Time Worn

When I read the prompt for this week's Sunday creative: TIMEWORN there could only be one thing for me to write about and photograph.
Meet Merrythought.

My much loved and worn with time teddy bear.
I have had him since I was 1 years old.
So he is 44.
He has been cuddled, sat on - I used to sit on him in church as the pews were hard when I was about 4 - his nose is slightly squished and off centre,now.
He used to have a growl but then he needed a big thump in his tummy for it to work and now it doesn't work at all. I can still feel it in there somewhere.
He sat in the garden for many a tea party and attended several teddy bear's picnics.
He has been into hospital with me and once came out of theatre wearing an eye patch and those dark green theatre knickers!
He used to sit on my bed,along with my other toys all lined up nice and tidy when I went to school.He would then be dragged down the stairs everyday when I was at school by my dog,Fred, when he was a puppy. He was a small poodle, who used to systematically collect from my bed each toy in turn from the bed and drag each one thump, thump, thump downstairs before running back upstairs to repeat the exercise with the next item until he had either completed his mission or my Mother caught and scolded him.
Before I went to college, my Mother insisted on re-stuffing him, on account of him looking rather thin. He know has red thread stitches to mark the occasion and still looks quite stuffed.
He was named Merrythought as he bore the label "merrythought", which has now worn out and disappeared.
He is still very loved and proudly sits on a little chair.
A little time worn or worn with time, perhaps.
I like to think of Time=Love.
If that be so,then Merrythought, my bear is very love worn.
For other timeworn stories,creations and photos checkout the Sunday Creative!
Enjoy!

Happy Mother's Day!

Today is Mother's Day here in the UK.
Happy mother's Day!

I love this photo!
It was taken of me and my Mum in the garden in the summer with our family dog, Sue, all in the hammock when I was 20 months old. It has always been one of my favourite photos. I don't know if it just seemed to be a happy day memory or that I remember the hammock being such fun swinging in between the 2 pear trees in the back garden or quite what evokes such a happy smiley memory of me and my Mum and the dog.
I remember choosing this photo to stick on my first book I did when I first went to school when I was 5.
I dug out this first prized and still treasured wallpaper covered book this morning from my memory box and took a photo of the photo stuck on the front for you all to see. It's a bit gubbed and gnarled now but precious all the same.

I also found this picture I coloured in for Mum in my memory box. No idea how old I was when I did this, but I guess older than 5 as I almost managed to stay within the lines! Presumably, I decided that yellow was more joyful than purple for these "violets". Either that, or I had no purple! From a young age I have always tended to think out of the box and break the moulds and constraints that said rules like violets should be only coloured purple.

Thank you Mum for choosing me to be part of such an amazing family with you and Dad and my brother and sister. Thank you for accepting me and loving me despite what the authorities and powers that be wrote and said about me when I was first born and when you first met me as a baby. Thank you for loving care and for nurturing and teaching me in all the ways I could go. You have been an incredible influence and role model that has shaped me into the woman I am today. I know I wasn't always soft play dough to mould and shape but at times a bit like concrete needing a chisel, but your love and perseverance seems to have paid off. I loved making and racing those funky turtles from walnut shells with you, by the way. Good times!

I got these flowers today for Mother's Day at church.
Can't help but think about the 2 Mother's I have had in my life.
My first Mother, who carried me, secret and hidden and bravely chose to have me, probably surrounded in shame, choosing to give me life and to bring me into the world. I have always known about you and how special I am to my family, I just never knew you.I recently discovered that you named me when I was 3 days old, tiny and premature. Thank you for wishing me to be in a family. Your wishes came true, against the odds.
I am very blessed to have had 2 amazing Mothers in my life.

Happy Mother's Day.
xxx

Oh dear! Endings and New Beginnings.

Today I left my job!
2 weeks ago I had just got the email about the job I will start in 2 weeks time, when school starts in the New Year.
It has been a mad few days since being offered the job 3 days ago.
I was offered my new job, hoping to start my new one in January on the basis that we could find someone to replace me.
Someone "just happened" to come in to work, asking if there were any opportunities to gain some experience, whilst they do some training. Often, courses won't accept you on their training programmes without the experience.
So I have spent the last 3 morning sessions in school, with this lady working alongside me as part of a brilliant and timely hand over.
Perfect, these "just happened" moments, aren't they?

