tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49415171923707047742024-03-05T23:10:10.793+00:00Many A MickleMany A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.comBlogger87125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-14959803291035534432015-10-26T14:32:00.000+00:002015-10-26T14:32:21.281+00:00Sheffield Park Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How did I only just find out <a href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/sheffield-park-and-garden/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sheffield Park Garden</a> is such a fabulous place for seeing Autumn colours?! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: large;">Judging by the queues yesterday, the world and his wife already knew. We arrived at exactly 10am, opening time, yet we had to park in an overflow area and the entrance was closed shortly after. The park is huge but even so it was hard to take a photo of the gorgeous trees without a stranger in it. </span> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The weather was crisp and sunny, the best day in quite a while, so no wonder everyone had decided it was a perfect Autumn colour viewing day. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">'Capability' Brown helped shape the park and next year will be the 300th anniversary of his birth so the Trust is planning themed events. We will certainly make another trip or two because it felt like we barely tickled what the park has to offer. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When we left to begin the journey home, there was a long queue of cars in the driveway waiting for parking spaces to come free, the entrance had been closed to cars and the country road had dozens of cars parked up on the verge. Yet all around the countryside is awash with equally gorgeous coloured leaves. Beautiful natives with leaves in mellow yellows, oranges and browns rather than those flashy red 'look at me' acers! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>BTW, if you fancy a coffee while you stroll, there is no need to join the long queue in the cafe tucked away in the car park as there is a coffee cart set up by one of the lakes. Wish I'd known that! </i></span></span><br />
Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-30489247091942249082014-12-22T19:09:00.000+00:002014-12-22T19:09:39.670+00:00Mapp and Lucia<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmfsYIpaQ1bl7ecyToJIhHehb3PV76yNNui-QAAFDHI46oyY2tdcPd0EF4bmBfjUQ_tbdnmSWZS-KEJlYJdV66csP7rc11Jf9h7rkJSXeX4chIxGT65yRsM-ITVyntSbcEydsf9xd-w0/s1600/Map-and-Lucia_orig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTmfsYIpaQ1bl7ecyToJIhHehb3PV76yNNui-QAAFDHI46oyY2tdcPd0EF4bmBfjUQ_tbdnmSWZS-KEJlYJdV66csP7rc11Jf9h7rkJSXeX4chIxGT65yRsM-ITVyntSbcEydsf9xd-w0/s1600/Map-and-Lucia_orig.jpg" height="398" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from Telegraph website</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMKc3HtKermfjmoriPdJcmmJEID6zZM0Mb1nxEw_hMKyxD7sDiWNDcZPVYh2mLhqKr6ISZcf35xP691SWDNEG3bnPIB6VbhEAdZ791f6CEgLGOUNp3qWGaJ-7DfwY-SVvJmqm96z6hkk/s1600/Mapp+and+Lucia+new.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMKc3HtKermfjmoriPdJcmmJEID6zZM0Mb1nxEw_hMKyxD7sDiWNDcZPVYh2mLhqKr6ISZcf35xP691SWDNEG3bnPIB6VbhEAdZ791f6CEgLGOUNp3qWGaJ-7DfwY-SVvJmqm96z6hkk/s1600/Mapp+and+Lucia+new.jpg" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">from BBC website</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://manyamickleblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/paddington-movie.html">This remake</a> made the grade but will <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/proginfo/2014/52/mapp-and-lucia">this one</a>?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I loved the 1980s series when I was a teenager and then devoured all the books. I often visit Rye, where the series was filmed, and still see it, not as an attractive south coast town but as Tilling, a hot bed of petty goings-on! Over there is 'Mallards'; these are the narrow streets that Susan Wyse travelled by Rolls Royce to order provisions from the grocer, relayed through her chauffeur of course; that's the church tower from where Mapp saw Lucia doing callanetics in the garden when she was meant to be too ill to meet Countess Faraglione, who might realise Lucia actually doesn't really know a word of Italian........</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I will watch - but with trepidation. Geraldine McEwan, Prunella Scales and Nigel Hawthorne were absolutely perfectly cast as Lucia, Mapp and Georgie. Oh I really don't want to be disappointed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Au reservoir!</span><br />
