It has been about 4 years since I started looking at adult education classes and one that I always wanted to do was pottery. But it was after dark, 2 buses away in a part of the city I don't know etc, etc Basically I was scared.
So why have I chosen to do it now? because it is still January and I haven't given up on all of my 2012 aims just yet! Yes, I did get lost and arrived late and a little shaken but next week I'm getting a lift with a lady from uni so thanks once again to the kindness of strangers in this caring city I have fallen on my feet.
I don't have any pictures to show you yet - give me a chance. I started a coil bowl, which is how they do it in Africa. There's a cool bit of bashing the air out of the clay at the beginning by throwing it on the table, which as fun but made me quite self conscious. There were 2 other newbies one of whom is a silversmith who has a studio in the Butcher Works in town - so cool!
Anyway, needed to commend myself on this endeavour, *pats self on back*. Hopefully pottery will result in less injuries than glass.
Friday, 20 January 2012
Thursday, 19 January 2012
Pyromania
I have always loved playing with matches - the sudden rush of concentrated heat, the movement of the light and the smell of chemicals when you strike it or blow it out. At church as a child I always used to go and dip my fingers in the wax of the pillar candles after services. Generally it was necessary to warm myself up.
A few years ago I bought myself a wood burning pen, or pyrography machine, to do pyrography, which is legitimate burning of stuff. I've only really burnt things onto wood so far. It takes a lot of concentration and I've burnt myself several times. It's a nice craft to huddle over in winter though and I'm glad I bought the gadget as it was about £12 and has provided hours of fun. (I don't think my housemate was keen as I had set the alarm for our building off not long before by playing 'calorimeter' with a lighter and the contents of my biscuit tin. I think I'm making up for not having a chemistry set as a child.)
So here's some of the Christmas presents I made when I got it:
A set of coasters for my Mum....
I also did a set of Matroska dolls for Nan that had a different size and colour combo on each. I backed them with thin cork and varnished them with cheap pound shop varnish that stank to high heaven.
And a house number for my Smiley Sister who had just moved house....
I've not done much lately. I hate a great big 1 1/2 foot diameter wooden platter but am thinking what to decorate it with and who it could be for.
A few years ago I bought myself a wood burning pen, or pyrography machine, to do pyrography, which is legitimate burning of stuff. I've only really burnt things onto wood so far. It takes a lot of concentration and I've burnt myself several times. It's a nice craft to huddle over in winter though and I'm glad I bought the gadget as it was about £12 and has provided hours of fun. (I don't think my housemate was keen as I had set the alarm for our building off not long before by playing 'calorimeter' with a lighter and the contents of my biscuit tin. I think I'm making up for not having a chemistry set as a child.)
So here's some of the Christmas presents I made when I got it:
A set of coasters for my Mum....
I also did a set of Matroska dolls for Nan that had a different size and colour combo on each. I backed them with thin cork and varnished them with cheap pound shop varnish that stank to high heaven.
And a house number for my Smiley Sister who had just moved house....
I've not done much lately. I hate a great big 1 1/2 foot diameter wooden platter but am thinking what to decorate it with and who it could be for.
Monday, 16 January 2012
Carpe Diem
I am seizing opportunities (but don't know the Latin for that)! IdeasTap had a columnist competition running so I wrote 500 words on pantomime, which for some reason I can't seem to copy and paste onto here. Pants.
Oh well, it's probably in the protfolio I had to upload www.ideastap/people/34e0a7d9-e5c6-8e77-9f3d00d706a/standard-portfolio/
* I'm using Internet Explorer because Chrome can't seem to get the Blogger page to work, missing Chrome already.
Oh well, it's probably in the protfolio I had to upload www.ideastap/people/34e0a7d9-e5c6-8e77-9f3d00d706a/standard-portfolio/
* I'm using Internet Explorer because Chrome can't seem to get the Blogger page to work, missing Chrome already.
Tuesday, 3 January 2012
Aims for 2012
So I reckon calling them 'resolutions' will probably make them even more likely to fail so let's call them aims instead. A wish list makes it not my responsibility to chase them and 'to do' list will make them things to check off rather than work towards. Anyway, whatever they may be here they are:
1. To continue this blog.
It's helped me to see what I'm managing and has fulfilled the purpose of stopping my brain deleting focusing on the things I haven't achieved to some extent so I figure I should carry on. Maybe this year I'll get more followers and even some comments!
