Saturday 30 October 2010

Fimo Class

This is what DS2 brought home from Fimo Class on Thursday.  They are so cute and tiny.  Hopefully, once they are cooked, we will get some decent light to get a proper picture.

Friday 29 October 2010

Basket Weaving Workshop

On Wednesday afternoon, I took DS2 to a basket weaving workshop at Weston Park Museum.  It was a most delightful two and a half hours with an excellent teacher.

She was very patient, showing each step of the process very clearly.  She even had time to show D how to make a couple of extras.

 He made this star
and here is his basket.  He has brought home some more willow, so he can continue to fill in the sides and base.

He also made a fish, which I need to take a photo off.  I forgot as I had to put it in a safe place, the kittens were trying to kill it.

As mum was sat with itchy fingers, I got given a basket to finish too.
The plastic ties come off once the willow has dried, and in theory, everything stays in place. I can't wait to have another go.

Sunday 24 October 2010

A late night

As we usually are up early in the morning, late nights are a rarity here.  Ten o'clock is a struggle, but Friday night, we were out until 11.00 pm!  What kept us awake and out so late?  Hamlet

It was a fantastic show with so many well known and respected actors.  John Simm (Master from Dr Who) was Hamlet and John Nettles (Midsomer Murders) was his uncle and the ghost of his father.

This was the first play we have seen in the theatre, and it was fantastic.  Wherever you sat, you were never far from the action.

What was even more gratifying, was that the children were so excited to go and thoroughly enjoyed the play,  We are now looking out for our next Shakespeare play to go and watch.

Tuesday 19 October 2010

Art

Last week and the beginning of this, have had quite a strong arty influence,

Last Monday DS2 attended a workshop at BLOC art which was based on an exhibition by Frances Hegarty,  On Tuesday he was back again to spend some time with one of the resident artists, Jonathan Drury, and began a project using pattern.  Once he has finished his piece, I'll take a photo.

Yesterday, we went to the exhibition at The Millennium Galleries about Art in Britain:1914-1945.  Alongside the art, there was news footage highlighting some of the changes during that time.  It meant that it was an interesting visit for both the boys, especially as DS1 is interested in history,  Art is not his thing at all.

It is a bit quieter until the end of the week when we will be going to the theatre.

Wednesday 6 October 2010

Still learning

Despite the evidence to the contrary, the boys and I are keeping busy and are still enjoying our learning adventure.  I just have to get back into the swing of letting you know what we are up to.

The normal everyday things are going on, DS 1 is still persevering with Polish and is just about to embark on a project about the apostle Paul.  This is going to incorporate his missionary tours and a bit about the history and background of the countries he visited.  DS 2 is still doing well with his Spanish.

At the moment, they are swimming fortnightly and are doing the basic subjects most days.

We are enjoying studying Hamlet at the moment with the boys doing an act by act study of the play using the resources at Shakespeare for kids.

Today we attended a session at the Crucible Theater, From Page to Stage.  This was a discussion with some of the cast and a chance to direct the first act of the play.  As you can imagine, the boys were the youngest there, but enjoyed every minute.  Now they can't wait for when we go to see the play later in the month.

I promise to try and keep this blog up to date with the fun things we do, I think the day to day learning can be taken for granted and don't make for interesting reading. 

Friday 9 April 2010

Anyone for salt?

D has always liked doing experiments, and one of them was to make salt crystals.  I can't remember when he started, but this jar seems to have been on the windowsill forever.  This was definitely one of those things that needed time.  After many months this is what we have been left with.
Inside the jar
From the outside

I have now been given permission to clean the jar.  Now I just have to wait for the next experiment.

Thursday 8 April 2010

Rare moment of creativity

D has always been the more creative out of the two boys.  J has just never seen the point of doing anything creative of artististic.  However, when he saw D selling so many of his fimo models at the craft fair, he finally realised there may be something in it after all.

He raided D's room and found the hammer beads and put these two together.  It will be interesting to see if anything else will appear over the next few weeks.

Monday 5 April 2010

Spring Fair and Trampolining

J missed a week trampolining as he wasn't well, so I got to take this home as a surprise.  Unfortunately, his teacher didn't have the right sort of pen to sign the certificate, so he took it back this week.  Now he is properly certificated for level four trampolining.  We are hoping he will achieve at least one more level before they finish the trampolining sessions.

