my new bird in a flourescent pink cage

after a summer of rain we have finally had a break in the clouds for long enough for small children to part with their toys so that they can be mine. this is one of my most favourite finds ever - imagine my delight when i discovered the battery induced chirping and windup ability to move head and flap tail feathers. bliss upon bliss.
as if that wasn't enough i found this little colourful wooden bird on another stall
and this gorgeous fan.
total cost 80p

more shop fittings

the street that time forgot

if you ever get the chance to visit Bridlington on the Yorkshire Coast in the UK, check out the High Street in the Old Town where some of the shops don't look like they've changed in decades.

n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

There's this scrummy cafe....

this totally [un]globalised shoe shop - here's the owner checking on his flock at closing time today...

an amazing Georgian Chemist with the most awesome shop fittings you have ever seen which distract the eye completely from a rather bizarre mix of crafts. The lovely lady in the picture was very happy to tell us about the history of the shop which was a working chemist until last year

and loads more shops that make me wish I'd taken more photos - but now I've got an excuse to go back :o)

n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n

great stencil

when i saw this valentine sign in a shop last february i had to have it and hounded the manager until he climbed up some ladders and gave it to me. since then it's been hanging on my coat rack in the hall but today is the day that giant valentine sign becomes stencil.

************************

turning my stash into cash

I've made a start using up my art treasure making handmade books to sell on etsy - they are very labour intensive but fun to make - this one's my favourite.

visual journal

nnnnnnnnnnnnnnn



nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

yesterday i started a visual journal [i don't know why because this blog is really my visual journal]. it'll probably just be a place to experiment in and perhaps record a few life events in. anyway it 's a lovely little book by jean bowring about cake decorating and it has gorgeous end papers. here's a peek at the cover and my 2 journal entries so far.

nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

what was i thinking?

yesterday i posted about finding long lost artwork and good feelings associated with that - today i experienced different feelings when i found these 'pages' of a clay 'book' i made. when i made them i thought they were ok but now they give me the creeps! it's good to stand back from your art isn't? a few years away from these has given me a whole new perspective on them [YUK]

feeling graphic-ee

i've been a good girl and done some tidying up - well a little bit - between throwing some paint around and stitching. Anyway - one of the good things about tidying up is that you find things you had forgotten you had. This book was buried -- along with about 10 others i made -- under a mountain of life drawings. it's nice being reunited with old friends and it brings back memories of what i was doing when i made them.

found art - various artists

in the loos at a delicious Moroccan cafe in Leeds

illustration friday *detatch*

well as it's friday - here's my illustration

digital fun

I really enjoyed creating these but how i wish i had photoshop :o(

The Pulse

i can't believe there is anybody who hasn't found their way to Seth Apter's The Altered Page but if you haven't ~ you *must*. Starting on Monday there's the results of The Pulse......where you get to find out stuff about artist/bloggers and this time there's pictures too of artists' studios {i don't know how i dared} and other things. Thanks to Seth's hard work there's loads of artists taking part and it sounds like it's going to be the place to be.

****you've seen the blog now get the zine !****

i've had so much fun doing this blog and find it such a great way to 'figure out my creative path' i've decided to do a zine as well. i'm only going to produce 50 of each issue * the first one * features art work about the global clothes industry. its in my etsy shop *$4.00* get yours [before saatchi snaps them up]

african images

i was lucky enough to spend three years working in the rural areas and townships in Limpopo Province in South Africa. these are a few sections of some artwork i did based on my memories of my experience there. i think it's a theme i'll come back to when i have more time.

strawberry blush

this is a section of a textile piece I made to celebrate summer.

sandal drawings

i like drawing shoes because they keep still!

soul journal

here's my houses and doll for the soul journal challenge. The doll is a present for my great aunt who celebrates her 90th birthday this weekend after having a flying lesson! She's always the first on the dance floor and the last to come off hence the disco diva badge i have adorned her with :o)

cabinets, cabinets and give away winners

you would think a woman with this many cabinets lives in a big house ¬ but she doesn't. you might also think that she would not be tempted to say yes to another cabinet on 'freecycle' even before she had seen it ¬ but she was tempted and she said yes and for a few hours before she collected it, she imagined the new cabinet and dared to think that it would be the cabinet of her dreams and that somehow it would fit into her house (which wasn't really cluttered) and every time she looked at it she would feel the joy of finding such a unique article for free. she went to get the cabinet ~ it wasn't the cabinet of her dreams but she didn't say so ~ she bundled it into her car and drove away ~ she realised her mistake and at last she acknowledged the fact that there might be too many cabinets in her tiny terraced house (although they are all very nice). the new cabinet is now at the charity shop and the woman has learnt her lesson.

despite the cabinet antics - i have managed to do some tidying up - and i am pleased to announce that all my fabric is in one place de-de-dah. Thanks to everyone who responded to my giveaway challenge and offered advice about how to de-clutter. It was hard to choose a winner but I think Mistie's tips were the most useful so the Visual Chronicles book will be on its way to you soon. I would also like to send Grrl+dog something for her tempting advice (it seems you know me too well!). Woohoo!