tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15333830859584371622024-03-13T16:25:34.223+00:00wipsterbeccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.comBlogger300125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-82647672561301109302014-07-18T20:25:00.001+01:002014-07-18T20:26:04.540+01:00Tarting up a plain cardi...<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-D37TuqfZCUU/U8l0ns8prBI/AAAAAAAAE9Q/PcCfuH4lds4/s640/blogger-image--81294389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-D37TuqfZCUU/U8l0ns8prBI/AAAAAAAAE9Q/PcCfuH4lds4/s640/blogger-image--81294389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Owke7OgjXhc/U8l0ixLmhwI/AAAAAAAAE84/Yq2Y7R00DUs/s640/blogger-image-1418737230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I bought a standard navy cardigan from H&M but it was far too plain for me. I thought some white lace or ric rac would look great and lucky for me my local fabric shop had just enough lonely white jumbo ric rac left on a spool!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Owke7OgjXhc/U8l0ixLmhwI/AAAAAAAAE84/Yq2Y7R00DUs/s640/blogger-image-1418737230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-JxkE2gumeyU/U8l0pNOkQsI/AAAAAAAAE9Y/-27J1ihzvho/s640/blogger-image--825579117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-JxkE2gumeyU/U8l0pNOkQsI/AAAAAAAAE9Y/-27J1ihzvho/s640/blogger-image--825579117.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I pinned, pinned and pinned then I sewed the ric rac onto the cardi using really long stitches.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-D37TuqfZCUU/U8l0ns8prBI/AAAAAAAAE9Q/PcCfuH4lds4/s640/blogger-image--81294389.jpg"></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I went really slowly because I didn't want to stretch the fabric out under the trim.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eU0boJ1UXms/U8l0l0kSRYI/AAAAAAAAE9I/Yxoxld6Q4P8/s640/blogger-image-1376638011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eU0boJ1UXms/U8l0l0kSRYI/AAAAAAAAE9I/Yxoxld6Q4P8/s640/blogger-image-1376638011.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I think it looks pretty good, and it only really too five minutes. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I tried to do it on my old, cheap sewing machine but it just stretched the cardigan out and it looked rubbish. My new shiny Brother is the bees' knees!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-eU0boJ1UXms/U8l0l0kSRYI/AAAAAAAAE9I/Yxoxld6Q4P8/s640/blogger-image-1376638011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-YFw2lCCDW5s/U8l0kTErCvI/AAAAAAAAE9A/GL0373teIag/s640/blogger-image--1168951522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-YFw2lCCDW5s/U8l0kTErCvI/AAAAAAAAE9A/GL0373teIag/s640/blogger-image--1168951522.jpg"></a></div></div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I might have to do some more cardigan and jumper sewing!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><i>Beccy</i></div>beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-75883880797366498642014-07-02T20:16:00.000+01:002014-07-02T20:16:00.044+01:00Hey did I show you this?<p>I’ve been spending a lot of time here these days:</p> <p><a title="https://www.facebook.com/beccyridsdel" href="https://www.facebook.com/beccyridsdel">https://www.facebook.com/beccyridsdel</a></p> <p>If you’d like to pop by and say hello, you might see such things as this…</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pwGSf4F2z0M/U7CCem6sTQI/AAAAAAAAE8A/xEQigjGxHRQ/s1600-h/2014-06-03%25252021.57.00-1%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2014-06-03 21.57.00-1" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2014-06-03 21.57.00-1" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YL6hrl3x6Wk/U7CCfo0pmEI/AAAAAAAAE8I/eEvw4ckdUCI/2014-06-03%25252021.57.00-1_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="400" height="400" /></a></p> <p>…this…</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OyZEzZrxVUI/U7CCgxfCKuI/AAAAAAAAE8Q/CBA5b5z8lpc/s1600-h/2014-06-03%25252017.16.33-2%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2014-06-03 17.16.33-2" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2014-06-03 17.16.33-2" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-KJb48SMkwcM/U7CCiGp0h4I/AAAAAAAAE8Y/WPuPJ4gbzgU/2014-06-03%25252017.16.33-2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="400" height="400" /></a></p> <p>…and this…</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-yBIf4u4JFEg/U7CCj9pNmHI/AAAAAAAAE8g/t3TYyxzzY-4/s1600-h/2014-05-15%25252015.17.49%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2014-05-15 15.17.49" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2014-05-15 15.17.49" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0324iN2Bpn8/U7CClSSIaGI/AAAAAAAAE8o/jwAcx-4kmZg/2014-05-15%25252015.17.49_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="400" height="300" /></a></p> <p>…that’s mum meeting Grayson Perry last month with some of our students. I bought a new frock specially!</p> <p>You also get some great rambling posts, many of which rival these for disparate nonsense but are much more brief and slightly more ceramics-centric (but not much). </p> <p>Anyway, wave if you’re passing through!</p> <p><em><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Beccy</font></em></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-18635155804507280822014-06-29T21:18:00.000+01:002014-06-29T21:18:11.565+01:00If you have a garden, you're always busy - 300th post spectaculaaaaar!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Ok you got me, not really so spectaculaaaar, because mostly I've been painting things and I only just noticed that this is my 300th post. Not bad really considering I get pretty bored pretty quickly. I blame work and the fact that it forces me to spend so much time with seventeen year olds that I've accidentally adopted their attention span. That and I'm naturally really childish.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">The greenhouse desperately needed a lick of paint - the old sage green was wearing off and we didn't want it falling to bits! I painted on lots of wood preserver before the colour to give it the best possible chance.</span></div>
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We started with slate grey Cuprinol as a base and added a little purple and black acrylic paint to make it a much richer colour. Classy, we thought.</div>
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It was pretty tricky painting the roof, (balancing one foot on the top rung of a ladder, trying not to fall through), and really it's best the photo's are from a distance because there is far more paint on the glass than there ought to be.<br />
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Still, it looks pretty in the photo's and that's one garden job done - there are always plenty more though! </div>
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<i>Beccy</i></div>
beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-84699881895360573182014-06-24T21:59:00.001+01:002014-06-24T22:00:27.123+01:00Sunny garden days!It's been so wonderfully hot and sunny lately we can't stay out of the garden!<br />
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Unfortunately that usually means it gets worse before it gets better! Somehow every single pot with dead twigs gets dragged out from behind the greenhouse to be prodded and probed. Is anything alive in there besides vine weevils? A few sad bulbs? Or can we reclaim the beautiful pot for one of the three-hundred plants we seem to have acquired over the last few weeks!</div>
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Of course, it really is very hot so we usually end up making the yard clean and tidy first because that's the coolest place.</div>
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Don't get me wrong, I love sunny weather. It just makes me want to start things in the morning that I can't finish unless I want to frazzle to a crisp!</div>
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<i>Beccy</i></div>
beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-17603360081917276632014-05-31T22:58:00.001+01:002014-05-31T22:58:58.853+01:00Mostly sunny, shiny days around Yorkshire…<p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-W8Hc1HyBYMk/U4pQJkWBsFI/AAAAAAAAE1I/u5aO10VfIg8/s1600-h/2014-05-31%25252014.22.14%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2014-05-31 14.22.14" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2014-05-31 14.22.14" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YZce-SBKbAc/U4pQKeSPVCI/AAAAAAAAE1M/0OdqDRsvvpY/2014-05-31%25252014.22.14_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_EVmeDEZO1U/U4pQLfocKtI/AAAAAAAAE1Y/cxW_MxOlsMo/s1600-h/2014-05-31%25252014.29.12%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2014-05-31 14.29.12" style="border-top: 0px; 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border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2014-05-26 12.43.07" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-wGjmYZwfcfM/U4pQRQBHwWI/AAAAAAAAE2A/fSYQwxgKzYQ/2014-05-26%25252012.43.07_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XOWNiX7XOy4/U4pQSTH3--I/AAAAAAAAE2I/s3Z6e9ajJ0I/s1600-h/2014-05-26%25252017.22.29%252520HDR%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2014-05-26 17.22.29 HDR" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2014-05-26 17.22.29 HDR" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_4cWTS6Ta2k/U4pQTCQJIlI/AAAAAAAAE2Q/200igWIw0k4/2014-05-26%25252017.22.29%252520HDR_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ZXsm09fCu54/U4pQUYn-nxI/AAAAAAAAE2Y/28IOPCJI5N4/s1600-h/2014-05-26%25252017.41.44%252520HDR%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2014-05-26 17.41.44 HDR" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2014-05-26 17.41.44 HDR" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-8hIuMgNAtzw/U4pQVa5biQI/AAAAAAAAE2g/g6RD5VzdMIo/2014-05-26%25252017.41.44%252520HDR_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-j78O-h3BW5s/U4pQWjGl2VI/AAAAAAAAE2o/VSqRhYUKIhY/s1600-h/2014-05-17%25252012.13.27%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2014-05-17 12.13.27" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2014-05-17 12.13.27" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dpD8BqDatHQ/U4pQXcCPLjI/AAAAAAAAE2w/iw4SXioHV5s/2014-05-17%25252012.13.27_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ORU-bwD8ZAk/U4pQYjNw8kI/AAAAAAAAE24/8Kkw4fBSURo/s1600-h/2014-05-17%25252015.54.42%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2014-05-17 15.54.42" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2014-05-17 15.54.42" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--cbRWOHcJ-4/U4pQZY73thI/AAAAAAAAE3A/ce2UyBKozOE/2014-05-17%25252015.54.42_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--H2yUmQfs6k/U4pQaR_CFmI/AAAAAAAAE3I/aWIWfFW-9pk/s1600-h/2014-05-17%25252017.48.30%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2014-05-17 17.48.30" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2014-05-17 17.48.30" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RV2FefjieX4/U4pQbMwBmZI/AAAAAAAAE3Q/cOgmONvROoA/2014-05-17%25252017.48.30_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-BORrC3w0Yhg/U4pQcr5RC3I/AAAAAAAAE3Y/s2G_C_D49EU/s1600-h/2014-04-17%25252016.43.44%252520HDR%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2014-04-17 16.43.44 HDR" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2014-04-17 16.43.44 HDR" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-sFrl5YCOeOY/U4pQdDst-xI/AAAAAAAAE3g/Qknga2XiIr0/2014-04-17%25252016.43.44%252520HDR_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZcyZGHwMGiI/U4pQeSA87XI/AAAAAAAAE3o/s_mE5JDA66c/s1600-h/2014-04-18%25252014.57.16%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2014-04-18 14.57.16" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2014-04-18 14.57.16" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xAjpzX1yIwA/U4pQe1BzWBI/AAAAAAAAE3w/ZomWoto52fo/2014-04-18%25252014.57.16_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-F7YlmdtkOnI/U4pQgeH91RI/AAAAAAAAE34/2KEN_Dl1n8E/s1600-h/2014-04-18%25252015.11.46%252520HDR%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2014-04-18 15.11.46 HDR" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2014-04-18 15.11.46 HDR" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-I2KiZkHNl08/U4pQhISez_I/AAAAAAAAE4A/IL_wUulOifc/2014-04-18%25252015.11.46%252520HDR_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-58Cy7FD-3CE/U4pQiHRiL8I/AAAAAAAAE4I/hy5udYjF_zQ/s1600-h/2014-04-18%25252015.20.14%252520HDR%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2014-04-18 15.20.14 HDR" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2014-04-18 15.20.14 HDR" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-XnuQv6yVoyY/U4pQi6Gup6I/AAAAAAAAE4Q/QeWQqo4kaiM/2014-04-18%25252015.20.14%252520HDR_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ErHgvM8ub14/U4pQkNfS4kI/AAAAAAAAE4Y/d4dxI3qaK_o/s1600-h/2014-04-18%25252016.34.40%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2014-04-18 16.34.40" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2014-04-18 16.34.40" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-c26vaZtMKgA/U4pQkwSO4wI/AAAAAAAAE4g/l9YkI4RuvTM/2014-04-18%25252016.34.40_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6aorFlO3Wgs/U4pQmdgdw6I/AAAAAAAAE4o/NPX3AUqBHpY/s1600-h/2014-04-21%25252014.13.15%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2014-04-21 14.13.15" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2014-04-21 14.13.15" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-6J6D_P3xMx8/U4pQnf54u_I/AAAAAAAAE4w/FN6u-Bxti7k/2014-04-21%25252014.13.15_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>Millgate House in Richmond, Parcevall Hall near Pately Bridge, Skipton Castle, Beningbrough Hall near York, Cayton Bay, Scarborough, Tholthorpe.