Marylin Pompkoe

Okay so I'm a bit late to show you my Halloween creation but hey, better late than never!

The girl with the Ginger hair

me and my good friend Adele


I was really very proud of this painting, and I haven't really been able to truly say that for anything I've created since school. It was another birthday gift for my friend Adele (remember last years?) I always try to make her gifts as I know she really appreciates them and would prefer that to anything I could buy her in a shop. As you can see...she's ginger...The painting was based on a Roy Lichtenstein called 'girl with the hair ribbon' I just love his vibrant and glamorous , pop art style. I used acrylic on canvas and changed the hair colour to make it more suitable!

Get in touch via email with the address you want it sent to! Congratulations! And here's the proof

Phew...that was fun...

*** First MAD Giveaway! ***

Get excited guys, this is my first EVER giveaway! remember this necklace? If you want it, it could be yours! Okay so I was supposed to post this on my blogs birthday, but, as per usual, I am woefully unorganised and I TOTALLY missed that one! Anyway, the old google analytics page has been in the red a bit lately so of course I will be shamelessly using this as a chance to spread the word about my blog, which means:

for one entry - comment on this post

for two entrys - tweet about the post and comment leaving your twitter details

for THREE entrys - post about the giveaway on your own blog and comment a link to it

Yes, I am that desperate...oh yeah, the winner will be anounced this time next week and family members are not able to enter! Good Luck!

Stained glass window card, cookies and apple crumble fail

Recently (well, if you call bank holiday weekend recent) I went on another restorative trip to sheepy ceredigion. I always manage to get something crafty done whilst I'm there. Here however, I have an entire craft ROOM which just gets filled with CRAP and I never touch it! This time I painted my Aunts thankyou card using stained glass window paints and acetate.

I also finally met the children that live down the road (my mum is always talking about them) and I did some cooking with them, we picked apples from the trees around the house to make an apple crumble - which wasn't really that great as we didn't put any liquid in with the apples, used buckwheat flour and accidentely cooked it using the grill for half an hour! but I still pulled my Betty Crocker pose in spite of that. It's a pity I didn't have my apron with me to wear!

The next day I had a more sucessful culinary venture with these cookies, can I just say wow to sophie who created the recipe. I made two giant ones and letter labelled them for the kids (I don't actually have any pictures of this but the effect was created by dusting icing sugar through large block letter shapes cut out of paper - kind of like the coffee bean that starbucks dust on top of a cappuccino!)

Once again though I almost cried when it was time to go home at the end of the weekend - I swear it gets harder to leave every time...We have rescue horses there now too; Blaze and Ellie and Blaze is my baby - he's nearly ready to let me ride him!

Inner Child

A couple of weekends ago we went to the Bristol Harbour festival, it was great fun. In fact I think I reverted to a child as I bought a bubble gun, had my face painted and made little animals out of clay in the tent that was most probably meant for children... It was a make and do extravaganza!

There was an amazing market too and most of the things sold were handmade. This is where my beautiful flower hair garland came from - I have actually been thinking about crafting some kind of permanant daisies to make into a daisy chain head band. Ever since John made me a real one and I thought it suited me in a hippy, flower-child sort of way. So far though, I have only gotten as far as to buy some green silk embroidery thread, so this one should do me for now. Talking of festivals, I'm actually going to V-fest next weekend, and after the lady with the rainbow hair and funky eyes painted onto her eyelids has inspired me, I'm seriously tempted to bring my face paints.

Anyway, I'm off to a work soft-play outing to release my inner child again...

Home is where the heart is...or should be

Whilst staying with my parent's in Wales a couple of months ago, we went to the beach (it's kind of half pebble beach and half sandy beach.) We played a game just looking at the smooth flat pebbles that came in all sorts of size/shape variations and, kind of like that looking in the clouds game tried to find shapes that reminded us of things. We found a bunny rabbit shape which also could have been an axe, a gun...orrrr a penis! (what is this crazy connection between rabbits and phallic symbols?...very disturbing) and a perfect kidney bean shape which my dad painted a smile onto.
I also picked four smooth, similiar sized, circular or oval stones to make lettered stepping stones from, my inspiration being this delightfully shabby chic Laura Ashley sign.


