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contemporaryartreflectionljmu · 3 years

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Rachel MacLean: Modern Day Master

,‘Sickly sweet’ and ‘coloured with an absurdist comedy’ (Brown, 2018). ‘Tacky, kitsch and utterly repellent’ (Saunders, 2018). ‘A constant back and forth between the seductive and the unsettling’ (Couston, 2016). These are just a few ways the saccharine colour schemed work of artist Rachel MacLean has been described.

Rachel MacLean. Image: David Bebber, 2019

Possibly the most pertinent contemporary artist of our time, MacLean’s works are predominantly digital videos (Couston, 2016). Born in 1987, Maclean has gained attention in recent years, even going on to represent Scotland at the 2017 Venice Biennale (Saunders, 2018).

I first discovered the work of Rachel MacLean when she curated Too Cute (2019) at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. The exhibition, alongside an explanation video by “Dr Cute”, played by MacLean, drew me in, in a way no exhibition had before.

For Too Cute, MacLean had juxtaposed ‘contemporary objects and art with those from the Nineteenth Century’ (King, 2019). The questions the exhibition aimed to raise were one factor that intrigued me. Have people always had a compulsion to all things cute and lovely? Has the idea of cuteness changed over the generations? At what point does cute cross the line into scary and repelling?

Still from Dr Cute video. Image: Art Fund, 2019 https://www.artfund.org/whats-on/exhibitions/2019/01/26/too-cute-exhibition

The other factor was the way these questions were presented to the viewer. While Dr Cute’s video touched on serious themes such as escapism from our daily lives and the excesses of consumerism, it was almost masked by the candy colours, exaggeration, reference to pop culture and satirical element. ‘Cuteness is a huge part of contemporary life: advertising, filters, emojis, memes, fashion’ and so on (King, 2019). Therefore, while MacLean’s art seemed absurd, it was, as with much of her work, ‘at once entrancingly strange and disturbingly familiar’ (Langley, 2016).

So, what exactly does Rachel MacLean do? Within her videos the artist uses green screen technology to display digitally created imagined backgrounds (Couston, 2016). Alongside digital editing, MacLean’s aesthetic is marked by a continuous reference to pop culture and mass media tropes. For example, Feed Me (2015) includes ‘X-factor style auditions, skin cream ads, Disney style sing-alongs and a soap opera’ (Couston, 2016). However, MacLean takes the merging of the real and the imagined one step further; her films are ‘collaged from found objects’ (Langley, 2016) and often contain found audio sources, ranging from Britain’s Got Talent to David Cameron’s speeches (Couston, 2016).

Still from Feed Me. Image: Frieze, 2016 https://www.frieze.com/article/focus-rachel-maclean

MacLean’s characters are distinct art works in their own right. Her characters, ‘taken from Disney animations and fairytales or inspired by commercial advertising,’ (Couston, 2016) are made up of found objects such as wigs, masks, and ‘elaborate candy-coloured costumes’ (Brooks, 2018). With MacLean a fan of caricature (Saunders, 2018), it is no surprise that her characters possess jarring features, whether accentuated teeth or melting skin. As MacLean explains in an interview, “there’s a strange power in the grotesque,” it can be easily and purposefully achieved, as opposed to today’s beauty standards that aim to keep you buying (Brooks, 2018).

Still from Spite Your Face. Image: ArtRabbit, 2018 https://www.artrabbit.com/events/rachel-maclean-spite-your-face-chapter

Among her influences MacLean counts Cindy Sherman particularly her portraits; “it feels very relevant now to the age of social media… people representing themselves in photographs as their idealised self” (Brown, 2018). Additionally, she is inspired by video artists Shana Moulton and Ryan Trecartin (Langley, 2016). Comedy has impacted MacLean’s work, evident by the satirical nature of her films; “you can talk about serious ideas without it feeling too weighty… laughing at systems of power is quite a powerful thing” (Brown, 2018). However, perhaps somewhat unexpected at first glance, MacLean’s work is steeped in Art History. A fan of Bosch’s Renaissance triptychs and Hogarth’s eighteenth-century cartoons (Saunders, 2018), the influence of the past on MacLean’s work can be seen in Spite Your Face (2017) with Piero della Francesca’s one point perspective, and the ‘crowded, flattened world of a Giotto fresco’ (Brown, 2018), and in Make Me Up (2018) in which MacLean challenges ‘the male oriented art canon’ (Brown, 2018).

Still from Make Me Up. Image: Rachel MacLean, 2018 http://www.rachelmaclean.com/make-me-up-film/

MacLean’s works encapsulate a range of themes and ideas paramount in today’s society. She ‘presents a critical and satirical view of the excesses of consumerism,’ even touching on the commercialisation of happiness and wellbeing (Couston, 2016). During filming for Channel 4’s Artist in Residence series, MacLean was able to delve deeper into this, after living inside Birmingham’s Bull Ring shopping centre. Of consumerism, she stated, “it’s an entire culture that necessitates dissatisfaction,” and thus was born a new character; the Satisfaction Bunny (Brooks, 2018). MacLean also discussed the hidden level of censorship in what are seemingly public spaces, after not being able to film in shops or interview staff; “the only way was to make art about the level of censorship around these brands” (Brooks, 2018).

MacLean outside the Bullring as the Satisfaction Bunny. Image: The Guardian, 2018 https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/aug/05/rachel-maclean-artists-in-residence-channel-4-birmingham-bullring

MacLean has touched on various types of identity within her work; The Lion and The Unicorn (2012) and A Whole New World (2014) engages with Britain’s national identity and colonial past while Feed Me explores the class divide (Langley, 2016). Make Me Up, on the other hand, explores women’s suffrage and male fear at female empowerment (Saunders, 2018). The recurring presence of technology and reliance on smart phones is another identifier of MacLean’s work, with the ‘unnervingly cutesy aesthetic’ (Langley, 2016) being compared to that of social media filters (Brown, 2018). Throughout all of this, characters within the films speak directly to the camera; MacLean is confronting us, urging the audience to directly engage with issues presented to them (Langley, 2016).

Still from A Whole New World. Image: BBC, 2013 https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p052dh8s

Rachel MacLean isn’t the first or only artist to analyse these themes. However, the aesthetic she uses and the continuous references to the modern day make her works difficult to ignore, and her ideas more easily accessible and understood. This is furthered by the range of influences she draws on, ‘from Baroque architecture to Korean pop videos’ (Saunders, 2018). I am fascinated with how MacLean is able to reflect modern society in her works, using satire to get us to subconsciously question it ourselves. As Frieze sums it up, MacLean ‘exaggerates pop culture in order to reveal its underlying absurdities, heightening our awareness of reality rather than providing fanciful distraction from it’ (Langley, 2016).

