Monday 28 July 2014

Its rather nice around here

Its rather lovely in Birkhamstead.


Friday 18 July 2014

A brilliant place to visit

If you ever get to Liverpool, I highly recommend a visit to the Walker Gallery. Whats on offer is a wide range of artwork, with, I think, something for everyone.
First of all, this painting just immediately caught my attention.






Now something new and modern and completely unique, a huge applique artwork from Grayson Perry, a very interesting character/s.





This made my eyes go a bit squiffy. Hang on a minute, suddenly it makes sense.

Liverpool and music

Liverpool, home of the Beatles or other music talents.



Tuesday 15 July 2014

Showing the love




A whole lot of loving going on

Scenes from around the Albert Docks

Some scenes of Liverpool, around the Albert Docks area.




Now that's a BBQ

Mine host knows how to do a good BBQ.

Friday 11 July 2014

Day 2, the real thing

The riders. Blink, and you missed them. They seemed to be travelling twice as fast as the motorised vehicles.

Here they come.





We waited over three and a half hours, and it was all over in about three and a half minutes. But what an exciting three and a half minutes.


Bikes on Day 2

So day 2 of the Tour de France, and we went to Huddersfield hours before the tour was due. The best spots at the front of the barriers were already taken. But we managed to get somewhere where we thought we would see the riders.But first the outriders and the floats from the sponsors.




Scenes around Leeds

Well some scenes from the shopping centre.

Having been looking at statues, and admiring the horse in the shopping centre, I happened to glance up at the ceiling and saw a pair of legs dangling down. They didn't seem to be moving. Hmmmm, an unusual sort of art installation. 

Duh!!!!!

When the legs did begin moving a light bulb went on. It was the window cleaner, cleaning the glass panes of the roof.




Holiday, bikes and lycra. Day 1.

I am referring to my holiday, the bikes on the Tour de France, and lycra clad atheletes. At the end of last week we headed off to Yorkshire to catch the first and second stages of the Tour de France. It also gave us the perfect excuse to visit friends at the same time. So day 1, we headed off to Leeds, hoping to see Le Grand Depart, along with 2 million other people with the same idea. After being directed away from the starting point, because it had reached capacity, we battled our way along the route, hoping to get to a point where we would be able to see the road. Unfortunately, the crowds got more concentrated, and our progress just got slower and slower. We cut our losses, and nipped around to the back streets to get to a point where we could at least see the big screens that were set up. We got there just in time.


There was a real buzz in the atmosphere, even the statues got in the mood by wearing their yellow jerseys


Wednesday 2 July 2014

What's down there?

Down an alleyway, under the railway tracks in an unusual door.
Step through and what do you find?

An art gallery.
Here are a couple of pieces that caught my eye.

The first picture is painted directly onto wooden planks. I like the energy of this piece.

I like the colourful but smooth nature of this work, contrasting with the rough texture of the brick wall behind.                                                                                       




Wednesday 25 June 2014

A new love affair

I have fallen in love with another silver glass that goes by the name of Arke (by Double Helix glass).

I have only made a few beads with it, using shards, and I have got the most spectacular range of colours from it. I also made a bead that encased the shards in clear glass. I lost the rainbow of colours, but what I got was an extra shimmery look to the bead (the photo does not do it justice).

This is what I 'm talking about.



The last two pictures are the front and back of the same bead.
The silver in the Arke shards has actually fumed some of the black base to a metallic blue, you can see the effect around the murrini.

Tuesday 3 June 2014

Tadpoles in glass

There seems to be a bit of a tadpole theme going on at the moment with this blog.
 
This is a large lentil bead, made with an encased silver glass, and then surface decoration has been added. When it came out of the kiln, it immediately reminded me of a spring pond with tadpoles in it. 

Thursday 29 May 2014

Remember those tadpoles?



They are not really tadpoles of course, but basil seeds suspended in a flavoured drink.

I didn't mind the texture of the seeds, but the taste of the drink was a bit too highly perfumed. An unusual taste. I'm glad I tried it, but I guess I can live without it.

Tuesday 27 May 2014

Pretty in pink.....and purple....and violet......and lilac......and......

Another set (of smaller beads) in shades of mainly purple. This was a whole weekend of work.




Monday 26 May 2014

Earth tones

Earth tones are popular, so I concentrated on that colour palette for this set.

Of course, because its me, there is still a touch of silver glass in there too.

What do tadpoles taste like?

When I saw this drink, it really did look like a bottle full of tadpoles. The bottle is still sitting on the counter, so I can't tell you what these particular tadpoles taste of............................yet.


Sunday 25 May 2014

Waving cats

So cute.

Sunshine in China town

Went into central London today.
Malaysian food for lunch - yummy.
Then a wander around China town in the sunshine.