Author: brightblueballoon

Craft: Decorative Eggs

| brightblueballoon

What do you do when you have spare honeycomb board in the house?

Make Crafts of course!

And since Easter is on the way let’s make some decorative eggs!

Materials:

  • Honeycomb board
  • Corrugated cardboard sheets
  • Magazines
  • Sticky tape
  • Scissors
  • Pen

Directions

After drawing an egg shape on the honeycomb board I cut it out and peeled the sheet of cardboard off one side.

The fun followed as to the boys tore pages out of the magazines, crumpled them up and placed them in the holes on the board.

After they were finished I used some of the corrugated cardboard sheets to make a border around the eggs, which was stuck on using sticky tape.

My kids thoroughly enjoyed this craft and were happy with their decorative eggs. It was easy for them to do and they had fun ripping the paper and crumpling it. There was little mess to clean up afterwards, in fact it all went in the recycling!

Happy page turning and crafting x

©️ Lisa Moralee McLardy

Decorations on the Christmas Tree

| brightblueballoon

Each decoration tells a story of lands to the south, where Christmas is warm.

Where the summer breeze dances with the last of the Jacaranda blooms and swimming pools are in constant splash.

Each decoration tells a tale of lands to the north, where Christmas is colder.

Where the wind plays with the last of the autumn leaves and chimneys emit warmth with a hint of chestnut.

Each decoration, each story and tale offers sentiment. Maybe a reminder of simpler times or abundant company.

Each made to be told again and again.

This treasure, this collection trinkets,
Whether decorated in climates hot or cold, encourage those cozy feelings of warmth and sparkles of joy.

©️ Lisa Moralee McLardy

Children’s Book: Hoo at the Zoo

| brightblueballoon

We have been indulging in Halloween festivities and reading. And I am happy to report I have been taste testing the candy😂😂 a very important part of the preparations!

I am also so excited to tell you all about HOO AT THE ZOO, a picture book all about a Halloween themed adventure that takes place at the zoo.

“𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙯𝙤𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙚. 𝙂𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙨, 𝙜𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙨, 𝙥𝙪𝙢𝙥𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙮. 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙪𝙥 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙨. 𝙁𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘿𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙖 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙡.”

Have a picnic before going on a treasure trail and remember to bring your map!

This book is available exclusively on @amazonkindle It is also available on Kindle Unlimited.
(Link saved in bio)

I must go now as I believe there is more candy in need of testing😂😂

Sending 💜

Do you remember how joyful it was to draw when you were a kid?

| brightblueballoon

Do you remember how joyful it was to draw when you were a kid?
To draw something just because you wanted to, without worry about whether you could or what the result would be. Imagine how wonderful it would be to revisit that feeling and just sketch something for the joy of it!

Last year I took part in a #sketchtember challenge and it was rewarding in so many ways. Mostly because it reminded me about the excitement of a blank page and the challenge/ joy of attempting to recreate images captured in imagination, even if they didn’t always turn out as planned. One of the biggest lessons was realising that doing is more important then perfection.

I also met some amazing people and artists along the way.

I really would love to recreate that #sketchtember joy so I have created a prompt list.

30 prompts, 30 days, 30 sketches. They aren’t any rules really just sketch something using traditional or digital means and post on stories or your grid. I have created a new hashtag #wecreateforjoy for the challenge so we can all see each other’s creations. Also pls tag @bright.blue.balloon so I can see and share your creations.

That’s it from me. Thanks for reading and hope you will join in and sketch, sketch, sketch!!!

Sending 💜💜💜 to you all!

Dreams are meant to be

| brightblueballoon

𝑆𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑠 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑎 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑣𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑑. 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒. 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑒…

I want you to know
This is not a crossroads
I know which way I’m going to go
But for a moment in time
I let you enter my mind
And now you think you’re
Here to stay

There’s only one thing to do
To get through to you,
The you that’s messing with my mind

I need a song,
A song
Just to get out my mind
And all the things you told me
All the things you said

That mountain’s too high
Don’t reach for the sky,
It’s just not meant to be,
Dreams are just make believe

These words always play on repeat,
But I am learning to skip your beat
And find my own,
Show you how much I’ve grown

I want you to know
I followed my own road
To the mountain high,
So high it touches the sky

Poised and ready to climb
But paused for a moment in time
Because you entered my mind
And now you think you’re here to stay

There’s only one thing to do
To get through to you,
The you that’s messing with my mind

I need a song,
A song
Just to get you out my head
And all the things you told me
All the things you said

That mountain’s too high,
Don’t reach for the sky
It’s just not meant to be
Dreams are just make believe

These words used to play on repeat,
But I learned to skip your beat
And found my own,
I have grown.

