Wednesday Walk

This photo is being entered in Cee’s Photo Challenge: Diagonal Lines

I took it on a walk this afternoon. I went for a walk ‘with’ Cathy.

We walk together even though we are miles apart.

Past the field to the woods

where the blubells are just coming into flower

Cathy and I enjoy nudging each other to get out there, enjoying this beautiful Spring.

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Textile Tuesday Number One!

Helloo! Happy New Year – Happy New Decade – Happy New Photo Challenge!

I am really looking forward to sharing 12 glorious months of Textile Tuesdays.

Textiles of all sorts are my first love in the land of Creativity, so I’m starting off with a bumper crop of archive makes that I have just excavated from my many and various boxes in the loft – it is like a museum of my life up there.

The archaeology was prompted by a photo by Sheila on The Great House Exmoor on Instagram  of a doll’s house she had found.

Sheila and her family have bought a fabulous Georgian house on Exmoor which they will be renovating ready for Bed and Breakfast guests. My goodness what a task, but I am SO looking forward to watching the transformation of the rooms as I know they will be fabulous.

About 25 – 30 years ago I had a crush on needlepoint – I had seen someone making a cushion cover and had to have a go – so I bought a kit

This was my first

Then this one

As you can see I liked more subtle colours in those days – it was all terracotta and soft greens – very grown up!

After a trip to Turkey, I was interested in kilim designs

but I didn’t love this one and could not find the patterns I wanted to make so I started designing my own. Following a visit to a Doll’s House Fair I started designing and making doll’s house carpets – a perfect craft for travelling. They are all to the 1:12 scale. 1 inch = 1 foot.  They were wonderful little projects to pack in a backpack

I made this one on a canal boat in Shropshire

and this one has crossed the Equator twice –  travelling right round the world with me in 1994. I designed it as I was travelling, adding in motifs I came across.

The bright colours soon burst forth I became fascinated by how the same colours and the same design could create such different patterns.

A computer programme helped me design these ‘Andy Warhol’ daffodils. I made them as cushion covers but then wondered if they would be better frames as pictures and my indecision consigned them to a box in the loft.

Some need a bit of cleaning. But – what to do with them – having unearthed them from their box, I realise they should not stay there, something needs to be done with them.

These could be cushion covers

I think some could be framed, even in their unfinished state – but what do you think – are they art one would want hanging on the wall?

Food for thought.

~

That is a long post from me! Some months I will most probably post just one Textile Photo – do you have any textiles to share – one piece or many – current or archive. You are welcome to dig deep into your blog archive and revisit old posts – anything goes so long as the photos are your own.

I’m really excited to see your very own Textile Tuesday.

Just leave a link in the Comments.

 

 

December Window

Here we are at the last ‘Windows’ photo of the year.

This is a photo I took a while back but I thought it summed up this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere, with a glimpse of colour and light to brighten our short winter days.

Thank you so much to all of you who have shared such wonderful photos and stories to go with them each month throughout 2019.

Please leave a link in the comments to share this month’s Windows.

~

2020 is just around the corner and I am so excited that the theme for the year will be

*** !!  ❤ TEXTILE TUESDAYS ❤ !! ***

Let’s gather on the first Tuesday of the month to share what textiles we have found, or textile projects we are working on.

I am so looking forward to sharing some textiley nattering with you all.

The first Textile Tuesday will be on Tuesday 7th January

Happy Days!

November Windows

Time to share the windows we have found to photograph …

This month I have been noticing Shop Windows – this one in my little rural local town

Who would buy those lurid meringues? Would you?

And yum-yum ….. A Splat Cake! ??????

Oh dear.

In contrast how about the window of The Grand, Piccadilly, London.

(click on the photos to see them full screen)

and this shop at the entrance of the Burlington Arcade

Laduree, which apparently invented the recipe for Macarons.

