Circles Of Rain

Lovely Friday

2012-02-03T13:42:00.000-08:00

Today everyone has been in a good mood. The sun has come out and it actually felt warm this afternoon, as opposed to bitterly cold like the rest of the week. Not that I am complaining as I love the cold. I drove home into the sunset again, this time stopping on the edge of Blackheath to take photos before walking to the post office to post some little things for a swap.

I love how this sign glows in the twilight, and must have known what we would have for our dinner! Mmmm!

Snow is forecast for tomorrow. I am excited about this but slightly worried as we are going to Brighton and I don't want to get stuck there. I have never been to the seaside in the snow.

Gangs and Fighting

2012-01-31T14:36:00.000-08:00

Do birds come in gangs? This little Blue Tit was part of a gang who swooped into the garden on Saturday morning while I was making tea. I am not sure what there is to eat out there at the moment-maybe the berries on the jasmine or the ivy at the back. They didn't stay for long as the cats went out in their own gang and the birds wisely disappeared. This is Cassie in her tent-or lair as it has so often become. I draped this cloth over the scratchy post when I was clearing up the Christmas tree, and she loved it, so it has stayed-and looks better than the post as it is sparkly and silver. Mostly Cassie just sleeps under there, but every so often she leaps out at Tiger or Lily as they walk past, sometimes taking the whole cloth with her. It provides a bit of excitement in their little lives. Lily usually runs, but Tiger often fights back!

Fairy Tales

2012-01-30T13:31:00.000-08:00

Resin Angels is having a monthly photo challenge. January's is Fairy Tales. With one day to go inspiration finally struck. We watched the Norwegian film 'Troll Hunter' at the weekend and these are shots from the film. It is about exactly what it says-a troll hunter. He is followed and filmed by a group of student film makers who are increasingly amazed to find that trolls do exist. They have territories they are allowed to stay in but this has not been happening so the hunter is busy. I enjoyed it-it was a funny twist on fairy tales. There was a great Billy Goats Gruff scene. But, as the troll hunter points out, fairy tales are for kids, the reality is much more scary.

Magical Greenwich

2012-01-29T05:30:00.000-08:00

I love Greenwich, as you can probably tell, the amount of posts I write about it. It is a feast of visual inspiration. Yesterday it seemed to take on a magical persona at first... Changelings in the market.
An elephant walking across the plains of the window sill.
A giant silver moth flying across a table.

A man on a door knocker with ears growing through his tin helmet.

A ship sailing through the streets.

And a tree winning a long running battle with a fence.

Later, Greenwich seemed to take on the character of different and far away places...

A French flower stall.

An Italian market.

Or Central Park in New York.

Greenwich is soon to become a Royal Borough. I thought it already was one!

More Positive Thoughts and Things

2012-01-27T15:17:00.000-08:00

Monday morning-I got to work very early, about seven, and had to go looking for Fatima our cleaner to get the nursery keys, as it was still locked and alarmed. I walked through the hall and saw a little bird flying around. I got the keys and came back into the hall. I really wanted to help the bird but couldn't think how. I watched it flying around, willing it to get out of one of the open windows. Then...it did! A good start to Monday I thought. These stylish mice were dressed by Hafsot. I was working one to one with her to do some language assessment. She speaks a lot-and has good vocabulary and imagination, but often, what she says does not seem to make sense and leaps from thing to thing in a seemingly random manner. I think she has a lot to say and maybe not quite the time to formulate her thoughts before she speaks. However, when given a concrete task like playing with these little mice and getting them dressed, and when I am given the chance to talk to her on her own, then she makes perfect sense. So I am not worried about her now. And I love what she put on the mice. She is a very stylish little girl with a very glamourous mother, so I am not surprised really.

To end the week, another bird visited us. This is the same robin as last week I am sure, as they are territorial birds. The camera work is very shakey but the song is clear.

Sick Kitten

2012-01-27T09:39:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to pop in and share this-so sweet! May be back later if recovered from the week a bit. It has been a week fraught with all sorts of difficulties caused by people who are unable to deal with things in a rational manner, but instead resort to drama, moodiness or just plain unpleasantness. I am a quite tolerant person, but sometimes I wonder why. I try to do my job in as pleasant but effective way as possible, and realise that everyone is different and works in different ways, but there is no excuse for rudeness and petulance. Ah well, a weekend away from the place is always a good thing, especially when you come home to find old videos of children playing with kittens in your inbox!

Wishful Thinking

2012-01-25T14:06:00.000-08:00

What we see... What I wish we saw...

I can't help it-every time the crane goes up with its latest load of girders or steel poles, I wish it was an elephant dangling at the end of the chain. It would be quite spectacular and something we would remember forever! Thank goodness photoshop can help me make my wishes come true!

I happen to think the cauliflower more beautiful than the rose

2012-01-23T14:12:00.000-08:00

Or the artichoke than the hyacinth. I don't really-I think they are all beautiful, but the Withnail quote came into my mind as I bought these two artichokes mainly for their beauty. I will try to cook them in a couple of days so as not to be wasteful, but until then I will enjoy looking at them on the table. Next to them are two wet felted rocks and a wet felted ball. I have not tried this technique before and was encouraged by a very interesting little felting book bought in the charity shop at the weekend. The purple rock was more successful, the other one not at all but I will take it off the rock and see what I can do with it.

Wet felted balls with children.

Felting in a ziplock bag

After finding these tutoials I may try felting with the children. Especially the bag one-it looks really easy to do and gets good results.

White playdough recipe

Back Streets

2012-01-22T13:45:00.000-08:00

On Saturday I had to go to Eltham, to the building society to try to pay in our surprise cheque-not possible as it is issued in joint names-need to sort out tomorrow!
I managed to find my way round the back streets to the M and S carpark-thus avoiding the queues in the High Street. M and S full but found a place in the carpark next door. Rushed to the bank, then had a most enjoyable and leisurely browse around a set of unfamiliar charity shops, and found a few great things. ( I can't help it!)
When I came back to the carpark I took a photo of this lovely building behind its sharp and unfriendly fence.
Tonight I googled 'Neo classical building M and S carpark and found this article first.
"With such a mighty residence it isn't surprising that Eltham was associated with families close to the crown. Trot back past McDonald's and walk north downhill along the Well Hall Road. Along the way divert up the footpath beside the police station and enjoy the astonishing 18th-century neo- classical orangery at the back of the Marks and Spencer car park. These days the only remnant of a once-imposing house, it resides under corrugated iron, festooned with sweet wrappers."
So, it is an orangery. I have not been able to find the name of the house it went with, but did find this very interesting article about historical Eltham. It was a popular place with the Royal family for a long time, a place to stay on the way to London from France, until the time of Henry the Eigth who preferred Greenwich, and took a lot of the timber from two of the Royal parks-Horn Park and Middle Park (both now local primary schools) for ship building.
In one of the as yet unexplored google leads there is named a 'Fairy House'. I want to know what that was.
I wonder what will happen to the orangery. It looks very solid at the back and front. I wonder too who owns it.
If I had taken more notice of the street names I would have seen that the road was called Orangery Lane, which would have given me a bit of a clue in my search!

Star Tree

2012-01-20T15:15:00.000-08:00

I saw this little star tree in a charity shop and had to have it. I think it was 50p-a price I have been paying for bargains since the '80s. I remember items that cost me 50p over the years-a purple jumper from Leicester market, a pair of crystal earrings from a junk shop in Maidstone, a 50s rose coloured dress also from Leicester market and the star tree. I bought it with my dolls houses in mind-the dolls houses which now look like a miniature version of our flat-too much stuff crammed into a small space-and not even arranged, just piled. I used it this week as part of my carpet sessions with the children, to encourage them to talk about things they see. My favourite thing anyone said about it, was Aliyah saying 'it looks like the stars fell from the sky and into the tree.' Another favourite thing one of the children said this week was Clinton, whilst making playdough food, who said he was making 'Angel snacks'. I had never thought about angels needing snacks but I suppose it is a possibility, and what better to snack on than some playdough food made by a child. I love working with this age group as they come out with the sweetest and funniest things and they are so earnest, but are developing their senses of humour too. I was reading a book about play today and it was talking about the mess children make during their play, and how early years practitioners need to be aware that to constantly tidy, or insist that children do, is an interruption. I know this and try to abide by it, hard though it sometimes is from the adult perspective! We have a traditional home corner area at work, and every day it gets trashed, clothes all over the floor, along with plates, food, babies-you name it, it is on the floor. I think it is mainly children rushing to get the thing they want and chucking everything else out of their way to do so, but I never seem to see them doing it. But yesterday I was not so sure. I came along and found Charlie in the middle of putting everything under the table, while holding a duplo gun he had made, and looking around frantically. I asked what he was doing and he informed me that the 'bad mans' was coming, so he had to hide everything. It made a strange kind of sense so I left him to it!
Anyway, another busy week over, and I still have not made a periscope, though I have now printed instructions from the Internet, got some mirrors ready, and taken my saw into work to cut the tube. Next week I will do it!
Hope you have had a good week and have a lovely weekend!

Today

2012-01-18T14:34:00.000-08:00

A tiny flash of red is all we could see of this Robin, but we could hear him so clearly as he sang his lovely song. Unrelated to the Robin, but another part of today, are these bottles. In fact they are not just bottles, they are part of something. We don't exactly know what yet, but something we are working on together. I appealed for large plastic bottles before Christmas, and got quite a few-enough to get this far with whatever it is we are building. I had a lot of interest and offers of help in using the hot glue gun to stick the bottles together. I squeeze the glue out and the children take turns pushing the bottle onto it before it solidifies. They arranged the bottles in an arc big enough to fit two people in. I am thinking it is a lunar module, but at the moment it doesn't really matter, just the excitement of making a big thing, that is really easy to lift up, is enough.

It is living on top of the phonebox untill it gets big enough to get in and to stand around without getting too easily broken.

Shine

2012-01-17T14:26:00.000-08:00

Winter sunshine is my favourite kind. Cassie agrees. This photo has a name-I name most of the photos used on my blog and find myself using the same unimaginative ones over and over again-which I suppose shows my interests. I keep photos on my desktop until I have used them, or decide not to, and the names help me find them quickly. This one has been on there for ages waiting to be shown. It is called 'Goldeneye'. I loved the way that Cassie's eyes are almost the same colour as the gold part on the cushion behind her. This picture is the odd one out, as there is nothing shiny about it. It is a very mundane subject but one I love. It is the sponges we use to clean up in the creative area at work-the area with the paints, playdough, collage, water and sand, amongst other things. When I have finished the last bit of tidying in this area at the end of each day, and then the end of my week there (we work in a four weekly rota of areas to set up and work in), I rinse out the sponges in hot water, squeeze them, line them all up the same way around then squeeze them into their wire holder. I love things to be neat and tidy-though you wouldn't believe it sometimes, and like the subtle changes of colour in the sponges. There is something to enjoy in the tiniest of tasks if you look hard enough! The texture I have used is one of Kim Klassen's and is called 'Embrace' which is quite appropriate for the subject. Looking again, I see that the wire is shiny.

This morning it was icy on the rubber matting outside, so I had to go to fetch rock salt from the other playground. The frost was glistening in the sun on top of the bin, making this quite ugly object quite beautiful.

