So here we go then, the FMP (OMG) is now under way and the pressure is on - mostly on me I might add to make sure that everyone doesn't lose the plot and have a total melt-down in the process!This my friends, is far easier said than done and the added pressure of our forthcoming panel date makes things even more intense! Today we met our second social worker so things are hotting up, and it was interesting to experience someone else's view of us - the life of a textiles teacher is certainly under scrutiny! It is impossible to quantify how I feel right now - sick to my stomach about panel mainly, but excited and really terrified would also be pretty accurate too. Life is going to change beyond recognition, we are very aware of this, but a social workers perspective is not necessarily a cheery one, so I guess we'll see.....
So back to current business, the girls and boy are working hard, so far so good, but they only have 4 weeks to go and if you are reading this guys, YOU NEED TO BE MAKING STUFF NOW!!! The sketchbooks and moodboards are coming along nicely though.
Every student was asked to put a moodboard up on the wall so the everyone knows what everyone is doing. The idea also is that the group is encouraged to help each other out and add to these boards when they find something helpful, you can just see that some lovely students have already started "pinning" HA! I have just realised that it is like real-life Pinterest! Well almost any way!
As I say, the sketchbooks are looking good - Pip even went and gave blood so that he could collect extra data and some very in your face photos - Rachel took some great shots and apparently he was very brave!
Lauren drawing away!
Sam - FMP investigator and "documenter" extraordinaire!
And well, on the whole everyone has been totally absorbed in their work.
Except for Rachel - don't think I don't notice when you are watching The Only way Is Essex madam, Made In Chelsea I might forgive, but TOWIE?
Meanwhile the first years are banging out their Roald Dahl boards, some quicker than others....
Back to work then and busy, busy, with all the FMPs kicking off - some more smoothly than others - some of that to come in a week or so, but today I am over it! The 14 year olds have been getting shirty - in a good way for once! And I have been getting my s*** together for a bit of potential selling at a bit of a posh school tomorrow night - who knows I might not sell a thing, but I will have at least donated my stall fee to a very worthy cause! http://www.home-start.org.uk/homepage - why don't you do something lovely today and donate something yourself?! So if you are in the area I will be at Churches College tomorrow night form about 6.30pm - the main event is a fashion show which you may still be able to purchase tickets for......
So here is my week so far.
This is Mike, he is in Ivan's (Mr Bicknell's) tutor group, and as you can see, he spends his spare time by being even more creative! Errr shame Georgie says that we no longer have any money to buy things like post-it notes anymore......!
The 14 year olds playing with the shirts that they have had to collect for their new project - all inspired by these guys....http://www.junkystyling.co.uk/
We will have to wait and see what happens when they actually start taking them apart and sewing them together!
All those prints have now been made into their things now too...
CLUTCH BAGS
CANVASES
BOOKS
The same Tea cosies, but I couldn't resist including them!
TOTE BAGS
Let's hope someone buys them .......!
If you need lovely, beautifully packaged sewing things, this is the place to go my lovely brother gave this parcel of goodies to me for my birthday....
So the hols are nearly over and back to work we must go.... It's the big all important term now - exams galore, tears galore and tantrums galore! All good fun but oh so exhausting and with this years bunch of drama queens who knows what horrors await...! The holidays have been good though and I have had a fine old time making, visiting and relaxing - not that my last night of holidayness will be an early one though, as this post is going to take fricking ages! So what has this textiles teacher been doing? Well, I have printed my little heart out, been to an interesting hippy ceremony - you'll see - been up to the big smoke, visited friends, gardened, eaten too much, shopped too much, been to the seaside and even spent a day in college so that my eager beaver lovelies could get some extra work done - cool teacher huh?! We have also received the first draft of our social workers report on us and made what could potentially be a very important connection - more on this as time goes by - and it is exactly 1 month tomorrow until we face our adoption panel and things are beginning to seem very real all of a sudden - of course, they could all say that we are not cut out for adoption and that will be that.......but we really hope not, so do please keep your fingers and toes crossed for a positive outcome! What I haven't done though is seen much of my folks, so that must be remedied tout suite!
So the printing... Sorry loads to bore you with - here are the raw images - the products to follow soon...
Bags
Books
Canvases
Cushions
The ceremony....
The salubrious (!) beginnings of what became a rather unconventional, but magical day....
Rain of course was expected, but happily there wasn't even a drop, but always good to be prepared huh?!
