Tag Archives: shells

Little Altars at Home

window sill

Anyone who has been reading this blog for a while will know how much I loathe housework, but these are strange times! Today found me actually wanting to give the bathroom a thorough going over!

As I was putting things back on the windowsill, I realised that every item has a special memory or significance to me.

Left to right:

There is an Umbrella plant, that I grew from a root cutting given to me by a dear friend who I see only rarely nowadays. She is currently staying somewhere in deepest India, unable to return home due to the transport system in that country being under lockdown. The glass bowl it sits in, has been with me since I got married in 1972, nothing special, not beautiful, but it has become an old familiar friend.

In a little pot next to it are some honeysuckle cuttings, waiting to see if they grow roots, so that I can give some little plants to my daughter as requested.

The fish shaped little dish holds a bumble bee that sadly died in my bathroom, I know Little Miss M (7) would love to see it, so I am keeping it for when she is able to come into my house again.

The clay dolphin was made by Miss E when she was about 8. I took her to some wonderful sculpture and stone-carving worshops when she was being homeschooled.

I bought the brass incense burner with the Ohm symbol when I was travelling in 1994 and visiting Buddhist communities all round the world – such powerful memories. It reminds me of chanting in the echoing valleys of the Himalaya Mountains.

The scallop shell was given to me by my neighbour, who is a diver, and brings me yummy scallops in the summer. The shells it holds all come from the beaches of my beloved Pembrokeshire, collected on my month in a treehouse by the sea.

Sea glass, collected on my local beaches, in times gone by.

A collection of tiny white pebbles – there is something so beautiful about them.

The twisted piece of wire with beads: this was a spiral Christmas decoration I had been making with my grandchildren

christmas trees, wire and beads

One of them sat in the bathroom, and after the twins came to stay – I found this one had been just too tempting to resist – I rather like the resulting tiny wire sculpture.

The jam jar has more honeysuckle cuttings,

and the shell on the right was given to me by my Mum when I was a teenager.

A whole lot of family, friends and memories on that tiny windowsill.

Do you have similar little collections about the house?

Advertisement

Silly Saturday with Mrs Moss

Mrs Moss and her dog Lichen

Mrs Moss was up with the lark

Taking Lichen her dog to the park

They walked everywhere

To get lots of fresh air

And didn’t get home til ‘twas dark!

 

Mossie was a sturdy old stick

Very rarely did she get sick

At seventy years old

Fit, adventurous and bold

She can even still do a high kick!

 

Out and about every day

Visiting places and pals on the way

She was going to tea

With the Shelbys by the sea

And was buying some cake on the way.

Poem by Judy E. Martin

Assemblage art by Sandra Dorey

 

shell art, shell people, winkle pickers

The Shelbys

So happy to be joining up with Judy Martin again for a Silly Saturday collaboration. I sent  Judy the photo of Mrs Moss and her little dog Lichen and once again she has created a fun story in rhyme for her.

Pop across to see Judy’s new blog and find a link to her book ‘Rhymes of the Times’ and more humorous takes on daily  life.

Our previous Silly Saturdays include Maggie the Pole Dancer, and here she is in racier mode

 

 

Image

Happy Valentines Day!

shells

Result of the Christmas Card Giveaway

There is SO much I’m itching to tell you about, my mnd is in a bit of a happy whirl with it all. I went away for a couple of fun-packed, creativity-packed weeks and it is taking me ages to come back to earth and order my thoughts enough to make some coherent blog posts. But first – the results of the Giveaway!

19 people voted, 18 wanted to be included in the Christmas Card Giveaway

Thank you so much to all who let me know which picture they liked the best

It was a close run between the all white card and the one with the green hearts

Votes as follows:

9 votes for the White Tree

6 votes for the Green Hearts

4 votes for the Red Berries

Most of my family liked the Green Hearts best so I decided to have the White Shells and the one with the Green Hearts printed. And the proofs have arrived – but I’m not happy with them. cardsThey don’t seem to have the vibrancy they need. So I will need to go back to the printer and see if we can sort that out. A shame as I was hoping to have them ready to send out by now.

Anyway – enough of that – you want to know who won!

I wrote the names on some pages I was using for collage

 

folded them and popped them in a bag and asked Cathy’s husband Mr E. to pick out three pieces of paper for me.

IMG_2332And the winners are …..

 

 

 

 

Karina of Murtagh’s Meadow

Kerry of Love those ‘Hands at Home’

and

Jamie of Hook This Weave That

 

Congratulations all!

