Hodgepodge Wednesday plus wordless

Today I am doing something completely different and joining in with:

who has posted the various questions to which I have answered.  You can join in too by pressing on the button above.

1. Share a favorite memory/moment from the week of Christmas.
There were many but opening presents with the kids is still the most special :)

2.  If someone wrote a book about your life based on the past year, what genre would it fall under? What would the title be?
Probably Comedy and title - "What Are You Doing Now?"  I just can't believe all of the things I have got into since moving across country and finishing teaching!

3. What made you feel patriotic this year?
Not sure that I have done - although does supporting England in the Rugby World Cup count?

4. What experience from this past year would you like to do all over again?
There have been lots of new things that I have really enjoyed and I know in 2016 I'm going to do more nordic walking and more winter floristry as I really liked them the first time around :)

5. What song lyric sums up or is a reflection of your 2015?

Born To Be Wild - Steppenwolf

Lyrics 

Get your motor runnin'

Head out on the highway

Lookin' for adventure

And whatever comes our way

 

6. On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate 2015?  (10=stellar) Why?

I would rate this year as an 8 possible 9 for all the happiness it has brought to my husband and I despite both of our children now being off on life's adventures of their own - university and travelling.  I was so imagining things to be much worse instead of being different and full of their own joys.  

7. What part of the upcoming year are you most excited about?
I think this will be the year I get more done and get better organised.  I feel excited about trying other new things out and meeting new people.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Wednesday Wordless - Cake!

Marzipaned and iced by me!!  First time ever :)

Winter Wellies

Here's a little freebie once more on the theme of winter.  This time I was thinking about those mornings when the children all come in wearing their wellies and hopefully with a peg to clip them together in the cloakroom so they are not "lost" when it comes to breaktime (recess).

All children like pegging things on the clothes lines we often use in a classroom - either number ordering, sentence construction, punctuation etc so either you could use a piece of elastic as your line for each child to put around their chair back and peg their phonic boot pairs to it or just get them to simply peg the correct boots together and hold up for you to see.

The thinking behind this little resource is that children need repetition for blends and at the beginning of teaching it can all be a bit rushed and over-whelming for some.  By having colour-coded boots, this helps build in more correct answers to begin with and the physicality of actually finding, touching and pegging the correct wellies together will also help with memorising the two letters needed.

The welly clipart comes from a pack with textured spring flowers I made for my TpT store -
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Wellies-SpringEaster-Flowers-Clip-Art-Set-plus-Multiplication-Learning-Pack-1776956

Click on the welly button to go to the downloadable document and let your students have fun!

If you have any other tips on helping children learn blends during their phonic lessons please let me know in the comments box or if you have any memories of wearing your wellies to school it'd be nice to hear :)

What Direction?

As we are starting to get to the New Year my thoughts are turning to what direction I should maybe steer my blog towards?

If anyone has any thoughts about what they would like to see or what bits about this little blog they enjoy I would welcome any feedback?  Just drop me a line below or if you prefer my email is pempispalace@yahoo.co.uk.

Many thanks!

Penguin Time

As most teachers know, we try to make teaching resources that fit our topics and the seasons in which we teach them.  Leading up to breaking up for the winter holiday brings a flurry of snowflakes and Christmas designs but afterwards going back early in January for "spring" term always seems rather out of kilter if we plunge in with spring flowers and baby birds when often there is a covering of snow on the ground outside the classroom!  That is why about this time of year my thoughts often turn to penguins and particularly if I come across some clipart that charms me and I know will engage children in their learning!

So today I want to offer you this freebie made using the inspiring clipart of the little penguins from Grade ONEderful - a Canadian teacher - https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Grade-Onederful

Just click on the picture above to be taken to the downloadable google doc!

I gave each of the cute little penguins his or her own parachute complete with phonic buttons in red. The children use this sheet (that will be laminated for re-use) to spell the six words containing three phonemes each they are told by their teacher.  e.g. dig, shed, top, thin, with, pan etc.  

Can they parachute their penguins to safety by spelling them correctly?

What type of resources do you use at this time of year?  Have you got any helpful hints for phonics you wish to share?  You know I'd love to know so leave me a comment - even if it's just agreeing that these little penguins are just adorable :)

Christmas Celebrate

A quick Christmas Celebrate blog hop - once again hosted by the wonderful Lexa Cain (who even managed to host it on Christmas Day!!)

