Seascape

I'm creating a drawing a day, just for the art of it.
#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Barcelona and Dylan is joining in.

I'm creating a drawing a day, for two years, just for the art of it.
Today's (yesterday's) is the cathedral in Barcelona.
I did a nice drawing but I'm upstaged by my son. Who also made it difficult by taking the pencils!
#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Europe by motorhome, we may need a different van!

I'm gutted, My motorhome has to go. We called her “Winter” after the dolphin that still swims eagerly with a prosthetic tail. Becuse it's got 16 dolphin stickers on it! You can watch Winter the dolphin live on webcam cam here:

https://www.seewinter.com/animals/webcams/winter-zone-cam-1/

Turns out the tail is a little too prosthetic for us! It has some rotten wood at the back which needs replacing and it's too much work for us as we need to go soon, before real winter comes and finds us homeless!

Fortunately the camper garage experts also say she's worth £5,000 even needing a little work, so I have definitely not wasted Tim’s money.

But we put heart and soul into her and we have now to find a newer van and get that all checked out! Also it's two weeks till we are homeless so we are probably going to have to camp on my mum's floor while we van shop! I keep going back and forth on sell or not to sell.

Also it turns out that the law has changed, and despite what you will read on line you cannot add seatbelts or seatbelted seats to a vehicle built without them and then get a UK MOT. I have it straight from the camper garage, so we have to get a van which was built with four seatbelts. Winter will be wonderful for a couple who can both be in the front.

So I need to;

Empty and clean my house by the 9th!

Sell Winter (the motorhome).

Find and buy a newer motorhome (automatic with four seatbelts).

Continue to parent a 9 year old and a 2 year old.

Move out and live on the floor!

So it's all pretty glamorous here at the moment.

Campervan

I'm creating a drawing a day, for two years, just for the art of it.
Today's is a campervan.
#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Jasmine, I drew this last night.

I'm creating a drawing a day, just for the art of it.
#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Lizard with blue

I'm creating a drawing a day, for two years, just for the art of it.
Today's is a very simple lizard.
#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Lizard with single line

I'm creating a drawing a day, for two years, just for the art of it.
I'm experimenting with how little I can draw and still give it personality.
This is yesterday's drawing.
Lizard

#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Lizard

I'm creating a drawing a day, for two years, just for the art of it.
I got three days behind and yesterday I was so tired I fell asleep in my clothes!
This is for two days ago.
#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Sea turtle

I'm creating a drawing a day, for two years, just for the art of it.
Today's is a sea turtle.

#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Octopus

I'm creating a drawing a day, for two years, just for the art of it.
Today's (yesterday's) is an octopus, they are very intelligent creatures.

#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

My children

I'm creating a drawing a day, for two years, just for the art of it.
This is yesterday's which I did standing on the bed in the half dark!
#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Geraniums in bright sunlight

I'm creating a drawing a day, for two years, heaven knows why I started it, but I'm one of these people who won't back down on something easily once I've said I will! It's a highly Celtic trait, us Scots and the Irish, Northern Germany... anywhere the Celts settled you get these little dark people who won't back down!
#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Earth

I'm creating a drawing a day, just for the art of it.
Today's is from imagination, I'm tempted to call it "So long, and thanks for all the fish" but I'm not really that cynical, I don't think the world is ending, just the crazy before a golden age that so many great thinkers have predicted for us.
#drawingadayclub
#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Myself

I'm creating a drawing a day, just for the art of it.
I've got behind, this is for the 17th of August.
Myself
#drawingadayclub
#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

.

Sleeping child

I'm creating a drawing a day, just for the art of it.
I've got behind, this is for the 16th of August.
Sleeping child.
#drawingadayclub
#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Moth

I'm creating a drawing a day, for two years, just for the art of it.
Today's (yesterday's) is a moth.
#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

"Classic" motorhome. Europe by motorhome.

"Classic" motorhome.

So I've done some research and it turns out that while "vintage" is quite specifically defined "classic" gets applied to anything the owner deems cute over 20, or so, years old, hence fourth my best-up, rusty, loud, tank-o-camper shall be referred to as a "classic motorhome" and I'm coming for you in two tons of roaring steel if you gainsay me!

