Mothers Day - classy me & a wishlist

If I tell you what we got up to last Mother's Day it may make you smile. Far from being the usual afternoon tea with daffodils and a feed-the-ducks-type day, after a family get together with my bro and his crew in St.Albans, Miles, the Mini Divas and I ended up at one of our local pubs in St.Ives where they have live music on a Sunday. It just so happened that an Irish folk band I used to play fiddle for (yes, I am a woman with many talents!) was playing; Eva and Mia LOVE seeing this band, and half of my partner's family are Irish, so cue a messy afternoon with a few glasses of Guinness. A highlight was changing the girl's nappies outside the pub on a bin, at which time we knew we had reached new levels  of class and style. We finished off the day with a curry, stayed over at the in-laws and I tottered the girls round to nursery the next day wearing yesterday's clothes and heels and sporting a hangover. Nice.

Flow and getting back to sketching

I have recently re-discovered sketching.

My iPad and Paper by 53, have re-enabled my love of sketching on the go and they are revolutionising my life. Well, just a little bit.

I have always loved to draw, and before I settled on a career in graphic design (which has now turned into a portfolio career with writing and blogging included), I always wanted to be an illustrator. Nothing actually beats making marks on paper or getting down and dirty with some paint, but there is something so easy and simple about taking out my iPad and my Bamboo Wacom stylus and  doing some sketching. I have set myself a task to make sure that I get out and about as often as I can, and just to sit even if they just half an hour, and do some mark making; I always really fill in my zone when I am drawing, or getting on with some crafting. It's also so much easier to sketch out ideas and thoughts sometimes before going all linear, and having it to hand is so nice.

Getting into a zone is one of the things where we know we are happiest; if you're in your staying you are in a flow you're being creative, and you are at one with yourself. Yet, strangely, being it is the kind of thing that we actively stop ourselves from doing with daily life. We can get so busy with everything else that needs to be done that taking that time out to be is really hard to do.

So, if I make an effort this week to sketch with my iPad, and find some time to be in my zone, could you set yourself a challenge to do the same? What floats your boat? It will be the different for everyone, be it cycling, running, painting -  even washing-up! Whatever it is, just try to take some time every day, or even one hour a week to find that creative drive and spend some time with your thoughts without all the noise of social media, work and daily tasks in the way.

Now I must go,  I have some sketching to do!

The above work of art was by Mia, who loves sketching too - apparently this is me. I look good!

Working mums - like Mumma like Minis

Meet Mia, tapping away at her Hello Kitty laptop and being "just like mummy" -  I so want on to these - and Eva getting serious on the iPants.

My girls, the lovely Mini Divas, love to play at being Mummy. I enjoy seeing see how they role play out their understanding of the world, as it acutely reflects on their understanding of me, my role as a mum, and how they view their role as a tiny, growing, female person.

More often that not I hear "I am mummy, I am blogging on the boom-cuter, then I am taking my baby to nursery , going to London and doing yoga". Oh right, that's me down pat then.

Joining #thefitcrowd

I am super excited to tell you that I have been chosen to work with one of my favourite brands, fitness wear gurus Sweaty Betty. A group of 20 bloggers, all with varied interests, ages, fitness levels and experiences are joining forces under #thefitcrowd moniker and I am thrilled to be part of the group. The aim is for us to be your connection with all things Sweaty Betty and to inspire other women to engage with fitness as part of their lives, something I believe strongly in as a chronic illness bod and mum of small people.
You may remember my Team Bangs on the Run half marathon journey, and some of my beloved Team Bangs ladies are also part of The Fit Crowd which is lovely for me to be joining forces with them again, and to meet other bloggers
on the way.
Watch this space!