Satis House, Failed Cake and Good Lunch

2012-01-16T13:20:00.000-08:00

This is Restoration House in Rochester. Isn't it beautiful? We walked through a park from the back of the cathedral, and as we came out were faced with this house. It is called Restoration House and is Satis House in 'Great Expectations'. I got this information from the signs next to the gate. I have not seen this before either, and will be back in June when it is open.
"Within a quarter of an hour we came to Miss Havisham's house, which was of old brick and dismal, and had a great many iron bars to it. Some of the windows had been walled up; of those that remained, all the lower were rustily barred. There was a courtyard in front and that was barred; so we had to wait, after ringing the bell, until someone should come to open it." This is my peanut loaf. Looks good doesn't it? It isn't though. It is weird. Topped in cake weirdness only by the courgette cake I made many years ago. At least this one isn't green. I got a lovely cake baking book from my Mum for Christmas, and this is the first thing I chose to make from it. I hope the next one is better!

Below is the scene of our good lunch on Saturday. I thought I would give it a mention just on the off chance you get an opportunity to go there. The food was delicious. Topes website here.

Lions and Shops

2012-01-15T09:11:00.000-08:00

A view looking back from the bridge over the Medway. We walked to the bridge which is just at the end of the high street, so I could take photos of the lions which decorate it, and which I see as I drive away and always mean to take photos of. The first lion is on a hotel at the end of the high street. I like the way there are lions decorating buildings wherever you go, and wondered why. Lots of answers here.
I think this lion is couchant or dormant, or just having a sit down!

These lions look like they are guarding the bridge. Such fierce faces.

This one looks so noble, and quite Egyptian to me, especially with the stone work around him.

And this one is quite fierce from the front...

...but very cute from the back!

A group of pretty vintage clothes. I love the colour combinations.

Such sweet faces in the teddy bear shop.

The seemingly endless corridors of the bookshop.

A slightly embarrassed looking tiger in the Oxfam shop.

Rochester Cathedral

2012-01-14T13:30:00.000-08:00

Although I go to Rochester quite often, I have never been in the cathedral. 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood' inspired me to do so this week, as Rochester, renamed 'Cloisterham', is the settting for Dickens' last novel, and there was a good version of it on the BBC this week. We had a proper frost this morning, so everywhere looked beautiful and bright. This is a view of the cathedral through the twisted branches of an ancient Catalpa or Indian Bean Tree, thought to be the oldest in Britain. The tiny model of the cathedral in the crypt. Rochester is the second oldest Cathedral in the country. (I think Durham is the oldest) The present nave was started in 1083 and a Saxon cathedral was there in 604. A timeline here shows its interesting history.
Lovely details-this carving is around a doorway used by monks as a night-time entrance from their dormitory in the next door priory. It is from the 1340s. So you can forgive it for being a little chipped!
I love gargoyles. Such strange characters hiding around the place.

I loved the light transferring the pictures in the windows to the stone.

And the views from the windows of the crypt.

Our day didn't end there. We had a delicious lunch in Topes restaurant, a walk to the bridge to see lions, a visit to a Tudor lodging house and some secondhand book browsing. The book shop at the end of the highstreet is another place I have not been and it is enormous. You could get lost in there for days.

Stunset (Just thought of that and am quite pleased with it!)

2012-01-12T14:18:00.000-08:00

I left work at 4.40 tonight as I had to get to the post office. It was just the right time for a most beautiful sunset. The colours were amazing, and I loved the trees silhouetted against the sky. Then, when I got home, there was a cheque waiting from the building society-for rearranging our mortgage. Weird to get home and find we have been sent money, rather than seeing another demand for it!

I am so happy it is Friday tomorrow! It has been a tiring week, though a productive one in that I have got lots catching up on assessments done, and built a castle-we have to have somewhere for all those princesses to live! It is not finished yet but I will share pictures once it is.

Pattern

2012-01-11T14:18:00.001-08:00

I love a good pattern, and I love to doodle them, paint them and just stare at them sometimes. This leads me to make many unwise purchases which make my wardrobe into a colourful and busy place. I don't always end up wearing these patterny clothes much, but am attracted by their bright and colourful look in the shop. I do like mixing patterned things sometimes but there is a limit to what works! We have quite a few inherited patterned rugs, but as they are all the same basic colours they go well together. We don't have any patterned walls, as there is too much else going on in here-stuff wise! At the weekend I bought a book in the charity shop called 'Pieces of a Pattern Lacroix by Lacroix'. I know nothing about Christian Lacroix, and his name just makes me think of Edina in 'Absolutely Fabulous' wearing tacky and overbright things and saying 'It's Lacroix Sweetie, Lacroix'. I have found out a little more about him now-about his inspiration and history, and want to read the whole book as it is most interesting. I loved the sketch book pages shown in the book. The pattern used here is tasteful-bold but likeable.

The other book in this post is 'Your Beautiful Home on a Budget'-a book I have had for a while. It is full of incredibly awful design ideas, which I can't imagine anyone, even in the seventies, being able to live with. Look at this bathroom! Too much.

My favourite picture in the book is this one. I love the cosy lifestyle it evokes-and the multimedia/entertainment shown-'Ooh shall we read a book, this one, that one, eat a grape, watch tv?'The bed is our oyster.' This room actually looks quite liveable and cosy, so maybe not all the designs are bad. The oak leaf carpet reminds me of a similar one we had in our house in the seventies-but it was not browns-more reds, golds and yellows. Every piece of furniture is covered in pattern-bold and often not good-such as the bad table and chairs below. Imagine eating your breakfast from this table.

I do quite like the dresser in the second mosaic though-I think because the pattern is in black and white.

Unwatches

2012-01-09T13:09:00.000-08:00

Unwatch is the latest in must have accessory, for the woman who has too much to do and not enough time to do it in. No need to worry anymore, as now you can wear your unwatch, and time ceases to matter! The unwatch was developed when I found out how to crochet circles. The name only occurred to me after it was on my wrist-and may have had to do with the fact I had just been reading the 'Unclutterer' blog. (Just visited to get the link and there is a post about an art project about Barbie trashing her dreamhouse which looks brilliant at a quick glance).

As you can see, it is impossible to tell the time on your unwatch.

I think I will wear one at weekends.

Here is a link to the Flickr stream of Carrie Becker the artist mentioned above.

Cardboard Princesses

2012-01-07T15:00:00.000-08:00

All princesses need jackets, even cardboard ones, or they will get cold. If their jackets do not have buttons they will come off. So it became my job to sew on the buttons, and from one girl making a princess and needing a button, I then had quite a few more. All the princesses are very individual in appearance, but they all have green jackets with pink buttons in common. This is my favourite sort of activity as it involves both me and the children having an input to get what we want, and also involves them in real activities with real and potentially dangerous tools. The needle was a pretty blunt one so not really dangerous, but I was using the grown up scissors to cut the arm holes. I think quite a lot of the kids we have got this year could be trusted with needles and sharper scissors, but certainly not all! Anyway, here is our round up of princesses.

Last Part Honest!

2012-01-06T15:28:00.000-08:00

Somewhere along the line of blogging, I don't know where exactly, there was a shift in my mind about why I am putting things here, and sharing everyday bits and pieces. When I started, I was only writing for myself, though I did get a couple of visits-one from a Gorilla! But, as time has gone on I am definitely sharing things with you-yes you the reader! (How arrogant that makes me feel-but you know I am not really.) I know some of you really well, some I have met, or have got to know quite well through your blogs, and some I don't know at all. Weird blogging. Whenever I feel I may be boring (one of my greatest fears-and a thing I fear quite often) I think-no, it is just for me, and nobody has to read anything. The off button is a great thing! Do you know, I have written nearly a thousand posts?-well eight hundred and something anyway. I say written, but a lot of my posts are mainly pictures as I feel happier sharing those than words-but that is an awful lot of photos. I got to the limit for blogger's free deal-I didn't even realise there was one-ages ago. It is very cheap to buy more storage-and if you don't then pictures will no longer appear-and that would not suit my perfectionist nature.
Anyway, the point of this rant is to say-this really is the last Dutch post. I love going somewhere different and seeing the things that may be mundane to the residents but are fascinating to me. Andy is never happier than when in a foreign supermarket-on holidays we always make a trip there at least once. I like to look for the things with funny names in English (childish but it makes me laugh) and to see the emphasis put on various foods, and of course the different offers in the catfood range. I think the French were far ahead on the adding vegetables to catfood thing-not necessary to the cats I think, but great in the eyes of the health conscious owners. Though we did used to have a cat who stole broccoli. I am waffling now-the result of two glasses of Friday night wine-much needed after the hectic start to term-making cardboard princesses can be very demanding! That is where I am going to leave it-cardboard princesses-wait till you see them-they are marvellous! I think in years to come, if the internet still works, I will enjoy looking back on the little things in my life that I would otherwise have forgotten.

Today's photos are the last few from Holland-travelling back to the station on the second. Den Haag has modern and old cheek to cheek-a result of a lot of bombing in the war. And the day we went back-the sun came out-at last!

A building like a painting by Mondrian (who's name escaped me so I googled 'coloured squares painting' and like magic there his name was)

Possibly back with cardboard princesses tomorrow.

Holland Part 3-New Year's Day

2012-01-05T12:53:00.000-08:00

It was lovely to go to the beach on the first day of the year. A cold wind was blowing as we walked across the sands towards the pier. We were asked to take our swimming costumes as it is a new year tradition to jump into the cold North Sea. I had no intention of jumping into the sea, but as it turned out there was a huge number of new year dippers predicted, so we decided not to-and anyway none of us really felt up to it. We arrived at the beach quite late, as the crowds were beginning to leave. Luckily there were still some bathers around. This whole family stood and got changed, then held hands to run into the sea. A bracing sight! They literally ran in, then ran straight out again-no lingering on such a cold day!

We carried on under the pier, towards the cosy cafes. On the way we saw some more swimmers, the last of the official ones, who get a fetching orange hat to wear-a badge of honour I would think!

Brrrrrrrrr!!

The pretty and cosy cafe where we had lunch. Open fires and tasty carbohydrates to ease the day after the night before feeling.

A lonely bike I saw on the way back to the car. Dutch bikes are very upright and take a bit of getting used to, but are then really comfortable, like riding a comfy chair.

Holland Part 2-New Year's Eve

2012-01-04T13:21:00.000-08:00

New Year's Eve-the men cooked while the women danced! Delicious food, lovely wine and dancing-perfect! I got a hankering for a Wii-dancing where you get ongoing feedback as to how well you are doing is kind of fun.

I learned some Dutch watching this song-I have not remembered it-but I think I would if I did it a few more times.

Only allowed fireworks for one day of the year, so better start early. You can hear the sounds of them over the tram.

Holland Part 1-from Ebbsfleet to Den Haag

2012-01-03T13:36:00.000-08:00

In chronological order, photos from our journey. Ebbsfleet International.

A silver chandelier decorates the door to the first class lounge, which I thought was just a wall until it opened! We live about half an hour away from here by car so it is very convenient. We had a slight problem finding our car park as we were in D and there only seemed to be an A and a B. Eventually we found it-by chance as it was badly signposted-and ten minutes walk from the terminal! Ah well, I need the exercise after the holiday. A town in Belgium-not sure which one-I should have made notes!

I liked the misty church tower silhouette in the distance.

Lots of graffiti in Belgium and Holland. Far more than here I would say. I like graffiti mostly so am happy to see so many examples. I always marvel at the daring of the people who do it and how good some of it is. I missed snapping a lot of it as by the time I saw it we had gone past!
I think this is Rotterdam station. I was interested in the running people logo and wondered what message is being conveyed by the sight of two people who seem to be running away.
There are lots of solar panels on the houses in Belgium, and often the houses have gardens that look like small holdings with pigs, goats or maybe chickens, and rows of neat vegetables. Very ecologically sound.

I love the bright red and orange against the subdued colours of the day.
Lots of mud and water lying on the ground. I saw at least three completely muddy fields with a poor little pony standing forlornly at its edge.
Lots of sheep. Often really huge and fluffy ones with brown and white coats.

