Wassail time

The world is trying to wake up again and one of the local rituals is happening today on SATURDAY 14th January 2023.

This is possibly of anyone visiting the Stoke-on-Trent area later today.
The Penkhull Wassail is fast approaching, and Domesday Morris look forward to seeing all friends both old and new!
Starting at 4.30pm at the Village Hall in Penkhull, there will be the usual torch lit procession, blessing of fruit trees, wassail readings, music, song and of course Morris dance this year on the Church Green in the very heart of the village. Please feel free to bring lanterns.
From the Church Green the procession will then make their way around the village from hostelry to village hostelry for a traditional old twelfth night evening of misrule.
The wonderful Penkhull Brass will be there and guests Leek Morris and hopefully Greg and Kate with the Clay Chorus choir.
There is a TICKET ONLY CEILIDH in the Village Hall from 8pm

Purple satin…?

Filtered photo, changed a photo of water and soapsuds by altering the colour of it. Then adding texture. In the end it either looks like crumpled satin or even red cabbage! Or it could be red wine, or a pool deep in the woods as autumn sets in.

You can describe anything by looking at it and deciding what it something you of, imagination is something you can cultivate. If you look closely you might see an eye or the profile of an imp with its mouth open? Bottom left/middle… Or a gorilla or a cat stretching…

Crochet

Not knit one pearl one. Only one crochet needle and a finger and thumb required. Twisting and turning, wrapping the wool round and knotting it.

If you want to learn it have a go. You can make squares to create a blanket, or crochet round and round to make a throw. It’s a craft in the same way as knitting or macrame. There are plenty of patterns out there and you can make clothes too. If you look on line you can find some very strange crocheted trouser suits for men! I realise that it was more popular in the 1970’s…..

Cats

Symmetry with cats

Alien plants?

Symmetry makes interesting patterns. I took a few photos of my kitchen window ledge a few days ago and then tried using a vertical mirroring to create something different and unusual. Something you wouldn’t see unless it was in a reflection. I always think it’s worth doing this because it can look really alien. This photo has a large cat doorstop in it at the back, a Spanish pot with a tile design pattern and a large, dark pink cactus. But I can see a face, with pink hair and a moustache at the front with dark eyes and nose? The cats could be like conjoined twins, like a Greek mythological monster. And the cactus leaves in the middle seem to show a green face with an open mouth. Why not try this yourself?

Tiger cat

Lino cut cat from last year. The curve at the back could be from a snail shell. This is another technique I would like to pramore this year. I think I will try and create card sets, hopefully without cutting my fingers. You also have to remember to carve back to front or letters are the wrong way round. If you have ever tried this you can feel the carving tools slipping on the surface of the lino. You have to push quite hard to cut down into it but not too deep or you can split the lino. The kit I bought had a safety carving blade which is the safest way to carve. I look forward to doing some more.

A strange creature

A crab? A pouting face? A reflection of a dragon? You can do funny things with symmetry and photos. Christmas cactus turned into something surreal. It would be better if it was less blurred, but my arm shakes so much sometimes that I get camera shake. Still it’s an interesting image and it’s an example of Pareidolia (seeing creatures in a pattern that isn’t actually there). I have posted a few of these on the blog over the years.

Dragon thoughts

Looking back on the first half of 2022, I was struggling to finish my Illustration course. But things weren’t too bad and I was OK eventually. Then in the last six things got worse through illness and loss. So I have decided not to make an actual resolution, but I have decided to be more ‘dragon’ this year, I will try and be stronger and more thoughtful, patient and brave (but no fierce temper!). The illustration is from a drawing I did last summer.