It seems it's impossible to own a "classic motorhome" without becoming a total nerd! In order to find out how tons of stuff, I don't have instructions for, work I have had to join the Auto Trail owners facebook group, and you can see me, to find out about, rust removal and silicone sealants, this reached an all time high when I got very excited about a very compact 10 meter hose I found for filling our water tanks, so excited I very nearly took a photo of it to send my mum! Then I suddenly realised that hoses are the second most boring thing in the universe (after politicians talking), nerd! Super nerd! 40 year old hose nerd!

I have now driven 100 miles in my "classic motorhome" and I'm learning about it, for example, don't leave a side window open and drive off! I did and the van attacked some trees and green stuff. When I got home I found it had chopped off a lot of tree which was all over, including an explosion of blackberries in a post atomic bomb splatter pattern, all over the top bed space, and no less than TWO surprisingly chilled out shield beetles! However driving the big vehicle is not as hard as I thought it would be, you have to give yourself time to stop, but from up high you see things coming a long way. Also people hang back and give you room. You know that thing where you have people up your bum being pushy because you won't jump out into a gap half the size of your car? That doesn't seem to happen when you are driving a three meter high, two ton tank, with a massive steel bar on the back. I think it's for one of these reasons:

1. They realise you can't fit in those gaps, nor accelerate enough to make it.

2. They realise it's in their interest not to mess with you.

3. They are going nuts back there but I can't see out the back too well!

  

We have now given notice on our house and I'm getting rid of our stuff for real. I've worked so so hard renovating the van and cleaning and packing and shifting furniture out.

Every now and then I am hit with sudden waves of mini fridge panic! I stroll into the kitchen and casually get some milk from the huge fridge, bigger than me, then I'm sized by the thought, "How can I feed a family of four out a fridge the size of four shoeboxes (at best)!" I've told my daughter we must all eat mini food now! She thought that was really funny, then we went to a cafe and they gave us mini honey pots with our porridge! It made her day, but I'm still telling myself "even if we live on chocolate spread, don't back out for a fridge!" I imagine being old and telling my grand kids, "I nearly had cool stories to tell you, I wanted to go to Seville, but I couldn't go without chilled orange juice!"

Nonsense for my kids:

The worlds going to go past this door dears, the world will go past this door.

Mountains, lakes, rivers and supermarket car parks. Slices of glittering ocean and dull little towns in the rain.

Places the kids speak Arabic, places it's Portuguese, don't worry you go armed with a couple of frisbees.

Long ago I sold my flute and it took me as far as Berlin, long ago an impulse "yes" took me to Poland and back.

I've never regretted those days dears, I've never wished for them back.

So let's bring you some big open skies dears, and some really good ice cream!

Bags I made from fabrics I designed and hand screen printed.

I'm creating an artwork a day, for two years, just for fun.
Today's is little storage bags from fabrics I designed and hand screen printed years ago. They are for things like keeping your MP3 player, it's charger, computer cable and headphones together in one place!
#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Maps on the ceiling of my motorhome to cover the ugly repairs

I'm creating a drawing a day, for two years, just for the art of it.
I've counted all sorts of creative things that are not really drawing. At the moment I have less than a month until I move out of my house and my beat-up-beautiful campervan becomes our full time home while we travel in Europe. At some point both skylights have been repaired, the repair does not leak but it's ugly. Today I papered the ceilings with maps and PVA glue on the repaired panels. I think it's artistic, I'm also knackered, so it's your drawing for today! Here are the before and after pictures, like a diet plan! 😂

#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Dolphins

I'm creating a drawing a day, for two years, just for the art of it.
Today's is dolphins.
#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
https://www.nesri.org/human-rights/human-rights-in-the-united-states

Doodle again

I'm creating a drawing a day, just for the art of it.
Today's is a doodle.
What should I draw tomorrow?
#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.kidsgoglobal.net/the-issues/human-rights

Princess

I'm creating a drawing a day, for two years, just for the art of it.
Today is day 222 of this year.
Last year was a leap year, 266 days.
That makes 588 days of drawing. ( With a little cheating when I've got behind and caught up, and some days where I shared a few quick sketches instead of one finished work of art. I'm not exactly sure how many drawings it is but it looks like this, give or take a sketch book or two that I can't find around the house right now.

