Yesterday we had a really good morning at Yorkshire Sculpture Park. We both wanted to see the Peter Randall-Page exhibition. It was well worth the visit and very inspiring. I was in awe of the beautiful work he has on display.

The main pieces indoors were stunning, many based on nature and mathematical theories. No photos were allowed of indoor pieces. I had to make do with this one, which I thought it was the best on display outside. The sculptures have lovely names like seed & womb tomb. They just make you want to touch (not allowed) and feel the smoothness and textures of the rocks. The displays were in four rooms and each one just got better as we went along.
Of course there was a gift shop which had a great range of arts and crafts, some very good work for sale, at a price though! I won’t keep going on about it, but it well worth a visit and it’s free too. What more can you ask for?

Categories: personal | Tags: Peter Randall-Page > sculpture park

Just a short post today, I’m so glad it’s Sunday and we can say goodbye to last weeks days of rain and wind. Here’s hoping the coming week is much better weather wise. Wet weather doesn’t inspire me at all. Having said that, I have made quite a few things and have lots of ideas. It’s just a shame my ideas run quicker than my hands can work.

I have a nice pizza cooking in the oven for tea and it smells so good. I’ll be off now and get ready to serve and eat some of it.

Categories: personal

I did this strange little doodle today, not sure why. I just picked the pen up and did it. It reminded my of art class at DVHS and the two crazy teachers that taught us. I’ve been thinking a lot recently about the crafts we did in the 60’s & 70’s and how really things haven’t changed much today. Not many new ideas really just the old favourites updated with lots of new materials and tools available to us now.

It’s nice to see a craft revival, we need to keep it going so crafting doesn’t die out. Thanks to the internet that just might happen. It’s such a shame to see how neglected cookery and crafts are in schools now. Back in ‘the day’ we were taught how to knit and sew at infant school, although most of us including the boys did already know. Our grandmas and mums played a big part in passing the knowledge on.

Now the trend is to upcycle, we just made bags for school from anything that was to be thrown out, ‘waste not want not’ we were told. Clothes were often made from other garments, two or three put together to make a new one. I think the word used now is to reconstruct. I recall making lots of trendy things from my mum’s cast offs. A crochet look long waistcoat from a dress she had, accessorised with a crochet belt made from curtain rings, yes that trend was revived a few years ago too. I took up dressmaking at 14, being the short arse that I am it made sense to make my own, plus it was so much cheaper than shop bought.

It’s been interesting looking around the internet the past few years and seeing things made today that we enjoyed making. Felt played a big part then as it does today. Badges, brooches, purses, toys, most things could be made from felt as they are now. Our mums often accidentally felted knits when they washed them in water too hot! The owls that are big now in crafting were also a  big hit in the 70’s, as was crochet……remember all those granny squares. Scrapbooking, been around since the Victorians, now updated and very big today. Fabric yoyos also know as Suffolk Puffs, crazy quilting, tie dye. I even remember coming home from work one night and my youngest brother presenting me with a sock creature he’d made that day.  I think I’d better shut up now, I’m showing my age and have waffled on for too long. I’ll have to see if I can find any old photos and get them scanned.

Categories: crafts, personal | Tags: crafts > crochet > sewing

Just a quick post to show something I haven’t made for a while. Knitted pink cupcakes , lots of added fibre and goodness. Available here . Pink were always guaranteed to sell and I must admit, I do love pink myself. I’ve lost count of how many cakes I’ve knitted, for almost two years they were all I made and sold. I really enjoyed making them but now am glad I’ve moved onto other things and only turn the cakes out occasionally.

Categories: folksy, knittting | Tags: knitting

Another finishing off afternoon here, the best thing to do when the weather has been like it has. Wet and quite windy here but very warm too. I didn’t have much to do to finish my items.  The odd stitch here and there and a brooch back to add and everything’s done.

My hands need to rest, they are getting worse and the anti inflammatory medication and pain killers don’t seem to be helping any more. I just get so restless when I can’t crochet, knit or whatever. I think maybe more reading than usual tonight is in order.
The book I’ve just started is by Linda Fairstein, I haven’t read anything by her before. It’s taking some getting into, but is the usual type of book I enjoy, forensics, murders, postmortems etc. Patricia Cornwell has rated it highly so I hope that’s a good sign.

Categories: folksy, personal, sewing | Tags: crochet > folksy > sewing

I feel frazzled, I haven’t had a decent sleep for around three weeks or more and I’m not really sure why. I woke up with a splitting headache after a little lie in. I’m usually up at around 5ish but decided to stay in bed a bit longer today. It didn’t do me much good!

Some of the neighbours kids have been driving us crazy, they all gather to play around our house. They enjoy kicking a ball up against their fence seeing how much noise they can make, then the ball is kicked constantly in our garden on purpose too. They come and get it, leave the gate open then it all starts over again and again…..I wouldn’t mind but we share a lovely, large looked after green which all our house back onto and is safe for the kids to play on. I love kids, I really do. We have three of our own(now all adults) but didn’t allow them to annoy neighbours when they were playing. Whats wrong with folks today?

Right whinge over. Despite all the above,  I’ve had a really productive weekend.  I managed to get quite a few things made, some for me some for Folksy which I will be photographing and listing next week. Now I intend to enjoy a soak in the bath before the kids and football come out again.

Categories: folksy, personal | Tags: folksy > personal