There are so many fantastic ways to wear a silk scarf and here are just a few. Iris and I have been having fun this morning dressing up and trying some of them out.
Pretty in pink with this sophisticated necktie.
If you would like to buy your own Iris Grace Scarf here is the link to her online shop, we have a 10% discount sale on at the moment – https://www.irisgracepaintingshop.com/products/raining-cats-silk-scarf
We are trying a new way of auctioning Iris’s Paintings this month, it will be done by a ‘sealed bid/silent auction’ where the buyers will kindly submit their highest bid in one email rather than bidding as the week goes on. I want to adjust our system as the interest in her paintings is so widespread around the world that this seems to be the fairest way to conduct the auctions to fit in with everyone’s time zones.
So remember this is a one-bid auction of your highest bid and email that to us at irisgracepainting@yahoo.com
‘Hiatus’ is painted on thick watercolour paper with many layers of acrylic. It has also been dry mounted onto board and will be sold unframed. If you are bidding from abroad we have a brilliant International Courier Service which we have used to send her art safely to it’s new home in the past.
Good luck Everyone, the auction is now open to submit your bid! irisgracepainting@yahoo.com
The proceeds from the sales of Iris’s art goes into her own savings account to be saved for her future.
Iris has been working very hard over the past few weeks on her new home ed project documenting life with her animals. She has also narrated the film. This project was created with her own interests at the core, it has improved her confidence while recording her voice and built on many skills as we worked together creating the film. I have a feeling this will be the first of many as she has really enjoyed making this one with me.
Dear Iris
I hear you even if you do not speak. I watch, noticing the details, see and feel more than I ever imagined I could. I stopped focusing on what was hard, I stopped pushing those things that frustrated you, aggravated or even blocked your learning. Together with the help from our animals, you are learning to use your voice.
We have learned how to be with each other without needing these words and I feel that has helped you, the pressure was lifted.
I am so proud of you for creating this video with me and sharing it with others, to inspire them to give their children the space and time they need too. x
Little and often
Reading can take a lot of energy, as adults we take it for granted but for kids that are learning this new skill it can be exhausting so go at their pace, little and often is key.
Follow their interests
Before choosing or buying a book have a think about what they love. What captures their imagination? What films do they like to watch? What’s their favourite animal? What cartoon characters do they like? What sensory preferences do they have? For example if they love water play a story with water would be great.
Read stories that they connect with, share books and encourage them to explore and read where the motivation is intrinsic because it’s about something they love.
If your child’s passions are a little unique you can create your own stories.
Pair up their interest with the book too, so if your child loves cats, read a book about a cat to a cat.
Cars – read a car book in the car.
Bikes take a bike ride and a picnic and read about a bike ride.
Thomas the tank engine on a train….you get the picture
Make the stories come alive, inspire your child.
Create themes around a book and other fun activities to go with the story.
Beyond books
Reading doesn’t have to be just with their children’s books. It can be recipes while helping in the kitchen, ingredients, choices for activities, shopping lists, tv guides, apps, sign posts, letters, magazines…They will start to see that reading is useful, reading means freedom of choice and knowledge.
Get comfy
Notice where your child goes to relax, where do they naturally chill out? It could be in the garden under a shady tree in the summer with a bean bag, a warm place in the house, a big comfy chair, some love to be cuddled under a duvet in bed. Or lying on the trampoline, maybe beside their favourite pet.
Take their books to them, if they are happy with you being in their space read a little and settle in, appreciate what they love about this chosen place and notice how they use the space.
Some children need physical space to learn and that includes us being a distance from them, I have read books to Iris from another room, knowing she is listening and absorbing the words. Don’t always expect a picture of you beside your child turning pages together. Remember to follow them and take their lead.
Freedom of choice
I like to keep a selection of books in most rooms so where ever we are Iris can take a book of her choice and have a read or just take a look at the pictures. It’s useful for us to notice when their interests shift onto another topic, it allows for new stories and learning and stops the possibility of getting stuck.
Curiosity
Children are naturally curious, if you would like to encourage their interest in a particular subject or book create an enticing display with toys and props to ignite their curiosity in that book.
Repetition
To learn new words children need a lot of repetition so for this I like to use Iris’s ipad with story book apps that say the word out aloud for her to hear every time she touches the word. Some books highlight the words as they are read out aloud.
I also buy as many books as I can with the unabridged audio book so she can listen to the cd while she reads the book.