2. Enter competitions.
Ok, this one may seem rather odd but I think that in the current economic climate getting a job is like winning the lottery and I apply for jobs, so why not apply for other things. At least it will make me write more, craft more, and generally get motivated to do things.
3. Learn new skills.
I know that sounds a bit vague but I've got things in mind. I want to learn pottery, it should complement glass fusing nicely (both kiln based art) and I found a glass years ago. I just need to get the confidence up to go on my own. I also plan on making some clothes. I've tried a few times but never invested in patterns and the right fabrics because it ends up more expensive than buying clothes that way. I've decided I need to start off with the proper stuff to learn the basic skills before trying to pattern draft on my own or work with other fabrics. I've been thinking about doing a counselling course at college but new government cuts mean I'd have to pay full fees so I'm thinking it through quite carefully. Learning the flute is also on this list, after I managed to buy a flute in a manic episode 2 years ago and have yet to work out how to play it - Youtube here I come!
4. Do some exercise
A realistic amount like a swim or a class a week. I've been looking at salsa fit videos but think it may be dangerous to attempt in my tiny house. I may have to make myself a sticker chart with ice cream rewards - no wait, then I'd need to do more exercise - ugh.
5. Find some form of Employment
Getting dangerously close to 'wish list' now. I'm being more brave in how far away I am looking and looking at more menial types of work to at least get me out of the house. I've also got some more routine volunteering hours in the pipeline - watch this space.
So I think that is a fair summation of the goals: learn, work, tone, write and throw my hat into the ring. As with last year I am continuing to challenge myself to seize opportunities, even if they terrify me. I hope this blog will be busy with achievement. Fingers crossed. x
1. To continue this blog.
It's helped me to see what I'm managing and has fulfilled the purpose of stopping my brain deleting focusing on the things I haven't achieved to some extent so I figure I should carry on. Maybe this year I'll get more followers and even some comments!
2. Enter competitions.
Ok, this one may seem rather odd but I think that in the current economic climate getting a job is like winning the lottery and I apply for jobs, so why not apply for other things. At least it will make me write more, craft more, and generally get motivated to do things.
3. Learn new skills.
I know that sounds a bit vague but I've got things in mind. I want to learn pottery, it should complement glass fusing nicely (both kiln based art) and I found a glass years ago. I just need to get the confidence up to go on my own. I also plan on making some clothes. I've tried a few times but never invested in patterns and the right fabrics because it ends up more expensive than buying clothes that way. I've decided I need to start off with the proper stuff to learn the basic skills before trying to pattern draft on my own or work with other fabrics. I've been thinking about doing a counselling course at college but new government cuts mean I'd have to pay full fees so I'm thinking it through quite carefully. Learning the flute is also on this list, after I managed to buy a flute in a manic episode 2 years ago and have yet to work out how to play it - Youtube here I come!
4. Do some exercise
A realistic amount like a swim or a class a week. I've been looking at salsa fit videos but think it may be dangerous to attempt in my tiny house. I may have to make myself a sticker chart with ice cream rewards - no wait, then I'd need to do more exercise - ugh.
5. Find some form of Employment
Getting dangerously close to 'wish list' now. I'm being more brave in how far away I am looking and looking at more menial types of work to at least get me out of the house. I've also got some more routine volunteering hours in the pipeline - watch this space.
So I think that is a fair summation of the goals: learn, work, tone, write and throw my hat into the ring. As with last year I am continuing to challenge myself to seize opportunities, even if they terrify me. I hope this blog will be busy with achievement. Fingers crossed. x
Friday, 30 December 2011
11 more achievements of 2011..
Eh hem. This year other than the epic cakes I have posted, the pointless earrings(I have no piercings) I have made and the other longer post topics I have shared I have also done some other little things that I now aim to round up like a cowgirl, because as we all know "Stetsons are cool".
So here goes. In 2011 I...
2. Gone to scary London 3 times.
When opportunities arise I have been doing my best to take them, no matter how scary they are. This has resulted in going 'where the scary opportunities are' - London. While I'd ideally move there to be with my boyfriend and set up a social enterprise and take writing classes and direct West End musicals and take the BBC by storm I'm not there yet but these trips are a start. I can use the underground by myself and have even managed to navigate around in a hurry without getting lost.
