I’ve not been here in blog-land for a while, because Si and I popped up to Northumberland for a few days holiday. We were really lucky to have lots of lovey sunshine and I am happy to report that we did nothing, expect walk and walk and walk along the sea-shore and in beautiful gardens…
Some girls get diamonds: my husband got me a paint chart. And I can’t tell you how happy I am! Often when I am looking for colour inspiration I turn to Mother Nature, she just gets it so right: well so do the lovely people in Scandinavia, especially those in Norway. Last year, when Si and me visited Norway I was blown away by the WHOLE country. I expected to fall in love with the culture and outdoor lifestyle, what I didn’t quite expect to fall in love with was the colour of the buildings…
Reds, blues, oranges, greens, whites (in every shade), the buildings just oozed colour. The colour was simply inspirational. I loved it. Naturally I wanted to recreate the colour in crochet work. So, I needed yarn that reflected the colours of the buildings. Early one morning, while in Norway, Si went out for a walk. He came back beaming with the fact that he had found me a present. My lovely, lovely, man had been into a DYI store and in his best Norwegian (which is actually very good) explained to the bewildered man about his wife’s love of colour. He came back with colour charts…
What better way for me to colour match my yarn, to the colours of Norway, than through a paint chart…
Some girls get diamonds: me, I’m happy with a colour chart!
I went to Norway with the expectation that I would be blown away by the stunning scenery; the deep blue fjords, the tree covered hills and the snow-capped mountains. What I wasn’t quiet expecting was the inspiration that I would find in the colours of the buildings. The buildings reflect the colours found in nature, but they are so vivid, bright and alive. Naturally I took lots of photographs, so that I could colour match them to yarn and crochet myself something very special: and so that I could share them with you lovelies…
While I was in Norway, Si was indulgent enough to allow be to visit every yarn shop we passed. I am so glad he did. I fell completely and utterly in love with Dale Yarn. Dale is famous for its Norwegian jumpers, so naturally there produce the most amazing yarn. I didn’t bring any Dale yarn back to York with me, suitcase allowances and all-that, so my hunt is on to find some Dale yarn here in England…
It’s been a bit quiet here in blog-land, as I’ve been away. You’ll be hearing quite a lot about my time away over the next few weeks. I’m not going to apologise for telling you about my time away, I’ve had an amazing time and can’t wait to share some of it with you!
I want to start with the most amazing exhibition that I have ever visited. The exhibition featured crochet: in a way that I have never seen before. The exhibition was inspiration, fun, poignant, thought-provoking but most of all you walked around with a giant grin on your face.
The exhibition was at the Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustrimuseum, which is the national museum of decorative arts and design, in Trondheim, Norway. The exhibition Into the Zoo featured work by the incredibly talented Felieke Van Der Leest . Felieke Van Der Leest combines plastic animals with precious metals and textile techniques, especially crochet, to create a zoo where humor and seriousness go hand in hand. The aim of her work is to appeal to both the inquisitive child and the playful adults: and it certainly did.
Want to see?
This is a small selection of Felieke Van Der Leest amazing creations on display. If you’re grinning like I was when I saw her work, I would recommend treating yourself to a copy of the exhibition book the Zoo of Life. The book has lots and lots of photographs of Felieke Van Der Leest’s work and also explains the thinking behind some of her creations. The book is a lovely memory of this amazing exhibition and will put a smile on your face!
Thank you for the staff at Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustrimuseum who allow photographs (without flash) to be taken in the galleries! If this exhibition ever comes to your country, please, please, please, get yourself along!
A few weeks ago Si and I decided to head to London for a few days. While in London we walked and walked and walked: we did lots of sight-seeing and spent lots of time wandering around the streets. On one of our wanderings we came across the most amazing art installation hanging on the walls near local shops and cafes. I thought that you’d like to see, so I took lots of pictures for you. Ready for some shape, pattern and colour? Good…
The installation is by the talented artist DaleDevereux Barker. I love his use of shape, pattern and colour. I hope you find it as inspiring!
