Where Does the Time Go?

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Heavens, I’m in catch-up mode again!  Time flew by with ED here for a week, YD on three weeks break and needing daily visits by Siddy, which were mostly fitted in soon after the morning walk and second breakfast so that he arrived for elevenses ……..  Then there was our promotion at the retirement home from half hour ambling visits where Siddy trots around smiling at everyone and I get made happy by watching eyes light up and sparks of life sparkle out of tired old eyes.  We were asked to widen our brief and include helping out at the two hour crafting session every week, of course I said yes.   And  of course there is painting and crafting time to fit in here somewhere.  So the days have simply been eaten up by the minute munching monsters.

Here’s Siddy posing with his Aunty Jo – show that boy a camera and he puts on his best sartorial pose

March 2017

The lovely Alys  purchased two items from my collection on Vida when it first opened.  One she purchased secretly and sent straight to me, reducing me to tears of wonder, gratitude and astonishment that I had such a generous and kind friend.  You may remember my disappointment when I discovered I couldn’t afford to purchase my own designs as the shipping cost was astronomical.  Well, now I have a lovely tote bag and here’s me still looking somewhat stunned at the event, just arrived at YD’s in time for elevenses……..

Tote March 2017

A week or so later and the lovely Alys sent me photos of her Inky Doodle design scarf that she purchased from Vida.  Photographed by her youngest son, Alys rocks the colourful fabric and is well on her way to becoming the world’s next super model.  And isn’t the fabric gorgeous, I am so happy to see my doodles come to life like this.  It’s simply great!

Pauline King design alys

After prolonged imploring from three people I agreed to reopen my collection on Vida.  My stance remains that it is a pyramid selling scheme and therefore not ethical – but it allows my work to reach a wider audience and to be taken down from the wall and worn.  I am made happy when my friends and family are happy and, as I make art to spread joy, and Vida allows that process to happen we have, it seems, reached accord.

There’s a painting on the easel, this is phase 1, where do you think it might be heading?

Phase1

We’ve been mostly enjoying lovely late summer weather this month, which has been much appreciated  and greeted with cries of ‘Better late than never’ and ‘Great Scott, what is that bright yellow orb in the sky?’  We have taken heart, all is not lost for our Blogging Babes reunion this time next year!  (That’s a teaser, more on this later)

Thanks for coming by today, I love that you did!

80 thoughts on “Where Does the Time Go?”

  1. So lovely to catch up with you my dear Pauline, you look absolutely fab, and what exciting developments with your business; how wonderful and exciting indeed to see your creations as modelled by Alys! What beautiful, kind friends you have, but then you are beautiful and kind, so I am not surprised ❤ Lovely photo of Siddy looking so proud and with his Aunty Jo 🙂 So glad you've been blessed with recent sightings – albeit it rare – of that mystical golden orb. Long may it last as you ease into Autumn! 🙂 ❤

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  2. My goodness, Pauline, I am feeling the love. Thank you for all your kind words.

    I LOVE that you and Siddy are regulars at the senior home. I remember an earlier post where you mentioned faces at the window watching the two of you go by. You are a welcome guest and an inspiration and oh what a gift for all who get to spend time with Siddy. What a delightful pooch. I’m so excited to meet him. Animals are uncanny. They pick up on moods and seem to know just what to do. And you’re crafting there, too! It’s perfect, and so close to home as well.

    I love your new canvas. All that color, and movement. I’m excited to hear that you’ll be revealing your progress in stages.

    And you are all lovely, YD, ED and PK.

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    • I’m glad you are feeling the love! I’m really pleased this post turned into a little Alys love-fest, you deserve it! We had our weekly visit for crafting today – our first at full moon time. The mood among the residents was definitely different. I am finding the visits both interesting and challenging. Siddy just has a good time. Today was his first off leash and he had the visiting plumbers dog to play with for a while as well, which kept everyone entertained. Off leash he would just suddenly disappear down a corridor and I’d find him in a room sitting quietly by the occupant who was often asleep. Or just talking to someone who obviously needed some company. Amazing little fellow, he avoided all the grouchy folk today. 🙂

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  3. Oh Pauline, where does the time go, indeed? I have been on “spring break” but my daughters came home and my mom had an accident and had to go back into therapy, and it has really been insane. I love your photos of your adorable pets, Siddy looks positively regal there. What a wonderful friend Alys is! I love hearing things like this, it makes my heart feel much better about the world. I’m glad you left your designs up, I agree that it creates a wider audience for your work. It so bothers me that many times many of us artist types suffer less than sterling treatment at the hands of distributors and such incredible obstacles to promote our work. I adore your beautiful art!