3. Won a pub quiz (twice)
Or perhaps more times but I don't remember. Pub quizzes always seemed to me to be the type of everyday success that I could not do. I have always found trivia somewhat trivial unless it is of the amusing sort. The pub quiz I go to with my panto crowd has a creative round which is essentially a grown up Blue Peter make so I can actually contribute even though I thought Jimmy Hendrix was a snooker player!
4. Became a volunteer co-ordinator
I've been promoted as a volunteer at Sophie's Wish (a brain tumour research charity I volunteer for) from being a general committee and ideas person to their volunteer co-ordintor. This essentially means lots of being pinickity about making databases and meeting new people for tea and cake!
5. 2 long courses.
I went down to London for a really exciting leadership course with Common Purpose. Loads of disabled students were there and I made an amazing network of inspiring friends and got to go to some fancy London buildings. It was like a friendly, disabled version of 'The Apprentice'. I also did a 4 day business course with the Prince's Trust - pity I don't have a decent business idea.
6. Bulk catering
My Mum and Dad retired this summer and Dad organised a surprise party for my Mum with her child-minded children and their families from the last 30 years. Somehow I got left doing the catering - for 110 people, for £120, with 3 hours preparation time. Sometimes it turns out I am actually superwoman, the rest of the time I manage to burn pasta.
7. Moved to a nicer (though more expensive) house
I've moved house 8 times in 7 years now. It's really unsettling. This time, despite finding somewhere with only 48 hours to spare and paying a little more than I intended I have found a house where I feel at home. Those extra few hundred pounds are definitely worthwhile when I consider the effect feeling safe, being warm and having my best friend/carer close at hand have on my life.
8. Worked in a shop
More volunteering. This time in a shop/community centre. I learned how to use the till and deal with difficult customers. Also, it turns out I'm quite good at window displays. It's an odd achievement to put down as I didn't achieve much really but it allowed me to get out of the house and learn about the people in my city. Different cultures, different perspectives and different needs - a good learning experience.
9. Finished my MA
With hindsight I would not do this course again. I'd find one that was more recognised and led to a vocational qualification. At the same time over half of my class dropped out so I'm glad I stuck at it and finished. Perhaps 2012 will be the year of the PhD applications.
10. Started going to a writing group
I have always written but now I'm making a formal weekly slot for it, complete with trusted and talented friends to edit my work and people for me to teach my ideas. I actually sent my Nano to a friend to be edited - poor sod.
11. Kept a blog
And it is an achievement I intend to continue.
Au revoir pour 2011.
So here goes. In 2011 I...
- Learned to use chopsticks.
2. Gone to scary London 3 times.
When opportunities arise I have been doing my best to take them, no matter how scary they are. This has resulted in going 'where the scary opportunities are' - London. While I'd ideally move there to be with my boyfriend and set up a social enterprise and take writing classes and direct West End musicals and take the BBC by storm I'm not there yet but these trips are a start. I can use the underground by myself and have even managed to navigate around in a hurry without getting lost.
3. Won a pub quiz (twice)
Or perhaps more times but I don't remember. Pub quizzes always seemed to me to be the type of everyday success that I could not do. I have always found trivia somewhat trivial unless it is of the amusing sort. The pub quiz I go to with my panto crowd has a creative round which is essentially a grown up Blue Peter make so I can actually contribute even though I thought Jimmy Hendrix was a snooker player!
4. Became a volunteer co-ordinator
I've been promoted as a volunteer at Sophie's Wish (a brain tumour research charity I volunteer for) from being a general committee and ideas person to their volunteer co-ordintor. This essentially means lots of being pinickity about making databases and meeting new people for tea and cake!
5. 2 long courses.
I went down to London for a really exciting leadership course with Common Purpose. Loads of disabled students were there and I made an amazing network of inspiring friends and got to go to some fancy London buildings. It was like a friendly, disabled version of 'The Apprentice'. I also did a 4 day business course with the Prince's Trust - pity I don't have a decent business idea.
6. Bulk catering
My Mum and Dad retired this summer and Dad organised a surprise party for my Mum with her child-minded children and their families from the last 30 years. Somehow I got left doing the catering - for 110 people, for £120, with 3 hours preparation time. Sometimes it turns out I am actually superwoman, the rest of the time I manage to burn pasta.