As we went further north we passed field after field surrounded by dykes. The pieces of land in between the water are called Polders-I found that out tonight when looking up dykes. I saw lots of herons on the way, standing along the banks of the water channels, and on the way back a large white bird with black tail feathers-I have not looked it up yet but think it may have been a stork or an egret. It was big which is what most impressed me!

There were multiple posters of the woman, all altered in some way with detailed doodling.

The only windmill I saw-in Delft. It was the prettiest thing we saw on the way through Delft, which at the moment seems to be one big building sight.
Den Haag HS station. We stood outside waiting for our friends to come and find us, listening to the beginnings of the firework fest to come later.
Thank you for all your comments on the last post-lovely to hear from all of you and I look forward to catching up soon. We got back yesterday, work today and all the Christmas tidying to be done. The house is more or less back to normal now- its normal cluttered state anyway! This year I must sort this out!

2011-12-30T13:53:00.000-08:00

I made sloe gin for the first time this year. (Nigel Slater's recipe here) I don't know why I haven't done it before as it is very easy and most delicious. It is just sugar, gin and sloes. I bought the sloes in Greenwich, but next year I will go and pick them near where my Dad lives. I put the bottles in the back room and turned them every so often. Now it is sweet, syrupy and intoxicating. I wonder what it would be like mixed with champagne.
I also made crocheted washcloths which I wrapped in pretty tissue paper and cellophane packets. I made some gift tags and cards with embossing powder and ink stamps. I don't think I could manage a whole handmade Christmas but little bits are fun.

We are off to Holland for new year. Euro star first thing in the morning-most exciting!

Happy New Year!

Post Post

2011-12-29T13:34:00.000-08:00

In my journal nothing much was happening. Until, that is, the Christmas post started to arrive, with its exciting stamps and postmarks. I scraped some ink onto pages and started to stick in all the things that took my fancy. After the day itself I added some of the tags and ribbon too. This mosaic has the lovely Jessie, on the envelope of the card from Linda and Becky in Greece. Today's post has a recycled princess and the pea bed for her. There are also some Dutch stamps from my friend Sarah who we are off to visit on Saturday.

Pretty and religious stamps-and helpful information in the postmark.

A lovely Canadian stamp from Kat.

A page trying out a tree stamp (of the other kind!) from Clare.

A sticky label from a delicious lunch in Leon in Bluewater.

A handmade tag from Cleo.

Doing this is also good for combating my hoarding instincts-stick in the pretty stuff and recycle the rest-every little helps!

Before I go, have you seen Retronaut? I have subscribed to it, so get at least one fascinating email a day. It is such a great site.
Also this is very sweet. The geese think the microlight man is their mother!

Christmas Animals

2011-12-27T14:51:00.000-08:00

Sadie as Santa.
Bert and Ernie as Oliver.
Sadie as Circus dog.

Christmas Socks

Christmas tea towel.

2011-12-24T07:41:00.000-08:00

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Treat Addict

2011-12-23T10:55:00.000-08:00

We have spoiled Cassie and now she is a little monster, determined to get treats at all hours of the day. She is getting a little fat belly. The treats have to stop. This is day three of limiting the treats. Yesterday was day two and she was very angry. Poor Cassie, it is not her fault. Today she is less cross and has given up begging a little more quickly. At the moment she is in her favourite spot on her sheepskin rug. It is hard to say no to such a cutie, but we have to be strong! I am playing with her a lot to try to distract her, and also as she is a bit house bound at the moment, as she seems to have gone off of winter weather.

Zonked!

Holidays

2011-12-22T15:30:00.000-08:00

A speed awareness course took all of Monday. I should not have been doing 36 mph in a 30 zone, so I went willingly. It means I do not get points on my licence, and also that I am now aware of a few things I didn't know before, and which have made me more careful than maybe I was before. It is always good to think about things more carefully for a change and I am doing so.
Tuesday was work-from the morning until the evening. Planning and assessment. I took a break and ended up tidying the kitchen drawer and cupboard. Does anyone really need 10 packets of fuse wire? I was amazed there were so many! The last week of school was a blur-school production-went fine, sorting out the problem I mentioned-went ok-not perfect but the best I could do. Next time I will just refer the people concerned to the head as I feel some things are just not my job. School Christmas do on Friday-not great-a comedy club but the comedy was not very good. Drank too much, walked home and felt really ill all day Saturday. Saturday night was a friend's party which I enjoyed-didn't drink too much so felt ok on Sunday-just exhausted!
Wednesday-Christmas shopping and wrapping. Today Christmas shopping and lunch with friends.
All this adds up to no blogging time and no real inclination either. I have had lots of things in my mind to share and just did not have any energy. I also have not really visited much this week either. I am hoping to rectify all this tomorrow and over the weekend. I am looking forward to Chirstmas day as it should be relaxing. I hope that everyone has had a good week and look forward to catching up!

Glitter

2011-12-14T14:12:00.000-08:00

Glittery and faded. Cassie nosying around as I was taking photos the other day. A bus speeding past the New Wine Church in Woolwich. Their Christmas light display is amazing. They dress up the whole art deco building with fountains of lights and the holy family on the roof. Here, they are the silhouette at the front of the bus.

Pairings

2011-12-13T15:12:00.001-08:00

Breathe

2011-12-12T14:53:00.000-08:00

A moment to breathe and look at the sunrise, the seagulls and the red cranes.
To paint a face-or at least look back on one painted.
She looks serene, which is almost how I feel-maybe on Friday!

Such a relief after the mad rush that was today. The production went ok-I was the only one that made a mistake-due to sudden overload of things to do-but we coped and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. I have half sorted out my problem and need to plan carefully what to do next-but the difficult part of today is over!

Thanks for all the encouragement yesterday-it helped!

Weekend Things

2011-12-11T12:50:00.000-08:00

The weekend started with watching "The Lake House" on Friday night. I have not seen it before and it was most upsetting wondering what would happen and being convinced he had died, and having to wait to the very last second to find out what had happened. There were some inconsistencies but I enjoyed it.
Saturday morning started with a twenty person queue in the post office (where you pick up undelivered parcels) which I couldn't face and left very quickly. I was there behind three people the other day and it took about twenty minutes. Twenty people doesn't bear thinking about. It continued with a party which was most enjoyable and where I received good advice about a tricky problem I have at work at the moment. I have spent most of the weekend mulling over this problem and planning how I am going to deal with it tomorrow. I can't wait to get it out of the way so I can stop worrying!
I read the first chapter of "Middlemarch'' again after talking to our niece about her university work. She has to read "Jane Eyre", "Middlemarch" and "Great Expectations" over the holiday and she was not looking forward to "Middlemarch". I have only ever read the first chapter and would like to continue as I enjoyed it last night.

Today was spent sorting out the messy house, washing and ironing and then going to buy a tree. I didn't want one last year but this year it seemed a good idea again. It is a lovely tree, and after all the sorting out, hoovering, sawing (a bit off the bottom and a bit off the side to make it fit in the holder) it now looks beautiful in here. I found the peg person nativity I made the year before last and also got out the lovely habitat lights I bought in the after Christmas sale last year.

The cats have been mainly loving, and today, mainly asleep. In this picture Tiger, on the right, came along after Cassie, and kind of sat on her and slid down into a comfortable snuggle.

Tomorrow, as well as dealing with my problem, it is the day of the Christmas performance. We have spent a while making our own shakers, and the production starts with the Shaker Rap.

''We made our shakers and we'll show you how they SHAKE!!!

We made our shakers and we'll show you how they SHAKE!!!

They shake LOUD!!!

They shake quiet.

They shake HIGH!!!

They shake LOW

They shake FAST!!!

They shake low"

The kids have been rehearsing for about two weeks now and it has been fun. They are all great-just hope they don't go shy! At the beginning they all start off on my carpet and they walk round to the other carpet shaking their shakers. I thought it would be a fun and dramatic start to the whole thing.

Below are my own shakers I have made at home. The ones I have made from bottles I will take into school as the children are taking theirs home. The shakey eggs are an ongoing project and too delicate for the nursery I think. I have really enjoyed all the collaging of these shakers.

I hope your weekend has been fun or productive or both. Have a good week.

The Giveaway That Time Forgot

2011-12-08T14:07:00.000-08:00

A strange photo of Cassie's back leg that made me laugh the other night. The brown thing is the very expensive 'El Gato', a cloth cigar of the finest cuban catnip known to cat, and a very popular choice in toy, so much so that we have three, though I don't know where they all are. All the cats have lots of aliases. One of Cassie's is Pip Pip-which stems from her energetic and mad little personality. This has developed into Pippi and then Pippi Long Paw-can you see why?!

Anyway, the giveaway. Time may not really have forgotten it, but I did. I remembered last night, and wrote all the names on pieces of post-it. Cassie knocked most of them on the floor this morning-if she had knocked four I would have chosen those, but unfortunately she can't count, and had also forgotten about the giveaway. Anyway, I picked four tonight and here they are!
Carole
Angela
Linda Sue
Janine.
Please email me your addresses and I will send your little book off soon. I hope you like them!

Twinkle Twinkle

2011-12-07T10:58:00.000-08:00

Woolly Spring

2011-12-05T13:54:00.000-08:00

If it is cold outside it doesn't matter, as it is Spring inside. Crochet flowers-big on reward and small in effort-so quick! I had to use double crochet stitch as well as single and now I get it! What to do with them? Garlands, blankets, weird woolly swimming hats, scarves,

Christmas tree decorations, hairclips, brooches, keep them in a bag and forget about them?

Not the Dickens Christmas Market

2011-12-04T04:03:00.000-08:00

What seemed like a good idea, turned into a four hour round trip in the car, with the only stop a Tesco Extra in Rainham. The Dickens Christmas Market in Rochester was what we had intended to visit, and we really should have turned around when we hit the queue just off of the motorway. But we persevered, only to find that we had to drive straight through Rochester as it was heaving! There were police directing the traffic and we could see a huge crowd in the High Street. I caught a glimpse of a Dickensian looking top hat and then we were off! We just kept on going, as we didn't want to queue all the way back through Rochester. We saw some very interesting buildings up on the hill in Chatham. We kept going and ended up having a drive through some tiny and very pretty country lanes. We saw sheep, horses, wild birds and men on a shoot. We saw glimpses of the river Medway in the distance looking steely blue, and we drove past the most amazing house with an orchard in the front garden. No photos though as we didn't stop. The Tesco Extra on the way back to the motorway was where we eventually did stop. We needed to do our Saturday shopping and thought we might as well do it here. I do like to visit an unfamiliar, out of town supermarket every so often.

This strange sign in the carpark, like a water tower, was what we followed. Very useful.

The industrial ceiling of the cafe where we had a very tasty Christmas dinner type meal.

Comfort baking was called for. Blueberry muffins. Very tasty!

The day turned out ok considering it was not what we wanted to do, but I couldn't help feeling a little cheated!

Rosebud and Robots

2011-12-02T15:20:00.000-08:00

Lots of dolls seem to be called Rosebud. I have two and they are very similar. I am not sure if it is a make of doll or if it is their little rosebud lips. This doll came with no clothes on. Tonight I finished her little crochet dress and made her a red silk petticoat. I also made her wired tissue paper wings so she can be a fairy on the tree or somewhere else if we don't get one. I need to make her a wand and then she is complete. I couldn't decide if I liked the black and white or colour photos better.
She looks like a little 1930s film star to me.

On a different subject, I can't believe my eyes when watching these Asimo robots. I am sure you all have seen them, but there was one on QI tonight, and in the end I could not make myself believe it was not a person in a suit. Amazing-and chilling in equal measure.

