A Scrapstore visit.

The ladies at Hull Scrapstore were pleased with the scrap wood, plastic trays, and other stuff I took them this morning. They have recently been on a big Swap event, this is where several scrapstores meet up at a venue and take their excess scrap and swap with each other, so everything eventually gets used for art and crafting purposes. I found some things that I haven't previously seen before. It's a good idea to rummage through it.  

Hull Scrapstore is in an old school building. They have a Facebook page and often advertise on there about new stock they get in. 

The Art department is mainly new stock, bought in at a much lower price than a conventional shop. Items are individually priced.

The scrap is donated by businesses, it would normally get thrown away.

 I spent £5 on a basket. Mainly fabric, mostly fake leather, and a few tester paints.

It was quite busy, I think the school holidays have started early in Hull.

The hedges need cutting so I'm going outside now. Catch ya later. ilona

Fruit salad tree.

Next door to the Cash and Carry is a junk/second hand warehouse. The man doesn't come very often, and when he does come, he doesn't stay long. I saw him today so I had a nosy, and a bit of a banter with him. I noticed a wooden bowl with plastic fruit in it, I said, how much is it. He said £5. I said oh that's too much, I only want the fruit, don't like the bowl very much. Just as I was about to go he reached for a bin bag and emptied the fruit into it, and said here you are, you can have them. How kind. 

So now I have a fruit salad tree, ha ha. Grapes, banana, tomato, apples and oranges. 

These fuschias are looking nice in the three pot planter.

The hanging vegetable steamer is nice.

Lots of pink in the garden at the moment. The rain last night has given things a good drenching. I hope we have some more tonight.

Tomorrow me and Angela are going to the Scrapstore. I picked up some vinyl and some wood for them, and I have a lot of plastic mushroom trays they can have. Trying to de-clutter some of my own stuff. Toodle pip

We have Grayson Perry at 20 21 Arts Centre

We are lucky to have Grayson Perry on show at the 20 21 Arts Centre at the moment, one of my favourite artists. I had a quick pop in when I was in town last week. The Vanity of Small Differences is six large tapestries which explore taste and class. I need to go back and study them closely but I have time, it's on till the 9th of September.  I only wish he would visit in person, but I very much doubt it. I follow him on Twitter and he is always busy. 

Here is a page from the British Council web site which gives more information.

I have found a video on yoootooob, well worth a look.



I'll leave you to it, thanks for popping in.  ilona

Sew far sew good

It's been a hot one today and I've been indoors sewing the latest picture. I've had both back and front windows open so there was a cool breeze wafting through. 

This is it so far, still more to do, but it's taking shape nicely. I already had the background, a previous project which didn't get finished. It's just right for this. I'm going to couch some cord around the outline of the tree so it stands out. And put some flowers around the base. 

Could do with some rain really, still watering up manually with watering cans. I need to get the electric trimmer out and do the hedge, but it's too darn hot at the moment. I'll catch you later. ilona

Scaling down

Ok, so I get you, people want to be able to make comments and read them, so they stay. Same format as before, please put your name in the 'Name', box. I have to find a way to cut down my time on the computer though so there will be some scaling down of topics covered. I spend hours thinking up new ideas to write about. If I don't get a blog post out early I spend all day stressing about what to write about next. When it gets to the evening and my head is still empty I either pick out a silly thought and get that down, or decide not to bother at all. The trouble is I have always worked to the best of my ability, put everything into what I am doing, attention to detail is important to me. I don't like to half do a job, if I can't do it properly I would rather not do it at all. 

The troll thing is not too much of a problem, yes it gets to me sometimes, but now I have a better way of dealing with it. Stuff 'em and bog off. The nit picking bothers me a bit, where my words are pulled apart, where people feel they must voice their opinion on what I should or shouldn't be doing. To the people who do that, you are not my mother. Someone made a joke at my expense on someone else's blog, which wasn't funny. Why pick on me, make your own jokes. 

I have laid most of my life down on this blog over the last ten years. There's only so many posts to write about money saving, yellow stickers, what food I eat, and ordinary day to day stuff. I am getting bored with it. So topics will be scaled down, there will be fewer posts, and less chit chat. If I want chit chat I can walk outside and pass the time of day with the people I know in the village. I will no longer spend hours wracking my brains thinking about what to write. If I have something to say I will say it, if there is nothing much happening in my world I will shut up. 

So, if I trim up the blog, what's left? Arts and crafts, walking, the odd photo's of cats, a bit about the garden, anything unusual that has happened to me, days out, holidays. 

And to start the new format....I won a prize on the raffle yesterday at the Coffee Morning/Opening of the new Bowls Clubhouse. A basket of toiletries for the bathroom. That will keep me going for a while. 

Now I must get on, breakfast, then a dog walk. I'll be back, sometime. Catch you whenever.
ilona