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    • Oh Lana, you have been having a time of it – I do hope your mom is repairing and improving and while it’s yay for ‘Spring Break’ it was so often my experience when teaching that everything held off until vacation time and then wapped you over the head just because you had time to deal with it all….. I love retirement! 🙂

      Siddy put that pose and face on when he saw the phone camera approaching – such a poser!! 🙂 I on the other hand when faced with a camera put on an expression that my daughters say very unkind things about 😀

      Yes, we struggle to get our work out there and get fair recompense. It’s just the way the world works. I feel very blessed with my family and friends – they are most dear to me and so supportive! It is enough!

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  4. What a beautiful scarf and you are looking very good with your bag. Alys is so nice! It sounds as though Siddy is doing wonderful volunteer work. He is doubtless charming to everyone (except the cats). Nice to see him with his auntie, as well. I have to say a bedspread in that print would be pretty fabulous. I went to the site the other day thinking I would get the t-shirt, but it wasn’t up. I hadn’t realized you’d taken the site down then put it up again. I’m looking at the bags, too…

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    • Lisa if you want me to put something particular up on the site just let me know. I’d forgotten about the t-shirts. I can tell you the tote bag is very well made, though it doesn’t have any pockets anywhere. They also reproduced the colours accurately. I made a quiet little update on the post about becoming a Vida designer and was going to let it all go. Several folk made impassioned pleas for me to reconsider, and I did. And despite the fact that the entrepreneurs are the only ones making any money from the sales, I’m happy that my work is out there and making others happy! As an artist that is a great reward!

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  5. I have gremlins in my machine, methinks – I cannot see the pictures on this post! I’m so glad you’re getting the sunshine and I’m intrigued as to the reunion…I remember you meeting in the States before…don’t tell me they’re all coming to NZ! Hoping I can view the pics somewhere else 😉

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  6. Your creations are so very lovely. What a wonderfully nice thing of Alys to do. Siddy is a charmer for certain. Therapy animals are such a blessing. We attend a weekly Bible study at an assisted living facility that meets as the animals are completing their visit. We often have a chance to visit with them and their owners-who seem to get as much pleasure as the animals do! Often a parrot is part of the visitors! The dogs are of all sizes and varities but all gentle and we’ll behaved. Since we are a cat family (who love dogs) we also get an opportunity for some puppy love! ❤

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    • I think all you say is absolutely true Jan, well raised dogs make everybody happy, especially their owners! 🙂 I was just bursting with pride of my little fellow after his last visit – he did so very well. We go again today for another long stint and I’m expecting him to do just as well….. There’s a pattern arisen for our arrival. The cooks come out of the kitchen to say hello, with a treat. The nurses come out of their stations to say hello. The manager just happens to wander into the common room and various carers arrive for a quick hello and a chat. Siddy greets them all like old friends and makes everyone feel special. he has a real talent!

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  7. Wonderful to read from you again, Pauline. Siddy as always is the superstar! Kisses Siddy! Real and true friends are difficult to find nowadays, I’m glad that you have one in dear Ms. Alys. Bless her heart and yours too. Both of you look wonderful in your wearable creations. I love love love the tote bag and the scarf awwww its to die for. If you may indulge….sharing with you a warm group hug from miles away. ❤

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  8. What an attractive daughter you have. Love your bag. I’d always hoped Hicks would make it as a therapy dog when he calmed down enough – but I’m still waiting. Good for you and Siddy making so many people happy.

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    • Yes, I agree, she is very beautiful, inside and out. Though it must be said I do have two attractive daughters Bekki (just in case the other one is reading) 🙂

      I was pretty amazed at Siddy and how he very quickly modified his usual bouncy behaviour when greeting new friends. He is a quieter, calmer boy around the old folk and willing to let them take him off on little walks, as long as he can still see me all is well in his world. Last week he was there for over two hours and was constantly petted and talked to and walked around while I sat at a table making some pompom chicks and he behaved impeccably. He was completely pooped when he got home though! I was so proud!! 🙂

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  9. I think therapy dogs are a wonderful invention. Our local library experimented with having well-behaved dogs come into the library for specific times into the children’s area so kids could read to them. Kids who are shy about reading out loud to adults have no qualms about reading to pooches.

    What’s this about blogging babes? Curious in Canada!

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    • When I was teaching I had an Old English for a while who came to school with me and who was a great aid for troubled students and also just generally fun to have around. When she’d had enough she would take herself off and sit in the car for a break and then come back for more ……

      Two years ago a collection of five friends who had met through our blogs here on WordPress got together in Washington DC and South-West Virginia for a few days of fun and mayhem – somewhere along the line we picked up the collective noun of ‘Bloggin’ Babes’.

