(Short and) sweet sixteen!

A quick one today as we are in the middle of celebrating ds1's 16th birthday. It seems such a short time since he was little and cute and now he is huge but still quite cute!

I have been experimenting with a new camera app for my iPhone. It's called lo mob and is simply awesome! You can choose from all manner of cool effects which make even the rubbish photos look amazeballs :-)

Ahh, 16 and lovely!

It's cold outside.... any excuse for a cosy fire.

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The noisy Mr Hincapie - mouth shut for a change!

Sporti, shopping and Mr Selfridge.

Hooray, I got my Ilford Sporti photographs back this week.

My house!

Assorted sheds.

I had mixed results... some of them came out ok, the vast majority didn't! A few appeared to have something obscuring the lens, a classic schoolboy error. Some looked like the winding on thingy was not working properly creating interesting effects.

I am keen to try again though, this time I will make a note of the settings so I can rule out any issues there. I was most impressed with Peak Imaging for swift service and no sarcastic stickers telling me what a crap job I had done! (I used to work for Boots and I HATED those stickers but we had to use them).

My floristry course is fast approaching its end. I am very sad about this, what on earth will I do with my Tuesday evenings now? The last couple of classes have been spent creating planted designs... I made an outdoor planter that would have been cheaper to buy ready made and an indoor one which allowed me to indulge in fairies and butterflies as I created it for a friends birthday!

This week it's the planted design assessment and so I am taking it right back in time and creating a bottle garden. Fascinated by these for years, I have never owned one -probably because my track record with houseplants is abysmal. But hey, this one only has to survive the evening!!

Well, it's Sunday and tonight I have to find alternative entertainment as there is no Mr Selfridge :-( I don't normally watch costume dramas but I will admit to having enjoyed Mr Shellfish... I went out and bought the book which the series was based on this week, 'Shopping, Seduction and Mr Selfridge' by Lindy Woodhead. So far it's a really interesting read, although those expecting a rip roaring story along the lines of the series will be disappointed. It's a look at the broader history of shopping here and in the US and the huge impact that Mr S had on changing the face of our favourite pastime. Some of these changes were massively positive - some of them were causing consternation back then and still do today (I am thinking especially of the buying out of smaller shops in order to expand). As a social history it makes for a great book, so maybe that's how I shall spend my vacant Sunday night spot tonight. Blanket, book and a bottle of red!

Mother Duck!

I hardly need to mention it was Mothers Day here yesterday... I was treated to some lovely flowers and gifts by my rugrats.



What a beautiful colour!





Now, Mothers Day is always a bittersweet affair for me. A struggle between appreciating what I have now with what I no longer have. Suffice to say yesterday had its fair share of tears and smiles. One of my brothers posted a beautiful picture of our Mum on FB, I have another from the same time which I treasure.

I often wonder what things would be like if she were still here. How different would my life be now? What would she make of the things I do? What would we have in common? What would she say about taxidermy??!!??

Which leads me nicely onto a serendipitous (is this even a real word?) event from yesterday. My treat for the day was a proper grown up trip to the garden centre followed by a mosey round the antique shops in Lechlade. One of them had clearly had a consignment from a taxidermist recently... a huge cabinet of parrots and fancy birds, a small dome of hummingbirds,  framed moths, spiked butterflies and this beauty.....

Now I always associate kingfishers with my Mum and I'm sure there's some wonderful animal folklore stuff out there. Brother #1 has a tattoo of a kingfisher dedicated to her. So, when I saw this I knew I had to have it and damn the food shopping for the rest of the month! DD was less than impressed with the new dead things but politely said 'they're lovely'. They are currently on my bedroom floor awaiting space to be made. Somewhere.

Meanwhile I'm off to research kingfishers!

Cameras and air raid shelters....

I've been feeling quite sorry for myself this week... a cold that is just hanging around and making me want to do nothing more than curl up under a blanket and hide from the world :-(
Still, I struggled from my pit of despair to make the most of that shiny warm thing in the sky over the weekend (I hear tell it's called THE SUN). DS#1 and I took a wander through the village to take some photographs. I was keen to try out the Polaroid in sunny conditions and wanted to finish off the first roll of 120 film.

St Stephens Church - Clanfield



These results are the best yet... I am describing the distorted colours as 'arty'. I'm not sure if adjusting the light-dark setting would improve this but as each picture takes ages to develop you kind of miss the moment should you want to retake!!



