Social Media...'To be or not to be'...

This Social media malarkey is a funny old game...

I actually really enjoy my blog-for no other reason other than I like to write-I like to chat-I like to share-but for some reason it gets neglected. I wonder if this is because I do not fully understand the blog existence...I am still trying to work out how do I get a feed from a blog-I just seem to get them through Facebook....How do I respond to a blog post...I know how to do it once I am signed in...and is it me..but once signed in I find it a little boring.

 But so many people blog so I feel more homework and research ahead to understand this area of social media.

I have been drawn into Facebook..to which at the beginning I did not like-but I now find it a useful tool for research...Twitter...still not doing anything for me...

So my blog is about my take on SM (social media) can I be a dinosaur and go back to the good old days. I am 48 and thankfully from the generation that was still allowed to play in the streets and the back door was left unlocked...I hear about this on TV documentaries....HELLO I'm still alive...I cannot be seeing my life in a documentary just yet!!

Oh and the young student who came into lesson with the most exquisite pixie boots on...boy did she feel fab until her ageing lecturer pointed out she had a VERY similar pair way back when....and they were bought  to match the 'Bowie Bags' ( you may need to Google that one) that were bought 2nd hand (it is now fashionable to buy from charity shop but in my day(gosh in my day!!)...and a Pirate Shirt...( thanks to Kathleen Bains mum for the design) not forgetting the comb over hair style...

Oh and the grand finale... Chris Evans on Radio Two, Janice Long still doing the night shift..and Paddington Bear ....THE MOVIE!!!


And for the record we all get old - but inside-we really really don't...


Which will explain so many things from my younger days...

Christmas is coming...

      Don't you just love people like me...but if I have to start thinking of Christmas now then I think it is only fair that I share...

Ok-only the one picture of Molly building a snowman last year...

 

        I thought I would be honest and show you where I work, not the nice and tidy workstations that you generally see-my genuine work in progress 'Den'. It may look a little un-organised but I know where everything is...well almost...

 





 

       There was no way I was going to show you how many boxes of fabric I have...but needless to say enough to open up my own haberdashery department. Every now and again I have to go through to remind myself of what I have and it is like a journey down memory lane.

 

      Fabric from Soho Silks in London, or remnants from Abingdon, Oxfordshire and the longest time-which I think is now antique (its over twenty years) a piece of fine pin stripe wool from Edinburgh...

 

      Well as I said in the beginning, Christmas is not too far away so back to my making..







 

 

Memory Lane...

Life is full of surprises and non more than my old teaching ground! My first lecturing job was at Cleveland College of Art & Design at Burlum Road in Middlesbrough-it was a great venue-a flash back to how art colleges used to be in the 70's(not that I can remember them-just what I have read about!) So when we heard it was to close you can imagine how upsetting it was.
So when I went to visit the old haunt-imagine my surprise when I found this in its place...


 

 

It certainly has been cleaned up! The windows above was one of the art rooms the office I worked from with Amanda Smith is the small window above the bins!

 

 

 

 

 

So my old haunt is a great little tea room and very nice apartments. The owner of the Tea Room very kindly showed me around-I tried to place the different rooms and areas but it had changed so so much-and for the better! There was only one down side...

 

 

This beautiful press was left behind and is now used as a centre piece to the entrance to the Tea Room-very sad as it used to work but it is all rusted now.

 

If you are ever over Middlesbrough way then call into to this little gem of a Tea Room-great cakes, fabulous service and a room full of memories!



 

 

 

 

 



Oh my goodness..September already...

...is anyone else out there totally surprised it is September!

Two years ago I left my job as a lecturer but I still see September as the start of the year...strange that I do not seem to able to shake that feeling!
I still like the excitement that it brings-we have had an amazing summer and you can feel the change in the air...slightly darker...slightly cooler...and that smell...cant describe it but I always say I can smell the seasons change...

 

Dare I mention the C word...

Snape Textiles

I have been a member of Snape Textiles for a few years now-well I thought it was a few until I started chatting with Julie and Kathryn...then realised it was actually ten!!! The group meets once a month and runs a series of workshops with invited professionals along with two 'Get Togethers' and an exhibition on August Bank Holiday Monday every year. The exhibition is part of Snape Village  Show and is quintessentially English-with displays of locally grown produce in the village hall, light refreshments in the Church Hall and the local history group next door to us. You can make it a great day out as we are just along the road for Thorpe Perrow. The show is on from 1pm to 5pm.
So some images of our latest Get Together...let me know what you think!

Amazing talent...

I'm not going to say too much in this posting but take a look at the images...

 

 

 

 

 

 

...and I hope you are as surprised as me

 

at the age of the students...

 

16yrs...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Transfer Dye Printing Workshop...

A great day printing...nothing much to say-think the pictures tell the story!

 

Thank you to the E.G. Newcastle for making me feel so welcome and for a gorgeous lunch...and tea...and biscuits!