Share Your World 2015 – Week 8

Posted on February 28, 2015 by Mama Cormier

…..thanks to Cee for this week’s challenging questions

Your favorite blog post that you have written? (add link)

I’ve written over 1000 posts. This is a difficult decision you’re asking me to make. One post that comes to mind is the story I wrote about the birth of my baby sister, some 56 years ago. My Fondest Memory of Christmas as a Child

What do you feel is the most enjoyable way to spend $500? Why?

I like to spend money on clothes, buying for other people and travelling with my husband. I like to shop in small boutiques, especially when I travel but I like a good bargain so Winners and Marshall’s are usually my go to places for clothes. I also love buying books and because I’m given a budget for the library I can spend money that’s not mine. Even better.

If you could know the answer to any question, besides “What is the meaning of life?”, what would it be?

This is a difficult question. I used to think that I’d like to know what the future holds for me but I’m not ready to know or really want to know how my life or anyone else’s life ends. I think I would love knowing how to bring about world peace.

Where do you eat breakfast?

Most of the time I eat breakfast at home. If I’m running late I might pack or pick up a breakfast and eat at work. I rarely eat breakfast at a restaurant unless I’m on vacation.

Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

Last week I was grateful for spending a day skiing with a couple of classes from school. One of the teachers had a conflict with the date and couldn’t go so I was happy to step in, even though we experienced -30 degree weather. I only fell once and the only thing I hurt was my pride. Luckily I was able to get up and the rest of the day went without a hitch.

I also took the boys’ basketball team to their tournament. They didn’t win one game but they played well and for the most part were really good sports. I’m also grateful for time spent on making some fun art pieces for my on-line course.

For the rest of this week I’m looking forward to visiting my Dad and helping him move some of his things to his new apartment. He finally sold his house and is now ready to embark on a different lifestyle. My oldest daughter and her partner are joining me for the visit and my husband is staying home to prepare homemade pizza for us to enjoy when we return home.

Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Mama Cormier

…..my love of art oozes from my pores

I guess my love of art and colour is as obvious as the nose on my face. Not only do I teach art, I also talk about it, a lot, in library classes. Today I read a wonderful new picture book by Ashley Spires called The Most Magnificent Thing.

Image courtesy of: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Am9jGlb1L._SX258_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

As with most good stories, this one had a moral or lesson attached. The children picked up on it pretty quickly. They came up with: …..never give up, take your time, don’t get angry, walk away and come back to it later, etc..

I talked to them about some of my art that I wasn’t happy with and how ‘walking away from it and revisiting it later’ and looking at it with new eyes really helped me come up with a new painting that I really liked.

At the end of the class one of my grade 4 students who rarely speaks to me walked over to me and very proudly stated that ‘the Earth without art would be Eh!’ He told me that he just made that up. Clever! I see a t-shirt in his future. Don’t you?

Share Your World 2015 – Week 6

Posted on February 12, 2015 by Mama Cormier

……Cee’s Share Your World

What was the last time you went to a new place? Two weeks ago, after my husbands post op appointment with his endocrinologist we treated ourselves to a dinner at a restaurant that I had never been to before. It was a BBQ place called Barque’s in the west end of Toronto. Delicious!

If you were or are a writer do you prefer writing short stories, poems or novels, other? And what type of genre would you prefer?

I guess as bloggers we are all writers but I prefer to write short stories and free verse poetry. I’ve often toyed with the idea of writing and illustrating children’s picture books.

Out of your five senses (touch, taste, sight, smell, hearing) which is your favorite? As an artist and photographer I’d have to say that sight is my favourite sense. I wouldn’t be able to produce the following pieces without my sight.

If 100 people your age were chosen at random, how many do you think you’d find leading a more satisfying life than yours?

Based on the people I know who are my age I’d say that there would probably be 20 people who might lead a more satisfying life than mine. I think I’m better off than most people my age but I wouldn’t be so cocky as to believe that no one has a better or more satisfying life than mine.

Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

A few days ago my husband was in a bicycle accident and I’m grateful that his injuries weren’t more serious and that he didn’t suffer a concussion. He looks bad like he was in a bar brawl or street fight but he’ll heal and be as good as new in a couple of weeks.

I’m looking forward to a long weekend. We have parent teacher interviews Thursday evening and Friday morning. I’m off Friday afternoon and on Monday we celebrate Family Day in Ontario. We’re planning on going to Chinatown and partaking in some dim sum. Maybe we’ll even go to the art gallery which is just down the street from the restaurant.

It’s suppose to be very cold this weekend so it’ll probably be a good weekend to make art and snuggle up with a good book.

