how trends come around again.

Flicking through the pages took me on a journey back in time... to when I'd just left school and was enjoying the freedom of earning and spending my own money... on major drinking sessions... new cars (I miss my purple mini!)... and clothes for work. Ahhhh, those were the days :)

Back then the Next Directory was my bible! I can picture it all even now... the cropped black trousers with the white blouse a la Pulp Fiction... short little floral dresses... bright red skinny jeans (although I'm sure the phrase "skinny jeans" hadn't been coined back then!)... and then there were my all time favourites... a pair of snake print skinny jeans... I lived in them! Worn with a black knitted jumper, a pair of German army boots, and lots of black eyeliner!

And it appears that so many of these are back on trend... knits, cropped trousers, floral dresses, skinny jeans, animal prints... perhaps not the army boots though - although I'm sure I could happily substitute them for a pair of motorbike boots ;)

I kept getting drawn back to the above picture... and yearning for the days when I was a size 8 again and didn't have to spare a single thought to how little, or how much, I ate. If Keith and I had met 17 years ago I am sure we would have looked like this... which is why I will be printing this out and sticking it to the fridge and inside cupboard doors.

I know it's highly unlikely that I (we, even!) could get back to the body that I had back then... but it's good to have something to aim towards isn't it?

0 Project 365+1 | Page 3

I cannot believe how quickly January is going, and that it will be February next week! Is it wrong to want time to slow down just a little bit so that I can take in and savour all the good moments?

In other news... I still haven't bought the supplies for this project yet, but as the delivery of Project Life goodies into Amazon has been delayed I will be buying the album and photo sleeves this week so that by the end of Tuesday I can print off, or send to print (not decided which way I'm going yet... although having no printer ink may be a deciding factor!), all of my January photos... soooo exciting!

So, as previously, here's the mock-up of what page 3 will look like...

sous chef // chipped and peeling // blurry beauty

shiny + new // rocking all the way home // #cravendale kermit

the look of concentration // partners in crime // making pizza

Find out all about my plans for my project 365+1 here... and see all posts by clicking here... and follow my daily photoblog here.

0 Guest Post: Driving you crazy? How to avoid arguments in the car

Your partner doesn't like asking for directions. You don't like sharing the CD player. And you’re both backseat drivers.

These habits can cause arguments and sour the atmosphere when you’re driving with a loved one. Worse still, they lead to stress and distractions which can seriously impair your driving ability. Let’s take a look at some of the common flash points while driving and how they can be overcome.

Navigation

According to the AA, 53% of people argue over map reading. A sat nav system can solve this problem. But without one, you’ll have to fall back on the old-fashioned art of map reading. The navigator needs to keep their wits about them as they may have to take split-second decisions on motorways. But, above all, everyone needs to be patient. A few wrong turns are nothing compared to a full-blown argument that ruins the journey.

Backseat driving

An AA survey has revealed that 33% of us admit to backseat driving. And almost 60% of women feel they are nagged by male relatives about their driving.

Constant criticism can severely affect a driver’s confidence. Try to avoid commenting on your partner’s driving unless you think it’s absolutely necessary. If you really want to make a point, wait till you’ve pulled over.

If you’re teaching your partner to drive - or they’re teaching you - and it’s causing arguments, perhaps you should consider switching to professional driving lessons.

Sharing driving duties

It’s not only fair to share driving duties on long journeys - it’s safer, too. Decide beforehand how you want to split the responsibilities to avoid last-minute disagreements.

Make sure that the same person isn’t driving continuously for too long. Driver fatigue may cause up to 20% of road accidents, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

Another point to remember is to ensure that both drivers have adequate car insurance before setting out.

Sharing the radio/CD player

Some people think the driver should have control of the car stereo. But why not be democratic and give everyone in the car a chance to listen to something that suits their taste?

To avoid unnecessary rows, try not to criticise the choices of others. Find neutral ground where possible, and make sure the volume suits everyone.

If course, passengers can always use their personal players with headphones.

Designated driver duties

Obviously, whoever is driving has to stay within the legal alcohol limit. To be certain, it’s best not to drink at all. Make sure you have a clear agreement beforehand so that everyone knows where they stand and there’s no confusion about who can drink and who can’t. Planning ahead will avoid any last-minute arguments or, even worse, getting stranded because there’s no one fit to drive home!

Lack of consideration

The key to avoiding arguments in the car is showing consideration to your co-passengers. Not thanking the driver after a long journey, adjusting the car’s temperature to suit only your needs, and being critical of your partner’s driving can all lead to flare-ups. Try to keep a calm and retain a positive atmosphere so that it’s a pleasant journey for everyone.

Disclosure: I have received no form of compensation for this guest post from Sainsbury's Bank. I am happy to post this as I agree with their values and am a happy customer of a number of their services.

0 Wise Words Wednesday

Source: cubiclerefugee.tumblr.com via Rebecca on Pinterest