by

Re(a)d all over

Yes I know time flies and I did think I probably wouldn’t post anything more until next year but here we are. I wanted to share my most recent creation with you.

It seemed too good to be true when my #2 daughter told me about a competition to design a dress in recycled paper. If you have been following my drift so to speak, you will know that I’m rather keen on recycling/re-using items – or is it called upcycling nowadays? Anyway, making something out of something else preferably without waste. I do hate waste!

As is my wont, I left it all to the last minute and didn’t leave myself enough time to experiment properly with differing ways of using the paper as material.

I had decided to weave strips of newspaper to make it stronger and to avoid the possibility of tearing. Although the resultant ‘material’ was fairly stiff and had taken ages to prepare (to say nothing of the reversed minstrel hands I now had and the black newsprint fingermarks wherever I went) I pressed on undaunted and quite excited.

The initial design included lacy sleeves and back panel but try as I might I couldn’t seem to produce anything that didn’t resemble dancing people or snowflakes from a nursery school. Hmm, onto plan B.

I hadn’t realised how much I missed designing and creating fashion. A real flashback to both school and college when it was all that was on my mind. (Ok, some of you might know me better than that and the least said the better!) However, the dress evolved into a creation that is not really anything like the blueprint. But to my mind that is what it is all about – go with the flow and the vibes (yea man).

Here is the result; and unashamedly I ask you to please vote for me

http://fb.wildfireapp.com/fb/5486/contests/168213/voteable_entries/37821998

by

Glad tidings and mulled everything

Now that I’ve got snow falling on my blog page (thanks Matt,  http://en.blog.wordpress.com/2011/12/01/its-getting-cold-in-here/   ) I’ve been spurred on to write something Christmassy.

Just in case you drop the turkey

I do love Christmas, well the idea of Christmas anyway. I cannot subscribe to the religious angle no matter how hard I try, (but with all respect to those who do) or indeed the unashamedly commercial aspect. But we do get sucked in don’t we? I don’t think a year goes by without me having to buy yet another decoration of some sort or other.
Mr Humbug Scrooge (aka him indoors) complains vehemently as I festoon the house with bits and pieces – ‘surely we don’t need any more baubles?’ is the oft heard cry. ‘But these are sooo pretty AND they were on offer’ comes my response (I do love a bargain) and I’ve got so many ideas in my head and I can get inspiration from the way they’re made and, and, and………………………………

‘Where have you gone?’

Mr Humbug Scrooge has taken refuge in the study with a cup of tea and a choccy biscuit. Now which fairy lights shall I put in there, hmmm?

Aside #1 Actually I’m being totally unfair to my man. He loves the food, drink, togetherness of Christmas. Good food, fine wines, stirring music, good company, a game of cards or two (which, technically, he always wins, grrr) and if it snows his day is complete. Needless to say, it doesn’t always go that way!

I have little doubt that my friend has written a blog about the year we dropped the turkey on the floor, but if she hasn’t I’m sure she will now  http://in-my-day.blogspot.com  check it out.

As a family (11 adults and 7 children) we decided, albeit reluctantly, that Christmas was stretching the budget way too far particularly as restraint is not in our vocabulary. So to address this situation and to avoid a mass appointment with the bank manager in January, we decided to do a Secret Santa. Now we only have one person to buy for, plus the kiddies of course (sorry Tiger). This is good for our purses but we HATE it! We love to buy presents for each other, and see items all through the year that would be ‘just right’. But, common sense prevails and this is now our tradition.

Aside#2 I’m quite lucky really as I do the Christmas shopping for him indoors and my Mum, so I do get a little bit of scouring the shops to do as well as the racking of the brains. (no comments please)

Where's the snow?

To satisfy my creative urge and love of pretty things, I’ve turned my hand to making Christmas decorations – yessss – double whammy! Unashamedly, here is a small plug for my creations, there are plenty more in the pipeline.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mamay/169752736451784

Mantlepiece bunting

I’m hoping this won’t be the last blog this year, but just in case, Merry Christmas and a Happy New year xxxx

by

Delusions of grandeur

Well, that was exhausting. I had to sit down and rest after battling with all that technology. No doubt I’ve wonkied my widgets and tangled my tags, but practise makes perfect and I hope you’ll bear with me.

I’m not a technology whizz, I’m an ‘arteeest’ don’t you know?!

Yea yea, I know, we all have delusions of grandeur, don’t we? I mean, just check out the hopefuls on X factor, what a shower. Get a life and learn to walk in high heels or don’t wear them! (not you Gary)

I like to think I might have a tad more talent, after all I did go to one of the most prestigious art schools. Huh? You’ve never heard of West Sussex College of Design? Shame on you.

http://www.west-sussex-college-of-art-and-design.info/WSCD/INTRODUCTION.html (log on if you went there………..really interesting!)

I was taught by the late Tony Cooke http://sussex.greatbritishlife.co.uk/article/tony-cooke-a-talent-to-inspire-27999/ and the inspirational conceptual artist Geoff Kiss, also alas no longer with us.

I was determined to go onto greater things………………………………………. so I decided to teach.

What could be more fulfilling than to pass on your love of a subject to those who wanted to learn?