I have now made a little windowsill display comprising of these, my giraffe statue and an oil burner! random, but I like it, and it's these little personal touches that make a house feel like home. Funnily enough though this house doesn't feel nearly as much like home as the house in that beautiful corner of the welsh coast where my parents are - and I've never even lived there! but hey ho! you can't win 'em all and I'm definately working on it.

Cute as a button

I have had this jacket since I was about seventeen, so that's seven years its been button-less in my wardrobe - I don't even remember what the buttons looked like! anyway check out my pastel-buttoned-new-lease-of-life jacket!

The sewing is possibly not up to much as I'm not the greatest seamstress in the world but as long as they stay put I'm happy. Here's hoping the weather stays this gorgeous though and I wont even have the need to wear it! My beady little eyes will be looking out in the charity shops for other little beauties to make use of my button box, I'm envisioning a little button pinafore dress...

Down at craft corner

Way back in August, I decided to start this blog. As I'm sure I've mentioned once or twice, I was heavily influenced by the only blog I read at the time; Mrs Priss, who after posting about her crafty area inspired me to create my own craft corner, be more true to my creative side and blog about the results.

So there it is, my craft area, it's been almost a year in the making but I've finally gotten round to revealing it to you

Decorative letters, bunting and my 'wall of frame'

and some under the desk storage. Usually I end up doing crafty things all spread out over the floor in front of this desk rather than on it, and I have yet to get hold of the perfect chair but the intention is there.

A REAL charity shop

I must admit I a bit of a charity shop addict, but recentely they have been letting me down left right and centre. I just don't really think the average old biddy knows what the, shall we say 'street value' of a lot of items are - but let's not get started on a great big rant because I do try to avoid that on here (one of the many reasons for my spasmodic posting!)

Aaaaaanyhoo... the little spot of paradise where my parents live seems to me to have, what I call REAL charity shops, in its vicinity;


this lot, cost me £2.98, that's right - and those suitcases were 99 english pence each! - but it's really not just about the price, because obviously I realise it's all for a good cause. It's just the sheer volume of quality items that they seem to have in comparison to my local treasure troves, basically, you don't have to work quite so hard to find a real gem item (which in all honesty, simply appeals to my lazy side)

Anyway, my plan for those suitcases is for crafty storage and the jar is going to be for either sugar or pasta I haven't decided yet....also, I have decided, my NEXT post WILL include a picture of the infamous craft corner, no more beating around the bush.

Baby Love

So Friday was my boss' youngest daughter's first birthday. She's also recently moved into my room (I work in a nursery), I thought I'd get my crafty head on to make her present.

Using a slight adaptation of Mrs Priss' floral creations - the difference being that I cut flower shapes instead of circles and used a more cotton-like fabric (which I actually recycled from an old pair of trousers!) I also kept it pretty much flat when sewing them together instead of doing the whole pinchy ruche effect I went for here. The outcome was a large, corsage style, baby pink flower which I then sewed three large pearls onto the centre of, again recyled from jewellery I've bought specifically for the purpose of destroying (this is a top tip by the way as beads work out so much cheaper this way).


After scouring pretty much every shop that sells baby clothes (including charity shops) I went into Shaws - a bedding and curtain shop for those of you who don't know, they also sell MASSIVE granny pants aaaand plain vests for varying ages from 2 to 11, at, wait for it... NINETY FIVE PENCE EACH! okay so it still isn't 1-year old size but I have decided plain tops for one year olds don't actually exist! My only regret was only buying one as I'm pretty sure I could churn out these cute little baby tops in the millions, for mass profit in the creation of my empire! move over Lord Alan Sugar...Only joking, kinda...
I also got my arty head on and cracked out my massive set of coloured pencils to make what I hope is a rather pretty first birthday card.
Big Love (I'll try not to leave it so long next time...)

My Other Mummy...

