greymud grey
leaf grey
sky grey
rose grey
lichen grey
seakale grey
roll on spring
happy christmas
Thursday 24 December 2015
Sunday 13 December 2015
a merry lobster christmas
Last week we rushed out during a break in the weather for lunch and a walk by the sea, and found this extraordinary lobster pot Christmas tree!
What a brilliant idea- the pots were donated by local people and when it stops being a tree it will become individual lobster pots for the Emsworth fishermen. A good example of the practical spirit of Christmas.
We love to be by the sea whatever the weather, and everything was sparkling when the sun came out. As a late friend used to say 'it makes you wish you were alive'.
The sky was full of the low winter light that makes colours flat and chalky. I noticed these pastel coloured cottages, and I love the subtle difference between the white and the almost-white pinky grey.
They reminded me of this doll's house, seen in a shop window
(This must be for rather posh dolls, there's a miniature aga in the kitchen!)
I really hope that the pretend snow won't be the only snow we see this winter. The weather is spookily unseasonal, and we could do with some lovely bright frosty days, if only to dry up the unending mud. Also now that Mr P and I no longer have to leave the house to go to the Day Jobs, we are hoping for the opportunity to snuggle down in front of the fire with a big vat of soup and wait for the snowdrops to come out...
What a brilliant idea- the pots were donated by local people and when it stops being a tree it will become individual lobster pots for the Emsworth fishermen. A good example of the practical spirit of Christmas.
We love to be by the sea whatever the weather, and everything was sparkling when the sun came out. As a late friend used to say 'it makes you wish you were alive'.
The sky was full of the low winter light that makes colours flat and chalky. I noticed these pastel coloured cottages, and I love the subtle difference between the white and the almost-white pinky grey.
They reminded me of this doll's house, seen in a shop window
(This must be for rather posh dolls, there's a miniature aga in the kitchen!)
I really hope that the pretend snow won't be the only snow we see this winter. The weather is spookily unseasonal, and we could do with some lovely bright frosty days, if only to dry up the unending mud. Also now that Mr P and I no longer have to leave the house to go to the Day Jobs, we are hoping for the opportunity to snuggle down in front of the fire with a big vat of soup and wait for the snowdrops to come out...
Thursday 3 December 2015
a christmas deer
When I saw this shiny gold stamp pad in the stationery shop I knew I needed it and I was right, as it is just right for the Christmas card production line, along with this antique French bird stamp and some trusty potatoes.
We don't 'do' Christmas in the usual sense in the Molebags household- we don't do stupid amounts of food shopping, or squeeze a massive turkey into the oven, or feel the need to join the crowds in the high street. We have an agreement with friends and family to refrain from present buying, and usually treat ourselves to our own gift after the madness is over and the sales are on.
(I should say that we have no children, grandchildren or religious convictions, which might alter the case).
Maybe this sounds grumpy but the older I get the less I care what people think. So many people say 'oh Christmas is all so commercialised' and then go ahead and participate by spending a fortune they might not be able to afford, on people they might not like very much. Mad! I really think a gift should be something original and hopefully hand made, given with thought, and not necessarily expensive.
But I feel the least I can do is make our Christmas cards, to send to people we love, and then we will be off to our local pub on Christmas day, followed by a country walk and back home for lunch and the log fire.
Looking out of the window whilst taking the photo above, I found this seasonal visitor having a feast of fallen apples. She (or he?) is welcome to them at this time of year, but I hope she and her friends are back in the woods before I put my runner bean plants out in the spring- one year they munched their way through three successive plantings of them!
We don't 'do' Christmas in the usual sense in the Molebags household- we don't do stupid amounts of food shopping, or squeeze a massive turkey into the oven, or feel the need to join the crowds in the high street. We have an agreement with friends and family to refrain from present buying, and usually treat ourselves to our own gift after the madness is over and the sales are on.
(I should say that we have no children, grandchildren or religious convictions, which might alter the case).
Maybe this sounds grumpy but the older I get the less I care what people think. So many people say 'oh Christmas is all so commercialised' and then go ahead and participate by spending a fortune they might not be able to afford, on people they might not like very much. Mad! I really think a gift should be something original and hopefully hand made, given with thought, and not necessarily expensive.
But I feel the least I can do is make our Christmas cards, to send to people we love, and then we will be off to our local pub on Christmas day, followed by a country walk and back home for lunch and the log fire.
Looking out of the window whilst taking the photo above, I found this seasonal visitor having a feast of fallen apples. She (or he?) is welcome to them at this time of year, but I hope she and her friends are back in the woods before I put my runner bean plants out in the spring- one year they munched their way through three successive plantings of them!
Wednesday 18 November 2015
the birds and the skis
Our back bedroom has been like an aviary lately. I have been making lots of birds for Jenny's shop:
http://jenny-handmadehappiness.blogspot.co.uk/
... and also for a Christmas fair at Langrish House Hotel this Sunday. Jenny and I will be sharing a table with lots of beautiful things made by Handmade Happiness makers, and by Jenny and me. Hoping for a fun afternoon, must remember to bring the mince pies to keep us going!
Love a bit of glitter!
This is one of Jenny's wonderful big birds which you can see if you're passing her window
Mr P. will be off on his annual short skiing trip, so I can spend the whole weekend amongst my piles of unfinished projects!
We were at the big antiques market at the Bath and West Showground last weekend and were amused to see these old skis for sale- blimey, skiing is dangerous enough with modern equipment but can you imagine being up the Alps strapped to these?
We also admired this beautiful silk log cabin quilt- exquisitely handmade and each square only about two inches across. Some of the pieces of silk looked as though they had come from the old fashioned embroidered valentine's cards that were popular during the first world war, and the owner said she thought it was made in the 1920's. I was very tempted to buy it (although rather expensive), but hesitated to take responsibility for such a fragile piece of history. It would be a shame for it to end up folded in a cupboard, and it would really be better off in a museum. I was happy to be allowed to take a photo though.