Aside (1) Cue hysterical laughter from all in the teaching profession.

Old-school teachers did not take too kindly to us young upstarts invading their profession with our wacky ideas. ‘We don’t do it like that here‘ and ‘what do you mean you don’t approve of caning?’ were oft heard phrases in the staffroom. Needless to say, we student teachers didn’t appear in the league table on the noticeboard of ‘How many children have you slippered this week?’.

Aside (2) I wonder what the prize was for the winner? Answers on a postcard please.

Ironically, as it turns out, because I wanted to teach big kids (those that had chosen take art) I had to teach them needlework and embroidery. I HATED needlework and embroidery although it did turn out that I was rather good at it (98% in an exam!). Needless to say my heart wasn’t entirely in it and I was beginning to regret not pursuing a career in design.

Aside (3) I think the last paragraph is a total aside – sorry

Over the years (too many when I look back at the photos taken at art college) my artistic ‘bent’ (no pun intended) has taken a back seat but is now ready to do a phoenix impersonation. Hopefully I won’t start a fire but will ignite a smoulder of new interest.

Aside (4) Promise I won’t be poetical again, it sucks doesn’t it?

I’ll stick to limericks.

Well that’s enough for the moment, I need to gather my thoughts and strength for the next onslaught of the Toyota.

That’s a sewing machine – duh

by

Ode to recycling

I’m really really sorry M&S but it’s absolutely your own fault for having such a fabulous ad. I know that I am not the only one to emulate the style of your advertising and I certainly won’t be the last but I am sure that you are actually flattered that others have you in the forefront of their mind.

Aside (1) Personally I think it’s also the sexy voice (plus the food of course) that appeals the most……………who could resist? Him indoors says give me the chocolate pudding and stop talking in that silly voice.

But going along with my previous theme of using things instead of throwing them away (and I do, I really do…………..albeit eventually) I decided that I had to get on with it and stop procrastinating.

Firstly, a big sort out/tidy up so that I can see what I am doing. Bags of clothes as in carriers not lots (good start), pine cones (hmm okaay), toilet roll inners (I’m working on that one), a pack of new vests (????????), stones (ah, I remember, tie-dye with the kids – must finish that one), duct tape, glue and empty washing tablet boxes (no, I don’t know either).

Aside (2) Memo to self, check out symptoms of OCD to ensure all this collecting is not getting out of hand but don’t mention this to him indoors.

Right, ready to begin. But first get rid of things I’m unlikely to use. This is so hard. Rack brain to think of alternatives………

Light bulb moment!! Take them to the local primary school so that they can use them for junk modelling and christmas decorations. Brilliant, definitely a 100 watt moment, none of your low energy I’ll come on eventually and you still won’t be able to see moments.

Well, I was amazed. Shouldn’t be really I suppose, but the school wouldn’t take the toilet roll inners because of ‘Health & Safety’. Don’t kids wash their hands any more?


Aside (3) They probably don’t, I didn’t; the smell of the soap (if you could hang onto the slimy sliver long enough) gave me an instant headache, the water was freezing (outside toilets) and the paper towels also smelt funny and were useless. Total fail so I didn’t bother (sorry Mum).

Aside (4) I do now, honest!

So, back to the job in hand, and again, apologies to M&S

 

 

Ode to recycling

Take three unloved jumpers…………

add in a soupconne of sumptuous fabric,

stir together with an eclectic mix of buttons, bells and beads,

combine with some magical fairy dust…………….

and you don’t just have accessories

you have artiphartie accessories

Purple Hearts

I’ll get the knack of making this look more professional as I go along!

and I’ve still got 2 sleeves and a roll neck………………any ideas?

by

and so it starts

Ok, so the mantra ‘don’t throw that away’ or ‘I might be able to do something with that’ just might have gone too far.
Being unable to move in the house for fear of knocking over piles of ice cream containers (you never know), outgrown clothes (why are there never any clothes that are too big?),various bits of wood (but the feet you took off that chest of drawers look just like mushrooms, I might be able to make something out of those) is threatening to upset the peace and harmony in my life ,(haha), I decided that I needed to put my money where my mouth is.

Aside (1): What a daft phrase, if I had any money at all I certainly wouldn’t want to eat it (although chocolate pennies can be quite a delight).
Aside (2): Mind you, with chocolate money it’s the anticipation of getting the foil off and putting the whole coin in your mouth. Hmm, maybe the next one will taste less like 5 year old cooking chocolate.

Feeling ‘encouraged’ by my family, ‘why don’t you go into business Mum?’ ; ‘don’t worry about finishing that jumper you’re knitting me, Trumpton is a teensy bit old fashioned now’ (there’s gratitude for you).

Aside (3) I always thought of Windy Miller as a kind of hero the way he dodged the sails of the windmill, hang on, maybe that’s Camberwick Green? I digress

Accompanied by the occasional maybe you could get rid of, I mean sell, all that clutter in your euphemistically named ‘Craft Room’ with flyers for Boot Fairs (and house clearance – cheek) left casually around the place I wondered if there just might be some scope for selling my wares.

Aside (4) naïve a. Artless, unaffected; amusingly simple
bit of a clue there really.

To be continued……………………………