My own contribution is the tinsell-ated and baubled normal blog button above which if you press will take you to Lexa's website where you are welcome to join in :)

Christmas is a time for much rejoicing and giving thanks for the small things in ones life as well as sometimes realising what truly is most important.  We may well take for granted what others sincerely wish for.  I have read a great many blog posts over this past week which make me just so thankful for the hand I have been dealt and once again make me realise how lucky I am to have so much when there are so many that have so few.

Here's to wishing and hoping that 2016 brings much needed cheer and understanding around the world and that we can all play our part in making that happen :)

In the words of Jimmy Durante -

"It's so important to make someone happy"

Make someone happy

Make just one someone happy

And you will be happy too!

Ding Dong Merrily on High

The bells are beginning to chime summoning people to the Midnight service as I quickly write today's post.  Unfortunately, due to a back problem that has suddenly developed I will not be attending and I so wanted to this year as I have never done so and thought it might be nice to go and see Christmas Day in!  It will just have to wait until next year.

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and 

a Happy New Year :)

Wordless Wednesday Wreath

I was so pleased with my first ever attempt at making a proper Christmas wreath.

Did you try a new Christmas craft this year? 

Winter Freebie

Today I am sharing a little winter freebie I created after being inspired by another clipart artist I blogged about yesterday - Narelle and her wonderful sewing buttons.

Lots of children find learning their multiplication tables difficult so good graphics are needed to help them understand what is going on as they recite 1 x, 2 x, 3 x etc.  Colours can also help with the recall of key facts so hopefully these posters will benefit children by allowing them to count the number of holes in each button (4) and see the repeated addition in process :)

Click on the button below to go to the correct TpT page to download and enjoy!

As a child, I remember my first winter coat being a shaggy orange creation with a zip that made me look like a fuzzy duckling - I was none too keen.  Nowadays my winter coats are the classic black wool with 6 buttons - rather boring or if I am out getting muddy a barbour jacket.  What did you wrap up in as a child and what do you wear now?  I'd love to know :)

On a Mission plus lovely clipart freebies

I realise that if I post over these next few days I will have managed to have posted at least the same amount as last year so I think I ought to try!

A couple of shout outs to clipart artists I have been using recently:

Narelle from Australia who posted a lovely button clipart freebie which I will be featuring in a freebie product tomorrow - so stay tuned! You can find her store at: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Narelle-Steckyj-3917

and

Brad Fitzpatrick from Clipart Crush who kindly gave me permission to use his wonderful gingerbread clipart in a couple of my new products.
You can find his store at: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Brad-Fitzpatrick

and my gingerbread products by pressing the buttons below

Be sure to check these artists and their products out.  I love talented and generous people :)

I'd also like some more feedback left on my TpT site if you do happen to download my freebie product - many thanks!

Let me and others know if you have found any great free clipart by leaving a comment below :)

Oh Christmas Tree Oh Christmas Tree

Well it's finally in the room - but only just!

Truly the tallest Christmas tree we've ever had and can ever have!  They've been growing steadily over the years but now it's official we have reached ceiling height there is no where else to go unless we start cutting holes in the actual ceiling!!  This is what comes of allowing Dad to go with DD to choose a tree - they egg each other on and this year they have come back with a tree that was destined for a school before something happened and it is now in our sitting room.

As you can imagine the cats have all been wondering - what is going on?

My own little artificial tree reached "vintage" this year having been with us for 25 years now and to give it its due has lasted really well.  Thank goodness I don't need to saw the top off it each year to get it in to position!

Do you have any Christmas tree traditions going on in your family?  Who goes out to choose it?  What room does it get put up in?

I'm Back & Celebrating

OMG - where has the time gone?  Never mind - I'm finally back and catching up again with everyone on the Celebrate post.  Click on the button to link up :)

Over this past week, I've had many things to celebrate:

1. The company of good friends
2. Both of my children returning home for the Christmas holidays
3. The ordering of the Christmas turkey before it was too late!
4. Going to see the latest Star Wars movie at midnight as it opened here in the UK - and yes it really is that good - brought lots of memories flooding back of how I felt when I was a child watching the first one back in 1977.

Lexa on her blog is wondering what kitchen calamities we've experienced.  I think I'm quite lucky when I say not too many - but I always seem to burn the garlic bread whenever we have guests - I think it's because I get talking and forget about cooking.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed that nothing goes wrong with the Christmas dinner this year  and that we don't forget something - normally it's the stuffing!

Here's to hoping everyone else has been having a good week and that this one leading up to Christmas will run smoothly for one and all :)  Tell me what you're planning to do - I'd love to know!

