My Halloween - food, face, flowers - 2011

Much belated, a few snippets from my Halloween Dinner party:
1. Autumn Squash and a lovely Black Bear brooch from Adadine (guilt gift from Mr P).
2. Facepaint always makes me happy.
3. Oxalis plant in a ceramic raku fired bowl I made in the early 90's.
4. Japanese snacks in a small ceramic tealight holder.

Christmas Traditions

Photographs of my parent's house, Christmas Day...




Heather shared some of her Christmas traditions and asked us me do to the same so...

1) A Christmas branch. I always get a fresh beautiful branch to decorate. Sometimes it is a compliment to a tree, other times it is instead of one.

2) Home-made decorations. I always make some decorations, usually paper based but sometimes using other materials. Paper snowflakes are a regular. I really truly do love most the kind of decorations that remind me of childhood. I still treasure my silver stars made about 10yrs ago from cut card wrapped with tinfoil. I really love them even though they, or maybe because, they look like a kid made them.

3) A Stocking. Some say I am too old but I still love the thrill of a stocking at the bottom of the bed, that rustling sound, seeing the wonderful way my mothers old tights (panty hose) can magically stretch to accomodate any shape of package. My mum (Santa) has been supplying them to my brother and I even though we left home years ago and if ever she couldn't then a friend or boyfriend could usually be persuaded to fill the gap and make my day.

4) Trifle! Christmas is always an excuse to indulge in a huge home-made trifle. I tend to make to, one for friends to share and one to have all to myself so that I don't eat the one for them! I like to really ladle on the port, it reminds me of visiting my grandparents in the holidays when I was really young.

5) A Bath. I'm a shower person for reasons of time, enrgy efficiency and money, but if I have access then I always like to have a long indulgent 2hr soak in a bath as a Christmas treat with dozens of candles, relaxing essential oils and beautiful music or an audio book.

Gosh, I typed this before Christmas and was waiting to get some images to go along with each tradition. But things didn't work out as planned and for the first time ever not one of those traditions has happened. I did get the contents of a Christmas stocking, but because I wasn't well enough to sleep over at my parent's house I didn't actually wake to a stocking.

Winter wishes

Wishing all of you best wishes for the holidays, whether you are in sun or snow, heat or cold, I wish you the best from frosty Scotland and thanks you for all your visits and comments this year.

I knew I wasn't going to make real cards this year, but I had hoped to at least do an e-card. Now that I'm home and I'm way too tired to face computer work so here's a rehash of an old graphic, it's not gorgeous but I think it's seasonal.

Things are looking pleasantly seasonal here, everything continues to be frosty through the day even with the sun shining, which makes for such a beautiful twinkly winter scene...sparkly sparkly, better than diamonds in my opinion. Will try to do a better post tomorrow, after some proper sleep.

December already

This is Mr P's cat doing an impression of Marley sleeping on his own face. I think he was simply overcome by the speed at which the months are flying by. December already, scary. One minute it was May and then we blinked, got wet, had a little sunshine, blinked again and suddenly there are Christmas lights being switched on all over the place. Nice to hear that so many places are using solar powered lights this year.

I'd love to get some solar LED's for the tree in my garden but I'm not keen on the blue-ish light from the cheap LED's and the ones with the pure white light cost to much just now. Hopefully the prices will have dropped by next year. Speaking of energy saving light bulbs, I finally found somewhere that sells dimmable eco-bulbs and daylight (full spectrum) eco bulbs - Nigel's Eco Store.

Tagged - 5 weird/random things

Bibbi Forsman, Swedish ceramicist (whose garlands I love), has tagged me and for once I'm trying to respond fairly quickly. I am still owing 2 previous tags.

Here are the rules:

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2. Share 5 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

It's hard for me to say which of these is random, and which is weird, or perhaps both? You be the judge.

1. Last night I looked like this...


2. That was my first social outing since the 7th of August. when K was here. A belated Day of the Dead party, I'm a Skeleton Bride. I fell asleep in a chair for 2hrs wearing an old net curtain and my trusty skeleton top, then I got a prize for most ghoulish and went home. Not my usual level of participation but no-one seemed to mind too much even though I've not spoken to most of them in person since I started getting sicker 6 months ago. Later I tried it with a wig...


3. The current temperature in my house averages 8ºc in the warmest area.

4. My hair is long and always gets onto things. When I was at Ikea I used to worry it would get on a cushion and someone dodgy would by it and then my hair, my DNA, would be found at the crime scene!!!

5. I have watched the punk/stationery village* part of The Mighty Boosh about 14 times in 2 days (online).

I'm a real Boosh nerd, I love it in the way you love things when you're in your teens and early twenties, where you learn the lines and bore people by inserting them into conversations. So it's probably a good thing I'm not out socialising these days. I'm loving the 3rd series, the first two episodes have already had gems that rate among my favourites. I watched series 1 on DVD even more, especially the Tundra episode, with the Tundra Rap, a classic. The conversion about the mink coat cracks me up every time. For me the cricket dance is right up there with David Brent's dance in The Office. I love the sweet bits when Vince and Howard have their little chats, and I loved the intro's in front of the red curtain, wish they still did them. I don't like the more aggressive or nasty bits, and some of the songs irritate me, but it's all worth it for the gems which I am hugely refraining from quoting at you :0).
*you can watch series 3 episode 2 online 'till next Wednesday then it'll be shown on BBC3

If they are willing and able, I tag: Mien, Susan (get well soon), Camilla, Christine and Megan,

Mary-Clare Buckle felt maker

Stars and Stripes by UK fibre/textile artist Mary-Clare Buckle

Happy Independence day to my US readers and friends.
We had sun all day until the thunder and rain started 30 minutes ago. I managed to get my washing dried outside and save it before the rain hit, so it's been a very good 4th of July for me. Hope you are all having some sort of fun too.

