Showing posts with label arty stuff. Show all posts
Showing posts with label arty stuff. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Needle felting update

Hello. The weather is a bit better today, still windy but at least it's dry. I need to mow my lawns in the next day or two so I hope that's the end of the rain for a while. Here's me trying to get on with a bit of stitching, but Heidi is having none of it. No, you will fuss me because I demand it, she says. 

Here is a little update on the felting, seven minutes long. My videos are in the raw state, I don't know how to edit them. I make cock ups, and I stumble over my words, one day I might get it right, ha ha.



I've just had a BIG sandwich lunch and now I need a coffee, so I'll leave you to it. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Getting excited

Hello. If I get a good feeling about a new project from the start, it usually turns out well. As we have had a lot of rain in the past couple of days, and it's raining now, I am getting on with this. I have to go with the flow while the brain is engaged. Early mornings are best for me, yesterday up at 4 am, today at 4.45 am. 
As I said yesterday I found the design in Stitch magazine, and got the needle felting kit out which had been languishing in the spare room for months. Time to get a grip. 
I have used a piece of net curtain for the backing, the wool sticks to it nicely. When all the felt is in place I shall be putting a thicker backing onto it before I begin stitching into it. 
The colours aren't exactly right on the photo, but you get the idea. I don't follow the instructions in the magazine article, I put my interpretation on the design and do it my way. I end up with something similar but not the same. This is more an exercise on technique, getting to know how to manipulate the wool by altering the angle at which the single needle enters the work. If you want a sharp edge to the shape push the edges towards the centre. If you want a more  softer edge so that it merges gently with the background, push the edges away from the centre towards the outside. All good fun.

Some of my newer readers might ask what's this got to do with money saving. Well, while my brain is engaged with something interesting to do, I don't feel the need to go shopping. People shop out of boredom, the buzz they get from treating themselves helps relieve boredom, for a while. I suggest anyone in this position who sees shopping as a feel good factor might find a hobby which keeps their brain occupied. Shopping is not my hobby.

Nearly 9 am and I have got to go out in the rain and walk Bailey the poodle for Joyce, she is busy this morning. Later I shall be visiting the mobile library to change my books and have a natter with Stan. The rest of the time I shall be working on this, it's a no spend day today.

Gawd, it's a raincoat and brolly day, I shall have to go. Enjoy your day, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Friday, June 2, 2017

A visit to Brick City, a Lego Exhibition.

Hello. Here are a few pictures of the Lego Exhibition on display at the moment at the 20 21 Visual Arts Centre in Scunthorpe, until the 20th of June. I was dead impressed with this. Warren Elsmore is an artist who gets to play with Lego all day long, a job I think many would like to do. He has had this passion since he was a young boy, now he is living his dream. I will leave you to look around. 









There is more information on his web site. 

So, what else have I been doing. The quilt is divided and and cushion pads/beds made. Now I need to make the covers.

I am giving the Summer House a makeover, some of the paint has faded so it's getting a lick of paint using the small sample pots. No buying new, I will use what I have.

It's good to see so many of you are still enthusiastic about walking, thanks for checking in with your miles. If you haven't already done so you can go to the 1st of the month post any time to update your progress.

That's lunch eaten, now I'm going to get on the sewing machine. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Thursday, June 1, 2017

Calling all walkers, report here please.

Hello. My visit to Hull yesterday. First I drove to Barton to have a look at the exhibitions in the Ropewalk Galleries. One was closed due to installing new exhibits, the other was a series of paintings which illustrated Spurn Point, didn't like them much at all, and of course the prices were ridiculous. .

Then I caught the bus to Hull. The fountains in the city centre were advertised as something special, I was expecting them to be arty, colourful, and maybe a bit showy with background music. Like dancing fountains. Don't know where I got that idea from. Nope, It was a splash pad, with jets of water coming up out of the ground and lots of little children having fun playing guess which one is going to spurt next, and let's see what happens if I put my foot on this one. It was a gloriously hot day, ideal for a splash about, kids and mums alike were enjoying it. I remember seeing the fountains in Bradford five years ago and they were shooting up as high as the buildings. Maybe that's why I thought these would be the same. Sorry, no pictures, it is frowned upon to take photo's of small children in their underwear in a public place.