Rachel MacLean. Image: The Herald Scotland, 2016 https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/14481256.meet-rachel-maclean-candy-coloured-nightmare-world-artist-represent-scotland-venice-20

Sources:

Brooks, L. (2018) Rachel MacLean: My month in hell as the Bullring bunny [Online] Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2018/aug/05/rachel-maclean-artists-in-residence-channel-4-birmingham-bullring (Accessed: 5th March 2021)

Brown, G. M. (2018) Rachel MacLean: Satire for the Age of Snapchat [Online] Financial Times. Available at: https://www.ft.com/content/a6cb6d0a-bfee-11e8-95b1-d36dfef1b89a (Accessed: 7th March 2021)

Couston, E. (2016) Five Minutes on Rachel Maclean [Online] Tate. Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/context-comment/articles/rachel-maclean-art-now (Accessed: 7th March 2021)

King, J. (2019) Too Cute! What happens when sweet gets sinister? [Online] Art UK. Available at: https://artuk.org/discover/stories/too-cute-what-happens-when-sweet-gets-sinister (Accessed: 5th March 2021)

Langley, P. (2016) In Focus: Rachel MacLean [Online] Frieze. Available at: https://www.frieze.com/article/focus-rachel-maclean (Accessed: 5th March 2021)

Saunders, T. F. (2018) Rachel MacLean interview: ‘There’s a fear that if women makes jokes they’re going to start laughing at men’ [Online] The Telegraph. Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/art/artists/rachel-maclean-interview-fear-women-make-jokes-going-start-laughing/ (Accessed: 7th March 2021)

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spnbaby-67 · 5 years

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Baby Love, oh baby love.

A/N: Hi yall, just something i saw one night while scrolling on the my top videos that Facebook had, and thought it would be cute to see what Jensen would do. as always this is a work of non fiction and pure entertainment for me. i mean no harm to any side of their families and for this jensen is married to the reader. thank you to gaynor @secretlyfurrydragon for her help with beta as well as grammerly. i went ahead and bought a subscription to see if it helps. let me know if you see anything wrong so i can work out the kinks on settings. As always please do not copy and paste and claim as yours, like, comments, and reblogs are awesome and ill love you double for them,.

Warnings: The idea is not mine, I just used it for this story. Non other than cussing,

Pairing: Jensen and Reader, Gen and Jared Padalecki.

Walking out of the hospital, Y\N Ackles was smiling from ear to ear. She just found out that she was a month and a half pregnant, which was fantastic news to her because a year ago, was told that she would never be able to get pregnant again after a devastating miscarriage. It killed her so much that Y/N felt she betrayed Jensen of something he deserved, and soon slipped into a state of depression. Y/N was thankful Jensen was there for her everyday and anytime she needed him. However, she also knew he needed to work to get out of the funk he was in as well. Both of you along with your best friends Jared and Gen Padalecki, were there to help you both get through the most terrible time, one that Y/N prayed even now wouldn’t repeat. She was scared to tell Jensen the news afraid to jinx them, but at the same time, she wanted him to know.

On her way home from the Dr's office, she called Gen to see if she would help her deliver the news to Jensen. Gen was more than excited to help and told Y/N that she would meet her at Jensen’s trailer when she finished her errands to help make this news special to him.

“I am so happy for you Y/N, Jensen is going to he literally flip.” She said as she attached the camera to the tripod.

“I hope so Gen. I am literally shaking right now scared that he won’t be happy.” Y/N said as she let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding in.

Gen came over to Y/N and placed each hand on her shoulders. “Jensen is going to be over the moon happy with this; he’s going to shout from the highest rooftop that God gave Y'all a second chance. He’s going to be happy Y/N, I know it.” She assured her, “by the way, how did you come up with this idea? It’s amazing.”

Y/N sat down after finishing the last cardboard poster, “Well, I remember watching on Facebook one night, you know that section they have now about top videos or something like that?” Gen nodded, “I saw one where the lady was pregnant, and she gave her husband a taste test to see if he could figure it out. I got three different food items that Jensen would know right away, and then the last one would be baby food. I figured while he had the blindfold on that you or Jared could videotape his reactions while I hold up the posters.” Y/N said as she shrugged her shoulders.

“That’s totally awesome, but you know I’ll have to keep Jared from spitting it out when he sees the final poster.” Her face beamed with excitement for her best friend, “Maybe, we can get Jared to help with a couple of them so Jensen would feel it’s legit.”

“Oooh, not a bad idea. That may actually work, then in the third one you could take the blindfold off of Jared so we can focus on Jensen.” She said as she made final adjustments to the last poster.

“This is going to be epic. I can see Jensen now.” She said admiring their work. “There, that is so adorable.” Gen beamed.

Y/N smiled, she was way too excited and scared at the same time. The thoughts from a year ago came into her mind as she texted Jensen.

Y/N—— Jensen, come to your trailer when you are done. ❤️❤️❤️

Jensen—- Give us about twenty minutes, almost done if Jared would stop acting up. Love you too, ❤️❤️❤️

Y/N sighed as she looked at Gen after texting Jensen. “He said they should be done in twenty minutes, let’s put these up here to hide them so he won’t see them right away.” They gathered the posters and ultrasound photos and placed them above the fridge out of sight, then sat down to wait.

The more they waited, the more nervous Y/N got. She played with her hands in her lap that Gen had to swat at her a couple of times. “Stop, you’re making me nervous, and I’m not even pregnant.” She giggled.

“It’s utterly nerve-wracking, waiting impatiently to I might add,” she pulled at her shirt a couple of times, heat within made her feel hot.

Gen placed her hand on top of hers, “it’s going to be ok, I promise.”

The look of positivity in Gen’s eyes calmed Y/N down just a bit. She even managed to relax some. However, that all changed when the door opened, and Jensen appeared in view.

“Jensen!” Y/N said as she stood straight up, forgetting the cabinet above her and hitting her head on it, forcing her back down on the couch. “Son of a fucking bitch, that hurt.” She immediately took her hand to rub the spot.

“Y/N?” Jensen shouted as he ran to hold her. “Baby, are you ok?” He asked as she leaned into him stifling back a cry.

“Hmm,” she muttered, “just hurt like a mother fucker.” She rose up quickly after she said that, realizing she won’t be able to cuss anymore.

He looked at her, then Gen, then back to her, “Babe? Are you sure your ok, I could go get Chris our medic to look you over.” He was worried she hit her head too hard from the look in her eyes.

She swallowed hard, “Um, no I’m ok. Jense, see?” She stood up, but just as she did, she sat back down feeling nauseated and dizzy.

“Whoa, their baby girl. Jared, please call Chris here, I’m not taking any chances.” He sat next to her wrapping his arms around her.

“Jensen, it’s ok really.” Gen giggled at him.

“How is it ok Gen? She hit her head, hard to I might add.” He looked back at Y\N who was smiling. “Y\N? Are you sure your ok?” Even though she nodded she was, Jensen couldn’t help feel something wrong. “Ok, then I guess if you're ok, your ok. But if anything feels weird, you let me know immediately, alright?”

“I will Jay, I promise. Now can we get on with the reason I called you both here?” She pursed her lips together with wide eyes, tapped at Jensen's knee, then stood up this time avoiding the cabinets.

“Hey shortstop,” Jared hugged her. “You sure you're ok?”

She smiled up at him, “yes moose, I’m fine,” she let go of his warm embrace. “Ok, now Jensen you have to wear this, and no complaining. Moose, you too.” She handed them each a blindfold.

“Why do I have to wear one,” Jared looked at her confused.

“Because big guy I asked you to.” She patted his shoulder with a sarcastic smile and turned to Jensen. “Go on, put it on.”

“You're serious about this?” Jensen asked.

“Yup, I am. Now, put it on, or you will not get any sex for a week.” She heard Jared laugh behind her, turned to face him. “Be careful Jare; I’ll have Gen stay with me for a week.” She saw his face go lax. “That’s what I thought.” She winked at them both.

Nerves that were once there was replaced with excitement as she watched her husband and his best friend place the blindfolds on, she looked over at Gen who was smiling and setting up the camera to film their reaction. “Ok, I have handpicked three different choices of food that I will feed you each, you have to guess what the are and no peeking, understand?”