Asimo avoids a person.

Asimo plays football (it made me laugh how the human misses the ball in Asimo's first go!)

Nao Thriller

Qrio robots dance salsa

People dressed as robots get out of a Nissan and dance robotically

Through the Looking Perspex

2011-12-01T13:31:00.000-08:00

Do you remember when I cut through the hedge of thorns, to let the children see what was going on, on the other side of the big blue fence? Then the builders piled a big pile of dirt in front of the view I had created? Well, the next thing they did was to build another big blue fence, running all the way along between what is left of Forest School, and the building site, thus cutting off the view again. But, after polite requests, one of the builders came to cut us two windows. He came to my carpet in the morning, and asked for an 'average child' to measure. Eoghan obliged. I did ask if there would be a window for an 'average adult' but was told I would have to crouch down! Anyway, it is great that we can now see. This week things have moved on, and a drill for a giant has arrived, and is making its way around, drilling big holes.

As it is December 1st, it was an appropriate day to decorate the tree which was delivered to Nursery yesterday. Dion did it this afternoon, with the help of the children of course, and they managed to make it look very Victorian.

Just before I left tonight, I looked a little closer at the tree and was amused to see the poor fairy clinging on in a most undignified manner! I shall rescue her tomorrow.

Japanese Things

2011-11-30T11:02:00.000-08:00

It was the second strike over pensions for public sector workers today. I should really have gone into town and rallied, but I was too tired really, so had a quiet day at home. I had to do some work, which is not really in the spirit of the stirke, but it is in the spirit of having little other time to do it. After that I went to the shops for tissue paper, string and felt. All sorts of crafting is going on at the moment-crochet wash cloths with ribbon hangers to be wrapped around lovely French soaps, another attempt at double crochet-more successful, and one at a Granny square (big failure!), and a little crochet dress of my own pattern, shakey eggs -egg shells, filled with rice, covered in tissue paper and varnished, and soon to be made felt pictures/needle books inspired by the Japanese craft book below. Some are for presents and some are not.
I took a few photos around the house in the sunny morning-a treat to be here in the sunny morning as normally at this time of year I am not here in daylight, apart from at the weekend.
I like the picture below so that is the one I am sharing. A little old Kokeshi doll from Rye and his surroundings.

This is the craft book. It is so sweet and whimsical. There is a girl dressed up as Red Riding Hood in some of the pictures-sometimes she is normal sized but accompanied by giant felted animals, sometimes small-sitting amongst a miniature scene.

There is so much in it, and the fact that I can't read it is ok, as the pictures are inspiration enough. Fairy tales seem to be the main theme and there are lots of animal inspired objects. I love these silhouette fairy tale pictures and am attempting one of those. Hence the felt.

I have cut out the shape and think I will glue it rather than sew it as I don't want the stitiches to show on the back.

Pretty Lights and a Giveaway

2011-11-28T14:20:00.001-08:00

This photo was the result of an unintended long exposure.

I love the gold, green and turquoise colours. I spent a lot of time on Saturday producing these little books. I am not sure if they qualify as a Zine or not but they are certainly little books. The time was spent in working out how to translate a little altered children's board book into a photocopiable and double sided book. Various methods were tried and failed, before I came up with this one. It may not look very complicated-and it is not-but the way of getting there was!

Anyway, this is the thing I am giving away-four copies of my little book. It has been a long time in the making. I gessoed the board book at least six months ago. It sat around until about Halloween time, when I used white gesso to paint ghost shapes on each of the pages. It sat around again until I drew faces on the first four ghosts. After more sitting around an idea finally came to me. I finished it, scanned it, arranged it, and printed it. I watched 'Angels and Demons' for most of the time I was printing and assembling which was good as it is a very long film!

The ghosts have advice to give. It is very simple advice, but good I think. I will put the rest of the books in my Etsy shop-the first thing to have gone in there for a long time!

If you would like to be put in a hat (not literally of course) for a little book, then please leave a comment here over the next week. Thanks!

So pretty! I saw this light when at the shops on Saturday morning. So warm and inviting.

Have a good week!

Books, Art and Collections

2011-11-26T14:15:00.001-08:00

I spent an interesting hour or so yesterday reading some of 'Archaeology', a book about American Artist Mark Dion. I happened across his name in 'Nomad' by Sibella Court. I loved 'Etc' by her and found the amazing 'Colour' by Victoria Finlay, because she mentions it.

(Aside one-these two books are gorgeous-as much as the look and content of the beautiful photos, and the evocative tales of her travels, I love the way the pages smell-whatever ink they are using smells great, and the variation in paper, and even the way it is sometimes difficult to read all the words as they are printed onto a dark background)

The Internet is so great for facilitating this kind of thing (as I am sure you don't need me to tell you!) so after about half an hour of searching, I couldn't find the book she mentions, but I chose 'Archaeology' as a likely good choice. Dion is very interesting indeed. (And I realise I have seen one of his works in Tate Modern before, but had not remembered and looked into him)

I think I have understood the main points of what his work is about but the thing that grabs me first is that it is full of the kind of stuff I love-basically old and lost things dug up, dredged up, beach combed and variously found. Things from the shore of the Thames like the things I find. These objects are then displayed in a museum like way and are fascinating to look at.

(Aside two-I love to do this, have made pieces of work in the past which were intended to be museum like-using found things. They are in a drawer somewhere. I curate my own things all the time and our flat is a constantly changing museum of my whims.(Cluttered but I love it!)

Dion assumes the role of archaeologist, explorer, ornithologist-whatever is necessary in the process of making his work. He genuinely does the work. He and a team of workers, sort, clean and catalogue things, before they are displayed. In one of the articles it talks about how the process is important and the participation of onlookers is a part of that. Richard Long was mentioned as another artist where process is the main focus, with a record being made for the later viewer.

The objects are then displayed in an art gallery-and this is the departure from science or the other roles and purposes-the objects are made to be art rather than just, say, an historical piece of evidence. The viewer is made to question what constitutes art (Duchamp is mentioned here) (that old chestnut!-and the art/craft debate too-as in how some things may be displayed in an Ethnographic museum, which later may be displayed as art in a gallery, so changing the judgement made of them)

(Aside three-it just came to me the other night as clear as anything-my crocheting straightforward things such as bags or washcloths is craft-as I know how to do it, there are not any surprises and it is just a case of getting on and finishing it. A felty head uses craft -a simple building block, but the decisions I make about how it will be make it into art. But then, do the decisions a skilled crocheter make about colour, pattern and shape make their work art or craft? It was suddenly not clear again. Really I think most things are a mixture of things-which in a way is what Mark Dion is all about)

Two interesting bits from the book-how the Thames has been dredged consistently to keep it clear and a lot of the ballast ended up in Newcastle. Consequently, there have been significant archaeological finds up there, that are thought to have originated on the bed of the Thames.

The other tale that I loved was about Dion's work for the Venice Biennale where he dredged a section of a Venetian canal, and displayed these finds. The Venetian authorities were ready to throw him in jail for stealing precious historical artifacts, until a deal was struck whereby he 'donated' one of his works to them!

Art rant over!

Shadowy Tea

2011-11-26T10:50:00.000-08:00

Last weekend there was sun. My tea looked beautiful steaming away in the light.

For more shadows from around the world, visit Hey Harriet here.

Smile...

2011-11-25T16:40:00.000-08:00

...it's the weekend. I will be crocheting string, making a big house for school demonstration purposes, and finishing a book-hopefully! Also making playdough scented with christmas spices and orange essence. Tiger is feeling under represented on here at the moment so here she is looking sweet last weekend.
I hope you have a good weekend, whatever you are up to.

Sadie Paintings

2011-11-23T12:20:00.000-08:00

Lovely Sadie. I was talking to my Dad the other night and said I had been thinking of trying to paint her. Here are my attempts tonight.

Manimal

2011-11-22T11:50:00.000-08:00

This is Manimal. He is looking up in case of predators. There are none in here, so he agreed to a photoshoot. He relaxed after a while, and enjoyed meeting up with the rest of the felty heads. Manimal has a crocheted base, as a change to a felted one.

Much quicker to construct and easy to felt him onto.

It is filled with poly fill which you can felt into.

Amazing!

2011-11-22T02:02:00.000-08:00

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

I saw this on Autumn Watch the other night. I have only seen small versions of starlings doing this-down at the local shopping centre, and would love to see a large group like this-amazing!
I found some proposed plans to turn my old school into nine dwellings-which includes keeping the stone buildings which is good. It did not sound like a finalised plan at all, just a proposal. Harrietsham has a new primary school with about 100 children, so that at least is good for the village.
Thanks Leenie for the Vimeo link!

Abandoned

2011-11-20T02:55:00.000-08:00

When I was on the way back from my Dad's a couple of weeks ago, I stopped to take pictures of my Primary school in the next village. It has been empty for some years now, and I don't know what will happen to it in the future. The main buildings are lovely. Made from Kentish ragstone, they are very solid, and would make a great conversion project for someone with lots of cash-and who doesn't mind living on a main road.

I can remember a lot of things about this place-unusually for me as I have a terrible memory. This area is the site of the swimming pool which must have been demolished at some point. It was a pool which came up to the chest or neck of a small child and waist of a bigger one. I once feel I nearly drowned in it-I slipped and was under the water for what seemed like ages trying to get my footing. When I did and came up nobody had noticed!

It is also the site of some metal bars, which I managed to fall off of, and get a massive lump on my head-big enough to be sent home. There were also metal gates here-I hurt myself on those too-catching my finger between them and the frame. I still have a strangely shaped right forefinger because of this! It seems I was a little accident prone,
Over by those wooden railings was where the milk was left in crates. Lovely in the winter, revolting in the summer. It is also the entrance to some classrooms which back onto the railway. My friends and I were convinced there were railway worker's ghosts haunting this part of the school. (As well as the usual ones in the toilets!)This door has a little cloakroom behind it, and leads onto the hall. I remember assemblies in there, sitting on the parquet floor listening to Mr Chaston. There was a lovely cloth picture of the village which I used to spend a lot of time staring at. All the little houses were a different seventies type fabric-really beautiful! I also remember a play that we watched in there, where old fashioned leather suitcases flew across the space above our heads. To this day it feels like real magic, and at the time it certainly was.

Behind there, in the left hand side of the picture is the entrance to more classrooms and to the dinner hall and kitchen. I remember one maths lesson where we were taken into the kitchen and shown the giant red recipe book. The lesson was to convert one of the recipes which fed many, into one that would feed a few. Maths was not my strong point so although the visit to the kitchen was interesting, the conversion exercise was not!

The school office and the Head's office were in here. The murals are after my time.

Part of the playground where games of 'chain he', marbles, horses, and chase were played. 'Chain he' was terrifying-ending with a long line of children linked by their arms, bombing around the playground after those not in the chain. I think you had to grab onto the end to be safe-and to make the chain longer and harder to avoid.

This last view looks across to the garden of the house next door to the school-I think the vicarage-but may be wrong. We were allowed to play in this garden in the summer. The best thing about it was the enclosed space made at the end by trees-yew I think they may have been as they were very dark. Thrilling to hide in anyway!

Shadow Shot Sunday

2011-11-19T14:03:00.000-08:00

Woolwich has some beautiful buildings. This is the Royal Military Academy, photographed last Sunday.

We went to photograph the Olympics gun site-which looks more or less finished now. This is the other side of the road to the site.

I have worked out how they make the white covering taut-the coloured circles push it out and voila-not a giant shrink wrapping process as I formally thought!

For other shadows from around the world, visit Hey Harriet here.

