Well, I knew I would let myself down but I didn't think it would be quite so soon! Have missed a few days but in fairness I have been away for the weekend so forgive myself for the lapse.
Spent a wonderful weekend in Yorkshire (where my heart is happiest) with friends. So nice to be in the company of people you care for and can feel relaxed and at ease with. Used the time to soak up as much inspiration as I could from all kind of sources whether it was from nature itself (the changing colours of the leaves on the trees, oh my, that's so beautiful) to lots of 'pretties' in the lovely shops in Ilkley. That town is wonderful! Like stepping back in time to a more genteel period and of course you can't go to Ilkley without popping in to Betty's for something yummy. Love that place! Came home with Yorkshire curd cake and a Fat Rascal! (That's a huge scone...not my husband!)
Home again though to plan for this week's Panda Club lessons. Fully inspired by my trip to Betty's, we will be painting cupcakes this week so look out for those on the gallery page soon. I will talk the children through the basic drawing, talk about colours that work together and think about how to decorate the cakes. It's going to be pretty much free reign as far as that goes and knowing my Panda's they will rise to the challenge and knock my socks off as usual. These children have so much talent it is a joy to see it given a platform each week in the form of Panda Club, a piece of paper and a whole bunch of creativity. Watch this space!
Need to go and prep for today's lesson but will be back soon. Hope you are all enjoying the changing colours that this season brings. It's like living in a changing painting isn't it?
I nearly forgot! In fact it's almost 1am, having trouble sleeping so I am on the computer trying to make myself tired. Don't like these sleepless nights and I seem to get more of the lately. Yuch!
Drove home from work today to my Panda class with the sunshine streaming through the car window and warming me through. Lovely, really autumnal and uplifting. As I drove past all the mummies and daddies picking up their children from school, I was suddenly taken back ten years in my mind to a time when I would have been picking up my own children and taking them home, asking all the usual questions about how their day had gone. For a moment I was completely back in that time as though the last ten years hadn't happened. Time is so odd. sometimes it seems to move more quickly than others like on the days when you get so much done in a short period of time but another day in exactly the same period of time, you struggle to get anything done.
Today made me realise just how quickly time is passing and how important it is to use the time we have wisely. I have so many goals and ideas right now which I want to see come to fruition. The hardest thing is waiting for the moment to be right, to wait for everything to drop into place so that things can progress. Patience is indeed a virtue but could it hurry up just a little please?
Liking the blog thing, wonder if anyone is reading it?
Where to begin? Well for a start, this is my first ever blog. I'm not sure how to do it or what to say so i will just begin by saying that I am happy to be here!
The website has been running for a few weeks now and is one of my proudest achievements. Without my husband, Rich's help, it would probably never have happened so it is a joint collaberation and i have to say a huge thank you to him for all his guidance and patient assistance!
Panda-Art didn't exist a year ago. If someone had told me two years ago that in two years time I would be running private art classes for children in the local community I would have been amazed. To then follow it up with a website and commissions and sales of my own work would have surprised me even further. It's amazing when you look back on life at how your path changes and how things move forwards. Perhaps not always in the way you might have thought or even have chosen but in my case to a place where I am finally feeling a sense of creative achievement both for myself and when I look at the work of the children I teach. They are all so talented.
Talking of which I have to go now and teach my afternoon class. No Panda club tonight. It's my only free night of the week and one on which I either do the food shop or get my hair cut. Today it's hair cut day!
I will try to blog regualrly but as each entry in my diary is at least 5 or 6 months apart I can't guarantee it! Pleas take time to look at Panda-Art and enjoy in particular the work done by the children. Best wishes to any that read this.
