It must be Autumn for the dollshouse show season is upon us once more. This entails us being away a couple of times a year aswell as a couple of days spent working in London and at one or two other venues. It is tiring but necessary for this is where we conduct the majority of our business and now our son is older, things are much easier as we can leave him home alone rather than asking my parents to step in which they very kindly did on many occasions. We have been away this past weekend and I am pleased to report that we have had another successful show. In the role of bossy wife/ Artistic Director [chuckle] this is the latest piece that he has made me for my dollshouse- how lucky am I!!
I wouldn't be doing my job properly if I let him rest on his laurels now would I- I chose what I would like next several months ago when I saw a full size version. Initially he threw his hands up in horror and said he wouldn't be able to make it but as ever, he's now up for the challenge and has started the preliminary drawings. This is a long drawn out process but I promise I will do the big reveal once it's made.
I need to pretend I'm a normal member of the adult world for a couple of days as I am working alongside Mr GBT. I shall be back to annoy you all once again after the weekend. In my absence be naughty....
Well what's a gal to do when she has an unopened bottle of gin...why one goes foraging of course. A favourite free past time of those with a naturally gnat bottomed disposition so now one has the makings of sloe gin.
I only make this every few years as we don't get through it all that fast but this year we are due a top up. I shall be using the recipe from here http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/sloegin_7722 There is no need to prick the skins- if you freeze them the berries break down of their own accord and you can process them at your leisure.
Being a lover of all things left over and inspired by the champagne jelly recently made on The Great British Bake Off I believed this week that I had come up with an original idea for making sloe gin jelly. My trusted friend Google sadly informed me that some varmit had got there first but I am inspired to try it out so that's been added to the ever ending list. This recipe looks just the ticket http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/recipes/6387833/Sloe-berry-recipe-sloe-gin-jelly-with-homemade-clotted-cream.html
Yes it has come round to that time of year again- another birthday down and here I am now in my 50th year. Spoilt moi? Erm yes just a tad. I am one very lucky lady.
I had a marvellous day trip out with dear chum E...two pairs of eagle eyed spotters means a double dose of quirkiness [post to follow] and meal out at a local restaurant with my family. Perfick.
Books always feature heavily in any celebration gift wise- more tomes for me to delight in. Some concentrating on the gnat bottomed side of my life [second hand copies as requested] and the other on my Druid self [along with another Damh the Bard CD to add to my collection of one!]
My son knows that I am a mad old bat who is to be found idly chatting to Humphrey the resident mog at frequent points during the day. The more worrying aspect is that I then reply on his behalf....and yes the teenager must surely be hoping by now that maybe he's missed out on my "unusual" genes. It would appear not though as he's bought me my own talking cat and yes, it enunciates swear words beautifully if you say them clearly enough within his vicinity. I know, I have of course tried out some good examples from my extensive Anglo Saxon repertoire!
Then there's this gorgeous print by a local artist called John Wakefield. More of his artwork can be enjoyed here http://www.jwakefield.co.uk/artwork I found the lovely wooden carved frame for it today for 100 pennies in the CS just up the road.
Forgive me whilst I make myself scarce for there is birthday cake to be tidied away you know!
One of the things I decided to do this year was to extend my "knitting" repertoire beyond garter stitch blankets and to learn to read a pattern without running to my Mummy every time I couldn't fathom the instructions. I am, after all, quite a big girl these days and technically capable of thinking for myself.
I have achieved both my aims. So far though I have yet to dip my toe in the deep waters of "useful, wearable garments"...no instead I have knitted what has taken my fancy which has resulted in this fellow who I've shown before- Percy Pendragon, Gargoyle Esq
As a reluctantish plodder, I have good friends who are proper runners- half/full marathon types and others, who like me, go out for a gentle pootle, but are not super fans. Chatting to a proper running friend we were discussing the differences in attitude- she loves running in the country whereas I would always rather walk. One of the major differences we found is that it was just down to the race/speed issues but in my case, I want to be able to drink in my surroundings and stop and smell the roses. With jogging I don't get that- I am simply focused on getting round the course which is why I always run the same route. I love learning about why others do the things they do and what makes them tick. Had I run on Sunday I'd have missed these little quirky treats which I encountered on our stroll over to start the scarecrow trail.
Mawkins- the Sussex name for scarecrow. Known by various other names elsewhere in the UK including Tattie Bogle [Scotland], Mommet [Somerset] and Hodmedod [Berks] they are first recorded 3000 years ago in Egypt as the farmers built wooden frames covered in net which they hid underneath to scare the quail off their crops. Figures appear from Grecian times in the form of wooden figures carved to look like the ugly son of Dionysus and Aphrodite, Priapus. Here in Europe the Italians rammed skulls on the top of sticks, the Germans built witches believing that they would draw the evil spirits of Winter to them and encourage the return of Spring, whilst we here filled sacks with straw with a carved turnip set on top for the head.
Nowadays the battle between the farmer protecting his crops and the avian flocks intent on eating his crops continues. Set against this background though a new trend for decorating scarecrows as part of a community led activity has emerged. These ones are merely decorative and in the quintessentially British way, often firmly tongue in cheek- they are not intended to be pressed into action, only to amuse those who view them. Ever being one keen to support local free events we followed one such trail yesterday. Although in a local village, it's within spitting distance of our abode, so we took advantage of the clement conditions and pottered over. Being ever the sophisticated soul I am [not] I was like a big kid- loved it.
This won first prize- Who you gonna call?
A certain bear who's rather partial to marmalade sandwich
The Wizard of Oz featured in several examples
Now a track which will drive you quite potty I am sure- the smurfs.
Pow. Batman no less.
This one is in reference to the Family of Blood episode when the heavenly David Tennant was still the Doctor.
Finally my personal favourite- Audrey Hepburn as you have never quite seen her before and yes, that is a Tiffany's bag she is holding.
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