Klipp Kopp

Klipp Klopp – Nicola Smee – as Red Ted gets older, suddenly the German Book market explodes with excellent books. We recently ordered “Klipp Klopp” – about some farm animals going for a ride on a big horse and he LOVES the book! I can lure him upstairs with a promise of Klipp Klopp when I have change Pip Squeak. Hurray! What is in it for the parents? Not much, apart from that it is fun to read, esp when the horse goes faster and faster (klipp klopp klipp klopp klipp klopp klipp klopp) etc. Enjoy!

For more books: http://redtedart.wordpress.com/books/

Red Ted’s Birthday and 2 yrs olds party food…

Sandwiches

Hurray! Red Ted is Two. (Well almost, but we celebrated his birthday today!). We decided to keep it “low key” ish but still make him feel like the special boy that he is. So the grandparents came and we planned a little party: lots of party food and gifts. Being a funny sort of mum, I was trying to make his party food yummy and exciting, without too much chocolate or sweets. And exciting it was! Red Ted greeted his grandparents with “Eat Eat” as he couldn’t wait to get his hands on the tasty morsels.

Here is what we had:

• Grapes
• Pretzels
• Melon pieces
• Cheery tomatoes
• Cocktail sausages
• Handmade mini meatballs (easy: mince, egg, onions, herbs – form and shove in oven covered in olive oil, no standing at hob)
• AND my piece the resistance: blue and green star/ heartshaped sandwiches! Hurray! (add some (natural) colours(http://thegoodlifebloggers.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/india-tree-natural-food-colouring/) to your breadmachine.. cut v fine slices and fill with favourite ingredients and use cookie cutters to shape!)
• Birthday cake: Carrot cake – yum!

Tomorrow we are repeating the whole lot with our “German Coffee Morning” mum and friends and we are adding more goodies:

• Banana muffins (made by Red Ted)
• Shortbread cookies (made by Red Ted)
• Cucumber slices
• Mini baby bells

Also realised that a two year old real doesn’t need many gifts – a few well chosen gifts are plenty – too much and he doesn’t know where to looks. Tomorrow’s “do” is a “no presents” do for that reason! Party bags will contain, muffins and cookies. Don’t need to add more trinkets to the world!

Silence. What a wonderful pleasure.

 Having had two – three days of hectic-ness & Pip Squeak not settling for naps (but bedtime, thankfully yes), and having just had more babies and toddlers round for a visit, I am basking in that wonderful thing called “silence”. Even more wonderful, due to it’s sharp contrast to two toddlers fighting over toys, as well as its unexpected-ness, due to Pip Squeak settling blissfully into sleep in less than 3minutes.

Glorious.

Now. I have no excuse to do some work. (Oh no!).

Less stuck…

 

Blue Green Swirls

.. oh, bad bad me – forgot to mention that my very good friend Dieuwke Swain is helping me organise the Big Draw – take a look at her fabulous artwork her – http://dieuwkeswaindesigns.wordpress.com/acrylic-artwork/gallery/

Even “badder” of me, as Dieuwke just emailed me a list of fabulous ideas for the Big Draw event! Can’t wait! AND she will be coming ALL the way from Holland to help organise the final days and obviously be there on the day itself. Do check out her stuff and DO come in Oct and see our mini exhibition…

Another reason I am less stuck, is that I had some follow up appointments with Pip Squeak in hospital – one involved sitting in the dark cuddling my gorgeous baby girl to sleep for a good 2 hours – plenty of time to think and at least work out ONE idea that I have trying to figure out. Woo hoo. Monsters’ Tea Party, here we come.

Oh and I got some more feedback on book idea and maybe original drawings are ok afterall.

Still. I have lots to do. And lots to figure out. But I feel like I know a little bit more now!

Bit stuck…

 … having had my flurry of activity, I am now a bit stuck. I feel like I have time “to do” but not time “to think”! “Doing” is easy… you can squeeze in 5min here and 10min there. But “thinking”… well, thinking needs lots of time and not just a moment here or there. Could do with a whole day of just sitting there and brainstorming stuff… these are the thinking issues:

The Book

Impatient me, wants to get the book done ASAP, but having asked some friends for feedback on a “basic” layout, I am beginning to think that I need to give it a little bit more thought – as needless to say I do not want to miss a trick. I thought that the “bilingual” element would be enough to make the book interesting and that I could keep the rest simple. But, no, “people” want the whole lot fair enough! It does mean that the drawings have to refect the content and it then goes against my “simple” style. Which means redrawing and rethinking the whole lot. Am wondering whether to do it all on the PC, rather than paint. that would give me more freedom for alterations. But it would move away from the paintings and I would have to learn to do this stuff on the computer. I rather liked the idea of using the paintings. But I do need to learn how to use the computer too (see colour book post) Decisions. Decisions.

Ho hum.

Meanwhile…  The Big Draw

the nursery and I are going ahead with the Big Draw event! Woo hoo. Am now in the process in roping in some helpers (let me know if you are interested! No artistic skills required!!). We will prob hold it on the 16th or 23rd Oct. But haven’t finalised that yet. Now, the big thinking issue here, is the need to plan the day itself and look at funding! Hopefully we will get a lot of materials through the Squirrels Scarp Scheme (http://www.merton.gov.uk/living/environment/refuse/scrapscheme.htm). The nursery is looking into that! But I also want to enter the event into the Big Draw’s competition, for that we have to come up with some great arty and community ideas. Must get thinking….