Share Your World 2015 – Week 5

Posted on February 2, 2015 by Mama Cormier

…..it’s already February and week 5

Do you prefer shopping or going to a park?

Why do I have to pick? I like them both. I like a balance of activities. I love to walk and I need to do more. January has been a tough month on the exercise front. I also love to shop and I didn’t much of that either in January. Okay February, time to up my game on both fronts.

If you were a shoe, what kind would you be and why?

I’m all about comfort now. I love my new hiking shoes and my ‘Blundstone’ style boots. Both work well when I’m walking and the boots are versatile and are somewhat fashionable.

What’s the story behind a time when you got locked out?

The last time I was locked out it happened at school. My swipe key was starting to break so the office administrator applied for a new one. Little did I know that the moment she applied for a new one the old one was declared null and void. That night I had to go back to school for a meeting and I couldn’t get back into the school. I walked to the front doors and they were locked so I walked around to the side entrance and then all the way through the school to get back to the library. It wouldn’t have been so bad but it was bitterly cold. The next morning I couldn’t get into the school again but when I finally did, the office had my new key ready for me.

Do you prefer eating foods with nuts or no nuts?

I love nuts and any food that contains nuts. When a box of chocolate is presented to me I always look for the chocolate with the nuts first. I love marzipan, Italian almond cookies, M&M Chocolate Covered Peanuts and almond bark.

Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

Last week my husband had his post op appointments with his doctors and the surgery was successful. He still has to have iodine radiation done but no more surgery for the time being. We walked to a restaurant close to the hospital that I’ve always wanted to try and we had a wonderful meal together.

I’m grateful for time spent with my children. We all got together to deliver a desk to my oldest daughter and her sister made homemade empanadas for us to enjoy for lunch. I’m also happy to have finished proofreading report cards.

I’m looking forward to printing up the final copies of the report cards for all the teachers on staff. I’m also looking forward to working on more art projects and receiving the next art assignment from Carla.

Here are a couple of warm-up doodles that I created for the class.

Cheers and If you’d like to see more “Share Your World” posts head on over to Cee’s Photography and join in on the fun.

Share Your World 2015 – Week 3

Posted on January 25, 2015 by Mama Cormier

…..more questions brought to you by Cee

Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?

I’ve saved this question for last because I’m finding it the most difficult to answer. I would be worried about having someone I don’t know over for dinner. Is the house clean enough, are my things up to par, will they like my cooking, will I say something stupid and insult them or will I find them completely boring and be let down by the experience? When I have people over I want to enjoy the experience so I tend to invite people who know me well and won’t judge me. Therefore I’d have to say that I want my best friends over for dinner.

When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else?

The last time I sang was at the percussion concert we had last Thursday at school. I sang with the audience. I like to sing in the car when I’m by myself. I can’t remember the last time I sang to someone. Sometimes I’ll break out in song when I’m reading a story to the younger boys and girls in the library. I sang in a German choir for 27 years and after that I was a guest chorister with a fantastic church choir. I did that for a few years.

If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?

I wish I could eat like a person who is healthy, enjoys food and doesn’t struggle with weight. I’m healthy and I certainly enjoy food but my weight has been a life long struggle.

What, if anything, is too serious to be joked about?

I think joking about anything that is tragic is taboo. Joking about someone’s loss or pain is just plain tacky.

Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I’m grateful that my reports are written, that I produced some fun art and that I got to hear the children perform on the percussion instruments after listening to them practise every day for two weeks. I’m grateful that I was able to visit my Dad today and help somewhat with his moving dilemma. He is moving from a house to an apartment and between him and his partner G they have at least two apartment’s worth of belongings.

This week I’m looking forward to producing more art and starting the second part of the assignment that I was given last Thursday. I have till Feb. 8 before I receive the next lesson.

Year of the Spark

Posted on January 24, 2015 by Mama Cormier

….another great on-line art class with Carla Sonnheim and Lynn Whipple

In December I signed up for a year long on-line art class with two great artists, Carla Sonheim and Lynn Whipple. The class is called Year of the Spark and twice a month each teacher presents a lesson and several fun assignments. So far the assignments have been designed to get our hands moving and look at art and drawing in new ways.

Carla’s first class had us drawing dozens of one line sketches of animals, flowers, and houses and then choosing one favourite and drawing it again using many different types of drawing tools. We had to choose one finished piece in the end and frame it. Here are some of my one liners and my framed piece.

As much as I liked my dog drawings I decided to elaborate on my birds.

As you can see these drawings are intended to be fun and whimsical.

This week Lynn introduced us to pattern drawing and creating cards using people from old photos and a multitude of shapes of cut up papers. I’ve played with the pattern portion of the assignment but I haven’t yet started the card assignment.

