Fairport's Cropredy Convention

What a fabulous time I had at Fairport’s Cropredy Convention Festival last weekend! It was 3 days of great music, great friends, great food and great times! Everyone was in a festival mood and what glorious weather we had. 3 days of brilliant sunshine, though Friday was almost too much sun! I survived without getting burnt as I continuously bathe myself in sun cream as well as my little man. 

My hubby was brave and didn’t use any (he didn’t need it with his Native American blood!). It always seems to rain each year, so I am not going to complain about too much sun!
 

I started going to the Cropredy festival about 20 years ago, making it an annual tradition. This all got scuppered up when I moved to the States, but I have been back at it for the past 5 years now! This year was the first one where Oakley could run around, and did he ever! He had an absolute BLAST! 

He loved it, and made many many new friends, both young and old. He loved the children’s play area, and kept pointing towards it when we were sat down. He chased lots of girls and lots of dogs! I thought he might have gotten the blues this past week from the let-down of a normal ‘boring’ week! (But, nah, he is such a happy little boy, he kept keep on smiling!)

The favourite bands I saw were Squeeze, Larkin Poe and Bellowhead. Not to mention Fairport Convention themselves of course! 

Of course, there was the traditional Richard Digance stint, which involves lots of laughter and lots of Morris-hanky waving!

My little boy's creativity

My little man loves to be creative! He loves to draw and paint and build and basically anything where he gets to work with his little hands.

When I was a little girl, I was allowed to create (although it was play to me!) along side my dad as he painted and sculpted. I so much loved it! And now I let my little guy do the same. There aren't separate art materials for him and myself, we just share all the supplies! (Though some things he isn't allowed, like oil and acrylic paints for safety reasons).

The above picture is a drawing our old cat Aubrey. I think Oakley has the family creative gene as it really looks like him.

He loves seeing me painting and drawing. He is now at the age where he can grab a chair, drag it across the room beside me, climb on top and join right in! And during those times I am using paints he isn't allowed, I let him do 'dry' painting... I let him have some dry brushes and a dry palette and he loves it! He just paints whatever is in his mind and goes for it!

He also sometimes gets himself tired out from it all and has a snooze!

Breast feeding necklaces!

Hi everyone. I was recently looking for a present for my sister who is about to give birth as well as a gift for a friend's birthday. I came across some fabulous necklaces that combine both funky designs that are fashionable yet also at the same time safe for mama and babies! I have so many necklaces that I simply don't wear anymore because they aren't safe or comfortable when wearing or hugging my little boy.

Us mamas want to still look groovy and these necklaces ticked all the boxes! They are non-toxic and are designed to represent a pregnant woman and are twiddle buster designs (little baby fingers twiddle on the necklace not your hair!)

Check out monkeymamanecklaces if you love them as much as I do!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/monkeymamanecklaces
http://www.facebook.com/monkeymamanecklaces

Sketches

Incase you have been wondering what I have been up to creatively of late here are some recent sketches, some have made it into artwork.... some in progress and others are due to be developed soon

 Inspired by a Mama at the Natural Mamas big camp

 Idea for a tandem breastfeeding picture

 quick sketch of baby wearing family of babushka dolls

Babywearing Babuskha Mama

this one did make it into colour, and was turned into a card

 The top one is the rough sketch for a painting that is in progress, it is based on the wonderful Claire at Kitten Creations (she makes AMAZING carriers). Below is the final sketch on watercolour paper

 This one is called Expectant, and is inspired by my sister who is due to have her first baby any day now! I have been working on this one for a few weeks as it is quite a big painting.

Here is the latest shot of it in progress

When this one is finished I will post up all my in progress shots of it.

Hope you enjoyed them, keep checking back for updates on them, or like our Facebook page to see them as I work on them.

http://www.facebook.com/worldsofwhimsy