Journal making with the kids

I just spent a joyous few days with my dear little nephews and niece.

The big news with them is they got a little bunny each. It’s so cute watching the way they cuddle and look after them.

not sure which one is cuter…!

Sketching the bunnies became a very fun personal challenge, and I was flooded with memories of my own beloved bunnies over the years.

Sophie and I have been drawing together and making journals for quite some time, but the boys have not really shown an interest until now – and wow! How things have changed! Sophie had a pre-arranged play date and disappeared for half the day. I was a bit sad at first because I live so far away from her, and I was looking forward to every precious moment. But it turned out wonderfully because it gave me and the twins some time together – just us.

We spent HOURS painting and making little folded journals. No stitching, but lots of painting! This high energy tag-team were so absorbed with making different colours for each page. It was a truly wonderful way to spend a very hot afternoon and I’ve never seen them so quiet in waking hours. They took great delight in making the most unusual, amazing colour and pattern combos

Even Buttons joined in! It was interesting for me that the boys did not want to ‘collaborate’… they were very much wanting to work on their own books. Whereas Sophie and I have always worked in conjunction with each other when we are arting. I wondered if that was their age, or that they are little dudes, or just an individual thing?

When Sophie joined us with her little friends later in the day, we all made Pizzas. (Angus made the dough and was very chuffed with himself – they were totally delicious!). We listened and danced to ‘What does the fox say’ a million times.

The days passed in a whirl of laughing, drawing and music! I made two Journals with Sophie – we used cardboard from Christmas present packaging  for the covers. Freddy and Oscar ended up making 3 journals each – right down to little mini ones – it was a hoot! They were filling them with drawings of rabbits when I left – and I hope they keep it up for a while.
It’s so awesome to experience how a bit of paper, and a few paints make for so much fun and bind hearts closer together.

Do you have a little one you can make a journal with?

Joyful times!

xoxox

Jane