Believe it or not… Bat

Posted on July 23, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Bat, Environment, Flitting, Moth, Penkhull, Pipistrelle, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Village hall12 Comments

This tiny bat was flitting around the back of the village hall last night. I know they are fuzzy photos but all I can say is we watched it for about ten minutes. I think it was a pipistrelle bat. It was hard to get a clear shot because it was moving so fast.

There were a few moths about and I think it was trying to catch them. I wish I had a bat detector. It transforms the high pitched call of a bat into a clicking sound you can hear.

Anyway that’s what happened last night. No vampires were harmed taking these photos. X

View of Trentham lake.

Posted on July 21, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Acrylic on canvas, Art, Design, Landscape, Painting, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Trentham, Trentham Lake, ViewLeave a comment

IMG_20180921_231002_897

This is a few years old but I painted it while I was up on top of the hill by Trentham monument. It’s looking back towards the potteries with Trentham lake in the middle ground, obscured to some extent by the trees on the hill. I’m not that good at landscapes (this is acrylic on canvas). I guess it’s in my own style but it’s a little bit splodgy.

Anyway the reason for posting this is to inspire myself to do a few more. Perhaps we can get out into the open air this week and take some photos to work from.

More middleport photos

Posted on July 20, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Canal, Chimneys, Crane, Machines, Middleport, Photos, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trentLeave a comment

I took quite a few pictures and now I can post them. Images are from middleport pottery including chimneys, the canal, machinery that is stored outside and a crane over the canal. Hope you enjoy them.

Middleport

Posted on July 20, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Canal trip, Craft, Day trip in Staffordshire, Design, Great pottery throw down, Middleport, Museum, Pottery, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, VisitLeave a comment

I’ve got lots of images to show you but I’ve run out of space on my plan. I have gradually deleted old photos from posts but my camera takes pictures in megabits not kilobits so it eats memory. I shall probably pay and upgrade because I use a lot of images in this blog. Anyway Middleport pottery is hidden in the backstreets of middleport in Stoke-on-Trent. It is interesting to visit as it not only makes pottery but also sells it and is home to several craft shops which make studio pottery, sell photos and other craft ware.

If you are not doing a tour of the museum entrance is free. We went in the cafe then sat by the canal for a while. There is a boat tour that called at the pottery and we may go on it soon.

There is also Clay college based there where you can learn the craft of throwing pots, and it is the setting for the TV show the great pottery throw down.

Worth a visit.

Yesterday at Westport lake

Posted on July 17, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Art, Biro, Drawing, Landscape, Longport, Sketch, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, View, Westport lakeLeave a comment

It’s hot, I’m tired, I can’t sleep. I got a bit burned in the sun yesterday while I was drawing at Westport lake. These are just quick biro sketches on a Crawford and Black A4 130gsm cartridge paper sketch pad. Excuse the setting I don’t have many bright areas in the house that are shadow free so I ended up propping them up on the gas oven. Ah the joys of photography at 3am! Night all!

Cherished Chimneys

Posted on July 16, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Beautiful, Ceramics, Cherished Chimneys, Chimney, Fun, Life, Longport, Pottery, Stoke-on trentLeave a comment

I finally got into Cherished Chimneys in Longport, Stoke-on-Trent. Its an Aladdins cave of Chimney pots. Small, short, long, tall, fluted, straight, curved. Dark, light, terracotta, superb ceramics. The shop restores chimneys for buildings where the original pots have been lost, but also sells to the public who use them as ornamental sculptures and flower pots in their gardens. It’s worth taking a look if you are ever passing.

Glass for necklaces

Posted on July 15, 2019July 15, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Angela, Art, Craft, Creating, Creative, Fun, Glass, Spode, Staffordshire, Stoke, Stoke-on trent, Workshop4 Comments

I made these glass pieces in my friend Angela’s glass workshop. Now I’ve bought them to another friend who is going to wire weave round them and turn them into necklaces. Glass is fascinating. I now want to find out about stained glass and glass blowing. I’m only dabbling my toes into this craft but it’s great. I’m going to maybe get an enamel kiln but that’s another story…..

Talking of glass

Posted on July 14, 2019July 14, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Acava Studios, Angela Ashton's glass workshop, Art, Design, Eleanora st, Fun, Glass, Glass workshop, Spode, Spode site, Staffordshire, Stoke, Stoke-on trentLeave a comment

DSC_glass drop made at Angela's workshop

This is the glass drop piece that I mad in Angela Ashtons glass workshop thy I put together last week. I think it’s turned out really well. I am going to put something on about some glass marbles and my smaller glass pieces later on, but I’ve been out since 10am and it’s almost 6pm and to be honest I’ve sat down and don’t want to move!

I love working with glass. I’m so glad I’ve started exploring it. Thank you Angela x

Dinner time

Posted on July 13, 2019July 13, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Cooking, Evening meal, Food, Glass noodles, Jasmine rice, Lettuce, Sawadee Thai taste, Scallops, Sea bass, Staffordshire, Stoke, Stoke-on trent, Thai restaurant2 Comments

Scallops on lettuce with glass noodles.

Queen scallops on lettuce with glass noodles, and Seabass in a rich sauce.

We also had pork and pak choi with noodles and spicy sauce. When you are too tired to cook after a long day this is heaven. My hubby was so tired he almost fell asleep after the food, but we had a brisk walk home as there was quite a chilly breeze. For once it was great to sit down and watch some TV.

Now its three hours later and I’m off to bed for a rest. Goodnight.

Mystery Play day

Posted on July 13, 2019July 13, 2019 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Busy day, Mystery Plays, Penkhull mystery play, Performance, Props, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Tired2 Comments

I couldn’t take photos myself of the mystery play as I was busy setting up, then performing and finally taking down the show. These photos are courtesy of my friends Lorraine and Dean.

We started at 9am and finished around 6pm. You have to take props down to the green from the village hall. The volunteers then built three scaffolding towers to hang my backdrops off and to attach the wheel that had been made. Also to rest props on. Then the stools and tables had to come over. The chairs for the audience and choir and seating for fifty children from the drama school. In addition there were 18 stalls for crafts and food, gazebos for the various volunteers and changing room. A pa system, other things I can’t remember, and the roads had to be closed with barriers. After the play there were other performances including the titchy theatre. By the time we had taken everything down afterwards it was 6pm and everyone was exhausted, hence going out for a Thai meal rather than cooking. I’m shattered.

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Stoke-on trent