Come and say hallo if you are nearby on Sunday!
http://jenny-handmadehappiness.blogspot.co.uk/
... and also for a Christmas fair at Langrish House Hotel this Sunday. Jenny and I will be sharing a table with lots of beautiful things made by Handmade Happiness makers, and by Jenny and me. Hoping for a fun afternoon, must remember to bring the mince pies to keep us going!
Love a bit of glitter!
This is one of Jenny's wonderful big birds which you can see if you're passing her window
Mr P. will be off on his annual short skiing trip, so I can spend the whole weekend amongst my piles of unfinished projects!
We were at the big antiques market at the Bath and West Showground last weekend and were amused to see these old skis for sale- blimey, skiing is dangerous enough with modern equipment but can you imagine being up the Alps strapped to these?
I'm not sure if the stall-holder had just replaced the poles with bits of old bamboo, or if that was the state of the art material circa 1900?
We also admired this beautiful silk log cabin quilt- exquisitely handmade and each square only about two inches across. Some of the pieces of silk looked as though they had come from the old fashioned embroidered valentine's cards that were popular during the first world war, and the owner said she thought it was made in the 1920's. I was very tempted to buy it (although rather expensive), but hesitated to take responsibility for such a fragile piece of history. It would be a shame for it to end up folded in a cupboard, and it would really be better off in a museum. I was happy to be allowed to take a photo though.
Come and say hallo if you are nearby on Sunday!
Wednesday 11 November 2015
autumn trees at Mottisfont
Recently we made use of a brief window in the dreadful weather to visit Mottisfont Abbey, where we found superb autumn colours, and the largest plane trees in England, shedding golden pools of leaves. We went to see an exhibition of contemporary paintings of trees, as well as the permanent art collection.
Also this sculpture made from a circle of living trees, and an inner circle of upside down trees embellished with gold leaf.
These look as though they should be part of some druid ritual, beautiful and mysterious.
In another corner of the garden is this mosaic by Boris Anrep, who was the lover of Maud Russell who owned Mottisfont in the forties. She has Maud's face above the glowing robes.
Opposite the angel, in a little niche, is this dainty tree.
We have visited Mottisfont lots of times, but never noticed this hidden mosaic. Lovely to find such unexpected vibrant colours on a grey day.
We all need an injection of beauty, especially at the low point of the year.
Also this sculpture made from a circle of living trees, and an inner circle of upside down trees embellished with gold leaf.
These look as though they should be part of some druid ritual, beautiful and mysterious.
In another corner of the garden is this mosaic by Boris Anrep, who was the lover of Maud Russell who owned Mottisfont in the forties. She has Maud's face above the glowing robes.
Opposite the angel, in a little niche, is this dainty tree.
We have visited Mottisfont lots of times, but never noticed this hidden mosaic. Lovely to find such unexpected vibrant colours on a grey day.
We all need an injection of beauty, especially at the low point of the year.
Monday 2 November 2015
pure gold
- Miserable weather
- Doing the grocery shopping
- Grumpy people
- Cat peeing on the sofa (yesterday- yuk!)
- Listening to Mr P banging on about motorbikes
- Cycling uphill
- Men with huge beards
- Beige cardigans (no actually, never anything beige)
All these things are bearable when wearing GOLD shoes.
I can't tell you how happy these make me.
Thursday 22 October 2015
what's brown and sticky?
The answer is of course: A Stick.
I have been channelling my inner Tudor scribe, and making paintbrushes from feathers. You can see a video showing how to do it, demonstrated by a man in a fetching Tudor hat, here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x17BA33-7gs
I was going to try making a quill, but making a brush seemed more interesting. They used to be used for painting illuminated manuscripts, and I can vouch for the ultra- fine line you can make with them. I can't imagine how skilled the scribes would have been to do that kind of work in low light, and probably with frozen hands (and feet)...
As for handles, we have plenty of hazel in the hedge, and Mr P tells me that as I cut live twigs the wood will shrink on to the feather and hold it even tighter in time.
I bound the end of the twigs with thread, and I think the finished result has a nice rustic Japanese look to it.
It feels as though I should be making paintings of Mount Fuji, signed with one of those little red seal thingies (hope that doesn't say something rude in Japanese)..
I got carried away and made a whole lot- love the one still sporting a leaf, shame it won't last!
My favourite is this one, which is good for painting cats.
I do still have a big peacock feather, and a friend recently gave me a magnificent swan's feather which is just crying out to become a quill, so that ought to be my next project.
I have been channelling my inner Tudor scribe, and making paintbrushes from feathers. You can see a video showing how to do it, demonstrated by a man in a fetching Tudor hat, here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x17BA33-7gs
I was going to try making a quill, but making a brush seemed more interesting. They used to be used for painting illuminated manuscripts, and I can vouch for the ultra- fine line you can make with them. I can't imagine how skilled the scribes would have been to do that kind of work in low light, and probably with frozen hands (and feet)...
As for handles, we have plenty of hazel in the hedge, and Mr P tells me that as I cut live twigs the wood will shrink on to the feather and hold it even tighter in time.
I bound the end of the twigs with thread, and I think the finished result has a nice rustic Japanese look to it.
It feels as though I should be making paintings of Mount Fuji, signed with one of those little red seal thingies (hope that doesn't say something rude in Japanese)..
I got carried away and made a whole lot- love the one still sporting a leaf, shame it won't last!
My favourite is this one, which is good for painting cats.
I do still have a big peacock feather, and a friend recently gave me a magnificent swan's feather which is just crying out to become a quill, so that ought to be my next project.
Wednesday 14 October 2015
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