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  10. Summer is here too! I might even ripen a few tomatoes. Lovely to see Siddy, a gorgeous photo of you, Ms Alys looking like a poster child for your glorious artwork and that you are Siddy are doing a sterling job at the OAP home and enlivening some lives. I can see that you and Siddy will be brilliant with craft days as well. Kudos on what you are doing everywhere Ms Pauline 🙂

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  11. Your little Siddy is quite the charmer. He seems pretty cozy on Aunty Jo’s lap and it makes me giggle that he looks right at the camera like the movie star he is inside!
    I’d never heard of Vida until Alys wrote about it in her post. It’s a fantastic way for artists to see their work re-incarnated. Alys never misses an opportunity to make you feel like a million bucks, we’re so very lucky to be part of her tribe. I love what she choose for you too. I sure wish Vida had manners enough to comp. you the item of your choice for allowing them to use your work. Wishful thinking I suppose. Congratulations on the expansion to fashion Pauline ! You’re a talent and their lucky ot have your work. xox K

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    • I’d never heard of Vida either until they wrote and invited me to join them. They scout out artists and feed us a line to hook us in 🙂 I don’t really know how well patronised their online store is, nor how long I will let them have my work – but it’s there again now and I love that Alys is so happy with her scarf. I’d love to make her a bedspread of that pattern 🙂

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  12. Siddy is such a wonderful little guy. You can clearly see he likes being in front of the camera and knows how to work it. Love your art. What a lovely present your friend gave you. The bag is gorgeous.

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  14. Your work looks wonderful in all the ways it can be recreated! I loved the shawl on Alys and your bag as well. I too have lusted over the items in the online store. Maybe next year will be a bit easier to purchase something. Siddy and your daughter look so beautiful together. Did you ever think that little imp would settle into such a wonderful character to take into care facilities and charm everyone who met him? You have found a niche for the two of you with your kind hearts. I’m delighted the the time munchers left you enough to visit with us. I’ve missed you here. Hugs, M

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    • Dear Marlene, thank you so much for your loyal support! It’s all horribly expensive in that exclusive designer store, not something you and I can easily stretch our budgets to encompass. But it’s fun to see what can be done and I love that people can wear my art instead of hang it 🙂 Siddy and I have been visiting for a while now and he is very good at it. I come away quite enchanted with him and how he knows to behave and react just so with the different folks. He is a most sociable wee pup!! xoxo

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  15. The time monsters munch far too much time. They need to leave some for us! What a delightful post, Pauline. And how lovely to see you and you lovely tote. What a wonderfully thoughtful friend. Alys’s scarf is gorgeous too. All my favourite colours. And Siddy is so cute, as is Aunty Jo. As for the work in progress on the canvas, I don’t want to guess. I just know it is going to be something amazing! And I am intrigued by your teaser. How can I wait? With great expectations. 🙂

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  16. What a great-looking family, people and dog alike! And your work is so pretty–I love the scarf Alys got! And that’s such an Alys thing to do, to buy you your own tote bag–she’s amazing. Shouldn’t you be including a link to the Vida shop here?? I loved hearing that Siddy and you are doing visit to the retirement home–he must so adored! And you, too!

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    • We are pretty tight knit my girls and I Kerry, it’s a small but highly enjoyable family. Isn’t it a typical Alys thing to do – I should have known! Maybe we should turn her name into a verb – we could talk about ‘doing an alys’ referring to any act of kindness and generosity intended to brighten the life of the recipient. 🙂

      I shall add a link to the Vida Collection in the appropriate place in this post – just give me a few minutes 🙂 Thank you for suggesting it – and thank you for asking about Orlando too, that was a special email to find xo

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  18. Well, some of my time has gone (in a wonderful way) to catching up on your blog. So much creativity has been happening, as well as spreading joy with Siddy and your art/craft skills. I noted your successful decluttering earlier in the year. I spent all of January working on decluttering, and I am still not done! Much of what is left to declutter isn’t actually mine but belongs to my children. If it weren’t for postage costs I would be seriously tempted to box it and send it off to them.

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    • How lovely to see you back here Gallivanta ❤ I hope you are well. The decluttering is a long process isn't it. I think I did mine in four major stages – you kind of have to work through what and why and then actually become conscious of what it all means to you and does to you. Now I toss out with wild abandon 🙂 And yet I still feel I have a lot of stuff…… I boxed my kids stuff up and presented it to them. The last little lot will be taken away by my Wellington daughter when she is next here with her car.

      Thank you for catching up on the previous posts – I'm glad you enjoyed looking through xoxo

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    • He does doesn’t he! We watch him sit up straight and put his best smile on now whenever a camera gets aimed at him. Who knew he’d turn into such a celebrity! The painting is changing rapidly – stay tuned 🙂

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  21. A feeling of happiness comes over in these photos – what a thoughtful gesture from Alys who also looks very glam in her gorgeous purchase. Love the beginnings of your new art piece; those colours!

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