Must dash…

 Gosh. Where does the time go? I can’t believe it is almost 2 weeks ago, that I last posted something. Naughty me. Even naughtier me, as I am supposed to go upstairs and wake Pip Squeak now for a feed. Will do so in just a few minutes. Let’s hastily up date you…

So, why no posts? Well, I have been busy posting stuff on www.thegoodlifebloggers.wordpress.com  – all about Red Ted’s potty training, as well as being bilingual. I have been twittering (www.twitter.com/redtedart) and I have been e-networking – meeting other lovely and inspiring business mums online, through places such as  and www.britishmummybloggers.com and of course www.motivatingmum.com lots of lovely other people out there with great ideas and keeping busy busy busy. I have also written a couple of short articles on “Two children” and “Being bilingual” for www.londonmums.com – don’t know yet if they will be used, but it was fun writing it anyway. Whilst also donating a Duck Painting and 20 greeting cards to some competitions and focus groups that LondonMums is running. So, I have been busy, honest!

Oh, I am also working on my book project – need 26 new paintings (and I think 20 of those will be from scratch), so lots of drawing to do at the mo (v happy with an Orangutan and a Chameleon I drew… less happy with the Impala (those legs are hard!)). But want to get a move on, as want the book done in time for Xmas orders (I will self publish on www.lulu.com – that in itsef will take me ages to work out how!).

Also looking at different software to convert my drawing into “perfect” images for colouring books etc. Whilst also talking to Red Ted’s nursery about possibly hosting a Big Draw event (http://redtedart.wordpress.com/2009/10/06/the-big-draw/)

Right. Must dash.  Feed Pip Squeak, before Red Ted wakes for a potty. Will check for typos later…

Books books books

Finally, more book “reviews” added to the books page http://redtedart.wordpress.com/books/… do let me know your recommendations too!

Red Ted becomes a Painting

From this….

…to this

Hurrah! We have a new line of paintings. Convert your favourite images into a Pop Art painting!!

So, Red Ted is now a smurf… but needless to say, all colours available…

Be it a little one or a loved one. Small or big… drop me an email info@redtedart.com and let’s see what I can do for you!

New Year, Great Start…

.. it is only a couple of weeks into the new year and already I have a new card order for 60 cards! Woohoo. Add he ones going into the flowershop, plus a stash for friends & family, and i ma looking at nigh on 100 cards, big chunk of these for Valentines. Now need to get cracking and make them…

Remember to let me know if you would like a valentines card. I can eve post one anonymously for you!!

Also have some painting projects in the pipeline. But as I am trying out something new, will keep hush hush about it, until I know it has worked out successfully…

Now on to work, before the children wake up again!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR & Q4 Update

So.. a year is coming to an end. And with that the end of my “first year” of Red Ted Art! And what a year it has been. The highlight being the arrival of Pip Squeak.. And Red Ted turning into a wonderful little boy. Sorry, but how can any Red Ted Art activity trump that?!?! (enough gooey stuff now).

So how has Q4 been?

As mentioned, I did “front load” all my work into Q3. So Q4, has been pretty quiet.

• Paintings: I did have, what I consider, a last minute order for 11 paintings (3 sets) end of Oct, which kept me busy, as I wanted the these done pre Pip Squeaks arrival (hence “last minute”). And they were done, just in time.
• Christmas Cards: The rest of the month, was kept busy with Christmas cards – both our “personal” cards  as well as the ones for sale.
• Colouring Booklet: After talking about it all year and wanting to create “neat” drawings first, I decided to bite the bullet, sod the “neat drawings” and create a small Colouring Booklet for Red Ted this Christmas – it is by no means professional, but I am very pleased with it and it will most definitely be the front runner to anything professional I do produce one day! Take a look – http://redtedart.wordpress.com/2009/12/21/colouring-books-for-christmas/
• Blogging: I started a new blog with a couple of mummy friends on being parents and trying to be green http://thegoodlifebloggers.wordpress.com/ – my motivation being my views on “landfill” nappies.. though I haven’t manage to talk about those that much, but ramble on about iPhone Apps for kids, Potty Training & Red Shoes instead…
• Twitter: I have also started to twitter re Red Ted’s potty training: http://www.twitter.com/redtedart  – do take a look!!!!!
• Stats:
  1. Total blog views 3560.
  2. Total flickr views 1650.
  3. Paintings with most views – Baby Dinosaur http://www.flickr.com/photos/68327876@N00/3170333720/ , closely followed by Emily’s Hippo http://www.flickr.com/photos/68327876@N00/3820185456/ (yet this as only posted ½ way through the year, so pro rata, this would be the most viewed item!)

I know it is early, but Valentines is in the air – with New Cards going online (www.redtedart.com. Folksy & Dawanda), as well as into the shops – do take a look http://redtedart.wordpress.com/2009/12/29/new-cards-i-know-i-know-xmas-is-barely-over-and-already-valentines/ – remember that these can be customised, no problem!!!

All that… a new baby and a toddler being toilet trained! Not surprisingly, the toilet training is progressing only slowly, as “mummy attempts some serious multitasking”! But, you know me, I like to be busy!

Soooo. All the best to you and your family for 2010!! Watch this space for more RED TED ART!