“Got it,” they both said in unison.

She laughed, it amazed her that even blindfolded they say the same thing, she got the first item which was avocado, she fed Jared first who even with a blindfold on, could tell was a bit confused look kept moving his mouth around “Don’t say anything yet Jare, I’ll tell you when.” She then fed a spoonful to Jensen. “Same for you Jay, just wait.” She put the item on the table and for the video held up a sign that read ‘they think this is a taste test,’ She then put the poster board back on top of the fridge, “ok, what is it?” She asked them.

Jensen smacked his lips, “Easy, avocado.” He waited to see if he was right.

“Yup, one point to Jay.” She giggles getting the next one ready.

“Ha! In your face Jare, i’m so ready for the next one.” He jumped a bit shaking his arms out, and popping his neck from left to right as if he was getting ready to fight a wrestler or something.

“Hey, no fair. I didn’t get to say anything.” He puffed his bottom lip out.

“It’s ok babe,” Gen whispered in his ear. “This is for Jensen ok, just go along with it.” She kissed his cheek then winked at Y/N to continue.

Y/N got the second jar ready, fed Jensen first this time, “remember don’t say it out loud yet.” Then she went over to Jared, gave him a bite as well. She held the second sign up for the camera that read ‘but today, I found out some exciting news.’ She then put them up and stood back. “Ok, what is it?”

Jared rose his hands above him dancing like an overgrown monkey making the girls laugh, “Ok Jare, you got it. What is it?” She couldn’t help it, Jared was such a goofball.

“Pumpkin pie.” He blurted out, but he didn’t see Jensen give him a bitch face look.

“Dude, seriously? That was such a dick move.” Underneath the cloth, he rolled his eyes.

Y/N goes over to Jensen, “I’m sorry baby. This last one is for you only ok?” She patted at his chest to comfort his Dean ego.

He took a deep breath in, then let it out. “Cool, I’m ready for it.” He turned to face Jared and like a kid stuck his tongue at him.

Gen had taken the blindfold off of Jared so he could witness his best friends surprise. But she also told him to be quiet or else, Y/N had gotten the bottle of baby food and gave Jensen a full spoonful. He rolled the taste in his mouth a moment to get a taste of what it was as Y/N held up the last sign that read ‘We’re pregnant’ decorated with stickers and various items. Jared’s eyes went wide when he saw that and wanted to y say something, but she shushed him. “Ok Jay, what do you think?”

“It tastes familiar, almost like something I had way back when I was a kid, no, more like something I fed Odette one day,”

"What do you mean when you fed Odette one day?" Jared asked.

Jensen turned to the direction of his voice, "You were on set, and Gen brought the kids over, and I fed Odette. I may or may not have taken a bite." He heard laughing. "What, I was curious."

“Ok, ok. Then what does it taste like?” Y/N waited on bated breath.

Jensen took the spoon she given him and took another bite, “Peaches for sure,” he stopped in mid-sentence, looked at Y/N’s direction. “No fucking way,” his face widen with surprise as he took off the blindfold. He saw his wife holding the final poster with the results and ultrasound attached to it.

“Congratulations dad,” she smiled at him with tears in her eyes.

He reached over to her and pulled her closer to him after Gen took the poster from her, kissing her all over. “Oh my God, Y/N are you serious? We are having a baby?”

She nodded. “Yes, Jensen. We are having a baby.”

Jensen pulled her so close to her that he thought if he didn’t he would pass out with excitement, “I love you so much, baby. So, so much.” His voice was mixed with tears and emotion.

She put her arms around his neck, “I love you too, handsome.”

@secretlyfurrydragon @writersaredreamers @waywardbaby @horsegirly99 @shaelyn102 @percussiongirl2017 @mogaruke @internationalmusicteacher @shamelesslydean @alliedimlerr @destiny314 @percussiongirl2017 @angelessquirrel @nanie5 @racheladams77 @spndeanlover1967 @akshi8278 @tiffanycaruso @spnlover67 @wonderfulworldofwinchester @jensen-gal @squirrelnotsam @alliekay727 @madisun16 @haceleyes @smoothdogsgirl @jdmbabe1980 @bombaluv96 @waterlilyshaista @family-business-forever @Suchandra10 @waywardnerd67 @mannls @woodworthi666 @healojane @rainflowermoon @spnskinnyballs @sammieimpala-67 @toripike1234 @lessons-of-red

#Jensen Ackles #jensen ackles fanfiction #jensen ackles x reader #jensen-ackles-x-reader-fanfiction #pregnant reader #reader insert #Jared Padalecki #Genevieve Padalecki

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theticklefox-blog · 7 years

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Snatch the Series: My Review

Note: this will contain spoilers, so read no further if you haven’t watched the series yet. It will also contain negative opinions on some issues, so if the show was everything you ever wished for... this isn’t for you and I don’t want to upset you. Just enjoy the GIFs (which betray my biases) and skip the rest.

I really, really wanted to like Snatch. Honest I did. I keenly anticipated it from the moment it was announced, despite my not being a huge fan of Guy Richie or the film version. The previews made the show look energetic and fun and most of the actors are consistently good, and playing types of characters they’re not necessarily known for, which I always appreciate. Also, fans of the other actors, Luke Pasqualino and Rupert Grint in particular, were very kind and helpful in providing news, BTS video and rare photos as the series filmed, and were-- mostly-- good about not posting spoilers without a warning.

So it saddens me to report I found the show more annoying than involving. A large part of that is due to the slipshod writing, underwritten characterization and reliance on jarring edits and often “WTF?!” character motivations and action that made it difficult for me to care about the protagonists (or even perceive them as protagonists, really... let’s say The Young Pretty People The Writers Clearly Wanted Us To Like.)

Mostly I’m upset Marc Warren’s considerable talents were wasted on such a grand scale. So much could have been made of Bob Fink in the hands of a more creative writing staff... every week on Fargo and Better Call Saul, to name just two current examples, corrupt cops and wannabe gangsters (who are often the same characters) have rich, unpredictable storylines which give talented actors a broad canvas on which to showcase their talents and play off one another. But the Fink charter is merely insulted by everyone in his orbit from the beginning (which, frankly, just made me sympathize with him), marginalized in most of the plot and never given enough to do.

I suspect Ed Westwick fans are also somewhat frustrated that Westwick, who was front and center in most of the promotion, was too easily dispensed with in episode four, and that most of his colorful momements were actually given away the commercials.

I'm still baffled by Marc’s treatment in that promotion. His name was literally never mentioned once by other actors or by the show’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram feeds, though he’s the closest thing to a main antagonist the show has. (Photos of his character appeared, but Marc was never named.) Did Marc want to avoid being part of the publicity? Was it some sort of misguided decision by the marketing staff because Marc is relatively unknown here, or even because a handful of people keep whining about how much they disliked his character on The Good Wife? I just don’t get it. I’d like some answers about this.

But the promotional absurdities wouldn’t matter if Marc had been given a decent role to play, and he was shorted in that department too... Fink could have been a great villain or a great tragic character, but, despite some great acting moments from Marc, he wasn’t allowed to be either. The character is bullied, deceived and marginalized by both his gangster friends and corrupt police associates, yet the writing kept implying he deserved this without ever providing proof.