<br />Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-86443255130257250942014-12-19T17:12:00.000+00:002014-12-22T19:09:50.299+00:00Paddington The Movie<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I grew up with Paddington. With those five minute programmes which were shown on the BBC at the end of Blue Peter and before the evening news. Paddington was a cute and cuddly bear and the Browns and the surroundings were 2D drawings. Michael Horden narrated in his posh actor voice (Paddington carried a "sssueew-T-case"). Ahh, fond memories!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So when I saw the trailer for the new Paddington film, I was horrified. What had they done to him?! Why did Nicole Kidman want to stuff him for heaven's sake?! I really was in two minds about seeing it but when I had first heard that a film was being made, I told my little girl we HAD to see it and she was holding me to my promise. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Well, within the first minute I was absolutely hooked. I laughed and laughed. BUT. Call me an old prude, but the bits where Hugh Bonneville dressed as a tea lady were a bit much. Funny at first but it went back for more. I can't recall the exact lines but they were a bit fruity! My daughter was more concerned with telling me it was the man from Horrible Histories but I was more worried that the Natural History Museum could have such an old letch on the pay role. Where was HR?!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The thought of Paddington being stuffed also sent my seven year old on a crying and yelling session, the like I've never seen. While she was disturbed at the time, ever since she has kept referring to all the funny bits and pointed out that while Nicole Kidman's father, the hunter Montgomery Clyde, had been very kind, she was not! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So I thoroughly enjoyed the film after all but it could have done with more Paddington hard stares (there was just the token one), more of kind Mr Gruber and of grumpy Mr Curry too - a bit of a waste of Peter Capaldi.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Perhaps next time.......</span></span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-92221471479592583172014-12-08T15:48:00.000+00:002014-12-08T15:48:07.288+00:00Edwin Smith - Ordinary Beauty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">I was so fortunate to find out about the exhibition of photographs by <a href="http://www.architecture.com/WhatsOn/September2014/OrdinaryBeautyThePhotographyOfEdwinSmith.aspx">Edwin Smith, held at RIBA</a>, just before it ended last week. It was fabulous and such an education. I like to lug my camera around with me, taking pictures of anything that takes my fancy. I attempt to see things differently, to see beauty in the mundane and to home in on the details. Seeing is more difficult than you would think! There is so much to learn but what a lot this collection of photos taught me. </span> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Part of the charm of the collection was of course that it showed how life used to be, the clothes we wore, the transport we used, the pre-makeover show gardens and interiors, the empty roads with no double yellow lines or parked cars and signs. So nostalgia may cloud my view I suppose. </span> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The exhibition included a short film of architects, curators, photographers talking about Smith's work. Many referred to this particular photo. It doesn't look particularly interesting at first glance but where does that staircase lead? Look at the light filtering in and the way the benches are at an angle as though they got pushed back as the occupants hoisted themselves to their feet. The eye is drawn to all corners of the shot. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As one commentator said, the interiors look as if the people have just left the room and that there is something else happening now just out of shot.