My Altered Book Angels & Poppies

Phew, I have finally done it, by the skin of my teeth and finished my altered book that I have to have ready before I leave on Wednesday as I only have 3 days after my return on the 12th, everything has to be in by Sunday 15th or latest Monday 16th. Since I don't like to be in my workroom on Sundays I thought I might just as well aim for the 15th. But although I said I have finished, there are always the last little things that must be tidied up. Things have a manner of unsticking themselves, or the pages don't seem to line up. This means cutting and chopping. Only, if I am not careful the book will end up even smaller, and that won't do.

So here it is my Angels & Poppies book.

It is the 5th I have done, the first two I made for an In Stitches exhibition and sold them immediately. Made me think that perhaps I didn't price it right. The third one called "Book of Flowers" was also sold for more of course; this was ar Ramster Embroidery Exhibition in 2005. My 4th, "Dragons & Butterflies" for the Wey Valley Workshop Exhibition last year, this didn't sell, maybe I asked too much? but am very glad I didn't because there is such a lot of myself and my family in it. Especially the grandchildren.

Big news: I did sell the Angels & Poppies last Friday 20th. When John and I arrived at the private view at Ramster Miranda Gunn (organiser) came and told me she had sold one of my items; the very first that went. I think she was just as pleased and thrilled as I was when I saw the red dot on the label. Of course I had another look and was quite surprised at how good it was, had forgotten that, or perhaps I had been too much on top of it and too stressed about it before leaving for LA. Am now planning the next one, and that will be even more in price.

This book is about Angels: I received so many beautiful Christmas cards that I was quite inspired. And the poppies came from a photograph I had taken the previous summer. And that was with my old camera. My new camera is brilliant takes much better photos, so hopefully I will have lots of great ones for book # 6.

So watch this space.

No, first I will have to go to South Pasadena and see Owen and Morgan before I start another.

The ill wind did blow good.

In my last post I wrote that I had trouble with my camera, it only took the two pix that I posted, all the others had disappeared. At first I thought it was battery problems, but when I had a moment on Wednesday morn to try and sort it out by putting in 2 new batteries and trying to take another picture of my Camellia what had grown fantastically it wouldn't take a pix at all. So off I tooled to the London Camera Shop in Guildford where I was told that it probably would have to be sent away to be fixed as it wasn't battery problems. This was a no-no as I was leaving for LA in a fortnight and it definitely wouldn't be back, and would over £90. When he heard that it had to fixed over a year ago - a new motherboard. The man said that it might be better to think of getting a new one. Lo and behold there was a brand new little camera just in the day before, and only £129.00 When I say little I mean little, not much bigger than a credit card, it fits ever so well in my hand and in my pocket. I did have the fleeting thought of trying to get one in LA or at the duty-free as the £ is so strong, but but thought the better of that. It comes with a guarantee so anything goes wrong I can toddle off to the camerashop in Guildford, much easier.

It comes with everything you need, a bigger battery, one of the square ones; and it charges up in a cradle. Have taken a few pix which I think are great. here is one. I am also adding one of our daffodils for Fred, as he said they don't have any in NY.

but even better is this of my Camellia. Hope you will like them. I have a lot to learn about this mini camera, but will take the instruction book to read on the plane. I have 9-10 hours and should get somewhere.

Tomorrow Sunday we are going to Mike & Rita's for mothering Sunday. Will tell you all about. I have a card already from Paul.

Will continue soon I hope, but my Altered Book still isn't finished and that had priority at the moment.

Our Visit to Greenpeace

Well, we had to get up at 6 am in order to leave the house at the crack of dawn, at 8 am. That for me is the crack. We managed our usual routine: walkup hill for John and Jellies, washing, 4 breakfasts and were in the car by 7.45 equipped with dog stuff, walking boots and cameras. John had primed the TomTom to take us to Canary Wharf where the greenpeach ship was moored. To our surprise we were directed to the M25 going westwards, but after Heathrow we were sent onto A4 and through town past the Museums, Harrods full of spring clothing. It seems as if beige is THE colour this season. Ugh. Then through Picadilly past Fortnum and Mason and then we were directed towards the river, past the Tower and lo and behold we arrived half an hour early which gave us the oportunity to find a parking space; not easy even though it was Sunday, everywhere double yellow lines. John decided that we should take the Jellies with us and tie them up at the railings by the Greenpeace tent. They were a great hit, all the young people who work with Greenpeace just loved them and made a tremedous fuss of them. They just lapped it up and didn't mind too much when we left them there to go and see the Arctic Sunrise, one of the Greenpeace ships.