In contrast again the shops in Bethnal Green Road are a little more earthy

like The Green Factory,

then turn a corner into Brick Lane and all manner of amazing street art assaults the senses

This is the side window of a leather goods shop.

I look forward to seeing what windows you have found in your part of the world – archive or current, all welcome. Just leave a link in the Comments.

~

Next Year

I have really enjoyed having one subject to focus on this year, it has made me look at the world from a slightly different perspective, I do hope you have enjoyed it as well.

So, what about next year …. thank you to everyone who has offered suggestions, all wonderful ideas, …… one of my great loves is Textiles and this has gone up a gear since being part of the Stitchbook Collective.

Next year Wild Daffodil’s photographic monthly sharing of photos will turn into

Textile Tuesdays

Still on the first Tuesday of each month, it will be wonderful to see what Textiles you find to photograph.

Whether the textiles are in your own home, something you are working on, or have seen when you are out and about, I’m really quite excited to see what turns up on

Textile Tuesdays 2020

Oops – Windows

Helloooo!

It was only as I was driving back late last night from a Dairy Event, with two sleeping grandchildren in the car that I was thinking “it must be the first Tuesday of the month soon …… oh Yikes! it IS the first Tuesday of the month”.

So here, a day late, is our Photographic Monthly Meet-Up with the subject of WINDOWS running throughout 2019 .

This school term I usually take Miss E, 12, to her swimming lessons on a Wednesday morning, she has to be in the pool at 7am. I thought it would be a tough call to get up at 5:40am to be in time to take her there, but actually when the sun is shining through the huge windows it is a joyful start to the day.

and I feel full of energy and quite virtuous on a Wednesday – giving me a very good excuse to take it easy on Thursdays, tucked up with sewing or crochet. 😉

The second photo for this month comes from my recent visit to London, all of the photos would be worthy entries, but I took this one with this month’s challenge in mind.

and then in black and white

and

Do you have any photos of windows to share with us today? (or any day this month)

Current or archive, all welcome.

Please leave a link in the Comments. 🙂

 

Windows

It is the first Tuesday of the month, time to share some photographs of WINDOWS, our theme for the whole of 2019.

I have to admit it crept up on me this month, as the last few weeks have been busy with grandchildren on their summer holidays – I’m one very happy but very tired Granny!

So I have been dreaming of holidays – and thinking of windows seen on holidays in the past – this one with shutters in a little beach shop on Nevis in the Caribbean in May 2017

Love those colours together.

In contrast, this one seen on a walk to Pickering from Whistle Stop Cottage last November

A trip to London and the view from a window high up in the Tate Modern, looking out over the Thames.

and a bizarre shop window in Tokyo from November 2015

Do you have any window photos to share this month.

All are welcome whether they are current or archive posts – sometimes it is fun to revisit blog posts from a few years ago. To join in you can put a link in the comments of this post anytime until the next month begins on the first Tuesday in October.

 

Windows

On the first Tuesday of each month we meet here to share photos of windows we have spotted. There have been some fascinating entries, I’m really enjoying seeing them. Recent or archive posts are all welcome, just leave a link in the comments.

On a recent walk to the tiny wooden St Catherine’s Chapel, Holworth:

The graveyard looks out to sea

as we sat on the grass we were serenaded by what I think was a Goldfinch in the weather-beaten trees. We couldn’t see the bird well enough to identify it, but I have a wonderful free App called ‘Chirp’ that has taught me to identify birdsong and I checked it with that – what do you think? Song of a Goldfinch?

 

On the path down to the beach we noticed that this little cottage had been spruced up with new windows and a new thatched roof, shame they haven’t removed the horrid pebbledash on the walls.

I’m looking forward to seeing a window on your piece of the world. 🙂

Windows

Welcome to our Photographic Monthly Meet Up when we share photos of windows old and new on the first Tuesday each month. Leave a link to a recent or archive post in the comments.