As soon as I have the cards printed I will be sending you 3 each.

Please go to my Contact Me page and email me your postal address.

Thanks again to everyone who took part, it was such a help to get your comments.

 

Girls out Shopping

shell art, #sillysaturday, shell people, shell collage

Maggie went shopping in town

Enjoying a good look around

She thought it was great

Bumping into her mate

They went to a cafe to sit down

~

They chatted over a nice cup of sea

Both of them buzzing like bees

Comparing their goodies

From high-heels to hoodies

The Sales made shopping a breeze!

~

poem by Judy E. Martin

artwork by Sandra Dorey

The background is an unfinished acrylic painting on canvas that I have never been able to resolve. It is the result of playing with bright colours in a Process Art kind of way. It has come in handy for a Silly Saturday background giving a suggestion of the town where Maggie and Shelma can meet up for a chat over a cuppa.

So thrilled to be teaming up with Judy again.

Pop along over to Judy’s website and enjoy a wry look at life, in poetry and prose, always told with honesty and lashings of good humour.

Strictly Maggie

 

shell art, humour, silly saturday

Maggie’s was looking her best

Kitted out in her fanciest dress

She practiced her prancing

For Strictly Come Dancing

The Shells were very impressed!

 

She really got in the groove

Performing the American Smooth

Her waltz was divine

And foxtrot sublime

Maggie knew how to move!

 

There will be no more tits and arse

Maggie was a woman of class

Her lap dancing days

Though an interesting phase

Was now a thing of the past!

 

poem by Judy E Martin

shell art Sandra Dorey

 

Judy and I have joined forces to celebrate the Strictly Come Dancing final with Maggie for today’s Silly Saturday.

Pop across to Judy’s blog to read her cheeky Christmas Limericks.

 

Muddle

collection of shells and coral

walk by lake or sea

to calm the mind and spirit

beachcombing works well

~

 

As I get into a frenzy of creativity, creating patterns and people with shells, my collection gets in a right old muddle – they need sorting out again.

Joining Cathy and our wonderful band of contributors in our One-a-Week Challenge

We would love you to join us – just leave a link to your ‘Muddle’ in the comments, either here or on Cathy’s blog post.

Also joining Ronovan in his weekly Haiku Challenge

Prompts this week are LAKE and CALM

 

 

Silly Saturday: Maggie Dreaming

shell dancer

Maggie fancied trying something new

And thought about what she could do

Dancing around a steel pole

Was becoming quite dull

But what, she hadn’t a clue

 

In her mirror she struck a new pose

Standing on the tips of her toes

With a graceful demeanour

Like a beautiful ballerina

She imagined being the star of the show

 

poem by Judy E. Martin

Edwina’s Episodes

~

Judy and I have teamed up again to be Silly on a Saturday. Our Maggie has started to dream of new areas in which to expand her talents….. I wonder where she will take us next ….. any ideas of what she might get up to?

~

Encouraged by your wonderful comments and support I am getting some of the Maggie pictures printed on Greetings Cards. I’m wondering how many to print? If you would like to buy one/some, it would be great if you could let me know by email.

Which picture you would like and would you like the cards with or without the poems?

Direct from me they will sell at £1.90 with poem and be 8″x6″ and at £1.50 without the poem, measuring 7″ x 5″.  Postage will be added depending on quantity.

I will put some cards in my Etsy shop, but they will have to sell for a little more there to cover the Etsy costs.

Please go to the Contact Me Page to send me a private message if you would like any of the cards – thank you.

Here are the Maggie Pictures to choose from, click on any to go large:

From the top left

  1. Ballerina
  2. Stretch
  3. Pole Dancer 1
  4. Pole Dancer 2

 

Saturday Shells

shell picture, assemblage, Grandpa and child

Grandpa and Sonny love walking

Strolling along on the sand

Or perhaps a dip in the water

With Grandpa holding his hand

 

Splashing about in the water

Frolicking in the hot sun

Enjoying precious moments together

Staying with grandpa was always such fun

 

Growing things in his garden

Fixing things in his shed

Falling asleep to a story

Whilst cuddling Grandpa’s old Ted!

poem by Judy E. Martin

of Edwina’s Episodes

and author of the delightful book: Rhymes of the Times

 

I create the shell pictures, Judy writes a poem inspired by the photo I send her. We are really enjoying sharing our co-created posts with you.

Orderly

shell collection from Abu Dhabi

touch, smell, remember

how did life get so busy

miss beachcombing days

 

AbuDhabishells

shell from Abu Dhabi

All these shells and pieces of coral were collected in Abu Dhabi in January 2014.