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I liked how some bits in the pictures were cut off or left out, such as this cathedral spire. It made me realise I would probably have unnecessarily tried to include it, to include more. Having a person in the shot, even if from a distance, also completes the scene perhaps to give scale or just to add to the story. Where are they going? Where have they been? Who are they?! A photo that is meant to be of a building can be enhanced by a person or two, especially if their features cannot be seen. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Shafts of light also appear in many of the pictures but my favourite was this one of the shirts positively glowing on the washing line. A mundane scene but still fascinating. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My mind was flitting all over the place as I looked at the photos. Each one setting up a story. The trip into the past was lovely but the photography lesson was an eye-opener. (As you can see from these 'snaps', I have a lot to learn!)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I left invigorated - and determined to find the black and white setting on my camera. I might even start a photo log too!</span></span><br />
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<br />Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-71132615719093464932014-11-27T17:57:00.000+00:002014-11-27T17:57:16.424+00:00Christmas Hypocrite<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">No sooner had the last firework been set off and while the bonfires were still smouldering, the glossy Christmas tv ads hit our screens. Indecently early in my opinion. In fact, I fast-forward through the whole lot of them on principle. And as for the fuss made over John Lewis each year - well! They get more annoying each year.*</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So why is it far too early for tv ads but just right for the Christmas sandwich? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Because the Pret a Manger Christmas Lunch sarnie is the best ever, that's why! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/christmas-sandwiches-2014-ranking-the-best-of-the-high-street-offerings-9865036.html">This article in the Independent</a> made laugh and I'm glad I'm not alone! A couple of weeks ago I saw a large display of Christmas sammies in M&S. Great, I thought, the Pret one will be out too. So I went straight out of the M&S food hall and into a branch of Pret. (I told you I liked them!) No (Christmas) joy there though so I ended up getting the M&S version. V disappointing, soggy even! Luckily Pret joined in a couple of days later and I have been taking full advantage ever since.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Merry Christmas! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">* IMHO the only JL ad worth watching is <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/christmas/christmas-videos/10432197/Top-five-most-memorable-John-Lewis-adverts.html">Always A Woman from 2010</a>. It had me in tears at the opening bar every time I saw it, including just now when I was looking for it online! Can't beat a bit of Billy Joel, that's for sure.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So, what do you think of the Xmas sandwiches on offer and is The Stranger by Billy Joel one of the best albums of all time?!</span></span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-31741618026908066522014-11-19T14:40:00.000+00:002014-11-19T14:40:04.043+00:00Signs of Old Age<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It's official. I am finally turning into my father. My dad took me to see the first Star Wars film when it came out in 1977. I was riveted. Dad? Fast asleep. I was incredulous. How on earth could he sleep through such an exciting, noisy film?!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Well now I know because in the past month it has happened to me not once but twice!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pre-baby, I used to go to the cinema after work and at the weekend, seeing everything that took my fancy. Then once my daughter was born, I made an effort - I even had membership to the Curzon - but the visits soon dwindled.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I realised the other day that I had been to the cinema twice in nearly a year and that was to see Frozen - twice! (which I thoroughly enjoyed, especially the outdoor sing-along one, but that's not the point!)