The odd box

This is a quick post. 
I have a query.

Today I took Big Sis and Little Sis to our local fair (cue gratuitous picture of cute camper van).

Don't worry I'm not going to take you right around (although the temptation to dwell on some of the treasures is very appealing).

No.

I'm just going to show you this.

A lovely roomy sewing box in need of a little tlc...

... for £3!

But if you look at the front you might notice something a bit odd.

And again at the back.

So if we look at the base we get this.

What's going on there?

Why the bulge?

It's not there on the inside.

Secret panels?

Just a peculiar design feature that didn't quite take off?

Suggestions please.

Confusedly,

Jane x

Another Place - but where exactly?

This Easter Sunday was the first time in years that Mr K and I hadn't been involved in an Easter egg hunt. The girls were safely ensconced at friends houses for sleepovers ( I love the fact they include 'sleep' in that word - wishful thinking perhaps) so we had the day to ourselves. For a long time now I have wanted to go and see the Antony Gormley installation at Crosby beach so we decided to go on a hunt of our own.
The piece is entitled 'Another Place' and consists of one hundred life size replicas of Gormley placed at intervals over three kilometres of the beach. As the tide ebbs and flows they are gradually revealed or submerged but retain their gaze out to sea. I'd heard various accounts from people - whatever time of day or night, whatever the weather is doing the effect is magical. What are they looking at? Opinions vary. Some think they are looking over to America and dreaming of golden opportunities. Others think it could be anywhere but here - the grass is always greener etc. I had high hopes. I imagined flouncing between an army of cast iron figures with endless photo opportunities and periods of meditation.

What I didn't expect was this.

The tide was in.

What now?

Plan B.

Choose a direction to walk in. Fifty fifty chance of getting it right. Right sounds right, right?

Off we go.

We started off along the beautiful grassy dunes.

And I was quite taken with this flower!

Then we cut down on to the beach.

It was cold. Sooo cold.

Have you ever seen a dog shiver?

I was fascinated by the amount of worn bricks and pottery that we found.

Later on we discovered that it was rubble from the blitz on Liverpool in World War Two. It had been collected to bolster the sea defences along the beach.

The tide receded further.

But still no figures.

Just this.

I did get quite excited about this shell though and put it in my pocket 'to do something with'. It's still there. 

We turned back toward the car and promised ourselves a large coffee as a reward.

Then we saw this.

Okay let's get closer.

Can you see it?

Right - I'm running up to investigate further.

Only one so far but what an impact.

We waited a little longer to see the others just starting to emerge from the sea.

But by now our stomachs were calling, our ears had numbed and even Jessie Dog was fading.

We had promised ourselves fish and chips at Southport for Sunday tea. 

As we turned we noticed this bizarre image from where we had just been.

A huge fire in the dunes. How did that happen?

Okay it didn't turn out quite as I had expected but it was a memorable day nonetheless. I'm certainly going to go back and see the rest at some point but next time perhaps when it's a bit warmer - and the tide is out.

And remember - right isn't always right, right?

Jane x

You can find out more about 'Another Place' here and there are some wonderful pictures of the blitz rubble here.

The good, the bad and the deeply unfortunate

Welcome April

Detail from 'The Goose Girl' by Jessie Willcox Smith

Let's start in reverse order.

Several years ago I decided I was going to make a toy. This was at a time when I had not yet properly rediscovered my crafty mojo but it was there - behind the scenes - urging me to have a go.
I've always been one to look at things closely and tell myself 'I think I could do that - no really I could - I must try it', so when the fashion for 'ugly' dolls popped up I spied my chance.
What could go wrong? Surely any mistakes could be made to look intentional.
I ferreted out some old material and set to. 

I didn't need a pattern - that would add to the fun.
Then I had a brilliant idea. I could give it to Little Sis for Christmas. Oh yes a handmade toy that would be the envy of all her friends. Hand crafted by her gloriously talented mum it would be handed down through future generations as a thing of awe, alongside tales of Great Great Grandma cutting up old dresses and stitching by the fire on cold, dark December evenings. He would be called Festive.

I feel I should introduce him gradually.

Cheery material - tick

Attempt at cheeky face - oh

The disproportionate result of not using a pattern - good grief

He certainly made an impact.

Christmas morning saw Little Sis gleefully unwrapping her special present. Big Sis had just received the phone that she had been asking for and was suitably thrilled. Then a  foot popped out and the mood was set. The unwrapping slowed and, in spite of trying to remain chipper, Little Sis's face fell. By the time all the paper had gone she could hold back no more. 

She wept.

It was deeply unfortunate.

On the plus side we all remember that special day and it is something we can now look back on and have a good laugh. In years to come tales may still be told about the arrival of Festive but not quite with the same twist as I was expecting.

Now for the bad.

Those of you familiar with blogland will have seen the glorious abundance of Easter trees popping up everywhere. Wonderful Spring twigs festooned with hand crafted decorations and chocolate eggs.

With my usual gung ho attitude I had a thought. One that by now I should be wary of.

'I could do that'.

Can you guess what I did?

Can you guess what I did now?

Did you expect this?

No - neither did I. 

As I patiently sat and blew two eggs clean before placing them in food colouring to dye them pastel shades of pink and blue to lovingly hang from a twig of Pussy Willow, I had no idea of how they could go so sadly awry.

Hmm.

Time for some good!

For Mother's Day Big Sis bought me this

Maybe it was a hint.

If I was going to continue with my crafty nonsense perhaps it would be a good idea to follow a pattern.

So this Easter two special friends arrived.

One for each Sis.

Happy faces

Made with love

The response was good. There were no tears.

No tears is good!

At last 'I did a good!'

Maybe I should stop there?

No chance - too many thoughts going on over here.

What next?

 Hope you are doing some good things this Easter.

Jane x

March 32nd

In honour of it being the coldest March for six billion years I declare a new date 

- March 32nd.

And with that new date comes my March mood board.

 Each month I seem to be saying that finding new growth was tough. But still it was there.

My first crocus

A dancing daffodil

The beautiful blue muscari that has seen it though the deep freeze

Buds -  just daring to unfurl

Flowering currant

Forsythia

The promise of heady scents

Lilac

Honeysuckle

Fresh new leaves

And the old stalwart that has seen us right through 

So with that please enjoy your extra day - although I think we might have to give April 1st a miss.

Jane

x

(P.S. Go check out Bee's over at The Linen Cloud - she's got daisies!)