Celebrate Oct #1

I know I'm a day late but I feel blessed to have lots of things to celebrate :)  so I am joining in with the Celebrate crowd

You can too - just ask Lexa to add you to the list if you want to be visited but by all means go and check out what all these people are celebrating this week :)  Lexa is also doing a special giveaway and HORROR blog hop too if you want to check her blog page out too.
 

1)  The fine weather is continuing so I have been busy gardening and really enjoying this sunshine - everyone is SO much happier and it is lovely to meet everyone with a smile on their face - where ever I go I seem to have Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World playing along in my head :)

2)  My walking group is continuing to grow and it is really pleasing to see everyone joining in and having fun.  I am so pleased I started it :)

3)  I passed my First Aid course so am now officially qualified to give First Aid - this is just in case anything untoward happens on one of my walks!!  Hopefully, nothing ever will!

4)  I got hold of two hardback books this week that I have been wanting to read for the amazing price of just £1 each!!!  I just love a good book bargain :)

5)  Finally, I am celebrating the return of Once Upon A Time (my DD just re-subscribed to Netflix)which I have to confess is one of my favourites - I get a bit swoony over Hook!!  So will be able to watch episodes on those autumnal nights - lovely :)

I'd love to know what you have to celebrate and now I'm off to check out what everyone lse has been up to.  Have a great weekend :)

Wordless Wednesday: Washing

How cute is this?

More to come on where she came from - later this week :)

Monday Makes with Creative Linky

Here are my finished socks for the Monday Makes

and I'm joining in with Claire Justine over at :

I'm hopping over there to see what others have created - let me know what you are currently making or have just finished :)

Sock Sunday

Here is the photo of my unfinished socks that I began many months ago

and here is what they now look like after picking them up again for a bit of Sunday knitting ;)

Yes - I know I haven't finished the green sock yet but I have managed to do some!  I am now onto the decreasing for the toe and will hope to finish within the next 24 hours.
This pattern comes from Sally in Wales and can be found at Downsizer  http://www.downsizer.net/projects/a_sustainable_home/quick_and_chunky_sock_pattern/  I find it an easy and quick sock pattern when done in the chunky wool she suggests - these are taking a little longer as I am using double knitting wool instead!

This weekend other things obviously got in the way of me concentrating on knitting - things such as a full day's First Aid course on Saturday (run by a guy who was in the army - so I now know how to save lives under fire on a battlefield - not sure how much of this will be useful for leading my Walking For Health walks around a park? - but hey!!)  There was also the make the most of the good weekend weather and clean out those gutters before the deluge of autumnal leaves clog them up again!! As well as this:

Which I will bring everyone up to speed on during this week.  Hope you all had a lovely weekend - what did you get up to - or what got in the way?  I'd love to know :)

Celebrate & Five for Friday

   Combining two things in today's post - saves on time as well as allows me to mingle with many :)

So here is No 1 (leaf clipart courtesy of www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Childreninmind - check out this new store)

 for Five for Friday hosted by Doodlebugs

This week I am celebrating:

1)  that I finally got my car booked in and got those brakes fixed that should have been done more than 6 months ago - I am saying thank you to Paula over at  smidgensbitsandsnippets.blogspot.com for her blog post on owning up to the truth - for giving me the shove to do it!!

2)  that my DD appears to be settling in fine at uni - despite the technology teething problems and the "where to go at night that won't cost a fortune?" - but that's London for you and we did tell her that when she opted to go there!!  But they never listen, do they?

3)  We have had more days of sunshine than rain so far this September - which makes it a far better month than August ever was :)

If you want to go and check out who else and what else is being celebrated then get along to:

hosted by Lexa Cain

I have finally got around to posting another free product on to TpT - specifically aimed at children who need work basket/ sorting activities - I am hoping this will appeal to a wide age range and be particularly suitable for boys.  I know the younger children I have worked with in the past have loved using actual push pins because it make them feel really grown up and responsible!!  Please check it out and I would love some feedback on the site as well as below :)  Many thanks!

As Autumn is now actually here, I need to make progress with the various knitting projects I have on the go at the moment. My family says they want to see less pieces of knitting on needles left abandoned around the house so I have decided that I will post a weekly update in the hope that this should inspire me to get on and finish them!!  My goal will be to finish the socks I started more than three months ago this weekend.  Have you any craft projects you need to finish?