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I chose Gone Girl as my first step back into the world of cinema. Thank goodness I'd read the book as I wouldn't have known what was happening when I finally awoke. Mr Turner was my second and I was floundering rather once I'd had my nap.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I blame the comfy seats, the glass of wine, the overly-hot auditorium - and perhaps my genes?! I'd like to see The Imitation Game but I hardly dare! I think my best chance of watching the whole thing will be to go to a matinee.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Just call me Gran (or John!).</span></span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-42475324545200880382014-11-17T14:38:00.000+00:002014-11-17T14:38:10.907+00:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I positively pounced on this one when I saw it on the 'New Titles' shelf at the library. A new Ann Cleeves! What a day! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">You know what it's like when you find an author you like, drink up all their back catalogue and are then left gasping for their next offering. Can't they write any quicker!!!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>Thin Air</i> is the latest in the Jimmy Perez saga, set in the Shetlands. I confess I much prefer the Vera Stanhope stories. Both series of books have tv adaptations and for me ITV's Vera, played by Brenda Blethyn, is far superior. What I see on screen tallys more with the written word. Oddly, I haven't managed to sit through a single episode of the BBC's take on the Shetland stories. Douglas Henshall looks absolutely nothing like the description of Jimmy Perez in the text. Where are the Spanish good looks?! </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Shetland is so far removed from my own interpretation of the text that I shall stick to the written word. I just wish there were more of them! </span></span><br />
<br />Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-24086157028336319952014-11-06T18:39:00.000+00:002014-11-06T18:39:40.530+00:00Poppies at the Tower<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Despite all the pleas from the Tower of London officials for visitors to stay away, I took my little girl to see the <a href="http://poppies.hrp.org.uk/?_ga=1.46559399.1470535854.1415299075">field of poppies</a> during the school holidays. We arrived at about 9.30am on Saturday morning and it was, as predicted, already heaving.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The noise was mainly from staff controlling the crowds with megaphones and from the traffic. The visitors were pretty quiet as they took in the huge beauty of the ceramics and also the huge pain and loss they represent. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Rather than shuffling along with the crowd, we found the best spot to view was from Tower Bridge.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I am so glad to have seen the memorial and yes, as many people as possible should see it too but I really hope the Tower does not change its plan to start dismantling on the 12th.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Ending on the 11th day of the 11th month, Armistice Day, is just perfect and adds to the poignancy and that feeling of how ludicrous it was that killing the enemy was allowed on the morning of the 11th - but not after lunch.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The horror of war. Lest we forget.</span></span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-58221094937795391832014-11-01T17:12:00.000+00:002014-11-02T06:24:32.672+00:00Returned!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Almost four years on from my last post, I have decided to spark up Many A Mickle once again! A lot has happened in the time that has passed but also a lot is very much the same I suspect. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One thing that has changed in this household is the acknowledgement of Halloween. It didn't figure much in my childhood but, if the shelves in the shops are to be believed, it is now very much a date in our diaries. My now seven year old certainly knows about it! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I do remember hollowing out a swede as a jack-o-lantern in my youth. Now that took some doing! Not like these overblown, monster pumpkins that sit in crates in the supermarket doorways. So easy-peasy to scoop out and carve. A swede however took real dedication to complete! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My effort was a shameless copy of <a href="http://instagram.com/p/uf7MDLuNLc/?modal=true">this one </a>but my daughter's witch on a broomstick was all her own work (but I did the cutting). I was really impressed! She certainly didn't get her artistic side from me, that's for sure.</span></span><br />
