Perception

Found this interesting course and teacher in my Twitterfeed today...

ToriHartman

@ToriHartman

Week 26: The way we see things dictates how we feel about life, ourselves and others. This week experience the true power of the fearless heart. Are you willing to take the risk? Watch now!

Schmincke College Oil: Artists' Oil Colours In Student Quality

I am getting more and more fascinated with the selection of art materials on the market and how to use them to get the best effects - also just to remind you I am still needing funds for Boshra for her coursework find out more about my project Family Link Up Once we have the funds I can augment the amount of products bought from bargain sales..I have already sent the first amount of funds and Boshra bought some materials from a bargain shop in Oostende..She will need more help... thank you rebuilding & healing her life through art...

 •⊰✿Art Materials Fund•⊰✿

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Art to Cards

Love these cards another find in my facebook newsfeed Green Pebble 
Green Pebble The website is a delight to see as you get chance to find out more about the artists too... Such a unique and inspirational selection of cards and stationery. I must see if we can get Boshra to do some work for them from my Family Link Up project.. 

Beautiful Tapestry

Ehrman Tapestry
I have been thinking to do some needlework and this came in my facebook news feed I think I will have a look at closer... love the selections on the timeline..

Bettys Treats

Bettys online

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Lovely surprise from my daughter in Yorkshire.. She recognised I was in need of a hug and what more perfect but from Betty's with some yummy goodies being delivered to my door... Thanks Nicola...

Cosy days

Sorry for the gap in my posts but needed some quiet cosy days....nearly finished a snuggle cardi for my eldest daughter who will be going for another Kidney operation scheduled for November... So knitting my love in the cardigan. So is Miss Lulu Blanche... Lulu even been putting my knitting through quality control if you see from the first photo... lol it past her Paws comfort test... Then she has been plump tuckered out on my pile of papers on my desk...

I

Climate Strike

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Art materials needed

Family Link Up 

•⊰✿Art Materials Fund•⊰✿

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Yesterday Boshra sent me some footage of her first day at the Kunst Academie ann Zee.. (Art College).. She is feeling totally reconnected with herself and enjoyed her class..The teacher has given her a list of materials she will need to get for the course..... some of the products she can get from a local bargain store called Action... but others will be a more financial outlay....

I am going to translate the list over next day but got an idea on the pencils and brushes need now.

Lulu & Pengu welcome home

Lool as I type up my blog got a fussing Lulu sat on my desk, laying over my arm and kneading my belly hhhhhh I am so grateful to Sophie one of my neighbours daughters for feeding them while away in Belgium... First night home when I was sleeping they sat on guard around me... then when I woke there was a Cat love in... with Pengu wrapped round my feet and Lulu curled round my left hand... yesterday I treated them to some food from Pets at home and we also shared some baked fish I made yesterday... so they are happy... 

Dutch learning together

So proud of Boshra from Family Link Up and her building Dutch fluency... She started the 2nd year on Monday while I was visiting her... so has given me her first year work book to help me catch up .. I also picked up more Dutch magazines to help me set up more translation slides for us both from authentic dutch articles...So got busy time ahead.. but enjoyable time..

Eurostar return

Family Link Up  -Eurostar my help to visit

Oh love this in St Pancreas as you walk off the Eurostar. "I want my time with you" Well pleased with the fare and service of the Eurostar and good wifi connection to use my tablet on board and update my family and Boshra on the way going and coming home. Met some interesting fellow travellers on the way.. Hope to keep in contact with too.

Engels Winkel British shop in Ostende

Well impressed with this initiative in Oostende... The owner, Peter sells British goodies and not only to ex-pats.. but to Belgians that have a love for Britain and have visited and got a taste for our grocery products.. Monique told me about the place so Wednesday morning Boshra and me went along to see. I was able to get some of our goodies for the girls. But this darn Brexit melarky is a worry for traders in Europe as no one knows what is going to happen. Because their is no knowing, there are no directives on how to prepare.. 

In among this is we have tourists to Britain that love our writers Bronte Sisters because of Charlotte Bronte's time in Belgium and her novel The Professor... and of course William Shakespeare and Beatrix Potter.... plus our studio where Harry Potter films produced...So they want to know if it will be still easy to pop over for weekends and holidays..visit families..

Talking and listening to Belgium folk in the market place some are saddened by what they are seeing our nation being torn apart with quarrels and protests over this brexit melarky... They do not want us to leave the EU... as many have strong business and trading ties too that mutually benefit our UK economy and theirs... it is upsetting for us all that love the collective of Europe and the freedom of movement over the borders.... One chap was saying Marjorie you might need a visa to come over next time after 31st October joking to me but he followed on to say don't worry we want you back...This trip I felt so much part of the community. 

Amazing link up

Family Link Up

On Wednesday afternoon in Belgium before I left -  Leen had another ballet class with Celine joining in. There was a sale of ballet clothes too.. but the teacher team tell me to wait till the end of month as there will be some second hand bargains to help out.  