The first is from the ruined remains of the Abbey at Cerne Abbas. You can read more about the history of the building here.

Another old lattice window, from inside a National Trust property, but I can’t remember which one.

For complete contrast I’m remembering my holiday in Nevis, the Caribbean in April 2017

Oh Bliss!

I’m excited to see what windows you have found this month.

Windows: Greenway and Tyneham

Looking through the wibbly-wobbly glass of the magnificent greenhouse at Greenway House back in March.

The greenhouse sits in a peaceful walled garden looking onto the croquet lawn

Another view catching shadows on the inside

and in contrast,

the windows from inside the old stables at the lost village of Tyneham

seen on a recent visit with Master R and Little Miss M.

I sat and crocheted at the picnic table outside while the children played a wonderful game of make-believe in the stables and barns

Have you spotted any windows of interest?

We meet here on the first Tuesday of every month to share photos of windows we have found.

Whether ancient or modern, each window tells a story.

Leave a link in the comments, any time this month, to a new or archive post – all welcome.

Egyptian Windows

Ooof! Don’t you just love the terracotta against that amazing sky.

For my last post about my trip to Egypt, I bring you some Egyptian windows

In the background of the photo below you can see one of those abandoned building projects that punctuated street scenes everywhere we went

We went in search of an art gallery, but the only one we found was closed.

I was surprised to see so much English signage in Hurghada.

 

What windows you have found to share with us this month?

I’m looking forward to seeing them. Please leave a link in the Comments below.

Windows

Here we are again at the first Tuesday of the month and time to share our WINDOW photos.

We had snow here, in the South of England, last Friday and this was the view from my bedroom window

It is really difficult to adequately describe the joy of sitting in my cosy bed, crocheting rainbows for my granddaughter (Big Sis, aged 8 – yes she chose the Rainbow Amanzi) with Radio 4 playing The Book of the Week: Silence

I still get a warm fuzzy glow remembering the sheer pleasure, delight and gratitude for all that has brought me to this place of peace and joy.

Life has had it’s tumultuous ups and downs and in the darkest times I used to dream of a scene like this, a feeling like this. Dreams really do come true, feels good to acknowledge that and know that if things go wambly again in the future, I can always look back to this for comfort and to realign those dreams.

~~~

I’m really looking forward to seeing the WINDOWS you have captured with your camera this month and perhaps the thoughts or stories that go with them.

Just leave a link in the Comments below.

A window on your world – or keeping the curtains cosily drawn; one photo, a group of photos, current or archive – all are welcome!

Edit:

If you would also like to join in with Jenn’s Photo Challenge : Comfortable and Cozy, pop on over to Travelling at Wit’s End.

 

Windows

Happy New Year!

I do hope the festive season has been kind to you all and you were able to spend it in the way you wanted to.

Here we are at our first photographic meet up of year – I really am excited to see what windows you have found to share with us over the coming months.

But first a Round Up of links to the posts in 2018:

January: Sparkle,           February: Warm              March: Scale.           April: Yellow            May: Flower            June: Sunlight.           July: Sculpture           August: Flake           September: Case          October: Tree           November: Patina.         December: Glitz

And a very warm THANK YOU! to all who entered the challange in 2018:

Nanacathy,         Gillyflower,             The Crafty Creek,             Postcard From Gibraltar, Rainbow Junkie,             Sewing Etc,            Murtagh’s Meadow,                Quaint Revivial, Cathy @ Still Waters,                    Kristabella’s Hodgepodge,               The Grange Range,  Susan Rushton,              Hook This, Weave That,

You all made it such a fun challenge and it was lovely to link in with you on the first Tuesday of each month.

So here we go again: I wandered round my village last night and got some very blurry photos, but I kinda like them

Must get myself a tripod if I’m going to take photos at night again

They look a bit drunk! Very appropriate for New Year’s Eve.

Cheers!

Join in by leaving a link in the comments any time up until Tuesday 5th February.

Have fun!

Glitz

Our last Photographic Monthly Meet Up of 2018!

Thank so much to everyone who has joined in – it has been FUN to see your entries and the stories that go with them.

I was thinking, I don’t have any glitz nowadays, but then I remembered the dressing up box where my old clothes now reside.

This is a party dress I had when I was 14 (1966/7!) with a reversble middle panel,  the other side is black.

sadly the zips no longer work, but I loved that dress and have just not been able to throw it away……

then there is all my ancient festival gear

I do love these shawls, but what to do with them now?

And my son’s Christmas tree – I’m so glad to see the snowflakes I made for the boys last year, up there in the tree

and a decoration that has been made by Little Bro out of the bottom of a plastic bottle

What glitz do you have in your life at this time of year?

Leave your link in the comments so we can come over and enjoy the glamour and the glitz.

