and,

an attempt to grab creativity amidst the chaos.

My paintings always like visitors at www3.telus.net/galen/art



Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Greedy Growing Gardening

We are at it again.
The big one grifted me.
She was too sick to go to school...
and then...
let's call it a mental health day.


So I put her to work !
We made another garden bed in our boulevard.


We've had this arbor for years but it needed 
a face lift so I sanded it and repainted it
before we replanted it.


I'm loving the contrast between the wrought iron
and tumbling out flowers.


We've strung some solar twinkle lights 
through this eventual flower canopy


Their are lots of places for wee and grand bums


Another little addition to our respite



It keeps growing and growing!!


I may have officially run out of room!


Thursday, April 16, 2015

Cloudy with a Chance of Spinning.


I've  been dreaming of this dress for awhile


Sort of.


I fell madly deeply in love with this fabric.


Especially this turquoise colour.
Swoon.


So I ordered it on line without a plan of what to make
(classic-me-move)
And, then found I had too little. 
SO since I had ordered two colours I made the bodice 
out of the grey.

I made one of my favourite patterns 

which is reversible

So double swoon.

My favourite part is the flutter sleeves,
but because I was sewing in a rush,
late at night, bleary brained. 



I forgot to sew them between the two layers
and decided not to unpick.
So sigh, no flutter sleeves.


It was originally imagined for this middle girl,
but the big girl loved it too.


And, of course the littlest one had to get in on the spinning
when the camera came out!


The only challenge with this dress is it's a little tricky
to put on and take off because of the cute fit.



Even though my kids insist I'm murdering them each time
I try and get it off their heads-
the clouds, the twirl, the cuteness...
totally worth it!!


Sometimes, it's Wise to Say No to the Siren Song of Your Drill

Have you ever had the thought:
I can do that!
And then have you ever ignored the more
pertinent question:
Should I do that?

Well, this week I decided I was
failing at motherhood unless I was making
nutritious delicious smoothies.
And filling my Shorties with love and nutrients.
(Thank you Pinterest!)

So I pulled out the blender I haven't used in
literally 15 years, and thought...
why don't I use this?

Then the smell of burnt mystery plastic
began wafting through the kitchen:
Ah, that's why.

Off I go to buy a new blender,
I mean the old one did last +20 years.

Surely a new blender would elevate me
to perfect mother smoothie queen.

I mean doesn't this rag tag crew look like
they have a hankerin' for smoothies?!

So I looked up recipies and made smoothies.

The first round was berry coloured.

I emphasis the colour rather than the flavour,
because that's what stuck with me
when it fell out of the hands of the Littles and all
over the floor and covered our white chairs

and our dog 
with permanent berry adornment.

Fail.

Epic Fail.

Then I thought Ahha!
I'll make these:

This will contain the smoothie when gravity interferes.

In my garage I had neglected Mason jars,
and I always have my drill under my pillow.
Or at least close by.
How hard could it be?


So I drilled a hole in the centre.
What could be easier?!


In the end I concluded.
Anything.

Childbirth.


First I tried to get away with a regular
drill bit.
Fail.

Then I went and bought a new magic
super bit.
Then I spewed tiny metal shavings
all over our backyard and immediately
envisioned a summer of short people 
hopping and yelling.

Then this, then that, then ugh!!
I will spare you the blow by blow,
at which point I almost came to blows
with myself.

One of those days,
when the drill should have stayed under the pillow.


Oh yah,
apparently my kids don't like smoothies anymore. 






Monday, April 13, 2015

Guerilla Gardening Again

Fist Pump!!


Eggs,
 in a variety of messy ways.



And these have come in handy 


because...


And these 3 love to get down in the dirt.


So we began some guerrilla gardening in our boulevard.


We packed it full of bleeding hearts, bacopa



 clematis


and rabbits.


This is what we ended up with.



It's nice to have helpers.


Even if they want to make
 glitter shoes before gardening.



I wonder where she got the love 
of a good shoe from?


She spent a long time admiring them.


The other two little devil's were busy


with imaginary boat trips


 and general hanging around.


While we are thinking deep thoughts about 
what's next, 



hope you have a super fun day. 


We're outta here!




Friday, April 3, 2015

Swaddle Devil Children In Rainbows! Or, More on the Little Things.

 
Hi Folks!
 
There hasn't been much making over here in
Littleland.
Things are swirly, busy
full of lunch making and chaotic creativity
of the shorty size.
 
 
 
So,
in a total cheat and with a determined plan
to take pleasure in the tiny things during those times
when the medium things are absolutely unattainable.
 
I present:
 
Rainbow towels!!!
 
 
Wha?? You say?
 
Did I make these?
Nope!
 
Did I hang them on those hooks?
I did!!
 
Do they make me smile
during the nightly exorcist that is bath time?
 
Oh yah baby!!
 
In our house 2/3 of the Shorties have eczema.
And while I have tried everything to abate the itch
(besides Voodoo and country music)
the thing that makes the biggest difference is
 a quick bath every night.
And then basically icing them with moisturizer 4" thick.
 
However, 50% of the time it's totally madness!
So, now just before my head spins around completely,
 
I see a rainbow of towels
about to gobble up little slippery pre bed devil children
(who are my favourite!)
and I am reminded that it's almost wine-o-clock
and things are about to get brighter.
 
Bedtime is almost upon us :)
 
 
Yes!