Well the big news for this week is that I had my purse stolen on Friday. It has £60 in it, £25 worth of taxi receipts that I hadn't yet claimed back on expenses, a book of first class stamps and a Cafe Nero loyalty card. I'm gutted to have lost the money, but I'm really disturbed that someone has been into my handbag. Well, at least it wasn't my credit cards, or else I would have had to spend the whole of Friday evening cancelling them. I hope whoever stole the purse doesn't get any pleasure from that money.
One thing that was bugging me earlier in the week was half a verse of a song I'd heard a long, long time ago kept going through my head. I'd heard it sung at a demo in the mid 1980s, and finally managed to track it down. I knew it was about The Diggers - a mid-17th century band of people who occupied waste and common ground and tried to grow food on it. Their egalitarian movement was unsuccessful and was suppressed quite quickly, but remains as one of the new occasions on which agrarian socialism was tried in Britain. I found a whole web page devoted to the song (isn't the internet marvellous?), including the lyrics and links to the many different versions that have been sung since it was written 35 years ago.
http://www.seedstar.net/undeep/diggers.html
Where I went
I went to The Vitality Show on Sunday. It is apparently the 10th anniversary of this health and well-being show and I remember it from the relatively early days when it was held in the Business Design Centre at Islington. It grew bigger and bigger over the years, and eventually took over the Grand Hall at Olympia, with thousands of visitors every year. This year's show seemed rather smaller, with less free samples to be had - perhaps due to the recession? And there were less people about too, which is perhaps something of a blessing. Emma and I had a foot massage, a back massage, examined our breasts with a special light and looked at some vibrators. We came away with some free samples, and made a couple of purchases, including some body cream from Brown Earth, which for my money makes the best body creams I've ever come across. Brown Earth's website is
http://www.brownearth.co.uk/
What I made
I finally made a start on the picture of the beaded butterfly I'm doing for my mother's birthday - and which has to be finished by next Saturday. I'd done two rows when I decided that the colour scheme I'd chosen wasn't working and so took it all out. I decided to rework it as a tropical butterfly. I hope she doesn't want any more of these bead embroidery pictures - it's just not something I really want to do at the moment and it's taking time away from stuff I do want to do - like the beaded floral filigree scarf. In metal clay class I made a pair of textured silver flower earrings and also a paid of earrings with little spirals stamped into the clay. I fired the first one and then clumsily knocked something over onto the second one just before firing - and it broke into four pieces. I have stuck them together with metal clay paste, but I don't know if they'll stay stuck during the firing process. More of this later.
What I read
I'm ploughing my way through Frank Harris's biography of Oscar Wilde. There was outrage at the time it was published because so much of it was a pack of lies, and because it was upfront about why Oscar had been convicted and sent to prison. I don't know enough about the fine details of the lives of the main protagonists to catch Mr Harris out in a lie, and even for the time I don't think that he is particularly clear about the nature of Oscar's "crime" -he just keeps talking about rumours of Oscar's unsavoury reputation for "sexual viciousness" and that some men would not speak to him or go to parties etc where they knew he would be. But what does come across very strongly is that Frank Harris was an extremely spiteful man.
What I learned this week
Always, always keep you handbag properly fastened shut, particularly in crowded public places.
Monday 30 March 2009
Sunday 22 March 2009
I'm in print!!
I'm in print twice this week! Read all about me on Jennyflowerblue's blog "A Kent Makey Do" (see "blogs I'm following at the side) and my Crystal Kisses bracelet is in the April/May 2009 issue of Bead Magazine. Brag, brag, brag..........
Work
I'm not going to write about work any more, I don't really like writing this part of the blog and I'm pretty sure that people don't want to read it.
Where I went
Well, it has been a busy week for trips out. The weather has been fabulous all week, and it's really felt like spring. I've made the most of it by getting out and about as much as possible. On Monday, which was my non-working day, I set off for Highgate in North London and spent and hour or so walking in one of the most curious open spaces in London. It's an old railway line that has been turned into a nature reserve. You're never more than about 100 yards away from the houses on either side of the line. The line itself has been removed and a path has been installed. It was a short but lovely walk along to Finsbury Park. There were quite a lot of people about too, for a Monday.