</p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><em>Beccy</em></font></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-34148086925236584302014-03-23T13:33:00.001+00:002014-03-23T13:33:15.269+00:00Busy busy busy busy busy!<p>As you might know it’s <a href="http://www.yorkopenstudios.co.uk" target="_blank">York Open Studios</a> pretty soon (4th, 5th, 6th April and the 12th and 13th April) so I’ve been in the workshop making lots of ceramicy things.</p> <p>The Tour de France Grande Depart will almost pass by my house later this year which is a bit exciting and as part of Open Studios we were asked to contribute a piece of grande depart themed work for a preview exhibition.</p> <p>Here’s mine - </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9B9mwf5ocxE/UyzYuZFb9jI/AAAAAAAAEzE/zLgLcUspRNM/s1600-h/4%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="4" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="4" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-BtUIhrw_JzI/UyzYwaXMZQI/AAAAAAAAEzM/NY8jP21yTIQ/4_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="223" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-y1RTQkrGuAw/UyzYzMu3wyI/AAAAAAAAEzU/MxqvJaIbXWg/s1600-h/3%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="3" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="3" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RuNCEf846rg/UyzY2LKFzOI/AAAAAAAAEzc/pGzqWrCyaZk/3_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="233" height="350" /></a></p> <p>It’s one of my large chimney jugs, but with extra added <em>bicycle</em>!</p> <p>I’ve also been making some little dishes because I needed to replace the ones that sold in <a href="https://beta.folksy.com/shops/beccles" target="_blank">my little shop</a>! They start off looking like this:</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Ul4f3ysUHYk/Uy7iiG65_0I/AAAAAAAAEzs/L350nA9dz8o/s1600-h/2014-03-08-15.16.045.jpg"><img title="2014-03-08 15.16.04" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2014-03-08 15.16.04" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-W3Vym2P_RMU/Uy7ii5-errI/AAAAAAAAEzw/ABN-mTYNUos/2014-03-08-15.16.04_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>And they end up looking like this:</p> <p><a href="https://beta.folksy.com/shops/beccles" target="_blank"><img title="P1020920" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="P1020920" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7rSr9VWPV7o/Uy7ijjk7fBI/AAAAAAAAEz4/jVTICbMSFis/P10209206.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="332" /></a></p> <p>You might have noticed a little addition to the sidebar there showing off <a href="https://beta.folksy.com/shops/beccles" target="_blank">my little shop</a>. You know I’m not one to shout from the rooftops (but my accountant says I really ought to mention this stuff to people <em>sometimes</em>), so if you’d like to see more just click through and have a look! No pressure!</p> <p><iframe height="795" src="https://widgets.folksy.com/shops/3697/2/3/shop" frameborder="no" width="373" allowtransparency="allowtransparency" scrolling="no"></iframe></p> <p>To be honest I’m just as excited (maybe <em>more</em>) about these shiny new decals I just bought to decorate my plates with – I really do <em>love</em> them and their pretty floral goodness.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8MN4xx10CP4/Uy7iklZTIdI/AAAAAAAAE0E/37ZpmdjeAjo/s1600-h/2014-03-14-17.27.305.jpg"><img title="2014-03-14 17.27.30" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2014-03-14 17.27.30" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cbEewAIBQ9Q/Uy7iluQXQvI/AAAAAAAAE0I/wIAb4OSZ7rQ/2014-03-14-17.27.30_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p><a href="www.yorkopenstudios.co.uk" target="_blank">York Open Studios</a> starts two weeks yesterday so I’d better get my chintzy skates on!</p> <p><em><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Beccy</font></em></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-8760255336981766742014-03-22T00:31:00.001+00:002014-03-22T00:31:54.861+00:00It was World Poetry day today…<p>So I just wanted to share with you my favourite poem.</p> <p> </p> <p><u>He wishes for the cloths of heaven</u></p> <p>Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths, <br />Enwrought with golden and silver light, <br />The blue and the dim and the dark cloths <br />Of night and light and the half-light, <br />I would spread the cloths under your feet: <br />But I, being poor, have only my dreams; <br />I have spread my dreams under your feet; <br />Tread softly because you tread on my dreams. </p> <p>W.B. Yeats <br /></p> <p>What's your favourite?</p> <p><em><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Beccy</font></em></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-50987576050327261302014-02-25T22:37:00.001+00:002014-02-25T22:37:12.006+00:00I heart counted cross stitch!<p>I must point out right from the start that I don’t actually DO any kind of cross stitch, I don’t even have much interest in starting (although that could easily change), I just seem to buy a lot of completed ones. </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WOvaLKbCWgI/Uw0at9W3B7I/AAAAAAAAEwU/AvbZ9u5l5tE/s1600-h/P10208784.jpg"><img title="P1020878" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="P1020878" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ZhovrS0k4BE/Uw0auqy7LpI/AAAAAAAAEwc/-tXPIbYBnZg/P1020878_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="248" /></a></p> <p>Whenever I see one in a charity shop or at a car boot sale I really have to stop myself from just buying it - I’ve started forcing myself to be critical and only buy the ones I <em>really</em> like because frankly I don’t have the wall space. I don’t know what it is about them, but I have a sneaking feeling it’s because they remind me of the games we played on our ZX Spectrum and Amiga 500 in the 80’s and 90’s. Especially the smaller ones.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-bscZ3Eu0m_w/Uw0awUdeTuI/AAAAAAAAEwk/vmxaOF-xszw/s1600-h/this%252520one%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="this one" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="this one" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Lvl4H8JJtxU/Uw0axQYUcTI/AAAAAAAAEws/_vpcsG4g9nk/this%252520one_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="334" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FwfYwEma0q4/Uw0azQWVVQI/AAAAAAAAEw0/JQmYPBZvbP8/s1600-h/P10208754.jpg"><img title="P1020875" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="P1020875" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QCTyuS7lswk/Uw0a0DKHHVI/AAAAAAAAEw8/CT6ggbwTGMM/P1020875_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="260" /></a></p> <p>The Perils of Rosella anyone? No? <em>Really?</em> Well I’ll show you:</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kD9wOWlYruA/Uw0a05YHvjI/AAAAAAAAExE/LY-rweXQEs4/s1600-h/kq4-sci-dos-6004.png"><img title="kq4-sci-dos-600" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="kq4-sci-dos-600" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-M-yb_CKNZTo/Uw0a1_n3_1I/AAAAAAAAExM/AfLBVr4ScVU/kq4-sci-dos-600_thumb2.png?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-VT16xT6A7tU/Uw0a3s_vljI/AAAAAAAAExU/EZAELvTDSgY/s1600-h/P1020910%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="P1020910" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="P1020910" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-4s-0rFv_3OE/Uw0a4e2X2WI/AAAAAAAAExc/ugGtPE8gCBM/P1020910_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="283" /></a></p> <p>You see? I think I must miss four pixels to the inch.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-9tfQQzIQq6I/Uw0a6MSrTGI/AAAAAAAAExk/byIgNEnX25c/s1600-h/P10208774.jpg"><img title="P1020877" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="P1020877" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8cx94II6iHI/Uw0a62D154I/AAAAAAAAExs/daUKuKcGhDc/P1020877_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>This is my most recent purchase and it’s a big one although it only cost £7. The subject appears to be The Spanish Village of Insane Perspective. </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qNT_WitTp7Y/Uw0a7nH5yaI/AAAAAAAAEx0/ZRV1UEaDchc/s1600-h/P102087710.jpg"><img title="P1020877" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="P1020877" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-aOGHsposKI0/Uw0a8ayKfHI/AAAAAAAAEx8/x_nt9ebepMQ/P1020877_thumb12.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="233" /></a></p> <p>I’ve cropped in so you can just see the giant random black animal behind the teensy tiny blue and white lady under the arch. Also some of the crazy roofs. It’s amazing, I love it!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-EBhYTFIXiUc/Uw0a-HakW4I/AAAAAAAAEyE/4v96_616tuQ/s1600-h/P10208794.jpg"><img title="P1020879" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="P1020879" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QU7wXFfhwlM/Uw0a-w2oNZI/AAAAAAAAEyM/1K8WrOTmgbc/P1020879_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="306" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iCNme8sA9r8/Uw0bBLPnG1I/AAAAAAAAEyU/ar4DbCy--kU/s1600-h/P10208804.jpg"><img title="P1020880" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="P1020880" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-fwqNtvgJ99U/Uw0bBzwVpkI/AAAAAAAAEyc/6iHNMdRQErQ/P1020880_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="260" /></a></p> <p>These two are modern but I couldn’t resist the Monarch of the Glen! I bought them both for £5 and they just need blocking and framing.</p> <p>Finally, I found this lovely fire screen last week. It was marked down from £8 to £5 and I nearly bit her hand off for it. It makes more sense in real life, but it’s a picture of sailboats in a harbour.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-XKcu1kNP7B4/Uw0bCwYXDDI/AAAAAAAAEyk/PSC998H6178/s1600-h/P1020911%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="P1020911" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="P1020911" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-XlZh9VOBzSo/Uw0bE2D0HDI/AAAAAAAAEys/Td-x4svjxyk/P1020911_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="300" height="400" /></a></p> <p>Anyway, I think I’m probably a bit obsessed, but </p> <p>I <font face="Helena's Hand"><img class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-redheart" style="border-top-style: none; border-bottom-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-left-style: none" alt="Red heart" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CMm0txEAwAk/Uw0bFcualTI/AAAAAAAAEy0/gfpwmpcIG_4/wlEmoticon-redheart%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" /></font>counted cross stitch!</p> <p><font size="5" face="Gunny Handwriting"><em>Beccy xx</em></font></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-41360703583757627962014-02-09T00:35:00.001+00:002014-02-09T00:35:32.073+00:00Where’s all the snow?