Last weekend was the Spring Fair at Heeley.  This was the first time we had a stall there and it all worked out quite well.  D was chuffed to bits as he managed to sell most of his fimo models.  He is now busy making more for the summer fair in June.

While he was there, he made a clay pot, a willow sculpture and some jewelry.  As the weather was sunny and dry all day, an enjoyable day was had by all.

Saturday 20 March 2010

Pergamano Fun

D has been to a couple of parchment craft classes with me which we both enjoyed.  I've carried on doing more at home and after he had seen me do some this week, D wanted to do some and this is what he did.
This was one of the patterns that came with the perga colour pens so he had some fun doing this yesterday.  He knows there are some improvements he can make, but I think this is fantastic for his first go at a complicated design.  I am thinking I will mount this onto some pale blue card for him.

Friday 19 March 2010

Catch Up

Where does the time go?  The last few weeks seem to have flown by, maybe because we have been busy.

The boys have been busy with the usual things-maths, english, history, science, Romeo and Juliet, Polish, Spanish, French, and ICT.

They now have a sports session at the local leisure centre every week during term time.  This block they are doing 8 weeks of trampolining and then a swimming session.  As you can imagine, they are loving it and are trying very hard to get the highest level certificate they can get by the end of the eight weeks.

D now has a tutor coming to teach him Biology.  Science has always been his favourite subject and he has always had questions that go quite deep into the subject.  This has been a learning experience for his tutor also, as she has never taught someone because they have a love of the subject and a piece of paper isn't the objective.  She enjoys being able to go off at a tangent to satisfy the questions D has.  They have had three sessions and have discussed the eye and heart in great depth.  Apparently he's done the equivalent on a terms work.

D was very disappointed that she was able to get a bull's eye for disection, and they had to make do with an orange, but you can imagine his delight when she arrived with this last week.
He had great fun dissecting the heart and seeing how it is all made up.  He was delighted to find out he is a natural with the instruments.  Not sure that he would make the best surgeon though, lol.

Biology will be going on hold for a few weeks now, as his tutor is away, but he can't wait for it to start again.

Wednesday we went to the theatre in Mansfield to see Horrible Science.  Apart from the screaming kids, it was a fantastic show., though D did say he preferred the Horrible History shows.  This was the first Horrible Science show they have put on, so it will be interesting to see how they develop.

Both boys have been under the weather this week, so today will be a relaxing day to recharge the batteries ready for next week.

Monday 22 February 2010

Half Term Week

Thankfully, quite a quiet week though we still had to take D to Spanish on Wednesday.  In the afternoon, J went ice skating on his own with a friend.  This was the first time he had gone to a public session on his own.

Thursday they had friends over for the day.  They played on the playstation, on the wii, then after pizza, watched a film.  The weather did brighten up for a little while and they managed to go out to the park for half hour before their friends went home.

Friday afternoon, the girls from up the road came in for a couple of hours to play on the wii.

The boys were supposed to be going out for the day on Sunday, but it was cancelled due to the snow.  They did do a bit of work in the evening as they discovered the website BYKI that helps with learning languages.  J spent time doing Polish and Daniel has decided to use it for extra Spanish practise and to learn French.

Funny how work is fun when they want to do it themselves, and not because they have to.

Saturday 13 February 2010

Half Term Already

Where has the time gone?  Despite the lack of blogging the boys have been busy after their delayed return home after Christmas.  They got stuck for a couple of extra days due to the snow.

Since they have been back they have been busy with maths, English, Shakespeare, science, Spanish and history.  The dancing sessions have started again and for the last three weeks, they have been learning the modern jive.  Last week, they began the salsa.  They've also had swimming every fortnight and ice skating last Monday.

They both had appointments at the opticians, and J now has contact lenses.  This meant two extra trips to the optician to learn how to put them in and out.  He needs to go for a check up in a fortnight.

D has been cooking, but we ate the results before any pictures could be taken, and we have one painting
The coming week should be a bit quieter due to half term, but then the fun starts all over again.