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Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-45479693426618661122010-11-21T11:48:00.006+00:002010-11-21T12:00:14.505+00:00Wisley<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoGgP3ZxRRX05dJxH0wz1ur2Q3DWgM-_KsOiVEN0msLD9au_L9rxjI344ItGFZCcDFYzvNrqWFEOvw7Q2z2sjF1nZ3z2r1guPcoz4O6F9NcY0wyiP7NUlvSYuEhUTY5xy0vwVyW7kjOJk/s1600/wisley.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoGgP3ZxRRX05dJxH0wz1ur2Q3DWgM-_KsOiVEN0msLD9au_L9rxjI344ItGFZCcDFYzvNrqWFEOvw7Q2z2sjF1nZ3z2r1guPcoz4O6F9NcY0wyiP7NUlvSYuEhUTY5xy0vwVyW7kjOJk/s320/wisley.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541971025759224962" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">A chrysanthemum - or something </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/obit/margaret/">Princess Margaret would have worn on her head</a><span style="font-family:arial;">?</span> </span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSxXv6SGuNUS3N-mDYbEuqq7JtFUX3v44M18J_ViSuB4NskHaiXTjMlDPcAGi4P6_zfLX7SLdOBmNk9WAhL6CR0nQ4HogjkUib04TcEx6iNhYPi7gneoIklHwZ82yI3DrmOu3AK7gaXU/s1600/wisley+%25281%2529.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFSxXv6SGuNUS3N-mDYbEuqq7JtFUX3v44M18J_ViSuB4NskHaiXTjMlDPcAGi4P6_zfLX7SLdOBmNk9WAhL6CR0nQ4HogjkUib04TcEx6iNhYPi7gneoIklHwZ82yI3DrmOu3AK7gaXU/s320/wisley+%25281%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541970626330572578" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> </span><span style="font-family:arial;">The hothouse was the only source of bright colours at Wisley this weekend.<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYef0SKyiIMm9a75s2xL8eMZ6H-MsJZ4X6193SrXk-88g47q8q9AvVa-t0qJlm4NUR7Lub1xPmjtVuHXc6Fm_wBu7XaDdnp3XdkAmNUxbISMN37O8ekuhOJWrWgzRlckni_gf5S7F1Y-c/s1600/wisley+%25282%2529.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYef0SKyiIMm9a75s2xL8eMZ6H-MsJZ4X6193SrXk-88g47q8q9AvVa-t0qJlm4NUR7Lub1xPmjtVuHXc6Fm_wBu7XaDdnp3XdkAmNUxbISMN37O8ekuhOJWrWgzRlckni_gf5S7F1Y-c/s320/wisley+%25282%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541970178245019826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> </span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Elsewhere the rust tones of Autumn predominated.</span></span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-73051376313450572182010-11-17T16:17:00.004+00:002010-11-17T16:27:48.766+00:00Explain that<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dyQ9z8Bkn_1Mw518Pb2pwz4bVA57M3nY-esdgopzQhFjlD0845FhKJAc4Oxh7f0Yx-yZec19Exi8Dj8-tb1mBy_r6zyPbKQDC_SQgn-vWRO-TzjMxw_vjclRP-sOO9vpFS_ChJABlTE/s1600/Gaugain.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dyQ9z8Bkn_1Mw518Pb2pwz4bVA57M3nY-esdgopzQhFjlD0845FhKJAc4Oxh7f0Yx-yZec19Exi8Dj8-tb1mBy_r6zyPbKQDC_SQgn-vWRO-TzjMxw_vjclRP-sOO9vpFS_ChJABlTE/s320/Gaugain.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540555997906421378" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><br />The huge <a href="http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/gauguin/">Gauguin exhibition</a> at the Tate Modern is a riot of beautiful colour. It is possible to get right up to many of the paintings and so examine closely the way Gauguin layered and blended colours.</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3Qv1kU-geUI8C7_BqKr9Hfs8KM4g5ZE87gpxs0ThcDNNEmsHdxsKdXgdFyw5DyxdKEMWH1zepxRRX7aw2_xAAlgV9kC63kJn4j1VaPZ81exEUoi88QmGkvzOoBdT8cMn87fKr3He6aY/s1600/sunflowerseeds.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3Qv1kU-geUI8C7_BqKr9Hfs8KM4g5ZE87gpxs0ThcDNNEmsHdxsKdXgdFyw5DyxdKEMWH1zepxRRX7aw2_xAAlgV9kC63kJn4j1VaPZ81exEUoi88QmGkvzOoBdT8cMn87fKr3He6aY/s320/sunflowerseeds.