Morning Walk

Setting off on our morning walk, I have had to move my plants that were hanging due to the wind, they are now on my stairs and still blooming.

 Me and Dolly setting off, we love the leaves.

 A large family of Magpies on the football field.  We have seen a lot of them today so far.

Most of the leaves go green to yellow then brown, so its nice to see some bright red flashes occasionally.

 We took a detour off the park pathway and found a stairway leading into the woods.

 I didn't know we had so much woodland on the doorstep, will definately be walking here more often.

 On the way back a path through the Rosebaywillow herbs, it leads to a small oak tree in a tiny clearing.  This is part of the ares where all the rabbits play and feed.

 You can just about make out the sausage in Dollys mouth, looks like a big cigar.  We stopped at Pat's cafe on the way home.

Autumn

Woke up this morning to a foggy world, it looks so nice outside in the sun, but its bitterly cold.  This first pic is from my front window and as you can see its in the shade so doesn't get any sun.

 Trying to photograph my baby finches, mother and father on the right and two of the young on the left.

 Not a wonderful picture but the other baby now in view.

My finches have flown the nest.

I lost one baby but the rest are now out of the nest. This first one is difficult to see the face as the beak is black and facing the camera.  This one has been out of the nest a couple of days.

 These two have only just left the nest today, they are flying but their coordination is still a bit off.  They land on the other birds and knock them off the perch lol.  One is white with a dark face and dark beak, the other is white with a pink beak and a little bit of dark on its back.

My priority now is to get a bigger cage, I would really like an aviary but they are so expensive.

Cheap hanging baskets

I have been growing seeds in my mini greenhouse which are coming along nicely.  I would like some nice hanging baskets but they are so expensive.  So, today while its sunny, I decided to take a break from moving furniture and unpacking and sorting bla bla...... and made my own hanging baskets.

I know they might look a bit funny, as they are just ice cream tubs.  But, once the plants really start to grow and trail, you won't see the tubs, maybe a flash of blue occasionally.  I think I should have tried a bit harder to remove the ice cream labels though lol.

I also use the bottom of milk cartons and water bottles for individual plants.  This is a close up of my strawberry plants.  (in the first picture you can see pansy's on top of my hutch in milk tubs)

From the side showing my mini greenhouse.   Just in case anyone is wondering what all the blue is; its sheets to protect my things from the rain.  I have a big sheet on top of the hutch as I have my plant pots there and I don't want the hutch to rot.  The rest covers things like my patio set and bike trailer.

Spring??

What has happened to the lovely weather.  Today rain, rain and more rain.

Spring

Spring has arrived and I think its time I updated my blog.  Just a couple of pics to start with.  The first is the view from my new studio/workroom.  It's at the back of my flat and south facing, so its nice and warm and gets the sun all day.  Not a terrific view, but apart from a few houses you can see on the right its all bungalows so you can see quite a distance.  You can just about make out my bird feeders, though I haven't seen any birds on them yet lol. 

On this next one you can see the view of the window from the patio.  I have Hunnys hutch under the window, and I have pots of plants on top.  You can probably just make out my pansies which I am growing in the bottoms of milk cartons. They make nice size pots.  I have a waterproof sheet which I pull down at night to give her cover and the orange blanket it over her bedroom as it has been so cold lately (though not at the moment).

This is one of Hunny and Dolly playing with an empty box.  They both seem to like eating cardboard, weird.  I was told that the dog would kill the rabbit.  Rubbish, they play together, when one or the other has had enough - Hunny goes upstairs into her hutch and Dolly comes in.  Dolly won't let Hunny in the flat and Hunny won't let Dolly in her hutch.

This final one is the view to the front of the flat.  We have a large grassed area edged with trees.  Even though we have a road, its so quiet here.  This is my orchid which I treated myself with.

Warrington Art Festival

The studio's are open as part of Warrington Art Festival.  Although I say studios, in fact there is only me, I am the only resident artist who actually uses the studio to work and exhibit.  The main area of the large hall is taken up with other artists work which is on display free of charge. It was originally agreed that you would have to rent a studio to exhibit, that is obviously not the case now as every tom, dick or harry can display free.  I have never ever in all my years found anywhere that lets you exhibit free of charge. 
All my paintings that are on display -in my studio- are reduced as I am giving up painting, not completely but not on such large canvas's.  I am concentrating on my textile art which starts mainly on paper and my bags which are doing really well.  My bags will be on display at the open studio events.  I cannot do textile work at the studio as the darn mice keep eating my fibres, which is no joke.  They have ruined some of my best wools and cottons.
So, come along and listen to ABBA which is nice and uplifting and view my work and, if you feel inclined, make a purchase.  Lots of sale including key rings, postcards, gift tags, bags and paintings.

Indian Summer

It has been really hot lately, but it looks like it might be over. Although the sun is streaming through the window it has rained again. My bike is covered in plastic and my shed is sill in its box!

You can't really tell but there is a puddle on the box lid. I thought it would have been delivered in four sides and a roof, not is small strips to put together myself. Another challenge I can do without.

Craft Fair at the Lowry

I went to this craft fair this morning to check it out with a view to possibly joining the circuit. What a disappointment! When I contacted about getting a stall, the lady said I had to be vetted along with my products. They have to be hand made, original and she doesn't want too many of the same people present. So, I was expecting good quality crafts. Nearly every stall, which was just scattered about the shopping centre, had bought in stuff. There were a couple of people who were making their own cards, several 'stone' people, who buy stones and make jewellery, a stall with Russian dolls, a photographer (not sure they were his own photographs) and a lady with knitting wool, needles, patterns and terrible Christmas stockings!! It looked more like a school fete.

I was there and back, including coffee and cake in under an hour! I will definitely be crossing them off my list.