Perceptions and experiences of same sex parents' offspring - a two family case study

I am so pleased that effing thing is GONE, all nine thousand, five hundred and thirty five words of it! Let us just hope it comes back to me with news of a first (Yeah right) and that I don't fail anything else and have to repeat...I handed it in on Thursday and we had a champers reception (I am still not drinking since Sweden) but, amongst the politics and future career discussion there was also chocolate and vanilla marble cake, so that lack of champagne wasn't so bad.

I thought I would feel utterly elated at the fact that I am almost completely DONE with uni (I still have early Years professional status to do :-S) but although I was of course in a pretty good mood, I also felt quite empty, like, what now? and totally didn't know what to do with myself on my first evening of freedom - apart from vote. I guess it has just so totally sapped ALL of my energy reserves that it probably will take a while for me to get back on top form.

Bizarrely and slightly worryingly, winning $15 dollars to spend at Little Lovelies etsy shop yesterday (thanks to the lovely Crystal) made me much happier than finishing my dissertation did...but seriously;




...wow!

Nanny M.A.D

As promised I am taking a much needed break from my dissertation to introduce you to my wonderful, and of course, M.A.D... grandmother!



who made me this stunning apron;


and, reluctantly, the one semi-decent photo of me wearing it out of the roughly one hundred taken (I wish I was kidding)

Things I adore about it are as follows;

♥ The heart shaped pockets

♥ The fact that I ACTUALLY feel like Alice in wonderland when I wear it

♥ The beautiful laura ashley fabric, pink lining and lacy trim

♥ The fact that, although by definition an apron is technically supposed to protect your clothes during home makerish type tasks such as cooking, I don't wear it for any of these because I'd much rather get stains on my clothes...

♥ And of course it's deliciously massive amount of girliness!


Thanks Nanny!

Childhood in Crisis?

the cover of my scrap book entitled "Childhood in Crisis" for the module "Concepts of Childhood."

Really this is just to prove to you that I have not disappeared, am working hard and have merely turned my creative MADness to my academic work instead. I assure when it's all over I'll be putting my heart and soul into M.A.D, finally getting up the piccys of the elusive craft area I've become so fond of bragging about (but has actually just turned into a dumping ground) AND, maybe even start an etsy shop.....?
I love you all for checking me every day even when I'm not posting (god bless google analytics). Also look out next week as I'll try to post another Make and Do family member in the form of my gorgeous grandmother who has made me the most AMAZING apron, remember MAD Mummy?

Mmmmwah!

Flopbag

.....flop, floppy and flop bag, these are my new favourite words at the moment as I am all three. I don't want to do the whole excuses thing but you know it, the same ole song, work work work no time for play -sing along if you know the words! I even forgot one of my best friends birthdays and to send my wonderful nannies and grandmas thankyou cards for my birthday which was OVER a month ago!

til now when I have let myself have an evening off - I put these floppy excuses for thankyou (actually, "post") cards together, oh and wrote this floppy blog post...oh and finally plucked my eyebrows.

BRING ON THE DISSERTATION SO I CAN FLOP THAT TOO!

My Birthday... which was like, 12 days ago now!

I finally got round to celebrating my birthday Saturday, at flying saucers - which by the way is, "like totally the coolest place ever!" I haven't got any pictures as yet because they're all on my sisters camera but I do have a photo of what I made the last time I went;

and an article I wrote about it once on a website called Dooyoo;

"At a loose end of what to do on a Saturday afternoon, my boyfriend and I (well I did anyway) thought it would be fun to try this place, it's a bit different and I really enjoy doing creative activities. So I dragged him along and we both had a really enjoyable afternoon.


Flying saucer's are a pottery cafe - as the name implies, however there was no actual pottery to be done, rather a collection of ready casted 'pieces' for you to choose and then paint, at a table while you sip on a coffee and nibble a muffin.

Flying saucers really stress the point that there really is no creative ability required and it is for all ages from 0-100 so it really is for anyone. Babies can do prints of their hands or feet for a lovely keepsake and the pieces make excellent gifts.


