Christmas Themes and Gingerbread Trains

For the last few years our girlies have their Friends over to make a Gingerbread train, house and just last year they made a Star Tree.  It's always big-sigh-of-delight type of stuff to see them over the years just get on with making them themselves.  Hilarious to see how unique each delightful creation is and how different it is to the picture on the box which has clearly been put together by Mary Berry-skilled-hands!  L and L.M their old schooled/playgrouped friends are regular playmates and altogether never fail to fill the house with giggles and joy.

 

Holidays

An annual gurning and beachcombing at Lynmouth North Devon 2010



We visited the Museum and looked at the tragic landslide/flooding during the 1950's.  Huge 5 tonne boulders made their way from Lynton all the way down to the Bay.  They have left great climbing and exploring nooks and crannies.  The girlies really enjoyed searching for Goblins between the boulders.  I found lots of lovely worn Limpet shells to add to our crafting collection (still have some of them 2013).  This was another wonderful holiday in the glorious North Devon where we visited The Big Sheep and travelled on the funicular railway from Lynton to Lynmouth (and back again).  The girlies loved the fact that the presenters from A Victorian Farm filmed one of their episodes on the train and wondered if we might see them again.  We all LOVE Ruth from the program.

We explored lots of flora and fauna around the bay and enjoyed an ice cream and a nice ale in the local pub before going back to the cottage.

Little Cheerie Milly 7



Little Cheeky Hettie 5

North Devon

Woolacombe Bay North Devon Shenannegans October 2010

This small sample of pics were taken on our 'second-out-of-term-time holidays!  Home edding has more than just natural learning as one of its many perks!  Cheaper holidays are a real bonus too.  We are so lucky to have use of my families holiday cottage in Woolacombe... we always manage Autumn as this is our favourite time of year and dear Mother Nature never fails us by delivering a gorgeous Indian-Summer somewhere in our ten day hols!



Milly the Sand-Mermaid

Hettie the Sea-Nymph

 Martin 'hates' this face I Gurn!  He quite literally turns his head and Gags!  I have no idea why.  None-the-less, we were all in stitches in this, our last night in North Devon at the local pub where you can by a great home-cooked meal and good local ale.  We were all waiting for our meals and were finding ways of amusing ourselves!  Our girlies are that bit older now (2013 at time of posting this 2010 photograph) and won't appreciate their versions being posted!  Tut!  ;-)


Ahh!  This is another of our favourite places to visit each time we venture South West; Tor Down Farm in Gunn.  Lovely pure-Devonian welcome on a genuine Darling Buds Of May type working farm (minus the flock of farm children - only our two).  This is Buster with the girlies.  Sheila the 'lady of the farm' made us fresh scones, with gorgeous clotted cream, sponge cakes and oodles of hot tea and coffee after our refreshing walk around the acres and acres of beautiful farm land tagging onto the Tarka Trail too at some point.  Blissful memories of that day.  Big Sigh!



 Woolacombe Bay Beach... The most rewarding sandcastles and just the BEST place to Ruuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn! There is space space space to just feel so free and well-aired!  This is another BEST place to just 'be'!  We often manage to land there on a lovely warm day slap bang in the middle of October!  Perfect!  Hettie runnnnnnnnninggggggg!

Milly.  A little blurred picture but in happy contemplation!  Probably loving the sensation on her feet from squirming her toes through the wet sand.  If this were taken now I'd say she was on her Nintendo/Nexsus!

Train Rides

 

 

This was Milly chatting to a friend about to embark on their Mini Railway adventure.  We all met with friends at Chelmsford Miniature Railway Station and enjoyed an hour or so of unlimited trips on two different steam engines.  Hettie thought one had to be shrunk prior to sitting on the seats.  It was a lovely day, fresh, warm and bright and a splendid way to start the week.  We met with Will and Amelie and saw lots of other friends too.  The staff were all volunteers and were all absolutely charming and very generous with their knowledge.
 

Everyone was told NOT to reach out with their hands but look what Hettie brought back from her journey on the train.  A collection of beautiful blooms... Hmmmmmmm I wonder where she got those from!

 

 

This was my bit of art for the day!  A lovely chunk of coal in the shape of a heart placed on the gorgeous iron steps leading to the bridge over the railway.  Who says these days out are just for the children?

 

Research for Art History Project

 June 2013 - 'Board of Time'

Reasearch for the 'Board Of Time' Exhibition.  The first I have curated.  From an idea I had almost five years ago to an actual real life and proper Exhibition, open to the public and with an interview with the local press leading to an article in their paper.  The following stills are photographs Milly took in preparation of her Board.  She had to cover 450AD-800AD.  We also visited St Peter's on the Wall at Bradwell-on-Sea for further inspiration.  These pictures, however were taken at the brilliant Ipswich Museum... We printed some off and Milly used them within her piece of art.  The piece is currently still being exhibited as we had an extension of a further three weeks.  More pictures to follow but for now:



And after all that 'hard work' of researching for the Board, a lovely play in the glorious June sunshine in Ipswich Park.

Art and Creativity

Another day to create... Art and playdough first then a mess!  And why not!  Hettie LOVED measuring out the ingredients using the American method of 'Cups' and Milly went on to create an INCREDIBLE piece of art (yet to be added to this post) in which she used Table salt food colouring and regular poster paint.  Big sigh of creative bliss!

Mersea Beach

A view from ground level at West Mersea... the children are all playing on the spit at low tide!  Sometime in 2010... A glorious day at the beach with friends and a bunch of art materials.