Si and I decided to go away for a few days and visit the Lake District. It was lovely: just lovely. To be outdoors in amazing country-side: at a time when the trees were beginning to turn crisp and Autumnal. I know the Lake District very well, having lived there for four years, while I studied at university in Ambleside. We decided not to stay in Ambleside, but the small village of Coniston, where I spent childhood holidays…
Coniston was the perfect base for exploring. We visited Tarn Hows…
John Ruskin’s home Brantwood…
Beatrix Potter’s home Hill Top…
Saw the watering-can, that Peter Rabbit fell into…
We walked, and walked and walked though beautiful woodlands…
Seeing amazing waterfalls…
Not to mention the visits to tea-rooms and pubs: if you find yourself in Coniston, make sure you try the beer from the local brewery - it's fantastic! The perfect Autumnal break…
It seems like a long time since I last posted to you. We’ve been away on our summer jollies. We’ve been somewhere with beautiful blue sky and seas…
We’ve been somewhere with beautiful long deserted sandy beaches…
Any ideas where we’ve been? No, ok I keep on with the clues. We’ve been somewhere where castles dominate the skyline, making amazing silhouettes…
With the long sandy beaches and the blue sea and sky we
could have been anywhere, some far flung island. The castles are the give-away, that we stayed
much much closer to home. We’ve been to Northumberland. Just a couple of hours
up the A1, from York and you arrive at one of the most wonderful, relaxing
places I know.
I feel like I have had a proper holiday, a long relaxing, chilled out break. Our days were filled with late breakfasts, slow walks around castles and gardens, long leisurely evening meals followed by long walks along the beach: with the occasional pause for afternoon tea…
I have come home truly refreshed. I can’t wait to share with you some of the
picis that I took at the Alnwick Garden (I took soooooo
many: but don’t worry I wont bore you with them all) I think that I will remain
inspired for a good few months to come.
Ps – back to crochet for the next post…
Pps - Happy, hapPY, HAPPY, Yorkshire Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We’ve been away; we’ve been to Cornwall to stay with Si’s parents. Last time we visited, we had just started remodelling our home. This time it was lovely to visit without the phone going every half hour with the builders telling us of the new problems he had found. We were soooooo lucky with the weather, it was cold but dry – which suited me just fine. I thought you might like to see a few of picis? Ready?
Woodlands full of Bluebells…
Woodlands full of Wild Garlic…
Wondering around one of the woodlands, I came across
this yarn bombed tree…
Beaches full of pebbles…
My father-in-law tells me that I made my cream tea,
wrong. Sorry P! Apparently putting the cream on
first is the Devon way of doing things.
Who knew that the placement of jam and cream could be so controversial? I hope I haven’t offended anyone? It's just
the way I like it!
Lots of time in the evening for crochet…
A lovely, lovely short break in Cornwall!
Sorry that there hasn’t been a post this week: Si and I have been away. We’ve had a wonderful week in Winchester. Winchester is the most loveliest of cities: and could even give York a running for my top city award. Everything about our holiday was fab-u-lous : the hotel, the food, even the weather. The weather was perfect mooching weather: cold, crisp and clear. This meant lots of wondering around looking at the beautiful city; punctuated with visits to coffee-shops for winter warm-ups! I took lots and lots and lots of picis, so I thought I’d share with you just a few of the highlights…
Wonderful Winchester by night…
Healthy holiday breakfasts, thanks to the amazing Café Monde…
Like everywhere, Winchester had soooo much rain that the Cathedral Crypt was flooded, making the sculpture by Antony Gormley looked even
more impressive…
Beautiful stained glass by William Morris and Edward Burne-Jones…
A quick visit to the amazing artist studios and craft shop,
at the Colour Factory…
A day trip to Salisbury Cathedral…
Everything about Winchester was perfect, even their street bollards…
If you are ever near Winchester I would recommend that you visit,
after you have visited York, of course!
Cornwall was a welcome contrast to the hustle and bustle of London. We had a wonderful break with Si’s parents; visiting National Trust properties and small market towns. All around us Autumn seemed to have arrived; here are just a few of the picis I took, of all the wonderful, inspirational colours…
No trip to Cornwall would be complete without a visit to the sea-side…
Right now I am happy to be home. Home is becoming less and less like a building site; the builders have told me that they will be finished by Wednesday. Si is sealing in the new plaster; and I have my first Christmas cake baking in the oven and a steaming hot cup of tea waiting for me. Happy Days!
I love to create beautiful things out of yarn. I love textile crafts, especailly crochet.
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