Sunday, January 31, 2010

Summer holidays draw to a close

You ready for one more long post? Will be the last one for awhile I promise 'cause I sure ain't taking photos of myself home alone! Sunday today .... school routine starts again tomorrow .... *phew* I made it! We have had a GREAT last week together. Evenings have been spent watching the Australian Tennis Open. Tonight is the final: Federer v. Murray - as nice as Federer is, Aussies love an underdog and a Scottish one at that ;) Go Andy!


Whilst down at the Island this week, we ventured into a gorgeous new bookstore. I love to do research of what is the latest releases. Hugh came out with a long list of Roald Dahl books that he wants to read. He has listened to "Danny Champion of the World" and LOVED it, now he will read it. I was overjoyed to discover the latest release of No.1. Ladies Dectective Agency - quickly booked that at the library. I also discovered Barbara Kingsolver has written her second book in ten years. Did anyone read the Poisonwood Bible? I LOVED that. This one has mixed reviews, would love to hear from anyone about it.


Tuesday was Australia Day. All the old arguments about our flag should be changed (people object to the Union Jack in the corner) and that it marks the landing of the First Fleet in 1788 and consequently the obliteration of our Aboriginal population, resurfaced. For us, as with most Australians, it's just another excuse to kick back. We are too laid back a population to be overly patriotic, however, on seeing Dawn's "Waltzing Matilda" kit I asked to play. What fun! (I am becoming a big fan of the wide variety of designs that Dawn releases) and as I love doing non photo scrap pages, delighted in using this very famous poem. (Remember to click on all scrap pages for credits)



Den produced a gourmet lunch for us and it was so colourful I just had to photograph it. Here is a collage of our day and basically our week - good food and wine, Coke Zero and sunshine, listening to good music, "podwalks" Den and I go on every day (addicted to podcasts! Especially the HUGE variety the BBC offers) and as much reading as I can cram in. Don't you LOVE the bookmark Nini (nininano) sent me!



Of course not everyone was thrilled with "gourmet" for lunch! LOL! Not really sure why I had my camera at the table?? Probaby that everyone has eaten and gone and Madam is SO SLOW that she is still staring and working her way through her greens.




Thursday we ventured down to Phillip Island *happy dance*. I swear we NEVER have a bad experience there. It was a long day but a GREAT day. The weather was exceptional you could not have asked for better. The children were like fish on this day, HOURS in the water, rocks and sand playing. Den worried about sunburn, but I had it covered and it was so worth it.




I have to include a couple of individual shots. Here is my man looking "hot to trot" LOL, not bad for someone turning 50 this year.




Here is my girl, SO the life of the party and I state again, I am SO in for it in the years to come.



And my sweet active boy. It's a wonder he was not water logged on this day! He had a blast.




Now this is the spot where I should be right? Well I am getting better at jumping in front of the camera, but this day was about Mummy playing with her camera and here are my "artsy" results ;)






Onto photo challenges for the week. I set the PCF challenge this week and asked people to select a "cover" (movie, CD, book anything) and do a photographic representation of it. Here is mine:









Here is my P52 - No.4 shot from Australia Day:






Develop on Fridays - lesson two: the lesson this week was to look to inspiration of another source - I chose a favourite of mine - the Heidelberg school of painters. When I took these photos below from a year or so ago, I realised how influenced I had been by these incredible Australian painters of old. What I love about this style of art is that the Heidelberg School was actively committed to creating an 'Australian' art where local character, colours, people and landscapes were captured on canvas. Rather than the pale light European artists were familiar with, Heidelberg School artists painted landscapes and scenes that glowed with the bright, blinding light of an Australian summer.




McCubbins painting "Lost" 1886



McCubbins "Girl in Forest" 1913

Now onto scrapping news: Therese has some fabulous goodies on her blog and when I saw this I knew it was so right for this photo from last week.


My good friend Nini has had an incredible spotlight over at Nina's Rocking Girls Blog. Her pages are such an inspiration to me and I thank Nini for encouraging me to get in front of the camera more and document things that my children can look back on it time to come.




A couple of pages for this week's DS at Oscraps:





And some new releases at Catscrap:











Have a great week everyone!

13 comments:

Nini said...

Your a awesome photographer my friend! Really fantastic pictures with lots of soul!

You know, my mom did not take that many photos of herself when she was young but she has always loved to write and it is amazing the things that come up in her diaries. To this day, she is always writing and I got the idea of scrapbooking about myself from her.
I'm glad I have inspired you to do more layouts about yourself.

(((hugs)))

MariaT said...

Love those beach shots of your family having fun! And I'm going to have to see if those artsy shots are over at flickr so I can get a better look because they seem beautiful!!

Leah said...

I love it when you say you are too laid back a population to be overly patriotic! Canada is much the same!!!!

Remind me to start posting when I set a challenge for PCF, it's a good idea.

Always love your scrap pages.

I just LOVE the bookstore, wish I could buy up a storm, but sadly I end up getting them from the library almost all the time.

Yeah for all the photos! They are so nice.

50????? Yep he looks good my friend!

margote05 said...

Once again it is from the pure happiness that to come here!!! And that warms me a little because here, it still snows;) I like your mosaics of photos, they are magnificent!! And as usual I feast with your pages!!! Good courage for the resumption tomorrow!

Life in Colors said...

Oh come on Helen, you will make photo's also if you are alone during the day. Make a trip somewhere by yourself, and just make some art photo's, you can do it!!!! Love the art photo's you did on the beach, and love the scrappage with Katie sitting on the empty beach and sea, haha. It would be a challenge for me to make such photo, haha. I will try to write you tonight.

Val said...

Helen, you are a such a wonderful ... scraper-photogrphs-writter-friend...
Well I don't know where to start, becaue I love it all!

I send you allmy support for the week coming.

take care sweetie

val

Sue said...

Another wonderful review of your week Helen. Your photos always capture the moment so beautifully, be it at the beach or recreating your favourite film / DVD cover!

I was rooting for Andy Murray yesterday too ... shame he didn't make it! The 3rd set was an absolute thriller and what a tear-jerking interview ... bless!!!

Hope Katie has a fabulous 1st day of school and I hope you are OK too!

Have a great week my friend.

Hugs,

Sue

Tina O'Flynn said...

wowzers, Helen!!!
I love your pictures!!!
I especially love the collection of pictures for Australian day!

Tina

Amy said...

Great shots Helen. I love Jacob's Creek! International glass clink here~! I've been reading that develop on friday too, pretty intersting concepts.
Enjoy your summer, it's icey cold here!
Good luck to you and Kate when she starts school!

Nancy said...

helen your pictures and scraps are fabulous. really love the australia day collage! beautiful shots!

LDArtist said...

OMGoodness Helen your blog is amazing! LOVE reading all about Australia Day and the flag. The summer photos are wonderful (ah how I miss summer)and the challenge shots are amazing!! The scrapbooking layouts were - as always - wonderful! A really great blog!

katell said...

Wowww many things to read here!!
First I'm FAN of Barbara Kingsolver too!!!!!and I don't know she write a new book!! (I'm going to see to amazon if it's translating in french right now :-D) Thanks for the information!!!
Beautiful "mosaics"!!!! and of course Lo's!!
I love the "parallele" between painting and pictures...so artsy!!!

Che said...

Helen, I love your long posts! It just means more photos!! :) And I love your photos especially the ones with your family at the beach!! They are always beautiful!!

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