No Theme

2011-11-17T14:12:00.000-08:00

No theme, apart from small things in the day I liked. The first is Matilda's drawing of her family. I just love the way she has used different colours on her simple figures. It makes a really pleasing picture.
This is more of a big thing. I got over the fence this morning-behind the gate you can see here. Caroline got me her long loppers, and I managed to cut back a lot of the prickly plant to increase our view. When I came back later in the morning to have a look, I found that a huge mud mound had appeared-right in our view line! It is exactly where base camp was.

The last thing is a video of Lily purring. It came out small again-though I have found out why, and changed the settings again. It is the sound I like the most though-such a soothing sound. I don't know how cats produce their purr. I must find out.

Today

2011-11-16T13:43:00.000-08:00

It is so lovely to have a lake next to a supermarket and it looked very calm and lovely in the early evening light.

The sun glinting on the block of flats that overlooks the school is what made me take this picture. I have been to the nineteenth floor of these flats on a home visit and the view was amazing. I would be a terrible nosey neighbour if I lived in one of these places.

This is the sun that glinted on the building. It was behind drifting clouds and looked like the moon in the day. This afternoon I did a fairy tale activity-hacking through a very dense and thorny plant so that we can have a view of the diggers. (the similarity did stop there-no princess) I am nearly there and we could catch glimpses of the action. One of the boys in my class spent about an hour this afternoon watching and giving me updates-'It's going! It's not going! It's going round.' I need to climb over the fence in the morning to just do the last bit.

Digging and Sawing

2011-11-15T12:10:00.000-08:00

Some people have so much fun doing their work. I cannot imagine that the man operating this digger is not enjoying it! I really would love a go. As I watched, the digger encountered what looked like half a building ten feet down. Amazing to think what has been under our feet all these years. It is hard to see in this photo, but this is a very big hole in the ground.

It is basically a hole where there used to be a hill.

Looking across towards Forest School.
A digger on the other side of the fence that we can see in Nursery.

Looking down into the hole again, and across to the tree chipper machine.

Explanation of my visit at the end of the post.

I have done something strange to my school camera settings so this is very poor quality-but viewable small. This is what is happening the other side of the fence. I was most upset today to hear the sound of a chain saw-which you can hear in this video. Caroline works in the nursery and is married to the premises manager, so she went to find out what was happening-as I thought no trees would be destroyed. She came back and got me and Sanjot-a boy absolutely fascinated with the diggers, to go for a visit. I found out that they had to cut the tree down as it was within 3 metres of the building. They are going to save me some lovely big pieces of tree. So, a happy ending to my mini drama!

Light Paintings

2011-11-14T14:30:00.000-08:00

This was my favourite assignment in the course-darkened room, long exposure, torch moved around your subject and hey presto! I love these pictures and will try more when time allows. It has been a really fun course which I can recommend, if and when there is another one. Course found via here.

Touche Crochet!

2011-11-13T12:48:00.000-08:00

In my mind I have been battling with crochet for years. And now I have beaten it! Touche! I have had a hook, my great aunt Peggie's, for ages, and sometimes have got it out and looked at it, then looked in a book or online, had a go and then lost patience with the whole nonsensical thing. My friend Cleo, of the craft days, has tried to show me, but to no avail. I just did not get it. I get it now! I no longer have to be jealous of crocheters as I am one too! It is addictive. One more row, just one more, and my swatch grows slowly but surely. Ok, it doesn't look much, but it is a picture of progress. Middle bottom-my first go-small and was getting smaller so stopped. Top left-second go. Left-squiggly thing-when I realised that you can go around the edge or wherever you want, which makes things such as this possible! (Crochetdermy, by Shauna Richardson) I saw her bear at The Power of Making exhibition. Middle-my biggest swatch-still gets bigger in places but was careful to be neat going around the edge. Bottom right-double crochet (all the others are single crochet) Grrr! Double crochet! Can't do it, won't do it, don't even want to do it! On the videos I am learning from, the lady holds the yarn in her left hand and the hook in her right. I tried it like that, and although I could do it, it didn't feel natural, and made my left hand ache. So I tried holding the yarn in my right hand as well as the hook, like I do when knitting and found it much easier. However, this was much harder with double crochet as there is more fiddling involved in the stitch. Also the line below was not working out, so there was nothing to connect to. I may try it again sometime but for now I am more than happy with single, and have plans in my head, which probably will stay there! I have not watched the granny square video yet and am really hoping it does not involve double crochet stitch!

A bathroom mat for a dolls house? Even crocheting string is fun!

Is being turned into a pouch for something or other!

No real use that I can think of, but I like it! Looks like a sea plant.

Grrrr!

Moonshadow

2011-11-12T15:02:00.000-08:00

'I'm being followed by a moonshadow, Moonshadow moonshadow', was what I thought of when I saw this shadow on my draining board the other night. It wasn't following me thank goodness, more calling to me. I have just googled the song as I could not remember who it is by. Cat Stevens. The rest of the song is quite strange.

Moon folklore. For more shadows from around the world, visit Hey Harriet here.

Glowing

2011-11-11T10:14:00.000-08:00

Lights glowing in windows, and at dusk are one of my favourite sights. Here are some I collected on my walk the other day.

Works and one not to watch if dolls scare you!

2011-11-10T14:01:00.000-08:00

But do watch it! Alma from Rodrigo Blaas on Vimeo.

Sad pictures of the nursery garden as it is destroyed. I can't help feeling upset when I see this. The diggers ripped out the apple tree today-you can see the branches poking up by the fence. There has also been lots of tree debris dumped in the middle of base camp so I hope the builders remember my request to save the logs. I would have moved them myself but they said they would. It is very frustrating as we can't quite see what is happening. I was promised that Forest School would be preserved but I don't necessarily trust in that promise. Ah well, nothing much I can do. If I can cut those branches in the bottom right(some really sharp thorned plant) I will be able to see what is going on. I am going to put my secateurs and gloves in my bag now! I took these pictures standing on the top of the climbing frame with my arm in the air.

The diggers looming near the fence reminded me of this video.

Night Pictures.

2011-11-09T14:58:00.000-08:00

We did long exposure photo drawings in the class yesterday. I have tried this before by moving the light source but had not thought of moving the camera! Tonight I did some more, using the full moon. My upstairs neighbours are away at the moment so there were no naked men and nobody to see me standing and moving my camera around towards the moon. This is not a drawing, but I like the way the moon looks like a heart.
Oh-this one is not a drawing either-but the street view over our fence, behind the jasmine. This is the only part of the garden where we are not overlooked, so I have considered putting a bench here.
Here are the drawings! Hearts. I discovered you have to draw the thing you want upside down, and it comes out the right way up. The first one is the lights in the picture above -streetlamp, windows and a bit of the moon.

This is taken with long exposure and high ISO-it has a kind of watery effect.

This is of the crocheted blanket on the futon and the rug in front. I slightly moved the camera while waiting for the long exposure to finish.

Sadie

2011-11-07T12:04:00.001-08:00

This is Sadie, my Dad's new dog. She was rescued from a tricky situation by a relative, and was totally filthy and flea infested when they got her, as well as not being able to walk properly as her back legs were very weak. (Due, they think, to the fact that she was never exercised). Three weeks on and she is a different dog. When I went to see them last Saturday, she spent the whole time (apart from when we ate lunch!) on my lap, eventually falling asleep. She is a lovely dog, so affectionate and sweet. Her fur is so soft and silky. She is a Bichon Frise. Wickipedia describes them as having a 'merry disposition' and she has!

If I didn't have cats....!

Shadow Shot Sunday

2011-11-06T02:58:00.001-08:00

This week's shadows are from my trip to Southwold a couple of weeks ago. Not much sun this week and no time for shadow hunting! The first one is in the cafe on the pier where I spent a very long time waiting, and so took quite a few photos to pass the time! I was sitting on the side the sun was shining in, and it was very dazzling and hot, but lovely at the same time. A glimpse of the lighthouse through a side passage, with the bobble roofed house making its shadow.

I like the colour of these two houses next to each other. The salmon pink is very popular in the area. I like the window shadow on the blue house.

For more shadows from around the world, visit Hey Harriet here.

A Walk in the Park

2011-11-05T14:05:00.000-07:00

My photo assignement for today involved me going out for a walk which was just what I needed. Below is a mosaic of twenty or so minutes of the walk. The park is beautiful now-just perfect leaf crunching weather. I saw where they were setting up tonight's fireworks on Blackheath-lots and lots of them. We are not going though-we are staying in with the scaredy cats. I took my big camera so it was fun to record some of the park wildlife .
A magpie.

A grey squirrel enjoying his nut.

Crows spending time together.

A jay. I was most pleased with him as I love them and don't often see them.

The zoom lens worked a treat!

An energetic dog who is not exactly wild but is life!

Resting.

Frog Story No Pictures

2011-11-04T16:32:00.000-07:00

Tuesday night. Woken up at three or so by a horrible and strange noise. Went back to sleep. In the morning I couldn't find Cassie. When I can't find her I put my hand into Andy's underwear drawer under the bed and usually find her curled up there-and there she was. I got up and started to make tea. I heard Andy say 'She's got a frog!' He had it on my side of the bed on the floor but it got back under the bed. So, she had brought it in at three in the morning, dropped it under the bed, gone to sleep in the drawer then got up and started bothering it in the morning. I had no time to look for the frog so we left the door shut, and a bowl of water in there-as if a frog gets that. When I got home from work I lifted the mattress, hoovered and looked for the frog-I couldn't find it but thought it must have died somewhere. I gave up, resigned to waiting for the dessicated frog to materialise in a few weeks time.
Wednesday night. About three. 'Rragh, rragh.' 'She's got another frog'. I got up to see-and found a poor fat frog in the corner in the hall by the mirror. It was dusty and dry looking like it had spent twenty four hours under a bed. I am sure it was the same one! It had survived. So I put on my dressing gown, picked it up (frog lifting is one of my skills!) and took it to the pond. The upstairs neighbours lights were all on, and as I glanced towards their flat I was confonted with a fully naked neighbour man. From the back. I looked away quickly but it was strange and all added to the funny frog story in my mind! We have told every neighbour upstairs that their bathroom needs a blind but none of them have listened, so this is not a one off experience! We try to avoid it but sometimes it is foist upon us!

Views

2011-11-03T14:59:00.000-07:00

This is our new view. A large blue fence, behind which we can hear diggers. It is amazing how different it feels with this here-the lack of space in front of our eyes is horrible. It can be drawn on with chalk, which the children have enjoyed, so there is a small compensation. I want to make a periscope so we can see over the top and keep an eye on the works! This photo was taken on Monday morning when we took the children out to see the wall.
The view through the tunnel-taken for my photo course. I have never looked inside this tunnel, so never realised it has brick paper on the walls-what attention to detail on the part of Brio!
A view in the supermarket tonight-it is the hats on innocent juice time of year again. As well as looking good, it is interesting to watch people trying to make their choice! I didn't buy one tonight but I probably will-such great doll hats. Speaking of dolls, I had to rescue one from the dark, wet and windy playground tonight, as I was leaving school-she was in a corner with her face in a puddle-a mini horror scene. Now she is washed and in the nursery-phew!

