Trying Singing

Some time ago Imogen borrowed a book from the library filled with the words to eleven Gilbert and Sullivan plays. Not only did the book have the words to the eleven plays it had some of the music with a piano accompaniment. She, being a really good singer, was able to sing whatever she liked and sort of play the accompaniment. I on the other hand refused to even attempt to sing with her and flatly refused.

Recently we borrowed the book again and Imogen, after much persuading, was able to convince me to sing a little. She decided that we could sing a piece from the Mikado with the Mikado himself and Katisha. I sang the Mikado (never mind that he's supposed to be a bass) and Imogen (who is without a doubt a soprano) sang Katisha though she's a contralto. Much to my surprise I actually enjoyed the singing and wasn't too hard to persuade the next time Imogen suggested a little singing.

Since then we have done some singing most afternoons and I (horrors of horrors) might even be starting to like singing. Imogen generally sings the ladies' parts and I sing whatever mens' parts that might be going spare. When we sing duets I take the man's part and Imogen the lady's. Sometimes I even sing pieces on my own while Imogen plays the accompaniment. Though I still don't think that I'm ever going to sing as well as Imogen I'm happy to join her at the piano. Maybe (just maybe) I might be losing my fear of singing.

Book Meme

I love books so when Imogen from Dancing with Dragonflies tagged me for her book meme I was delighted. I was bubbling with ideas so I got down to work to fill in the questions.

Novels I have enjoyed recently

The Ruby Talisman by Belinda Murrell

The Horse Who Bit a Bushranger by Jackie French

Clearheart by Edrei Cullen

The Locket of Dreams by Belinda Murrell

Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

My Favourite Genres

Fantasy, Historical Fiction and Mystery

My Favourite Authors

Jane Austen, Rick Riordon, James Dashner, Angie Sage

Novels I’d like to read

If Only They Could Talk by James Heriot

The Sherlock Holmes books

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

The Moonstone by Wilke Collins

The Stories of Father Brown by G.K.Chesterton

Fire in the Stone by Colin Thiele

Story Girl by L.M. Montgomery

Novels I am currently reading

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

Bleak House by Charles Dickens

My Favourite Novels

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

The Seer and the Sword by Victoria Hanley

The Dragon Whisperer by Lucinda Hare

My Favourite Series:

The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordon

The Septimas Heap books by Angie Sage

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by JJ.R.R. Tolkien

The Thirteenth Reality Series by James Dashner

And now that I've answered all the questions I'd like to pass this meme onto:

Sara at God's Girl

Sophie at Sophie's Seabed

Bethany at Bethany's Cave

Baskets of Books

Over lunch yesterday Imogen and I made a startling discovery. Sophie hadn't read even one of our favourite books. I couldn't imagine not having read A Little Bush Maid, The Borrowers or Heidi. This had to be remedied. We couldn't let any sister of ours go without reading the best books in the world.

"We'll gather some books for you to read," we promised Sophie.

So, after we washed the dishes Imogen led a raid on the books shelves. I stood next to the stool she was standing on and held the books as she pulled them down.

"Has she read The Little White Horse?"

"What about Kensuke's Kingdom?"

The pile grew and grew as we discovered more and more of our favourites that Sophie had never read.

"I want some books to read," Gemma-Rose said.

"We'll find some for you too."

We started a new pile for Gemma-Rose and popped in Fantastic Mr Fox, A Bear Called Paddington and The Owl who was Afraid of the Dark. When we decided that we had found enough books for now (we were limited to one books per author) Imogen said,

"I should make you up a basket of books too."

I liked that idea. There are so many books on the shelves that I haven't read and I really didn't know where to start. Imogen did though and started a second raid on the bookshelves.

She handed me The Woman in White, Sherlock Holmes, James Heriot and Robin Hood among many other books. My basket quickly filled and when Imogen decided that we had enough for now I was at liberty to choose myself a new book. Having looked through my books I decided on The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.

For the rest of the day I read and day dreamed about The Woman in White. Imogen was right about Wilkie Collins books. They are great. Now I have heaps of books and don't desperately need a trip to the library.

Returning to the Regency Period

"I've bought you a new Jane Austen book," Mum said. "It's called Jane Austen's Guide to Good Manners, and it should be here soon."

I love new books and a Jane Austen book is wonderful. I waited impatiently for the book to arrive but I didn't expect it too soon. After all it was coming from America. So I curbed my impatience and got even more Jane Austen books from the library.

Several weeks passed and no book turned up. Every time the parcel man came to the door I'd look up excitedly but every time it was something else. But finally, ages after it was ordered, the book arrived.

My book was white, stiff and very new, filled with life saving skills for the Regency period. Naturally whatever I was reading at the time was neglected horribly and I returned to the time of Jane Austen.

I do love all things Jane Austen!

Drawing Paper Dolls

When Imogen and I started our first blog 'Paper Dolls by the Serendipity Sisters' we decided to post up a paper doll every month. At first we posted up paper doll after paper doll, each one a variation on the same doll. But, after some time I started to lose interest. Each one was just another Annie Belle. Ideas were getting scarce and I missed some months, nearly forgot others and eventually just forgot to draw one at all.

Months past and I couldn't be bothered with drawing paper dolls. No Annie Belle paper dolls were posted and the artist (me) had a very long rest. But on the first day of spring Mum declared an official art day. An idea popped into my head. Why didn't I just invent a new paper doll? Something different and interesting.

We piled paper, pens and paints onto the table and I grabbed a sheet and my pencil and got drawing. Ideas started to flow in and I was hard pressed to remember them all. Why not a fairy? I'd never drawn a fairy before. How to attach wings? What should the dresses look like?

"What do you think?" I asked Imogen at last, holding up my sheet of paper.

"It looks really good," she said.

I looked down at my fairy and mentally compared her to the last doll. She certainly was different from Annie Belle.

"I like it," I decided and started drawing clothes.

A cloud dress? Why not? Every fairy needs a set of wings. Finally I had four fairy dresses and one set of wings. I handed it in to Imogen for scanning and colouring. While she was colouring the clothes on the computer she asked,

"What's her name?"

I hadn't thought of that. We searched the Internet, begged Mum for advice and rummaged through our own brains for the perfect name but nothing seemed to fit. Finally we thought of one that fitted.

"I like the name Francesca," I said when Imogen suggested it.

So the fairy ended up as Francesca the Fairy and finally 'Paper Dolls by the Serendipity Sisters' has a new paper doll. Admittedly she is very late and I did take a rather long holiday but at least I drew one.