Then there was the Vic Hill character, who the writers clearly intended to be charming, but I saw only a thuggish man-child who continuously jeopardizes his family and bullies his perceived underlings. I hated him from the beginning and he only got worse. Dougray Scott’s hammily overdone performance didn’t help matters. I was on Bob’s side pretty much from the start... if only the writers had a clue about nuance and a willingness to challenge their audience or divide it, but... no. There was no character depth to speak of anywhere.

As for the young leads... the old kiddie ganster musical Bugsy Malone kept popping into my head. i couldn’t take them seriously as adults despite the fact these actors are in their late 20s-early 30s and more than capable of playing bona fide adults if they’d been given a decent script. Instead they were given hoary paint-by-numbers plot cliches cribbed from every gangster movie since the 1920s, padded out by clumsily-executed heist sequences and flashbacks that played like music videos.

In some ways it seemed like the series had two or three episodes worth of material, and the rest was filler, leading to a number of pointless tangents and inexplicable actions. The backstory about the gold was goofy at best, and nice coincidence about it resurfacing exactly when and where Albert, Charlie et al were planning to hijack Sonny’s cash (in an identical truck, no less). The show is full of such cartoonish improbabilities, though none delivered with the verve of an actual cartoon.

There are repetitive flashback’s of Vic’s original heist (yeah, let’s show Bob getting heaped with more abuse... ), loony side-stories filling in for character development (ie Billy’s whole backstory... what a wasted opportunity that was. Though Lucien Laviscount did a great job with the few subtle dialogue moments he got between having to beat people up and listen to crazy yarns about his parents), repetitive scenes of Charlie getting impaired in various ways, an out-of-nowhere love triangle that seems to be there just to divide the main group, female characters who have too little to do in general except be feisty and supportive (or, in the case of Dwyer, feisty and cuntish)... I get the sense the scripts were all written in the weekend before filming began, and that no one really scrutinized them closely.

Yes, I’m a Marc Warren fan and am biased. And I knew going in that he was probably playing an antagonist and that he’d get iced in the final episode... I’m used to all of that. Pretty much every actor I’ve ever admired from Lon Chaney Sr onward got typecast as villains or outsiders and got killed onscreen more times than Steve Buscemi does throughout the Coen Brothers’ oeuvre. I don’t have a problem with that. Conventional heroes and the squarejaws who play them bore me. I love complicated characters and character actors who seek out such roles.

But I don't appreciate youth-obsessed deck-stacking, treating bullies as heroes, and writing which both wants our protagonists to be “bad-ass” or at least risk-taking, yet continuously lets them off the hook, either through miraculous escapes or through having the older characters or one-note side characters take bullets for them or do the dirty work. Full disclosure: I haven’t bothered with the last two episodes because I was so disgusted with what went down in episode 8. I’m pretty sure the Young Pretty People prevailed and that Albert redeemed the sins of his father and finally said something nice to Charlie according to schedule. I can’t say I really care.

As in The Musketeers, Marc played a bullied, mistreated character who I couldn’t help but care about, both because Marc is such an exquisite actor even in marginal roles, and because I tend to side with complicated or oppressed characters, not with self-described “heroes”. In both shows, despite being the nominal villain, his character was shunted to the sidelines for too much of the duration, then suddenly given a lot of screentime just before being ganged up on and killed off. So yeah, the worst kind of deja vu... in The Musketeers at least Rochefort had some fun or powerful moments, and I understood that the show’s episodic structure hindered a more nuanced character through-line.

But Snatch has no such excuses. Also: couldn’t Bob and Charlie have had a sustained sequence or conversation without annoying cutaways to more trivial matters, like Vic torturing Charlie’s butler (which was played for laughs! God how I hated Vic...)? And why did Bob keep leaving the apartment? Apart from more plot-padding I mean? Why didn’t Bob shoot Vic when he had the chance? Because he really should have. Why was the whole tiresome side trip to America necessary, given how easily Billy got the diamonds back? Much of the plot strains on like that, making no sense.

The Snatch showrunners keep comparing their efforts to Fargo, Noah Hawley’s brilliant offshoot of the Coens’ film (of all their films, really)... they need to stop doing this. It does them no favors and it makes me pine for Marc to get cast on Hawley’s show (or anything by Vince Gilligan) instead. Yes, I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, because the writers on those shows know something about ambiguity, character development, unpredictable plotting, creative musical cues, and, most essentially, how to hire great character actors and write roles worthy of them, then give them room to breathe onscreen. Hawley or Gilligan would’ve known what to do with Bob Fink. They could’ve done for Marc what they’ve done for Giancarlo Esposito, Bryan Cranston, Jonathan Banks, Bokeem Woodbine, Alison Tolman... even established stars like Ewen McGregor and Billy Bob Thornton have shown new capabilities on Fargo. I would donate my left kidney to see Marc on one of those shows, whereas if the Snatch crew had created Breaking Bad... I'm sure Walter White would’ve been killed off in season one while the balance of the show went on to document the hijinks of Badger and Skinny Pete.

I know I’ve gone on long enough, but I'm still bitter. ;) Marc Warren has really scaled back his acting commitments in recent years. I have no idea why, whether his priorities now lie elsewhere (and it’s none of my business to guess where), or whether he’s just not getting the calibre of role he’d like... if Snatch and Audible “Audio dramas” are the best he’s being offered, it must be very frustrating, but I don't want to judge his choices when I have no idea why they were made. Marc rarely gives interviews these days. He has said in the past that Mad Dogs arose from the poor quality of roles offered him at that time. If he and his actor friends wanted to crowdfund something along those lines I would do everything in my power to promote that or help. If Marc simply wants to focus his attentions elsewhere and not act so often, that’s perfectly within his rights as well. Of course he owes me nothing. I hope that when he appears at Birmingham’s Collectormania fancon to do signings next month (June 3) he’ll give us a hint of some kind. (Don’t worry, Marc, I won’t be there... I only do the fangirl thing from a distance.)

Anyhow... with Marc doing so few projects lately, it’s incredibly frustrating to wait months for something like Snatch, that so consistently fails to deliver. Marc does the best he can and has some great moments in spite of the limits he’s working under. As I’ve said, there was the potential for a great, messy, complicated character there. He deserved so much better.

#marc warren #snatch the series #bob fink #review #fargo #better call saul #bad show writing #fangirl problems

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instantdeerlover · 4 years

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With Their Restaurants Closed, Chefs Turn to Instagram Live to Inspire Home Cooks added to Google Docs

With Their Restaurants Closed, Chefs Turn to Instagram Live to Inspire Home Cooks

Miami chef Brad Kilgore in a series of cooking videos he published to TikTok

How social media offers valuable information and a sense of community as folks stay at home

To say that the COVID-19 pandemic has been a wake-up call for many is an understatement. It has exposed a number of flaws throughout society, but perhaps among the most fundamental is the lack of knowledge we have as a whole of how to, in some cases, do just about anything in the kitchen. Though a portion of the population with the means to do so continues to patronize restaurants via delivery and takeout, others — either by choice or circumstance — are left to fend for themselves. And as anyone would expect in this day and age, these kitchen novices are turning to the internet and social media for guidance.