Next stop the Ferens Art Gallery to see the pictures from the Sea of Hull, you may remember that everyone was painted blue and photo's were taken at various locations in the city centre. I was hoping to see more pictures than what had already been shown on the internet. There were two that I hadn't seen before, a lot of naked people were photographed on the Humber Bank with the bridge in the background. They weren't blue, just their own naked skin in the buff. The blue ones I had already seen, albeit in a smaller screen size. Have a look at this report in the Hull Daily Mail on the opening day.

Also part of the Skin exhibition are several nude sculptures by Ron Mueck, some of them larger than life, some in miniature, all of them perfect in every detail. They are so lifelike you have to get up close to see where every hair has been inserted into the model. I was not allowed to take any photo's in the gallery, but if you check out this BBC webpage, there is a picture of the Wild Man. The man is a giant perched on a giant stool, the top of my head came up to his nipples. The rest of the exhibition was fascinating, nude lifelike bodies of different sizes.

I wasn't long in Hull, the bus journey took ages because of the heavy traffic. I picked up a few yellow stickers at Tesco in Barton. A nice cauliflower for 48p marked down from £2, TWO CHUFFIN POUNDS, good grief. Bags of salad leaves for 16p.

The duvet has been deconstructed, and is now three separate pieces, now to start sewing.

Hands up anyone who uses resealable packs as they are supposed to? I find that they are such a faff to get the two sides to stick together that I don't bother. I cut them off completely, fold over, and seal with a clothes peg. Simple. To the manufacturers, get rid of them and knock a couple of pence off the price.

Here's a thought, are young people losing their observational skills? I presented this at the checkout at Wilko, girl scanned it and held out her hand asking for 50p. Hey girl, open your eyes, what does it stay there? I do despair, no wonder the tills are being replaced by self serve, brains are no longer required to be a checkout assistant.

Now to the most important part of today's post, THE WALKING GROUP CHECK IN REMINDER. Come on, are you a bragger, or a fessing up participant, ha ha. Have you broken all records with your walking, or have you failed to get up off your bum? I am a bit of both. I will get on with it when I feel like it, or I can say stuff it, I'll not bother today. I am able to ease up a bit on the three mile daily walks because I have clocked up a few extra miles on longer walks. It's like a deposit account, today I have 570 miles in the bank. On the other hand, if I take my eye off the ball for too long there is a possibility that I might fall behind. I can't let that happen.

So how are you doing? Let us know so we can admire your stamina or give you a kick up the bum to get on with it. Only joking, don't get too hung up about the numbers, just do as much as you can. It needs to be enjoyable, not a slog.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Friday, May 26, 2017

Making art out of a tennis racquet

Hello. I'm having to choose the times I go outside because it's swelteringly hot out there. Early morning is best when the sun is behind the trees, then late afternoon early evening when the sun is over the other side of the house. I'm halfway through painting the garage doors, and have painted a couple of pots. The lawns are mowed, and the wheelie bin is full of hedge trimmings, and they don't collect it until Wednesday. I did my walk last night at 9pm, nice and cool. 
Sounds daft but the hot weather is keeping me indoors, but hey, I've been getting on with this tennis racquet project and now it's finished. You may remember I bought it for £1 at a car boot sale a few months back. 

 Make a template out of paper and check if I have made enough embroidered circles.

Wrap the frame of the racquet in strips of red velvet, and add white/silver wool.

A piece of snooker table green baize for the background, with strips of green fabric machined on.

Arrange circles and hand stitch them on, using the same stitching adding to the designs already there. Sequins and beads then added to make it sparkly.

I backed the green baize with a piece of old blanket to make it thicker.

