Singing and dancing!

Alex loves music and whenever we play any music -classical, rock, pop, jazz (it doesn’t matter what) - he dances to it. Well, I say dance, it is more like bouncing up and down but it is a definite response to music. In the past few days he has been ‘singing’ as well, there is a definite tune there, even if it isn’t recognisable and he dances when he does it so we know he is trying to make music. It is so cute! I hope he grows up to love music as much as I do. He is getting much better with his shape sorter too which is fun as it makes him giggle when the shape crashes inside. Alex loves anything to do with water and especially bath time, so I usually end up soaked at the end of it, but it is great to see him so happy splashing in the water. I do so enjoy playing with him in the evenings that it is a shame to send him to bed, although it means that I get time for me after he goes. As I have been feeling a bit better over the last couple of days I have been back at work. Everyone has been incredibly supportive about me not getting the grant and we have been discussing the way forward with that particular project. In the meantime I have been working on several different projects and catching up with paperwork. I have 46 job applications to read through and short-list which turned up on my desk today...I will be reading those on Monday! Poor Tim is having a tough time at the moment as the fact that we are going to appeal for his Incapacity Benefit is really stressing him, I just have to be as supportive of him as I can at this time. I have now finished all the cute animal fatbook pages for the swap, as I said, they are much the same as each other, so were relatively quick to do, but were also really good fun. I had a sudden panic yesterday as I realised that it is my brother’s birthday this weekend and what with everything going on recently I hadn’t made him a card. I threw this one together in a bit of a panic, and although it is not a style I would usually choose for him, I think it has worked out OK. The central image was made using alcohol inks and a Stamps Away image stamped with StazOn black ink. The swirls/flourishes are from Purple Onion. I hope he likes it!
Having had a reasonable success at challenging myself to do something more creative with inchies I have made a start on my inchies for the historical/vintage swap. For these I wanted to challenge myself even more to do something approaching a collage. I will be making 12 of these for the swap, but have only made this one so far. The inchie was covered with K&Co dictionary paper, then distressed with different inks, then a piece of music torn and stuck over part of it, distressed separately and then the whole lot distressed some more before adding the edging, picture and word. The photo is actually of Nana (my great-gran) when she was 6 months old. Sorry this photo is a bit blurred - I will post a photo of the whole set when I have finished them, but I am delighted with the effect and will be making some more complex inchies (or deluxe inchies as Tim calls them) in the future. Have a great weekend everyone.
Love,
Caro
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