Mandala Magic

I'm currently taking part in the wonderful, free, online workshop 5 Days of Mandala Magic with Julie Gibbons.

Yesterday Julie demonstrated how to create a lotus mandala. Here is my first ever attempt at a lotus mandala.

I took to this like a duck to water! I've always been fascinated with geometric patterns and although I've been aware of mandalas, something about their traditional form always felt a bit inaccessible to me.  But Julie explains how to create these in clear terms without losing any of the mystery and magic behind them. Thank you Julie!

The middle way

Photo by me, words by Pema Chodron.

Something I'm working on...

for my art course.  Illustrating a memory from childhood.

Initial pencil sketch.

Just DO it

I'm doing an art course at the moment.  It's a little bit terrifying.  I'm in the company of some amazing talent.  So amazing that comparing their work to mine is just ridiculous.  At first this made me wobble and wonder whether I was really cut out for such a course.  Maybe I wasn't ready to put my stuff out there for criticism, even constructive criticism, by people of such immense skill.  But it's turned out to be a good thing.  Because the intimidation I felt turned quickly to awe and then to the realisation that I have the privilege and good fortune to learn from them.  It's not a competition, it's a learning experience.  Everybody has to start somewhere, and I AM ready.  Because I'm more excited about learning and improving, even if it means I have to expose myself, my weaknesses, my lack of technical skill, than wanting to stay 'safe' in my own little bubble.  Most of all, I'm excited about DOING, about making, rather than just thinking about it.   The act of making, of creating, really is transformative.  This post says it rather well. 

And here's something I made earlier...

I finished

Today was the last day of my 365 circles project.  This was the last circle.  

And that's about all the profoundness I have to say about that.

Some of things we've been up to lately...

Meeting Polly Dunbar and the original Penguin!!  At the Discover Story Centre in Stratford

Saving oblivious humans from dots

Building licorice towers

At a certain exhibition somewhere where photography wasn't permitted...ahem...

My finger slipped while I was holding my phone and it accidentally took some photos!

At the fantastic making workshops run by the London Transport Museum

Playing with glow sticks!

Busy busy!

This day

Happy Easter

...whatever it means to you.

Some Spring collages Jake and I made with tissue paper shapes and laminating pouches.

Jake's card to me.

It's been one of those days...

Drawing helps.  

This was inspired by the late, great Maurice Sendak.

Still Winter

           I took these photos a month ago, but it could have been yesterday. 
Will Spring ever arrive?

Hands

Feets!

Hello....

... who's there?

31/31 ~ January Mindful Writing

On the rain soaked, wind swept pavement, a dislodged piece of bark in the shape of a heart.
~

Today is the last official day of January's Mindful Writing challenge, but I will be continuing with mindful writing on my small stones blog. 

30/31 ~ January Mindful Writing

The wind is rattling the window frame.  Outside, the whole silver birch sways and the hanging branches throw constantly dancing shadows on the house opposite.

29/31 ~ January Mindful Writing

In someone else's house

I stop in front of the black and white cat.  It is curled up on a mustard yellow cushion that is too small for it, and which tilts off the edge of a table and is being held up by the radiator nearby.  We haven't met before so I hold my hand above the cat's sleeping head.  It stirs, gives my fingers a sniff and then a barely perceptible nod.  I stroke his head, the fur slightly rough, and am rewarded with three slow deep purrs before he tells me he's had enough.
~
From my seat near the bay window, I see the curve of a red chilli pepper over the TV set.  The pepper is next to a spiky leafed plant on the windowsill outside.  For a moment I marvel that it is thriving in this cold weather before realising it is the top of a gnome's hat.

28/31 ~ January Mindful Writing

I pour hot water into the plastic turquoise mixing bowl and watch the steam rise.  I add two drops of eucalyptus and one drop of lavender oil.  "That smells nice!" Jake says, but I can't smell anything, not even with my head above the steam and a towel over my head.  I open my mouth to inhale the vapours and a light green taste lands on my tongue, but there is no smell and the taste makes no sense without the smell.

27/31 ~ January Mindful Writing

Yoshi pads into the kitchen and catches the sun on his black fur.  For a moment he is sheathed in a suit of shimmering silver.
~
In the kitchen, I hear the sound of squawking coming from the direction of the sky.  I look up into the blue, expecting to see a flash of long-tailed greenness.  Although I know they are here, it still surprises me, to hear parakeets in Walthamstow.

26/31 ~ January Mindful Writing

Jake in red and blue starry pyjamas constructs a makeshift "train station" with a fire engine, the lid of a plastic storage box and some dominoes.  "Mummy, do you want to do the people getting on and off?" 
~
Mid-morning ~ even after a night of rain, a large patch of ice remains on the pavement in the shadow of the bridge at Northcote road, an archipelago on a concrete sea.  I look up.  How wonderful to see streaks of airplane vapour trails against blue sky again. 

25/31 ~ January Mindful Writing

On the pavements, the snow and ice is gone.  A few small patches here and there, but otherwise, back to concrete.  All trace of the snow cat gone, except for one of its hazelnut eyes.
~
Jake in his red Power Rangers costume, with small panda bear tucked into the gold belt, eating cheerios and watching Abney & Teal.