Learning

 

Once a month I go back to Primary School!  No, not liberally, but a primary school teacher does a monthly drawing session on the WI Learning Hub.  And I think my results are the sort of thing her usual pupils would produce.  I'm quite happy with that.  Children's drawings often make me smile!  There are lots of other sessions on the hub for people with varying degrees of artistic ability but this is just fun.  

This week I am also doing a Shakespeare Summer School on Hamlet on the learning hub and next week we move on to Measure for Measure.  Just an hour a day.  Next week there is also a hand embroidery summer school which I will be joining.  All these sessions will be recorded so if I'm busy at the time the live session is streamed, I can watch later.  I've done sessions on using my iPhone, budgetting, decluttering, travel, and much, much more.  

Other than the summer schools, most courses are free for WI members.  

Perfect?

 

I keep having a little go at painting and drawing bits and pieces.  This piece was from a WI  session a while ago.  It was supposed to be Perfect - Not! but I like my wonky version better.

I think the modern phrase for this is "winging it".  I like that as it reminds me that I get through only by the intervention of angels!  

I've never got my life together and I doubt if I ever will and that's OK.  Thing is though, that I give myself full permission just to do my best with the housework, cooking, blogging or whatever.  And sometimes my best really isn't very good.  So I give myself permission to do what I can.  People seeing me might think they are looking at the blooper reel of my life but I know that they're looking at the highlights!

So, I invite you to raise your half empty coffee mug (forget the messy ring you left behind): raise it to the beautiful chaos that is being human.

Here's to you and me in all our wonderful imperfections!

Better than being at school.

 

When I was at school I was rubbish at sewing, art,  and "sporty things".  Always bottom of the class.  Never sewed a thing of which I could be proud.  Forget painting.  Always last to be picked for a team.

But I've been free of school for fifty five years.  And the great thing is, I don't need to compare myself with anyone else.  My body is a weird shape following a severe motor cycle crash and a bilateral mastectomy but I've found somewhere to swim without feeling self conscious.  I can sew adequately and take really pleasure in being creative with a needle.

So that leaves art.  Shame about that.  I'll never be able to paint or draw.  Or can I?

One place where I have found inspiration is Kirsten's blog "A letter from home".  Kirsten does some lovely little sketches on her blog.  I don't think she'll mind if I say they aren't great art but they are fun and they have inspired me to have a go.  They are so appealing and immediate.

Then the WI has an on line drawing club.  This little drawing (poppies before you ask) was this month's picture and the instructor takes us through it step by step.  We use felt tips which must be the most unintimidating medium ever.  The instuctor is a primary school teacher who has our measure!

And I've just bought my first paint box since I left school and I'm planning on having a crack at water colour painting.  I've found on line classes on painting flowers.  

Maybe I'll find courage to put a few attempts on my blog.