Mosaic stickers

In-house inspiration

So, today I have to mention my in-house source of inspiration. My daughter.

Always on the move, making, collecting, doing something, anything, with those fiddly little 4 yr old hands. She has such a fresh and easy approach. Not too much thinking, just doing … then thinking afterwards! I have to admit I’ve started giving her things to play with that could feed into my work. Some paper cut outs for her to arrange (her compositions are more organic and un-contrived than mine). Buying a set of rhombus mosaic pieces, that I bought for myself as much as for her (luckily its become apparent that she loves them too!). And then some things seemingly just come out of nowhere, like wrapping rubber bands around a stone, or arranging all my pins from my pin cushion along the ironing board. And tons of drawing and colouring. I love those little surprises that appear after a period of intense, quiet concentration and lots of heavy breathing! So inventive and sweet. I can learn a lot from her.

Morning!

Usual morning; made breakfast, made a lunch box, got us all dressed and out of the house, did the school run, had my coffee, now at last it’s 9:30 and I’m sitting at my desk.

Too many things in my head. Deep breath. One at a time.

Before I know it at 2:30 ‘my’ day will be over and I’ll go through the same routine again, in reverse, without the coffee and replacing the ‘sitting at my desk’ with food-shopping, hoovering, washing or some other domestic obligation.

I have realised I’m not some ‘wonder mum’, as some Mums appear to be. I struggle with this balance of being creative and productive and wanting to be there for my family, everyday.