On Thursday I went to the Health and Social Security Recreational Association awards ceremony to pick up my prize for winning the "Craftwork" class of the national art competition. I got a £15 M&S gift voucher. I'll eventually get round to putting a picture of my winning entry, Magic Carpet, on my website.
On Saturday I went to a craft fair at Telegraph Hill and then walked to Lewisham before taking the train home. In the evening we went to Pizza Express to celebrate our wedding anniversary (which is on 22 March).
Sunday was Mother's Day and after lunch we went to Igtham Mote. This is a moated manor house in Kent which is now owned and operated by the National Trust. It is such a pretty place and was very popular today - I didn't think we were going to be able to get parked, but luckily we managed to get hold of a space very near to the house, which someone had just vacated.
What I made
I spent quite a bit of Monday afternoon designing the beaded butterfly picture that my mother wanted for her birthday (but I still haven't actually started the sewing!). Most of the rest of the week was taken up with the floral filigree scarf, when I realised that I'll really have to pull my finger out if it's going to be finished my the end of June. I missed metal clay class last week - but the Lord alone knows what they'd been doing that week because they seemed to be pretty much at the same stage I was at Thursday's class. I applied syringed clay to the base of my ring, and then fired it, before polishing it at home. It is a very chunky ring - far too heavy for everyday wear - so I'll have to save it for special occasions.
What I read
A Robert Goddard book called "Into the Blue", a murder mystery with a whole slew of improbable twists. It wasn't bad, but I wouldn't really recommend it either. I've just started reading Frank Harris's biography of Oscar Wilde - more about this next week.
What I learned this week
Telegraph Hill is actually a hill. Yes, I know that the clue is in the name, but it's very, very steep. Great views towards North London from the top though.
Work
I'm not going to write about work any more, I don't really like writing this part of the blog and I'm pretty sure that people don't want to read it.
Where I went
Well, it has been a busy week for trips out. The weather has been fabulous all week, and it's really felt like spring. I've made the most of it by getting out and about as much as possible. On Monday, which was my non-working day, I set off for Highgate in North London and spent and hour or so walking in one of the most curious open spaces in London. It's an old railway line that has been turned into a nature reserve. You're never more than about 100 yards away from the houses on either side of the line. The line itself has been removed and a path has been installed. It was a short but lovely walk along to Finsbury Park. There were quite a lot of people about too, for a Monday.
On Thursday I went to the Health and Social Security Recreational Association awards ceremony to pick up my prize for winning the "Craftwork" class of the national art competition. I got a £15 M&S gift voucher. I'll eventually get round to putting a picture of my winning entry, Magic Carpet, on my website.
On Saturday I went to a craft fair at Telegraph Hill and then walked to Lewisham before taking the train home. In the evening we went to Pizza Express to celebrate our wedding anniversary (which is on 22 March).
Sunday was Mother's Day and after lunch we went to Igtham Mote. This is a moated manor house in Kent which is now owned and operated by the National Trust. It is such a pretty place and was very popular today - I didn't think we were going to be able to get parked, but luckily we managed to get hold of a space very near to the house, which someone had just vacated.
What I made
I spent quite a bit of Monday afternoon designing the beaded butterfly picture that my mother wanted for her birthday (but I still haven't actually started the sewing!). Most of the rest of the week was taken up with the floral filigree scarf, when I realised that I'll really have to pull my finger out if it's going to be finished my the end of June. I missed metal clay class last week - but the Lord alone knows what they'd been doing that week because they seemed to be pretty much at the same stage I was at Thursday's class. I applied syringed clay to the base of my ring, and then fired it, before polishing it at home. It is a very chunky ring - far too heavy for everyday wear - so I'll have to save it for special occasions.
What I read
A Robert Goddard book called "Into the Blue", a murder mystery with a whole slew of improbable twists. It wasn't bad, but I wouldn't really recommend it either. I've just started reading Frank Harris's biography of Oscar Wilde - more about this next week.
