iPad time on the couch.
The Sketcher Twins are getting older, 10 years old this month and I’m losing them little by little to their gadgets. But then I’m just as bad plus this morning I welcomed the chance to get my little sketching fix 
🙂 Plus it’s nice listening to them giggle together.
Time to put pens and gadgets down now though and get out in that glorious sunshine. Enjoy your weekend everyone 🙂
Get creative this year, and make some original Christmas decorations.This afternoon I spent some time getting creative with my children, both aged four and three quarters. But whether you have kids in the house or not there is no need to spend money on expensive festive decorations, relax and spend an hour or too making something for the holiday season.
1. Draw your Christmas iconic image on to card and cut out.
2. Decorate. Use what ever you have around, this snowman features kitchen roll dipped in glue for snow.
Have fun and let me see your creations, I’ll share the best on here. Merry Christmas!!
Recently I took part in a beach walk with children and young adults from the North Edinburgh Arts group, ‘Zoo Arts Extra’.
We visited Granton’s ‘brick’ beach, so called because of all the corroded red bricks found along the coast line. Before we set off we watched some slides of environmental artists such as Andy Goldsworthy and Tony Plant to inspire us.
On the way we passed through Granton’s new housing development, past the Gas Works and the board walk water area where 2 swans have made a nest.
Once on the beach we set up camp for the day, arranging a circle of bricks and quickly getting a small fire going. Below are some of the photos from the day, as we made various works of art: balancing stones, forts, spirals and circles using drift wood and shells.
We had a great time and the children really got into and expe#ressed themselves with their creations. The rock climbing and toasted marshmallows were also a big hit!!
Click HERE to see a stop motion video on the Zoo Arts Extra Facebook page. I made the animation with Declan, Joshua and Dylan with the above spiral of bricks on the beach, and my camera phone.
Take a look at the links below for more photos and information about the day.
I discovered a wonderful room of creativity, and a fascinating story at the Museum of Edinburgh.I took the kids to the fantastic Museum of Edinburgh today, and didn’t want to leave. The story of Edinburgh is told in detail charting the rise of the Old and New Towns through film, recreations and beautiful four hundred year old exhibits.
But my true new discovery was the wonderful activity rooms they have for families. On one level a small reading and colouring room over looks the Canongate Kirk. Along the corridor of higgledy piggledy old rooms lies a room full of art materials and activity sheets available. Shelves full of paper of all colours, crayons, pens and pencils surround a large table all ready to be used. We never made it to the dressing up room further along!
Amazing, I’ll be there all the time… with or without the kids 🙂 PS If you do use the art materials on offer do make a donation so they can restock.
This morning the clocks went back in the UK, which pre kids meant an extra hour in bed, post kids means an extra hour playtime 🙂
I used my extra hour this morning for sketching with the kids, here they have a snack on the couch before joining me for drawing at the table. Their beautiful works art are below…
Yesterday the family and I had fun sketching on the floor. Luckily we had some huge pieces of paper to put down first.
The kids are showing great promise as mini sketchers, when they can get the crayons off dad that is 🙂
We spent a lovely day today catching up with family. The day included a colouring session with Holly, one of my nieces.
She asked me to make this colourful sketch of the twins while we were waiting for our dessert.