And off we went to Birdies Mound following the bride and groom....
Queueing at the gates for a quick celebratory kiss! Ned filming the proceedings.
The bride and groom heading off and waiting to be "allowed" in to the mandala - err, don't ask!
The smudging of the guests before they too were allowed entry - I am a bit concerned that you may all think I am taking part in some sort of ceremonial sacrifice, but I'm really not - but this is what happens when you father in law is an out and out hippy....
Terry - oh he of the fire - later used for us to our promise sticks into - we promised to be the most excellent parents, that is if all goes well next month...... Blimey, I really do sound a bit like a hippy now don't I?! Dad - don't read this!!!!
And the fire burned brightly....
A huge circle of freshly picked flowers encouraged us to stare!
At times it was all too much for Steve.........!
And Sarah beat her drum chanting something impressive, and well let's face it, something slightly unnerving....
Eventually the bride and groom entered the Mandala gently and gracefully stepping over the bowl of smoked mackerel - again, don't ask, I'm not entirely sure....
The exchange of their vows - really rather moving, although Renchi had quite a lot to say!
The exchange of rings...
A very sleepy tiger!
An increasingly pregnant Annie on her "throne"!
Blessings of the watery variety.
Annie slinging her stick - err, did she miss?
An evening of music, dear friends, embarrassing dancing Ivan (Mr Bicknell) and the other Mr Bicknell mostly!
Despite my kind hearted sniggers, it was a lovely day and I wouldn't swap my in laws for the world - they truly have a remarkable take on the world and it is quite refreshing, if not a little strange - happy 30 years together Rench and Ness. XXXXX
So from one extreme to the other, and from the relative madness of Glastonbury I headed up to London with my lovely (very pregnant) sister in law Annie for a bit of the old culture type thing! Our first port of call was the Menier Chocolate factory for lunch and theatre - this is a brilliant venue and the tickets were a present from my mother in law and the show was Abigail's party - BRILLIANT! Cheers Judith XXX
The theatre was a matinee so in the evening Annie cooked supper for us and two of her close friends - I tried not to be ridiculously star struck when it became apparent that they were both very established fine artists and to top it off one was a Turner prize winner - gulp! they were also both very tall and very beautiful - err, now I really must start that diet! Annie is a great cook and with a veggie shop at the bottom of her road there really is no excuse not to make brilliant food - oh hurry up waitrose!!!
The fruit and veg shop on Newington Green.
Sadie Murdoch
Tomma Apts
I can also recommend the Junction in Kentish town which is where we had lunch the next day!
Back to Hampshire saw me dodging thunder and lightening on a walk with my great friend Lynda and her two girls - if I had been small enough i would have squashed myself in here too!
Jess and Belle hiding from the storm!
Now the thing about adopting is that the process is very long, scary and very confusing and having made friends with some lovely Mums who have already adopted form overseas has been a total godsend! Their wit and wisdom is totally invaluable and it was lovely to spend the day with a couple of them and their little girls at the seaside - miraculously it didn't rain and I loved the idea of hiring a beach hut - this I will do again maybe for a birthday party/summer celebration and go a bit mad with the bunting, which I noticed some people had - but I wasn't quick enough to get the shots! obviously I shan't put the picks of the girls that I took up, as I feel that would be inappropriate, but a fine time was had by all in Bournemouth!
Our hut complete with the obligatory deck chairs!
Collected "treasure" There was a £1 coin in there too so it wasn't all bad!
I am in awe of how organised Mums are - kettles and milk and tea were all carried along in enormous carry alls!
Fun in the (nearly) sun.
How it used to look...
a bit more colourful these days!
Nice to know that safety is paramount!
So the week cam to an end with a bit of lunch out (oh God, again!) and some shopping - fabric mostly but a bit of new gym kit did happen to find its way home with me - I was as surprised as you are!
NO excuses for my new Nepal fitness regime!
And as it was Easter we ate peering through festive twigs at each other...
........and ooed and ahhed at the sweet little lambs!
The books I ordered for my students to use before Easter eventually arrived - Yodel is rubbish, but thank you to a lovely and very helpful man at Amazon they did appear and they were worth the wait - Rachel C has already disappeared with one!
I am now ADDICTED to the voice much to Ivan's (Mr Bicknell's) dismay! But with a perfomance like this and a bit of a crush on Will.I.Am why not?!
I have also now watched EVERY SINGLE episode of ER ever! Time to start all over again then!!!