What I learned this week
Telegraph Hill is actually a hill. Yes, I know that the clue is in the name, but it's very, very steep. Great views towards North London from the top though.
Sunday 15 March 2009
Chocolate, Chocolate...and more Chocolate
Once again, a very busy week for me. Here's what I did
Work
A madly busy week at work, with a trip to Brussels at the end of it. I was most impressed with the Eurostar service out of St Pancras, which was much quicker than the old service out of Waterloo and as an added bonus it didn't stop at Ashford, which is the gateway to hell. I stayed at the highly recommended Noga Hotel, a quirky but reasonably priced hotel with a gorgeous white cat, a sweet little dog, and the most spartan rooms going, outside of prison.
Where I went
Highlight of the week was the trip to Brussels - not that I saw much of the place but I did get the chance to pick up some relatively cheap cigarettes and chocolate at Midi station. It was so nice today (Sunday) that I went for a walk to the park in the afternoon, and sat there basking in the sun and reading my book for about an hour.
What I made
I did some more work on the crocheted lattice scarf, the floral filigree beaded scarf and the black heart bracelet. I couldn't go to my metal clay course because of the trip to Brussels, but writing this has reminded me that I still need to do my "homework" and sand down the ring I made last week in preparation for firing it this week. I made a crunchy-top lemon cake on Saturday, which was troughed down in record time by my husband, two daughters and myself.
What I read
I finished the "Kings of Albion" by Julian Rathbone. A mixed bag of a book - I really enjoyed the descriptive bits about 15th century England, but the discussions of religion and science left me cold, and I think that even Mr Rathbone was a bit sick of the book by the end, because the last 50 pages were of much lower quality than the rest of the book. Still, I loved his final summary of what it truly means to be English, which I'll repeat here (if you'll indulge me):-
"They are a nation of individuals who yet can combine and behave with ferocious bravery under leaders they respect; they are skillful and ruthless traders with few natural assets of their own to exploit; they are foolhardy sea-farers; they are inordinately arrogant; they are ruthless, unforgiving, cruel enemies. Unfettered by morals or a common religion they take an empirical, practical view of life, adapting their beliefs to circumstances, though always favouring an approach which leaves each individual the captain of his own soul. They enjoy and even live for camaraderie. the company of their fellows, physical prowess, hedonistic if simple enjoyment shared with others, strong drink and rough, speedily concluded sex. They have an incredible capacity to suffer pain for a short term, and will face death willingly. But they will not put up with pain or toil as a life-choice. They hate boredom. They will cheerfully accept individuals of other creeds and races as individuals, especially if they take a personal liking to them, while continuing to despise all foreigners in general. They are mad. One day they will conquer the world."
I also started to read "Out of the Blue" (or possibly "Into the Blue") by Robert Goddard. It's like every other book that Robert Goddard ever wrote - they're always a good read, the pages virtually turn themselves, but six months' down the tracks you can't remember what it was about, the names of the characters etc etc
What I learned this week
Sitting through an episode of "Lark Rise to Candleford" is a horrible experience, but not as bad as you think it's going to be.
Work
A madly busy week at work, with a trip to Brussels at the end of it. I was most impressed with the Eurostar service out of St Pancras, which was much quicker than the old service out of Waterloo and as an added bonus it didn't stop at Ashford, which is the gateway to hell. I stayed at the highly recommended Noga Hotel, a quirky but reasonably priced hotel with a gorgeous white cat, a sweet little dog, and the most spartan rooms going, outside of prison.
Where I went
Highlight of the week was the trip to Brussels - not that I saw much of the place but I did get the chance to pick up some relatively cheap cigarettes and chocolate at Midi station. It was so nice today (Sunday) that I went for a walk to the park in the afternoon, and sat there basking in the sun and reading my book for about an hour.
What I made
I did some more work on the crocheted lattice scarf, the floral filigree beaded scarf and the black heart bracelet. I couldn't go to my metal clay course because of the trip to Brussels, but writing this has reminded me that I still need to do my "homework" and sand down the ring I made last week in preparation for firing it this week. I made a crunchy-top lemon cake on Saturday, which was troughed down in record time by my husband, two daughters and myself.