Glistening

2011-11-02T16:04:00.000-07:00

This is a currently unfinished picture that I started at the weekend. I wanted to use my pearly buttons-they are so pretty and just languish in a tin all day when really they should be out showing their pearly goodness. I suddenly had the idea that I could sew them to a canvas. So I found a model, sketched a face with a graphite pencil, painted over with watery gesso and then started to fill in her hair-or hat, with buttons. There is a slight problem I had not foreseen-the wood at the edge of the canvas-so her hair/hat will stop abruptly in a straight line. Whenever I make anything I always have a feeling of excitement to see how it will turn out, to see an idea realised, and sometimes I am disappointed and sometimes not. This time not. I love the way the pearl buttons glisten in low light, and the simple palette. I am undecided how to finish her though-whether to leave the background white or do it a deep, warm grey. I will try out the options in photoshop.
Last night I watched a documentary about the artist Grayson Perry, taking his teddy bear Alan Measles on a pilgrimage to Germany on a specially made motorbike. I can't begin to explain the many intricacies of GP's world but it was a fascinating and heartwarming insight into it, and well worth watching. It was related to this exhibition currently on at the British Museum called 'The Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman' which I must go to see! Apologies if you can't watch bbc iplayer programmes in other countries-I don't know if you can or not!

New Things

2011-11-01T15:52:00.000-07:00

Every so often I need to learn something new. I like the big things, like learning to drive, but those things are not very regular. Instead I have gone for two smaller things-one to learn from scratch, and one to improve at. I am doing a Craftsy crochet course (Crochet Lab with Vickie Howell)-and if I ever make anything I will show you! I have had a major breakthrough though, in that I have managed to crochet a (small) swatch that has not decreased in size. This is in the double crochet stitch, which I am becoming quite a pro at! The courses on this site are available as often and for as long as you need so I can take my time.
The other new thing is a photo course with Steve Sonheim called 'Photo Silly'. It has a daily assignment, and also a quite easily understood technical guide, which has already cleared a few things up for me. I find the technical side of any interest the boring part, and am therefore lazy at it and don't make much of an effort. However, I do realise that there is a reason for this knowledge, and therefore want to change this annoying habit of mine. So, the types of wool I am using have become more important to me in felting, the ability to read a pattern (knitting or crocheting) would be great, and the understanding of more than just the auto setting on my camera is a goal! In that light, this is my own discovery while doing the class assignment tonight-how to make my camera have a long exposure. Also I have finally found out the purpose of ISO! (not that I used it here but I could have!-you need a high ISO setting to photograph in low light without a flash-but the pictures will be grainier, the higher the ISO setting is) I also managed to use the self timer-hurray for small steps!

The assignment tonight involved a leaf and a face-and Cassie's was the face I chose. I took about 45 pictures and these are my favourites. She was very patient and helpful by mainly staying still!

She looks mad in this one!

Noble.

Tired.

Sweet curled up paws. I think this is one taken on manual, as is the first one of her, but all the others are auto I think.

Amazing Video

2011-10-30T12:09:00.000-07:00

Mound by Allison Schulnik from garaco taco on Vimeo.

Found on Emily Barletta's blog. She does beautiful and intricate drawings in thread, as well as sharing some great art.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

The Gang

2011-10-30T09:39:00.000-07:00

A rabbit and his boy.....
...a cute cat...
...The Gang!

More from the cute Japanese felt book-the name of which I can't tell you as it is in Japanese!

It is from ebay-and if you google needle felting books it will appear-along with lots of other really tempting Japanese craft books.

Shadow Shot Sunday

2011-10-29T10:35:00.000-07:00

I made crab apple jelly with the crab apples the children and I picked at school. I have been looking through 'The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady', which is a book I have loved for a long time, and recently found a copy of in a charity shop. It is a nature journal with lovely watercolours, notes on weather, finds and also poetry. I wanted to take a picture of my jelly in the sunlight, as it is an amazing amber colour. It tastes good too-nice with cheese and biscuits. I bought four jars, in a massive overestimation of how much the apples would make-but half a jar is better than none! The first page pictured is a painting of those red and white toadstools, and the second is of crab apples and sloes-which I have also been using this week. I love the feeling af autumn the photos gives me.

For more shadow shots from around the world, visit Tracy at HeyHarriet here.

A Bunny's Work is Never Done

2011-10-28T04:38:00.000-07:00

It is very, very, hard work being the bunny who gathers the pumpkins. So, I need to relax afterwards, with a cup of tea.
In my little kitchen.
I wonder what other jobs are lined up for me later?

Poor Bunny maid, I should make her a little feather bed to rest in. She is based on these bunny maids in the cutest ever felting book. It is Japanese so the instructions are unreadable to me, but the pictures are good enough. Normally I do not want to exactly copy things from books, but in this one everything is just so adorably cute that I must! Though mine don't come out quite the same as theirs. Name of the book next time with more creatures. The little kitchen and teacup were yet more bargains from the market yesterday. Things like this are ok to bring into our already cluttered house, as they fit inside something else-the dolls houses-which are microcosms of the clutter in the big house. (My self-justification process!)

Letters

2011-10-27T15:49:00.000-07:00

A bargain from Greenwhich market. I nearly didn't go as I was feeling a bit under the weather, but am so glad I did. These and a vintage sewing box, in which I have consolidated all things sewing-well at least the cottons, knitting needles, needles and my sewing scissors. And it doubles as a useful little table. It was full of goodies-I must make sure to use lots of them so as not to pass it on to some other bargain hunting vintage lover in 30 years time. One of the popper cards says 'wartime issue' on it-that got me thinking to when I will be old and it will be in the forties-a hundred years after the war. Strange how your mind wanders when cleaning out an old sewing box. There were Cash's woven name labels for Thomas but he never used them. I put things from this, from my Great Aunt Peggy's, and from the other couple of old sewing baskets I have, together-all the bias binding, darning wool, zips, crochet hooks and poppers. Buttons are all in a basket-apart from the ones that aren't. The pretty little things-a couple of lovely belt buckles-one jet glass and the other silver metal and wood, a small glass screw top test tube of silver beads, some jet glass buttons and some blue glass and gold buttons, are all in a compartment. There are always pretty little things in these sewing boxes. There are also mementoes of their owners. One I bought years ago had the passport photos of the lady who I presume owned it. Another had winning certificates for two rabbit shows. I can't throw these things away, it seems wrong to do so, so they are kept in the box still, and I look at them when I come across them.

Southwold

2011-10-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

My friend and I drove East yesterday to visit somewhere different to our usual favourites. Southwold in Suffolk. It took a little longer than anticipated to get there-two and a half hours-but was worth the drive. It is a really pretty town with colourful beach huts, little painted cottages, and lots of dogs! I have never seen so many Labradors and Retrievers in one place. View from the pier. The sun was so bright and it was hard to look at the sea with the reflection. It doesn't look it here, but the sea was rough-the day was really windy.

View of the beach huts from the end of the pier. We had a tasty lunch in one of the pier cafes-tasty but a very long time coming! Once we had finished, we wandered along the sea front into the town. I bought some local cheese to go with my cranberry jelly, and we enjoyed visiting a gallery and shop-though I could only afford some postcards. There were also a couple of interesting antique shops in which we had a very quick browse-the parking was running out fast!

Two of the dogs I saw.

The sea looks cold in this photo.

The sun was so bright it was doing strange things to my pictures. The glare and the little hexagons are not a special effect-that is how the photo came out.

A quiet backstreet-it reminded me of St Ives here.

A pretty yard near the High Street.

I think we may go down here on holiday at some point as it is a lovely area, and has lots to visit, but is slightly too far for a day trip-it took three and a bit hours to get back-queueing on the motorway and near the Blackwall tunnel. I want to visit Aldeburgh and Sutton Hoo, and then on down to Norfolk which I love but have not visited for years. We were only twenty miles from Lowestoft yesterday so nearly there!

Today has been much more boring-but quite productive. I have sorted my filing, typed some lists for a new group activity after half term, and started my term one reports-a couple of photos and a description of how the child has settled and some information about how they are getting on so far.

Ruby

2011-10-24T00:42:00.000-07:00

I like the way anniversaries are named. I wonder where the tradition came from, and expect I could look it up, but for now just a few pictures of yesterday. Forty years ago my aunt and uncle were married. We joined them to celebrate these years. I don't often see my family-cousins and aunts and uncles, so it is lovely when I do. We went to the 10 o' clock service which was an experience in itself, as I am not a church goer. I enjoyed the service-a thought provoking and quite funny sermon, singing hymns, hearing what the children at the Sunday school had learned, and listening to the vicar somehow managing to compare a forty year marriage to a mature cheese! Frosted rubies of yew berries greeted us in the beautiful churchyard.

It was a warm and sunny day-as was the wedding day itself.

As we had coffee and biscuits after the service, I noticed that teddies go to church too.
I took a photo of the wedding photo but it has the refelction of the church window in it-completely covering my aunt-my Dad's sister on the right.

From left to right

My Dad and brother, Mum, aunt's sister, me(looking the wrong way!), the happy couple, my sister, my aunt and my Gran. I have no memories of the day, but seeing the photo, I had a memory of the fabric of my dress. I have always loved fabric!

After the service we went to another beautiful village for a meal-in a pub and restaurant that my aunt and uncle have been to each year since their marriage.

A lovely day!

The Dress

2011-10-23T13:44:00.000-07:00

This is me in the dress doing a twirl. Really it is hard to show how lovely it is. In fact it looks a bit sack like here. However-in the flesh it is so floaty and light-it is silk and a silk lining. I love the neck line and print-it makes me think of fifties dresses. It is lovely to wear-one of those things you don't know you are wearing it is so light-but warm. My stripey socks were not on show-I was wearing boots-this is just the indoors look amongst friends! I took it off and put it away after this in case I caught it on something!
It was a lovely day-more tomorrow if time!

Come To Our Party!

2011-10-22T01:29:00.000-07:00

Come to our party, come along please.
We won’t even eat you, just give you a squeeze.

We don’t want to get you, or scare you or worse.
We only want you to help us rehearse

The lines we should use when asking for treats,
And how we should speak through our masks and our sheets.

You can bob for an apple, or run from a wolf, help a witch cast her spell, or stroke a giant moth.

But whatever you do, don’t turn your back, on the ghosties and ghoulies who follow your track, and don’t leave the path, or go down the dark stairs, as these are the things that catch fools unaware. Just stay in the light and hurry home soon, quick before wolf realises it’s a full moon!

I hope you enjoyed our party and didn't get too scared. If you would like a scary halloween book to read click here (a children's book I hasten to add!-which partly inspired my party)
We are all off to visit Vanessa here for her party at A Fanciful Twist. Please come along with us-we promise you will come to no harm!

I am the Flower Lady

2011-10-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

I got up extra early today, and was at school by ten past seven. I had lots to do preparing for the builders to fence off our garden next week. As the sun rose, I dug up the lavender and rosemary, cut some of the bigger seedheads and lots of smaller ones from the sunflowers, and put all the logs from the nursery garden over the fence into Forest School. I went out to the car a couple of times to put the plants and the sunflower heads in. As I was putting the logs over, a little boy walked past on his way to breakfast club. I don't know him so he must be new to the school. He asked his mum who I was, and she said I was the teacher. "That's not the teacher, that's the flower lady" he replied. I much prefer that! In the afternoon we had a sunflower ceremony.

We took the large sunflower-a sunflower tree, to Forest School, and once I had shared out the seedheads, the children walked around, deciding where to leave them. We hope some sunflowers will grow, even though we won't be there to see them.
The other sunflower has come home with me.

It left the dramatic grey clouds and evening sunlight, and is now secured by a drawer handle in the kitchen chest of drawers. I was very pleased with this solution to how to stand it up! I have planted the rosemary and lavender in a pot rather than the soil as I don't want bindweed in the garden and we have loads at school. I might as well not have bothered though. I removed the squash vine tonight-it was all dead and ready to come up. I then did a little chamomile lawn weeding and found two tiny pieces of bindweed! How annoying, it is so hard to get rid of. I wonder where it came from.

