Solenoid

Posted on September 9, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Central heating, Fixed, Repair, Solenoid, Warmth, WaterLeave a comment

My central heating boiler went on the blink, which is a problem because we had no hot water. Luckily we have a contract with a company so I was able to call them out. I thought it was the timer because the heating was not kicking in when the timer moved round to ‘on’. But no, the nice man from the company could hear the pump kicking in but the flame was not lighting. So he had a look and removed this, it’s a solenoid. Basically the circuit has to close to light the boiler so that the heating comes on its apparently worked by electromagnetism. I’m really pleased he fixed it. My boiler is twenty five and still works well. I’m worried that it is going to become obsolete. Hopefully they will be able to get parts for a few more years yet…..

Sleeping cat

Posted on September 9, 2019 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Cat, Fun, Humour, Lying down, Micro poetry, Pillow, Poem, Poetry, SleepLeave a comment

I got up this morning,

Cat jumped up,

Fell asleep!

On the bed,

Where my head

Had been two minutes before.

What a cheek,

The cat out flat.

Asleep,

On the bed!

Watch out cat….

I might use you as a pillow!

Reflected

Posted on September 9, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Cafe, Mirrors, Reflections, Trentham, Trentham Gardens, ViewLeave a comment

When I’m typing on my phone I take my glasses off to see the screen. So when I took this photo I didn’t realise I was looking at my reflection, I thought we were in a much bigger room with a view through to windows at the far end. It was only when I zoomed in that I realised the blurred figures in the image are me and my hubby! It’s funny how the eyes can be fooled. It’s a cafe in the shopping village at Trentham Gardens.

Autumn flowers

Posted on September 9, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Autumn colours, Autumn flowers, Firey leaves, Foliage, Fun, Plants, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Trentham, Trentham GardensLeave a comment

And foliage. At Trentham Gardens, I love the colour combinations, yellows and purples, reds, oranges and greens. Really rusty beautiful sculptures are inserted into the borders to add to the joyous jumble. Giant bees jostle metal flowers, knopthalia (red hot poker plants) and crimson and variegated Coleus add their foliage flames to the fire. Makes you feel warm on a dreary day.

Since I’m talking windows

Posted on September 8, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Colours, Environment, Glass, Paint, Photos, Spode, Windows5 Comments

DSC_2186_optimized (3)

A few shots of windows at Spode over the weekend. I might paint some of them. I like the geometry and angles. The touches of colours, in paints and environment. Looking out and looking in…..

Pinkish windows

Posted on September 8, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Colours, Environment, Light, Photo, Pink, Poem, Poetry, Purple, Sky, Spode, WindowLeave a comment

When you take a photo of an old window under purple sunsets you can get something of an interesting hue.

Ink turns pink

Sky’s surprise

Window brightened

With sunsets flight.

Glowing purple

Violet hue

Salmon sprinkled

In the blue.

Glint of crimson

Sizzles over

Bleeding sky

Paints walls anew.

Purple skies

Posted on September 8, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blogging, Camera phone, Clouds, Photos, Purple, Sky, Spode site, Sunset5 Comments

I don’t know why but the usual grey clouds you get at sunset (sometimes tinged with pink) came out strikingly purple last night. I have read that there is dust and ash in the stratosphere from a couple of volcanoes which is giving the sky a violet tinge at the moment. Maybe it’s that or maybe its my camera phone. Anyway I will post a couple of these to the cloud appreciation society Facebook page. Maybe they can explain.

Holly and Ivy green man.

Posted on September 8, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, Design, Green man, Holly and Ivy, Life, Painting, PortraitLeave a comment

Coming up for the autumn / winter. I want to do some more green men and women. If I can do some with frost and snow that would be interesting. I’m looking for pictures of striking faces so that they have character, I’ve found that if I just make them up they get a bit flat and don’t have as much impact. More later….

Good friend

Posted on September 8, 2019September 8, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Eleanora street, Embarrassing, Friendship, Modesty, Nerves, Spode open days, Spode site, Staffordshire, Stoke, Stoke-on trent2 Comments

15679574309584550265971729625831

I’m here at the Open studios and I keep getting tongue tied. I need to explain about my art, but for some reason I become shy, it’s like trying to display my mind to the world. Cut off the top of my head and scoop out all the swirling thoughts time…. But… My good friend came along today, she greeted people cheerfully, asked them into my studio, said how I was a good artist, (by this time my head was in my hands with embarrassment) and encouraged them to think about commissioning me to do some art for them.

I was really pleased and mortified at the same time. I think it’s that British thing if too much modesty. It’s a learned habit that makes you feel like the “I’m not worthy” characters you see on TV or in books. Do you know what I mean? I felt it was far easier to just say “hi” as people walked past.

Thank you my good friend!

Artists statement

Posted on September 7, 2019 Posted in Fine Art, UncategorizedTagged Art, Artists statement, Exhibition, Landscape, Painting, Spode, Stoke-on trent3 Comments

Usually I don’t include artists statements because I think my art should be self explanatory. However as I was exhibiting a painting about what Spode means to me, I said that it was about how Spode is now, that I have only been there for a few years. I also said that I wanted to include the history of the buildings and what was going on outside the building and how exciting I had found the experience of painting it.

I think it made sense, it’s difficult to know how long to make it and how much information it required.

Mallaband-Brown

Category: Uncategorized