My Walking For Health group is now up and running and I hope to recruit a few more members to add to the three lovely ladies I currently walk with on a Monday morning.  I have written a short article for the local newspaper that should be appearing at the start of next month so numbers might rise when that is published.  It is a lovely way to get exercise as well as meet people and talk about a wide range of subjects - not just education!!

As per normal, please feel free to use these number graphics I have created in any of your classrooms. It is always nice to share and to learn that something has been useful to someone else :)

Have a super week and enjoy the weekend :)

Wordless Wednesday Pairs - Bouquet

My amazing bouquet of flowers has changed over the course of the week and is now in full bloom :)

Celebrate the Small Things #2 Sept

Yes - I am actually posting on the correct day and linking up to the above thanks to Lexa Cain our blog host - YEE HA!!  Click on the button above to go to the blog hop if you'd like to join in :)

This week I am celebrating:

1.   Some warmer, sunnier weather - SO VERY welcome after our abysmal August
2.   Being able to visit my mum on her actual birthday - haven't been there to give her a card and pressie since leaving home - so a good few years now!
3.   Spending a really nice day in the sunshine with my DD before she leaves next week to start university

In the spirit of Lexa, who has posted a series of funny photos about what she thinks she looks like and what she actually looks like in a number of scenarios - here is my take on 

                                    What I THINK I look like after I've washed my hair

and what I ACTUALLY look like!

Hopefully this does not apply to you!

Let me know what you are celebrating this weekend or have been celebrating this week - I'd love to know :)

Celebrate The Small Things #1 Sept

I'm posting a day late as I was unfortunately hit by a terrible migraine yesterday and felt so sick all day I was just lying down in a darkened room - however today that is all a distant memory so another thing to celebrate!

If you'd like to join in with this very friendly little blog hop then please click on the picture above to get taken to the administrator of the hop - the wonderful Lexa Cain :)  She also hosts a super Giveaway Friday with lots of goodies so her site is definitely one worth checking out!

Well this week I am definitely celebrating the return of my very special, little black cat :)  She has kept close to home since being allowed out in short bursts over the past two days.  So I am hoping whatever ordeal she went through that made her leave home is now in the distant past and things will return to normal for her here.

I would also like to celebrate all the kind hearted strangers who over these past weeks have taken time out of their busy schedules to drop in with any news, cheer me up, tell me they are joining in with the search and just generally be really supportive and sympathetic.  It is also another reminder to me that you should NEVER judge a book by its cover as some of the individuals I have conversed with are people I would not have thought by their appearance would be at all interested in helping me.  Mostly the older teens - early twenties who to my older eyes now appear rather frightening looking have said some of the kindest and most heart-warming words to me - thank you so much.  Maybe I should be celebrating this new generation and their kindness to us the middle generation?

I would also like to celebrate getting back to the blogosphere and catching up with old friends out there - if I haven't done so already I am on my way this weekend :)

I am sure other things have happened this week that I could have celebrated but I think I will leave it there so I can do a bit more blog hopping.  Hoping everyone has a super weekend and looking forward to catching up :)

Currently September

Well hello there and sorry I've been away for so long from the blogosphere.  I am blaming the summer and all the summery things that had to get done this year!!  However, the wonderful Farley continues with her Currently posts so I am back and joining in.  Press the button if you would like to as well

and here goes :)

Poor owl I disturbed him/her last night so am now awake early morning listening to the "payback"!

I am loving that my little black cat has returned after three weeks away (she disappeared whilst we were on holiday and the cats were being looked after by my lovely neighbour as both children away in Europe this summer and therefore not around to help out with cat-sitting duties).  I had put up notices, contacted vets, posted on national sites for missing pets and was thinking the worst that a car had knocked her down somewhere.  During the last fortnight, I have had so many lovely people come forward with information about cats they have seen, found, sniffer dogs to help search so I have known that there were a lot of eyes out there looking for her.  However, yesterday I came downstairs early morning in the dark (it was pouring with rain outside) to see a cat shape sitting at the bottom of the stairs!  This was totally out of the ordinary as my cats do not have access to the main house - their room is accessed by a cat flap and the door to the main house is closed at night.  At first I thought it was my dark, stripey tabby but then there was a cry and I knew it was her!!  She had come in via the cellar vent and had popped the cellar door open somehow to get into the house!  I could not quite believe my eyes but I said a big thank you to God and scooped her up in my arms where she just purred and purred.  She was amazingly not wet, had obviously been eating well and her coat was lovely and glossy so wherever she has been she has had access to food and shelter.  But I am so thankful she is home :)

I am thinking that I cannot quite believe that school children go back to school this week - I do feel for them because quite frankly we have had another rotten 6 weeks of weather here in the UK!!  I am keeping my fingers crossed that we have more sunny days in September because August was a wash out!