Social-distancing measures have forced even more of our lives to be lived online. I’ve joined virtual workout classes to keep myself from becoming too sedentary, danced for hours at #ClubQuarantine, and listened as various people and organizations discuss the ways we can fight to protect the #TooSmallToFail restaurant industry. But most prominent in my feed are the many chefs, recipe developers, and other food personalities doing what they can to teach the masses how to boil water. Massimo Bottura recently took to Instagram Live to show viewers how to make a meal of ribs, mashed potatoes, and radicchio with prosciutto; chef Angela Dimayuga, along with Jon Gray and Pierre Serrao of Ghetto Gastro, joined everyone’s favorite food person, Samin Nosrat, on Instagram Live to make cornbread to go with some baked beans. Countless food bloggers are hopping onto Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok to demonstrate the key to soft-scrambled eggs or how to make pickled onions, and the amount of information available through ephemeral videos and static posts feels endless.

“It has been very organic and it’s fun. It gives us purpose — that’s the main thing.”

Soraya Caraccioli-Kilgore and her husband, Brad Kilgore, of Alter and other Miami restaurants — which closed for a week before reopening for delivery and takeout with new menus Tuesday — started sharing videos on their Instagram accounts as a way to pass the time. “We were home and we were really bored. I was starting to get really sad and [was] thinking, ‘What are we gonna do?’ We’ve been doing this for 14 years,” she says. “I was going to make a banana bread that day, period, and we’re like, why don’t we just do a video?” After seeing people posting their finished loaves and sharing how much they enjoyed watching the couple cook together, the Kilgores decided to do something every day, including taco Tuesdays and wine Wednesdays with their friend Amanda. “It has been very organic and it’s fun. It gives us purpose — I think that’s the main thing.”

For chefs who have seen their restaurants close or cut back operations due to the pandemic, the videos are motivated by boredom, yes. But for many, they’re outlets that can also be used to stay in contact with restaurant regulars, fundraise for their staffs or other industry organizations, and combat a sense of helplessness during this weird time.

Pastry chef and Eater Young Gun Zoë Kanan left NYC restaurant Simon & the Whale at the beginning of the year to explore new opportunities and found herself in unfamiliar territory. “Not having the umbrella of a restaurant family has left me feeling like a team of one,” she says. Her turn to the internet for a sense of community also started with banana bread, inspired by a recent trip to Vietnam. “I found old frozen bananas in my freezer and was also craving some comforting flavors,” Kanan says. “I shared the recipe online as a way to connect with my community: If I can’t bake for people directly, I can at least guide them in my way. I like knowing we all measured out the same amounts, followed like motions, and tasted something similar. It’s how I could help.”

Natalia Vallejo of Cocina al Fondo in San Juan, Puerto Rico, says she shares what she cooks at home “to motivate and inspire others by placing my talent at the service of others... Many have never cooked so much in their lives, and I consider it a good moment in time to give people back a connection to their food.” The James Beard Award-nominated chef hopes to teach, transmit love, and make people feel as if they are not alone despite physical isolation. “We are a great community and we are together in this,” she says. “In the end, the essence of restaurants and diners is that underlying connection.”

Poi Dog Philly’s Kiki Aranita’s aim was simple when she began posting cooking videos on her personal Instagram page: “It was a way to entertain myself.” She tried offering delivery and takeout at her Hawaiian restaurant, but decided against it after two days in order to put the safety of her employees first. “As much as we tried to avoid contact with people, it was happening, and I just didn’t feel comfortable, even though my employees wanted to come in.”

That’s when the motivation behind her social media presence shifted. “I wanted to do this to keep driving traffic to our page so that people see that they have two ways of supporting our staff,” Aranita says. One is to encourage people to visit the restaurant’s online shop and buy merch to keep revenue incoming. The other is to amplify “our virtual tip jar to benefit our employees and the employees of two other food trucks that became brick and mortars around the same time we did.”

Aranita also wants to help the various charities that had to cancel events. “I’m gonna start wearing the Rent the Runway dresses for the events that I had canceled while making the food so that I can also highlight all these organizations, like Women Against Abuse, Vetri Community Partnership, and No Kid Hungry,” she says. “If I wear the dresses and prepare the food that I was going to make for the event, then hopefully viewers will also donate to the charity.”

Some have been able to use online-only videos as a way to generate additional revenue. “Everyone’s jumped to delivery. And we had a little bit of delivery business prior to this, but it wasn’t enough to survive off of,” says Brian Jupiter of Chicago’s Ina Mae Tavern and Frontier restaurants. In a brainstorming session with staff, the chef landed on selling meal kits to pair with a live instructional video. The first iteration ran Monday for Ina Mae’s Nashville fried chicken po’ boy. They sold about 80 meal kits during the day, and that evening, those people tuned in to the restaurant’s Instagram page to learn how to make it at home. Jupiter already has plans for a brunch kit that he’ll demo along with his daughter “to give people ideas of what they can do with children at home.” Beyond that, “I’d do it twice a week if I can, because it’s a form of engaging with the people who have supported me over the years.”

All note that it’s been more than just friends, family, and restaurant regulars who have engaged with their content. “People from around the world have been tuning in,” Caraccioli-Kilgore says.

“I chatted with people I know and others I don’t about the comforts of banana bread, Vietnam, baking tips, and more,” Kanan echoes.

From takeout to restaurant merch, GoFundMe campaigns to virtual tip jars, the restaurant industry is doing all that it can simply to survive. “To have something that’s completely out of your control completely affecting your bottom line is tough,” Jupiter says.

“We’re in fight mode for our employees more than anything,” Caraccioli-Kilgore says. “I’m just trying to make sure that they have jobs and they’re putting food on the table.”

Overall, the support these chefs and restaurateurs are receiving from the public has not gone unfelt. “The amount of love that I feel like the industry has gotten from non-restaurant people, it’s honestly humbling,” Caraccioli-Kilgore says.

As serious at the situation is, there is often levity and, albeit sometimes dark, humor in these posts. “I think part of the humor in my videos is that I’m used to cooking for 500 people instead of cooking for one,” Aranita says. “While people are still getting used to the idea of isolation, I hope to entertain them a little bit and encourage people to stay at home.”

Aaron Hutcherson is a writer, editor, and recipe developer based in New York City.

via Eater - All https://www.eater.com/pop-culture/2020/3/26/21195591/restaurant-chefs-virtual-cooking-classes-instagram-live-tiktok-coronavirus-impact-covid-19

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currenthealtheventsblog-blog · 5 years

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100 Fun Activities To Do On School Holidays

New Post has been published on https://currenthealthevents.net/awesome/100-fun-activities-to-do-on-school-holidays/

100 Fun Activities To Do On School Holidays

Tired of hearing” I’m bored Mum “?

Well, here are just a few suggestions of fun things to do on school holidays!

1. Have a kids MasterChef competition at home.

Keep meals simple- something such as pizza( merely the toppings for little kids) is perfect. This works especially well if the kids have a few friends over. Have a competition as to who builds the best pizza – you can be the magistrate. Inducing dough from scratch is fun( and tiring !) but very inexpensive. Plus an added bonus – you don’t have to cook dinner!

Photo Credit: blog.timesunion.com

2. Clown Around at Circus School

Quite a few circus schools have popped up all over Australia. Check out if there is one near you!

Here is the list :

3. Visit a local park.

Ohh yeah – you’ve heard that one before. But not just any park, get out the UBD or on the internet and find a park that you haven’t been to before. Many of the new Council playgrounds are marvelous. There is water play, flying foxes, all sorts of do-be-watchits and thing-a-majigs! A lot of them are fun for parents too!