I like to call this picture 'Letterbox'

I discovered that nowhere (around here) takes the 120 film for developing... Boots helpfully talked about 126 film, thanks for that! I have found a company online who have impressed me so far with their patient answering of my dumb questions. The film is in the post to them as we speak.
In more camera news I have also purchased a B&W Impossible Project film. This has the added 'bonus' of coming out B&W or sepia depending on how it feels. So far I have shot 3 virtually blank pictures and this dodgy shot of DD standing by my broken car (a whole 'nother story)

I actually quite liked this one...even down to the weird development blob on the corner! Almost looks antique if you can ignore the poorly Ford!

Oo, almost forgot the air raid shelter bit of news. Very excited at work this week as we managed to persuade the boss that we needed an actual Anderson Shelter to run our forthcoming WW2 days. It was picked up today and delived back to our site. Sadly no photographs at present but they will be here. Soon. In abundance!


Snap!

Christmas Roses in the garden.

 

 

It's been a funny old week - work has been crazy busy and home has been pretty much the same! DD and I went to see the English National Ballet 'doing' Sleeping Beauty which was fabulous. The costumes were amazing and the dancing was wonderful. DD did however offer her opinion that the Russian State Ballet (who we saw last month) had more athletic blokes. I'm assuming she meant in the height and complexity of the jumps and not in any crude sense. Myself? I was impressed with them all!!

 

Film has arrived for my Ilford Sporti camera. It takes 120 film - a format I am not familiar with. Loading it was pretty straightforward. The instruction book really is written step by tiny step. However, I was a little confused by the bit which says to wind on the film until No 1 appears in the window. A line appeared first, was that No 1? I carried on winding, and winding and whoa.... perhaps I'd better take a picture before I wind right to the end. I lined up a classy shot of the house and 'snap'. Now, the Ilford Sporti is my type of camera. You set the dial to sunny or cloudy and then turn the wheel for 2-4 ft, 10-25ft or 25-infinity ft... simples! I wasn't sure if I was 25ft from the house or further so I took a few steps back to be sure. I wound on a bit and took another from a slightly different angle, continuing to wind I found some little flower shapes appear in the window, they got bigger until, Lo! A No 1!! I retook the house shot and confidently carried on winding until flowers and a No 2 appeared (not that kind of No 2). Now I am safe in the knowledge of what the numbers look like I can finish the film and check if the camera is actually working ok! Pictures to follow here in due course.

 

I have been reading and being inspired by a number of writers at the moment who use photography  to document their lives and explore what things mean to them. I am aware this sounds quite weird and airy fairy but it has struck a chord with me. The work of Susannah Conway in particular has been popping up in all sorts of strange coincidental ways. I was interested in her ideas about portraits, especially self portraits. I am generally the one behind the camera in my family and so pics of me are relatively rare. However, I do like having my photo taken but am usually disappointed with the results. They never seem to portray me how I think they should!! Now, I said this was a coincidental week, shifting through some old photographs this weekend I came across a self portrait of my Uncle. He never had a camera far from his hand and is responsible for the stacks of pictures I treasure from my childhood.

 



 

Ken's self portrait along with some shots of Bath Abbey taken by him.

 

This portrait struck me as just what a self portrait should be. It seems to capture him perfectly. I also found a shot he took of me which has always been a favourite - even if I do look like a moody little mare!

 

 

Anyway, I thought I'd have a crack at a self portrait, DH did look at me oddly as I stood in various bits of the garden taking snaps. 'You do realise you have the camera around the wrong way' he helpfully called! Luckily I didn't have to point out the same mistake with the chainsaw!

 

 

Best of the day - well, the shot with least chins!

 

So, what do people think? Self portraits - valid art form with something to say or just an excuse to appear in lots of photographs? I shall continue trying them out, who knows I might even end up with a shot I like!





Sew Happy!

