spooked....

I don't really like Halloween...am I the only one!? It seems like it's getting more popular.

But this is coming from someone who is put off seeing a

film if it's a 15! and an 18 certificate is out of the question!!

The one thing I do like though is carving pumpkins! I had a lovely sunday morning carving these faces this weekend!!

Here's some more pumpkins from a couple of years ago...click here.

I hope you all enjoy Halloween and you aren't as scared of Trick or Treaters as I am!

I'll be the one with the lights off pretending I'm not in tonight! haha!!

oh so girly....

...it's always great to see the artwork I have worked on in store...

here's a couple of girly tops available instore and online now at George@Asda

and below an up close shot to show more detail....I loved working on this design.

***ALL COPYRIGHT BELONGS TO ASDA STORES LIMITED***

Happy Birthday Mary Blair

Good ole google has informed me that it would have

been Mary Blair's 100th birthday today!

From the moment I saw her work I loved it,

I bought this book and then went on to add this one to my collection...lovely stuff!

Her colours are so vibrant and the characters are always so charming and lovely.

Have a super weekend everyone....

I'm really looking forward to mine....it's full of friends and family,

including 4 little nephews!

My African mural....

The main purpose of my trip was to create some artwork on the walls of the

Timbutini Pre school which is linked to Hawane Farm.

I have no realised that I haven't taken very good 'after' photos...most of them are close ups

but hopefully you still get a good idea of what I was up to over in Swaziland....

Me and mom in action below...I certainly couldn't have completed

it in time without her help!

Me with the lion below....my favourite! I loved decorating his mane!

Timbutini Pre School now has a sign...it wasn't clear that it was actually

a school before I got my hands on it!

At times I missed my 'apple-z' option while I was painting but I am overall pleased

with how it's all turned out and really enjoyed working on a large scale.

I had no idea of what the school was like beforehand so I had to plan quickly once I arrived.

Below are some close ups, I really wanted to include some textural detail...

It was important to get some health messages across to the children...

Daily at Timbutini Pre School the children are given multi-vitamins and also

brush their teeth after their lunch.

Here's the queue for toothbrushes...

Lovely faces above and below that made my days painting very cheery...

above: singing to me....again! and the boys are fighting in the background...again!!

I'm sure boys will be boys no matter which continent we're in!

The head teacher Patricia, below, with the welcoming lion.

Above, our last day....it was all so much fun!

a fact for you: Timbutini means goats in siSwati the language of Swaziland!

I hope you've enjoyed having a nose this week at pics from my trip! It all feels like a dream

after a week back in the UK....a a very good dream!

Have a great weekend everyone....time to get those Autumn clothes out!

More photos from my African trip!

This trip to Swaziland was with my mom, she has been before with my dad a couple of years ago.

A couple of my mom's friends live and work over there so we were fortunate to be able to stay with

them and see the work that they do....all part of the Lighthouse Project.

Their aim is to set up care centres for children, pre-schools, feeding stations, churchs,

clinics and life skills centres for the communities in Swaziland and train up

people in the community to run these centres. It was fantastic to see the work that is happening there....

a lot of people in Swazi, the majority, do struggle.

It has the highest rate of HIV in the world and medication (including contraception)

and healthcare isn't free (except for ARVs which are used for HIV).

Schooling isn't free either and a lot of areas don't have a pre-school.

The unemployment rate is high so money is very tight or non-exsistant for many.

I was surprised to see that the supermarkets are the same price as here if not more expensive!

But there are some positives, the work that the Lighthouse Project is doing is really

helping a lot of people both in the communities as well as in the centres they have

set up thanks the fantastic people involved and the donations from others.

Here's some more of my pictures....click on the pics to see larger versions

(I will be posting photos of the mural I painted while I was there tomorrow)

1.We were delayed for 24 hours in Paris on the way over....

so we deserved treats and here's a very good looking hot chocolate!

2. Beautiful wild flowers

3. I got dragged up to dance like a Swazi at the cultural village! cringey

4. Me and my mom trying Pap for the first time thanks to the welcoming staff at Noahs Ark Pre-school

and feeding station! the kitchen is in the background

Our tastebuds liked it but our bodies didn't!!

5. Getting fit to a Davina dvd with some of the ladies from Hawane Farm!

Hawane Farm is where we mainly stayed, we stayed in the hospice.

6. An amazing breakfast at Nisela after a 5am start on our way to a clinic in Lavumisa!

Chips for breakfast are the way forward!

7.My mom being pharmacist for the day at a clinic in Lavumisa....

I had the job of weighing people.

8.The clinic at Lavumisa in the new church.

9.Parachute fun at the brilliant Noahs Ark school and feeding station.

10.Putting on a show at Noahs Ark before lunch.

11.Getting crafty with the girls at Elustwini.

12.The strong girls of Elustwini Refuge centre.

13.Facepainting....a mini man!

14.More facepainting!

15.A huge joy to see zebras up close on our mini safari at Mlilwane.

16.Hawane Farm dogs Roxy and Maxine.

17.Birthday cakes, a double celebration on the farm.

18. Bandele the little poser!

19. Setsibele ready for a little trek at Hawane resort.

and last but not least....20.the Hawane Farm fire alarm!

Swaziland....

....already my trip over the last fortnight is feeling a bit like a dream.

I had such a great time. Despite many many troubles, Swaziland is a beautiful country...

1. The wonderful Jane admiring the view after a nightmare drive up a 4x4 track (we weren't in a 4x4!). 2. Payphone anyone! 3. The best view from the loo ever! 4. Now time for a handwash.

5. Lovely old truck with the beautiful Swazi scenery. 6. With the lovely people from Noahs Ark school.

7. My trainers have never been so clean...daily view in the background. 8. Proud peacock!

More photos coming soon....it was a jam-packed fortnight!

back home....

....and it's all a bit surreal!

Here's a quick snapshot of me and my mom with the kids

from Timibutini Pre-school in Swaziland on our last day!

Mural complete, thanks to lots of help from my mom!

I will be posting more photos soon....its been a truly fantastic trip!