Aunt Lilli's oven glove

This is the last drawstagram* of the week. Every time I get Ben's Aunt Lilli's oven glove out it makes me smile. It's vintage and current all at the same time. And it's lovely to have family things, whether it's something precious like jewellery or just a plain old oven glove! Things with meaning.

Ben's family is also part of an exhibition at Calvert 22 which explores 'the histories, both personal and collective, of the Calvert 22 building and surrounding area.'

They appear in the form of a sound piece by Cathy Lane, who recorded every member of the family talking about visiting or working at their old wholesale business in the same building. It explores family memories and stories, how they get passed down or altered, or lost.

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Have a lovely weekend. It's peeing down here. And cold as hell. (Actually hell is hot so I don't know what I'm talking about. I also refuse to talk about the weather ever again. Goodbye ;-) x



*I'm calling it drawstagram until someone suggests something less irritating.

What are flowers made of mummy?

After making Stop Copying Me! I had an idea. Instead of (or as well as) recording things in my life via instagram, I'm going to make pictures too. Capturing the little moments via drawing instead of just photos. A kind of drawstagram - if you will! So here is number two.

Gus is obsessed with two things at the moment - flowers and questions. They have been studying flowers this term at nursery and he picks daffodils all the time to put in the glass by the kitchen window. He wants to know EVERYTHING and sometimes by the end of the day (or even the middle of it) I am completely exhausted by his questions. Like all parents, by late afternoon I can be heard saying "I don't know Gus! It just is!"

Stop copying me!

My kids often inspire my work. I made Five Four Three Two One for Gussy when he was obsessed with counting backwards on his fingers, Things I Like contains stuff that Isi loved when he was little, and I am a Shape was inspired by their love of Mister Maker. Right now we are in the classic "Stop copying me!" phase, which starts off very lighthearted and ends with them shouting and wrestling.

I made this for fun, but it might be a print at some point.

Illustrators we love - Rebecca Cobb

This is the sweetest book about a good twin and a naughty twin and how there is good in all of us. Yes I well up nearly every time I read the last page. But I'm like that.*

It's written by Richard Curtis (yes that Richard Curtis) but as usual it's the illustrations by Rebecca Cobb that I love the most. 

Rebecca was an illustration graduate and working in a clothes shop when she plucked up the courage to cross the road to the Mabecron Books bookshop, and show her work to the M.D. There's a lesson there for all of us - Go for it!

Here's a promo for The Paper Dolls.

I'd like to get Lunchtime next. Does anyone else worry about their kids getting older and not having the excuse to buy lovely children's books anymore? I do.

*A big girly blouse.

Tate Modern Sunday

Yes! I finally made it to the Lichtenstein. I was recently given an Art Fund Pass so I got 50% off the exhibition at the Tate Modern. Flicking through the guide there are so many things I want to visit in London, but it also covers the whole of the UK so it's a brilliant thing to have.

The Lichtenstein was better than I expected because there was lots I'd never seen before. He is so well known for his comic strip period, I never knew there was sculpture, or that he was working right up to his death in 1997. Of course it's pretty amazing to see all the really famous pieces close-up but it was the later work that was the revelation. I saw him with fresh eyes.

  

My friend Rosie is a Tate member so we went up to the tres posh member's area with a stunning view of St Pauls. Look at London. Isn't she beautiful? :-)

I also managed to only spend £4.99 at the Tate shop on this lovely Sara Gillingham illustrated book, rather than the £130 I would've liked to have spent on the incredibly gorgeous and huge Eames book. Medal please!