Technology
It’s there so let’s use it
Interactive Story Book apps are incredible these days!
Films spark an interest in more stories, more books and turn those subtitles on, it all helps.
Find lyrics for their favourite songs (Youtube)
Kindle
Iphones, Siri
Ipads
Youtube
Spotify
Google Maps, Google Images
Video calling friends and family to encourage conversation
The list goes on and on. Encourage typing, encourage curiosity
Be safe, add parental controls and passwords where needed. Check search engine histories and youtube history for security but also to give you more information about their minds, what do they want to know about?
Create their own stories
This can start with picture stories with photos of what happened that day or on holiday. Add in short sentences and then create stories. Encourage your child to have their own voice, telling a story, this can be drawn, acted, played or danced. It doesn’t have to be written down. Be creative.
Patience
They will turn pages before you are ready, skip pages, rip pages, dirty pages, interrupt you, leave the room, come back, leave the room, come back…not have the faintest interest and then 6 months later that one book and them could be best friends. No predicting it I’m afraid, Iris even enjoys a book on horseback! Just go with the flow and no pressure. Add some reading time into each day but that can be in so many different forms that it doesn’t have to feel like a job or something to tick off that list. Reading becomes part of life.
Hands cradled the golden fairy hummingbird wings, Iris positioned the Christmas tree decoration to face her and smiled at the fir needles with atoms of rainbows. I feel a lightness of being present in the moment, in the bird I can see resilience and independence. They are a sign of love in Central America with wing beat patterns symbolising infinity. In other cultures they are healers and where ever they are seen they bring joy. Our Christmas has been filled with so much joy this year, many firsts, the first time Iris has been an Elf helping Father Christmas at the Club, the first time Iris had enjoyed opening her presents with everyone, the first time she had chosen to sit at the table with chatter around her.
Then fear cut through, breaking the celebrations in my heart when I couldn’t hear her hum, the music dulled my senses and the distractions of being social meant that I missed her leave. The backdoor left wide open, tiptoes and bare feet silently made their way out into the cold. Moments of magical time turned into a ticking clock, sand slipping through fingers as I check each room and grabbed a pair of boots to take with me on my search. Iris’s mind thinks in patterns, so must mine. Last time she went missing it was the Swedish midsummer celebrations and she was next door checking out their kitchen cupboards. My mind was made up that’s where I would go and as soon as I was out of the door I see the neighbour and she points to her house. Iris is there, safe. I walked her back to her grandparents in her grandmother’s wellington boots, she hums with her arm linked in mine. My hummingbird is with me.
I think a lot about how I can keep her within the boundaries, installed coded gates at home and taught her she must only leave home with me, taught her emergency details, printouts of our telephone number, address and her name are taped to her wardrobe and we practice saying them. Could a tiny GPS gadget be the answer alerting my phone? But the ancient farmhouse walls blocking the technological world and signals in my parent’s house would laugh at such a suggestion.
I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, by her age I was adventuring on my bike or pony, a traveller’s spirit within me always wanting to see what’s around the next corner. I know I can’t keep her winglet in my arm forever but I feel behind, left behind with so much that I need to teach her to keep her safe. As time goes on life has got easier, communication improved, social skills…but in those night time hours, my mind fills with worry, wandering thoughts about a wandering Iris. I know I am not alone, it’s an ingrained fear in most special needs parent’s minds. My way of overcoming this fear is empowering Iris with more skills, more knowledge and abilities to try to minimize the danger. She can not live in a fortress or a cage. The hummingbird reminds me although we can fly backward and learn from past events we must move forward too, lifting negativity and flipping it into a positive. So as we leave 2019 behind I would like to take with me the knowledge that Iris is not afraid to leave what she knows, she is happier in social situations, she is seeking, she is talking to me through her actions and this will guide us forwards for more adventures in 2020.
Iris’s Silk Scarf sale, 10% off your order and free delivery worldwide! https://www.irisgracepaintingshop.com
Since publishing Iris’s story we have been sending her prints to new homes all over the world. We are very lucky to have such a dedicated and talented team working with us on this project to deliver the highest quality of Giclee prints to Iris’s customers. They are produced at On The Edge Framing & Art only one mile down the road from where they were painted.
Using extremely ‘high end’ scan-back camera technology and daylight balanced lighting, we are able to create an incredibly accurate and detailed digital image from Iris’s Original Paintings. Our colour management ensures consistency and guarantees the highest standards and quality of image.