~~~

Next month – in fact next year, each month for the whole of 2019 we have WINDOWS!

Next Year’s Monthly Meet Up

Next Tuesday, 4th December, is our last Photographic Meet Up for 2018

It has been a great year. I have loved seeing what each of you make of the prompt each month.  Thank you so much to all who have joined in this year and shared your fabulous entries.

On 6th November I was travelling and I forgot to tell you about my plans for next year,  so here goes…..

The photo below is a clue

The challenge will still become live on the first Tuesday of each Month and remain open for entries until the following month.

My cunning plan for 2019 is to have just one subject for the whole year.

A chance to get creative, inventive and to look out for interesting and quirky aspects of. ………..

Another clue

Can you guess what our one word prompt for the year will be?

Yes of course …

Windows!

(Cathy I’m sure you recognize the last one from our day in Whitby – we forgot about going in there on the way back, drat!)

We start on Tuesday, 1st January – New Year’s Day! Which might not be a day when you want to think about blogging and photography but remember the challenge is open for the whole month so pop in any time and leave your link in the comments.

~

I’m off to find some GLITZ.

 

Monthly Photographic Meet-Up: PATINA

It’s November and our Prompt this month is PATINA

Last Thursday I entered the delightful sepia world of Nuffield Place, nr Henley-on-Thames, where my camera could have a patina feast

and I found myself falling a little bit in love with the man who had this little workshop

….. in his bedroom!

and with his wife who loved needlework and made clothes for her staff

 

This quote is taken from an article written in the Telegraph

Morris, later Lord Nuffield, was Britain’s greatest ever philanthropist and gave away over £30m of his fortune, equivalent to £700m in today’s money. Yet, despite his enormous wealth, his lifestyle could not have been more modest.

William Morris, the designer of the car the Morris Oxford, left school at 15 and started his working life repairing bicycles. How is it that I have never heard of this man before now? This is the sort of person children need to learn about in History! This is the sort of role model we need to know about.

I feel quite cross that my teenage history-hungry mind was filled with the war-mongering men of yesteryear when there was THIS MAN to learn about! as well as plenty of wonderful women through the ages.

The couple had no children and the house is full of evidence that they enjoyed the company of friends

The room guide explained that the carpet we could see was in fact a photograph of the original carpet printed onto fabric and laid on the floor. The original, which was being restored, when new, had been the same blue as the glasses.

They each had a bedroom, with a delightful connecting room and it struck me how modest their rooms were compared to the more luxurious feel to the guest bedrooms.

Every room of the house had windows framing views of the garden, but Thursday was a dull day and I only had time for a quick visit so I did not get out into the garden.

The house held so much evidence of a gentle cosy life well lived

some of the photos are a bit blurred as the lighting was low, no flash allowed and I was in a hurry…….

as I am now …. there is more I want to tell you about this marvellous William Morris, but I can tell you another day (hint: iron lung)…. and you can click on the links to discover more

EDIT: since writing this I have discovered some disturbing and hideous information about this man: link to an article in the Daily Mail

Now I understand why this man can not be publicised as the hero he so plainly wanted to be seen as.

