Wondering to work

Do you fancy keeping me company whilst I walk to work? I actually took a lot of photos on my way to work this morning but I selected only a few.

The pond was iced over with a light sprinkling of snow on it.

This old shop on the corner of the Lane was being painted today. I snatched a photo before the sign is gone to.

This big old wall would have surrounded the gardens of the house I work in.

We've arrived! There's the house. Thank you for keeping me company :)

One last note, when I was greeting a group of school children who were visiting the House, a little girl of about five said to me 'you have a really nice house and a beautiful garden'. I told her I didn't actually live there but she wasn't interested.

Hand made sketchbooks

I've been busy at work this week, what with making lots of giant fruit and nuts from felt. Ialso had fun teaching Thursday's drawing and painting class. We were making our own sketchbooks and I made these examples to show. The children's own sketchbooks were actually much more interesting than mine but I didn't get good photos to show you. They have now taken them home and their first assignment is 'draw a place which is special to you - real or imaginery'. Lets see what they come up with.

Sewing fun

Some of you may have seen that I was making a big acorn as a resource for the children I work with. I'm actually making a whole load of different fruit and nuts which grow in the park I work in. These two aren't finished yet, I'll be putting smiley faces on them.

Working With Children

Here is another little book I've made for a children's workshop. The theme of the workshop is World War II and the class of visiting children will be studying items from an evacuees suitcase. It's not as neat and well finished as the other one but i'm still pleased with it, considering I made it in an afternoon. I photocopied the booklet and each child was given one to work in.

Like looking in a mirror

I run a drawing and painting class on Thursdays for children aged 7 to 10 years. Yesterday we did self portraits and I loved what the children did. These are some of my favourites. Look at how brilliant they are! I'll take real inspiration from these when drawing people and trying new techniques.

A little book

As some of you may know my full time job is working with children. I'm based at a historical house in London which is set in a picturesque park. The children visit the house and the park and part of my job is to create educational and fun activities for them. Earlier this year I made this little activity book for the children. I was really pleased with it and it's inspired me to think about making some zines in 2010.

In the park

One thing I do as part of my job is the annual Tree Dressing. Nine primary school classes took part this year and I spent all of yesterday, in the rain, putting their artwork in the trees. Today the rain had cleared and all the school children came to see their work. I've been so busy with the project but I was so pleased with how today went.