☆ Separated [Illustration Friday]

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We have just made it through one of the biggest weekends. Our baby, Bean, danced in her first dance recital. And she was amazing. At three and a half she just went out and danced. The crowd, the lights, the other stage shy girls just didn't phase her. She amazes me, and inspires me!

During this weekend, I found myself sitting on the couch surrounded by family, but feeling separated from the group. This is not unusual as I am sure everyone has these moments. I have had them in the past too, but while my 90 year old nan was talking to my brother in law about the latest gossip in the magazines,  (is so and so's son really his??) I felt a huge disconnect to everything around me.

I know its probably due to my brain processing a huge amount of stuff, things to do, presents to buy, shopping to do for the next two weekends, all the freaking present making I have yet to do.

But it was an odd feeling. We were together but separate. (And I wouldn't mind betting I wasn't the only one in the room, feeling the same way!!)

BFF's
The boy and his horse will not be separated

©2011 Kirstin McCulloch

This is my first serious attempt at a male character, I find the much harder, but I think he turned out ok. But I would love to hear of any tips you might have about drawing and painting 'boys'. I have another planned as a christmas present for my nephew.

I was feeling pretty good about my first attempt until Bean asked where her long princess hair was!

Have a great week
☆•*¨*•.¸¸

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☆ Doctors, Dentists and Drawing.

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(AKA Where did our week go??)

We have had a huge week past, full of those yearly check ups, where you spend what feels like hours in waiting rooms - a visit to the health worker for Bug, a visit to the doctor for Bug again, my long procrastinated visit to the dentist (I am sad to say I procrastinated for 10 years!) and another visit to the dentist to yank a wisdom tooth and fill a hole - a process I have to repeat in a months time...

(Little side note: I hate going to the dentist. HATE. IT. Because there was no fluoride in the water when I was small, every time I went I would have to have a filling. My mouth is full of silver...and isn't it funny that even after 10 years of not visiting - some of this time was because we lived in such an isolated part of Scotland - the sound of that drill and the smell wafting into the waiting room made my stomach churn, my hand shake and the sweat bead. And isn't that the most dignified thing ever sweating in the dentist chair!)

So along with the craziness that was our week, I was also able to get a few sketches down on paper.

A wee doodle to reaffirm one of my intentions this year - to love loudly and unreservedly...

The faery Veronique and her companion...

The Angel of Music - Melody...

Raven (sorry for the slightly blurry photo)...

No title yet - suggestions??

Bean and I even managed to make pirate hats and dance to Captain Feathersword (a la the Wiggles)

And dress up for tea parties with dad.

I am hoping that this week is less hectic and that I can put some of these sketches onto canvas.

What did you get up to this week? Did you have fun or do something new?

x♥x

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☆ Busy Times and Sick Girls...

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Well it has been a very, very busy couple of weeks at 'casa de mac' - I hope like crazy this isn't the beginning of the festy, oops I mean festive, season. I am not sure we can survive six more weeks of this.

And isn't that crazy - six weeks until the biggest, most stressful holiday of the year. More alcohol drunk than at any time of the year, more chocolate consumed than at Easter and more diplomacy and tact needed than a UN meeting! But that rant is for another post!

 So anyway, our weekend in Sydney was so much fun. We stayed in Manly, right on the harbour, and our old stomping ground. Walking around Saturday morning, having coffee in the rain, the corso empty of tourists, I remembered why I loved living in a city like Sydney.

Later that afternoon going to the mall, not able to find a car park in the entire place, waiting in cues for everything, and having to visit seven shops to find a pair of jeans, for my very picky husband, I realised why I love living in a small town!

The reason we were in Sydney was for my youngest brothers engagement party, and we had a fabulous time catching up with family. Of course Bean was sooo excited to see her cousin they went absolutely feral....

The next day we had a BBQ with family at one of the waterfront reserves, before beginning our 4 hour plus journey home.

But we had one detour to make - to Ikea! I love this giant home wares heaven, I love looking at all the displays, I love the bright colours and sleek designs. My husband tolerates it, and as long as I feed him caffeine he copes very well (although he said he was desperate for a smoke after our time in there and he quit 10 months ago!) My brother-in-law believes that Ikea is straight from hell, and never, ever wants to visit there again.

So Ikea'd up we joined the hordes of other suburbanites wanting to pay for their bulging trolleys full of Ikeaness, and proceeded to spend one hour in a cue to pay for our goods - crazy, why yes we are, thank you very much! Another reason we fled the city when we moved back to Australia!

After such a great weekend, the week following began badly and finished worse. Both the girls came down with colds, snotty noses, hacking coughs, no sleeping or eating. Then they both had jabs - so cranky and unsettled, and to top it off we jumped from 16 degrees (celsius) to hot and muggy 28's. Finally both G & I caught whatever the girls had, and spent the weekend on the couch watching disney movies to entertain Bean....

But after a 7 o'clock bedtime for the girls and me, and after sharing our bed with Bean last night, we are once again a fairly happy family. (Touch wood - quickly touch wood!)

So apart from my IF project, not much art completed, and I missed a couple of days on my sketchbook challenge but will pick it up again tonight. And I also managed to quickly finish week 3 of my Art, Heart and Healing course - will post pics tomorrow.

Hope you all had a better week than us, and that this week is better than the last!

x♥x

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☆ Illustration Friday

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It has been a crazy week so far. and it doesn't seem like it will get any saner over the rest of it!

I have been working on my Art, Heart and Healing week 2 projects, trying to finish them before we go away for a long week end in Sydney, I finished my Illustration Friday prompt, had a Bug whose teeth are all seeming to come through at once, a Bean who has a persistent cough and clingy for mama, a husband who ended up in the emergency department for stitches (only 3 and not a bad cut!) and a slice to be made for playgroup (what am I mad - why haven't I bought one??)

So I can only hope that our weekend away will be a calmer and less hurried time, but I know with parties, BBQ's and family catch ups planned (as well as some well deserved retail therapy!) it will be just as manic - but heaps of fun!!

Thanks everyone for the lovely and supportive comments - I will reply...soonish?

So anyway Illustration Friday..

I was inspired this week by a quote about fairies by J.M. Barrie:

"Every time a child says I don't believe in fairies, there is a fairy somewhere that falls..."

She spent to long time not believing in fairies..
(watercolour, mixed media)

Hope you've had a great week so far and happy hump day!

xx

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