How do you wish to spend your time?

This is how we spent our time this weekend, which was a really long one due to Carnival Bank Holiday. If you want to know what other wishcasters are planning to do with their time, visit Jamie Ridler´s post today for a link. :)

Please take into account all the photographs have been resized for the web, you can click on them to enlarge them.

San Isidro Cathedral (30 minute drive from home).  Even from afar, it’s hard to miss the tall spire of San Isidro’s small neo-Gothic cathedral. Finished in 1898 and recently renovated, the pristinely beautiful white-and-gold interior is sparsely decorated but worth a visit for its beautiful stained glass windows and soaring ceiling. (Av. Libertador 16200. On Plaza Mitre. ☎4743 0291. Open daily 8am-8pm. Free.)

The craft fair at Plaza Mitre.

Tati, Mati and Dan exploring the old houses around the neighbourhood.

 Hibiscus are in full flower. Most of them in San Isidro are pink ones.

 Flower in between the flowers. Her T shirt says "Cute ... but Psycho". :D

Monday afternoon on a Bank Holiday and I was browsing the net, like you do when there is really an aweful lot to iron but Heeeeeeeyyyyy it´s a bank holiday.
Thing is,I came across this, thanks to Suzie Ridler on Facebook:

Stephanie Mabey is launching her new album in June. You may preview a couple of songs at her website!

Week 5

Jan 29th (29/29): our nephew T with his mom P and his godmother Tati.

 Jan 30th (30/30): Frida is back home!

 Jan 31st (31/31): another Wii championship, this time Tati with her friend E.

 Feb 1st (32/32): breakfast out (in our patio ;) ).

 Feb 2nd (33/33): Carrefour market. I´m not one to walk as an exercise, so to keep walking instead of walking 200 metres for a loaf of bread, we are walking 1.1km. to this branch. ;D

 Feb 3rd (34/34): planners and journals.
Upper row: project planner (a.k.a: a gazillion lists), daily planner for crafting and life (when to do each task of the plan), daily journal (what I actually did, it works as a diary).
Lower row: sketch book (B&W drawings and scrapbook layouts sketches), quotes to use as tools (painted journal), dreams (collage journal)

 Feb 4th: antiques fair at Barrancas station.

Advent 2011, Day 8: Oh, Christmas tree!

It is traditional in Argentina to put our Christmas tree up on what we call the "Día de la Virgen" (Virgin´s Day) but is really called the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

This is my favourite family picture taken today, with Frida just crossing the scene. Lol!

Our mantelpiece and tree.
A new way to display our little trees.
We changed some traditions because families evolve and what worked for us many years ago doesn´t work any longer. For example the door´s garland. :)

#998

Out in the gardenour tree is getting taller.
It is our neighbour´s tree´s offspring
planted by our kids from its seed.

Chapter 3 Check In, getting kind of artsy

1) Morning pages. I´m all over the place writing things like "I haven´t got a clue what to say this is getting kind of boring i have already said everything i need to say do i really have to say it all over again just to fill this ... lines no i´m not going to write swear words what if the kids ever get hold of this notebook..." And so it goes on and on for two pages at 5pm. I´m glad there is no wrong way to do these pages or I´d get an F for these. :D

2) The artist´s date was not what i had planned. I had this long list of recommendations for the library. I envisioned a nice chat with the librarian (who is a friend I´ve known for over 20 years) while stocking up on books. Only they have changed their opening hours and I had 10 minutes to gather my things (My public thanks to Ceci who stayed 20 minutes after her hours for me to run around like a crazy headless chicken)

The Universe was kind and sent me another date. I usually visit my mom with the kids after school. Hubbie picks me up later and we go to the movies or dinner while the kids have dinner with my mom. A win-win situation. :D

I told hubbie I wanted to try something slightly different for dinner as we usually stay within our comfort zone near my mom´s place. He took me to the old part of the city, a traditional pasta restaurant called "Campo Dei Fiore". The framed mirrors were amazing and they had pretty paintings too, lots of them. Another artist´s date on my doorstep. Or should I say delivered to my table? ;)
I was playing with my new turquoise paint. I was doing some sanding outside. Don´t worry, I didn´t touch the camera. :D
Neither did Daniel.
3) Not a single task!!!! Better get cracking. :)

National Flag Day

June 20th is our National flag day, when the 9 year olds pledge their loyalty to it. The ceremony is very cute, with the youngsters in central stage. As June 20th was a Bank Holiday, the school organized the event for today.

Usually I don´t go to school events not related to my own kids but today Tatiana was a Buenos Aires (our province) flag bearer for the first time.

The National flag is carried by the Year 6 student with the best average grades, same goes for the German one (they go to a bicultural school) and the Buenos Aires one is carried by the child elected by his own peers as best mate.

Our school has around 70 Year 6 students divided in three classes. Five out of the nine honour positions available (including the three flag bearers) came from Tati´s class: 6° B. *beam*

The 12th Night and the Three Wise Men

On January the 1st I took all the Christmas decorations down, except for the tree which must stay until the 12th night. On the night of the 5th when the kids (or young at heart ) go to sleep they put a pair of shoes by their bed (some families with light sleepers choose the room´s door) and the Three Wise Men will leave a present for them just like they did for Jesus so many years ago.

Advent 2010, Day 13: Action

This has been the less Christmassy Christmas season ever.

Maybe it had something to do with the crazy school schedule of the last few weeks. Maybe it had something to do with my not going out much, except for very focused errands. Maybe ... I just don´t know.

The prompt for Reverb 10 today is: Action

December 13 – Action When it comes to aspirations, it’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen. What’s your next step? (Author: Scott Belsky)

I took some action and went to the mall with the kids for some Christmas muzak and sightseeing. :D

December View: Santa at the shopping mall.

PS: I´m already compiling a list of art projects for 2011, including a summer sketchbook. It´s in the making and a first step into taking thei deas into action.

Advent 2010, Day 7: Community

December view for today: our neighbour´s tree. For the past few years I have planned on taking pictures all year long to see the seasons change. Not every month I succeed on taking it on the same day. It is more a "any day of the month I remember" affair. :D This year was the best one in remembering.

Reverb 10 today:

December 7 – Community Prompt: Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011? (Author: Cali Harris)

Local communities:

Patricia, Carina, Paula, Sandra. Missing from this pic: Silvina & Karina. Every Mon to Fri at the school gates. Pic from this past winter.

On line communities:

My dreamers (who post pictures of their boards on the full moon) & Wishers (who make a wish every Wednesday) tribes leaded by Jamie Ridler.

The AEDMers( that´s the artists making Art Every Day during the month of November each year), coordinated by Leah Piken Kolidas. Of course I will be joining the Creative Every Day, 2011 edition. :)

My beloved Padders and UKScrappers teamies.

AEDM 2010: Day 21 Out of town Happysnappy

We spent the weekend out of town. :)

Most of the small towns /villages have the same structure. A main square/park where you will find the main church and the Town Hall plus the National Bank. Usually this Happysnappy checks every town tourist point.

Let me take you around Olavarría (350 km. SouthWest of Buenos Aires).
Main church in front of the park.
Town Hall.
Tati brought her skate along and took advantage of the nice tiles around the park.
Main square.
Tapalqué river.
Hanging bridge. One of the few crossing over the river.
Full moon over Olavarría.