Photo Credit: www.waterplay.com

4. Go to a Make Your Own Slime Class

Slime has been banned at my house after the children played with it on the couch and I now have a huge green snot-like smear right where you sit. If you detest slime too- then this is for you! There is now a Slime Making’ Masterclass ‘ for ages 4- 14 years.

Find out more information here !

5. Go Swimming.

Well, this one is for summer- check out your local pool. It’s cheap to get into. All kids love swimming and there is always a nice shady place for Mum to sit and read whilst Dad watches the kids! Sick of the local pool? Visit one of the really big water parks- some of them have heated ponds indoors!

Photo Credit: www.penhalonga.com

6. Take a train ride.

There are still a couple of old steam trains around the trap. Make a day of it and take the whole family- even grab Nanna! The Mary Valley Rattler in Gympie has just started running again- only two hours drive north of Brisbane.

Photo Credit: www.flickr.com

7. Go to Code Camp

If your kids are mad about computers, what about enrolling them into a Coding Camp! There are classes for all ages and interests( from house games to only learning the basics)

Find out more at their website .

8. Check out Ninja Warrior School

Ninja Warrior is so popular with children and households around Australia, then why not join the Ninja Warrior School Holiday Workshop? The Workshop runs over two days( 2.5 hours per day) where you child will learn ninja skills!

Ages: 5- 15 years Location: Wetherill Park, NSW Website

9. Play puppet show at home.

Puppet indicates has all along been the cornerstone of imaginative play for children and you can stimulate your own puppet show at home too! So collect all your socks that you’re no longer employing and get out the clag and have fun creating.

Photo Credit: http :// www.discoverypark.ie

10. Try Aerial Silks in a School Holiday Workshop

Let your children learn to climb, swing, drop and perform thrilling acrobatic accomplishments. This is a three-hour workshop that includes a short performance and gives your child the opportunity to try the trapeze and aerial lyra( the hoop ).

Ages: 5- 14 years Location: Various Website

11. Try Geocaching.

Geocaching is a boredom-buster activity that can take place nearly anywhere. It enables infants to continue learning and have fun at the same time. So how about taking your children for a Geotour? Enjoy finding goodies!

Photo Credit: http :// www.cachingbox.com

12. Have a picture-taking contest

Photography is an excellent art form that children can enjoy as a pastime throughout their school holiday. So share cameras with them, experiment by taking all sorts of images, make it as funny as possible and create your own school holiday catalogue!

Photo Credit: www.tots1 00. co.uk

13. Go to Surfing Camp

There are Surfing Camps for children is a five day package( that can be split up over the school vacations) and is suitable for all levels and abilities. Or only learn to surf classes. Your child will learn ocean safety and surf etiquette, paddling and catching waves, control, standing up and riding waves.

Ages: 6+ Surfing Camp: Location: Dee Why, NSW, Moana SA Website Manly Beach

14. Do A Cooking Class

What’s not exciting about brain teasers? They are entertaining for kids who need an extra brain-charged challenge. It surely does help them build up their creative thinking and logic abilities. You can find printable worksheets online like riddles, optical illusion, puzzles and more!

Ages: Class available from 2-5 years, 8-15 years and 6-15 years. Find Cooking Classes Near You

15. Take the Kids Horse Riding

Horse riding is something all children should try at one stage or another. There are plenty of places around Australia- and there is even a fantastic two-day overnight horse riding camp available! Rainbow Beach Horse Riding has a few different amazing pony rides in parts of the most beautiful part of the world!

Ages: 6- 16 years NSW, QLD Website

16. Learn How to Develop Online Games

Gaming is huge in our household, and this is a great idea for the budding’ Mark Zuckerberg’ in your family. There are even three or four day Gaming Camps!

Ages: There are 4- 14 according to skill level Location: ACT, NSW, SA WEBSITE

17. Create a Photo Album Comic Book.

Just download and publish your funny pictures and start generating your real-life comic by employ thought and speech bubbles!

Photo Credit: www.octoberafternoon.typepad.com

18. Make a box village.

Don’t hurl those used milk and juice cartons and cereal boxes in the rubbish bin! If they are still in good shape, then have fun with children by building a city out of boxes.

Photo Credit: www.iranekhalagh.com

19. Create Story Stones

Sky’s the limit in terms of the characters you represent on your stones. You can collect as many stones as you want and use either acrylic paints or the oil-based sharpie. I suggest the Nature of art for kids( r) brand of acrylic paints, or you are able buy the Liquicryl.

Photo Credit: www.craftingconnections.net

20. Go for a Bike Ride

You can call it” the escapades of town cycling !”, a fun and healthy bonding moment with kids that can take place in anywhere around your neighbourhood.

Photo Credit: www.trespinheiros.com

21. Build an ant nursery farm home

You can create your own by employing two jars with lids, one should be thinner and a little shorter than the other. Or if you prefer a flat one, you can purchase a skinny aquarium at a local store. Video Tutorial below.

22. Make your own indoor existing obstacles

Choose the activities that match your kid’s skill level, or might as well have them choose the activities. You can be creative in inducing your own family-friendly obstacle course, like a laser maze. You can define this up in for your kids to climb through, using a red yarn or ribbon.

23. Name that cartoon character!

This game is convenient for parents, especially when you need to stay inside the house. Kids love cartoons. You can download audio recordings of different cartoon characters and start the guessing game!

Photo Credit: inkheart7. deviantart.com

24. Have some fun home science experiments

Curious kids of all ages are always fascinated with the power of science! Kids can do science experiments at home with whatever you have on hand. Like creating chicken sounds from a cup, the arrow trick and the milk and coke experiment.

Photo Credit: www.funathomewithkids.com

25. Plan a farm visit

Old school? Yes, it is not a unique activity but it never runs boring. You can do lots of activities in a farm, ride ponies, feed goats, watch the ducks fall in line and take a plunge in a nearby river.

Photo Credit: www.mountvernon.org

26. Visit an Animal Shelter or Your Local RSPCA.

Kids can join educational-based programs about animals which include hands-on service projects for animal care. Plus who doesn’t love going to give the animals a little bit of love! You may even end up with a new member of the family!

Photo Credit: http :// www.planetdogblog.com

27. Take your puppy to the beach.

Most dogs love the beach, so as kids. Give them both the opportunity to experience the pleasure of romping on the sandy beach!

Photo Credit: http :// adogbreeds.com

28. Visit a Theme Park

Australia has loads of theme parks now( we even have a list of them !) and there are more and more every day in every nation!

29. Visit an Aquarium on a Really Hot Day

When the temperatures over the Christmas Holidays get up around the 40 degree mark- head to the local Aquarium! Not only is it fascinating, it is cool!

There are SeaLife Aquariums in Melbourne, Sydney and Mooloolaba.

30. It’s journal jotting period!

During a family road trip, have your children note down what they watch( weird-looking trees, koala etc .) to keep their brains busy while eating snacks! It would be great to bring along a stack of old publications for them to cut out and paste paintings that describe what they have seen.

Photo Credit: brownchrista9. wordpress.com

31. Go Ice Skating!

Ice Skating is something not many Aussie kids get the chance to do- but if it is stinking hot- what is better than having fun in a freezer! There are loadings of ice rinks around the country!

32. Hold a stacking beakers contest

No doubt being the boys’ favourite, but the girls can get into the fun too! Hop onto Youtube to see some astonishing cup stacking videos!

Photo Credit: www.southwoods.com

33. Visit an Inflatable Water Park

My boys just adore the inflatable water parks- and they are fun for grown-ups too! If you grab your tickets online – you can get a really good deal. Inflateable Water Parks are all over Australia!

