Hip, hip, hooray

All can now be revealed – the thing I've been so secretive about. I have been offered [and accepted and paid for within 30 minutes of the letter arriving] a place on this. Yes – I’ve enrolled on another degree course – but on a much more interesting subject than I did before.  [Well, to be honest, I did find Psychology interesting all those years ago, but somehow these days – less so.]

Needless to say, I am a happy bunny this morning. And a bit scared. Drawing studies? But I know I need it and I knew what I was letting myself in for …

So, to calm myself down, here is a flower from our Wednesday wander yesterday. Not sure what the flower is but I know a bee when I see one.

 

We went, with Mr and Mrs C and Ronaldog to Rockbourne Roman Villa. After the torrential rain on Tuesday we were a bit worried that the weather might let us down, but as you can see from the photo the sun shone and we had an enjoyable outing. Especially as ‘Ancient Britons’ [their words, not mine – I claim Norse descent] are admitted free on Wednesdays. 

To be honest there isn’t a lot to see, but there are some mosaics, and an interesting little museum – even if some of the illustrations are a tad sexist. The site is pleasant, isolated and quiet, and dogs were admitted so Ronaldog could come too. No tea shop, although there was a coffee machine – we came home for tea and cake instead.

It’s been a busy day

which I'll post about tomorrow.

In the mean time – here  is an ex-flower - I’m not sure what it is, but i like the colours.

We’re having a rain storm …

a tropical rainstorm – well, a cold tropical rainstorm. So we stayed at home and did stuff.

Like assemble a book. I say ‘assemble’ because all the constituent bits were lying around waiting for their purpose to be revealed – I just introduced them to each other.

The cover was an experimental bit of quilt-and-then-shrink I did months ago – I lined it with some [wall] lining paper left over from something else and then added some pages, either stuff I’d painted previously in a spirit of experiment, or various bits of drawing paper.

After owning it for at least 12 months, it has dawned on me that the bindings in Keith Smith’s book ‘1, 2 and 3 Section Sewings’ are perfect for fabric backed books. The clue’s in the title, really. This is the ‘running stitch’ sewing [eagle eyes may spot there are actually 5 sections.] The added doodads are spacers from a long demolished charity shop necklace [the necklace, not the charity shop] and purely decorative, although I am telling myself they may help to stiffen the spine a bit.

And because the weather has been foul all day – I also made a bag. [I should point out that today was W’s day to cook, although I did make a cake for our visitors tomorrow. Melting method. It’s quick.]

After I’d made the Sock Sack I decided that if I made a bigger one it could be a fluffy pastel and white cardigan sack – so here it is with aforementioned cardigan.

Not for me or W. of course.

I forgot to mention yesterday that I’d drifted into our local Oxfam shop and found that they were selling crafty stuff – shisha, glittery bobbles, pachworky bits – and these. Carved wooden stamps – for £1.49 a pop. Bargain! I‘m not sure if all Oxfam shops are doing this, but worth a look if you like that sort of thing, and of course it’s all in a good cause.

And finally – just to reassure myself that rain doesn't always drench down in torrents – a petunia in a shower at Whitchurch Silk Mill.

Another quiet day …

so here’s a flower, or several. Christmas roses in September. To join the Christmas cards in the shops.

I love the greeny white of Christmas roses, Interesting colour scheme to try.

Once again I’m having trouble persuading Outlook to talk to Gmail. Would Firefox/Thunderbird  solve my problems, O wise ones?

Run, don’t walk.

If you like embroidery, that is – and if you can get to Portsmouth – and if you haven’t already been – to the Textile Study Group [Practical Study Group as was] exhibition in Portsmouth Museum. [I realise it’s already been all round the country but we tend to get things late in the deep South.]

Just look at that list of exhibitors. And in addition to all the wonderful stitch [stitch with metal, stitch with glass, stitch with ceramics, stitch with paper, stitch with stitch …] there’s a book. A not-for-sale hand made book in which each exhibitor has completed a double page spread of mixed media stuff. It was still there when I left, honest.

Seriously, it is a very good, very inspirational exhibition. It’s on till the end of next month – we will be going again. Admission is free and there is free parking in the grounds. And a tea shop. On a Sunday afternoon, although the other galleries were busy, we had the textiles almost to ourselves. And if you are unfortunate enough to have a partner who isn’t into textiles, there are other exhibitions about Sherlock Holmes and football. [That’s two different exhibitions, you understand – as far as I know S. Holmes wasn’t a football fan. Although as Arthur Conan Doyle lived in Portsmouth, S. Holmes would have been a Pompey supporter. Perhaps that's why he kept it quiet?]

Now I’ve calmed down a bit – another flower. With added bee. I photographed this in the Hillier Gardens and I think its a rudbeckia, though I‘m sure that  if I'm wrong one of the experts out there will correct me.

Two for the price of one.

Exhibitions, that is. [They were both free.]

Yesterday, in addition to our usual Friday shopping and a pleasant lunch, we managed two exhibitions – although neither was very big.

The County Records Office has a small exhibition about the history of textiles in Hampshire – mostly documents such as invoices, advertisements and account books, although there are some antique lace lappets. There are also 4 embroideries of church arches by Lin Howard, who uses layers of fabric and paper in very interesting ways.

Then we wandered round to the Discovery Centre [I’ve typed that so often now I can almost do it without wincing] for a real dose of nostalgia – an exhibition about Ladybird books. I think this has been touring Hampshire for a while, but it has just made it to Winchester.

There are example of the books, original art work, toys, other books and children’s clothing from the 50s to the 70s – including a ruched nylon swimming costume. Somewhere in a deep dark hole I have a photo of me in one of those. It will NOT appear on this blog – although I undoubtedly looked better in it then than I would now.

These are a bit prettier – more old fashioned roses from Mottisfont.

Another slightly unseasonal post

An ‘old’ rose photographed at Mottisfont earlier in the year. Lovely colour, lovely simple shape, beautiful contrast with the leaves, and probably [although I don't think I sampled it] a beautiful perfume as well.

Busy day today so I'm too tired to be chatty – more tomorrow, I hope.