What I read
I finished the "Kings of Albion" by Julian Rathbone. A mixed bag of a book - I really enjoyed the descriptive bits about 15th century England, but the discussions of religion and science left me cold, and I think that even Mr Rathbone was a bit sick of the book by the end, because the last 50 pages were of much lower quality than the rest of the book. Still, I loved his final summary of what it truly means to be English, which I'll repeat here (if you'll indulge me):-
"They are a nation of individuals who yet can combine and behave with ferocious bravery under leaders they respect; they are skillful and ruthless traders with few natural assets of their own to exploit; they are foolhardy sea-farers; they are inordinately arrogant; they are ruthless, unforgiving, cruel enemies. Unfettered by morals or a common religion they take an empirical, practical view of life, adapting their beliefs to circumstances, though always favouring an approach which leaves each individual the captain of his own soul. They enjoy and even live for camaraderie. the company of their fellows, physical prowess, hedonistic if simple enjoyment shared with others, strong drink and rough, speedily concluded sex. They have an incredible capacity to suffer pain for a short term, and will face death willingly. But they will not put up with pain or toil as a life-choice. They hate boredom. They will cheerfully accept individuals of other creeds and races as individuals, especially if they take a personal liking to them, while continuing to despise all foreigners in general. They are mad. One day they will conquer the world."
I also started to read "Out of the Blue" (or possibly "Into the Blue") by Robert Goddard. It's like every other book that Robert Goddard ever wrote - they're always a good read, the pages virtually turn themselves, but six months' down the tracks you can't remember what it was about, the names of the characters etc etc
What I learned this week
Sitting through an episode of "Lark Rise to Candleford" is a horrible experience, but not as bad as you think it's going to be.
Sunday 8 March 2009
My first publication!
A great week for me - one of the bracelets I designed was published this week on the website of American magazine Bead and Button. The pattern for the Art Deco themed bracelet "Diamonds and Chevrons" can be downloaded for free, but you'll have to register with the Bead and Button website to get hold of it - the link is below. It was also on the front page of the website....brag, brag, brag!
www.beadandbutton.com
Work
Another busy week. A trip to NHS East of England in the wilds of Cambridgeshire on Monday, and a trip to the Brook conference at the Oval Cricket Ground on Thursday.
Where I went
I had my non-working day on Wednesday rather than Monday, and so I decided to go for a walk in North London. I took the tube to Golders Green and started to walk South, along a road which cut across Hampstead Health to Hampstead itself, where I poked about the little streets and posh shops and got some organic bath cream. I then walked to Belsize Park where I managed to pick up a real bargain in the Marie Curie charity shop - a ghastly 70s necklace, which had 10 extremely large turquoise lampworked glass beads. Other than that I haven't been anywhere else this week.
What I made
More work on the floral filigree beaded scarf, and more work on the Black Heart square stitched bracelet. In metal clay class we started work on making a ring. I won't be able to go to the class next week - more of why not in next week's blog - so I have to do quite a lot of the filing and smoothing at home.
What I read
I'm reading "Kings of Albion" by Julian Rathbone. It's a story about how a price of Vijayangaran (in South India) travelled to England together with his guides and entourage in the 1460s in search of his long-lost brother, and stumbles right into the beginning of the Wars of the Roses. Some amusing insights into what noblemen from a civilised empire made of the dirty, stinking, filthy countries they found in Northern Europe.
What I learned this week
The Oval Cricket Ground is nowhere near as big in real life than it looks on the telly.
www.beadandbutton.com
Work
Another busy week. A trip to NHS East of England in the wilds of Cambridgeshire on Monday, and a trip to the Brook conference at the Oval Cricket Ground on Thursday.
Where I went
I had my non-working day on Wednesday rather than Monday, and so I decided to go for a walk in North London. I took the tube to Golders Green and started to walk South, along a road which cut across Hampstead Health to Hampstead itself, where I poked about the little streets and posh shops and got some organic bath cream. I then walked to Belsize Park where I managed to pick up a real bargain in the Marie Curie charity shop - a ghastly 70s necklace, which had 10 extremely large turquoise lampworked glass beads. Other than that I haven't been anywhere else this week.