I am wanting days with more hours in them - there just hasn't been enough time to get everything done and I keep going to bed with a long list that has not diminished enough for my liking!

Now that summer is on the way out I need to get back to blogging again - I've missed all my blogging chums and I just haven't even had time to see what they've been up to so I will be reconnecting and visiting over the next few weeks.  I'm really looking forward to it :)

My three goals for September will be:

1) to finish and post a new autumn maths pack on TpT

2) to get back into running/jogging and sign up for a 5k race

3) to finish at least one of my knitting projects currently on the go!

Now I'm off to visit others on the CURRENTLY trail - take care and let me know what you've been up to and your goals for September :)

Celebrate

It's time again to celebrate with others - thank you to Lexa Cain and the gang for hosting.  Press the button above to see what others are sharing.

This week after quite a long absence I am celebrating:

1) My garden - I've been spending a lot of "woman" hours finishing off the grass seeding, connecting hosepipes together to be able to water (oh boy have I learnt a lot about spigots!!) and hauling heavy stuff around to get paths operational again.  I'm no where near finished but I it's looking much better than it did three weeks ago.

2) My family - over the past few weeks I have been entertaining various family member visitors for longer than the normal two day flying visits.  This has been lovely and has allowed us to do various things we normally wouldn't have time for.  Building memories for the future as well as sharing memories from the past.  It's one of the reasons I just haven't been blogging like I have been lately.

Now I'm off to join the blog hop and catch up with others - so might see you soon.  Would love to know what you have been doing over the past few weeks so please leave a comment below and have a lovely weekend doing wonderful things :)

Wordless Wednesday Vixen Mitten?

Doodling on Day 4

Did I say how much I am enjoying letting go and doodling away on this art challenge?  Yesterday I was playing with matches & today I'm remembering when I always used to be drawing leaves on my school exercise books.

Today's prompt was mailbox and even though we don't have this type in England I decided I didn't want to draw a postbox and I didn't want to put a small postbox on top of a stick and make it look like a US mailbox either.   So I have very literally drawn a US mailbox but then I found myself thinking about if a letter had been delivered but the letter had never been taken out of the box and the foliage had grown up and around the old mailbox and what would have been in that last letter that someone never received and there would be no reply back either so what would happen then?

Letters never forget

They wait patiently

For someone to read

For someone to smile over

For someone to shed tears over

Letters never forget

They record for posterity

Words someone needed to write

Words someone wanted to whisper

Words someone wanted to shout

Letters never forget

But what if they don't get delivered?

What if no-one reads the words they hold?

Then time stands still on that paper because

Letters never forget

So now it's your turn - when did you last write a proper letter?  Who was it too?  Did you used to write letters?  What made them special?  Did you ever get a letter delivered really late after it had been posted?  I'd love to know what your thoughts are on the art of letter writing so leave me a comment below :)

Pirates Ahoy!

This is my ICAD #3 - inspired by Draw a Map

As you can hopefully see it's meant to be a pirate's treasure map and I have ripped and then burnt around the edges and middle with a match - I used to so love doing this as a child making "old" treasure maps and rolling the paper up into a tube!

Because I was thinking of this my poem for the day is as follows:

Playing Pirates

Mother tipped the dining table over

As my brother and I stood and stared

“A pirate ship – now pack belongings”

We scampered off things to prepare.

We got provisions, biscuits, water,

some string, our swords and teddy too

Then we were off – “Set sail me hearties!”

Our make believe would see us through

All day we sailed and saw such wonders,

Mermaids, sharks and ships galore

And being pirates challenged others

Plundering treasure with a cannon’s roar

Lots of sword fights, squawking parrots

We made our enemies walk the plank

Drawing treasure maps, avoiding sharks

Yo Ho Ho with the “rum” we drank

Then Dad came home and time for dinner

Our ship once again a place to eat

And sitting there around the table

We told him about our Pirate Day treat!

I have various products in my TpT store that are pirate based including a few freebies so if you're interested in pirates be sure to check them out by clicking on the tab at the top of my blog page :)

What was one of your favourite make-believe games when you were a child?  Or what do your children/grandchildren like to pretend these days?  I'd love to know :)

Happy News on TpT, Currently & Day 2 Artistic Adventures!