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540555907610269154" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >Yet oddly it was <a href="http://www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibitions/unileverseries2010/default.shtm">Ai Weiwei's installation</a> down in the Turbine Hall, a huge expanse of grey ceramic sunflower seeds, which gave me the most pleasure. </span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-65687109496410076502010-10-29T12:17:00.004+01:002010-10-29T12:24:09.783+01:003<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVNePwE0AbI_EQz1HgcxlP81S5caWPHrmeuuu3_aRTfXLWCcyLqR_vRz1aujLtNoHxGCxGV53GOHTRFd3CeUx78wyOwKLYtSmdxbwnCqplcy_QNKzWS_7HWZwaYzkB8I6QHQoWNzMBNM/s1600/Birthday+Girl3+300910+%2883%29.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGVNePwE0AbI_EQz1HgcxlP81S5caWPHrmeuuu3_aRTfXLWCcyLqR_vRz1aujLtNoHxGCxGV53GOHTRFd3CeUx78wyOwKLYtSmdxbwnCqplcy_QNKzWS_7HWZwaYzkB8I6QHQoWNzMBNM/s320/Birthday+Girl3+300910+%2883%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5533426939432946994" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">My little girl has turned 3! </span> <span style="font-family:arial;">When her first birthday arrived, I couldn't believe a whole year had gone by. So much happened in that first year. So much growth - for both of us. Her second birthday was a celebration of yet another year of milestones and achievements. This one, her third, made me feel a bit sad as it seemed to signify the end of baby-dom. She is now officially a little girl but she'll always be my baby. </span></span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-17915873607174569612010-10-24T09:01:00.008+01:002010-10-24T09:36:56.689+01:00Horrockses<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrzxMNOibwAqf7NMDebT0aevJJM4ZzkowcSPMMuKxfCGlY-tXn8lyMu3MOIPpSoqyDyDaCKE-4JF6m3n1K0own8OqtM1XkngVkMa7LZl4D5MJo529KZtZoXu-Ujfa641BFG_Cx6KTarzE/s1600/Horreckes2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrzxMNOibwAqf7NMDebT0aevJJM4ZzkowcSPMMuKxfCGlY-tXn8lyMu3MOIPpSoqyDyDaCKE-4JF6m3n1K0own8OqtM1XkngVkMa7LZl4D5MJo529KZtZoXu-Ujfa641BFG_Cx6KTarzE/s320/Horreckes2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531524531984676194" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />Judging by the frocks in </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.ftmlondon.org/exhibitions/detail/?ID=60">this exhibition</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> the sun always shone in the 1950s.</span></span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccPEL-EW5Y4jfz6Jg5xrXkAQgO4hofjCrb4lHDwJLtMaq7fk9HGR636jfcAKNaaUPf82zokcOh-NdfIJa5yk4TXRK83QlRNvLgywFgfxFzp1JzebE4xPD3dYNv_5VNfU3kkAesmwIDT0/s1600/Horreckes1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccPEL-EW5Y4jfz6Jg5xrXkAQgO4hofjCrb4lHDwJLtMaq7fk9HGR636jfcAKNaaUPf82zokcOh-NdfIJa5yk4TXRK83QlRNvLgywFgfxFzp1JzebE4xPD3dYNv_5VNfU3kkAesmwIDT0/s320/Horreckes1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531524974168774706" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />Horrockses Fashions concentrated production on day and evening wear, beach clothes and housecoats, mainly in cotton. </span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW089dEsAqS8CQh-GsuHft5a3Wi2cZdtbfpue7U-0ELuYgTgSnho64ydMkGe2vovwTvvC_Nn_f4xeZU8mspqZP6x2SakLFysq-vHpKnn9mY6XFg6-9Q2PyH7SI6yjqW8YNw1RexB5JiQM/s1600/Horreckes4.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW089dEsAqS8CQh-GsuHft5a3Wi2cZdtbfpue7U-0ELuYgTgSnho64ydMkGe2vovwTvvC_Nn_f4xeZU8mspqZP6x2SakLFysq-vHpKnn9mY6XFg6-9Q2PyH7SI6yjqW8YNw1RexB5JiQM/s320/Horreckes4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531528104612134098" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />Dresses cost the equivalent of a week's wages so tended to be purchased for special occasions such as weddings, honeymoons and holidays, or, if you're the Queen, tours of the Commonwealth.<br /><br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24fAkN-zHL8GU4atQmRf52i3qt_WMp1mr2q2wHYFUtc50r21V2TZWEnMA3ZioDh9dEstUWqnZ-8i00wVuwP80Qdp7dDzrQsvAR6iMlGUujBBW5Lv5gIjVMNpLGADvLaC1MMvneL_nSSs/s1600/Horreckes3.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg24fAkN-zHL8GU4atQmRf52i3qt_WMp1mr2q2wHYFUtc50r21V2TZWEnMA3ZioDh9dEstUWqnZ-8i00wVuwP80Qdp7dDzrQsvAR6iMlGUujBBW5Lv5gIjVMNpLGADvLaC1MMvneL_nSSs/s320/Horreckes3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531524114719398962" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span> <span style="font-family:arial;">I asked my mum if she'd owned one. She said they were out of reach for her but her pretty, spoiled, only-child college roommate would always come back after summer break with a couple in her suitcase. Mum and her friends had to content themselves with walking to the local dress shop each Monday to see the latest designs in the window. Just as well they didn't have credit cards in those days! </span></span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-24141941572587616852010-10-13T15:50:00.005+01:002010-10-13T16:39:36.294+01:00The lure of yarn<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1wLVcOoWcqmZUWReGB1o8JzV4DWrg7kR8c3VHvtnLEHZyuDP9y0Eu7sn5h4wCQRNk1sKoh5fD89IhA1f33Z8wvSURiowlLvobldqrEPNiKy1XsKM5-Ylyo3i7OAIQyToTYK02VrKCJTQ/s1600/mood.