Moving Home

Not been around for a while, I am still packing and moving house. Two days to put up curtains and I still haven't managed it. Why do they keep changing the design of curtain track, what was wrong with it before. After buying more screws as the ones provided are too long, I have fastened the bits into the board, but cannot get the curtain track to fit on!

I have never rented through an agency before, its all 'you can't do this' 'you can't do that' and only managed to get some boards put over my windows after a prolonged argument, when I said I am not living in a house without curtains, especially a terrace where people walk past feet from my front window!

It's starting to look like home and contains most of the stuff from my studio, so my studio is bare lol.

Zoot Scoot Egg Run

Today was the annual Zoot Scoot Egg Run when all the scooter owners in the North West get together and take Easter Eggs to the Children's Hospital. The Warrington Scooter Club sets off from Zoot Scoot. (photos are not cropped or touched up so all the other rubbish is visible).All these are Italian Lamberetta's.

Love this one with the engine exposed.
This is an original 1950's and worth about 8k !!

Choo choo

It's not often these days you see a steam train. It reminds me of my youth, we lived by at station and the trains would stop and let off steam, which was very noisy. This one came through while I was at my Studio, I missed it earlier and was advised when it would return. So I went off to a nearby car park and nearly missed it again!

The End

I have found out that my job is finished. Whether or not I will be able to secure another I do not know. Currently we are near the end of the 90 day consultation (they forgot to tell me I was included), if there are any jobs I will get matched after this time. It is not looking too promising.

On a happier note, it snowed today, big flakes for about 3 mins, then nothing. Sunshine and a very cold wind.

Earthquake in New Zealand

I have just heard about the terrible Earthquake in New Zealand. I just hope and pray my little sister and nephew are alive and well.

Graze - nature delivered - not happy

I signed up to Graze, first box free...nice, next two at reduces rate, then after that full price. I signed up...set my selection...placed my order...my first free box would be delivered on 31st January, my half price box on 2nd February. Got the picture?

My box didn't arrive, so I tried to log on to the site but it kept saying my password was wrong...no it isn't, its the same one I am currently using at work. Tried several times, no luck. How do you contact them, by logging on and leaving a message.. there is no other way!

Thursday 3rd and two boxes arrive! Both containing food I stated I could not eat! Out of 8 selections, 4 a day, I could only eat 5, so I tried to contact them again. I am having problems with my server so cannot receive emails, so in desperation I opened another account in my work email address, left a message to explain who I was, also saying how disappointed I am and to cancel and refund any money they may have taken. They simply emailed back to say I hadn't ordered any boxes???!!! I went to log on to try and speak to them again and guess what?? my password is incorrect!!!! NO WAY!

Checked my bank today and guess what, they have charged me half price for my free box and full price for my half price box. And as my email server is down there is no way I can contact them. What a shit company, who runs a business like that. Nice way to rob people, take their card details and then not deliver what's requested and then charge them when its supposed to be free/half price and keep on charging them for food they do not want and cannot eat!!!!

Flower Power

For the first time, I have an Orchid that has flowered a second year. Normally they just die.

Orchid

This is mum's cactus, I got it for her just before she died and it has been dormant for all these years, now its started to grow at last.

Christmas Snow

It's Christmas Day tomorrow and we still have snow. Work is finished for a few days and everything is ready, just got a couple more deliveries to make then I can put my feet up and enjoy Christmas.

Took Ben for a walk with Emily through the woods, they both love the snow. This is one of the trees that fell from the winds last year.
Ben is so small the snow comes up to his tummy. You can't keep him in, he is constantly in the garden, running back and too.

I just want to wish everyone a very happy Christmas and hope 2011 is great for everyone. A special wish for my big sister who is very ill, and my little sister and nephew who will be in sunny New Zealand for Christmas.

Snow - what snow

After the country was covered in a blanket of snow, Warrington had hardly any. As you can see from the above, it didn't even cover the grass properly. In one sense we are lucky, our roads are clear, pavements a bit dodgy after the freeze. But, its a disappointment for all the kiddies who see it on tv and want to play snowballs and build snowmen.

Down at the studio what little bit of snow we have had has frozen to a sheet of ice.

Today we have had more snow, but mainly the fog has frozen on the trees, it looks so nice and I really love it.

Snakes

Not a very good photo, but this is one of my snakes. Its feeding time and I have to feed them at the same time, so I put two in separate buckets and one stays in the tank. This one normally eats fastest and will go after the others food, so I have to keep them out of the way.

I just love the colours, I have a black one and a white one as well. I will do some better photo's some time (when its warmer). I have had to set the tank up with another heat pad as its so cold. now.

Busy Weekend

Had a very busy weekend at the studio while I get my self sorted! I have been distracted lately and started to lose my way a bit. Also the police found a cannabis factory underneath my studio which they raided and we got the pleasure of an invasion of mice!!

I have cleaned my studio, cleared the rubbish and organised some storage. No mice now. I managed to get a bunk bed off the notice board at work, its a single with desk underneath, ideal for current storage and a work place. I have also managed to get my small pc desk underneath as well. Its good as I can do some research when I need to or check emails.

Just have to remember not to stand up underneath - lol.
I have also got rid of the massive table I had, I have a smaller one now that is just for my machines, I have them set up so can just sew when I need to without having to keep getting them out and putting them away. This is the view into the room from the window end. You can also see I have put some scaffolding up on the beams, for storage of stuff I won't be needing for a while. (bubble wrap and some materials etc).
Finally this is the view from the door, you can just make out my easel in the distance by the window, and behind the radiator on the right my snakes.

Next job is to sort my workbooks out and keep my inspiration stuff together. I will update you on my latest project over the next few days.