Waistcoats and writing

I am pleased to say that 'Manic Month' at work is now drawing to a close. We have been so busy with festivals and school groups that there hasn't been a minute to draw breath! This is wonderful and has been great fun but I am now needing some relaxation.... I have a day of shooting planned this weekend (yes, I know how odd that sounds in the same sentence as relaxation) and a days holiday next week which I plan to spend taking photographs and pretty much not a lot else.

Out of work the highlight has to have been Prom Night. DS#1 looked most handsome - he scrubbed up pretty well. I finally finished the waistcoat and bowtie (still sewing it the night before!!) and I was
more than happy with them. We managed to tie the bowtie too... thanks Mr Youtube Man.

He doesn't look too bad!

I made this!

He met up with a group of friends and they all went off on a vintage bus. They all looked awesome.

Inside the bus it was all bunting and Muse!

The sewing bug has continued and I have made a couple of storage bags and some curtains for the kitchen. Next project is a 1950's style dress from Clothkits. It's all ready to go!


I have been continuing with my Journaling. I am almost evangelical about how useful and enlightening it is proving. It also gives me more reasons to buy lovely stationery (not stationary). My creative journal is allowing me to indulge in pretty 'stuff'... finally I know why I have been stockpiling every magazine published since 2008.... cutting and sticking! Yay!
The Journaling prompts are still throwing up some difficult things to think about. I have started facing up to some of my not so pretty bits but also have had the opportunity to reflect that considering everything I haven't done too badly! (no raised eyebrows at the back, thank you!)
I have been writing a list of 5 things each day that I am grateful for... this has been hard on some days but it does show that no matter how crap you think your day has been, there are some shiny moments! Even if they do involve chocolate.. or shoes... or small animal shaped erasers!

Today I am grateful for:

1. The opportunity to work with some fab people.
2. A quiet evening to catch up on reading, writing and blogging.
3. Hearing from people I care about.
4. Spam sandwiches (most welcome during a busy WW2 school session).
5. My bed.... it is beckoning!

What are you grateful for today?

Trying not to overthink it!

Phew.... can't believe it's Sunday night again - where did the weekend go?
I had another super busy week at work, two WW2 days plus other school groups and training and catching up in the office.
I started my Journaling course too this week - this is a follow on from the Unravelling course where we explored the idea of keeping a journal. I found this quite a useful tool and so am learning some more techniques. Step one discussed privacy... Hmmm... not that I'm putting any deep secrets in there (yet) but if anyone found it they would know for sure what a mental basketcase I really am :-D
My big discovery of the week has been not to overthink things too much - text messages - conversations - times when I've made a COMPLETE idiot of myself (Kathy, if you're reading this we need to talk!!!) I need to stop analysing everything!

In other news I have been continuing with photography themes - this week flowers!

One of my lovely Unravelling friends, Louise, has been trying to give me some tips. I am trying to learn!

I have been busy with the sewing machine too this week. DS#1 has his prom next Friday - how exciting - the suit has been bought, along with new shoes and belt. He decided he wanted a bowtie and waistcoat which we have tried to theme with his girlfriends dress. It has been a most pressured project, my first from the Great British Sewing Bee book. I still have to tackle the buttonholes, oh dread :-( but so far I am pleased with the results. Tying the bowtie, however, is another thing! Many Youtube viewings later and I know roughly HOW it's done but cannot get it to look as neat..

 

Still, nearly a week to practice! I'll just try my best not to overthink it too much!

Roll out the red carpet!

It has been a whirl of activity this week..... work has been crazy busy as we got ready to host the very first Ffennell Festival. Ffennell is the name of the chap who owed the Hill End site - leaving it for the further enjoyment of young people. It is nothing to do with the vegetable! Though Ffennell soup could have been on offer maybe?