I've had a very busy week so have not been checking my TpT account like I normally do and so I was delighted as well as rather surprised to see that I have now gained 101 followers!!  Last time I looked I had 97 so obviously this past week quite a few new teachers have found my site and have liked what they have seen. Therefore, I am feeling very happy that what I am doing is pleasing so many people they want to return and be advised when I post new stuff.  Which to be honest I haven't done much of since the A to Z Challenge.

So on that note I am combining today's post with

If you click on the picture below you will head over to the delightful Farley who runs this each month but this time she is trying to raise money this week to help the pet rescue centre that is dealing with the fallout from the recently devastated town of Wimberley in Texas: all those animals who have been found after the floods washed everything away and those pets whose owners have no where to stay at the moment because they have lost their homes.

Now I am going to show you my ICAD for the day - this time inspired by the word CARNIVAL & the use of inks for drawing & doodling :)

I love the Venetian Carnivals with their elegant ladies wearing this type of mask and I couldn't resist using my Italian ink purchased from one of those special shops in York - once upon a time :)

I need to show you another picture so you can see the shape of the bottle which is what I fell in love with!

Turquoise ink from Italy and purple ink from Winsor & Newton combined with an italic pen and a dipping in water of the card after the initial black outline of the mask.  It felt great playing about with it all and didn't take longer than ten minutes so if anyone is worried about having a go because they think it will take forever - it certainly doesn't have to!

Ditty for the Day - just didn't have time to really think about it too much today with lots of other things I had to do - more of those in a post later this week I think :)

Venetian completion

for your contemplation

Water & ink and squiggles galore

Wonder what tomorrow will have in store?

Love to know what you think about any of this - certainly any feedback on how to improve things is always welcome as you know :)

Where Do I Begin?

Have I bitten off more than I can chew?  My waking thought today was - how many things have I signed up for during June and how will I be able to fit them all in?  But then as I began to sort through in my mind I realised that with so many things in life there is overlap and so I will combine my Creative Monday post

with my first Index Card art activity

 and then decide whether a poem is inspired by the ICAD or Scavenger Hunt photo theme

.

I always tell my students to read the instructions - it makes things so much more simpler so you'd think I might do the same but NO - in I go feet first and have looked at the ICAD posted by DaisyYellow

and think today's prompt must be LOVE and suddenly I have inspiration overload and go rushing off and very quickly produce the index card art piece below:

However, later on I go back to read further on Daisy's website that she will post themes and prompts every Friday so I back track to that blog post ad see that today's prompt is the word CHEVRON & the theme is DRAWING & DOODLING - not collage and love then!!!!  Back to the drawing board I go! Although this event has allowed me to see the poem/ditty I should write for today.

Sometimes I feel I am too cautious
Too may hesitations and not enough risks
So why do I find myself plunging then downwards
Without a parachute into the abyss?

Maybe there's a reason for taking things slowly 
Careful deliberation and thinking things through? 
So why don't I listen to this inner wisdom
Instead of keep ending up right in the p**!

Which just goes to show that all clouds have a silver lining :)

OK - Here is my official ICAD #1

When I was a child I loved the simple clear pictures of heraldic shields so a chevron meant this type of symbol to me and as I love dragons obviously one to hold the shield up.  I have DRAWN them and then added a few doodles around the other side of the shield so all in all I feel I have fulfilled the brief.

So now I feel my "work" is done for today and I can spend my time catching up with reading some of the many blog posts you have been doing over the past few days after my hectic but very successful family get together this weekend :)

Let me know what you think. What might you have done for Chevron?  Have you ever jumped the gun and how did things turn out?  Have you ever wished you'd taken that risk but were too unsure at the time?  Got any tips on how to make my poem better?

Canals - My Favourite Summer Vacation Spot Blog Hop

Lexa Cain in the run up to summer holidays is hosting a blog hop of favourite spots where people like to take their vacations.  

My favourite place has become (over these past few years) anywhere on the British canal network. 

 Whether you are in the heart of huge city

 or in the middle of a historical feat of engineering

or high above

or far below

Just being on the canal is so relaxing :)

You get peace and quiet and see the country you live in - in a totally new way.  Your pace of life slows down and you become much more in tune with nature.  You meet plenty of friendly people from all around the world but also have loads of time just to enjoy being alone together as a family.  

I also like it because I get time to sit and read and I also get to see a whole lot of wildlife which I love :)

Now I'm off to explore others' favourite places to holiday so if you'd like to join in please click on the button below.

And tell me where is your best place?  Where did you go as a child?  What was your most fun experience whilst on holiday?  I'd love to know :)