Jiggity Jigging

One of the very nicest things about being a presenter on the Good Morning Show is that I get to celebrate the talents of my fellow illustrators and writers by featuring their work and making arts and crafts inspired by their creativity.

‘Piggity Wiggity Jiggity Jig was a long sort of name for a short sort of pig.’

This great picture book by Diana Neild and illustrated by the ever brilliant Philip Webb is of course a finalist in the NZ Post Book Awards this year and it just makes you want to bounce about with its gloriously addictive rhyme. Forget swine flu, here is a mask that’s a lot more fun, as seen being made by me and Brendon Pongia this morning on TV1.

Were-Nana-ing

This is possibly the most unflattering photo of me I'll ever put on my blog (believe me I have plenty of others...) but its all for a good cause. The Were-Nana by Melinda Syzmanik, illustrated by Sarah Nelisiwe Anderson. It's a finalist in the New Zealand Post Book Awards 2009, and to celebrate, I made some were accessories on the telly this morning, so you can play along with the story. The Were-Nana is one of those great tales of a brother (Simon) putting the fear of God into his little sister (Stella Rosa) about the grandmother they have never met and is coming to visit from a long way away. This is a great piece of writing with truly excellent illustrations and I wish it all the best in the forthcoming awards. If you want instructions on how to make the were-accessories, including the origami claws, just e-mail me at fifisart@gmail.com

Art in Action

I am too busy working to blog- well at length anyway- which is a good thing in these current economic times. So go to my Crafty Arts blog instead and take a look at some photos of the Wearable Art workshop I held a couple of weekends ago. We all had a great time and especially enjoyed dressing up the mini mannequins. There were some ideas with real 'legs' that came out of it and I hope to see some of them on the stage at the WOW show in September- including my own if I get unbusy enough to finish it in time!

Happy Mammaries

Today listening to National Radio as I worked, the subject of breast feeding versus bottles came up. We all have opinions on this especially if you have ever had anything to do with the primary caregiving of a baby. And frankly, if you haven't, then you’d be wise to decline comment; especially in a room full of mothers. I did copious amounts of both nourishment methods for 2 babies and I have no die hard views on which is best unless it concerns the mother who at Playcentre tidy up time always insisted her 3 year old needed a full feed right then and settled down in the bean bag with her homespun jersey up whilst the other preschoolers and care givers ran around putting the blocks and puzzles away. Easy to spot a lazy tart. But the bottle isn’t all about shirking either, as the following addresses…

Happy Mammaries…

If you’ve ever had a baby
You’ll perhaps recall with dread,
Not the hours and hours of labour,
And the crowning of the head.

Or the hemorrhoids and stitches,
Saggy tum and wobbly rump,
No.. the really awful process
Was the ‘Easy Flow’ breast pump.

If you stayed in neonatal,
Or your baby wouldn’t suck,
Maybe work was pressing,
And your breasts were filling up,

You were guaranteed to leak,
In soggy circles on your top,
Until your breasts faced plastic,
And only then, would stop.

Whilst your neighbor filled up freezers,
You pumped in hope for hours,
Yielding half an egg-cup full,
In two and three drop showers.

Then the toddler knocked it over,
And the cat licked up the mess,
So… Who made up some formula?
Come on girls, just confess!