Down the Rabbit Hole (Tearoom).

Posted on January 5, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged afternoon tea, Blogging, Cake, Coffee, Cream, Jam, Rabbit hole tearoom, Scones, Stoke, Stoke-on trent, Tea2 Comments

Afternoon tea in a place called the Rabbit Hole tearoom in Stoke, Stoke-on-Trent. We had a visitor down from Yorkshire and he wanted to go somewhere that sold loose leaf tea and cakes. After searching Google and ringing a few places we found this cafe virtually on our doorstep. I rang and got us in (they are pretty much fully booked till March!).

The decor was fun, with lots of Alice in wonderland and white rabbit touches. There were pictures on the ceiling and it was very ‘jolly’!

Very pleasant food, with friendly service. We had sandwiches, salad, crisps, followed by scones with jam and cream. There was cake and cupcakes but that was too much for me!

Little walk at Etruria

Posted on January 2, 2020 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Chilled, Cold, Cold wind, Etruria, Etruria Industrial museum, Industrial heritage, Life, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, WalkLeave a comment

There is plenty to see on a short walk in the area around the Etruria Industrial museum at Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent.

There was a very cold wind blowing along the canal towpath so we only had a short walk. We took a look at the cygnets on the canal, they were on their own so presumably their parents have left them now. I wish we had taken some duck food with us. There were plenty of other birds about including ducks and geese, a rook or crow and magpies.

Some of the industrial buildings in the area are more visible now the leaves are off the trees. One of these is the tall chimney that is on the industrial estate behind Jessie Shirley’s flint and bone mill, which is attached to the Etruria Industrial museum.

One of the boats on the canal had smoke rising from its chimney, which made me think of hot tea and toast. We soon got back to our car, and put the car heater on to warm up. Brrr

Hand painted jug

Posted on December 27, 2019 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Art, Cat, Ceramic, Design, Fun, Jug, Life, Painting, Pottery, Stoke-on trentLeave a comment

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My hand painted jug. I chose to paint it with a tortoise shell cat (black white and ginger). With added daisy type flowers. I gave it as a Christmas gift last year. I like keeping my hand in by decorating pottery. I don’t get the chance to do this very often. It came up on my Facebook memories page. I think I did it on a visit to the Emma Bridgewater factory in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent.

Our history

Posted on December 19, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Drawing, Gladstone Pottery, Life, Rain, Sketching, Stoke urban sketchers, Stoke-on trent, Sunshine, WeatherLeave a comment

Potbank, Stoke-on-Trent. I think I drew this at the Gladstone Pottery museum last year? This was part of a ‘throw down’ held by Stoke Urban Sketchers after an afternoon of drawing in rain and shine. We were in a covered area so we could put the drawings down on the ground.

Urban sketchers usually draw outside, so we need to wrap up warm when we go out in the winter, and shelter when it’s raining or windy.

Next year I want to go out with them more often. You get to see places you might not go to otherwise.

Hollowed head

Posted on December 19, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Ceramic, Clay, Design, Easter island head, Etruria, Etruria Industrial museum, Head, Life, Pottery, Stoke-on trentLeave a comment

I had already hollowed this head out a bit but I was able to carve out more today. I came across several bubbles so at least it’s less likely to explode if it does get fired. The grey pile is the scraped out clay. X

July at Westport lake.

Posted on December 14, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Cafe, Cold, cormorants, July, Longport, Sketch, Staffordshire, Staffordshire wildlife Trust, Stoke-on trent, View, Weather, Westport lake, WinterLeave a comment

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It’s good to look back at old drawings as the days grow colder and shorter. Remembering warmth and colour, the view from the cafe there, then a gentle walk round the lake. Watching the place mature over the years, the trees have grown up so tall. Now Staffordshire wildlife have taken over running the site there has been a programme instigated to improve the area and make it more wildlife friendly. I saw four cormorants perched on a man made island there a couple of months ago. I thought these birds were costal, but maybe they are coming inland like gulls.

Must visit again in the near future, maybe if it snows…. Then I can re draw this scene…

Bathroom ceramics

Posted on December 12, 2019December 12, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Ceramics, Design, Fun, Gladstone pottery museum, Longton, Multicoloured, Porcelain, Sinks, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, ToiletsLeave a comment

Photo from the Gladstone pottery museum which we visited earlier in the year. The fashion these days is for white ceramic sinks and toilets, but look at the colours that used to be made. There is a rainbow of colours on the shelf above the full sized examples. Style changes as times change. Perhaps the world will go back to bright colours, humans are strange creatures!

Staffordshire Oatcakes with blackberries and lemon mousse

Posted on December 10, 2019December 10, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Blackberries, Dessert, Food, Honey, Lemon juice, Life, Recipe, Staffordshire, Staffordshire oatcakes, Stoke-on trent, Tasty2 Comments

It doesn’t look much but I wanted to use up some blackberries and I also wanted to get some vitamin C. I rolled up the blackberries in the Staffordshire Oatcakes. I added a sprinkle of sweetener that I cook with. Then I drizzled honey and lemon juice over the top and heated them in the microwave for a couple of minutes. Topped with half a tub of lemon mousse which needed using up. I’m used to Oatcakes with savoury fillings like cheese but these were sweet and tasty!

Christmas lights switch on.

Posted on December 8, 2019December 8, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Choir, Christmas, Cold, Fun, Lights switch on, Night, Penkhull, Singing, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trentLeave a comment

Christmas lights switch on up at St Thomas’s Church, penkhull.

There was a fair crowd as we, the panto cast, and junior cast members stepped outside to sing in the choir. The wind was blowing coldly up over the hill. The Lord mayor lit the lights and the tree and we sang many traditional carols including Silent Night and Hark the Herald Angels sing, which are both favourites of mine.

Penkhull village brass band were playing up a storm, and Father Christmas mingled with the crowds.

One thought as we sat there was how cold it was. An hour sitting on a plastic chair, starting to shiver and shake. Makes you wonder how homeless people cope. How do they survive. In this season if goodwill to all men, let’s have some real goodwill to all men and women!

PS sorry about the photos, it was difficult to take photos. Had to concentrate on singing….

Sketches at Cherished Chimneys.

Posted on December 1, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Cherished Chimneys, Longport, Sketch, Sketchers, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Urban sketchingLeave a comment

This is a shop just over the road from the waiting room gallery. They sell ancient and modern chimneys, teapots, pottery and other collectables. Today they had a craft fair and they had a lot more stalls than us. Including lovely jewellery, art, fabric, illustrations and mulled wine and minced pies..! They also had santa Claus. I’m amazed that anyone came over and bought from us.

Urban Sketchers, Stoke-on-Trent had a get together and drew pictures of what was happening and what the place looked like. Unfortunately my photos had a reddish shade to them. I’ve tried to correct it on photo editor but it didn’t really work. I want to post better photos but I ve lost my sketchbook

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Stoke-on trent