It's not about where the brushstrokes begin... 20/366

it's about the journey you create with them that makes them art.

That's life really, isn't it? 

It's not about the destination, or the first step, but the path you take, the wrong turns, the right ones, the short cuts that end up taking you somewhere completely different.

They're what make you who you are. 

Even the mistakes.

Especially the mistakes.

How else can you possibly learn anything if you never make any mistakes?

It's all about the journey... 

Hope your's is a good one this weekend! 

Practice, practice, practice... 14/366

My drawing skills are pretty rusty, so I figured it was time to get back to basics. 

Learning form, and line, and shading. 

Remembering how to hold the pencil just right, to get the lighter lines. 

How to keep my pencil on the page for the image to flow more. 

I've got a long way to go, that's for sure!

But I've got plenty of time, too. :)

Even little ones worry about being Good Enough. 6/366

Zack gets very frustrated when he's drawing, or colouring in. 

That it's not exactly as it looks, and he's made a mistake, and it looks different to how what he's copying looks like. 

It makes him want to give up, and pack things away. 

Ohhh how well I remember those thoughts!

I remember them SO so well. 

Sitting with my mum (the artist... the really, really *good* artist, with years, nae, decades (sorry Mum!) of experience over me) when I was little, drawing or painting. I'd look up from my masterpiece to see something so effortlessly beautiful made by her hands. 

There's no WAY I'll ever be that good! 

I'd get upset, and want to stop. 

Mum never pushed the issue, but did encourage me never to give up!

So I didn't. 

And I became pretty good for a kid!

Now, when people see the few drawings I've done recently, they are amazed I've done them myself. 

Same with my photos. 

I guess history really does repeat itself. 

I've taken to not doing anything too intricate or fancy while my boy is around. 

Because I know just how pig headed stubborn he can be about digging his heels in. 

And I'd hate for him to stop drawing and colouring in just because of me. 

I'm trying to explain to him that nobody starts out amazing at something from the get go. 

It takes time, and lots (LOTS!!) of practice, of doing things you're not happy with, before you get to that point where you finally *are* happy with the outcome of what you've done. 

Be that art, writing, photography, skateboarding. 

Whatever it is, it takes hard work and dedication to get to that point. 

I think he's starting to figure that out now. 

If he puts in the dedication to his art that he does with his gaming, he'll be an amazing artist one day... 

Absolutely amazing!

Day 7: Random Vlog from Zack!

Ohhh the adorableness! <3 

I was looking through my Photobooth photos and videos, and found this little bit of cuteness from Zack, done in January of this year. 

Total geek in training!

Obviously, Zack is my first work of art. One that I've helped to shape over these last six years... by far one of my two (Max as well, naturally!) biggest and best accomplishments!

I realised that I tend to blog a lot more about Max than I do about Zack, and I guess that's normal in a way. His difficulties (and triumphs) are at the forefront of my mind, much of the time. 

But that doesn't mean that my young man Zack isn't also there.

Every day he shows me how much more independent he's becoming. 

When he's excited about something he's done, it's all "that was totally awesome, man! Eh Mum??"

Though he still does call me Mummy occasionally, that's mostly gone from his vocab though.

He says by when we get to the bottom of the road so he can walk run the rest of the way to school. With a stop to chat to the lollipop man on the way, of course. He's a right chatterbox - just like his mum. :)

It wouldn't even occur to him to *not* go into school as that's where all his friends are, and he adores it so much.

He's become much calmer since eradicating the Wii from his gaming... I refuse to have one more broken tv!!

He's also a very empathetic, and caring little boy. Beyond his years, really.

I guess that's what having a little brother on the spectrum, and being the son of a single mum does?

Last week (or the week before?), when I was suffering the most horrendous migraine, he led Max out of my room first thing, so that "you can get some more rest, Mum.", and then later on in the day, as I was laying on the sofa attempting to have a wee doze while the boys were watching Spongebob, he brought over the blanket and put it round me, and started gently stroking my cheeks. 

Honestly, it was the best feeling ever. 

My wee man Zack isn't such a wee man anymore sometimes, but he'll always be my baby boy.

I'm so lucky to have such beautiful and sweet boys. 

How did I get so lucky??

Day 6: One of my favourite quotes...

... though I have *no* idea where it's from, other than pinterest!

Nearly Monday again... yay! Hope everyone had a great weekend. :)