I have had a lovely weekend catching up with an old friend (ie, been friends a long time, not that she's ancient!) I combined this gossip fest and eating marathon with a trip to Brackley Antique Cellar, one of my favourite places to explore.
Last time I was there I had spotted a set of deer hoof gun rack thingumys. They were still there today, oh joy, and as DS No 2 has just aquired a new bow we were in need of more storage! They will look totally fab on the wall!
I also managed to get something to display Mervyn in. I had in mind a bell jar type of affair but the only ones they had there were too small and too expensive. Instead I found a vintage sweet jar, the type from my childhood, and I thought this might be a quirky answer to the stuffed rat storage issue. I will need to create a base and something for him to lean on... watch this space!
Finally, I got chatting to a couple who own one of the spaces in the Cellar, a really friendly pair who gave me lots of tips and knocked some money off the Singer treadle sewing machine I had been eying up. Cheekily I said if he would help me get it to the car then we had a deal! Hooray for womens lib :-)

The machine came complete with the treadle table, an original box of gubbins and yet more gubbins in the side drawer. The leather drive belt was broken but I figured I could get DH to fix this!
A little rearranging of the car later and I was on my way home!

 

 

 

It needed some serious dusting and oiling but all appeared to be moving freely. DH has bodged the drive belt for now, the leather has definately had it. New drive belts are available on Ebay for not too much, hooray! I have tried to research it a bit, the Egyptian decals were very popular in the 1930's. I believe it's an early 15 model.

I have had a little play with it and it certainly sews beautifully. It won't replace my 1929 model that belonged to my paternal grandmother in my affections, but it will be loved and used! (Once I get the new belt!!)

Get Stuffed (a tail of our visit to London)

Well, the day finally arrived. Kathy and I were off to London for our taxidermy class. Nerves were definately showing, luckily we had each other to cling to!

The 'famous' Sherlock Holmes phonebox.

 

The class took place at St Barts pathology museum, where I had recently spent the day twirling in front of film cameras. We had some time to kill and so checked out the local scenery. There's a monument to William 'Braveheart' Wallace, complete with Sainsburys flowers (nothing says hero worship like a £5 reduced bouquet) and also a decorated phonebox. At first glance Kathy and I thought it was resplendant with assorted cards from ladies of the night which, clearly, warranted a closer look. Instead it was an array of 'I believe in Sherlock' cards and pictures (also one which asked John to buy some milk, a code for something?) One Google later and we discovered this phonebox is on the actual site where TV Sherlock jumped to his possible death. One YouTube later and we could watch the actual action in front of the actual building. Actually quite surreal!

But the day was to get weirder!

Now, this might be the moment to discuss morals. I fully understand that taxidermy is not for everyone and people do have issues with stuffing dead animals. Amanda only uses roadkill/natural death/reptile food animals. As I own a snake and so have a freezer of dead mice I am in no position to argue the morality of using such animals. But I do see both sides of the argument.

The class was led by Amanda of Amanda's Autopsies and her fab assistant, they demonstrated each stage in the procedure and then gave help as needed. I have to say that Kathy and I were quite nervous, several of the other students (trainee stuffers?) seemed very confident. Still, we managed to get through the skinning with no problems, it was strangely therapeutic in fact.I did have a slight intestine mishap but nothing that a paper towel couldn't cover! Music was provided throughout the day, a heart inspired playlist meant we rocked out to Feargal Sharkey and Billy Ray Cyrus (shudder).

One rat, sticky side down!

 

Stuffing was done with cotton wool and wire for articulation. Getting cotton wool and wire into the skin and sewing it up to look vaguely rat shaped was an art in itself, adding the bead eyes and shaping the face was even more tricky! Once finished, however, we got to add our Valentine props. My rat, christened Mervyn, was to be a steampunk Cupid. I had spent all week making metal wings from tomato puree tubes. DH kindly made a steampunk shooter which sadly would not stay in his little paws :-(

Mervyn...wistful look and crossed paws clearly deliberate!

 

There were some fantastic end results, Kathy's Percy was lush with his felted balloons and our taxidermy neighbour, Mr Whiskers (a lovely chap who had been bought the class as a birthday present by his equally lovely fiancee) presented his rat in a fab tux!

 



St Pauls...

 

A pleasant walk back through London allowed us to clear our heads and ratty whiff before our journey home. We resisted the urge to get the rats out on the coach, but did talk about them a lot!

Pictures of the whole experience are available on Amanda's website http://www.amandasautopsies.com/?page_id=2379 Huge thanks to her for a great day!

I have to say I look petrified in all my pictures, but Mervyn looks awesome!



Pride of place on my dressing table!