Papercutting for your pleasure

Ok Liz, sorry I'm late with this post for you, last 2 days were overwhelming and I had no brainpower for finding the original links for all these images. The nature of the work means the skill, intricacy and beauty of papercuts is usually best seen by visiting the original sites where they tend to be shown larger, and with other works by each artist. It's missing some key ones I really wanted to show you as most of my gazillion papercut links and images are on my own computer (as opposed to Mr P's which I've been using this year) but here is a small selection to wet your whistle. I've tried to make it quite varied.

This one was too rude for my wholesome clean livin' site but I knew you'd like it! It's by Sangeeta Sandrasegar at Mori Gallery 2003. Here's another of her cut from her, still has naughty bits but not as blantantly obvious, from her 'Goddess of Flowers' series, Untitled No.26, 2003, found here.



Papercut originally uploaded by Saillena.
I love the red on blue.

The 2007 calendar of Nikki McClure. Available from Buyolimpia these are soy ink prints of her delightful papercuts. See the cut detail on Girl and Boy...




'Central Park Resevoir' by Drew King.


Detail from one of Peter Callesen's 2007 large installations.


Lonnie Hutchinson's installation 'Sista Girl' 2004.


Meredith McNeal has cut images from vintage wallpaper in her show Keeping Room (on till May 27th, Figureworks, Brooklyn, NYC). The show also features her miniature paper dresses inside bell jars.


When a sent a certain someone (hello you) one of my tree papercuts they gave me a link for Yuken Teruya's toilet roll tubes cuts at The Saatchi Gallery, but what I fell in love with were his trees cut from and displayed within paper bags like one below. Other favourites were the Louis Vuitton, the MacDonald's (the text looks like blossom) and the Marc Jacobs. This one is LVMH - Le Bon Marche, 2005.


Traditional Japanese papercut (Kiri-e) by Maasaaki Endo.


Detail from the intro page of Papercuts.Us by Rick Jones.


The collage/papercuts of Virginia Rose Kane using ephemera.
Here are two examples, 'Felice' & 'Iris'.


Archie Granot cuts Jewish Ketubahs.
This one has 7 layers of paper.


Some of Gerlof Smit's new contemporary paper works and below them one of his more traditional pieces. I like a lot of his paper jewellery.



Ooh, just discovered someone new to me, and her site is well designed which is always a bonus. Artist April has a site (and blog) full of her art including her varied papercuts like this ship, 'Eat Food not too much, mostly plants', and Mizrach. I LOVE this cut entitled 'Lungs'. April, I'd love to see you do a brain!


Heather Moore (Hi Heather!) who makes nice silhouettey magnets and textile prints had a link on her blog to a great papercut book on Etsy by Pistoles Press.
Beatrice Straubhaar's papercut designs are also available as prints on items for the home.
Huge papercut at Beijing World Art Museum.
Blue and red loveliness of giftnamie.
Crisp and graphic red on white Chinese papercuts.
Red laser cut Li Xi gift envelope.
Chinese papercut shop photo.
Very old French papercut slides.
Paper cuts have nice shadows.

Ok, I have SO many more but I think my body may finally allow me to sleep (the co-codamol didn't work, blugh). I you enjoyed this, and when I'm back on my own computer I'll post the ones that I think you'll really love. Happy Birthday Liz, I really hope you'll feel well enough to come home soon,until then I wish you sunny skies, birdsong and the energy to enjoy some surfing. Love C xxx

Pictures not words

Thanks for you sweet messages xox
Can't give you words so I'll give you pictures for a little while.
My April (at the museum)...

Burns Night

Update - I've just revisted this post and seen how weird the fonts have gone, hope this fixes it a little though only a complete re-write will fix properly - sorry.

It's Burns night here in Scotland and we traditionally celebrate with a Burns Supper. Last year we had it in the Arctic Circle. except when it was all made it turned out Andy had bought the meat haggis instead of the veggie one, so I couldn't have it. I was so upset - and hungry.

No time to blog with pictures but I like a vegetarian haggis from here on Burns night (and any other cold night for that matter). Eugh I hear many of you say, but strust me VEGGIE HAGGIS IS DELICIOUS. I've lost count of how many meat eaters now thrive on MacSween's veggie haggis instead of the meat variety. It is served with Neeps and Tatties (that's turnips and potatoes to non Scots). Very delicious comfort food.

Here thanks to the MacSween site are traditional Burns Poems often read as part of the Burns Supper (it's all very ordered you know).

Burns Poems
Here is the text of the most popular poems used at Burns Night events - The Selkirk Grace, To A Haggis and Auld Lang Syne...

Selkirk Grace

Some hae meat and canna eat
And some wad eat that want it:
But we hae meat and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit.

To A Haggis

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great Chieftan o' the Puddin'-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye wordy of a grace
As lang's my arm.

The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o' need,
While thro' your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.

His knife see Rustic-labour dight,
An' cut you up wi' ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

Then, horn for horn they stretch an' strive,
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;
Then auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
Bethankit hums.

Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi' perfect sconner
Looks down wi' sneering, scornfu' view
On sic a dinner?

Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;
Thro' bluidy flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!

But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll mak it whissle;
An' legs, an' arms, an' heads will sned,
Like taps o' thrissle.

Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o' fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies;
But, if you wish her gratefu' pray'r,
Gie her a Haggis!

Auld Lang Syne*

Should auld acqaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acqaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!
And gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak' a ight gude-willie waught,
For auld lang syne.

For auld lang syne, my jo,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

Robert Burns 1759-1796

* This version is taken from The Kilmarnoch Edition.