Studio - Memories of Home

Welcome to Memories of Home, if you would like to find out more information about the series, Click here

Being in a supportive environment is important to our growth as individuals, not everyone has had that opportunity and as adults we try and create an environment that will nurture and bless our children and indeed ourselves.

Studio

I shared in my memories of home post on PEACE how working in my studio is a space that I can unwind, reflect and get lost in my creativity. It is important to have a space that you can collect your thoughts, and make some sense of the world, your life, and all that comes with it. You might not have access to a studio, you might just have the end of a kitchen table which is what I had to work with for many years.

When I was younger I was able to have my own room when my sister left home, having previously shared with my brother. Our room was never tidy enough for me and I would complain to my mum that he would always be in my 'stuff'.  It wasn't that I minded him looking at my things but he never asked if he could touch. I moaned, he flashed a cheeky smile, and mum told us to sort it out, which we did.

Since having my studio space and being able to spread my wings, it has taken a while but I am beginning to growing out of my space. There are many different mediums and materials that I enjoy working with, so many things still to try and experiment with, and in the same way that I out grew working at the end of the kitchen table, it is time to spread my wings even further. But it is deeper than having more space to put another shelf up, it is about continued mental and emotional growth.

I feel that it is important that we continue to grow and embrace what comes with change, whilst not getting too comfortable with things the way they are. It is very easy to take things for granted, and when they are gone you don't know what to do with yourself. I know I can be resistant to change as I like to have some sort of plan and with change can come some uncertainty, but I have learnt to see the changes as a new opportunity to learn something new. 

What are you doing with the space that you have, have you begun to take it for granted or are you seeing the potential that is right in front of you?

Think about an area of your home that you could utilize for a different purpose, and make some changes. I hope you continue to join me on my journey over the weeks, as I share my mixed media houses and look back to the memories of home. I look forward to hearing about some some of your own memories. Blessings and peace to you!

Clean - Memories of Home

Memories of Home - Clean

Welcome to Memories of Home, if you would like to find out more information about the series, Click here

Being in a supportive environment is important to our growth as individuals, not everyone has had that opportunity and as adults we try and create an environment that will nurture and bless our children and indeed ourselves.

As children we were given chores to do, and each weekend we had to do our bit. Out would come all the cleaning materials and we would have to get on with the hoovering, dusting and carrying out the rubbish. It wasn't something we looked forward to, but led by my big sister, me and my little brother were kept in check. My sister even drew up a rota for us all to follow and tried to rope my dad into it, but as far as he was concerned the cleaning was our job cause he went out to work every day!

Mothers helping hand

By the time my sister left home to go to university I was able to have a room all to myself and I think I rebelled within the confines of my room and on more than one occasion the messiness became overwhelming and my mother would save the day. I would come back from school and my room would be all tidy and clean. She would say "a place for everything and everything in its place", and I would be more than grateful that I had a my tidy room back.

Organising my space in my bedroom

And right she was! In my studio space that measures approx 6ft by 7ft, I have tried to cram as many things as I can whilst trying to create a sense of space, it can be difficult and making use of wall space and storage ideas is necessary.

Studio space, compact but everything has it's place!

I have had to be really strict with myself about clearing up at the end of the day and enabling me to allow the creativity to flow. Whilst I am not a minimalist, mums example set all those years ago provided the example that in my life now and at home with my family we have systems in place that enables us to appreciate the space that we do have.

I would love to hear what you have put in place in your own home environment that allows you to be organised. I hope you continue to join me on my journey over the weeks, as I share my mixed media houses and look back to the memories of home. I look forward to hearing about some some of your own memories. Blessings and peace to you!

Comfort - Memories of home

Memories of Home - Comfort

Welcome to Memories of Home, if you would like to find out more information about the series, Click here

Being in a supportive environment is important to our growth as individuals, not everyone has had that opportunity and as adults we try and create an environment that will nurture and bless our children and indeed ourselves.

I brought a back support cushion recently and its filled with a memory type filling that makes it really soft yet firm. Whatever seat you sit in if you have this behind you it immediately makes the chair comfortable cause it is giving your back the correct support. 

In thinking about home comforts it is those things when you go away you miss, and you try and substitute. Whenever I go away I always make sure I have a shawl, I invariably get cold on the return journey back to the UK and the shawl not only warms me up but it adds to my comfort. 

What do you think about when you consider comfort and how it impacts on your well being.

I would love to hear what you have put in place in your own home environment that allows you to be comfortable.  I hope you continue to join me on my journey over the weeks, as I share my mixed media houses and look back to the memories of home. I look forward to hearing about some some of your own memories.   Blessings and peace to you!

Savour - Memories of Home

Memories of Home

Welcome to the second day of the Memories of Home Series.  

Being in a supportive environment is important to our growth as individuals, not everyone has had that opportunity and as adults we try and create an environment that will nurture and bless our children and indeed ourselves. 

After an especially long day that feeling you get for just wanting to be at home, to put on your favourite lounging or relaxing clothes, have a cup of Spiced tea and close the door to the days activities.  

When I am away from home looking after my mother I am constantly on the go, thinking about her needs, trying to guess what she could be thinking, how she is feeling what she needs at any given moment - my constant chatter as I provide her entertainment, until I hand over to the support I have put in place. 

I look forward to switching off, placing my mind on automatic as I get into the car, drive home through my favourite route, the one that has the trees lined streets and beautiful houses and just be.  I come back to myself and my thoughts, changing my pace and looking forward to coming home as the unwinding process continues.

