The wanderer returns

Here are a few photos taken at different times of Conwy Castle and quay. I just love these lobster pots or are they traps?

I'm slowly trying to make a comeback. my circumstances have changed again and I now how my youngest son and grandson living with me for the time being. I love having their company, but it has meant the loss of my two workrooms which have been returned to bedrooms. I still have some stuff around and I have a table where I can work. So I really have no excuse not to do things do I?

Conwy

I've been very busy still sorting out my life and getting there slowly. I try to take a walk each day and here are some photos of some of my trips to Conwy.

Inspiration

This bit of fence caught my eye on the way back from Conwy yesterday. I think it's very interesting as I can see a surprised looking owl and I can feel a creative session coming up.

I still haven't quite finished sorting myself out, but I probably need a little break.

I inherited very good quality old chairs with my flat 25 years ago and they were used all that time in the loft where I had all my craft work. Now that I'm crafting more in my 'Office' downstairs I brought the chairs down and bought a cheap cushion for each seat. I decided to use one cushion for the chair back and it's now very comfortable to sit on. I need two more cushions for the second chair now!

Bubbles

I'm still plodding along, but getting there slowly. I couldn't get my contact list back after the reformat even though I'd saved it to a memory stick, but I've added all the important ones in now. the rest can be added as and when they crop up.
There is one problem I still have and that's my Bernina V6 software. It was working on Windows 10 before the reformat but crashed twice since then and I had to set up all my programmes from scratch.. As you can imagine I'm scared stiff of trying again after all the hard work.

I thought I'd open that champagne to celebrate. it's the only image I have on my computer just now and as I was desperate for a bit of relaxing play I had to use my bottle in PSP7.

Back to work again! 

I'm back

I'm sure you think I've done the disappearing act again, but I haven't!
I've been very busy trying to get may act together at last. I reformatted the laptop I use most. It's an Acer with a bigger screen and going on for 6 years old now I think, which with technology changing so quickly is old I suppose.
As you can imagine I had loads of problems getting everything back on after the change from Windows 7 to 10. But I'm getting there slowly. I won't bore you now, but there have been quite a few problems with programmes to sort out.

I don't have a drink problem but took this photo from a presentation screen on Wednesday at our Ladies Probus meeting at the theatre in Llandudno. We had such an interesting talk by Ann Huckle who went on holiday to Alsace and called her talk Cranes and Flowers. I might mention this again one day.

My trip to Liverpool

  
Our PROBUS excursion to Liverpool included a cruise on the Mersey and on the way home a meal at the Northop Hall Hotel. in between we had time to enjoy albert Dock. We had a little rain on the cruise, but it was still enjoyable.
I never loose photos when transferring them to the computer, but somehow this time I did manage to lose a couple of good ones. I've been having a lot of problems for the last few weeks as I transferred over from BT to Sky.com.  
               
If you follow my blog you will know that I have been interested in John Piper’s art, in particular the Stained Glass Windows and I would have enjoyed visiting the Catholic Cathedral to see the windows. I was taken to see the work in progress when I was young, but I haven’t visited since. it was interesting to read about the cathedral which had been originally planned in 1929 by celebrated architect Sir Edwin Lutyens for the Bishop. But it was going to take 250 years to build and included toilets hidden in the pillars and running holy water. But I think the modern version which was actually built is better.
 
I was inspired by this map worked in thick glass. I show a small close-up. SerenTex once had a project using perspex which I missed due to illness having done a lot of research and I feel like having another go. The class was taken by Wendy Cowling whom I taught when she was young.
I liked the way you could see through these sails.
This getting far too long, but I may post about the trip another time.

Stained glass inspired

   

The first image was from odd pieces of paper cut into squares and stuck down in my journal. Of course I couldn’t resist having a little play with them in PSP and I think they look much better. The next step is to paint loads of paper in brighter colours and have another go.
I’ve been wasting a lot of time sorting out my changeover from BT to Sky.com. Especially now I’m connected getting Sky to work with my other Accounts in MS Outlook.
This bit of the post is especially for Smitonius and Sonata who wanted to know more about the Dutch Pancake House in Conwy. I do have a photo of Charlie my GS putting my little GGD’s feet inside the big clogs outside the door.

Inspired by John Piper

I really have been inspired by John Piper's stained glass windows in particular. I wish I'd seen the YouTubes of his work before I made my original piece for the book.

This was the page I used in the book and it does look rather staid, but it does give the impression I was looking for.

It all started with this little sketch of an old window taken out probably by Gaudi's team when they were restoring the Cathedral in Majorca, The Cathedral of Light. The atmosphere in the cathedral on a sunny day is stupendous and I have never forgotten the thrill it gave me back in 1998.

 My DH was very patient with me and took me to places I wanted to visit even though he had no interest. He sat people watching while I wandered all over the place. I went down to the crypt where I found all these windows with the glass taken out leaning against the wall. While everyone else was looking at the new windows I was there sketching and taking photos of these old windows.

I used them to make one of my boards for the Cityand Guilds course I was doing at the time. I made stencils which I used for these windows. The two above are in a journal.

Then of course I had to play with the sketch in my PSP and I think the one above is the one that reminds me most of those old windows in the crypt. 

And this one reminds me of the way the sun shone through the coloured windows until the cathedral shone around us taking my breath away. The rest of the images are a bit of fun that I enjoyed. I think I will make more imitation leaded windows, but more modern and maybe in a similar style to the windows in Coventry Cathedral which I went to see in the 1950ies before I had started doing City and Guilds and taking an interest in this sort of thing.

Evening sun

I must share the evening sun with you after taking photos just now.

Playing with paint, circles and scissors

Three pages just finished.

Three more unfinished.