Gin festival

Does this look broken to you?

Halloween delivery!

Marley is as delighted as I am with these, although, she prefers the mummie and ran off with it.
I'm more of a bats, skulls or pumpkins kinda gal.

Worms. Thanks marles.

The junk heap

This is a fascination of mine, since the night the alleyway was blocked with a fridge freezer (believe me, one of those looming over you in the dark and out of context is an uncomfortable and bizarre experience).

So, every now and then my curiosity gets the better of me and I go and see the junk heap.

I cannot believe how wasteful and lazy people are.

Brothel inspired interior design

Ok.
If you know me you know I like tacky, kitchy, hideous plastic items in my home.
The odder the better.

These flamingos used to adorn the Christmas tree (with the battenburg on top) but now they're reading lights.

They are mych reder than I had expected.. the effect from outside is 'unfortunate'

Ceramics

So, we're improving..

So far I have made a mug, pineapples, bowls, measuring spoons and a skull mosaic.

This is my latest creation: a Didcot power station themed servibg dish, for Christmas hams!!

Cats in distress xmas card competition

Never work with children or animals.
Posing The cat was a nightmare.

Watermelons

Surely it's about time I updated the world on my watermelon growing experiment.

They're unreasonable.
Not really an indoor plant in the same way as a geranium.

The ones I had in the kitchen were struggling a bit. They like to be warm but with the door open for marley all the time it's usually freezing.

I gave one to.kirstie for her to rescue, and received one back from my mum because it was 'out of hand'.
They're climbers like runner beans but the melons grow like pumpkins.

So, I potted the last 2 together. That way I can add a frame for them if they survive the winter.
Fingers creative!

The countdown truly begins!

Today is the last day of any of my 'count downs' being in the hundreds!

Kirstie is a nail magician

Sugar skull nails
🎃🎃🎃

Our unconventional postcard...

..from katie and Josh on their awesome looking American adventures.

Finds

I.may have borrowed this in the 90s.
I found it at work yesterday!

Unexpected outcomes

As you know, because I've been banging on about it for a while, I really enjoyed Swindon open studios.
I went to see almost everything! It was all amazing!
I even managed to do some pretty epic Christmas shopping.
I had an amazing time looking at art and speaking to all sorts of interesting and creative people.
I've also gleaned plenty of interior design tips. Mostly for houses much bigger and more impressive (and tidy) than mine.

I bought lots of beautiful things and saw many more that I am simply not paid enough to purchase.

I took part in the challenge to collect stamps from different artists. To enter a raffle and win a prize.

In order to submit my raffle entry I had to post them to the organizers, so I wrote a thank you letter to go with it.
Popped it in the post.
Thought no more of it.

Today Ray and I went to collect our art from Caroline Day.

She told us that they'd had an agm for Swindon open studios the day before and that the Secretary had read out my letter.
Apparently it was the only thank you letter they had received.
(Which surprised me actually as everyone gave up their time for free and opened their homes and everything).
Although, my handwriting caused a bit of a problem.. Caroline had asked to photograph it for her website, only to find the Secretary had re-written the words above the originals as she had deciphered it.

Anyway, they were really pleased.

As a result, Caroline gave me a partner print of the one Ray bought for me for Christmas and Ray was given a frame for her print!

Today's lesson:
Good manners cost nothing and bring great joy.

The tea bucket is ready to be cooked!

So, i'll admit there are some serious scale issues with this mug.
But for a first attempt I am happy.

I started it last week but had to wait for the handle to dry out before I attached it.
So, mug handled and decorated.

I made some TV interference pineapples and pinch pots today.

Lots of learning.
I want to make some plates and bowls for the kitchen, a ouji board cake stand and some rice bowls with holes for chopsticks.
But we're ages away from any of those yet...

The last weekend of Swindon open studios

I visited more artists and saw lots more awesome stuff!
On Saturday I went with Tracey and we stopped off at the beehive to sample their coffee.

Today was with my parents and we had pie for lunch there!

It's awesome!

I'm feeling very inspired to be more creative right now.. I have no ides what I will do to express my new found creative enthusiasm though.

My new door sign...

..on the same day I handed in my notice to leave officially (I got my new contract yesterday so I need to remember to send it all back signed over the weekend!) I got a new, fairly permanent door sign for my lab.
Oops.
It's still awesome though! And I do still have exactly 3 months today to work as my notice (booo it's such a long time!!).

I started bringing things home like my digital calipers and lab coats (all smelly and questionably stained) and loads of stationery (including my dinosaur stampers!).
It's so weird to open draws and them not be quite so full of my junk!

The giant spider

I know the news keeps telling us they exist but this was my first encounter with one.
It built a giant web across the whole garden, Traff had to get rid of it so that I could use the trampoline!

Marley's goth phase

Ceramics @eastcott studio

My painting by Caroline Day

This is my xmas present from Ray.
😁

Swindon open studios

Sooo much amazing art!
We started in the library where there were 3 local artists and they gave us a paper map which was pretty handy!
Dona Bradley was our favourite with all her swindon inspired works!

Then we went on to artsite open studios, and saw loads of awesome stuff including a black light uv installation piece.
They told us about loads of events and classes coming up so we might get arty!

Then we had lunch in baristocats.
It was awesome.

Onward to eastcott studios for ceramics, another class invitation and a thai cafe recommendation.

Then to the beehive pub. Which is now my favourite pub. Ever. They have a cat called pub cat. He's not theirs, he just goes to get fussed.
They had an exhibition by lynette thomas. Her work was my favourite. Crazy folklore inspired mosaics.

After that we went to Swindon museum to see landscapes by various artists and then to two open houses.
We loved the textiles by mammy waggon and lino prints by cheryl willis.

We were really taken with Caroline Day's beautiful paintings. Ray bought me one for Christmas!
She designed the lino print of stine henge they sell on the English heritage website. I love that print.
I never knew the artist responsible lived less than a mile away!

Placebo cd

Traff ordered me this, and it's ace!
I hadn't heard any of their MTV unplugged stuff before!

'Well done you survived a week at work'

I survived and Ray got me a present!
😁
Pusheen pyjamas!!

Photos are back

I have to say i'm a little disappointed.
I need to remember to only use it outside unless I have an external flash (I have 2 but they're huge, not an easy handbag fit). I also think the film suffered with the damp in our old flat.
You can see how the photos from bakers wedding are just so... grainy...

But, lesson learned and I did get a few keepers!

Rainy bbq

With Roz, SJ and John to celebrate our last day of freedom on Sunday.
Back to the grind now.
😢

Cameras

Today started rather sleep deprived. We arrived home at about 2am after our wedding adventures.
Marley has no concept of '8 hours sleep' she woke me up at 7.30 by shouting in my face.
I got up at 9 when she bit me.

It has been a day of chores:
I had to return the garbage record I bought for Traff because it's warped. Pick up bbq bits for tomorrow and took my camera in because I thought it was jammed.
Turns out it was jammed, but not in the anticipated way.
The guy who runs the camera shop has to.coax it to rewind the film. Then he loaded the new film and it refused to work on any setting other than long exposure. Then it jammed. Then refused to wind. The poor guy was beside himself. He was so sure the film I submitted will come back ruined all for the cost of £10.
I assured him I was to resigned to that outcome.

Then he was convinced my camera was broken and a disaster.
And he was extremely sorry about it.
It just would not wind on or take photos on any other light exposure. I did explain that my camera is just quirky.
It works as it pleases.

But, I guess I was worried that it really was bust as I went home and prepared my camera upgrade- a gift from Traff's father.
I always worry about damaging presents. It feels ungrateful. I must treat them super carefully.
And that is not how I treat my.cameras. getting good photos is messy. As is the interior of my hand bag.
All bad.

So, I was delighted when my temperamental delight set itself off and is now playing ball!

Faffing with cameras has taken a whole day.
Worth it though!

Stow away

...And marles tried to come to work with me...

Baker & Helen's wedding

Yesterday was my first day back at work, so whilst we were invited to the whole day, we were only about to attend the evening.
Traff and I both had pretty crazy days at work. Coupled with a poorly cat and an overturned lorry on the way to the M4, we almost didn't make the evening either!

I'm really glad we (finally) made it! We had an awesome time, great company, dancing. Jay did the worm.
It was ace!

Congratulations to Mr & Mrs Baker. Thank you for a lovely evening!
And for the chips!