I also found a frog. He made me jump, but I expect I did that to him too.

Monochrome Mood

2011-10-20T14:39:00.000-07:00

Busy Birthday!

2011-10-19T13:31:00.000-07:00

I had a good birthday-very hectic at school. The photographer was in, to take individual and sibling photos-an hour and a quarter we were in the hall-the children were really great considering they had to hang around for that long, but it was a strain! Then we had a particularly loud musical session-I say we-I mean they. I left out my box of instruments because I was going to use them on the carpet, but didn't because of photos. The children have lots of instruments to use normally-but we have these carpet boxes too. They must see them as this restricted and desirable thing because when they got their hands on them today they were loud and exuberant with them for at least an hour. Then I took a headache tablet. Then it was the end of the morning and we had a session of picking the crab apples, before the tree is ripped up next week. They loved that! Now I need to buy preserving jars and attempt to make jelly. This may not work! Yes-another sky picture. The sky is just so amazing in the mornings at the moment as the sun is rising.

I was reading this book at the weekend and it inspired me to do a little painting. It is all about story telling through illustration, as the title suggests. The artist has a very distinctive style which I was not trying to copy, but I did copy the way she often does backgrounds-a layer of acrylic colour, and then a layer of black. I washed off the black a bit, as it was too much, so it left the green showing through. I like doing pictures inspired by books I am reading, and that is one of the suggestions in the book. This one is inspired by the book "The Boy Who Would be a Helicopter' by Vivian Paley. It is fascinating-all about how she uses stories in her classroom. She is the lady I mentioned last week. Reading the book I realise how much more there is to the way she works than the watered down and simplified version told to us at the conference. The book is really making me think about how I teach and how I can be better. Not that I don't think about these things anyway but sometimes you read something that has that effect. Anyway, the picture is the story table, and the helicopter is Jason's, the boy who would be one. The people have gold leaf hair. I love using gold leaf-so luxurious!

Aahh! Tiger looking at me while Cassie looks at her. I like how this picture came out.

I picked the squashes yesterday and they are on the kitchen table looking beautiful. Such lovely colours-greens, yellows and oranges blending together. I picked myself a flower from the garden for my birthday and a seed head from the yellow flags-I love putting flowers on the table-takes me right back to my Wendy house.

Doodle fish-finished today on a background I have had for months-the result of squashing colour between pieces of card.

Finally, I have to show you the two new schools of painting invented at nursery by Charlie and Charlie-the splodgist school and the scrawlist. It was near to tidy up time yesterday, and I came back to my watercolour table to find them both speed painting-paint, paint, paint, grab another paper, more frantic painting. None of them had names on, so one of the Charlies helped me decipher who each belonged to. I found I didn't need his help though, as each of the paintings had a distinct style. I suppose it is the way they like to make marks at the moment, but it comes out as style!

Well I have really gone on in this post. It must be because I am one year older.

Washing Line Art and Red Dots

2011-10-17T12:51:00.000-07:00

This is the sight that greeted me when I arrived at school at lunchtime. I really like the look of these paintings-their earthy colours and primitive symbols. I will find out what they are all about tomorrow. This is the sight I drove past (in a very slow queue-so time to take a quick photo) on the way to the shops after work. The other side of the building. On the side I normally go past the dots are pink and turquoise. I like this side more with its red dots. I was on the way to Bluewater-a large shoppping centre just down the A2. I had to buy something to wear to my Aunt and Uncle's ruby wedding on Sunday. I found a dress almost immediately and really liked it, and still did when I tried it on here. It is the most expensive dress I have ever bought but I like it so much I will wear it loads and so get lots of value out of it. Each time I wear it, it gets cheaper! I really don't like dressing up for smart occasions, but this dress is smart but relaxed-I love it! I will wear it with boots, and a long sleeved top underneath-which I have yet to buy-John Lewis wasn't too hot on those, and I was too tired to venture into the rest of the shopping centre. It is built in a chalk quarry and has lots of carparks and roundabouts. Normally I go unerringly to the John Lewis one. Today I got lost-ish-three times! I don't know what came over me! I was on the way back to London once-roundabouts come in handy when this kind of thing happens. Andy and I once got lost-and stuck-in Glasgow. We were there for far longer than we needed to be because there were no roundabouts!

Local Shops

2011-10-16T14:50:00.000-07:00

When we first moved here one of the things I liked about the area the most was the good selection of local shops. Since then a great flower shop, a slightly pretentious cook shop-but good I suppose ass it does have lessons and evening events, and a lovely toy shop have all opened. There is a butcher, baker, grocer, library, charity shops, a chemist, optician, hardware shops, pet supplies shop, health food shop, cafes, a small supermarket, a card shop, two dry cleaners and a chip shop. Amazing and all well used. Below is the Halloween display in the Cats Protection League shop. They always make a big effort with their seasonal displays.Apple'n orange has a good selection of fruit and veg, often local. This weekend I bought some Jerusalem Artichokes. They are the most delicious things. Andy boiled them, then pureed them with a little cream, butter and seasoning, and we had the puree with chicken. Gorgeous!

I suddenly decided to do work today, as Andy had to go to work and I thought I might as well. I worked for about five hours I think, but got loads done-the dreaded tracking, photo sorting and printing and also assessment. Now I don't have to do it tomorrow in my PPA time-or in half term-luxury! I can now decide which other of the many tasks still remaining I feel like doing, knowing none of them are as bad as tracking. Honestly, how to generate so much more work than is necessary-make someone produce ten separate documents showing something they already know and if they had the time back from doing the tracking would be able to be that bit nearer to doing something about.

Shadow Shot Sunday and Continuing Olympic Building

2011-10-15T14:15:00.000-07:00

I often walk down this alley near the local shops, and this morning it was full of leafy shadows.
A pylon, a plane and a sunset. Not really a shadow but shadow like.

The building is now covered in what looks like plastic sheeting. This side and the side facing the road look all wrinkly, but the side facing away is shaped and rigid looking. I don't know what process they use to get it like that-some kind of giant shrink wrap or something!

For more shadows visit Hey Harriet here.

The Moon in the Morning is a Magical Thing

2011-10-15T03:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning. I love this time of year when the moon appears in the day.

Faces

2011-10-14T14:54:00.000-07:00

I make up face after face, and they are all slightly the same, but I still want to make up more. I sometimes use a real face to model on but often not. I like eyes. This week I like watercolour graphite pencils, rough paper and a touch of paint.

This picture reminds me of the forties nurse I saw at the forties day. The colours are just like her. I prefer head covering to hair-I like the hijabs of the Somali women I know. I like nun's wimples. Great words-hijab and wimple!

I also like pom-pom type circles on the head. It reminds me of Princess Leia.

I am glad it is Friday. This week has been one long rush-with good moments but overall exhausting. I have a lot to do at the weekend but none of it is going to be work related!

This Week

2011-10-13T13:08:00.000-07:00

Strong winds on Monday, so we tied pretty strips of fabric to the fence. I used inktense pencils on wet paper to draw wolves, moths and this girl with a stripey hat.

I have so much to do but am too tired to do much of it, so instead I decided to sharpen my pencils. I also made a list of the colours I have got in certain series along with their number. I find this kind of cataloguing very satisfying.

Dramatic grey sky, yellow sunflower, and red cranes look beautiful together.

Autumn in the treasure baskets at Forest School today.

The crab apple tree which will be lost soon to the new building. Very sad. Also the beautiful rose bush-I wish they could incorporate our nursery garden into Forest School which is being kept-it is just the other side of our fence. Although the new building is exciting to look forward to, I actually prefer old things-old established things such as our garden-we won't have that feel in the new outdoor area I don't think. So I am really pleased Forest School is staying, and I will try to plant lots of lovely things there as a gift to future users.

Autumn and Halloween inspired painting-I used gouache-just three colours, and a wide brush which was lovely to make lines with. The other page is my journal with the pencil list. I finished Erewhon and have been using a pastel sketchbook with different coloured ridged paper in.

I Saw a Rainbow Way Up High

2011-10-11T13:58:00.000-07:00

The beautiful early morning sky contained... ...a rainbow in the clouds.
I have slightly darkend the photo to make it more obvious-the sky was a bright cold blue, and the rainbow-or cloudbow-was very high. It stayed there for ages. I have never seen this before and felt lucky to have done so this morning.

Please click on the picture for a better look.

Felt Head Three, Mohican Man

2011-10-10T10:25:00.000-07:00

Please ignore the neglected and messy section of garden in which the felty head is posing. He said he doesn't mind too much about it, as long as I get it sorted out soon. I have listened carefully to him and will do so. This head took a long time. I have lost count of how many evenings I have spent making him, but I am pleased with the result. It is weird, but I never know how they will turn out, and this one has turned out looking like a sensitive poet to me. The mohican hair idea only came to me near the end, I wanted something colourful but simple. He is probably a good listener, as much as a felty head can be, because he has such enormous ears!

The whole thing is 45cm high, including base and hair. I have never made a felt thing so big before. Most satisfying. The next one is going to be slightly smaller, and animal related I think.

Drum Beater Tutorial

2011-10-09T04:31:00.000-07:00

One of the drums the people at the conference used was a big plastig barrel and the beaters were made of wooden dowling and gaffa taped tops. I was inspired to make my own. We have lots of big plastic buckets with lids at school(the powder paint comes in them) and they make good drums. I went down to the diy shop yesterday in search of wooden dowling and tape so I could make my own. I was going to use paper or fabric to make the bungy top, but then saw the perfectly designed for the job pipe lagging, the interior circumference of which exactly matched the exterior one of the dowling. How to make them is fairly self-explanatory-cutting up the dowling and the lagging, fitting one to the other, taping them together. The dowling was about 22cm long. I used a piece of tape over the top, three smaller pieces to fix to the stick, then three pieces around-the top, bottom of the beater part and the stick-to neaten it up. I made 12 beaters, which used three lengths of dowling, a roll and a bit of tape and one length of lagging. It probably works out just under £1 per beater.

I used pretty paints-sample pots and iridescent ones, topped by two layers of glitter glaze-a decorating one I have had for years. I had forgotten about how the glitter flakes, so to make it safe (health and safety-glitter in eyes!) I then coated each one with one coat of varnish. It happened to be a craft varnish but any would do. Hopefully this will preserve them a bit as well if they are used outside. I did colour pairs.

I will report back in a while once they have been consumer tested! I also cut up some lengths of the lagging as that is good to hit stuff with too-including the tops of your legs to make a beat.

A Cassie Post

2011-10-08T12:38:00.000-07:00

Cassie has been very bored lately and desperate to play. The other night I was getting some of her toys from the bag in the scratchy post-the very ugly but necessary scratchy post! She understands that there are things in that bag, good things-or maybe it is just that she likes a bag. In the first photo she looks mad because of the tiny bit of white in her eye that is showing. In the second photo she is in there, rooting, but not really finding much.
Later on-zonked!

She may be big now but she is still such a kitten!

Conference News

2011-10-07T12:45:00.000-07:00

Me and my drum! The conference was about communication, and music was one form explored-through 170 people drumming together-it was joyous! We also used boomwhackers which I have not come across before, and which are a great group percussion instrument. The speakers were good too, but the music and the entertaining man and assistants who led it were great!