‘we love our prints! amazing quality and I can’t wait for them to come back from the framers, they will be calming for our daughter to look at every day.’ ~ Buyer from Portugal
‘Here in Malaysia at the Sunway Medical Centre Iris’s prints inspire and soothe our patients.’
The word Giclée (“g-clay”), is derived from the French verb gicler meaning “to squirt or spray”, Giclée, is used to describe a fine art digital printing process combining pigment based inks with high quality archival quality paper (Hahnemühle German Etching, 310 gsm) to achieve Giclée prints of superior archival quality, light fastness and stability.
‘I have struggled with great loss in my life, I have found Iris’s Paintings to be calming and enlightening giving me peace as I look into the images that she has created.’ ~ Buyer from South America
‘There is a sense of harmony, joy and my spirits lifted as I look at her paintings, thankyou for this special gift. x’ ~ Buyer from the U.S
If you would like to view the selection of prints we have for sale please do visit Iris’s online shop https://www.irisgracepaintingshop.com
As you can see everyone has their own ideas, colour schemes and designs of how they would like their Iris Grace print to be framed. We go for a white mount and white wooden frame like the ones pictured below but I have been inspired by how her buyers have been choosing to frame theirs.
Here is the link to Iris’s online shop where you can buy her prints
Iris’s Greetings Cards make a lovely Christmas present or sent out as individual cards, blank inside, 15cm x 10.5cm. You can buy them in a pack of 16, one of each painting displayed here
Tumpty Tum
Dance to the Oboe
Whisper
Explosions of Colour
Raining Cats
Anima
Painting a Lullaby
Water Dance
Blossom in the Wind
Monsoon
Story of the Secret Seahorse
Trumpet
Dancing in Snowflakes
Octavia
Sunflakes
Under the Sea
£2 per card. £32.00 for the pack. WORLDWIDE FREE DELIVERY
All of the profits raised from the sales of her prints go towards her ongoing therapies and some saved for her future.
To buy a pack of Iris’s Cards here is the link – https://www.irisgracepaintingshop.com/products/iris-grace-cards
We have launched Iris’s ‘Anima’ silk Scarf for Christmas 2019, it’s full of colours and they shine brightly on the pure silk. It is beautifully packed in an Iris Grace Presentation box with care/washing instructions inside. 85cm x 85cm with a red stitched hem. Free Postage and Packaging
The story begins with a Peacock from London called Pepe, he needed a home and we jumped at the chance to help him. I adored the idea of the colourful displays that would entice any child to explore. The magic fairy tale bird that would inspire us all came unexpectedly with a friend called Colin. Colin is a small but mighty rooster and he was along for the ride too. We settled them into the barn with Murph and Smurf our Pigmy goats, Blue, Casper and Jack, the ponies, then at last after the long journey we went to bed. At dawn, all was quiet as I approached the barn. It was oddly silent, no calls for food. Each animal was still, looking sadly down at the ground where Pepe’s body lay cold. Colin looked at me, I felt his loss and we decided to bring him inside as he clearly needed comfort. I am unsure how animals feel death, they certainly show almost human emotions but at the very least giving him comfort would help us along through the sadness of that morning. We do not know why Pepe died, maybe it was the move, shock, we were uncertain of his age but what we do know is he had a very good friend who I would like to get to know better.
Colin settled in the house making us laugh at how confident he is. He enjoys sitting on laps, gentle strokes and settling up high on mantle pieces observing his new household. Thula and Colin have an understanding after one quick flurry and a peck. To those who are new to a house rooster, here are some vital pieces of knowledge from me to you – blackout blinds! brilliant blackout blinds will fool your rooster into having a lie in. They also like to sleep high so maybe clear the mantle pieces and a book shelf just in case. Finally a fire and a warm atmosphere will soothe your rooster in the evening.
So with a journey that began with a Peacock has turned into an unexpected and at times hilarious adventure with a Rooster.
To our delight Colin proved himself to be incredible with Iris and other children so he is now part of our therapy sessions at The Little Explorers Activity Club
We are currently raising funds for Animal Assisted Therapy 2020, if you would like to donate here is the link – https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/animalassistedtherapy
Any help no matter how small it seems to you is deeply appreciated and money well spent. We can offer a tailored approach to vulnerable individual families and their children providing a unique therapeutic environment for them to learn.