<p>This is a photo I took this time last year – clearly we didn’t have blizzards but at least we had <em>some</em> snow.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-nJnzWi_PSWE/UvbNPeZ3LnI/AAAAAAAAEvc/R3pF8wCXHRQ/s1600-h/IMG_4119%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_4119" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="IMG_4119" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OhQTsY7brOo/UvbNQBuxF4I/AAAAAAAAEvk/pBv619wPnLw/IMG_4119_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>So far this year? Nothing - not a single flake. And I got a shiny red sledge for Christmas too!</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ElJR4TORtBc/UvbNRxqGOhI/AAAAAAAAEvs/sM2eVaSspGY/s1600-h/2014-02-08%25252016.23.34%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2014-02-08 16.23.34" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2014-02-08 16.23.34" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XUO1Gjs1SdI/UvbNSiqWyKI/AAAAAAAAEv0/y0XbUEALKgM/2014-02-08%25252016.23.34_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>We have taken to driving up into the hills to try and find some to at least crunch around in. This photo was taken this morning in Hebden Bridge and we have to drive over some pretty high hills to get there. It was raining and grey all the way, much like the weather we’ve been having for ages. Hebden Bridge always looks lovely though no matter how gloomy the weather gets. I just wish it would snow!</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-G_05cI2VAgM/UvbNTrNUpnI/AAAAAAAAEv8/gQiJhx6vy8U/s1600-h/IMG_4121%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_4121" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="IMG_4121" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-SeyDgHJmbiY/UvbNUWnPllI/AAAAAAAAEwE/IXa6gsTB45M/IMG_4121_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><em>Beccy</em></font></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-85534445791478612722014-02-04T20:46:00.001+00:002014-02-04T20:46:27.558+00:00Building the hen run…<p>I’ve been trying to think of an Alcatraz/Colditz based hen pun but my tired brain can’t come up with one. </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ugdgIs_AtuY/UvFRSTk2JDI/AAAAAAAAEs0/G36U-rtASSI/s1600-h/run%2525201%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="run 1" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="run 1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-o83wKWHshGY/UvFRTVEqpDI/AAAAAAAAEs8/l4Erii_iiGk/run%2525201_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="239" /></a></p> <p>The thing is for a while now a couple of the hens have been regularly escaping. It was pretty easy for them because we’ve always had a Heath Robinson approach to run building and hens are really quite clever.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6GGTw3zWagU/UvFRUp7HutI/AAAAAAAAEtE/_DCFPWg1RVw/s1600-h/run%2525202%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="run 2" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="run 2" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Bz1zIDI1mL0/UvFRVNB4d-I/AAAAAAAAEtM/clFoXa_X0Rc/run%2525202_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>But this one is different. It’s taken quite a few weekends to plan and build the new run <strike>even though it’s</strike> <strike>a pretty basic frame </strike> because it’s an impenetrable fortress using fence posts, 2”x1” treated wood and chicken wire.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jDUEj6nKIRM/UvFRWjXNbHI/AAAAAAAAEtU/a6kB38_htd4/s1600-h/run%2525203%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="run 3" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="run 3" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-iuBR2mO8Kw0/UvFRXvCv4eI/AAAAAAAAEtc/UIldJRL5sjU/run%2525203_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>We’ve always had a lot of trouble with mud before (and hen churned mud can get really quite smelly) so after a bit of research I decided to put down a layer of weed-supressing membrane…</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RqBvLWpNC2Y/UvFRZT7RsQI/AAAAAAAAEtk/7fNL-nkSro8/s1600-h/run%2525204%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="run 4" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="run 4" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uWteFaDo1wA/UvFRaE3FSzI/AAAAAAAAEts/DaFXAcsWKq0/run%2525204_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>…and then a thick layer of bark chippings. The membrane allows water through but stops the hens churning the ground and the chippings sinking without a trace. It’s hard to tell from the picture above but the chicken wire extends across the floor of the run for half a foot and the membrane was laid over the top and pinned with lots of tent pegs.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WifBLY5S_pU/UvFRbuSBlRI/AAAAAAAAEt0/jpL7eEuxqXo/s1600-h/run%2525205%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="run 5" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="run 5" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-o5JePsT9LRk/UvFRccdQHuI/AAAAAAAAEt8/0fa9YZCusoA/run%2525205_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0YYgSF_jnQ8/UvFRdQ82HBI/AAAAAAAAEuE/Q1uVm-D5rsU/s1600-h/perches%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="perches" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="perches" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-BpaCXUm9U0Y/UvFRdyF5HVI/AAAAAAAAEuM/HsS-SNwcGdM/perches_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>We put boards around the edge of the run to stop the chippings from being kicked out by the hens and I had some big branches from when I cut the hedge which made perfect perches. </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0XgsN68wrb8/UvFRfjlElyI/AAAAAAAAEuU/-DKOMR-ktNg/s1600-h/run%2525206%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="run 6" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="run 6" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OeM3sAwo63k/UvFRgjTaYbI/AAAAAAAAEuc/pBBLqoAgov4/run%2525206_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-S5xddvzNYJo/UvFRhynxevI/AAAAAAAAEuk/cxQJoljkIqw/s1600-h/run%2525207%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="run 7" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="run 7" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kAvF-PhoWWE/UvFRilxhOCI/AAAAAAAAEus/vnbeQpdBsN8/run%2525207_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mBfNb9_3Iu4/UvFRkeD7h2I/AAAAAAAAEu0/npwExcpzWis/s1600-h/run%2525208%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="run 8" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="run 8" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-N9q2uioS5EQ/UvFRlEInMcI/AAAAAAAAEu8/qa6IRPxXRjI/run%2525208_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>We kept the old gate, I just extended it upwards and added chicken wire. With any luck the hens won’t escape anymore although I did notice them walking along the fence tapping every few inches which reminded me of Jurassic Park.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tKZgmh55CFQ/UvFRnCGOR-I/AAAAAAAAEvE/XHWWzYzReYY/s1600-h/clever%252520girls%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="clever girls" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="clever girls" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ZFMeC90WLZ0/UvFRnyAqazI/AAAAAAAAEvM/cwqyYg_VMMY/clever%252520girls_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="459" height="250" /></a></p> <p>So maybe they won’t escape, or maybe it’s just <em>egg</em>stremely (*sigh*) unlikely. I’ll keep you posted!</p> <p><em><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Beccy</font></em></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-42246775008300076682014-01-18T22:38:00.001+00:002014-01-18T22:38:50.110+00:00A shiny present for me!<p>I got an exciting big parcel the other day. So exciting that I couldn’t wait to unwrap it! I practically tore it open. </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-bz3KGxxAi1E/UtsCYf1wcoI/AAAAAAAAErs/KQGweoNDm2s/s1600-h/box%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="box" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="box" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jM0kbYro8i8/UtsCZLzr5QI/AAAAAAAAEr0/LYRVY4qAfow/box_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="280" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QGoNferjk0o/UtsCaA7MkhI/AAAAAAAAEr8/xNw2EvGqeAM/s1600-h/box%2525202%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="box 2" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="box 2" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LRP4BkRZETU/UtsCagY4jRI/AAAAAAAAEsE/FW7k207RgTo/box%2525202_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="267" /></a></p> <p>This is my first <em>proper</em> sewing machine. My previous machine was a basic white-box unbranded one that cost about £30 from Tesco maybe ten years ago. It was getting useless – the thread kept jumping out of the bobbin if I sewed too fast (something you only notice AFTER you finish that long, long row and find a mile of loops under your sewing) Also, it was really hard to get the tension right and it couldn’t handle anything thicker than about three layers of dress-weight fabric. It lasted a long time, and I put up with all that until finally the tensioning bits broke altogether and no amount of turning the wheel made a blind bit of difference.</p> <p>I spent a long time choosing a new one – I knew I wanted automatic buttonholes and at least twenty stitches. I hardly ever use them but boy do I like those little wavy and swirly ones! I also wanted as much to be computerised as possible. I’m a big fan of computers and I have a possibly unhealthy trust in them. The only problem I had was that I didn’t really have any money, at least not the £700 - £1400 for a really good dream sewing machine.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-i0x4q97UE6g/UtsCbgS-rSI/AAAAAAAAEsM/O3ewe7VOqVM/s1600-h/machine%2525201%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="machine 1" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="machine 1" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-SnWH4wwYZVY/UtsCcfyjtUI/AAAAAAAAEsU/ciUItOLhTLc/machine%2525201_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="276" /></a></p> <p>In the end I chose the Brother FS-40 WT. It has forty stitches, five of which are automatic buttonholes, and lots of computerisation. It has a start-stop button and one to make the needle move up or down and I can adjust the speed without using the foot pedal. It also has an extension table which is a really useful addition. </p> <p>On Amazon this machine is in the region of £225 which isn’t too bad, but I bought mine refurbished from <a href="http://www.psmc.co.uk/acatalog/Reconditioned_Machines.html" target="_blank">Pembertons Sewing Machines</a> for £125 which included courier delivery. It’s in amazing condition, just like new – whoever owned it before either really looked after it or only used it once!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-assGjJ5uGNY/UtsCdfnda_I/AAAAAAAAEsc/r2h-7N-L0Ho/s1600-h/machine%2525202%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="machine 2" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="machine 2" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-hGy-1IQXqgM/UtsCd3tGJjI/AAAAAAAAEsg/foFZVcbHS28/machine%2525202_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>So far I’ve only had time to try out the stitches. The little LCD screen is really useful because it tells you which foot to use, and also the recommended stitch length and width (which I ignored, pressing the + button until everything was huge!) I’ve got a really long list of things to sew though – I’d already cut out Simplicity 3835 a couple of weeks ago and gone through my sewing magazines marking things I want to make. I bought a few round feather cushion pads too because I really, really want to sew some round cushions.</p> <p>All I have to do now is actually make them! Tomorrow I’m building a new run for the hens (in the mud and rain!) but I might be able to find a few hours on Monday afternoon.</p> <p>Whoop!</p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><em>Beccy</em></font></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-37467861153809070642013-12-30T19:35:00.001+00:002013-12-30T19:35:44.641+00:00What happened?<p>Oh dear, I seem to have gone a little AWOL again haven’t I? It’s not for lack of willing I just haven’t done much worth writing about.