Photo Friday #52

KINGS CROSS STATION, LONDON   |   TRAVELS WITH KID

Thanks to Delicious Baby for hosting Photo Friday each week.

DIY Family Journals Bound: Morocco

Finally! Last year in March we took, what was to us, an epic one month trip to Morocco. We saw the Atlas mountains, the Sahara desert, the markets of Marrakesh and Fes and chilled in the sea-side town of Essaouira. And a bunch of other stuff too. While we were there, we journalled our faces off. If that's a word. We brought art supplies. We wrote down our experiences. We mapped our adventures. We collected postcards and brochures for gluing in as well. We started with pre-made blank signatures which I posted about here before we went on our trip.

Now this is what I've been staring at for a year now. Filled signatures waiting to get bound together.

First we cut the piece of thick cardboard I recently hoarded, down to size.

Next we backed a map of Fes with some Tyvek paper to give it some extra strength.

We glued in the cardboard covers, leaving enough space to sew in the signatures down the centre spine.

Wrapped and glued the map/Tyvek sheet over onto the edge of the inside covers.

We made a template for where the binding holes were in each signature. We used this to poke holes in the spine, in preparation for sewing them in.

After they were all sewed in, we glued in end sheets on the inside of both the front and back covers.

Done! Is it perfect? Oh dear no. It's full of handmade flaws and "learnings" for our next ones; but every boo boo was made with heart and we are thrilled to have this as a truly personal momento of our trip. Here are some of our highlights from the inside:

A few of the post cards and photos we had printed for
 Spud's show-and-tell at school when we got back.

I sometimes added thought starters to Spud's journals.
We found the signatures with grid paper useful
for making up mazes or playing yahtzee.

We took the book Drawing Lab with us so we could do
 drawing projects on the way, like blind contour drawings of camels!
Bottom left was inspired by Angry Birds.

Top left is a map I did, under Spud's direction, documenting the world
 we created in our room, one rainy afternoon, with a lot of pillows
 and a lot of imagination. I don't know what the top
right is anymore but it looks fun!

Phew. Now it's time to get busy on our Vienna journals. Then our London ones. Hopefully it will take less than a year this time!

My 365 Grateful Project — Week #1

PLAYING WITH THE POWER OF GRATITUDE
Find Something For Which to Be Grateful. Every Day. Take a Picture of It. Repeat 365 times.


DAY 1: May 7, 2012

Got my learners (again!). And today I'm grateful for
Spud testing my driving knowledge. 

Well, I've taken the plunge. Ever since I heard of the project, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. At first, the idea of committing to a project that required something of me, every day, for a year, scared the hell out of me. But I can't talk myself out of it.

I actually feel like I'm a pretty grateful person. Over all. I mean I have my moments but I naturally like to take moments out of my day to appreciate what is around me. But I'm very excited to see what happens to me after actively seeking and documenting this via Instagram (handle: jackieshoots) each day. I will round up each week here, if all goes well.

So here it is. My first round up of the things (well, 7 of the things) I was grateful for this past week, starting on my birthday.


DAY 2: May 8, 2012

Grateful for client meetings at Caffe Artigianos
across the street from my pad

DAY 3: May 9, 2012

Grateful for flowers spontaneously growing
in the cracks between our patio stones

DAY 4: May 10, 2012

Grateful for a hand sandwich with Spud

DAY 5: May 11, 2012

Grateful for Hubs making me breakfast this morning.
This came with 2 pieces of crispy bacon. Already gone.

DAY 6: May 12, 2012

Grateful for the colour of beets

DAY 7: May 13, 2012

Grateful for a Mama's Day morning

Check out my original inspiration here and here.

Photo Friday #51: Royal Sighting

RUNNING INTO ROYALTY   |   TRAVELS WITH CHILD

From the day we arrived in London, we patiently waited for our invitation to have tea with Her Majesty, the Queen. But it never happened. Let's assume it got lost in the post. But we didn't let that stop us from taking in the sights. And then it happened. One day, out of the blue, a royal sighting.

It was at the Tower of London. It turns out we got there a little before the hordes. We felt like we almost had the run of it. That is, until, SHE arrived. Princess Anne! Charles' sister (we had to ask). Here are some of the guards, particularly dressed up for her benefit.

Check out the threads up close.

There's Spud in the background. Little did we know she was to come around that corner herself in a few minutes. But not until all three of us were over there ... looking for the "loo".

When she came out the guards were a bit surprised to see us. They held us back (not physically, we weren't that keen) and we followed behind her, at a safe, commoner distance. Here she is looking pensive (or is she trying to look interested) about whatever her friend there is reading to her.

