Introspection Exhibition

Now I finally have internet in my new flat I can get back to posting as it has been a seriously long time...
Tonight my friend Helena is having an exhibition at the Soup Kitchen in the northern quarter in aid of Cancer Research UK, I've been busily sewing away getting my contribution ready... If the work sells (fingers crossed) 25% will go to the charity, 25% to our degree show fund and the rest will go towards my MOT...

So here's the work...

Wish me luck guys!

New GCSE projects

Seriously, I loved my GCSE art, I learnt invaluable skills and had more fun than is usual in a school, however... Going into my old high school this week I felt a pang of jealousy, the new spec is amazing... the year 11 project on Brazilian underground art (see www.holaamiga.com www.bryonyjackson.net www.choquecultural.co.uk) I wish so much I'd got to do this... in fact I might do it now. Forget the freedom of uni- I want a good old fashioned project!

Shadows

I have a bit of an obsession with shadows... I think they're gorgeous. I was just searching through some files, looking for something else entirely, when I found these photos I took ages ago. The front room gets loads of amazing light effects and these shadows were created by Japanese Anemone seed heads in the evening sun... lovely times.

Hamster Mainia!

Today my friend Laura dropped off her hamster Margot-Belle with us to look after while she is away in Turkey- this got me thinking, if I'm blogging about the lovely things in my life how have I left out Chris and Benson thus far?

These little guys were Jakes finishing dissertation present and arrived whilst I was on my hen weekend away... At first I was like 'why do you want hamsters all they'll do is escape and sleep... boring!' I was so wrong! As you can keep roborovski hamsters in pairs we have 2 super cute sisters (who are always referred to as boys, Chris for Chris Kirkham Jakes dissertation supervisor and Benson for Benson's algorithm which was the subject of the  wondrous paper) Anyway.... they scamper around loads and always play together in the most adorable way. Love it!

So yeah, we were just messing around this evening with said animals and I was taking pictures, Margot is super tame and very friendly but C+B are far far too speedy to hold. They also make Margot look like a bear because they are SO small...

Here they are in all their furry hamstery joy!

Chris or Benson

Benson or Chris (as you may have gathered its hard to tell them apart)

Jake chillaxing with Margot-Belle!

Crafty Kate strikes again!

Lobster fabric pinny! What more could you want!

Another of Kate's makes, such wonderful gathering (which I taught her of course haha) what a fun way of keeping clean!

Jake's Ice Cream Adventure

A couple of weeks ago we went up to Keswick and made a trip to Allonby on the coast, home of the famous, well fairly famous, Allonby Whopper- perhaps the biggest ice cream ever. Here is my lovely husband attempting to eat it, its why I married him! Sadly I only started taking photos half way through the adventure so you can't see all the wafers, flakes, sprinkles, flags and jazz...

The H-Meister in her natural habitat

Today I took advantage of the sun and went to Arley Hall and gardens http://www.arleyhallandgardens.com/ with the H-Meister... it was as always fully lovely (despite the terrible summer we have had) I love how at home she is with a herbaceous border...

Please, its just so gorgeous...

I took loads of photos, adding yet more to my giant collection waiting to be uploaded, seriously I have so much backlog to write about- expect some posts that seem a little out of sync... Anyway, here are some highlights:

"Dahlias for late summer interest"