 

For now I leave you with a photo of the patina put on my cappucino in the suitably modest little coffee shop on site 

~

To join us in our Photographic Meet-up please leave a link in the comments – I’m really looking forward to seeing what you have found to photograph this month.

 

 

 

Monthly Meet-Up: Tree

Gingko in Japan November 2015

Clipped fir in Doreen’s Garden September 2018

Sturdy little oak at Cerne Abbas October 2015

Vintage fabric from 1946

Weeping Willow Cerne Abbas 2017

The oak tree at the bottom of my garden September morning 2018.

Yippee it is the first Tuesday of the month and so time to meet up with our photos of trees – either recent or archive.

Please leave a link to your tree photos in the Comments – I’m really looking forward to seeing them.

You can see the list of photo prompts on the Photo Challenge Page

Next Month’s prompt is

PATINA

and next month I will tell you what I have in store for 2019

Doreen’s Delicate Dahlia

This photo was taken today in Doreen’s Garden, Branscombe Devon.

Delicate shades of pink.

Joining in with Postcard from Gibraltar’s Weekly Friday Photo Challenge: DELICATE

and

Cee’s Flower of the Day

Monthly Meet-Up Photo Challenge: Case

This month crept up on me!

I had all sorts of plans for different ‘Cases’ – they did not happen.

Here is an archive photo from way back in 2014 when I went to Abu Dhabi for 2 weeks.

How much yarn would you take for a two week holiday??!!

I’d love to see your take on ‘CASE’, please leave a link in the comments.

The challenge stays open all month.

Next month : TREE

Flake

Hi there! and Welcome to our Photographic Monthly Meet-Up, held on the first Tuesday of each month. The prompt for this month is FLAKE.

A favourite terracotta vessel I painted a few years ago  is flaking nicely

The next 4 photos were taken of flaking paint on beach huts at Church Ope Cove on Portland

I would love to be able to do a colour analysis of this photos – to me they would all make wonderful colour palettes for a crochet blanket, or a knitted Fairisle jumper.

If you know of a free website or app that would pick out the colours for me I’d love to have the link.

The next two photos were taken on the island of La Gomera in January 2008

Nearly good enough as a piece of art to hang on the wall:

Last week I went for a visit to Tyneham and Worbarrow with my daughter and her children – one of our favourite destinations for a summer’s day.

The children are fascinated by the ruined buildings and the old school room

The door to the School and its window fit the theme

Then on to the barn where there is an old theatre, with flaking scenery paint on the barn wall

 

Click on any picture to see it in more detail.

I have gone for flaking paint but I’m looking forward to seeing where the prompt has taken you.

All entries are welcome, both archive and current, just leave a link in the comments below any time up until next month’s prompt kicks in.

 

Next month’s prompt is

CASE.

Monthly Meet Up: Sculpture

Hellooo!

Here we are again for our Monthly Photographic Meet-Up, happening each first Tuesday of the Month.

This month’s prompt is SCULPTURE.

Archive and/or current posts are all very welcome, just leave a link in the Comments to join in.

First up a Pink Goat – I think this also qualifies for Cee’s Odd Ball Challenge don’t you, especially when teamed up with his friend Blue Hare

As seen during Dorset Arts Weeks at the Studio of

Jane Shaw in Cattistock. Do click on her name to go to her website and see more of her wonderful work.

During Arts Weeks we had the priviledge of seeing inside her studio

arranged for the two weeks as a gallery. What a charming space.

I’m looking forward to seeing your sculpture photos

More Sculpture can be seen in This Post, and the bizarre Doreen’s Garden post.

Now must dash

as I’m off to do some gardening before the temperatures crank up – this afternoon I’m off to Sports Day at the school of 3 of my grandchildren – sunhats and of course camera at the ready.

The prompt for next month (August) is FLAKE