Creative living journal #32

Awards shortlists and a week of sickness

Monday

It’s been one of those days … Mister 5 is home sick and Nugwagon is working in Sydney today.

And the day just got worse as Mister 5 vomited when we were picking up Miss 8 from school. Let’s just call this one a write-off and try again tomorrow.

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Tuesday

Final CBCA Shadow Judging session at Miss 8’s school! It’s been such a fun process and I’ve been learning a lot about the stories and activities that kids enjoy (and don’t enjoy!) so hopefully I’ll have the opportunity to do this again and will feel more prepared and confident. Students voted for the best in the picture book category, and I’m not quite sure whether I’m supposed to share the book that they voted for, but see the pic below showing the shortlisted titles that are all incredible in their own way.

• We Live in a Bus by Dave Petzold

• A Leaf Called Greaf by Kelly Canby

• Afloat written by Kirli Saunders and illustrated by Freya Blackwood

• The Garden of Broken Things by Freya Blackwood

• These Long-Loved Things written by Josh Pyke and illustrated by Ronojoy Ghosh

• The Truck Cat written by Deborah Frenkel and illustrated by Danny Snell

Miss 8 and I organised 8 books to give away to 4 students for our final session, which was so much fun! All the kids wanted to win a book, and I was disappointed not to be able to give away one each, but perhaps another year I’ll be able to do that. And the kids who did win seemed so happy to take books home! I hope they love them.

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Wednesday

Found out Tubowgule: A Sydney Opera House History has been shortlisted for the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year awards! This is the first shortlist Tubowgule has made it onto and it’s so freaking exciting!

I told myself I wouldn’t get too caught up in awards lists because I know plenty of amazing books don’t make it onto lists, but it does feel nice and is very much appreciated.

Working on the next Creative Life interview that goes out this Wednesday! Amazing author

Liz Ledden

is my latest participant, so be sure to keep an eye out for that post and read what Liz has to say about how she lives a creative life.

I’m still on the lookout for more participants in the How to live a creative life interview series with spots available from August onwards. Check out last month’s interview with Cassy Polimeni (link below) and reach out if you’d like more info about how you can be a part of the series.

What does it mean to live a creative life? with Cassy Polimeni

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Wrap up

Kids both sick and home from school – hardly sleeping or having disturbed sleep with kids awake almost every hour.

BUT! Chocolates arrived! Birthday gift from a dear friend, and I’ve almost devoured all of them already 🥰

Kids feeling slightly better towards the end of the week so we started painting a huge canvas that we’ve had for quite a while. It was fun for us all to just go wild on the blank canvas, but as with most things we all do together, there was some arguing and frustration.

I am happy with how it’s looking though – so colourful and fun and I can’t wait to add some more when it’s dry.

Painting fun (with a side of fighting)

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Your turn

How’s YOUR week been?

Do you have a sibling (or siblings), and if so, did you fight like crazy?

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I acknowledge the Darkinjung people as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I am writing from today. I walk, talk, write, and create with respect on this land, and I acknowledge the enduring connection the Darkinjung people have with this Country; I thank them for their care of this Country, and I pay respects to the Elders past and present, and extend that respect to any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here reading or listening.