Here are a few of the online deals :P TAGEND

Coolum Water Park( Qld )

34. Have a Family Game of Mini Golf

Mini golf is a terrific whole family activity that is beloved of people of all ages! Google the nearest location to you!

35. Visit a Maze!

There are still some of these beautiful mazes made out of shrubs around Australia. Get lost in these labyrinths- and have heaps of fun doing it!

They are located :P TAGEND

Mornington Peninsula, Melbourne

36. Visit the Botanical gardens

Botanical gardens may sound like a huge snooze fest- but they are a treasure of beauty and datum. Join a guided tour and have the kids identify some of the better known species of plants!

37. Build a sand castle at the beach

Kids of all ages love building sand castles or any structure on the beach, their imagination thrives in open-ended play.

Photo Credit: http :// thesomerset.com

38. Go Whale Watching

Countless coastlines around Australia are home to the most beautiful whales on the planet, the humpback! See these curious giants close up- it is truly a wonderful experience for the whole family!

39. Play name that place game

Utilise your flat screen TV for expanded viewing when playing this game. Download pictures and flags of famous places, create a slide show gallery and have your children guess the name of that place.

40. Visit the Legoland Discovery Centre in Melbourne

LEGOLAND( r) Discovery Centre is a unique family attraction located in Australia’s resulting shopping centre, Chadstone- The Fashion Capital. With 12 different LEGO( r) experiences within the attraction, there is something new and exciting to experience on every visit to the ultimate indoor LEGO playground.

Click here for pricing .

41. Go for a nature stroll

It is much healthier when you turn a walk into a nature walking with your children. This devotes them the opportunity to explore and appreciate the natural world.

Photo Credit: www.huffingtonpost.com

42. Do playground Olympics

Grab out your camera to capture memories of their funny faces as you watch the children practice their kiddie marathon! Playground construct the best place for them to run around, climb up the monkey bars and jump. Get the children active and out of the house!

Photo Credit: www.raisingkidsinchicago.com

43. Play candy scavenger hunt.

Classic kiddie game that never fades to thrill kids. There are many scavenger hunt ideas, but sweets attain the best.

Photo Credit: www.designdazzle.com

44. Visit the library

There are lots of fun activities children can do on library visits along with other kids, bookmark tournaments, games and lots more.

Photo Credit: www.flickr.com

45. Fly a kite

Why is it fun? Simply because it’s an ultimate carefree pastime. Kids love considering a colourful kite soaring gracefully overhead, a definition of sheer fun!

Photo Credit: www.nannieswithlove.com

46. Visit the museum

Learning fun facts and hunting details in museums have an advantage in preparing your child’s historical knowledge when the school vacation is over.

Photo Credit: www.wedonteatbugs.blogspot.com

47. Go on a kids eat free food tour

It’s nice to go out for household meals in restaurants, but often day, it is a bit uncomfortable for the budget. Great news! Many restaurants have special promos for kids ages 12 and below to eat for free!

Photo Credit: www.thechurchbar.com.au

48. Trampoline joy jump!

Bouncing high is crazy fun! Kids love it and it’s the best way to wear them out. You can either purchase your own trampoline or much rather visit SKY ZONE Trampoline Park or BOUNCE( Tingalpa) if it is not too far from your location.

Credit Photo: www.michaeltuuk.wordpress.com

49. Play hidden objects( in a sandbox) game

Little ones can’t get enough digging for goodies inside a sandbox. Using balls with numbers, letters, shape sorting cubes or those cute conceal n’ attempt squeak eggs are better alternatives than small toys. Ask Daddy to build a sandbox instead of buying one.

Photo Credit: www.mommyuniversitynj.com

50. Play children secret hide away

Feed their imagination. Whether indoor or outdoors, building a lair, fort or tent whatever you want to call it, is every child’s fantasy, especially when joined with other children. So those old draperies, cushions and boxes will be put to use.

Photo Credit: www.finebedding.co.uk

51. Pick and count the fruit!

Kids love sitting down in front of a huge basket full of freshly picked fruits. Ask them to count and transfer it to their individual baskets, or segregate the ripe and unripe ones.

Photo Credit: www.kars4kids. org

52. Do origami for children

This Japanese art of paper-folding can stimulate cute funny faces of animals and much more. It’s another fun activity for children that will surely sharpen their imagination, concentration and problem-solving abilities. So take out those old newspapers and publications that you are no longer needing and recycle! Here’s a sample video tutorial.

53. Have a DIY training with Daddy

Kids get curious about what Daddy does inside the garage or in the backyard when he is not at work. So why not turn this into a mega-meaningful bonding time for the children to learn how to build and repair some cool projects?

Photo Credit: www.makeawoodsign.com

54. Learn music lessons

What if your child is the next The Voice( AU) win? Many great vocalists started with playing guitar or other musical instruments along with singing.

Photo Credit: www.fortemusiceducation.com

55. Play beach cricket

Both parents and their children can have a great bonding moment at the beach playing cricket. This athletic has the benefits of eye coordination and physical fitness.

Photo Credit: http :// www.emmasweekend.com

56. Do a kiddie bedroom makeover

It is pretty hard to plan re-arranging your kids’ bedrooms during the school term, so might as well do this on their school holiday. Spruce up your bedroom decor and activate your child’s makeover notions!

Photo Credit: www.momsbunkhouse.com

57. Play mini golf

Try adding another level of amusement on your mini golf, set some stuffed playthings, colorful flags or whatever you can add and make a fun theme.

Photo Credit: http :// www.kixcereal.com

58. Play with play dough

Don’t you find it cute watching your child’s face with the tongue out while concentrating on forming shapes out of clay?

Photo Credit: http :// www.instructables.com

59. Go roller skating.

Skating is hip, enjoyable and a great morning exercise around your neighbourhood.

Photo Credit: http :// www.robichons.com

60. Play hide and attempt.

Throught the ages, children love the thrill of playing hide and seek.

Photo Credit: www.houstonpublicmedia.org

61. Visit a remote family member.

Visiting a remote family makes a healthy relationship, especially for kids to spend some bonding moment with their cousins.

Photo Credit: abeandkelly.blogspot.com

62. Visit a car depict.

Little boys love watching hot rod. This will motivate them to dream BIG.

Photo Credit: http :// morristowngreen.com

63. Hold a mini manner prove.

Little girls and even little boys love playing dress up in Mum and Dad’s clothes of course! Don’t forget to grab the camera and take cute shots.

Photo Credit: http :// debanked.com/

64. Play balloon games.

Choose from Balloon Stomp( fill pre-blown balloons with lolly treats ,) or Valley Balloon that they can play outside. Both old fashion balloon games will surely get them energised.

Photo Credit: kindergartenbasics.blogspot.com

65. Make a card board cloud bookshelf.

All you need is a pair of scissors. Cut the card board into cloud shapes, glue or a double-sided tape and add whatever adornments you like. Here’s the instructions how to do it. For instructions, see below.

66. Do a lolly stick photo puzzle.

Cut out pictures of celebrities from old magazines or coloured newspapers in animal shapes and glue them on craft sticks.

Photo Credit: http :// noeyspapers.com

67. Do a morning boot sale.

Kids can sort the toys, books and clothes that they are no longer utilizing- they love selling their old stuff.