7. Moved to a nicer (though more expensive) house
I've moved house 8 times in 7 years now. It's really unsettling. This time, despite finding somewhere with only 48 hours to spare and paying a little more than I intended I have found a house where I feel at home. Those extra few hundred pounds are definitely worthwhile when I consider the effect feeling safe, being warm and having my best friend/carer close at hand have on my life.
8. Worked in a shop
More volunteering. This time in a shop/community centre. I learned how to use the till and deal with difficult customers. Also, it turns out I'm quite good at window displays. It's an odd achievement to put down as I didn't achieve much really but it allowed me to get out of the house and learn about the people in my city. Different cultures, different perspectives and different needs - a good learning experience.
9. Finished my MA
With hindsight I would not do this course again. I'd find one that was more recognised and led to a vocational qualification. At the same time over half of my class dropped out so I'm glad I stuck at it and finished. Perhaps 2012 will be the year of the PhD applications.
10. Started going to a writing group
I have always written but now I'm making a formal weekly slot for it, complete with trusted and talented friends to edit my work and people for me to teach my ideas. I actually sent my Nano to a friend to be edited - poor sod.
11. Kept a blog
And it is an achievement I intend to continue.
Au revoir pour 2011.
Wednesday, 28 December 2011
Gingerbread Epic!
This is it - my gingerbread church! This year my boyfriend in the big London
qualified as an architect after a gruelling seven and a half years. He's
also started work on restoring the Saxon church he bought. So that's what
I've made a model of St. Margaret's, Keddington.
Last year my gingerbread nativity came out a bit wonky as the gingerbread went soft
in our damp kitchen it soon started to sag. My Dad tried to restore it with wire and sticks, which kind of negates the point.
This year, with that in mind, the construction had RSJs in the form of...
candy canes melted together with a blow torch. That's not to say that there weren't
some major cock ups though. Like why do recipes measure golden syrup in tablespoons?
I also burnt myself considerably on making the stained glass windows. I couldn't get any boiled sweets in my village so I melted gummy bears in the microwave, which looked good but really burnt my fingers.
While making this gingerbread church I got to thinking about why so many people are sad at Christmas. I don't just mean people who spend the time alone. It is the busiest day of the year on the website for students with mental illness that I write. I think it is to do with pressure and expectation. There is an expectation on the day itself to be a success - this is why Dawn French
had to eat everyone's sprouts in The Vicar of Dibley. There is an expectation on us all to be happy and at peace with the world, which is not always possible, especially when you are fighting an evil disease that is working against this expectation. Plus you are with your family. Even if they are great, everyone wants to round up there year. It's competitive in so many ways, the food gets elaborate, the gifts might be expensive or homemade. When I was little I made all my decorations and cards and baked for hours and everyone was always impressed because
I was a child. Now it seems childish and the pressure on things like this gingerbread church
becomes overwhelming. I actually sat in the kitchen for an hour being too intimidated by these over-sized pieces of biscuit to assemble them. But I'm glad I did, if any SMILe readers have made there way here as they try to get through Christmas let me give you a tip - be childish, make the trimmings of previous years. It's far better to be childish than miserable.
qualified as an architect after a gruelling seven and a half years. He's
also started work on restoring the Saxon church he bought. So that's what
I've made a model of St. Margaret's, Keddington.
Last year my gingerbread nativity came out a bit wonky as the gingerbread went soft
in our damp kitchen it soon started to sag. My Dad tried to restore it with wire and sticks, which kind of negates the point.
This year, with that in mind, the construction had RSJs in the form of...
candy canes melted together with a blow torch. That's not to say that there weren't
some major cock ups though. Like why do recipes measure golden syrup in tablespoons?
I also burnt myself considerably on making the stained glass windows. I couldn't get any boiled sweets in my village so I melted gummy bears in the microwave, which looked good but really burnt my fingers.