</p> <p>I blame winter – when it’s grey I don’t want to do much. Oh and Bioshock Infinite, I definitely blame Bioshock Infinite!</p> <p>For Christmas I only managed to make one little hat (it’s become a tradition that I always make Tracey a hat for Christmas!)</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CYl_0t6Je-g/UsHLBRIydyI/AAAAAAAAErM/TSL_Lh4LfUk/s1600-h/2013-12-23%25252008.51.58%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-12-23 08.51.58" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-12-23 08.51.58" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FwFsUqzQpQQ/UsHLCXqNpxI/AAAAAAAAErU/76qs_XE6MaY/2013-12-23%25252008.51.58_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="283" /></a></p> <p>It is Meret by Wooly Wormhead and you can get the pattern <a href="http://www.woollywormhead.com/meret/" target="_blank">free from here.</a> In fact, if you like knitting hats this is the place to look – there are lots of lovely designs for all difficulty levels, something for everyone!</p> <p>Did you guys get lots of gifts made? Is it just me? I’m not really feeling it lately. I want to make knitty/sewey things but I’m having trouble not only finding the time but also getting going. I can spend my few free hours looking through patterns but never really making any decisions. Its a bit frustrating.</p> <p>In other news I have opened <a href="https://beta.folksy.com/shops/beccles" target="_blank">a little shop on Folksy</a> and in it I’m selling these little brooches: </p> <p><a href="https://beta.folksy.com/shops/beccles" target="_blank"><img title="2013-11-18 13.06.34 2" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-11-18 13.06.34 2" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--YBti_tVMnI/UsHLDGdBOyI/AAAAAAAAErc/Kw2M-ZXBR1Y/2013-11-18-13.06.34-21%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="349" height="345" /></a></p> <p>I’ll be adding some other things shortly but for now I’m a bit brooch mad. They are porcelain and feature my (by now) trademark vintage patterns. </p> <p>Only £10, <a href="https://beta.folksy.com/shops/beccles" target="_blank">get ‘em while they’re hot!</a> </p> <p>Right! I’m only going to play an hour of Bioshock, then I might get out ‘A Stitch in Time’ for a bit of a pattern browse. I’m due volume one in the post any day now – I can’t wait! </p> <p><em><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"></font></em></p> <p><em><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Beccy</font></em></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-16278183780265440882013-12-10T23:12:00.001+00:002013-12-10T23:12:17.764+00:00Santa special…<p>Not feeling Christmassy enough, on Saturday we went to Bolton Abbey steam railway for a special trip on a 50’s steam train with Santa.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eN9-QjDprxQ/Uqefh27GBWI/AAAAAAAAEoU/zUfaz8m05fY/s1600-h/1%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="1" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-H129eRK_xy0/UqefiuvcSRI/AAAAAAAAEoY/dsKheJpyHCM/1_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>They decorated the little Victorian one-platform station and lit all the fires. </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Hei4gGBuO04/UqefjQvmsGI/AAAAAAAAEog/DbyaQ78-BTo/s1600-h/2%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-H97x7wfFT9Y/UqefkLwAYlI/AAAAAAAAEos/qIfsqqVqOeo/2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-3YkW8719Df8/UqeflCCPtYI/AAAAAAAAEo0/um9x3vlRhXI/s1600-h/4%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="4" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="4" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-99jx_BhzMwQ/Uqefl8OMSPI/AAAAAAAAEo8/Y14CrdDl6xg/4_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FBHYLL0lWcI/Uqefncb1FtI/AAAAAAAAEpE/0gdF7xAl57M/s1600-h/5%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="5" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="5" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0816Ykout5g/Uqefn4QKpUI/AAAAAAAAEpI/po6PDVRnE-Y/5_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>Even the toilets!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OBHxitKRT4Y/Uqefo2ernkI/AAAAAAAAEpU/rYWJhWsAYUE/s1600-h/3%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="3" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="3" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XSelOJhUvlw/UqefqBGL9qI/AAAAAAAAEpc/POR0EVmPQr8/3_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PQoTx_HW93Y/UqefqygcVEI/AAAAAAAAEpk/ZzycZ5YAiSQ/s1600-h/6%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="6" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="6" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-sU3eOodcYqw/UqefrpQjMYI/AAAAAAAAEps/U-A0fjbxL88/6_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="261" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mVlIKKpsOEA/UqefsWhm73I/AAAAAAAAEp0/YxUXQ39Iw1g/s1600-h/7%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="7" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="7" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FNaZ6QN-1Rs/UqefsxBrlkI/AAAAAAAAEp8/ibE2MDVvm-E/7_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="255" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-O33SOVygQDk/UqefuI63CCI/AAAAAAAAEqE/qmq7K8xLEtE/s1600-h/8%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="8" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="8" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qRPRvteBTTw/UqefuuHjvVI/AAAAAAAAEqM/-yzJgz0jgLo/8_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qgj8BGbZU58/UqefvttL-zI/AAAAAAAAEqU/xxf4O_CvjdI/s1600-h/10%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="10" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="10" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-S3HZhpMgbJY/UqefwRteswI/AAAAAAAAEqc/lUdEnTFt3M4/10_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="257" height="350" /></a></p> <p>The carriages were quite plush in the 50’s! We got on quite early so mum could take photo’s but within fifteen minutes the train was full of people. You would expect there to be a lot of kids but there were many more adults than children. I’m pretty sure most of the adults were using their kids as an excuse!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7OUSzgSAMic/UqefxYI5nAI/AAAAAAAAEqk/3ZG3hegryaI/s1600-h/2013-12-07%25252013.12.56%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-12-07 13.12.56" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-12-07 13.12.56" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-SF2qnsMpxxA/UqefyCo7ttI/AAAAAAAAEqs/Zl5XXr2JSdQ/2013-12-07%25252013.12.56_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>We had a wonderful nostalgic afternoon – the station is entirely staffed by volunteers and fully deserves its reputation as the friendliest steam railway.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nhHlhfkX-_8/UqefzMsoHoI/AAAAAAAAEq0/pFi65Sfc9Zo/s1600-h/9%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="9" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="9" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-MCkwBM36weE/UqefzzxcUxI/AAAAAAAAEq8/zYwsgNEDIuM/9_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>Hee, mum met Santa!</p> <p><em><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Beccy</font></em></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-23492250822701346292013-11-25T21:12:00.001+00:002013-11-25T21:12:52.885+00:00Some new work and a craft fair review…<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GTtk1anFltA/UpO9Lm2aWaI/AAAAAAAAEms/0RRq9PZhDms/s1600-h/2013-10-01%25252016.04.49%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-10-01 16.04.49" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-10-01 16.04.49" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-pAnLEWqT5rE/UpO9MQ0vPcI/AAAAAAAAEm0/VRWsYToMiDQ/2013-10-01%25252016.04.49_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>Lately I’ve been making jugs…</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iGdPsbcbcqs/UpO9NT8gJwI/AAAAAAAAEm8/tvECFjjn5RQ/s1600-h/2013-10-01%25252016.05.56%25255B1%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-10-01 16.05.56" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-10-01 16.05.56" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NgDdLbd9D8s/UpO9ONHsRnI/AAAAAAAAEnA/aHEnC0Ha8vE/2013-10-01%25252016.05.56_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>…lots and lots of jugs!</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xNruykdBzPA/UpO9O2I6ntI/AAAAAAAAEnM/yqh1P1WGuoA/s1600-h/2013-10-31%25252009.54.14%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-10-31 09.54.14" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-10-31 09.54.14" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--Kc3FkECdMU/UpO9PoTAMDI/AAAAAAAAEnU/DnxGx9vhYQA/2013-10-31%25252009.54.14_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-A5v_pZK74Vw/UpO9QZCEO0I/AAAAAAAAEnc/Xf7rWgcGJLo/s1600-h/2013-11-11%25252012.44.57%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-11-11 12.44.57" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-11-11 12.44.57" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--LgJBXEu6t8/UpO9RBW3EaI/AAAAAAAAEnk/otcC-Vn1SVI/2013-11-11%25252012.44.57_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>I’ve also gone a bit brooch mad. You see, I’ve got a couple of sales this month and I really needed lots and lots of work in case people wanted to buy things!</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-uUQPuf6_P-k/UpO9Sa5YP_I/AAAAAAAAEns/A-yERGJg5mM/s1600-h/2013-11-18%25252013.06.34%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-11-18 13.06.34" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-11-18 13.06.34" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-zXXKmiPL2BE/UpO9TGjKarI/AAAAAAAAEn0/D3xc9iGF2Yw/2013-11-18%25252013.06.34_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>The first sale was last Saturday and was for Rural Arts at the courthouse in Thirsk and I’ve been so busy getting ready for it I haven’t had time to post about it on here! </p> <p>Sadly the sale was a bit of a washout with no-one really making many sales so it was a complete waste of my time. It seems that the organisers didn’t do much marketing for the event – there were only posters outside the venue for instance but none in the surrounding area to point people in our direction. </p> <p>Needless to say I won’t be doing a sale at that venue again!</p> <p>Anyway, I’m doing another one this Saturday but this is a much better venue – The National Centre for Craft and Design in Sleaford, Lincolnshire! You can visit their <a href="http://www.nationalcraftanddesign.org.uk/news/dont-miss-our-annual-contemporary-christmas-craft-market" target="_blank">website here</a> or their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NationalCraftandDesign?ref=ts&fref=ts" target="_blank">Facebook page here</a>. There will be food and live music at this one as well as the lovely handmade goodies, so lots to see and do!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IGTCoZhJW0A/UpO9UDBWn9I/AAAAAAAAEn8/EmyR6OLDskM/s1600-h/gifted%25252013%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="gifted 13" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="gifted 13" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZOQQzbHq3dc/UpO9U8QdlVI/AAAAAAAAEoA/23-H3zHN5_o/gifted%25252013_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="282" height="400" /></a></p> <p>If you happen to be nearby pop in and say hello – go on, step out of internetland and join me for a mulled wine!