In previous years, when Romy was at Alonso de Alcala, a Primary school just 200 metres from where she is now, we parents were given a theme, a costume design and sort of had to get on with it. Usually, things turned out pretty well - most years, the sun shines on Carnaval.
This year, in her new school, an intrepid teacher has made the costumes. Romy is a tomato. We should have seen all the primary schools parading through the streets on Friday but guess what - it rained on Friday! Thursday was glorious sunshine - and indeed, Saturday and Sunday were glorious too. How unfair we cried.
Anyway, now, the parade will be on Tuesday and the weather forecast looks OK. I am looking forward to seeing the costumes and hope I recognise my little tomato as she passes in a parade of fruit and veg.
On Friday evenings, I give an English class to two lovely little girls - Rocio and Lucia, I've been teaching them since last summer and they are wonderful - we sing and read stories most weeks but now that I teach them in their house, over the year the lesson has turned into more of a craft session in English as both they (and their mother) and keen and clever makers of things. We have a great time - making things like Christmas cards, advent calendars, Valentine cards, treasure maps, and sometimes we do a bit of Zentangling. The hour and a half flies by and we all enjoy ourselves. Sometimes, Romy comes too and she came with me this week as I thought we could make Carnival masks using some plain ones we've had at home for ages.
It was quite an inspired idea and we had a wonderful time.
Rocio has a Chinese costume so made a very simple mask to top off her outfit.
Lucia is a Princess in a blue dress and decided to be an 'Ice Princess' with some lovely snowflakes drawn for her by Rocio.
Romy decided she wanted more of a Venician mask but you can't quite see the lovely colours and highlights in this picture - it was a super one.
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| Rocio and Lucia |
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| Lucia and Romy |
The only problem with them is that they make your face very hot after a little while!
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| Rocio and Romy |
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| All three little posers. Interesting that they do all look different even though the masks are all exactly the same.... |
On a completely different subject - with friends, we did some tangling at A Little Bit of Britain this morning. This is the fifth time we've met now and there is real progress being made and a couple of people have said that they are really feeling a benefit from doing it. I'm delighted to share my passion for this lovely craft. Here is a rather blurry picture of some of the tangles we were doing today.
I think they look wonderful, even though we didn't all have quite enough time to finish off today. There are some lovely examples of how we all interpret the tangles differently. I am now thinking longingly of a proper Zentangle course for myself....how wonderful would that be? (Pretty unlikely to be honest too!)
And more of Pippin in another post. He's doing fine - dreadful nipper, wonderfully clean, sitting on command, starving hungry all the time - and growing!! Next set of photos I think I shall be able to demonstrate this last fact! We're just off now to the vets for his second injections - looking forward to taking him out for proper walks soon!
We've just had our first rain for ages too, but luckily there was no parade to rain on. I'm so envious of all your creativity and how all encompassing it sounds. Looking forward to the Pippin post, I think he's a grower!
ReplyDeleteI have to admit it's lovely how much I enjoy my sessions with these girls - and I get paid for it!
DeleteHoping the rain stays away tomorrow.
And yes - you are right - he's a grower!!
Axxx
Hello Annie:
ReplyDeleteWe have to say the masks are SUPERB. And totally beyond anything we could possibly achieve so, please, give the girls our very best congratulations. Privately, too, we think so much more interesting and enriching of life than to be dressed as a tomato, but that is only a thought which may not, of course, necessarily be shared.
Your life in Spain really does seem very settled and your teaching obviously going from strength to strength. We are delighted for you that things have worked out so well.
Hello, hello and hello! How utterly wonderful to hear from you again. I do hope you are both in good health and that everything is good for you. It's such a pleasure to see your name pop up again after all this time - I saw you on Perpetua's blog the other day.
DeleteHope we get a round up of what's been going on at your end. Here - I'm glad to say we are now quite settled in our own home - with lots to do!
Right now, I'm mainly puppy training...but look forward to a time when shoes can stay on the floor and socks don't spring holes every day!
Welcome back!
Axxx
Your pleasure in your life is so evident...makes me very happy for you.
ReplyDeleteIs it just me or does a parade of fruit and veg seem somewhat surreal....Hieronymous Bosch in demi teint....