While making this gingerbread church I got to thinking about why so many people are sad at Christmas. I don't just mean people who spend the time alone. It is the busiest day of the year on the website for students with mental illness that I write. I think it is to do with pressure and expectation. There is an expectation on the day itself to be a success - this is why Dawn French
had to eat everyone's sprouts in The Vicar of Dibley. There is an expectation on us all to be happy and at peace with the world, which is not always possible, especially when you are fighting an evil disease that is working against this expectation. Plus you are with your family. Even if they are great, everyone wants to round up there year. It's competitive in so many ways, the food gets elaborate, the gifts might be expensive or homemade. When I was little I made all my decorations and cards and baked for hours and everyone was always impressed because
I was a child. Now it seems childish and the pressure on things like this gingerbread church
becomes overwhelming. I actually sat in the kitchen for an hour being too intimidated by these over-sized pieces of biscuit to assemble them. But I'm glad I did, if any SMILe readers have made there way here as they try to get through Christmas let me give you a tip - be childish, make the trimmings of previous years. It's far better to be childish than miserable.
Thursday, 22 December 2011
Frankenstein - a tragedy, a comedy, a love story
How could I possibly have forgotten to tell you about 'Frankenstein'? Well, there is something so all consuming about directing a play, especially with a cast of light entertainers, that is so exhausting that after it is over I tend to take to bed for a fortnight.
'Frankenstein' was written for us by Arkady, my darling carer/housemate/pseudo-brother and Matt Voice, the adorable chap pretending to be middle-aged in the middle of the photo below. NB. I do realise Mary Shelley wrote the 'Frankenstein' but this 'Frankenstein' was written by my lovely boys.
So yes after a heavy editing in which I tore out the proposal to end a tragi-comedy with a parody song I took the role of director alongside Matt, for whom it was his first time directing(he's not half as bossy as me). Our first major challenge came due to our company performing a double bill. When an American walked into our casting session Matt and I fell in love. We never knew Victor Frankenstein would be American but this man was our Victor Frankenstein, unfortunately he was being coveted as a pantomime dame for the other show.
I don't think I've ever had to be so stubborn as when I was fighting for my (leading) man but in the end we got our cast and set about sculpting our characters into 3D.
The two either side of Matt in the photo are our main characters Victor and Elizabeth Frankenstein. The story is an examination of human frailty. Victor's reason for bringing a dead colleague back to life is seemingly to help his department who cannot afford a new lecturer but an untold story is hinted at throughout in the absence of a child to continue the Frankenstein family line. These two are the most wonderful pair I have ever directed. Initially Matt and I were concerned about a lack of chemistry between them but after an hour shut in a room doing trust exercises involving a blindfold and Matt's shoe they started to become the married couple we were trying to convey - so comfortable with each other, wanting the best for one another. They finally got together on the night of the final show. They were the love story we never expected to come out of a tragi-comedy.
So this is a double achievement, introducing Elizabeth and Victor and pulling off a tragi-comedy, which I still think is a challenging genre. I wanted to make people laugh and make people cry in one sitting and this is something we achieved.
'Frankenstein' was written for us by Arkady, my darling carer/housemate/pseudo-brother and Matt Voice, the adorable chap pretending to be middle-aged in the middle of the photo below. NB. I do realise Mary Shelley wrote the 'Frankenstein' but this 'Frankenstein' was written by my lovely boys.
So yes after a heavy editing in which I tore out the proposal to end a tragi-comedy with a parody song I took the role of director alongside Matt, for whom it was his first time directing(he's not half as bossy as me). Our first major challenge came due to our company performing a double bill. When an American walked into our casting session Matt and I fell in love. We never knew Victor Frankenstein would be American but this man was our Victor Frankenstein, unfortunately he was being coveted as a pantomime dame for the other show.
I don't think I've ever had to be so stubborn as when I was fighting for my (leading) man but in the end we got our cast and set about sculpting our characters into 3D.
The two either side of Matt in the photo are our main characters Victor and Elizabeth Frankenstein. The story is an examination of human frailty. Victor's reason for bringing a dead colleague back to life is seemingly to help his department who cannot afford a new lecturer but an untold story is hinted at throughout in the absence of a child to continue the Frankenstein family line. These two are the most wonderful pair I have ever directed. Initially Matt and I were concerned about a lack of chemistry between them but after an hour shut in a room doing trust exercises involving a blindfold and Matt's shoe they started to become the married couple we were trying to convey - so comfortable with each other, wanting the best for one another. They finally got together on the night of the final show. They were the love story we never expected to come out of a tragi-comedy.
So this is a double achievement, introducing Elizabeth and Victor and pulling off a tragi-comedy, which I still think is a challenging genre. I wanted to make people laugh and make people cry in one sitting and this is something we achieved.
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