How it works ~

As you walk in you are greeted by the friendly staff of which there was only one or two but it's a small place so thats all they really needed. We were asked 'Are you here to paint?', after answering that yes we were she ran through that there was a standard 'studio fee' of £5, or £4 for children on all items which covered the glazing and firing charges for your finished piece, she then directed us to a large shelving unit for us to choose a ready-to-paint cast, the choice was very good here are some of the things included.

Models of dinosaurs, fairies sitting on toadstools and other various animals (great for kids)
Money boxes and piggy banks
plant pots
plates, mugs and bowls
Vases
Many other household items such as handheld mirror and hairbrushes and even a pasta dish!


All the items were individually priced but the mugs started at £9 and other items went up to about £30 depending on intricacy and size. The average price though for medium sized items was about between about £10-15.

So anyway, back to our experience - I chose a mirror (the mirror piece gets stuck in after firing) and my boyfriend (who was at this point decidedly uninspired) chose a basic shaped and sized mug.

The woman then came back at sat us down at a table and gave us what can only be described as a 'roulette' of ceramic paints (all with a coin of ceramic glued to the top showing you what the finished fired and glazed colour will look like, half the coin with a single coat, the other half with several coats to show you the difference in colour.) In the middle of this roulette were various sizes of brushes of seemingly decent quality from pinpoint thin to spread-on-the-paint thick. She also gave us a testing plate and told us that we could rough out our design in pencil first as this would burn away during firing. She then pointed out that at the front desk were more tools such as stamps, versions of the paint for writing with and an array of pottery design books to give inspiration.

Food ~ Do have lunch or breakfast before you go as what's on offer are really only refreshment such as muffins, hot chocolate, tea and coffee and you will lose track of time as you immerse yourself in your creation before suddenly realising you're starving!


The finished pieces ~ So anyway, we got down to painting the things and were in there for at least two hours but it felt like half an hour. His mug was all different pinks spelling out the name 'BARBARA' as a present for his mum. Mine was a weird patterned fantasy land mirror with my name swirling across the top and funny designs such as ribbons and an eye (don't ask me why.) We had two cups of tea and were very proud of our results.


The end ~
Tired from our hard afternoons work and with stiff necks from looking down at our pieces in deep concentration. We told the lady we'd finished and were then asked to paint our initials on the pieces so they could be quickly identified when we picked up (I didn't need to as my mirror had my name painted across the top of it.) We paid and were told we could collect any time after leaving 48 hours for glazing and firing (although you can arrange for them to post it out to you if for example you are visiting the city and are really unable to pick it up). Well anyway we went back a week later on the following Saturday with our receipt to pick up our masterpieces. I was given the mirror insert for my mirror but had to glue it in myself when I got home and that was that. A great time had by all.


What else do they offer?~

According to their website they also have a branch at certain centre parcs. The shop is also available for children's parties (although this could work out quite expensive and I'm not sure if they offer discounts or not) and even office team-building events or business meetings with a difference! Flying saucers offers a special deal on a tuesday where children can paint 10% off and the accompanying adult gets a free coffee.

Opening times ~

The Bristol branch is open every day from 11 and shuts at 6 except on Sundays when it shuts an hour early - although from my experience if you're already in there finishing up a painting when it shuts they won't kick you out for the sake of an extra 10-15 minutes finishing up time.

All in all I was really happy with the finished piece I got out of the experience which is precious to me and I hope will last for a really long time. I am also really happy with the experience itself as I really enjoyed myself and so did my boyfriend- I think this would be a great thing to do as a first date! "

And on Suuuuuuuuuuuuunday, my amazing friend Adele gave me my birthday present which she'd made herself out of old charity shop plates and candle sticks and I lovelovelove the home-made and recycled nature of it. It's SOOO shabby chic and gorgeous - I cant stop looking at it!

It is technically a cake stand but I'm going to use it for jewellery!

And yes, as you may have spotted in the background... that is one of the beautiful mirrors I was raving about by Fiona Harron, John obviously picked up on my, not-so-subtle hints!