So why was she there? It was official business, of course. She was ceremoniously re-opening the new Crown Jewels display. Which we got to enjoy later.

In the meantime, we learned about a local superstition around these noble black birds: "If the Tower of London ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it" (source). 

This photo hardly gives the right impression on just how big these birds are ... a mere crow this is not! We think we saw 4 or 6 of them ... who knows. They try to keep a minimum of 6, I think. With one on reserve. You can't be too careful. Which, I suppose, is why they were releasing an additional one, in the presence of Princess Anne, after she finished with her duties. Job security. There it is in the cage ... waiting for "freedom".

See that, it's practically up to their knees! 

Along with us, there were a couple of little girls, waiting for the princess to wrap up some things so they could present her with some flowers. Well, it was all taking a little too long for this little sweetheart. So what does the official royal guard do? He helps pass the time playing patty cake. Of course.

Thanks to Delicious Baby for hosting Photo Friday each week!

Lunch With Leftovers

Today's lunch making was a snap. I boiled a bunch of eggs on the weekend and tossed a couple into molds after peeling. We also BBQ'd a whack of sausage to have leftovers for lunch. Add the fruit + veg category ... done.

· apple-pear
· cukes
· grape toms
· heart-shaped egg
· honey-garlic sausage
· sugar peas
· white chocolate

Makes Me Happy: Magnetic Poetry

We stopped by our library a few days ago. Not only did we get a whack of new books on spring and boats but Spud also entered a poetry contest. The library was celebrating Poetry Month (April ... who knew?) with two baskets full of magnetic poetry words, magnetic boards, and well, who could resist? Once Spud was done, they photocopied his creation and had him hang it on the wall. Here it is...

Here's some other fun we've had with poetry:
Playful Learning: Poetry Box
Playful Learning: Poetry Puzzle
Write a Spooky Poem
Write-A-Poem Printable

Spud's Vienna: 6 Favourite Things

Here it is. Spud's official top 6 experiences he had in our recent 5 day visit to Vienna.

6. The Easter Market. This would probably be higher on the list if we were allowed to actually buy something but those gorgeous delicate eggs would never have made it home in tact.

Decorated eggs as far as the eye can see ...

5. Hot Dogs. Not just ordinary hot dogs. Awesome, giant hot dogs that are way less messy than at home ... read this earlier post to find out what makes them so special.

4. Transportation. We took trams and the underground as much as possible. From our perspective it was all clean and safe and reliable. From Spud's perspective, well, it was about things that go. That says it all.

3. Photographing architecture. Spud is in love with structures of all types. Modern and antique alike. So he was in his heaven; whether taking a little trip out to the Hapsburg's summer palace or spontaneously popping into a random church in the city ... happy kid.

2. Making bread at Zoom, the Kindermuseum. And eating it! Posted earlier here.

1. Riding the over 100 year old ferris wheel! Not to mention the other rides. And just taking in the fair-like festivities after dark.

Be Creative Every Day: Draw A Stick Man

Spud's GrandMary sent this fun, creative, online activity to us, called Draw A Stick Man.

There are 2 episodes (we wish there were more!) each one telling a story that requires the listener to draw in props throughout. Such a great idea.

Here is Spud's stick man in a tiger costume!

We are going to try it on our iPhone next ... it's free!

Strolling to Stephansdom

STEPHANSDOM, VIENNA   |   TRAVELS WITH KID

We did and saw a lot of cool stuff in our 5 days in Vienna. But some of my favourite sort of travel days are the ones where nothing much seems to happen ... where you just get a chance to quietly take it all in. Our first morning was like that. 

We arrived to our flat late in the night and being jet lagged we were up and out pretty early the next day. We started to walk. All we really knew was that we were going south, towards the old centre using their famous old church, known as the Steffl as our destination. We purposefully just trundled along, not over mapping or planning, perhaps hoping that we would take a wrong turn and see something unexpected. It didn't really matter where we were going, we just wanted to be there. 

Unfortunately the walk only took about 30 minutes and we didn't get lost. But we had fun admiring the architecture, old and shiny-new, and the canal, and the trams, and bike lanes, and just all the things that were different from home. And then finally to the grand European square, Stephansplatz, and the Steffl itself. 

Hubs and I have seen many, many old churches, and it's easy to find one thing or another to appreciate about each one. But Spud, being born and raised in a city where a building is considered old if it was constructed in the 1930s, was in his little heaven. He's always had a passion for architecture and it was a treat to hand him the camera and watch him take it all in. So some of these shots are mine, some Hubs', and some Spud's ...