I do wish I enjoyed all my classes as much as I do with these girls, Helen! It's much better than last year when I taught many classes - some of which were quite torturous - but this year, I'm focusing on quality not quantity!!
DeleteYes - the fruit and veg was an odd choice, especially as the other school went as pizza 'chefs' - I'd visions of a bit of chopping for topping going on! But they all pootled by quite happily - and there was definitely a surreal quality to it all - there will be photos! Axxx
Hope the parade goes well, we,be had some dark clouds but still no rain! Love the zentangeles, great designs. Great you can get so much enjoyment from your work and have fun crafting too. Have a good day x
ReplyDeleteThe parade went well and the weather stayed fine. We have a few clouds but the washing is bravely flapping dry...
DeleteI do love the Zentangle and am always delighted to share it with anyone who's interested.
Happy day to you.
Axxx
I'm sure Romy will make a wonderful tomato, and i hope to see photographic evidence of this soon. How miserable that the weather didn't behave for the planned day...excellent that there is aplan b though. The zentangling is clearly coming along brilliantly, and I love the masks....life seems good in Alcala. xxxxx
ReplyDeleteCan't believe you're back now, Janice - you seem to have been away for ages and such a long and exotic way away!! Can't wait to hear your considered take on it all - what a holiday.
DeleteThe parade went fine and I got a few photos to share soon. A few schools didn't join today, which is a shame but the band played and the sun shone from time to time. Alcala is starting to look lovely again after a very damp and miserable few weeks. And my puppy is growing.....
Axxx
The girls look super , very Japanese ,, I would love to go to one of your Zentangle workshops , I find them fascinating take care , oh glad that little Pippin is at home now :-) seems to be doing to well xx
ReplyDeleteYes, Anne - the Zentangle classes are going really well - drop in anytime!! Pippin is absolutely gorgeous - though little isn't a word that will be applied for very much longer....sigh, he's going to be rather big I think! Axxx
DeleteI'm glad the rain stayed away today and your parade went ahead, Annie. All that careful preparation shouldn't be wasted. I love the thought of your English class gradually turning into an English-language crafting session. Learning as a by-product of doing something enjoyable like making carnival masks sounds a much more natural way of consolidating language skills to me. I'm glad too that you can go on sharing your love of Zentangling with others with very impressive results.
ReplyDeleteThe work that goes into the costumes is amazing, Perpetua - I took some photos and will get them uploaded when I have a moment....
DeleteNot all my classes can be craft based but I do enjoy my classes with these two....and their English is really very good. The eldest is fascinated by Zentangle too....(big smile!) I just hope I don't run out of ideas - though I suspect if I do, they'll come up with a few of their own.
Axxx
AH the mysterious zentangle again. It seems so hypnotic and addictive that it scares me a little so I haven't tried it yet - perhaps I fear I'd never stop...
ReplyDeleteNot scary but definitely addictive, Nilly....I am now at the stage where I've become incredibly critical of what I do which I hope will pass, as at the beginning, I felt incredibly accomplished!
DeleteGo on, give it a go....Axxx
Love the masks, Annie - and how enthralling the zentangles have become. I would love to see the tomatoes.
ReplyDeleteThe masks were a huge success, Penny. And the tomatoes (and pears, apples, strawberries and carrots) paraded beautifully - photos to follow.
DeleteMust go - a Zentangle calls...
Axxx
Well the parade has taken place and I see from your comments above that it went well and the weather stayed fine. Looking forward to the photos.
ReplyDeleteAlso looking forward to more Pippin photos...well you just knew I would didn't you?
Photos hopefully this evening, Ayak. What with tangling, teaching, training and throwing sticks, I don't seem to have quite as much time for blogging...! But more pictures there will be - have no doubt.
DeleteAxxx
Those masks look fabulous! But no Pippin pics ... how could you do that too us? ;)
ReplyDeleteThey're coming, they're coming! He's difficult to photograph as he comes bounding up every time he sees me! I've lots where there's just the tip of his tail...Need a good photographer with me...:-)
DeleteAxxx
Oops, to us I mean.
ReplyDelete