Two very nice young and enthusiastic girls took us all over the ship. She is a 35 year old ex-seal hunter, and pretty basic as far as luxuries went, but with all the equipment necessary for hunting whalers and causing trouble for rainforest choppers and police who try to stop the Arctic Sunrise like when it were up in Scotland blockading the nuclear sub. base. There is a lot of hoo ha going on about replacing the Trident missiles, something that will cost approx. £25bn a sum too large for us to take in, but Tony Blair has no trouble with that. He is forcing it through Parliament as fast as possible. Quite a few of his back benchers won't vote with him, two or three ministers have resigned, the Lib Dems will vote against, but it is expected that even so he will get it through with the help of the Conservatives. They of course will vote for it as it means a lot work and sales etc. But why we need to be lumbered with acquiring these missiles and subs when anyone who has any 'nouse' will realise that we could never use them. And don't give me that these are sophisticated missiles that can target undergound targets and such.

Any way Greenpeace is demonstrating today out side Parliament both at lunch time and at 6pm. Not that Tony Blair and his lot will take much notice of what the people want or think.

The rest of the day we took the Jellies for their daily walk in Battersea Park. Great for them as it was a lovely spring morning and there were loads of walkers with dogs about as well as children riding about on reclining tricyles. These looked great I wouldn't mind having a go on one some day. The Jellies had a lot of socialising and running about. After that we went to our favourite restaurant The Ghurka Diner opposite Du Cane Court for a meal . We've been there often whenever John is letting out Du Cane appartment. They certainly remembered us and greeted us with open arms so to speak. After a super meal, Indian type but not so spicy, in fact much more delicate, we went home and arrived there about 4pm just in time for Jed&Nellie's meal. We were so full we didn't have anything that evening. It was a great day.

8th day finally

About time that I posted some more news about us. There seemed very little to report, not like Louise, but then she leeds (or is it leads?) such a busy life with her twosome.

I think here Spring has finally sprung, the daffodils are out all over the place some times too much of a good thing for me, all that yellow. But the magnolia next door is full of buds and flowers; and my camelia, in a pot which I was given last year by the In Stitches members as a thank you for what they said was my hard work, something I was not aware of at all. Any way my camelia is in full bloom after John put the put on the patio table and I was able to take a few pix. I even managed to capture a busy bee gathering honey and pollen.

Today we went out with the Jellies for their daily walk and Nellie disappeared once or twice. She roams far and wide, but after whistling for her she will always return. When we got to place where we had to turn back she was no where to be seen. A lot of whistling from me and from John, then my mobile phone rang; no she hasn't learnt to use that yet although I wouldn't put it past her, but someone had found her and contacted me to say that she had been chasing a fox right into their farm yard and that they had her. And to think we are not allow to "hunt foxes with dogs". But was I glad that I had their ID disks made with both our landline phone and my mobile # for Nellie, Jed's has John mobile # on it but he always comes back every now to see where we are. Much more the sort of dog you like to take for a walk. And was SO glad I had taken my mobile.

This is all for today. We are off to London tomorrow to visit the Greenpeace ship at Canary Wharf. An early start for us: 8 am off. I'll take my camera. So watch this space.

Just a post script

We are now back again and there is not much to report, the Jellies though are back to their usual routine and are basking in the sun in the front room. They are great sun worshippers. But I thought you might like some more pictures of our holiday. It really looks it was a boating holiday, but it wasn't, much more beach holiday specially for the Jellies.

At the moment I am very busy with finishing my Altered Book (the 5th) Angels and Poppies which has to be finished by the 26th as I am leaving on the 28th for S. Pasadena for my annual visit to the grandchildren. I return on the 12th of April and it all has to be in by the 15th of April for the exhibition at Ramster. .

This was my first.

So I will leave you now