The pattern assignment is a warm-up activity but I’m so addicted to this random doodling that it’s taking me hours to finish one page. Tomorrow I’m going to have to try to work faster and maybe use only watercolours to create my patterns. Keep it simple.

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A New Milestone – 1000 Posts

Posted on January 20, 2015 by Mama Cormier

…..I can’t believe it

Thirty three months ago when I started this blog I couldn’t have imagined writing 1000 posts. When I first hit the keys I wanted to record and track my weight loss journey, write about my past, share recipes and have a platform to air my feelings about retirement. Well here I am almost three years later and I’m still going strong.

My focus has changed somewhat. I managed to lose 32 pounds and today I’ve kept a good chunk of it off but it’s a struggle every day. I don’t share many recipes. Others do it much better. I’m still working and I don’t bring up retirement very often. My colleagues won’t hear of it but I have to admit that I am getting closer to that day. I don’t talk as much about my past and most of my personal posts reflect what’s happening in the present.

What is surprising is how my blog has morphed into an art and photography journal. I started teaching art to more classes shortly after starting the blog and I started to share my student’s work.

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I also started to do more of my own art and I took a number of on-line art classes.

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I’ve always liked taking photos but recently I discovered that I was pretty good at it. I enjoyed experimenting with my little digital camera and later my iPhone and I started to participate in a lot of photography challenges here on WordPress.

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I also started to dabble in writing poetry. For someone who hated poetry in school I’m somewhat surprised that I enjoy writing free verse and Haiku as much as I do. I guess I like writing in general.

When I look back on my first dozen posts, I wonder what kept me going. There wasn’t a lot of feedback. Many of my first posts had no likes what so ever. Reading over them I couldn’t fault the writing but there were only a few photos in the beginning and I didn’t always ‘tag’ those pieces. Some of them I wrote for my children so they would have a record of their mother’s past (here, here, here, and here).

The one thing that I was pleased about was that many of my early followers are still with me. Hats off to Michael Lai, oneanna65, Domestic Diva, MD, Uthamz, The Ranting Chef, Lesley Carter, Ellis Nelson, Conor Cullen, Dorothy, Anne, Paul. Beth, Baz, Dina, Island Traveller, Bert, Lee, Jeanne, Maia, Frizz, TK Morin, Masqua,Leanne, Art Expectations, Rosemarie, Viveka, Donna, Michael, T.J., Melissa, Ann, Neal, Woolly, Mrs. Euken, Dan, Mark, Brenda, and in the last year many more followers have come my way. Here are some of the regulars: Cee, Megan, Lisa, Ab, Jennifer, Joe, Rachel, Chris, Geraint, Miranda, Trisha, Janaline, Hello, Fig, Elizabeth, Marsha, Ayse, Folly Girl, Judith, Sarah, Ronovan, Seb, Audrey, B, Kimmi, Conrad, CJ, Boeta, Peggy, Debbie, Colline,……

A special thanks goes to the people who like to comment on my blog, a lot,……Dorothy, Viveka, Rosemarie, Leanne, Colline, Judith, Cee, Elizabeth and Mark and my sister Chris. I know that my FaceBook friends also read my blog and when they comment it’s usually on FaceBook. I’m sure I’ve missed a few people and for that I apologize. I am about 40 people shy of reaching 1000 followers and I hope by my 3rd anniversary in April I can reach that goal as well.

Cheers!

Cee’s Black and White Challenge – Wood

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Mama Cormier

….I love wood in all forms (from its source to final product)

For more black and white photos of wood check out Cee’s Photography

Share Your World – 2015 – Week 1

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Mama Cormier

…..wow a new year of Share Your World with Cee

How do you get rid of pesky phone calls from telemarketers?

If I hear dead air for a second or two after I say Hello I know it’s a telemarketer and I hang up. Simple!

What are you a “natural” at doing?

I don’t know if anyone is a natural at anything. I know that people might think I’m a natural when it comes to art or public speaking but it wasn’t always that way. I had to work at it to gain confidence and even now I still have doubts about my abilities but I am always willing to try new things and take some risks.

How often do you get a haircut?

When my hair is short I try to get it cut every 6 to 8 weeks. When it’s longer it might be every two to three months.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “fun”?

Fun for me is creating art and being around friends.

Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

Last week I was grateful for having my entire family home for Christmas and having everyone together to celebrate B and G’s birthday. I also loved visiting and spending time with friends.

This week I’m looking forward to some quiet time with my husband before he has to go back for more surgery on his thyroid next Monday. I’m also looking forward to starting a new on-line year long art class with Carla Sonheim and Lynn Whipple called Year of the Spark.