and,

an attempt to grab creativity amidst the chaos.

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



Monday, September 5, 2016

Goodnight, Sweet Dreams.


Hello long lost bloggy community.


It's us (and them).


I bet you haven't been lost, but we have. 


Lost in summer beaches..


perfect lakes


nostalgic music


 & superhero visits with cousins


(such great cousins).



We needed extra time this summer to roll in the grass.



Extra pause to dive down deep and touch all the bottoms.


We needed the dirt and the fire and to chase mosquitos out of tents 


We needed to stare in awe at nature's majesty in the shape of dolphins.


We needed extra bed head and pjs, 
& to host block parties & public education forums. 


And every once in a while things were made
(say when a doll needed superhero underwear).

But not often. 


I could wax poetic about the lack of making and art in my world,
but really I'm doing a lot of art facilitating for the shorties these days. 
So it's happening, just one degree of separation. 

I've never been busier which is good and not great.

But the real reason I'm signing of on this chapter of blogging 
is because the shorties aren't so short anymore. 

Pu is 9 now and I almost always use images of 
her and her sisters showing off the things I tried to stitch up.

Now that they are bigger, 
they get to be in charge of their social media profile and identity,
so I've decided to stop taking liberties. 

And therefore, 
sharing photos of them in this public space. 

Although this blog was about making,
it was also about kidcentric and trying to make things around the 
madness and panic and beauty and the immersive everything of parenting.

So I'm signing off dear reader. 
If you've been quietly along for the ride, 
thanks for coming.
Hope to see you again out in the ether.  


Sunday, May 1, 2016

Aloha Encore

Also this great thing happened to our family.
A holiday. A warm holiday together. 

The kind where monkeys all swam every day.


There were flowers everywhere, but mostly...


in hair.


There was beach time 


And sunset rituals.


Quiet
 contemplative moments for reflection




Snuggles


And a great deal of silliness


There were turtles and sea lions and seals too!

 

But the best part was chilling with these guys 


This one started exhaling and forgot work existed. 


These three delightedly stalked the neighbourhood feral cats!? 


Our oldest Pu, is obsessed with a book series called:
Cat Warriors (ten exclamation marks)

The weird wild wonderful cats supplied full time entertainment.
Despite the fact we HAVE a cat here at home,
we clocked serious time in this field watching the feral ones. 

Who knew that was a thing?

 
We saw our first bamboo forest: amazing, musical, magical.


And found a super solid breakfast greasy spoon that had milkshakes.

Win. 
Wishing you stillness and calm in the face of zoom.
With summer on its way -more sand in our toes,
more wind up our nose, more joy in the flow. 

See you soon.





Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Resurfacing and springing into Spring

Out from the depths I resurface!
I have been negligent!


Time for a much overdue update!
Marrying kids and creativity seems increasingly difficult for me these days.

Now that I'm not hostage to a nap schedule
 I am filling my world with kid-centric stuff
Volunteering here, there and doing some advocacy.

But I miss making things and art and happiness.
I miss the energy it brings me. 
Hopefully it will come.


Over here...
Little people are still trying on big clothes
(Here the wedding cape of FakeAuntie's mom)


Waaaaay back in February we made pancakes 
and arrow-art to hang in our new garden.


The Littlest one and I built the mobile and it greeted
folks on Valentines Day.


Lately we've been planting

and wiggling. 

...and growing up. 

The girls are big enough that it was time to send off this 
home made tent from way back when I made a cozy tent


Confession: Sad to let it go. 
But, it went to a good Montessori kindergarten classroom
So Nu will get to play in it next year.



These hooligans are fast friends these days and boy do they know how to giggle.


All the Monkeys Remain Cheeky


And although the MAKE wanes, the play remains.