I want you to know,
I climbed that mountain high,
One step at a time
Your voice slowly left my mind
The journey was mine
But you were right about one thing
I didn’t touch the sky,
I went beyond and touched the stars
It was meant to be
My dream is reality

Thank you for visiting brightblueballoon.com

©️ Lisa Moralee McLardy 2020

My Little Dream

| brightblueballoon

My little dream⁣⁣
⁣Whispers in the morning⁣ “Please make time for me,⁣⁣
Just a little moment,⁣⁣
⁣While you have a cup of tea.”⁣⁣
⁣⁣
I make my dream a promise⁣ “Let’s check in a two”⁣⁣
⁣Then I go about my day,⁣⁣
⁣Listing things to do.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
It’s all so very busy⁣⁣
⁣And soon enough it’s two.⁣⁣
⁣My dream is right on time,⁣⁣
⁣But I’m nowhere to be seen…⁣⁣
⁣⁣
My little dream,⁣⁣
Shouts in the evening⁣ “Where were you?”⁣⁣
I say “I’m very sorry,⁣⁣
⁣Tomorrow is anew.⁣⁣
⁣Let’s arrange a meeting,⁣⁣
⁣Just me and you⁣⁣
⁣I’ll be there – let’s make before two.”⁣⁣
⁣⁣
My dream says “Will you really?⁣⁣
⁣You’ve promised for a while.⁣⁣
⁣I’ll only wait so long,⁣⁣
⁣Make some time,⁣⁣
⁣Don’t let it pass you by.”⁣⁣
⁣⁣

Thank you for visiting brightblueballoon.com

©️ Lisa Moralee McLardy

“Sit and stare at the starry sky. Be patient, It has something to share.”

| brightblueballoon

“Sit and stare at the starry sky. Be patient, It has something to share.”

Illustration from Stay Home, Little Bear

Sometimes it takes a little patience to experience wonder. Patience to sit and be, to sit and stare at the starry sky.
I am trying to take more moments to sit and be, to feel the breeze and absorb nature’s palette. Even if it is just a few minutes…


This week I will be sharing illustrations from and inspired by my new book Stay Home, Little Bear. Get ready for some polar bear love and “a rainbow at midnight’” *Proceeds made from this book will be donated to heroes in the community making a difference during these uncertain times.


It’s available on Amazon kindle and Kindle Unlimited.

Stay Home, Little Bear: A story about staying home and discovering creativity https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088MNTHTJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_EPbXEbKRKSXTR

Happy creativity!

Sending 💜💜💜

Thank you for visiting Bright Blue Balloon

Latest book launch – proceeds for the heroes in our community

| brightblueballoon


I recently felt drawn to revisit the words in my original story with Little Bear. This book has been inspired by our time at home and the continued discovery of creativity both at home and in nature.

. *Proceeds made from this book will be donated to heroes in our community making a such a big difference during these uncertain times.

“Stay home, Little Bear.
Take a moment,
Take care.”

Share a moment together and join Little Bear on a discovery.
Sit and stare at the starry sky. What will you see?
Be patient and you may just see a “river of bright” or “rainbow at midnight.”


Stay home, Little Bear is available in all Amazon stores

Thank you, as always, for your support! You are all wonderful!

Sending 💜💜💜

Thank you for visiting brightblueballoon.com

I’ve learned to rather observe than seek

| brightblueballoon

Sometimes sunshine and rain collaborate to create a rainbow
Each time they do it’s a fantastic sight
Colours vibrant,
Colours bright
I’ve tried to capture all the rainbows unique
But I’ve learned to rather observe than seek
Moments created to stay with me,
Long after they find new skies and flee

©️Lisa Moralee McLardy

Sometimes sunshine and rain collaborate to create a rainbow
( Illustration created using Procreate 5)