What I made
More work on the floral filigree beaded scarf, and more work on the Black Heart square stitched bracelet. In metal clay class we started work on making a ring. I won't be able to go to the class next week - more of why not in next week's blog - so I have to do quite a lot of the filing and smoothing at home.
What I read
I'm reading "Kings of Albion" by Julian Rathbone. It's a story about how a price of Vijayangaran (in South India) travelled to England together with his guides and entourage in the 1460s in search of his long-lost brother, and stumbles right into the beginning of the Wars of the Roses. Some amusing insights into what noblemen from a civilised empire made of the dirty, stinking, filthy countries they found in Northern Europe.
What I learned this week
The Oval Cricket Ground is nowhere near as big in real life than it looks on the telly.
Sunday 1 March 2009
No, really, I couldn't
A good but very busy week
Work
Horrifically busy at work leading up to Thursday, when the latest figures on teenage conceptions were published. Luckily the frenetic pace knocked off a bit after that.
Where I went
Well, I haven't been to very many places other than work and by metal clay class this week, but that's fine because the last couple of weeks have been very hectic. Today we went to Sidcup Place - a restaurant at (you'll never guess) Sidcup - and I completely stuffed my face with all manner of good things.
What I made
Much of the week has been devoted to making a leaving present for an old colleague. I decided to make a silver pendant using my new metal clay skills so over the course of the week I made, fired and polished a stippled silver disc pendant, and the strung the pendant on a double length of beading thread using a mix of black, whit, silver and grey seed beads with clear, black and grey 4mm fire-polished faceted beads occurring randomly along the strands, and finished the piece with a silver coloured toggle clasp.
In metal clay class on Thursday we finished the syringed shape from last week's class in the kiln, and then polished it in the barrel polisher, but it didn't come out particularly shiny.
I also worked on the crocheted lattice scarf, the floral filigree beaded scarf and the black heart cuff. Bead magazine have decided to prepare an e-newsletter and it was gratifying to see that my forthcoming project was mentioned in the newsletter.
What I read
I'm still reading the "Short Life and Long Times of Mrs Beeton", a journalist who died following childbirth when she was 28. I'm enjoying the book. I don't think the book really gets to grips with her and her character, but its fascinating to read about the world of magazine publishing in Victorian England.
What I learned this week
That quite a lot of people hold extremely strong views on the subject of teenage pregnancy - and some hold quite disturbing views on what should be done about it.
Work
Horrifically busy at work leading up to Thursday, when the latest figures on teenage conceptions were published. Luckily the frenetic pace knocked off a bit after that.
Where I went
Well, I haven't been to very many places other than work and by metal clay class this week, but that's fine because the last couple of weeks have been very hectic. Today we went to Sidcup Place - a restaurant at (you'll never guess) Sidcup - and I completely stuffed my face with all manner of good things.
What I made
Much of the week has been devoted to making a leaving present for an old colleague. I decided to make a silver pendant using my new metal clay skills so over the course of the week I made, fired and polished a stippled silver disc pendant, and the strung the pendant on a double length of beading thread using a mix of black, whit, silver and grey seed beads with clear, black and grey 4mm fire-polished faceted beads occurring randomly along the strands, and finished the piece with a silver coloured toggle clasp.
In metal clay class on Thursday we finished the syringed shape from last week's class in the kiln, and then polished it in the barrel polisher, but it didn't come out particularly shiny.
I also worked on the crocheted lattice scarf, the floral filigree beaded scarf and the black heart cuff. Bead magazine have decided to prepare an e-newsletter and it was gratifying to see that my forthcoming project was mentioned in the newsletter.
What I read
I'm still reading the "Short Life and Long Times of Mrs Beeton", a journalist who died following childbirth when she was 28. I'm enjoying the book. I don't think the book really gets to grips with her and her character, but its fascinating to read about the world of magazine publishing in Victorian England.
What I learned this week
That quite a lot of people hold extremely strong views on the subject of teenage pregnancy - and some hold quite disturbing views on what should be done about it.
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