Category: Children
General Mayhem..
This is what I normally do on a Thursday..an engrossing, soul-enhancing, spirit-lifting art class in the sanctuary of a wooden hut on the green, leafy, quiet Common..
Today, this is my reality…it’s half term…so I’m at home..with the kids..and we’re working (??)(*&^%^%$£@!..hindering??) on a Top Secret project..which always seems like such a good idea in the abstract…
A happy worker!
I’ve now learnt that black gloss, children and white, blind dogs really don’t mix…pray for me..and my floors..and possibly my sanity..
Laters, Kate x
China Town x
On Saturday I took the kids plus Bella’s bestie to explore the delights of China Town in London. Charlie, freed from the constraints of school uniform opted for a cunning combination of shorts over jogging trousers..
Accessorised with a pink umbrella..
That was until he spotted this tiger hat..
Not that he didn’t fit in..the place was buzzing..
And tigers were a trend..
It’s not long till Chinese New Year and all the shops were red, vibrant and humming with life and such a variety of whacky and wonderful stuff that blew the kids minds. They spent their pocket money on dresses, silk pajamas, paper dragons, fortune cookies and fans..
Checking out the weird and grotesque in the restaurant windows.
Charlie, being Charlie..as only Charlie can be..with his fan..
We looked at the Chinese supermarkets..so worth a wander..
Before stopping for a conventional drink and a bite to eat. Hot chocolate with cheese and onion crisps anyone??
Charlie was more interested in doing peacock impressions..
Looking at our purchases to offer an unsuspecting Daddy..frogspawn juice was a bit of a fav..
And how have we survived this long without a can of Kickapoo?…
The girls came back to change into their dresses and choreograph a fan dance..
Charlie wasn’t going to be outdone..
A slug of kickapoo later..
And it was sword dancing!
Laters, Kate x
Ooops..He did it again..
Walking down the street on a lazy Sunday afternoon, it surprisingly took me a good ten minutes to clock Charlie’s latest outfit choice…
Returning home, he then broke his mother’s heart by attempting to cut his own hair..(you can imagine..I’m still recovering)..but strangely enough, he found out exactly where the sartorial boundaries lie…
Laters, Kate x
The Sartorialist..
Charlie’s latest style statement…inside out trousers, accessorised with goggles..
Not sure it’ll catch on…
Laters, Kate x
Ice Queen x
Bella with her best-bud…on Sunday we took them to Streatham ice rink (where both girls have lessons) to see my lovely, multi-talented friend Kaori Okumura from the Blog, Twist and Turn play in an ice hockey match with her team, Storm..
Spotting Kaori on the ice..
It’s a fast and furious game relying on skill and courage..and lots of padding..
In contrast, Kaori is tiny, delicate and an artisan knitter by trade, producing the most beautiful garments..with her fingers! No needles! An oxymoron in living flesh..
Bella was equally surprised and impressed! Wow!
Laters, Kate x
Happy New Year! xxx
From a very wet, stormy start to the year…
To the post-apocalyptic Christmas cake, complete with reindeer excrement, polar bear poo and a melting snowman…what would Grandma think?
Here’s to a fabulous 2015!
Laters, Kate x
The Magic starts here..
The Elf-on-the-shelf has been a stroke of genius to the spirit of Christmas in this house – so much so we had to find him a female companion (mind out of the gutter please….) so Bella had her own elf too (At eight she’s on the cusp of not believing) – their presence has been totally embraced with homemade presents and letters regularly being left for them (generally saying the other has been up to no good!). The other tradition that underlines the children’s belief is their annual message from PNP Santa..it’s a beautiful dose of pure nostalgia – there’s a choice of a free message – which really works if you have young children or only one so you don’t get a repeat..or pay £2.99 for a longer message, more photos and a choice of story..this year, for the first time, I upgraded..it was so worth it, particularly as there was an option for the Elf to get a special mention..how perfectly magical? There’s no denying their power now!
The basic concept is that Santa speaks individually to your child and looks at photos of them through the year in their special book..then they find out whether they’re on the good list…or the naughty list..with the option of behaving better before the big day…it’s very, very, clever and utterly seductive. And it’s not just limited to children..there’s an adults version too with true mirth in hearing this Santa mutter ‘I hear you regularly fart in bed’ and other such gems..
I’ve uploaded Bella and Charlie’s messages to Facebook if you want to see the quality of the messages for yourself, and just for posterity, I videoed their reactions this year:
…Once you have laughed and once you have loved this Christmas..the rest is just background noise..
Laters, Kate x
Christmas Spirit..
The lead up to Christmas is gathering momentum like a shaken, very expensive bottle of vintage champagne ready to explode everywhere, with no-one actually getting to taste a drop. So starts the month of spending, drinking and ironic hair extensions: There’s so much emphasis on the extravagance of Christmas – the more you spend does equal the more you love don’t you know? – that the real joy of Christmas is suffocated like a candle without oxygen. There have been years when I’ve literally sobbed into my mulled wine on Christmas Eve as I’m still working my way through the pile of effing presents that still need to be wrapped…and missing out on all the bits I truly love – the making, the baking and the creating…I’m not religious, but I find my peace in austerity and gentleness away from the whining notion of entitlement and endlessly wanting it all..
So this year I’ve kept it simple..Bella’s stocking is everything to do with sewing with vintage bits I’ve collected from Ebay. Charlie’s is an Art box equivalent with paints, plasticine and the odd robot. The kids broke up from school yesterday, and I’ve managed to get everything done and out the way – the proverbial decks have been cleared (well..almost..cards not quite in the post yet..) but it’s been a long, hard term: The kids are on their knees, so am I..but now we can shut the shutters, close the door and concentrate on lazy days with moments of madness and doing all the things that make Christmas special for us…These lights made from photocopies and ordinary glass tumblers are up there at the top of the list…
I can’t wait!
Laters, Kate x
Cheeky Charlie..
Laters, kate x
Marking Time..
Do you remember Clothkits? They’re a huge dollop of nostalgia for me as the first clothes I truly coveted and lusted over at school. They came in easy-sew kits to make up, including all sorts of wonderful, genius things like rag dolls as well..
There was always an extra touch..like her matching bag to add the final flourish and make them utterly desirable..
How cute?
The padded coats were particularly memorable…if this came in my size now, I would have it..
But there’s a light at the end of the tunnel..I googled them and Clothkits is still running, and many of these designs are still available plus a host more..
From old originals…
To their modern equivalents..
If you want to give something crafty for Christmas..so crafty you can put a tail on it and call it a fox?..check them out..their range is incredible..
Laters, kate x
Maison Bentley Style 