The lady behind the drum was on my table and just obligingly smiled when I photographed the drum. Class just up the road for future reference. This is a video of a boomwhacker being used-it is a plastic pipe that comes in different colours and lengths and is tuned-each is a different note. You can hit them on your hand, leg, a surface, other people's heads (one of the youtube videos I watched)

Have you heard of Vivian Gussin Paley? She is an American early years teacher who, over the years, has developed great ways of story telling with children. I went to a meeting years ago about her and was really inspired. (Video of her speaking here) I have used her technique regularly ever since, as it really values children's contributions as they are, without always trying to improve them or 'teach' them something every second-something I really believe in. Anyway, recently I heard about a story telling technique called 'the helicopter technique' which, when explained to me sounded like her technique. It turns out it originated from the title of one of her books-'The Boy Who Would Be A Helicopter' and is indeed hers. The last speaker (Trisha Lee of Make Believe Arts) of the conference runs an arts company that works with children developing this technique. She was really interesting and entertaining, and had a number of touching stories to tell. One of the main important things about this technique is that you just scribe whatever the child says. One child told her story and it was just one word-'Mama'. When asked to act out her story she held her arms as if cradling a baby. Other children did other actions and things related to how they saw their Mama, and so, many stories of Mama were told. She shared another of her favourite stories which was just beautiful-here it is.

"Once upon a time there was a girl and she was very married. And she dance to the music with her marrier. And there was a big bad wolf who was sneaking while she was dancing and then they looked behind them and they saw the wolf and the wolf gobbled them up and then they was alive again. And they went home and they saw a broken chair. So much they liked the broken chair it broked into little pieces and then they sitted on their new settee. "

By Bethany aged four.

A good day!

Look, Listen and Feel

2011-10-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

At the moment I do three Forest School sessions a week-one on Wednesday morning and two on Thursday. Each one starts with a time in base camp where we look around us at the weather, the sky, and anything else we notice, we feel the weather with our hands, faces, or by opening our mouths, and we listen to what is around us. I love the way we can enjoy the simplest things such as the wind in the trees, the sight of an aeroplane or a bird overhead or following the progress of a tiny ladybird on the big log.

Our head teacher is doing surprise short observations this term, and he came to watch the start of my Forest School session today. I didn't notice he was there at first and then when I did I didn't care too much as I feel confident in this session above all others I think. He liked what he saw and gave me positive feedback. The 'points for development' are the part of the observation where you are told how to be better. Mine were these-don't carry the very heavy child with disabilities as I will hurt my back (and I suppose possibly drop him) This is a fair point, and I knew he would mention it. However, we were playing a hide and seek listening game where the children have to move fairly speedily around the large forest school area, and Mahamed can't walk unaided, his frame is unmanageable on the bumpy grass, and the only way he can access the game is for me to carry him. I suppose he could head off and hide five minutes before everyone, then I could manufacture it so we find his group last, but I feel whatever I do it will single him out, and as it is he really enjoys the game. The second point made me smile though-it was to make sure the adults know it is forest school day as a couple of them looked cold. They all do know and I feel it is their choice about what they are going to wear. I offer them waterproofs, which most of them don't wear but other than that-they are adults! If the children were not adequately clothed then I would feel it was my responsibility but not the adults! Wayne found and watched this ladybird for ages, until the wind blew it off the log.
I love the way the log is drying out and the beautiful patina of this part.

The clouds looked brushed today.

The sun shone in the afternoon, though it was chilly.

The wind was quite strong. Not strong enough to be dangerous, just to make it feel more like Autumn has finally arrived.

Day

2011-10-05T13:56:00.000-07:00

Early morning this week. It was such beautiful light that I stopped to take a photo before going to work. This is looking west along my road. The week before as we arrived back from Dungeness. Facing the same way. It always amazes me just how quickly the sun suddenly disappears.
A day but not the same day.

One more day at school for me this week, and then the Early Years Conference at Charlton football ground on Friday. It has come around really quickly. It is usually an interesting day and they provide a nice breakfast and lunch!

Squash!

2011-10-04T13:33:00.000-07:00

This is the baby of the squashes that will be harvested soon.

This is the squash that is hiding in the honeysuckle so well, that I only discovered it today-that makes four I can use!

This is the biggest of the bunch.
And this one only slightly smaller. I am going to have an interesting time trying to extricate the squash runners from the chamomile-especially as it is so prickly. I think the weekend after next will be gardening time.

I feel strangely nervous that I will not harvest it in time, so I check the viable ones every day for signs of mould or invasion! I have raised them up on pebbles if they are on the ground so that they will not rot underneath. I just found this good website with recipes and info to refer to. And my squash is the Turban squash-not the buttercup as I thought when I first saw the flowers-though it is a type of buttercup squash according to the website.

Poor Bird

2011-10-03T13:31:00.000-07:00

"Who killed Cock Robin?" "I," said the Sparrow,
"With my bow and arrow, I killed Cock Robin."
"Who saw him die?" "I," said the Fly,
"With my little eye, I saw him die."
"Who caught his blood?" "I," said the Fish,
"With my little dish, I caught his blood."
"Who'll make the shroud?" "I," said the Beetle,
"With my thread and needle, I'll make the shroud."
"Who'll dig his grave?" "I," said the Owl,
"With my pick and shovel, I'll dig his grave."
"Who'll be the parson?" "I," said the Rook,
"With my little book, I'll be the parson."
"Who'll be the clerk?" "I," said the Lark,
"If it's not in the dark, I'll be the clerk."
"Who'll carry the link?" "I," said the Linnet,
"I'll fetch it in a minute, I'll carry the link."
"Who'll be chief mourner?" "I," said the Dove,
"I mourn for my love, I'll be chief mourner."
"Who'll carry the coffin?" "I," said the Kite,
"If it's not through the night, I'll carry the coffin."
"Who'll bear the pall? "We," said the Wren,
"Both the cock and the hen, we'll bear the pall."
"Who'll sing a psalm?" "I," said the Thrush,
"As she sat on a bush, I'll sing a psalm."
"Who'll toll the bell?" "I," said the bull,
"Because I can pull, I'll toll the bell."
All the birds of the air fell a-sighing and a-sobbing,
When they heard the bell toll for poor Cock Robin.

This poor little bird was dropped outside the bedroom door at about 11.45 last night by Tiger. We had heard her scurrying around like she was playing, and had been about to get up and investigate when she appeared. I think the bird was dead when she got it, probably killed by Lily. Poor little bird. Cats can't help it I suppose but I wish they would stick to their toys. I don't tell them off though as they think they are being good. I don't know what kind of bird it is-it looks very young and has really lovely markings. Quite beautiful, so I took pictures. I remember the Cock Robin poem from when I was little and we had a beautifully illustrated copy of it. It gives me a strange feeling which I can't put into words. I like the way all the animals help to mourn Cock Robin and the feeling of sadness of all the birds 'a-sighing and a-sobbing'. This bird is in an eggbox awaiting burial which I will do tomorrow as I didn't find time today. I'll bear the eggbox, and I will dig the hole.

Light and Dark

2011-10-02T11:09:00.000-07:00

A first visit to Shorne Country Park-only about twenty five minutes away and really lovely. It was busy, but once you leave the cafe and playground areas it is easy to be alone. It is on the site of an old clay pit, and has woods, open ground, and I think there is a lake though we did not find that today. We had a little picnic and then explored the woods. Light and dark. Hot weather and autumnal treasures such as acorns and beech nuts. The squirrel above was enjoying a snack.

Apparitions in the trees were whispering about a party for Halloween being hosted by Vanessa. Click on the picture below for details..................

Shadow Shot Sunday

2011-10-01T11:33:00.000-07:00

My shadows this week are from the construction site I see each day on my way to work. I took some photos last week too as it looks so interesting as the sun is rising. This week they are starting to put the sides on the building which made for more interesting shots.

Weird and wonderful though it is, I do hope they remove it after the Olympics as it does not really fit in with the formally lovely open common on which it stands.

For more shadows from around the world, please visit HeyHarriet here.

The Power of Making

2011-10-01T07:04:00.000-07:00

It was my friend's birthday yesterday, and she wanted to visit the VandA for this exhibition, and because it was one of their evening openings. It was an effort to get ready and go out, after another sweltering working day of weird weather, but I am glad I did. Walking out of the tube into Exhibition Road was suddenly like being on holiday. The warm evening, beautiful buildings, and tourists meeting on the steps, all gave it a very continental feel. Outside the museum there is currently an interesting wooden sculpture, quite like knitting to look at, and curving gracefully around the door.

The exhibition itself was interesting. It is a collection of made objects for all sorts of purposes, including a machine embroidered surgical implant, a full sized 'crochetdermy' bear, a wicker work coffin, a wooden bike, a needle encrusted, leather dress, a swarovski crystal covered low rider bike, one of the original figures from 'The Fantastic Mr Fox, and a coat hanger gorilla.

There were some opportunities to try crafts. I was interested to see needle felting going on. One of the exhibits was a holey jumper, repaired by needle felting patches, I have never thought of doing that and will keep it in mind.

Look at the huge sacks of wool! It makes my collection look quite reasonable!

The V and A central courtyard looked magical at night. Can you see the paddlers?

We extended the continental holiday feel by wandering around the nearby streets, looking for somewhere to eat, and ending up in an Italian restaurant which included some ham in the bruschetta, one of only two vegetarian options. Any vegetarians having visited France, Spain or Italy will know what I mean! I am not one so I had the extremely cheesey lasagne and a big glass of red wine which I enjoyed.

Tidying and Experimenting

2011-09-28T11:43:00.000-07:00

First the tidying. Andy is in the process of putting all his Cd's on his ipod. I am in the process of putting all his Cd's in a big box and somehow fitting it in the under stairs cupboard. The cupboard has been sorted as much as possible and the big box is full. He still has more-going in another box-that I took my tools out of-they are now in a 50p vintage suitcase from eBay-99p for two, they are both lovely-lucky score! Anyway, the Cd's have vacated shelf space, so all the stuff on the shelves here-which was on them before but in a very squashed manner, is now displayed. I have managed to fit one of the dolls houses(remember those?-another project uncompleted!) which was taking up a lot of space somewhere else, up there, and the DVDs are alphabetised. This represents Sunday! To be honest, I am not sure how I feel about the newly arranged shelves-I feel a bit like I am living in one of the junk shops I like to visit. If you enlarge the photos you can see some of the things I have accumulated. The oldest thing on there is the little china house up on the right hand side. It is actually a lamp-with an old fashioned plug-from when I was a child. It has a yellow bulb and is a bunny hospital. I love it! To the left of that is our growing collection of OS maps.

First experiment-Making patterns in photoshop-using seaweed from the beach the other day.

Second experiment-Making a lithograph at home. I used the video in this post from Carole's blog. A most interesting process that I don't really understand. I know that the etching process has to do with the alkali soap and the acid coke but apart from that it is a mystery. This was my third attempt and only came out like this, after which I gave up-I am not sure which part of the process was going wrong for me but something was! The biggest mystery is how the parts on the tinfoil plate that look black-and therefore seem to have retained the ink, are not the parts that came out black in the print-the other parts did and the black parts are white. How? Why? !! That, at least, is the same as the video, in that her soap painting was what was printed-and so was mine. Fun process though, despite the faded result. My favourite part was pouring the coke over the soap-it all fizzes up-and then having a quick swig of the coke-art and drinking combined!

After giving up I at least used my black ink by doing a few prints using the glass plate and quick drawings using a glue spreader.

Final experiment-another photoshop one-trying to get a pretty effect with layering. I got an effect but not sure what it is! I used the tinfoil photo, the seaweed and a picture of a lovely morning glory against a blue sky.

Beach Combing

2011-09-27T12:15:00.000-07:00

Just a few things-face shaped and triangular stones, bone that looks like a vertebrae, a beautifully weathered enamelled tin lid, part of a crab claw and a piece of plastic.

Birds, Sky, Sea,

2011-09-26T10:17:00.000-07:00

Just a few more Dungeness photos!