Today's drawing is a princess, my daughter will like it.
#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Apples from the garden

I'm creating a drawing a day for two years, just for the art of it.
Today's is windfall apples from our garden.
#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Sycamore seeds.

Jasmine picked this up and said "Drawing a day, mum." those of you with daughters will know it's best to do as you are told when possible!

#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Three minute sketch of my daughter.

I'm creating a drawing a day, just for the art of it.
Today's is a three minute sketch of my daughter.
#drawingadayclub

Both my kids need a haircut!

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Three minute sketch of my son.

I'm creating a drawing a day, just for the art of it.
Today's (yesterday's) is a three minute sketch of my son.
#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights
http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Campervan: doing things I didn't know I could!

My current art form: campervan, or doing things I didn't know I could!

So we bought a motorhome (29 year old Mercedes) to travel Europe for a couple of years.

I've been weeping on poor Tim because I attacked all the damp wood with a claw hammer and then found the mess a bit overwhelming (classic Kirsteen, if I'm honest, throw yourself off to see if it's too high). Also my wonderful step dad paid for a service, but they were so disparaging about the rust, oil leak, tyres, pipes… that I've been going around expecting a wheel to fall off ever since! But we borrowed our neighbor's ladder and Tim helped me and I attacked the front of the van with a serious amount of sealant. It now looks like it lost a snowball fight with a mad artist but it's raining hard out there and my VAN IS NOT LEAKING!!! YAY!!!

Also I took out the great big seats myself, they are no good in a crash (which I won't be having) so we want to replace them with proper bus seats with seatbelts! I thought it was a job for a garage, but Tim sat on one and we ran over a bump and it collapsed! Yay! 30 minutes with a screwdriver and they are on the drive under a tarp!

Tim is referring to the camper as “My current art form” because any time Dylan sleeps and Jasmine is at a friend's house, I race out there and put new locks on cupboards, fix light fittings, lay flooring… but I think I've figured out what my current art form is, it's doing things I didn't know I could! Like driving it, let's hope that applies to driving it onto the ferry and down through France, Spain and another ferry to Morocco! You see we have a plan now, so it has an oil leak, so it's got so much rust it might not pass another MOT, well we are going to take it to Morocco and get LOTS of work done cheap! I'm calling it Moroccan Motorhome Makeover! Perhaps if their is money left we can have exotic carpets, curtains…

Here are some pictures of the huge seats I took out, and the huge can I drove, looking better!

Gladioli

I'm creating a drawing a day, just for the art of it.

Today's is glaioli that my mum brought me.
#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights

https://www.theguardian.com/books/gallery/2008/oct/17/amnesty-declaration-human-rights-children

Arches.

I'm creating a drawing a day, for two years which will be, roughly 731 drawings. (some days I've shared a few sketches). Also I have sometimes shared an art tip and recently I have been sharing links to human rights organisations and resources I find.

I hope you have found it useful or interesting. I have improved in my confidence in my drawing and that has paid off in my career as a textile designer, but I did it for fun, yours and mine, for beauty and happiness and art.

Today's drawing is arches.
#drawingadayclub

http://www.crae.org.uk/childrens-rights-the-law/what-are-human-rights/

Storage plan for campervan.

I'm creating a drawing a day, just for the art of it.
The last few days I've really stretched the definition of drawing.
Here is my storage plan for trying to work out how to fit everything a family of four needs to live in a van 2 X 6 meters!

#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights

https://www.youtube.com/user/UNOHCHR

I'm such a kid! I made bunting for my campervan

I'm creating a drawing a day, just for the art of it.
This is yesterday's and it's bunting not a drawing so I'm flouting the rules.
#drawingadayclub

#createadrawingadayforhumanrights

http://www.youthforhumanrights.org

Campervan drawer becomes car track for my son.

I'm creating a drawing a day, for two years, just for the art of it.
Today's is the "floor" of my son's drawer in our camper. It's now a car track!
#drawingadayclub

https://www.bihr.org.uk