I like the moments of stillness, the breeze as it glides through my car windows, the soft tones of music playing in the background and and out of my consciousness and I then I pull up outside of my house. That exhalation of air as you make yourself comfortable in your favourite seat. The familiar sounds, sights and aroma of the nights meal for that moment all is well.  When you have been away from home what is the one thing you savour

I would love to hear what you have put in place in your own home environment that allows you to savour what you have, please share in the comments below.

I hope you continue to join me on my journey over the weeks, as I share my mixed media houses and some art journaling and look back to the memories of home. I look forward to hearing about some some of your own memories.

Nurturing - Memories of Home

Memories of Home

Welcome to the first day of the Memories of Home Series.  

Being in a supportive environment is important to our growth as individuals, not everyone has had that opportunity and as adults we try and create an environment that will nurture and bless our children and indeed ourselves.  

I will be sharing a selection of mixed media houses that I created alongside words that I want to foster in my environment or that bring back memories of home life.  Along the way creativity will be at the heart of it.

Nurturing

Looking back our early days were spent being nurtured, by our parents (in their own way) making the mistakes, picking yourself up and dusting yourself off.  Knowing that while you were at home you would feel secure as you take the time to spread your wings.

I tell my son that our home is his training ground.  I want him to feel free enough to make his mistakes - we all make them, but to also feel that he won’t be judged by his mistakes, he will have his foundation and have the space to learn and grow and be himself.  Being in a nurturing environment is key for the growth to happen and I want him to be able to look back on his childhood and teenage years seeing with fondness knowing that he was in a supportive environment that inspired, guided, and gave him the necessary tools to become the man he will no doubt be one day.  When you have had a challenging day it is important to feel the love and nurture within your home and that everyone understands the part they play in keeping it so.

I would love to hear what you have put in place in your own home environment that allows nurturing to take place, please share in the comments below.

I hope you continue to join me on my journey over the weeks, as I share my mixed media houses and some art journaling and look back to the memories of home.  I look forward to hearing about some some of your own memories.

Memories of Home - Mixed Media House Series

Memories of Home - 5 x 7 in mixed media painting

Memories of home, is a weekly series of art and reflections of home.  I will be sharing a selection of mixed media 4x7 houses that I have been making, that capture different elements of home either that I currently enjoy or that I remember as a child.  I had originally started making these as one of the monthly challenges on Motley Soul, but the challenges of life got in the way!    I have decided to continue to make and share the houses, which are made from a selection of materials.  As I continue to make the mixed media houses they take me back to times past and in contrast how very different things are now.  I chose a selection of words that all bring back memories of home life, or how I wanted my environment to be ie 'nurturing, relaxing, a sanctuary' things that I want to experience at home and I am sure that others too want to have that place where they can be themselves.  I will share a memory or thought whether from growing up as a child or where I currently live with my family.  Along with the mixed media house, every now and then I will add a journal page or a piece of art around the word for that week.

Earliest Memories

Parliament Hill Fields - age 4

 

My earliest memory of home was when I was around 4 years old.  We lived in 2 rooms on the 2^nd floor of a house.  My mum, dad, me and my brother who was a baby occupied one room and my sister who was 10 years old occupied the other.  A large fireplace dominated the room and at bath times we had a large tin bath which mum used to fill with jugs of water.  I never thought about how it would be emptied, but I guess there are a lot of things that you don’t question as a child you just know that one minute it is full and we are playing, splashing and laughing and the next minute you are being wrapped up in an oversized towel looking forward to the night time snack.

The house that mum currently lives is where I grew up in from the age of 7 until I left home.  As a family we faced the normal ups and downs, the challenges and triumphs and came out the other end.  My sister was the one who started our quest for adventure, if you were bored and wanted something to do when we were kids you went outside and played.  My sister would take me and my brother all over London going to museums and galleries and exploring the sights that people come from around the world to see but many who live here take for granted. When my sister went off to University it was just me and my brother Robert.  We didn’t have the technology they have now and our entertainment was playing outside with a football, or making it up a game as you went along.  The storyline for our adventure games always involved a space ship, aliens, saving the world and low food supplies!

Gardens on our doorstep

 

View from Parliament Hill

We had to make use of our environment, we had Parliament Hill Fields and Hampstead Health on our doorstep.  From a very young age it was one of the places my dad would take us on a sunny Sunday afternoon, and we relished being out in the wide open space.  

Me and Robert continued to use it as our back garden and when we weren’t saving the world we would frequent the adventure play ground with its climbing frames and tyre swings.  We had loads of great memories of our adventures during our 6 week holidays, riding out on our blue scooters and facing the world of ‘aliens’ –  the sweets in our pockets acting as our cloaking devices and energy packs.

Traditions handed down

Back at home, finished your homework, cooked dinners and all of us around the table, the chatter of our voices excited to share what we had done.  Mums cooking could rival any chef and she could put her hand to an amazing array of dishes - the tastes, the aromas, the combinations, she was an amazing cook.  She passed on those skills to us as we developed our own specialities.  Robert mastered making deserts, pies, - mums famous fruit spiced cakes and his custard with a dash of mixed spice and vanilla which he would make from scratch - he made it an art, he made it just right with the balance of texture and flavours, it was on his 'to do list' at every family dinner. My sister mastered fine dining and I was always a ‘lets see what we can make out of this’ type of person.  I love the challenge of learning a recipe and making it my own, altering and creating and entirely new dish.  I like the spontaneous and it depends how I feel what I will cook.

I think back to those days with fondness with the family - no elbows on the table mind you!  but you spent time sharing about your day and more time was spent, listening, laughing and relaxing....

I hope you join me each Wednesday on my journey over the weeks, as I share my mixed media houses and some art journaling and look back to the memories of home, and look forward to you sharing some of your own memories.