On Wednesday afternoon, I was asked to teach 3 classes as a supply teacher, which was great for me. The 3 classes of 9, 10 and 11 year olds seemed to like it too. I taught each class for 45 minutes. I made, or they made, or we made these:cute aren't they?
They are cute, made with baby sized up to adult sized hands and feet!

I got the idea from my niece, a few years ago.
If you haven't made them before, simply draw round one foot and left and right hands.
The foot becomes the reindeer head, the hands, the antleers!
We did this on brown paper and stuck it all onto card, for strength.
Use a black marker pen to draw round the outline to make it bold.
Write a message and the date, so it can become a keepsake memory.
We drew round a small coin in red card for the noses and stuck on googly eyes.
Some children chose one big and one small eye size, to make their reindeer have more character!
They then went round the edge of the hands/antlers to make them a bit sparkly and ooh ahh with colourful glitter glue.
Some used glitter very creatively!
Some children were able to build their reindeer at the sticking brown paper onto card stage, others stuck each of the 3 brown paper parts onto the card as separate pieces, to cut out and re-assemble later.
This was because they struggled with the cutting out skills with the fingers for the antlers, so we did it in stages.
All 3 classes loved it and many thought they might make a family of reindeer at home with their families!
Hole punch 2 holes for some thread to hang your "dear" festive creations!
My niece does it each year with her children and hangs them in a garland so you can see them get bigger each year!
I think she also sticks a photo of the children in the middle of the foot too.

Today was my last day in this job. Not every day was easy. One of the children I worked with could be quite aggressive and volatile towards me and other children. Some days at 8.50am would seem like very long days. Other days, would hold some rewards and breakthroughs, where we would make great progress, in attitudes, choices and learning. I also had the chance to invest and hopefully impact several other young lives throughout the school, helping them in their social and emotional development too.
It is the end of the last 2 years and my colleagues have been a really kind and supportive staff to work alongside. I will miss them but am pleased to have made some friends too. They very generously gave me this beautiful bouquet of flowers and a lovely necklace to wish me well in my new job.

A new beginning.

Tidy, sort, glue, shopping, systems is #11 and #46!

I have many things on my Wish Upon A Star list that require me to do lots of tidying, sorting and generally clearing things out. I find it incredibly satisfying once it is done, but almost overwhelming when I need to do it.
So I put lots of the things needing sorting on my list, dividing my tidying tasks into smaller tasks.

I had a pile of artwork that was my Mum and Dads artwork, in various sketch books of various sizes and as separate pieces of work. I decided to compile it together into one big book and have now stuck it all in. Some pieces I like as art and some because they bring back so many memories.
This painting my Mum did, is of a print that used to hang in my Grandparents home when we used to visit as children.

and my Dad did lots of great pen and ink drawings.

I went shopping last week to IKEA with a friend from work and bought a few baskets to help me set up some systems, with all the existing storage things I had, for storing all my art and craft resources in my shelving. IKEA has some really funky things and is great for storage ideas. I had stuffed all my stuff, previously, in a small cupboard. It would take me ages to find all the bits I needed, so I had fun re-jigging evertything around, sorting, throwing and using my new baskets! I am very pleased that it is all now oooh aah and tidy on my shelving at last!


So I have now crossed off #11 and #46.
40 to go...

Remember to be thankful for Lists!

I have mixed feelings when it comes to lists. As a child, my Mum would write lists for everything. She would send me shopping with a list. Sometimes the list would read:butter. I never knew if the list was for me of for her and never felt that I should ask. Now I make lists often because I have soooo many things to do and am worried that I might forget something. The list usually seems so overwhelming! However, my favourite part is when I cross things off!
As part of Make Some Art Monday that I am doing, Chrissie is asking us to join in the blog fun by compiling a list of things to do before our next birthday.... that is the number of items corresponding to the number in years you will be next year!
That is 46 things!
My head has been spinning with ideas, fun things and all the actual things I really need to do.
I added a few things in for fun too!
This week, with a little help from Tudur, I made my list and my art:

This is My Wish Upon A Star Artwork: covered in 46 post it notes! I will peel them off as I complete each thing, to reveal the stars and some words of affirmation hidden underneath!

My 46 things for Luci to do(before my next Birthday)... my own Wish Upon A Star list
(I need lots of Fairy Dust!)