Pin it in place and hand sew it together with tiny green stitches. Silver sequins and tiny yellow beads decorate the frame. The back is completely covered with a piece of red felt.








I'm well chuffed with this, it's exactly how I pictured it when I thought of the idea. It reminds me of sea anenomies swaying in a gentle flowing rock pool.

The weekend is here, and it's a Bank Holiday, enjoy. I hope you are all keeping up with your walking, I am ahead in miles but still aiming to get out most days. I feel as if I am cheating if I do not walk. Thank you to Elaine for the package, the fabric is lovely and will be used for something special.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Friday, April 14, 2017

Fun with Lego.

Hello. It's business as usual here at Tightwad Towers over the Easter period. More photo's in the pipeline, more shopping bags to make, more walking to do, and some lounging in the garden when the sun comes out. I did a yellow sticker shop on Wednesday night and struck lucky, the fridge is full. I had intended to do a £40 shop so I could use a £6 off voucher, but after filling the trolley with reductions, which only came to £9 something, I knew I would have no chance of reaching the target. No point in wandering round the shop trying to decide what to buy when I didn't actually need anything else.
Here are the last few photo's from my visit to Hull on Tuesday. I remember Lego as being quite basic when I was young, it consisted of bricks and flat pieces to stick the bricks onto. Nowadays there is a lot more variety in the shapes it comes in, and you can construct almost anything with it, including flowers. The daffodil display was very popular, especially with the kids who could meander between them and pretend to water them with the Lego watering can.  





Have a little titter at this.


The City of Culture exhibits are spread out in different locations, so the Land Train was handy for those who would rather ride than walk.



Dancing fountains are advertised as being in the city centre but I couldn't find them. I asked a volunteer who said that they had done a trial run and the drainage was found to have a problem, so they are under repair at the moment. They should be working soon. There are cars filled with sand down at The deep, but I didn't have time to go and see them, maybe next time.

Enjoy your weekend, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Oceans of dreams

Good Morning. I think most people like to sit for a while and watch the sea. It can be a calm and relaxing experience with the waves gently lapping the shoreline, or an exciting and spectacular performance of waves crashing crazily over a rocky outcrop. There is something mesmerizing about watching something with so many different features
Another exhibit in the Ferens Gallery aroused my curiosity. One enters a small dark room rather like a small cinema. There are no lights, it's total blackness. On one wall is the screen, with one small bench for those who wish to sit and linger awhile. The rest of the space is standing only. I poked my head around the corner to catch a glimpse of what was being shown, and saw  the sea. Hmmm, shall I keep watching , it looks a bit boring. 
I sat down and let the film wash over me. The only sound was the shusssshing of the waves, which had a relaxing effect. Every few seconds the picture changed, the same view but at different times of the day, and different weather conditions. Often there was nothing much to look at, no sign of life, just the sea. 
I found myself peering through fog searching for any indication that there was life out there. Was that a boat on the horizon or was it a figment of my imagination? I think I can see a bridge, or maybe the fog is playing tricks with my vision. 
A succession of pictures when not very much was happening was quickly interrupted by movement in the foreground. Someone walking a dog from one side to the other. Someone riding a bicycle, stopping to check his brakes, then moving on. These little quirky disturbances jolted my almost dozing brain into alertness. 
Just when I was getting used to the pattern of  the mostly grey weather changes, my eyes were assaulted with a blinding flash of colour. Wow, that grabbed my attention and I began to find the whole thing quite like a musical performance. I could imagine the music in my head, each changing scene was played by different instruments. The sunset was the whole orchestra building up into the loudest finale.  







The film is on a loop and I searched for the first frame I saw to tell me when I had seen it all. It's about eighteen minutes. I was so lost in it that I hadn't noticed several people had crept in behind me. After goooogleing I found this video of the artist John Smith. Have a look, listen to his thought processes as he was making the film. See what you think.



Hey, it's looking like a nice day outside. I'm off out. Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip