28 June 2013

east side gallery II






Thought I'd share a few more images from the East Side Gallery, also more here. It really bugged me how so many people felt the need to scrawl their name over the art, pretty much every pale coloured section of the artwork had been defaced in this way. I'm a big fan of street art, but tags really irritate me. 

I've taken today as holiday, there were a few little things I fancied doing, little projects and catching up with things here on the blog. So far I've spent the whole morning cleaning the house, not really what I had in mind, but its got to be done. It hasn't stopped raining all day here, though I think Mouser is more peeved by it than me! I'm going to head off to the supermarket soon and get that chore out of the way too, the weather is meant to improve tomorrow, so I don't want to be trawling the aisles with my trolley while the sun's out. Then we've a weekend of family, friends and a little relaxing, plus a possible trip to IKEA. What have you planned?

27 June 2013

nature in the home







I picked a big blousey peony from the garden this morning, they've been flowering a few days already and no sooner had I popped it in the vase than it started to shed it's petals. I'm not too familiar with peonies - these plants have been in our garden since we moved here, yet this is the first time they've really bloomed, in previous years the buds seem to have just rotted away, rather than burst open. Aren't they amazing though? Like big tissue paper flowers, and interesting how the petals are so random in shape. The ants seem to like them too, do you see him in image two?

I'm joining in with Lou and her nature in the home series, this week the challenge was white. And thanks Lou for choosing my image of feathers from last week to illustrate this week's post.

Remember there are only a couple of days left in the life of Google Reader, if you'd like to keep following nice kind of blue I recommend using Bloglovin'. The interface looks pretty, plus you can group blogs into categories if you choose. You can follow me there by clicking the button below or in the sidebar to the right. Of course there are other readers out there too, if you don't fancy using Bloglovin'.

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26 June 2013

lately


  • flowers from the garden
  • radish and mixed leaves from the veg beds
  • I love the cool floor on my feet in summer
  • Mouser's favourite toy
  • lunch at home
  • at the nature reserve

25 June 2013

east side gallery I





When we visited Berlin recently, number one of my must do/see list was to visit the East Side Gallery, to see the remaining section of the notorious wall that once divided East and West and to see the art that now acts as a memorial to freedom. 

24 June 2013

berlin I






It was a few weeks back that we visited Berlin, yet I've only just got round to looking through the pictures we took with our big camera. These show a glimpse into the wonderful apartment we rented through Airbnb. I adored it, especially the kitchen, it felt like home, or how I'd like my home to feel, airy, charming and light. Despite being early risers we barely left the apartment before 11am, it was such a relaxing place to stay we'd sit about drinking coffee, eating long relaxed breakfasts and researching our day ahead using the wifi on our phones before finally venturing out. 

[The last picture was taken by D, I really like it, perhaps not the prettiest view but kept us entertained]

lately


It may not have been the warmest of years, but the summer light is just wonderful, life seems to be filled with green and we spend our evenings in the garden and our weekends venturing out. 

  • heading back from Norfolk after a day with friends
  • passing fields of turbines
  • my favourite tiles on the underground
  • paint samples on the wall
  • a viaduct another weekend
  • clouds cover the ceiling of a cafe

midsummer madness


We decided to celebrate midsummer this year, by making a little den for ourselves in the garden. We strung a sail from the roof of our shed, hung lanterns from poles, prepared our favourite salads, cooked corn, haloumi and sausages on the BBQ, drank beers, relaxed in the comfiest deck chairs and listened to music late into the night. Mr Mouse came to join us, relishing the whole affair (I think he thought we were throwing him a party). When we became weary we retired to our shed, spending the night on the floor with blankets, duvet and cushions, the door ajar and the night breeze on our faces. We had such a fun night - the evening was mild, the moon was huge and the rain came long after we were snuggled in the shed. Did you celebrate? What did you do?

22 June 2013

lately


  • buttercups indoors
  • sunshine in the garden
  • plants hang from the ceiling
  • radish and leaves grow in the veg beds
  • sun sets and cycles
  • evenings spent in our shed

19 June 2013

nature in the home



Little gifts from Tit and Pie, our ducks, they shed them as they preen. These are mostly Pie's (lighter in colour) Tit saves most of her's to line her nest (the little downy ones at least). 

I'm joining in with Lou and her weekly series nature in the home.

17 June 2013

lately


Just some snapshots of life round here lately. 

  • spotted from the train window - Christiaan Nagel mushrooms
  • green in London - Hackney Marshes
  • hedgerow [near home]
  • a cute package
  • inside a ceramic boulder by Hazel Stark interviewed here
  • weeny radish from the garden
  • breakfast [papaya and banana]
  • a day warm enough for no socks
All taken with my iphone 4 and part of my Instagram feed. Hope you had a good weekend, I've today off too! Yipeee.

15 June 2013

lately


More from Berlin.

  • shock on my face at the photoautomat booth [why can't they be everywhere]
  • espresso and us
  • 63 nice number
  • malty beer and green beer [not sure]
  • ROA's rats climbing walls
  • D outside at bonanza coffee heroes
  • americano and flat white
  • waiting for photos
  • more fun in booths

13 June 2013

nature in the home






Joining in with Lou and her weekly series 'nature in the home', if your not already taking part pop over to Lou's blog Littlegreenshed to see all the other entries and link up yourself. Each week Lou sets a theme, this week it's 'your favourite plant'. So meet Hairy and Hairy's offspring [the smaller plant snuggling up with my Donna Wilson beardy plate]. I've had them a good few years now, which shows they are pretty easy going. My original Hairy was a gift from my parents which makes him extra special. Earlier this year I noticed a couple of tiny white flowers on him, the first he's had I think. He seems quite at home in our house sitting up high on our window sills [we've lots of tiny windows around the ceiling], dangling his long tendrils down our walls. 

[Hairy is a type of cacti - a Rhipsalis, though I'm not sure which species]

11 June 2013

lately



A few more Instagram images of our time in Berlin.

  • colours and patterns on the U-Bahn
  • looking up
  • mirrors and web-like things in the museum der dinge
  • stickers on walls
  • knives and sweets in vending machines
  • photoautomat booths
In my last post I asked you which reader you'd be using once Google Reader ceases to be next month, Jen suggested I try Bloglovin', which I've done. It displays really nicely and I was able to easily transfer the blogs I followed through Google (you probably know this already - I'm quite slow when it comes to the techy stuff) so anyway panic over I'm happy now. You can follow me there if you like, I've added a button in the sidebar to make it easy. 

9 June 2013

lately


Some more Instagram pictures from our recent visit to Berlin. I just wish we could have stayed longer. 

  • pretty bedding in our Airbnb apartment
  • the Bauhaus Archiv
  • ON-TYPE exhibition, unfortunately the text in German only
  • pillar at Bauhaus Archiv
  • us reflected
  • deciding which poster will fit in our suitcase
  • inside the Archiv
  • nice type on the U-Bahn
So it seems Google Reader will be no more from July. I currently use it for catching up with all your blogs and like its look and functionality.  Which reader do you use? Please leave me your recommendations :)

7 June 2013

lately

  • we flew to Berlin
  • stayed in a pretty apartment
  • drank beer
  • ate well
  • visited the East Side Gallery
  • paused and cried tears at the Holocaust Memorial
  • didn't cross here
  • had fun in photobooths

We spent 3 days hanging out in Berlin, doing some touristy stuff as well as more general pottering about, we loved every minute and 3 days was nowhere near long enough. I'll share some more of what we got up to in future posts. We stayed in a lovely light and spacious apartment in the neighbourhood of Prenzlauer Berg [which we booked through Airbnb].

6 June 2013

nature in the home


Joining Lou and her 'nature in the home' series. This week Lou set us a theme of hedgerow. I didn't have to venture far for these, our garden is full of patches of wild flowers [when we moved here it was pretty overgrown and nature had taken over, it's now a constant battle to keep her at bay, yet we like to leave the odd patch here and there - to look pretty and welcome the bees, butterflies and other little helpers]. I've kept it simple this week with buttercups, alone. When I was a kid we'd hold one under our chin to determine if we liked butter! Did you to do that?

4 June 2013

the creatives - william edmonds

Welcome again to 'the creatives' - a series I'm running here on the blog, introducing you to some of my favourite artists and designers, sharing a little of their work and asking them a few questions. This time I'd like to introduce William EdmondsI first came across William's work on Instagram and instantly fell in love with his empty head drinking vessels. I've been following what he's been up to since then and really love what he does, whether on paper or in clay. His style is playful and full of life.




So William, please tell us a little about yourself and what you do? 
I am an artist with a broad ranging output. My practice ultimately comes from drawing, but this can find itself manifest in works on paper, sculpture, drawing, print making, sound and more recently ceramics. Mark and timbre, line and verse, form and play. I am one third of Nous Vous a group of artists, friends and image makers.

What's the first thing you remember creating and how old were you? I don't know if it was the first thing but I remember making comics about a character called bubby chicken. A sort of cross between my mum and a rubber chicken. That guy got up to some scrapes, mostly actual scrapes. There were lots of sharp objects involved. This and I repeatedly drew Batman and Marvin the Martian.

What are you working on at the moment? 
I have just made a set of ceramics and a large wall piece for a group show in London that is happening very soon and I am working on a ceramic cocktail set and large fabric work for an upcoming Nous Vous show in London later in June. Aside from that with Nous Vous, in collaboration with couple of other individuals and organisations we are working on a large public art project that will kick off later in the summer.

Where do you look for inspiration? 
Some places for good vibes and pep ups, mainly the other members of Nous Vous (Nicolas Burrows and Jay Cover) but nowhere specific. There is so much around, I think more so I'm trying to unlearn things so I can make work that is a bit truer to myself.

What are your favourite magazines, and blogs? 
My friend Rhiannon's blog 'Intelligent Clashing' and her husband Joe's blog 'Void', Nathaniel Russell's unfaltering blog 'Crooked Arm' are regularly checked. I don't read too many magazines... Apartamento is nice.

If you could collaborate with anyone (living or dead who would that be)?
I would love to collaborate with Peter Shire as he is a brilliant artist and ceramist but has an amazing energy, plus a excuse to hang out in his Echo Park studio would be enough.
 
Do you sell your work? If so where? 
Yes! I sell my ceramics here but I am making a new shop site to house this new ceramic collection soon. I sell prints and books on my own site and through Nous Vous' store. I have a few ceramic bits stocked by shops in London.

Where can we find you? (blog, website, Twitter, Instagram, etc.)

Thank you William, for taking part in 'the creatives' series and giving us an insight into your work and what inspires you.