The Friday was a chance for Primary schools from Oxfordshire to come along and join in with loads of activities on offer. I was on the World War 2 experience 'bit'... meaning I got to dress up as Peggy the Landgirl once more.
Saturday we were open to Joe Public. I got to pose about by our 1928 Austin 12/4 and frighten people off trying on the gas masks! The magnetic mine proved a draw (see what I did there?) and I had an interesting conversation with a military archaeologist who promised to send us some more military goodies (most of which I had no idea what he was talking about but it all sounded most exciting!)




If it wasn't for the mini's in the background we could almost be in the 1940's!






 The other highlight of the week was...tadaa.... the premiere of Sherlock Holmes and the Stolen Emerald. This was the short film that DD and I were extras in earlier this year.
We travelled to the Genesis Cinema in Whitechapel dressed in our finest premiere going outfits. (we seemed a tad overdressed for Whitechapel Nando's but hey!) The cinema is beautiful - the site goes back to the 1870's as the Paragon Theatre - seeing such stars as Charlie Chaplin appearing there.

My iPhone couldn't really capture the grandeur of the place :-(

One of the amazing costumes from the film.

 

 

The evening was brilliant. Apart from the all important viewing of the finished film (which was fabulous) there was question and answer sessions from the lovely Celine Terranova the director and other cast and crew plus assorted Sherlock aficionados. We also heard from Carla who curates at St Barts Pathology Museum, a  really funny talk.

DD and I left before the shmoozing got underway as it was a LONG journey home and I had to be back at work for 7am... oh the life of a lovey! Should you want us, please contact us through our agent :-D

 



Shiver me timbers!

Unravelling is done :-( well, in reality the process has only just started but the course is officially over! Some of us plan to keep in touch and keep suggesting new projects to try which will be great. 

I have been embracing the new unstressed me-I have rediscovered my interest in yoga tho I have had to admit that the 40 plus me is nowhere near as bendy as the 20 year old me! Still, small steps and I'm already feeling the changes! I tried to embrace herbal tea but still cannot find one that doesn't taste like cat wee! Any suggestions gratefully received :-) 

I've had another trip to the seaside, Weston super Mud this time. In the rain. It was possibly the wettest day ever. I took DD and DS#1. We sat in a cafe looking out of a birdpoo smeared window at some miserable donkeys on the beach whilst drinking hot chocolate! But it was a great day! 

The children said they enjoyed it anyway! 

More sea related shenanigans were had with my evening at the opera. Opera Anywhere performed Pirates of Penzance at Blackwells bookshop in Oxford and I was lucky enough to go! It was awesome! I've never seen live opera before and loved every minute of it. To top it off, my lovely friend Jackie works at Blackwells and so I got a guided tour too! Even saw the roof garden with some spectacular views! 

I feel this is a brief lull before the chaos begins next week, we have a huge festival at work which will mean all hands to the pump. It's also the launch of the film that DD and I were in... We're off to London for a gala premiere! Watch this space! 

Stress and sightseeing...

It's been a strange few weeks... I've been continuing with my Unravelling course which has thrown up some major knots and tangles to think about. All stuff I need to face and deal with....Hmmmm!
Had a bit of a minor meltdown which has resulted in me being diagnosed with a stress related illness.. I pity the poor doctor that had to deal with me on a very bad day!
Still, on the positive side I've had some interesting visits out.... I went down to Portsmouth to see the Warrior and Victory. The Mary Rose is sadly closed at the mo - awaiting the relaunch of the brand new visitor centre. However, my ticket is valid for a year so I plan to go back. The day involved a brisk walk along the sea front which was well needed. The ships were amazing - similar in lots of ways but both with their own charm. Of course, Victory is the ship on which Nelson died. The spot is marked with a brass plaque. They also tell you about another crew member killed on the same spot - cut in half by the gunfire and his body thrown overboard rather than being preserved in brandy!

