Slap it on.

I went to have a look at a Vintage Fair on Saturday at the Ropewalk at Barton. It's the first time they have had one. It was very good so I expect they will repeat it next year. This jolly one man band was strutting his stuff, adding to the atmosphere. 

The Ropewalk is 3/4 of a mile long. As the name suggests, they used to make rope there, part of it is a museum. There are art galleries, a gift shop, a very busy cafe, and a row of artists studios which are open over two weekends in September.

I browsed the exhibitions, and was shocked to see how much some of the paintings were. I will never understand how the artists price up their work. Smallish picture, on corrugated cardboard, in a wooden box.

 Erm, do you think it's not quite finished!

 Pluck a random number out of the air.

Two smaller pieces of cardboard, cut up random shapes of tissue paper and stick them on.

 Doesn't matter if the cardboard isn't covered and the glue looks messy.

A snip, I'll take it, ha ha.

What a crazy world we live in. I reckon this kind of art could take off. It could be a nice little earner to make a bit on the side, especially for those without a job. Minimum basic materials required, no particular skills needed. Slap it on, stick it on, easy to knock a few out in ten minutes. Might try some for my next exhibition.  ilona

Barking up the wrong tree.

One of our Crafty Club ladies brought in a bag of what looked to be tree bark, a few weeks ago. It wasn't from a real tree, it is imitation bark. Not sure what it is made of. I took a piece to play with, I could make something with that.  

I drilled holes in it and passed shades of green wool through it, securing it at the back, and fraying it at the front. 

Then I found some tiny flowers which came in a parcel from a kind reader, I threaded cotton and a bead through the middle of them and passed the needle through more drilled holes and secured them at the back.

To finish it off I cut a piece of green felt and stuck it to the bottom.

 And covered the messy back with another piece of felt.

A nice ornament to display on a shelf. A little bit of nature inside. I think something similar could be made with real wood.

Moving on, I've got other projects on the go.  ilona

Pretty things

No words, just pictures.

ilona.

Can't stay in on a nice day.

After a coffee and chat with a friend this morning I thought it was too nice to stay in. Best make the most of the sunshine, so I walked the five miles to town. The first part is really nice, trees, fields, and a pond, two ponds actually, a small one and a big one, but the rest of it is a bit mundane, industrial estates and traffic, so not many photo's.  

This field is looking like a football pitch, and that's possibly what it might end up as, or maybe on a new housing estate. It's turf which will be harvested when the time is right. Look at those gorgeous Autumn colours in the trees. 

Past the pond.

Love the reflections in the water.

It was a bit late when I started out and I thought I would get the 4.30pm bus back, but I didn't quite make it. I saw the back end of it just as I arrived at the Bus Station. Not to worry, an hour and fifteen minutes to wait till the next and last one. I had a mooch around town. Poundland had their ice creams reduced to 50p so I had one. Not a Magnum, it was like a sandwich, two biscuity wafers with an ice cream filling, very nice.

Church Square looked nice. St Johns Church is the 20 21 Atrs Centre. The building on the right is the newer modern part, the church is the art gallery.

This new building has recently gone up. Ongo is the local housing association.

The lighting changes colour every few seconds.

The council workmen are on site to put up the Christmas decorations.

Waiting for the bus, it was on time at 5.45pm.

Back home for 6.15pm. Steamed vegetables for dinner, simple, can't be bothered to make anything fancy.
ilona

Walking Group Check in, and more sunsets

How ya didlin, it's the first of the month and time for the International Walking Group members to check in with their miles. I've managed to do a bit of catching up, so there might be a chance that I will make the magical 1000 by the end of the year. My total so far is 816.

How is everyone else doing? Are you striding ahead or falling by the wayside? Now is the time to declare your total. The weather has turned a bit cooler here in the UK, and the days are getting shorter, what's it like where you are. Who is in the middle of a heatwave?

Yesterday I did a different route from the normal one around the village, just for a bit of variety. The swans are still here. I assume they are the same ones, it is said they mate for life. Every year they raise their offspring on this pond.

And the sun started to come down. I didn't think it was going to turn into much, I waited to see what happened next.

And it got better.....

 And better......I moved around looking for new and interesting angles.

And pretty much quite fabulous. Pity it lasts only a few minutes.

Then it was gone and I came home. ilona