</p> <p><em><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Beccy</font></em></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-3692372970415314602013-11-13T00:13:00.000+00:002013-11-13T00:35:18.913+00:00Fireworks!Just a few photos today of the wonderful local organised display for Guy Fawkes night. It was loosely based on Doctor Who's 50th anniversary (always good!) but my favourite bits were when it was almost like an explosion in a firework factory (bang b b b bang bang boom!) <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both"> </div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2yRvaPPgOqI/UoLJIY-c6wI/AAAAAAAAElU/u5q8jbu8e5I/s1600-h/2013-11-03%25252019.43.54%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-11-03 19.43.54" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2013-11-03 19.43.54" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-3DuJcZ0-E7A/UoLJJtAOb7I/AAAAAAAAElc/Ah7k-NduWrA/2013-11-03%25252019.43.54_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="467" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UjJLqlg4lPQ/UoLJKxgnD8I/AAAAAAAAElk/CACgnWFQS1o/s1600-h/2013-11-03%25252019.47.29%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-11-03 19.47.29" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2013-11-03 19.47.29" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-rHdSSX3KiiA/UoLJL3ULg2I/AAAAAAAAEls/FLuNHD18rJ4/2013-11-03%25252019.47.29_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="467" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UVdMJNe_B0c/UoLJM5vJCPI/AAAAAAAAEl0/SYe4hOrxq6A/s1600-h/2013-11-03%25252019.40.59%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-11-03 19.40.59" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2013-11-03 19.40.59" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BfqZ3_lupU8/UoLJNmF_nQI/AAAAAAAAEl8/n_zEVqlzMWs/2013-11-03%25252019.40.59_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="467" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kOUDXjJgeO0/UoLJO3eS15I/AAAAAAAAEmE/iYqYRUhEKJk/s1600-h/2013-11-03%25252019.42.52%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-11-03 19.42.52" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2013-11-03 19.42.52" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-A_WrEhHW2Bs/UoLJPprEBvI/AAAAAAAAEmM/3mhHAPWMH8Q/2013-11-03%25252019.42.52_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="359" height="479" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="text-align: center; clear: both"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FuIrbIt3g2g/UoLJQngb0yI/AAAAAAAAEmU/oClX4Nl1Yog/s1600-h/2013-11-03%25252019.42.38-1%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-11-03 19.42.38-1" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2013-11-03 19.42.38-1" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Jt39ulnpPUI/UoLJRSPRplI/AAAAAAAAEmc/7WS9bwplmeo/2013-11-03%25252019.42.38-1_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="467" /></a></div> <p>I don’t know about Doctor Who but was pretty spacey!</p> <p><em><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Beccy</font></em></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-16129975011573799762013-10-30T20:51:00.001+00:002013-10-30T20:51:43.438+00:00Pumpkin judging…<p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4lcs-wh_-8Q/UnFxS5JCIFI/AAAAAAAAEjU/DaOQKYETgRQ/s1600-h/2013-10-26-14.22.245.jpg"><img title="2013-10-26 14.22.24" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-10-26 14.22.24" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-6IEPqWWb4lI/UnFxTdIxGUI/AAAAAAAAEjc/vFI1mCzZwaA/2013-10-26-14.22.24_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>We were wandering around Ripon on Saturday and found that there was a pumpkin carving contest in the market place. There were some amazing pumpkins, obviously carved by very talented people.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LX74MB0ijJY/UnFxVFpdxgI/AAAAAAAAEjk/6xwvN8IofQo/s1600-h/2013-10-26-14.23.147.jpg"><img title="2013-10-26 14.23.14" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-10-26 14.23.14" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-V7r1bLptK58/UnFxVxniiRI/AAAAAAAAEjo/IndRbzKZzR0/2013-10-26-14.23.14_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>I thought it was a bit sad though that those ones would get all the votes and the ones done by the kids wouldn’t get as many. </p> <p>I voted for this one!</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PrpNPatsXE0/UnFxWwrwPwI/AAAAAAAAEj0/bI0gRy2rWj8/s1600-h/2013-10-26-14.24.485.jpg"><img title="2013-10-26 14.24.48" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-10-26 14.24.48" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-iW2MnatQUdM/UnFxXUoXC0I/AAAAAAAAEj8/GAyfYUh2w_Q/2013-10-26-14.24.48_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>Isn’t it great! Excellent use of mixed-media elements. </p> <p>Happy Halloween!</p> <p><em><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Beccy</font></em></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-85890636837629235782013-10-13T12:04:00.001+01:002013-10-13T12:04:25.322+01:00Toadstools…<p>They started quite discreet…</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-z_pRwcfJipk/Ulp-E_zXIII/AAAAAAAAEh0/fUMd8WrddEc/s1600-h/2013-09-26%25252017.18.31%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-09-26 17.18.31" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-09-26 17.18.31" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MDTM2xCuWD4/Ulp-F5ecsiI/AAAAAAAAEh8/VDRShOJw-38/2013-09-26%25252017.18.31_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Ncqo2Sx2L5I/Ulp-G1SlCnI/AAAAAAAAEiE/5WOwRoZ1Jd0/s1600-h/2013-09-26%25252017.20.58%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-09-26 17.20.58" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-09-26 17.20.58" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bClHIGMGEuc/Ulp-H4qyWPI/AAAAAAAAEiM/H6gVIqY77yQ/2013-09-26%25252017.20.58_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>But then they grew…</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nYfIh4yJhmk/Ulp-JOrBNCI/AAAAAAAAEiU/5YnNmXsba2M/s1600-h/2013-10-04%25252008.01.09%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-10-04 08.01.09" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-10-04 08.01.09" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2TUXPu8urhU/Ulp-J9TosoI/AAAAAAAAEic/1FWTtFNfZUU/2013-10-04%25252008.01.09_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>And grew…..</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-oAiX3SIQtjI/Ulp-K4kMfiI/AAAAAAAAEik/HT4XkxsUqnc/s1600-h/2013-10-04%25252017.32.29%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-10-04 17.32.29" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-10-04 17.32.29" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-aRv99S3UokY/Ulp-L7sIP6I/AAAAAAAAEis/oF1FDkbeuXk/2013-10-04%25252017.32.29_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="258" height="350" /></a></p> <p>And grew…!</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-QL4-0PL4KlE/Ulp-NAs4HlI/AAAAAAAAEi0/d86NM9KDRpk/s1600-h/2013-10-05%25252013.57.01-2%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-10-05 13.57.01-2" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-10-05 13.57.01-2" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-z7jb67T_-t8/Ulp-N719V_I/AAAAAAAAEi8/S66xeVwpqac/2013-10-05%25252013.57.01-2_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="350" /></a></p> <p>I thought that fly agarics were rare, or only grew in foreign lands. A quick google tells me they are rife and everywhere. Still, I’ve never seen one except in a picture book so I was pretty disappointed there weren’t more gnomes. Or <em>any</em> gnomes.</p> <p>Luckily the hens didn’t seem interested in eating them, but something was definitely having a nibble – I think our resident slugs are having a whale of a time at the bottom of the garden! Either that or they’ve all poisoned themselves.</p> <p>Either way, I’m not particularly interested in eating them. I just think they’re pretty. A friend issued a warning when I put these pics on Facebook – you’d better pick them before they spore or your garden will look like Super Mario Land!</p> <p>That sounds awesome!</p> <p><em><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Beccy Ridsdel</font></em></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-83904811096659563642013-09-24T10:30:00.001+01:002013-09-24T10:30:05.571+01:00The Festival of Thrift<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-AvOClrtBwuM/UkFbP-GjL4I/AAAAAAAAEec/wJb9uReD7JY/s1600-h/2013-09-21%25252015.38.27%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-09-21 15.38.27" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-09-21 15.38.27" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-NtmRwSFUkcg/UkFbQVFrrCI/AAAAAAAAEek/UfeB5L2f_MM/2013-09-21%25252015.38.27_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="267" height="350" /></a></p> <p>Last weekend we visited the <a href="http://festivalofthrift.co.uk/" target="_blank">Festival of Thrift</a>, a brand new festival for this year, which celebrates all things thrifty, handmade, recycled and repurposed. It was free entry and luckily for us was held here in the North an hour away in Darlington at Lingfield Point, an old industrial site which itself has been repurposed into beautiful offices and studios. In fact part of it used to be Patons the yarn people.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-oBF00pV-Rms/UkFbR4XigiI/AAAAAAAAEes/Dl46sn1_GUs/s1600-h/big-map%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="Layout 1" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Layout 1" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-YoLkyDZfbyw/UkFbSsM6o2I/AAAAAAAAEe0/2XU5FGeVDaI/big-map_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="500" height="308" /></a></p> <p>The map has exactly the feel of the whole festival, a sort of 50’s/60’s kitschy pastel vintage vibe.</p> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kUAxMUT1rDY/UkFbT_jJwCI/AAAAAAAAEe8/mt5Z70chbAY/s1600-h/2013-09-21%25252012.34.39%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-09-21 12.34.39" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-09-21 12.34.39" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-yHV_uay-zKU/UkFbUtfWL2I/AAAAAAAAEfE/dPLXM89676s/2013-09-21%25252012.34.39_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a> <p>I don’t know why but it looks much smaller and less sunny than it actually was! This is the alternative village fete, which had hula hooping, a vintage hairdresser in a caravan, Oxfam vintage, a swop shop and loads of stalls selling handmade stuff and supplies.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-_M5HpVf1Kr4/UkFbWeDVbsI/AAAAAAAAEfM/9q8esI4HEB0/s1600-h/2013-09-21%25252012.34.48%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-09-21 12.34.48" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2013-09-21 12.34.48" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-zQjF8tb8qF8/UkFbW_QjHSI/AAAAAAAAEfU/0cMvFfxktq0/2013-09-21%25252012.34.48_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-G3anlD_eBuc/UkFbYbvrTnI/AAAAAAAAEfc/1gw8YeTCKJA/s1600-h/2013-09-21%25252015.46.52%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-09-21 15.46.52" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="2013-09-21 15.46.52" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-f0A81chUwtE/UkFbZPkVo6I/AAAAAAAAEfk/qPONK4LKquk/2013-09-21%25252015.46.52_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>There was also a DJ playing vinyl (you could choose from a selection of vintage greats!) and a dancefloor where they had hula-hoop dancing in the afternoon. There was also the Podium of Non-Judgementalism if you fancied a solo dance!</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-opnvo-pEEEo/UkFbaeVEUiI/AAAAAAAAEfs/ZjDv19YqCBc/s1600-h/2013-09-21%25252012.21.28%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-09-21 12.21.28" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-09-21 12.21.28" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Pi4rriEm3Dw/UkFbbD9j1PI/AAAAAAAAEf0/Qa3NWywpcaQ/2013-09-21%25252012.21.28_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="241" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ByDlzCFGDw0/UkFbb4XgX2I/AAAAAAAAEf8/BWOlWMgPQ8Q/s1600-h/2013-09-21%25252014.55.17%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-09-21 14.55.17" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-09-21 14.55.17" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zjpqm8145Do/UkFbcpUhzlI/AAAAAAAAEgE/fTvSVpfaQtA/2013-09-21%25252014.55.17_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>There were street performers roaming around – that chap at the top is wearing a suit made from growing cress and has persuaded that lady to wear a breakfast hat with real boiled egg, juice and soldier glasses. The blokes on the contraption above just travelled around squeakily. They were only wearing pants for most of the day but in the afternoon it got a bit chilly so they chose to accessorise with clear bin bags.