A Cat like Garfield – Maeve O’Keeffe

We’ve heard of dancing on the radio but what about DRAWING ON THE RADIO! I recently spoke to Justin Maher on the CRY104fm ‘Youghal Today’ show about my upcoming Art Classes and Halloween Midterm Workshops for children.  Justin asked me how I would go about drawing a cat like Garfield. Continue reading →

Pain for the 96fm Radiothon Heel Appeal!

The ‪#‎HeelAppeal  took place on Friday May 27th 2016, 3pm @UCC for the‪  #‎96fmradiothon in aid of @BreakthroCancer @marymountcork @mercyfoundcork @CUHCharity. Being an Illustrator, I couldn’t resist doing a caricature of @pjcoogan @OpinionLine96 in high heels.  Did he and his fellow walkers feel the pain or comfortably strut their stuff?  Well done, guys – so many families have been hit by cancer.  The #96fmradiothon fundraiser is for a really great cause.

I’m delighted to see the poster I worked on for Glounthaune (Cork) Community Association ‪ and Glounthaune ‪tidy‬ towns to ‘Keep Glounthaune Green & Clean’ is placed on the roadway entering the village. I did this using Adobe Illustrator and it’s based on a winning original artwork for Glounhthaune Tidy Towns by Tom Dwyer and Ben Smith who were in 6th class in Glounthaune National School. Well done boys!

Poster by Illlustrator, Cork Maeve O’Keeffe

Trampolines – beware of bumps, bruises and broken teeth!

Summer is here and so are trampolines – but beware of bumps, bruises and broken teeth!  Have you similar memories, dreadful disasters or funny stories to share? Post to my blog, Facebook frazzled mammy or email: frazzledmammy@outlook.com 

With the first hope of summer sunshine, out come the barbecues and garden furnishing.  We go a bit mad, don’t we, with great intentions of planting summer bedding, outdoor painting and DIY?  Not to mention dusting down the trampoline?  But beware – this innocuous apparatus can be a dodgy danger zone!    Continue reading →

Bouncy castles aren’t just for First Communions!

With First Communions in full swing, it’s a busy time for bouncy castles.  And birthdays, too!  Have you special memories, dreadful disasters or funny stories to share? Post to my blog or email frazzledmammy@outlook.com 

Daughter’s 13^th birthday was approaching.  How to celebrate?  None of my suggestions measured up.  “Mum, I’ll be a teenager,” she pointed out, “It can’t be lame.”  “A bouncy castle?” I said flippantly, referring to the upcoming First Communion.  “Great idea!” she agreed.   Oh no, why didn’t I keep my mouth shut?  Eighteen pre-teens hopping around in the pouring rain could be a disaster.

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What a week!  I had a great time last Saturday meeting the women in the Lace Making Guild in Nemo Rangers, Cork and hope to report on this in the Evening Echo.  I got to see amazing needlecraft and was especially interested in the skills involved in creating Communion veils, christening robes and wedding lace.

After last week’s ‘Communion Dress’ article, people have been sharing their First Communion memories with me.  Here’s one I like:

“After First Communion there would be a Eucharistic procession in early June where we would wear our Communion dresses, and could do so for the following few years until we grew too big.  I’d grown so tall that my dress was indecently short.  Like Scarlett O’Hara in the movie ‘Gone with the Wind’, my mother took down the kitchen net curtains and used the white netting to stitch a panel in the middle.  My decency was saved!”

As we approach the month of May and First Communion season, some Mammy’s get carried away with the expense of the outfits, party, bouncy castle or fake tans for their Communicant’s big day.  I wrote this some years ago when my now teenage daughter was preparing for her own First Communion …….

Communion dress shopping can be an expensive business!

“Mom, most of the girls in my class already have their dresses!” daughter informed me, hardly a wet week back to school after the Christmas break.

“Really?  But it’s only January. The Communion’s months away.  What’s the rush?”

“They say all the nice ones will be gone.  Can’t we go shopping soon.  Pleeease?”

“OK, maybe next Saturday then, ” I said, pushing aside all thoughts of the over-burdened credit card, and little knowing what lay in store.

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Why didn’t I do the Wodan?  There it stood – a gigantic Timburcoaster, a rollercoaster made of wood, creaking in the wind.  The occupants of its cars screamed at each dizzying stomach-churning bend on what seemed be terrifyingly high rickety rails.  “C’mon Mom, I’d love to do it,” begged Junior.  His pal and the pal’s parents who brought us to the theme park weren’t interested.  I’m scared of heights and didn’t want to further wreck an already dodgy back.  I dithered, reneged; regretted it afterwards.

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