Photo Credit: daisylets.wordpress.com

68. Do a sweater makeover

Make those boring sweaters appear adorable without stitching. A fabric glue will do the work on adding decorations.

Photo Credit: www.gwynnwassondesigns.com

69. Head out into the community.

Children can enjoy participating in many volunteer possibilities like feeding programs or local food shelters, cleaning the street etc.

Photo Credit: www.motivatingkidstogive.com

70. Visit a thrift shop.

Visit your local thrift shops. You might get amazed of your child’s cheap finds.

Photo Credit: www.iblog4boys. com

71. Play woggle track race.

All you need is a polyethylene foam aka. woggle or pool log and cut it into a half. Better to use a serrated knife to make a clean line. Although this is optional, you are able set a shoe box at the bottom of the track to catch all the little toy cars or marbles. Don’t forget to add a START and FINISH line flags.

Photo Credit: http :// www.ramblingsfromutopia.com/

72. Play tarp throwing games.

Cut up holes on a tarp that you are no longer using and you have your cheap throwing game!

Photo Credit: photos.oregonlive.com

73. Clean windows.

It’s not all about playing during school vacations, they can also help on doing household chores. Believe it or not but some children find cleaning windows fun. You can give them a sprayer and a colorful sponge or cloth, they will be ready for action!

Photo Credit: www.theinnovativegarage.com

74. Do knitting and crocheting.

I bet the little fashionistas love to flaunt their fairly knitted carry containers, hats and long vests when school term begins, crocheting is a lovely idea to spur on the designer in them.

Photo Credit: http :// www.vanillajoy.com

75. Bubble bathing your pet dog.

When school holiday begins, mums need a backup plan to get the children busy while Mum is busy with the household chores. Bathing a dog is as fun as just playing. So prepare your giant metal pail, doggy shampoo and start wish-washing your cute puppy!

Photo Credit: http :// encehomes.com

76. Make balloon and ping pong plates.

Balloon ping pong is a fun indoor or outdoor game for children and would only need basic supplies to construct. Have the kids design the working papers plates and then tape the craft sticks at the back of each paper plate to create paddles. They can now hit the balloon back and fourth.

Photo Credit: erins2centz. blogspot.com

77. Make fruit kabobs( kebabs ).

While Mum is busy cook for lunch, kids can have fun stimulating health-ilicious fruit skewers.

Photo Credit: www.theloop.ca

78. Play whilst clean dishes.

Who says kids can’t play while rinsing dishes? Of course, they can! Have the kids do some dishwashing practice outdoors, a big basin or water table, colourful sponges and soap. You don’t need to have them rinse the ceramic plates, let them take care of the small plastic receptacles, plastic beakers and utensils.

Photo Credit: recyclingcenterz.blogspot.com

79. Play backyard scrabble.

Let children burn some calories while learning, create super-sized lawn letters for a game of words!

Photo Credit: www.etsy.com

80. Play milk jug ball game.

Play a catching game with just the use of milk jugs! You can use laundry detergent jugs as an alternative. Just cut the bottoms off the empty milk jugs, clean it and let it dry. Add some colourful craft videotapes to cover the edges and you are good to play!

Photo Credit: htpps :// southernnewhampshirekids.com

81. Have a family reading day.

One of the best ways to entice your kids to improve their reading abilities is by reading with the family — not only surrounding them with reading materials to motivate them, but read it with them can help them more!

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82. Make a kiddie kaleidoscope.

Isn’t it pretty insuring vibrant colour patterns as you appear closely through a kaleidoscope? You can induce these for your kids. Here’s a video tutorial of how to make one.

83. Get them on to audio books and podcasts.

Kids love listening to tales but it is just easier for some mothers to let them listen to podcasts and audio volumes. Mums can run the errands at home while the child is busy holding the headphone to his ear. Plus these are fantastic for playing in the car on a long trip to entertain the whole family!

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84. Water gun war!

Water play makes a mess, but it’s pretty normal for kids to get entertained for hours playing with water guns- even the adults! But if you don’t have water guns, water bombs would do too!

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85. Make a giant rainbow bubble.

Let’s add more life to the bubbles we blow up in the air by making it colorful. All you need is a dishwashing soap, food colouring, three-feet long dowels and cotton piping or clothes line rope, two eye screws and two washers. You get the complete instructions here.

86. Have a fantasy play day.

Kids love role plays- especially fantasy plays. We merely need to provide them the things that inspire their imagination, like attaining them a pirate ship using a big cardboard box, play sets, flashlights, Mum’s sleep mask and other stuff for a fantasy play.

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87. Nail art with Mummy!

This is a great bonding idea for mums and daughters. If you have the budget, there are many child-specific nail polish brands you can purchase for your little girls. Suncoat Girl, Hopscotch Kids, and Piggy Paint are the best ones.

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88. Hold a magic trick show.

If your child has the interest in magic tricks, then hold a magic trick show and invite his friends to watch him.

Photo: www.popsugar.com

89. Play typing test.

Get those small thumbs warmed up kiddos! Mothers don’t let your kids be left behind in a computer lesson at school by typing with one finger each hand. Many online typing games have been induced specifically to loosen up those fingers.

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90. Do a bird watch activity.

Some kids are interested in learning more about their feathery the group of friends of the sky. They can learn how to build bird’s nest or put bird treats if there are trees nearby. They can write on their bird-journal the birds they have seen.

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91. Write a joint narrative

This is one of the best classic boredom-buster activities that improves the creative thinking skills of children. One child starts off the tale and then take turns by adding a sentence until the story is complete. Have one kid publish it with paintings added to make a fun story.

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92. Create constellation in a jar.

Even us as kids, we dreamt of touching the bright stars we gaze at night. There’s a version of that you can keep in your children’ room. The how tos can be found here.

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93. Do house hop playdates.

Parents join forces to fight against school vacation boredom! Have the kids with their friends play any games every day in different homes. At least they don’t have to go for a sleepover, so who’s home next for the teddy bear tea party tomorrow?

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94. Have a wild west party.

With just a sock filled with polyester fibre, timber dowel, two buttons for the eyes and a little sewing, you can make a hobby horse for the children.

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95. Have a mini wonder terrarium children activity.

This is a very easy and cute terrarium that will definitely stimulate the mummy-kiddo bonding time on the table a fun learning experience. Here’s a DIY Terrarium Craft for Kids: Make a Gnome Garden tutorial.

96. Visit an art gallery.

Children can take inspiration from art galleries, so it is always good to take them to art exhibits. You never know your child might become one of the art legends one day.

Security Guard and Elementary Students at Art Gallery

97. Play fireworks in a jar.

This idea is great for grade school kids and even preschoolers. The great thing about this colourful fireworks experimentation is, you can largely get the supplyings you need from home! Below is a video tutorial for this cool science experiment.

98. Pool noodle barges.

There are lots of playful crafts you can make out of woggles or pond noodles. We have already mentioned how to make a woggle track race. This time, we can make little boats that children can play in a water bin.

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99. Teach them about sorting and recycling.

I have enlisted here a number artworks from recycled materials and with that, children should already know the value of reusing, recycling and reinventing. But, before that they need to practice sorting recyclables first, this should be a starter for self-discipline and also help Mum do the household chores.

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100. Make a ladybug home.

Kiddos can show their love to the cute lady glitches by making use of them a nice and comfy home. During school holiday, kids have more time to explore the trees with lady bugs, collect them and move them to a new home.

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Nope, no one’s going to complain about boredom these school vacations!