I also spent a weekend away with DH to celebrate his birthday. We stayed in Midsomer Norton... sounds lovely but in reality not so wonderful. Highlight was the Centurion themed hotel. The poor staff looked a little bemused by our Monty Python comments in the bar.. 'Fwiends of Wome' etc etc. I guess they'd probably heard it before.
In a new twist the bedside table contained not only the obligatory Gideon Bible but also a book on Buddha. I refrained from signing them ('all the best, love God').

During the visit we went to see the Bishops Palace and Cathedral at Wells.


The Cathedral and well as seen from the Bishops Palace.




Both places were fabulous. The Cathedral was breathtaking - we did go inside and I was truly amazed.
We didn't see where the Bishop of Bath and Wells ate his babies though... they didn't mention it in the guidebook either. Maybe Blackadder knew something they didn't! :-)

On the Sunday we visited Farleigh Hungerford Castle, built in the 14th C. Now I love a good castle and this was definately a good one! There were stories of ladies locked in towers and wives murdering husbands and burning their bodies in furnaces.... to top it off they had a crypt with some rare human shaped lead coffins. Apparently previous visitors had poked holes in the lead with sticks to reach the embalmed bodies within. Not only that but they TASTED it too! I feel the cafe missed out on a trick here... but never fear, I left a suggestion in the box!

In other news I took receipt of my Diana F+ camera - a plastic fantastic 120 creation. They are enjoying a cult revival (see 'expensive'). I got mine for free and have been tryng it out. I got the first film back today. They bask in their simplicity and strange effects. I was pretty pleased with the results so far!


White Horse Hill




In the Garden



Well - here's to less stress and more creativity. And more castles...!



And......relax!

Oops, it's been a while :-( Sometimes life just gets too busy to manage! The last couple of weeks have had some major highs and serious lows - but here I am, trying to decide what to share!

I just wanted to say a little about an e-course I am currently undertaking. It's called Unravelling and helps in learning more about yourself through photography and journalling. I can't say too much but it's proving to be more revealing than I dreamed... it's hard work finding out things that are a bit scary but it's also inspiring some great creativity and giving me an excuse to take more photographs.

Work has been crazy busy - we have just launched a whole week of new educational programmes. This has meant several weeks of planning and resourcing and then the most tiring week presenting them to different schools. The highlight surely had to be the WW2 days - this was my dream and it has been a triumph - hooray! I got to play Peggy the Land Girl and showed lots of gardening skills. I also got to be in charge of the air raid drill where we all took cover in the real Anderson shelter (complete with planes overhead, thanks Brize!!) We were loaned a 1930's Austin truck which we used to stick the magnetic mine to and to ferry lucky evacuees to the centre... I haven't driven it yet but I will!

Land Girl Peggy reporting for digging duties....

Me and Private Clark with the lovely truck!

 

 

 



We got to Friday so tired that we could barely think straight, so glad it's the weekend! But the week was a huge success, we already have bookings for the new programmes (and the boss was very pleased!)
Next week will seem almost quiet by comparison - just some tents to sort, a WW2 shop and house to dismantle, a Victorian explorers kit to pack away.... oh yeah, just another normal week!

Making the most of the sunshine!

I had a day off work today - had to go and collect the new car. However, this didn't take too long and so the rest of the day was mine!
It's still wicked cold out there but the sun is shining and so I thought it might be a good opportunity to get out and have another practice at the TTV photographs.

Sunshine and flowers. Almost like Spring!

 

Yes, it's a dead heron. Doesn't everyone have one in the garden?

 

Sculpture thingy.



 



Pretty pleased with how they've come out so far. I am rotating and cropping via Picture Manager, have tweaked the colour a tiny bit in a couple of them.

The strawberry patch - a bit bare at the moment :-(

 

Wouldn't trust sitting on this bench to be honest...



I mostly used a very professional looking bucket to balance the camera on - thought it went well with the cardboard tube tower!

Off to make a list of other creative things I can do this weekend while DH is away drinking ber and talking bikes... might even finish my knitted hat, just in time for the weather to warm up!