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-B4STmQGeUnU/UkFbd3rD-TI/AAAAAAAAEgM/xK3L8-8S4VQ/s1600-h/2013-09-21%25252013.06.34%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-09-21 13.06.34" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-09-21 13.06.34" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-N_tdF8mpC9Y/UkFbejfuNLI/AAAAAAAAEgU/mYOtV89TSNQ/2013-09-21%25252013.06.34_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>There were loads of food and drink stalls, this one had lots of yummy cordials. </p> <p>Around the festival there were loads of jumble sale type stalls (fill a bag for a fiver!), vintage stalls, free crafts tables, cooking demos, even building with pallets! The whole feeling wasn’t preachy (recycle! If you don’t you’re killing the planet!!!) it was fun and relaxed – like a large group of people sharing ideas really.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3Ky9euMCXp4/UkFbf7VMlTI/AAAAAAAAEgc/fh_rOiEi8LY/s1600-h/2013-09-21%25252015.22.45%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-09-21 15.22.45" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-09-21 15.22.45" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LObejNEMhHQ/UkFbgn-7WlI/AAAAAAAAEgk/Aso5l0kFVTU/2013-09-21%25252015.22.45_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>Mum trying on a hat at the Oxfam vintage stall. She said, “if it was the 60’s, I would actually be wearing one of these!” I think she should anyway.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-w0jgmwHE75I/UkFbh8MKBGI/AAAAAAAAEgs/TYQy2_Qs47o/s1600-h/2013-09-21%25252015.35.51%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-09-21 15.35.51" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-09-21 15.35.51" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-N3u6k-KG_0c/UkFbiZvUjvI/AAAAAAAAEgw/KWRlR-x8xHw/2013-09-21%25252015.35.51_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>Sixty-three tickle me!</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tgGit-ZOR6M/UkFbjQk1NhI/AAAAAAAAEg8/NqXdp26xrj8/s1600-h/2013-09-21%25252015.37.43%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-09-21 15.37.43" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-09-21 15.37.43" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-RnbUouYPjSI/UkFbj7JW5PI/AAAAAAAAEhE/InAsLYsHdGo/2013-09-21%25252015.37.43_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="270" height="350" /></a></p> <p>The huge posters and paintings on the walls are permanently at Lingfield Point where the festival was held. </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-diM8-6DK4JA/UkFbky4P8ZI/AAAAAAAAEhM/BcQw81Zdl70/s1600-h/2013-09-21%25252016.07.43%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-09-21 16.07.43" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-09-21 16.07.43" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--ZUcVYbcaFg/UkFblZXBqeI/AAAAAAAAEhU/66HFJ6mSDEg/2013-09-21%25252016.07.43_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>As is the ‘Home’ house. I have no idea why it is the way it is but isn’t it great?</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Kn1wrr9assc/UkFbmYBE1PI/AAAAAAAAEhc/f1ARynYzlwY/s1600-h/2013-09-21%25252016.08.14%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-09-21 16.08.14" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-09-21 16.08.14" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-esp6teNGVGQ/UkFbm1DiF4I/AAAAAAAAEhg/FqGUxNZeaMU/2013-09-21%25252016.08.14_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>And finally not the best photo, but you can see the giant picture on the wall. It is a lamb being bottle fed in an office, and why not? I think I’d like to work at Lingfield Point, they have a sense of humour!</p> <p>It was a great day out and we will definitely go next year. We maybe didn’t come back with as many thrifty ideas as we had hoped (although I saw some beehives, I want bees!) but to spend a relaxed day surrounded by like-minded people was wonderful.</p> <p><em><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Beccy</font></em></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-34983170376714596862013-09-11T23:13:00.001+01:002013-09-11T23:13:35.342+01:00Mellow fruitfulness…<p>The summer seems to have produced <em>exactly</em> the right conditions for brambles, they’re everywhere and they are laden heavy with fruit.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-uxJxJjW4avw/UjDq7tbPmhI/AAAAAAAAEdU/16jRQgSRczw/s1600-h/2013-09-03-19.48.1924.jpg"><img title="2013-09-03 19.48.192" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-09-03 19.48.192" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-YWM69WA6Xyg/UjDq82gPWRI/AAAAAAAAEdc/9_SQBUzPhrc/2013-09-03-19.48.192_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>And what’s the thing to do with masses of free soft fruit? Make jam! Lots and lots of jam! </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zNGQiECHK8o/UjDq9xzhQTI/AAAAAAAAEdk/tQJvHXM-33M/s1600-h/2013-09-04-10.36.189.jpg"><img title="2013-09-04 10.36.18" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-09-04 10.36.18" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-HT6EvgERQ-4/UjDq_WXHGcI/AAAAAAAAEds/kkd2WNG4BSc/2013-09-04-10.36.18_thumb7.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-SadIAFKT42A/UjDrAesekEI/AAAAAAAAEd0/QyU8Bl3YdHY/s1600-h/2013-09-04-11.10.334.jpg"><img title="2013-09-04 11.10.33" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-09-04 11.10.33" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VdQfGFKuz5o/UjDrBStPAEI/AAAAAAAAEd8/PPvc7DRDVe0/2013-09-04-11.10.33_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>Isn’t that an amazing colour? The recipe is really easy – 900g of blackberries and 900g of sugar boiled rapidly with 1 1/2tbs lemon juice until the jam thermometer reads 105degreesC. It’s really flexible too and can be adapted to other fruit. <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/11750/angelas-flexible-jam-recipe" target="_blank">Recipe here on the BBC!</a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2AoEWA4zV4Q/UjDrCcQ0RtI/AAAAAAAAEeE/BpmtCHGZm50/s1600-h/2013-09-11%25252018.34.48%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-09-11 18.34.48" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-09-11 18.34.48" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-C_oXzh3sBZU/UjDrDdYlzPI/AAAAAAAAEeM/ttnGq7pTOFk/2013-09-11%25252018.34.48_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="274" height="350" /></a></p> <p>Yum jam! I’ve got half a freezer full of fruit just waiting to be made into jammy gifts! </p> <p><em><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Beccy</font></em></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-58607607193573964922013-08-28T22:07:00.001+01:002013-08-28T22:07:17.738+01:00Away days…<p>Whenever we can we like to get to the coast or the hills – we don’t really mind which but living in a valley makes you long for both! Sometimes we have a destination but mostly we just drive and see where we end up, safe in the knowledge that Lady Satnav will bring us home again.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-srNJEFgFXdw/Uh5mS1imRNI/AAAAAAAAEbc/zmbDOXRB8Bg/s1600-h/IMG_0890%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0890" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="IMG_0890" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-g1lyjTDSjso/Uh5mTqhmbVI/AAAAAAAAEbk/aH2TdWwyrpU/IMG_0890_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>We always get a little thrill when we pass the sign announcing our arrival in the Howardian Hills, and are greeted by true green rolling hills and lushness. At least it always seems like that. </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6w5C4aqmn0I/Uh5mVqXtKuI/AAAAAAAAEbs/qLhzEgo9HSY/s1600-h/IMG_0888%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0888" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="IMG_0888" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-m0PnI7BTyA0/Uh5mWUV7AjI/AAAAAAAAEb0/WdTW1M-0wII/IMG_0888_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>This is Yorkshire Lavender near Castle Howard. It’s a wonderful garden laid mostly to lavender but with other perennials too. They have a tea room too, and a little garden centre where you can buy lots and lots of different types of lavender. It’s lovely, and free to get in, but at this time of year boy is it full of bees!</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CID0UgbmJUk/Uh5mYFB1JYI/AAAAAAAAEb8/koljDap1fTI/s1600-h/IMG_0991%25255B15%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0991" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="IMG_0991" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ivDBPpPRjEo/Uh5mY0zoOnI/AAAAAAAAEcE/Om6_6JQmm0o/IMG_0991_thumb%25255B10%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-6t6l8pY9dvw/Uh5mZwOr2hI/AAAAAAAAEcM/b5Vd1-ePhXs/s1600-h/IMG_0997%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0997" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="IMG_0997" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-chShe62vmqA/Uh5mahAEHpI/AAAAAAAAEcU/IXwPFNGsZfI/IMG_0997_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>I love stopping at the top of the hills to marvel at the flatness of the Vale of York. Since it’s a glaciated valley (thank you Mr Hooton for my GCSE in geography) it’s very flat and very wide, so wide you can’t see the other side except on a very clear day.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5NGWlSgkEkc/Uh5mcfsT_4I/AAAAAAAAEcc/xJUV4j5An-c/s1600-h/IMG_0988%25255B10%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0988" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="IMG_0988" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_j8vB6foL1c/Uh5mdN_rqEI/AAAAAAAAEck/B6Smt5VIrnM/IMG_0988_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>I love finding the unexpected. This is the (allegedly) ancient City of Troy maze near Dalby. You could almost miss it since it is the smallest example in Europe.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Fg_Y--gp34A/Uh5meEt45LI/AAAAAAAAEcs/k3Up-yD_X3s/s1600-h/IMG_0886%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0886" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="IMG_0886" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-R11lcBDoJHY/Uh5metoO-lI/AAAAAAAAEc0/PhJt7kuTHwk/IMG_0886_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nRcfjs5yEBk/Uh5mgS3KAWI/AAAAAAAAEc8/IUNSfo7d2Aw/s1600-h/IMG_0885%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0885" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="IMG_0885" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xXbJ7qsFTp8/Uh5mgx8MDZI/AAAAAAAAEdE/cfgtbBBrDsM/IMG_0885_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>I think this is the most unexpected thing I’ve every found and since I've been made aware of phone-box libraries I’ve seen quite a few of them in rural villages. These are places that usually don’t have a shop or a pub they are so small. I love this example in Foston especially though because somebody has taken the time to mosaic the floor.</p> <p>So here’s to a few more away days before work starts in earnest when the students come back next week!</p> <p><font size="3" face="Times New Roman"><em>Beccy</em></font></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-37988022758140199402013-08-10T20:18:00.001+01:002013-08-10T20:18:30.520+01:00Portmeirion…<p>When we were in Wales we spent a gloriously hot and sunny day at Portmeirion village.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5zh7GDTGZlo/UgaRbWX5CeI/AAAAAAAAEYg/xJXr87zEkz4/s1600-h/2013-07-21-11.36.194.jpg"><img title="2013-07-21 11.36.19" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-21 11.36.19" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Y03oJeZKQq0/UgaRcR2YLvI/AAAAAAAAEYo/anBzWZwGsmg/2013-07-21-11.36.19_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>If you’ve never heard of it, Portmeirion is basically a folly occupying a peninsula. No-one lives there permanently but half the buildings are holiday cottages.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-78Ymrh6t2qQ/UgaReU8od7I/AAAAAAAAEYw/0_wdYZcBiBA/s1600-h/2013-07-21-12.36.084.jpg"><img title="2013-07-21 12.36.08" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-21 12.36.08" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ZFrXMHxpvzk/UgaRfUvPq4I/AAAAAAAAEY4/DkrOhwCX1i0/2013-07-21-12.36.08_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>The whole village was built by Clough Williams-Ellis between 1925 and 1976, and a lot of the materials were recycled from other buildings. </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MlmM9VNj1QA/UgaRi2iA4HI/AAAAAAAAEZA/Kdo_BUnuGdI/s1600-h/2013-07-21-15.02.314.jpg"><img title="2013-07-21 15.02.31" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-21 15.02.31" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dkQ0O1aLAyU/UgaRj5zvsbI/AAAAAAAAEZI/Mkm7np6Nco4/2013-07-21-15.02.31_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>In the photo below, the huge white decorative arched section on the front of the domed building was originally a fireplace.