Two weeks of warm sunshine, sitting on the beach, wandering slowly along the shoreline, knitting, reading and arranging shells ……. ah! ………… sigh …….

DSCF5583

shell mandala

You might recognize some pieces that have been used in my shell pictures.

My entry for our One-A-Week Photo Challenge, this week’s prompt: ORDERLY

combining with

Ronovan’s weekly Haiku Challenge: TOUCH and MISS

I could happily spend days arranging collections of objects in an orderly fashion – how about you?

Saucy Silly Saturday

shell art, shell people, humour

The feel of the pole between my thighs

Is rather a pleasant surprise

It doesn’t feel daft

Sliding around on the shaft

You can tell by the look in my eyes.

 

My customers, I just aim to please

As I twirl and perform a striptease

I am truly delighted

To get you excited

Your desires I long to appease

 

To make me feel like a star

Stuff a wad of cash in my bra

Have a grope of my nips

As you leave me some tips

And buy me a drink at the bar!

 

poem  by Judy E Martin

of Edwina’s Episodes

~

 

Judy and I have had such fun again this week, I am loving how we seem to egg each other on and inspire one another – we are both prone to large doses of nudge-nudge, wink-wink humour – hope you enjoy this week’s combined silliness.

If you enjoy Judy’s poetry as much as I do – you are in luck, she has put a selection of her poetry in a book: Rhymes of the Times : a lighthearted look at life through rhyme.

~

Related Posts:

Silly Saturday: Introducing Maggie the Pole Dancer

Silly Senorita Saturday: Ole!

Silly Saturday: with flowers and seeds

Silly Senorita Saturday: Olé!

Dancer

You can’t stop yourself staring at me

Looking as lovely as can be

With a flower in my hair

Castanets in the air

Dancing so passionately

 

I get so wrapped up in the beat

As I twirl and stamp with my feet

I am elegance and grace

Despite the fast pace

Flamenco makes me complete!

 

poem by Judy E. Martin

Edwinas Episodes

 

Another fun collaboration for a Silly Saturday.

I’ve always wanted to learn Flamenco, all that stamping! One day!

Thank you so much Eddie, your poem gives the picture life.

Joining in with the Daily Post: https://dailypost.wordpress.com/prompts/rhyme/

 

Image

Silly Saturday – Ribbit

shell picture, frog, coral, beachcombing

 

Joining in with the Daily Post (for the first time) Unusual.

Silent Sunday

shell mandala

 

Sunshine Sunday

shell picture, fun, humour, beach, beach art

Race you to the Beach!

Silly Saturday

Shell picture from Nevis

“Bonjour,

Passe moi l’aspirine”

Silly Saturday

shells and coral character

Jude out shopping

Shells and coral collected from Abu Dhabi beaches back in 2014, you can see more shell collections here.

Image

Thoughtful Friday

helpful saying, aphorism, mantra

 

 

 

Traffic

dscf5221

Abu Dhabi heat

sweet sweaty heat to warm me

and heal my tired bones

~

I had to dig deep to find a picture of TRAFFIC for our One-a-Week Photo Challenge this week. There is some traffic there, really there is.

Click on the link to see a whole year of subjects ready and waiting for you to have fun with. This picture goes well with Ronovan’s prompt words of SWEAT and HEAT for his Haiku Challenge.

I had to go back to January 2014 when I went to Abu Dhabi to spend two weeks in the sunshine. That winter I had had one illness after the other and needed to feel sunshine on my body to feel well again. Luckily my brother-in-law was working in Abu Dhabi and I was able to stay with him. I spent long delicious hours wandering the beach collecting shells.

hot love

You can see more about what I got up to on that trip here, here, and here

And my favourite shell picture here.

Cathy and I have enjoyed creating a list of prompts for the whole year. Please leave your links to your TRAFFIC photos in the comments and I will include them in my monthly round-up.

 

Ammonites

Eleonora over at Coastal Crochet has created a cute Ammonite Pattern.

Of course, I couldn’t just make one. Once I had the pattern in my head I started making bigger and smaller ones.

dsc_0278

I thought they might combine well with my seahorses, or make some beachy greetings cards.

Ideas are swimming around …..

Thank you Eleonora for the inspiration.

Linking in with Ginny’s Yarn Along 

Ginny suggests we add a book to the post. I haven’t got a book on the go but whilst I am crocheting I’m also watching/listening to a DVD: River Cottage: Edible Seashore

Yes, I’ve been eating seaweed – yum!