The Gallery – Friendship & 10 Happy Arty Things

The Gallery

Friendship

What a lovely topic for this week’s Gallery – Friendship! Lots of photos instantly popped into my head! But then I remembered that not everyone “likes” to be on the internet! So all those lovely photos of laughing and being together “are no good”.

Then I remembered this ring! A fabulous example of friendship! I took the photo today in the glorious sunshine.

We bought it when we were around 15/ 16 years old. Being at an international school, people always came and went. One of us had moved back to Austria and the other three had come to visit. On the spur of the moment, we bought 4 simple thin silver rings, one each. Our friendship rings! (Girls, was it at the jewellers in Purkersdorf?! Or was it in Vienna? I think it was Purkersdorf)

Out of the 4 friends, one of them is God Mother to Red Ted. One of them will be God Mother to Pip Squeak. The third, I sadly don’t speak to any more. I think we will be friends again one day, but it will take time. We shall see. I am so pleased to still have the other two in my life!

I know that Pip Squeak’s God Mother will see this straight away – she subscribes to the blog and I know that Red Ted’s God Mother will see sometime this week, as she regularly dips in and out. I suspect that Nr 3 MAY see it, as she does like to know what everyone is upto…

What I also want to say about this ring, is that about 8 years ago, we were burgled and pretty much all my jewellery was stolen – precious items with huge sentimental value. No idea why this ring remained. It was meant to be I guess!

I would also like to link this up with   X for Xenophile – “love foreigners” – to all my lovely “foreign” readers that are becoming my friends!

Other Gallery Posts:

– Self Portrait by Red Ted

– (My) Men

– Enchanted Woods

– Portrait

– 7 Sins – Pride

– Joy – Spring 

– Ugly – These should be in a Tim Burton film 

– Outside my front door 

 – Me 

– Colour (Red Ted’s Bunny)

10 (arty) things that make me happy!

It is 2-for1 week again. This time I am combining The Gallery with a “Happy meme” (in the bloggy world, meme’s are “sharing games” that also help you connect in the bloggy world).  I am ashamed to say, that a while back (!) I received a “what makes me happy” meme from Jumbly Mummy, because she thought I could share 10 Arty things with you! What a lovely arty challenge! Sorry that it has taken SOOOO long to do this! Funnily enough, I also got tagged by Christine at Thinly Spread too… so now I can reply to you both!

The rules: mention & link who tagged you, write your stuff (10 happy things) and then tag another 10 bloggers.

1) I am simply chuffed to bits when Pip Squeak is crying, then sees her Penguins and starts smiling. Makes me all warm and fuzzy. What a cutie.

2) It makes me happy when someone says “I can’t” and then “does” – especially when it is art related.. many people THINK they can’t… but give it a go and surprise yourself!

3) I got a letter from one of the little girls on summer camp (where I did voluntary work), telling me about the scarf she knitted for her sister – having learned how to knit from me that year on camp! That made me feel all warm and fuzzy!

4) Seeing Red Ted get stuck in (see an example of my stART posts). Again and again and again. Or Red Ted shouting “mummy draw!” or “Red Ted do it” or “Rooooaaaar” with accompanying hand movements when he sees the outline for one of my lion paintings. Bless.

5) When my 3 Pop Art Teds raised £350 for Childline in their silent Auction – not only was that a great fundraising effort, but also someone lovely out there really appreciated my work.

6) When I stumble across a sculpture (e.g. Boy & Dolphin) or when somewhere like Tate Britain does someting “cool” like colour all it’s pillars in different colours! Or the giant plug in Soho.

7) When I see a really good photo that friends have taken (check out Barefoot in the Kitchen or Dieuwke)or when I am successful with one of my own photos! I quite like my ring above, as well as “Outside my front door” and “Ugly“! Especially since I have a “more or less” bog standard camera and don’t know how to edit my photos properly!

8 ) When I receive a testimonial from someone who bought a painting for their little one – especially if it includes a photo of them getting excited. So sweet!!!

9) When I start a craft project with Red Ted without really knowing exactly how I am going to do it and it turns out well! (see the chick or the footprint post)

10) When people are genuinely inspired by my crafts and have a go! AND then let me know – these lovely ladies made their own bunting!! How lovely! Ellie and Snaffles Mummy.

And I am tagging:

Sarah from Cocoboat @cocoboat

Jon from Just A Typical Dad @jon_stead

Jax from Mummys Little Monkey @jax2000