I have made a start on the list of 46 things, since my birthday was at the beginning of October :-)

1. Visit hummingbird bakery
I would love to see and taste these amazing cakes in one of their stores.

2. Sort out photos for scrapbooking.
The last few years photos are in a huge box in a mess.

3. Sort stuff in Trunk. Big mess.

4. Memory Box
My own keepsakes, need sorting through since they came out of storage.

5. Start Scrapbooking - Done! (started on Saturday. I had such fun!) :-)

6. Paint Bathroom

7. Sort and throw out old statements
I only need to keep the last 5 years.

8. Increase my working hours - Done! (was offered and accepted another part time job temporary on Friday!) I start in 2 weeks time. yippee! :-)

9. Find new and fulfilling job.
Need to find something new, as current jobs are temporary contracts.

10. Start A Blog - Done! (started in October and loving it!) :-)

11. Mum and Dad Artwork.
I have a selection of some of my parents artwork. It is in a pile of sketchbooks and pieces, which i want to put together in one memory book of the artwork I have.

12. Make blind for Kitchen.

13. Tidy paperwork on desk.
I have "adopted" my Dad's stack system: piles of paperwork.
Have realised that piles = mess. Need to have order on my desk.

14.Sort Teaching box into files and chuck out the unwanted paper for recycling.

15.Investigate loft/attic conversion.
Next door have done it, but need to find out building regulations, cost, planning permission, staircase, window, architect, builder etc. I would love a separate workroom / office space.

16. Make some leaf Art.
Need to hurry to do this, before all the leaves turn to slush with all the rain we keep having here.

17. Do a course.

18. Visit friends in Scotland.

19. Write child/youth curriculum.
Started this pre-teen curriculum years ago, when I was in YWAM, but would love to continue it, with the next 2 booklets.

20. Scrapbook existing photos.
Old albums done with the old peel adhessive, which are falling to pieces.

21. Put nice photos in photo frames.

22. Wear a nice dress to a nice occassion.

23. Start swimming again.
havent been this year as had post viral fatigue. I miss it.

24. Girly Shopping Day in a lovely city.

25. Jump in some Puddles. (in my wellies)

26. Get a dog. (maybe)

27. Eat in a lovely Restaurant.

28. Discover more about my family roots.

29. Sort, recycle, file child and youth box of stuff.

30. Go for a picnic - at the zoo!

31. Go and see a play.

32. Go and see some live music.

33. Write messy church Stuff down, maybe as a blog?
Need to chat with minister and see how is best to pas on the creative ways we have been doing all age services each month.

34. New Relationships.

35. Travel somewhere on a plane.

36. Write down storytelling/circle time stuff done in the last few years and is in notes.

37. Ditch Denby and buy new china I like. Done! Sent old denby to china search last month and new stuff arrived today! Joy! :-)

38. Holiday

39. Sort through Memorabilia of Mum and Dad.
Need to do this with my sister. It is a work in progress.

40. Play in the snow

41. Have a Spa Day - facial, nails - relax.

42. Direction for this new season.
Last year, the Lord said to me change. I am praying about what is next for me.

43. Have a Massage.

44. Explore possibilities - the word the lord gave me was enlarge - house, ministry, friends, family... what does this mean for me and how.

45. 6 x boxes of Junk. Clear out, throw out, give away, keep a little.

46. New system for craft stuff. Tidy and organise, or I can't find what I need/want.

Phew!
Now to tackle the other 42 things on the list....

Remember to be thankful for remembering!

