The big tidy

Life has gone on much as usual since the last post - a bit mundane really - a visit to the opticians (not much change in my eyesight, thank goodness)  and a routine blood test!    The routine of photography group meetings and operatic society rehearsals just keeps me ticking along.  

 

Two nice highlights were a visit to Dunham Massey which is very pleasant in its own right, but even more interesting at the moment because of their special exhibition.    The day we went it was lovely weather and the place was crowded with lots of families and dogs enjoying the sunshine.   The daffodils and hellebores were in full bloom and the hyacinths almost ready to flower.   I'll bet they'll smell wonderful when they do.    The exhibition is to mark the 100th anniversary of World War I - towards the end of the war Dunham Massey was used as a hospital for wounded soldiers - other ranks, not officers.    The National Trust has recreated a ward, recreation room, theatre etc. to show how it would have looked then.     We spent a good couple of hours in the house and several more hours in the gardens (and the café). 

 

The other  highlight was the birthday celebration for one of our grandsons who has just joined the ranks of the teenage population!   It was a lovely, family occasion with great food and lots of laughter.   It was his Mum's birthday the following day too so it was a bit of a double celebration.  

 

The big news - and anyone who knows me would agree it is big news - is that I have spent 3 days having a mammoth tidy up of my stash of cotton fabrics!    I do not throw anything away - all the little scraps from previous projects are squirrelled away 'just in case'.    I'm not claiming to have thrown much away but some has reached the bin.  The rest has been folded and arranged in colour order (I'm getting worried now!) and the smaller bits have been cut into strips or squares to use in patchwork.   It may not have reduced the bulk by too much but at least I can now see what I've got!   At least that's the theory. 

 

work in progress - patchwork hanging

So, finally, I've not much to show for the last couple of weeks except another silk cushion, 2 hangings in progress and some very orderly cotton fabric.   Now to start on the rest of the silk, wool, polyester, organza, tulle, furnishing fabric etc. - wonder how long that will take!

New Camera

 

 

Print came 3rd in competition

 

This last week or ten days seems to have been dominated by all things photographical .   Just after my last post, my camera club took part in a ‘print battle’ with four other local clubs.   I do love hearing the judges comments at these competitions and seeing which images do best – it’s a great way to learn.  In the event, although our club came joint third with 2 other clubs, one of my prints came 3^rd overall. 

 

Last Tuesday, both Liz and I treated ourselves to new cameras.   We both bought Panasonic FZ200’s – this model is much lighter  than the Canon and has a brilliant Leica lens with a huge range.   It won’t replace the Canon but it will be much handier for taking on holiday and fell walking.   It had its first outing on Saturday when we went to see the new hotel '30 James Street'.   This iconic building was originally owned by the White Star Line which was the owner of the Titanic and has always been one of my favourite Liverpool buildings.   Inside, photographically, it was a bit disappointing but I’m sure, when it’s finished, it will be most impressive.   It was a beautiful day so we stayed in Liverpool for an hour or so photographing the Liver, Cunard, Mersey Docks and Harbour Board building and Albert Dock before the cold really got to us.

The photography group we belong to had a very interesting talk with photos, last week, from a mountaineer.   It was really fascinating but it  didn’t explain to  me why on earth anyone would want to put themselves through such hardships and danger in the name of fun!

Underwater

leaves

 Last Friday’s felters meeting was a little challenge.   The idea was to create a piece of felt from a small bag of ‘bits’ – wool tops, fibres, fabric scraps etc. which everyone was given.  It’s amazing what ideas people came up with – my offering was a fairly tame underwater scene which, in the fullness of time, will, with some stitching,  become a picture – I’d made one with leaves on a couple of days previously and that too will require some stitching.

On Thursday, we went, with his parents, to Manchester to see our grandson play his own marimba composition in a lunchtime concert – what a proud moment.   A marimba requires the instrumentalist to use  4 ‘hammers’ at the same time – I would have difficulty just holding on to them, never mind playing a melody with them.

In the meantime, I have been fairly productive – a cotton tote bag, a little quilted needlecase, a tweed purse, a silk cushion and a book cover!   I’ve also, at last, finished constructing the silk and satin evening purse from the sampler I made weeks ago.  Added to all this, and with lots of huffing and puffing and even a few curses, I have finally warped my loom again and I’m well into another project in mostly shades of red.

This weekend has been entirely taken up with printing and mounting 18 prints to be entered for the Club's Annual Competition.   Wish me luck!