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-dGs4bUmCrBA/UgaRluzgaEI/AAAAAAAAEZQ/156j-k_i1jY/s1600-h/2013-07-21-15.10.204.jpg"><img title="2013-07-21 15.10.20" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-21 15.10.20" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1i3lF93FEZ0/UgaRmieaDtI/AAAAAAAAEZY/ZuRYFzDcMwU/2013-07-21-15.10.20_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-jHU73Atvvwk/UgaRoYoprrI/AAAAAAAAEZg/VS7RlnCgAes/s1600-h/2013-07-21-15.11.494.jpg"><img title="2013-07-21 15.11.49" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-21 15.11.49" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-1oC1gIsUJJk/UgaRpHDJnoI/AAAAAAAAEZo/j3BUFd4TmTA/2013-07-21-15.11.49_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cMdbTnz9YZc/UgaRq92kDKI/AAAAAAAAEZw/zJ81SpIr61U/s1600-h/2013-07-21-15.12.494.jpg"><img title="2013-07-21 15.12.49" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-21 15.12.49" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FJWjx_8oZf8/UgaRrzV2f-I/AAAAAAAAEZ4/QLjKs-3CnCs/2013-07-21-15.12.49_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>It’s amazingly beautiful, and very easy to spend all day there.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-gFk2H4Lwr9M/UgaRvybD5BI/AAAAAAAAEaA/H0KlSVOyX2w/s1600-h/2013-07-21-15.22.444.jpg"><img title="2013-07-21 15.22.44" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-21 15.22.44" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gJjOMQ0rVNs/UgaRw9FJ0eI/AAAAAAAAEaI/zJB9JAOIIcU/2013-07-21-15.22.44_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>The village is actually quite small, but there is so much to see and when you’ve finished there are beautiful mapped walks into the wooded hills above. </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-SClpc-u3z8w/UgaR0tN8mEI/AAAAAAAAEaQ/koJj7qlvbSQ/s1600-h/2013-07-21-15.23.444.jpg"><img title="2013-07-21 15.23.44" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-21 15.23.44" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-OkIrSiq-42c/UgaR2goMIGI/AAAAAAAAEaY/lhfV19qxtRI/2013-07-21-15.23.44_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-wgjUHnHC3io/UgaR5Smdh_I/AAAAAAAAEag/TZIVFP7PcX4/s1600-h/2013-07-21-15.25.084.jpg"><img title="2013-07-21 15.25.08" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-21 15.25.08" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jUwNqVWm3tY/UgaR7bCexMI/AAAAAAAAEao/k0vgEHQ7Cl0/2013-07-21-15.25.08_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>There are also shops where you can buy Portmeirion pottery and other gifts and several cafes, restaurants and ice-cream parlours.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-iyZANsf70eI/UgaR84LKxjI/AAAAAAAAEaw/4MPHTICOnRk/s1600-h/2013-07-21-17.32.414.jpg"><img title="2013-07-21 17.32.41" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-21 17.32.41" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eiAjH2KLbWY/UgaR98oy1sI/AAAAAAAAEa4/CTnsOQfQdVA/2013-07-21-17.32.41_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-2reVh1TIzpI/UgaSAD7w17I/AAAAAAAAEbA/QjENiWT9fts/s1600-h/2013-07-21-17.37.464.jpg"><img title="2013-07-21 17.37.46" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-21 17.37.46" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4meAR6Z7V7U/UgaSBMN-MII/AAAAAAAAEbE/epMRqTT82zk/2013-07-21-17.37.46_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>It’s a wonderful, magical, mad sort of place and extremely good value for money. If you are ever in North Wales I strongly urge you to visit!</p> <p><em><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Beccy</font></em></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-2521359049693946172013-07-31T00:57:00.001+01:002013-07-31T00:57:04.209+01:00Impromptu Wales<p>So, we found ourselves in Wales last week. It wasn’t planned, we just decided a couple of days before we went, found a last minute cottage and hopped in the car! </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xX8IN1xCzm0/UfhSc_3Bf9I/AAAAAAAAEVo/uHz08FXwk1g/s1600-h/2013-07-20%25252017.08.33%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-07-20 17.08.33" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-20 17.08.33" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-r1UdMKIuqsY/UfhSdigoFcI/AAAAAAAAEVw/wiXnXvbP6_I/2013-07-20%25252017.08.33_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>We stayed in Betws-Y-Coed, a beautiful little village in North Wales. The cottage is above the cafe but it’s built into the hillside so that red door on the left leads to steps up to the cottage which is actually on ground level. Did that make sense?</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xF3dTt_ByBM/UfhSfYIr3yI/AAAAAAAAEV4/Og6o7prjVO4/s1600-h/2013-07-19%25252016.37.37%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-07-19 16.37.37" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-19 16.37.37" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-k0OLvv3HFRE/UfhSf3rnYOI/AAAAAAAAEWA/fXbIPz5Zoko/2013-07-19%25252016.37.37_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>The steps to the cottage just kept going up and up – this is the view from the top of the terraced garden.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_MG7iSFD2vw/UfhShngC2dI/AAAAAAAAEWI/RHlmq2wQLSE/s1600-h/2013-07-20%25252015.04.36%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-07-20 15.04.36" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-20 15.04.36" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-axoxXeP8N-s/UfhSiUAfB1I/AAAAAAAAEWQ/n6xiuBgLAdg/2013-07-20%25252015.04.36_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>Wales has new wonderful scenery around every corner. This is Swallow Falls.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-BSgDmNFU4RI/UfhSkNIs7NI/AAAAAAAAEWY/0tiSJL7p5HQ/s1600-h/2013-07-20%25252016.03.45%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-07-20 16.03.45" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-20 16.03.45" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KuxzY3p5WGM/UfhSky3La6I/AAAAAAAAEWg/__hRFLej7EU/2013-07-20%25252016.03.45_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>Betws is in Snowdonia National Park so the scenery just gets more and more dramatic.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-6S6D8Z9YM1I/UfhSmj95GTI/AAAAAAAAEWo/Hx3q-prJmAM/s1600-h/2013-07-20%25252016.04.38%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-07-20 16.04.38" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-20 16.04.38" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-fFKyRoA0n6g/UfhSnOOVokI/AAAAAAAAEWw/CSXzJS_UsbA/2013-07-20%25252016.04.38_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-E2gXPu19cg8/UfhSoKp3FuI/AAAAAAAAEW4/yyRDToTv5Qk/s1600-h/2013-07-24%25252015.22.41%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-07-24 15.22.41" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-24 15.22.41" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3PmAwBY3nlI/UfhSo8ddNJI/AAAAAAAAEXA/aH5I-5javW4/2013-07-24%25252015.22.41_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>This is Conwy, and that is Conwy castle. It’s huge! I know I keep banging on about it but the scenery in North Wales is amazing – in places it is so wild it seems remote, like there are no other human beings for miles and miles. Then you drive round a corner to find a walled city or a seaside town full of life and kiss-me-quick hats.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_ngqiLkAIaw/UfhSqo1omcI/AAAAAAAAEXI/pNsKp6n0x1I/s1600-h/2013-07-24%25252015.21.49%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-07-24 15.21.49" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-24 15.21.49" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fZX9VGFH4Fw/UfhSrbQHTmI/AAAAAAAAEXQ/DWDIxM0dQnA/2013-07-24%25252015.21.49_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>The smallest house in Britain, also in Conwy.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Anbl7VV0mdQ/UfhSsauNPoI/AAAAAAAAEXY/QiVBraoLock/s1600-h/2013-07-22%25252010.51.11%25255B8%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-07-22 10.51.11" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-22 10.51.11" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-7FJjbO6xm5k/UfhStB3QT7I/AAAAAAAAEXg/GPLlp3dGYqI/2013-07-22%25252010.51.11_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>Llandudno pier.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Y1dn35SIsc0/UfhSvA9VvjI/AAAAAAAAEXo/NLdbknsaI6s/s1600-h/2013-07-25%25252011.12.52%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-07-25 11.12.52" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-25 11.12.52" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-UVu_CfMN62g/UfhSv1BiWSI/AAAAAAAAEXw/DASOFdKTq7s/2013-07-25%25252011.12.52_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Y4xKWNzJAis/UfhSw7nkvSI/AAAAAAAAEX4/Hb4PJqhRApI/s1600-h/2013-07-26%25252010.26.25%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-07-26 10.26.25" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-26 10.26.25" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mljDiqds4EE/UfhSxqsHPpI/AAAAAAAAEYA/58171yvSXT0/2013-07-26%25252010.26.25_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-TpZu0jPazsM/UfhSy8kpvmI/AAAAAAAAEYI/I-VSZrDbt0w/s1600-h/2013-07-26%25252010.51.36%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-07-26 10.51.36" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-26 10.51.36" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-y0YmkOGVaYw/UfhSzsTqwoI/AAAAAAAAEYQ/SPznJ1KpIL4/2013-07-26%25252010.51.36_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>These last three are Fairy Glen, (or Fair-Y-Glen possibly). Wales has a lot of small waterfalls, and most of them require a mildly treacherous walk along the edge of a gorge. It’s worth it though because they are all so beautiful.</p> <p>Well, we had a wonderful time and I wish we didn’t have to come home – I’ve still got more to show you though!</p> <p><em><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Beccy</font></em></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-25510026732984475782013-07-18T23:53:00.001+01:002013-07-18T23:53:13.626+01:00York Dragon Boat race 2013 – a steampunkish pirate in action!<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/--KXkWUAbhXY/Uehxm_dcBZI/AAAAAAAAETY/hBMe5nvbG58/s1600-h/2013-07-14-11.49.145.jpg"><img title="2013-07-14 11.49.14" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-14 11.49.14" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1seY1Pp2waQ/UehxnkCod_I/AAAAAAAAETg/-ibNszNQQ-Y/2013-07-14-11.49.14_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>There aren’t too many photos of me knocking about but here I am, looking a bit short, about to prove that you CAN row a boat wearing a bustle and corset.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-BR0nIXhL0vw/Uehxo8hSByI/AAAAAAAAETo/S7HQ0Tnpn2M/s1600-h/P100003710.jpg"><img title="P1000037" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="P1000037" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-CwALw_O6UBc/UehxpXhi0zI/AAAAAAAAETw/E_UpSgappW4/P1000037_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="349" /></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-obAyG_wWK3Y/UehxqefevGI/AAAAAAAAET4/VtOMfIWKzTc/s1600-h/2013-07-14-11.52.4911.jpg"><img title="2013-07-14 11.52.49" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-14 11.52.49" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-EM7uahlBa78/UehxqwwXmUI/AAAAAAAAEUA/xjxDro2djfs/2013-07-14-11.52.49_thumb8.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="349" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kSGf_PZ_YJE/UehxrgvvC6I/AAAAAAAAEUI/ypvwDr3jNoE/s1600-h/2013-07-14%25252011.53.10%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="2013-07-14 11.53.10" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="2013-07-14 11.53.10" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-FS6kcRULVGw/UehxsB1vR0I/AAAAAAAAEUQ/eheNyZ8LHlo/2013-07-14%25252011.53.10_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="345" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-CqkBIkrlmk0/UehxtlwLn3I/AAAAAAAAEUY/H2d6c70Q25k/s1600-h/P1000030%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="P1000030" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="P1000030" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-5lAwGLUhWcs/UehxufGkKPI/AAAAAAAAEUg/P-to2FcYMjg/P1000030_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>There were 17 of us rowing the boat, plus a few reserves so there were plenty of pirates on the day!</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-IQL0TkTT6Bk/Uehxv1HNQgI/AAAAAAAAEUo/lVTUHakYxK8/s1600-h/P10000675.jpg"><img title="P1000067" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="P1000067" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lp0Wch1IuF8/UehxwwKOmjI/AAAAAAAAEUw/1x6SpUXrG5c/P1000067_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>Every team rows three races and then your best times are used to determine who races in the final. We didn’t make the final – our best time was 1.21 and the winners’ best time was 1.04 – but boy did we have fun! </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-acgfvNr8LcI/Uehxykj8D8I/AAAAAAAAEU4/Jr9VTaVZEz8/s1600-h/P10000165.jpg"><img title="P1000016" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="P1000016" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vYkXaUhOWwQ/UehxzTExb1I/AAAAAAAAEVA/IWLiZiu6880/P1000016_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cMZQ_FLgayA/Uehx00Z2RpI/AAAAAAAAEVI/dii4nk-Z2lw/s1600-h/P10000715.jpg"><img title="P1000071" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="P1000071" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-TeFcyjR6OUE/Uehx1XmyEII/AAAAAAAAEVQ/vkymGNGGsOk/P1000071_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="350" height="262" /></a></p> <p>It’s hard work, splashy and tiring but the whole thing raises thousands for charity and has the feel of a festival.</p> <p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:eafe639d-8f1e-4517-b980-3b183deaaa85" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div id="87e039b3-3c9e-42af-898f-8ce5f1d37aff" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o1Yoij8j2Y" target="_new"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-COAXTyh-cak/Uehx1ySnkCI/AAAAAAAAEVY/vNayrD3zuvk/videoc8c591713d8b%25255B40%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('87e039b3-3c9e-42af-898f-8ce5f1d37aff'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"448\" height=\"277\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/_o1Yoij8j2Y?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/_o1Yoij8j2Y?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"448\" height=\"277\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">The College Crew are in lane 2!</div></div> </p> <p>I don’t know who filmed this or where it came from but it turned up in my inbox. It’s a video of our second race, which was memorable because we were winning right up until the point when the boat nearly capsized! Near the end you can hear us scream – the water was pouring in, it was quite scary! </p> <p>We spent most of the afternoon soaked through to the skin but raring to race! We haven’t had the final total for our team yet but we reckon we raised around £1500 for Help For Heroes and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.</p> <p>Right, I’m off to bed. I’ve got to drive to Wales in the morning!</p> <p><em><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Beccy</font></em></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-68632175942335549962013-07-02T22:30:00.001+01:002013-07-02T22:30:41.072+01:00Strawberry picking, yum!<p>We love strawberries, but there is nothing better than ones you’ve picked yourself. You can make sure they’re ripe and juicy, and have a lovely walk at the same time. Much better than buying at a supermarket.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9HmMaOoypPM/UdNGZ7ikcCI/AAAAAAAAESM/3S1oXyeNh1o/s1600-h/IMG_0097%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0097" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="IMG_0097" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Krl9M1rYBvw/UdNGaozWinI/AAAAAAAAESU/WmHE8p4RCwU/IMG_0097_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>We went to <a href="http://www.theballoontree.co.uk/" target="_blank">the Balloon Tree at Gate Helmsley</a> which as well as having pick-your-own strawberries, blackberries, currants, rhubarb, gooseberries, plums (and probably much more) they also have a farm shop, cafe and small plant nursery.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-31CChj8EQ_E/UdNGbjYsrGI/AAAAAAAAESc/52DZrlZhNNQ/s1600-h/IMG_0117%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0117" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="IMG_0117" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-0Moz2OEkEsI/UdNGcKT01nI/AAAAAAAAESk/DqVFHsZ5ukA/IMG_0117_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="349" /></a></p> <p>My gran sure knows how to pose with a basket of fruit!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-fM6nT7zU12g/UdNGdvYUWoI/AAAAAAAAESs/QgHILHSNQag/s1600-h/IMG_0099%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0099" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="IMG_0099" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-F_zowYmaudY/UdNGeQ1sgHI/AAAAAAAAES0/H8iotfc6OiI/IMG_0099_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="360" height="286" /></a></p> <p>Yum! We got a lot of strawberries, despite the fact that mum is really, really picky!</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-pc8PU3_3EE4/UdNGfQX4bjI/AAAAAAAAES8/_MD8j_5funo/s1600-h/IMG_0108%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_0108" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="IMG_0108" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-IzkqyFQAGUU/UdNGf1bChII/AAAAAAAAETE/AClPFa654L4/IMG_0108_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="349" /></a></p> <p>Did I mention they also have pigs! In fact they have ponies, chickens and goats too! </p> <p>It’s a great place to spend a few hours, and it’s always good to bring home baskets of fresh fruit. If you are nearby, or plan to be, it’s definitely worth a visit.</p> <p><em><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Beccy</font></em></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1533383085958437162.post-40974270778806297602013-06-21T00:37:00.001+01:002013-06-21T00:37:34.516+01:00Steampunkish pirate part 2<p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QaHN0MFennQ/UcOR3wM9iAI/AAAAAAAAEPk/G4nfw9vL8YY/s1600-h/final-costume7.jpg"><img title="final costume" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="final costume" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-zYzhYQ2H0iA/UcOR5BcKWYI/AAAAAAAAEPs/otVaUw9GYbI/final-costume_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>I thought I’d start with a pic of the costume as it stands now and then follow with a series of ‘how it’s built’ pics. I wanted to avoid cogs and keys - I love it on other people, you know the ones who make an enormous effort and look amazing, but I can’t afford the level of detail involved and I think just chucking a few cogs on stuff can easily look rubbish. Anyway it’s a subtle steampunkery I’m going for but feel free to offer any advice!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-nu9JIDDo_3w/UcOR6TFVjMI/AAAAAAAAEP0/CV943QXq21Q/s1600-h/bustle7.jpg"><img title="bustle" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="bustle" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-4QJJsr6NBEo/UcOR7TR1NqI/AAAAAAAAEP8/JfKo_kf74X4/bustle_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="350" /></a></p> <p>Starting with the petticoat and ruffly shirt (both from charity shops) and the bustle…</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gy8ZSphlTKk/UcOR8wCc6hI/AAAAAAAAEQE/N89gw04Fvpo/s1600-h/skirt-side4.jpg"><img title="skirt side" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="skirt side" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nlSRAuddqMA/UcOR-PjkS_I/AAAAAAAAEQM/zqZARFAjvG0/skirt-side_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="336" /></a></p> <p>Then on with the skirt – this is also a charity shop skirt which has large pleated gores. I just tacked sections up at regular intervals to give it that pouffy look. The skirt was too big so I put a large pleat in the back too. This helps to accommodate the bustle but I think it needs a bit of attention or maybe something extra, like a silky red something with tassels draped around?</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MVcxOMBJrcs/UcOR_eCNfbI/AAAAAAAAEQU/0nRNlovMzzs/s1600-h/skirt-front4.jpg"><img title="skirt front" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="skirt front" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-EeJ9Jv28_qs/UcOSAa-YxMI/AAAAAAAAEQc/KY-KFqEutwM/skirt-front_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="361" /></a></p> <p>And from the front, ok it needs ironing!</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fNNMLawC4NU/UcOSBly9niI/AAAAAAAAEQk/Bj2JSTvdfmE/s1600-h/waist-front4.jpg"><img title="waist front" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="waist front" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-w_oaKIvF-sI/UcOSC2wKg1I/AAAAAAAAEQs/IurQ_97V55E/waist-front_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="388" /></a></p> <p>Then a crazy tight cinch belt. That’s pure elastic folks, with velcro at the back and corset-look pleather at the front. Did I mention it’s tight? I have a 29 inch waist normally but in this thing? More like 25!</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-7IOjIpCdN7g/UcOSD5E-K1I/AAAAAAAAEQ0/so4xxsXlR-w/s1600-h/belt-front5.jpg"><img title="belt front" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="belt front" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-s-Wh3n9iLmc/UcOSFJ6KM9I/AAAAAAAAEQ8/vl0tp86VQS4/belt-front_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="443" /></a></p> <p>And then an extra added belt – this was really long so I cut out a section, unpicked the stitching, and re-sewed it back together much smaller.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gKvULn9tk0w/UcOSGCvcuLI/AAAAAAAAERE/HNj2PmV_BIo/s1600-h/belt-side5.jpg"><img title="belt side" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="belt side" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_0hkjCjCvtg/UcOSHZC2WlI/AAAAAAAAERM/L10QNq9sv2I/belt-side_thumb3.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="487" /></a><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-wFR4hXzXIPU/UcOSIpoT4NI/AAAAAAAAERU/cmOlaZV_tTA/s1600-h/bustle-belt-back4.jpg"><img title="bustle belt back" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="bustle belt back" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-I7YBMMxw0xQ/UcOSJQBlmLI/AAAAAAAAERc/nVuxXq_AHbI/bustle-belt-back_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="349" /></a></p> <p>A couple of cheeky side and bustle shots – is the bustle too big do you think?</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BaHnUpxoUVg/UcOSLVyHoHI/AAAAAAAAERk/7qz6QL-8Kvs/s1600-h/final-costume10.jpg"><img title="final costume" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="final costume" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-VUuPbrtP-tc/UcOSMerHfMI/AAAAAAAAERs/GiMyKrajhsM/final-costume_thumb6.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="349" /></a><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-BExXSPU09-w/UcOSN8IHRJI/AAAAAAAAER0/bSjRJ98A2BQ/s1600-h/final-costume-back4.jpg"><img title="final costume back" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="final costume back" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZHJEuNsjvik/UcOSO5vJB6I/AAAAAAAAER8/5UH7Cmq5H2A/final-costume-back_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="262" height="388" /></a></p> <p>And last but not least - a corset back waistcoat, my previously mentioned hat, and a little bag for my phone and cash. The waistcoat is from ebay and the bag from a charity shop.</p> <p>Because I had some of the things in my to-do pile and stash, the whole thing cost me no more that £30. </p> <p>I also have a pair of stripy plus-fours I found on ebay because, if you remember, I HAVE TO ROW A BOAT IN THIS! Oh dear, I think I might have trouble but do you know what? I’m gonna try! It’s <a href="http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=rebeccaridsdel" target="_blank">for charity!</a></p> <p><em><font size="3" face="Times New Roman">Beccy</font></em></p> beccyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11544452256539966499noreply@blogger.com1