easily distracted by shiny things…
Posted in culture, exhibitions, inspiration, music on Sep 26th, 2010
This is a little picture of “Shaharazad”, a mechanical organ owned by Boz Oram. Today we went to Crofton Beam Engines with the Aldbrickham Clog & Step Dancers, to dance at their end of season gala. There were some vintage cars, a few different steam engines and this mechanical organ. (And the enormous beam engines, [...]
Posted in crafty things, culture on Aug 2nd, 2010
While I was at the Haunch of Venison, I also saw an exhibition of work by Joana Vasconcelos. I particularly liked the large ceramic pieces that had been covered with crochet. There was a lovely contrast of texture between the matt cotton thread and the shiny glazes underneath. The animal heads, mounted on the walls like [...]
Posted in crafty things, culture, inspiration on Aug 1st, 2010
Photo © Polly Morgan The other day I went to see an exhibition of artwork by Polly Morgan at the Haunch of Venison. The exhibition is called “Psychopomps”, after the mythical creatures that conduct souls into the after-life. This piece is “Atrial Flutter”, and it’s a human ribcage and spine, suspended from balloons. Photo © Polly [...]
Posted in culture, dolls, exhibitions, sewing on Jul 19th, 2010
Here I am, in the Science Museum, with my Stitched Self! Which, in fact, looks nothing like me. But a few months ago the resemblance would have been uncanny, I promise. Just in case you can’t spot my Mini-Me, here’s a close-up: I’m not sure what’s happened to my hair, or why my scarf’s all over my [...]
Posted in culture, photos, re-enactment on Jul 18th, 2010
A couple of weekends ago we went to see the Fairfax Battalion putting on a Civil War re-enactment at Mapledurham. As always, I took a bunch of photos. We spent a long time chatting to the barber-surgeon, and I was surprised to find out about some of the more delicate operations that could be done [...]
Posted in culture, exhibitions, inspiration, nature, photos on Jul 16th, 2010
This is the Natural History Museum in London. Quite a typical view – looking over the central hall from the giant sequoia tree, over the top of the big dinosaur skeleton, to the statue of Darwin on the main staircase. Usually people are so busy looking at the dinosaur that it simply doesn’t occur to [...]
Posted in writing on May 4th, 2010
My monkey slippers are having a bit of an outing today. By the time you read this I’ll be in hospital, waiting to have an arthroscopy on my right hip. Way back in February 2009, it snowed. I had a doctor’s appointment that I couldn’t miss, so I put on my army boots and walked. [...]
Posted in culture, exhibitions, inspiration, writing on Apr 29th, 2010
Hopefully you can all see this embedded video of the finches at the Barbican in London – an installation by Céleste Boursier-Mougenot. We went on a little trip yesterday evening, and had an absolutely magical time watching and listening to a room full of little birds and musical instruments. The video is of a previous [...]
Posted in writing on Apr 8th, 2010
Today I made an interesting decision. I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but today seemed like the right time. I telephoned HM Revenue & Customs, and told them that I was no longer self-employed. I have one last tax return to fill in and one last bank account to close, and that’ll be [...]
Some of you may know that I’ve been looking for a job for some months now. Well, as of this week, I’ve finally found one! I’ll be working as a Website Administrator for a local information service. Between three days at work and two days volunteering at the Museum each week, that isn’t going to [...]