Well, it is the 5th November! Here in the UK it is still celebrated with fireworks, bonfires, sparklers, rockets, Catherine wheels, sausages, candy floss, coconut ice, hot potatoes, roast chestnuts, lanterns... to name some of the traditions...
For me though, it is not the political remembering of the 5th of November that conjours up so many memories, but more that I can remember my childhood home. A place where i loved growing up for so many reasons.
It was a special place because it was reputed to be the house where The Conspirators met to plan the blowing up of Parliament in 1605. The house was then a coaching inn, on the main highway to London. The legend is, that the Conspirators stayed at the inn on the night of the Gunpowder Plot, awaiting news of their plot. However, history tells us that they got news that Guy Fawkes had been caught red-handed and so they all scattered and were later all caught and tortured. Guy Fawkes was hung, drawn and quartered for carrying out his scheme. By the 20th century, the old coaching inn was a rambling old house, where we as a family lived. The only evidence of the past history was that the house was named after Guy, had a plaque telling of the story and often we would have people come to re-tell the story, as well as visitors wanting to hear a tale or two! The most memorable stories would be these: A young boy walking into the kitchen and meeting my Grandad, for the first time and asking him " are you Guy Fawkes?" Then there was the time the local TV station came to do a film about the story of Bonfire Night. My Dad was so cross that it took them all day to film and in his opinion was a pretty poor show, and the props department came with a black sphere labelled "bomb" and to his utter dismay, they used coconut shells to mimic the sound of horses hooves, followed by the presenter being shadowed in a cloud of smoke with a big bang. The big bang was the bit that most dismayed my Dad! It left behind a rather large dark patch on his green grass lawn. Oh dear. as a keen gardener, this was almost un-forgivable! He was not happy, but we all couldn't help laughing as we watched it on the telly! The story that went down in our family history was of my parents hosting a big bonfire party for all the local children and families. Dad dressed up as a "guy", and hid in the bonfire on step ladders, waiting to leap out from the fire as it was lit! The ladder collapsed, but he did get out completely un-harmed. It was one of those, I can't believe my parents did that stories! For Mum and Dad, the ultimate pranksters, my Dad, the slightly mad professor, it was just one of those things they did....However, this should not ever be attempted, of course!
Most years, we would light a few rockets in milk bottles, lined up on the wall and watch them light the sky or go to the larger and more organised bonfire night celebrations with the more spectacular fireworks to go ooh ahh to!
So, whatever you do this Bonfire night, Fireworks night,be safe and I leave you with the famous poem:
Remember, remember the fifth of November,
The gunpowder treason and plot,
I know of no reason
Why the gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.

Remember to be thankful for birthdays

I love birthdays!
As a child, cards would appear as if by magic in a pile with presents at the breakfast table, when I went downstairs bleary eyed at the start of a new day.
My birthday. I gradually realised, over the years, that my parents had been secretly squirreling the cards away from the pile of post arriving each day for the preceding days and weeks before my big day. Cards were then ceremoniously opened, read, admired and shared, before being put on the shelf on the kitchen for all visitors to admire. They were then left up on display in the kitchen until the next member of the family had a birthday. My Mum then stuck all my cards into a big scrapbook, which I still have, until my teenage years. As an adult, I now save all the obvious looking cards and packages until the big day and it is always very special to open them on my birthday. This year, I got a somewhat surprising amount of birthday cards featuring cats! Some things never change!
I am thankful for my birthday, for my Mother who chose to give me life and for my amazing family and friends who I celebrate my birthday with each year. A few years ago a friend told me that Psalm 139 is known as the birthday Psalm in his family.They would sit and light a birthdya candle and then read this together. Since he told me of this, I now especially read this Psalm on my birthday too. Thanks, Wade. But today is not my birthday. It is my friend Rachel's.
Happy Birthday Rachel!
Thank you for being my friend and I really hope you enjoy your special day. I wonder how you will celebrate your day? I expect that we, groovy girlie cake chicks, will hear about your day on Thursday? Hope so.
Jen, me and Rachel, the birthday girl!

Remember to be thankful for sunshine moments

I have a throat that feels like sandpaper and a cough that scares the cat. So, it has been a few days indoors for me, taking it easy and resting.
November. The time to Remember. The time to be thankful. I am thankful for the sunshine moments in my life. Too many to list, perhaps, but here is one to share with you. My baby great niece has just started taking her first steps and recently turned 1. When I saw her on Friday, she waited until her brothers and sisters left the room, got up and with purposeful determination walked full circle around the room and landed in my lap and grinned. My sunshine moment. I am very thankful to her that she shared that with me. What are some of your sunshine moments to be thankful for, I wonder?

My Ode to Autumn: The Red Leaf.

I found one!
right on the floor as I walked through the park, the other day.
I have such great memories of finding red leaves. My birthday is during Autumn and I have a vivid memories of childhood parties at home. There would often be the game:"hunt the leaf." The leader, my big sister, would call out the colour, name, number or shape of a leaf to go and find. everyone would dash off, scrunching and scurrying or squishing (depending on the weather that day)through the leaves until we found one. We would dash back to her in the middle of the garden, clutching our leaf or leaves as if it were treasure to listen for the next challenge.
no prizes or treats given in this game, just the joy of discovering our own valued and precious treasure.
The most highly prized treasure, for me, was always finding the Red Leaf.
Such memories came flooding back when i found this leaf, right in front of me, staring me in the face.
Treasure.
My Red Leaf.