Gold Postbox, Renegade Craft Fair & Zincwhite

Gold postbox

At last  - I have seen my first gold postbox - just near Westminster Abbey.  Apparently this one was painted to launch the Olympic gold postbox campaign - it's not for a particular athlete.   The search continues ...  

Renegade Craft Fair

Our visit to London included the fab Renegade Craft Fair at the Truman Brewery in Brick Lane.  Lots of fab stuff.  http://www.renegadecraft.com

Zincwhite Paintbrush Necklace

 

Of course on the way to Brick Lane we stopped off at Spitalfields where we saw the fab "Zincwhite" duo - Lidia & Paul - and just had to indulge in some paintbruch and pencil jewellery.
http://www.zincwhite.co.uk

Zincwhite Pencil Ring

They use Derwent pencils which are made in the Lake District.  So ... on a related theme check out the Pencil Museum in Keswick next time you're there!  http://www.pencilmuseum.co.uk/

Olympic Yarnbombing in York

Yarnbombed Pillar Box

The Olympics & Paralympics have been great - haven't they?  All that effort and excitement and medals - and now it's over.  Olympians and Paralympians, we salute you and in a special tribute to Team GB there has been a little yarnbombing going on in York. 
 

"Good as Gold" Team GB Yarnbomb

In my own small way I say,"Well done!" to our team who have been as "good as gold"!

2012 Olympic "Good as Gold" Medal

 



Hope it stays in place long enough to entertain a few people!   

If you're in the area - go take a look.

Kew Gardens - David Nash

Cork Dome, 2012, Cork Oak

On a lovely day, Kew Gardens are always worth a visit.  At the moment sculptures, drawings & paintings by David Nash are the order of the day.  You can also go and see new sculptures being made at the Wood Quarry (till 24 September 2012)

 

The Cork Dome was my favourite.  It's a new work that was built on site at Kew.

Cork Dome, 2012, Cork Oak (detail)

I particularly like the textures when you get up close. Take a look at these ...

Oculus Block, 2010, Eucalyptus (detail)

Black Trunk, 2010, Redwood (detail)

Xstrata Treetop Walkway

Waterlilies

Don't forget to take in all the fun stuff at Kew though like the Xstrata Treetop Walkway and the waterlilies.  http://www.kew.org/visit-kew-gardens/whats-on/index.htm

Fabric Baobab Tree & Other Southbank Centre Artworks

Fabric Baobab Tree

There's a really cool fabric Baobab tree outside the Southbank Centre in London.  It's made from rings of  fabric from around the globe.  Check out the  bobbins and scissors in it's branches ...

Bobbins & scissors in the branches

At 15 metres tall it's part of the Festival of the World and  celebrates global creativity & diversity.

Designed and built by Pirate Technics, it has contributions from Masters students in Textile Design at Chelsea College of Art & Design.

Fabric Rings

The fabric rings have a thick gloopy coating on which I guess makes them weatherproof ...

Apart from the tree there's a lot of other stuff to take a look at.

Look up for this one!

Cool Letter Blocks

Stalagmites and Stalagtites of Milk Bottles

 

Lionheart Project - Crochet Goes Massive

Lionheart Lioness

You still have a few days (till 9 September 2012) to get down to the Natural History Museum (outside the main entrance on Cromwell Road) to see the amazing Lionheart Project created by Shauna Richardson for the Cultural Olympiad.

http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/special-displays/lionheart-project/index.html 

 

These are three truly monumental crocheted beasts.  They are in a glass display case - think container lorry size - so they are still there even if it rains! 

Lion's Paws - Crochetdermy Style

 
Take a look at those fiddly paws - and there's 12 of them ...

What a fantastic creation!

Lionheart Project - Technical Detail

And to find out more - visit the website:

http://www.lionheartproject.com

Crown of Knots, Gargoyles & Scarecrows

Just taken a trip to Cirencester and came across this amazing crown 

in Cirencester Parish Church!  It was made by Stuart Grainger, who was president of the Intenational Guild of Knot Tyers  (I think you'll admit he was pretty good at knots and did you even know there was a Guild of Knot Tyers?).  Made of hemp rope, it's about 5 feet in diameter and height.  It was created in 1997 both as a tribute to the Queen for her Silver Jubilee  and to Oliver Hill's rope structure "Lion & Unicorn Fighting for the Crown", which had been made for the 1953 Coronation.  The current crown now belongs to Cirencester.  If you're in the vicinity - go take a look, it's fab.

We also took a trip up the church Tower (only 204 steps to the top - very narrow so save the big lunch for afterwards!).  And were treated to a demo by the bellringers on the way up - thanks, ladies.  They even let us have a go.  I tried to ring the biggest and, guess what - it's much harder than it looks! We liked the modern touch in the renovation work at the top.  Check out the punk gargoyle!

On the same adventure we called in at Calke Abbey, Derbyshire (National Trust).  Lovely grounds & great scarecrows!












http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/calke-abbey/

Colourful Craft Ideas No. 1

Pom Poms in a wire chicken

Thought I'd start a little series of colourful craft ideas and here's the first!  These are just simple things to make and do to make life a bit more creative and colourful.  Get together with friends, children and have a go!

For this one you need - a see through container, some yarn of your choice and a pompom maker. The pom pom maker can be a comercial one (Pony & Clover both make them) or a homemade one which involves a couple of pieces of circular cardboard with a hole in the middle.  The cardboard ones will only last for a few pom poms (or maybe even one!) but they are easy and cheap to make and if you have an old cereal packet or tissue box lying around you're ready to go. 

Pom poms in a glass bowl

Next, make some pom poms (see the "How to make" page) - enough to fill your container - try different colours, sizes and textures.  Pop them in and admire.  You could do this with school kids, put the finished pom poms in a large container and fundraise with "Guess the number of pom poms".  Or put them in a vase and have them as table decorations instead of flowers, even display them in a bowl on a table or shelf for a bit of colour.  Use them individually when wrapping presents instead of a bow - whatever you like. Have a go and see what you think - you could find it addictive!