This class no parents were permitted in.. so Boshra and me sat in the coffee area to wait for the hour class.  I got engaged with a baby one of the mothers was holding... and the most amazing thing happened.. The mother and her friend were Syrian from Aleppo... They too had the desire to tap into all the arts and culture that the community had on offer. So one of her daughters is dancing in the same class as Leen.  Not only mothers making friends but the children too. 

There were also Dutch mothers and fathers waiting so if Mohammed has to take Leen to dance school he can make friends with other fathers too. A great way for them to fully integrate. 

Antenne - support hub

Antenne - hub in Oostende

Monique took me to a support hub for those in need of welfare support with foodbanks and to simply connect for coffee and other resources. They put on workshops too ..but Dutch speaking... On I will attend on the next visit with more command of my Dutch speaking and understanding is the Kleur - a creative way to communicate through the colour spectrum... and to see our individuality as our unique blend of colours from our life experiences and cultures.. 

Heart to Art Life connection

This visit to Belgium was enriching for me. The Sunday Multi Cultural festival that the locals had put on meant I was mixing with like minded people. So I met with Monique.. She is a very kind caring lady that has been helping with the local refugees.  She invited me round to her house and office/practice as she is a Life Coach counsellor and Reiki healer. With my background as nurse and midwife plus my interest in therapies to help people heal and blossom..... then you can imagine we had a good long meeting. Lots of life experiences to share. Monique speaks English heel goed - very good.. which was a blessing as I am building on my Dutch, so could not have had such an in depth conversation. She has visited Britain on many occasions and found spiritual experiences in places I too am familiar with such as North Wales, Glastonbury and Findhorn Scotland.  I love her art work too ... I have come back to England with gift of one of her Art hearts... which I really love.  
Monique has managed retreats in Portugal but was thinking of putting on a retreat in the Lake District... this was amazing as I have a friend, Gill in the Lakes that is a practitioner in Mindfulness... so I am linking them up.  This is what I like about my Family Link Up Project as I can link up others too to network. 

Here is the link to Monique Focus on Emotions I like the walking in nature counselling too... this really does remind me of the learning I gained from walking in North Wales and noticing patterns in natures that had messages for us all. I like this quote from her website:-  

Walking side by side reinforces the feeling of equality, making difficult topics easier to discuss.

We are looking at link up with my Marjorie's Yard NYR business too as the Aromatherapy will help her clients too ... so watch this space! 

Swimming with Leen

Local Swimming pool 

my first trip to pool with Leen.

Family Link Up  I was so happy with the first visit to the swimming pool with Leen. I am sorry no photos or footage as difficult alone and could not risk my camera getting wet. Plus I wanted to be totally focused on ensuring the first time was good experience and it was. Oh my was it fun.. the pools are graduated..small with knee high water and some fun play objects.. then a waist high for adults to help get the children used to floating... this was brilliantly done with a multicoloured floating lily pad design..  Leen loved it all... she was giggling at the play pool and the assistant gave her a duck seat to sit in and paddle... But she really impressed me with the water slide giggling at getting face full of water in the splash... 

but she stood up and said in perfect English, " I have got an idea!"

and she showed me... lol it was to slide down with her head to one side so not to get a face full of water... NOW that is impressive...Bless her logical mind too!

We did have a good time and she managed some swim strokes with my holding her ..but I feel she will be off swimming quickly... wish I could be around to take her on at least a weekly basis... But on the on the way home just a few mins from home she tripped and fell .. so arrived back in tears not giggles... I had to explain to Boshra and Mohammed NOT tears for swim but had fallen.  The next day Boshra was saying she had been full of the tales of the good time she had in the swimming pool and when can she go again... Mohammed asked what it was like for him to take her... as he can swim but Boshra not. 

Family Link Up - be part of the story.

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Local art gallery

While I was in Oostende I spotted local art gallery and was told Boshra from my Family Link Up project can exhibit pieces of work for free with a 30% commission on sales as is the arrangement with other artists... So there really is opportunity for Boshra to build her life with artwork.

The gallery owner loved the Triangular Faces piece.... and also could identify with the traumatic time she has been through...  He also says he puts on events to introduce new work and artists.. 

I got a bit confused with the business card Toinon Van Eycken gave me as when I visited the website he has another business of house decorating... So I have sent a message to link up from this site.  I am putting the details in the blog chance any visitors like any of the artwork to buy on display in my photos I took on my visit.. UPDATE 16th September ..yes Toinon has responded... so yes you can get in touch with him if you are interested in purchasing any of the art in my photos shared from his gallery.... 

Multicultural festival

Some of the photos from yesterday at the cultural festival that the local Belgians organised..more to come on this including my dancing. It was a fun time sharing with all the migrants in the area.. A truly Global family time of sharing food, music and chatter with lots of laughter. FMDO is the link to the multi-cultural society or federation. DeKatrol - integrated family support organisation. The festival was enjoyed by my Syrian family that I befriend with some time to catch up with other Syrians in the town too. Family Link Up