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1wLVcOoWcqmZUWReGB1o8JzV4DWrg7kR8c3VHvtnLEHZyuDP9y0Eu7sn5h4wCQRNk1sKoh5fD89IhA1f33Z8wvSURiowlLvobldqrEPNiKy1XsKM5-Ylyo3i7OAIQyToTYK02VrKCJTQ/s320/mood.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527554312644642770" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Mood board on the </span><a style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(204, 51, 204);" href="http://www.jcrennie.com/">J C Rennie</a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);"> </span>stand</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Attending the</span><span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);font-family:arial;" > </span><a style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204); font-family: arial;" href="http://www.twistedthread.com/pages/exhibitions/viewExhibition.aspx?id=26http://">Knitting and Stitching Show </a><span style="font-family:arial;">has increased my stock of knitting projects unlikely to be finished any time soon! </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />Added to the To Do List are:</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br />Cabled mitts using </span><a style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204); font-family: arial;" href="http://www.blueskyalpacas.com/yarn_detail.php?yarns_ID=12">Blue Sky Melange 100% alpaca</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> purchased from </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.loopknitting.com/">Loop</a><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Pattern for </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Father's New Socks by </span><a style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204); font-family: arial;" href="http://justcallmeruby.blogspot.com/p/books.html">Susan Crawford</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> to be knitted in</span><a style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153); font-family: arial;" href="http://jamiesonsshetland.co.uk/public/homepage.jsphttp://"> <span style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204);">Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift</span></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Christmas stocking from a (soon to be available) pattern from </span><a style="color: rgb(204, 51, 204); font-family: arial;" href="http://www.millamia.com/home.phphttp://">MillaMia</a><span style="font-family:arial;">. The yarn was purchased at a show price discounted rate. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />It's about four years since I last went to the K&S Show. What I missed this time were the booths of people taking part in lessons and workshops. They are now tucked away, out of sight, in another part of the building so the 'doing' part of the show has been taken over by the selling. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />One aspect of selling which could be much improved is the sandwiches. "Impressively Premium" they were not! </span> </span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-83243579764038763932010-10-05T19:30:00.004+01:002010-10-05T19:41:49.047+01:00And all for ₤3<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXpY5iGPazCLnF0TDyurpIKAmkdgRI_7bOEO6snVMlgi3W2uxyasaOje849QtgfFJoZNmW7c5xKX2Sq7gWrGKitA3uEbsYeh44hUu1_oKJ9FYmTl_7rITB08D1VINflb28Opj9XCmwaA/s1600/car+booty.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXpY5iGPazCLnF0TDyurpIKAmkdgRI_7bOEO6snVMlgi3W2uxyasaOje849QtgfFJoZNmW7c5xKX2Sq7gWrGKitA3uEbsYeh44hUu1_oKJ9FYmTl_7rITB08D1VINflb28Opj9XCmwaA/s320/car+booty.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524633368746430322" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >Why I love a car boot sale.......<br /><br />Cath Kidston Mini Stanley Cag in a Bag - 75p<br />Bag for taking tap and ballet shoes and outfit to class - 50p<br />Flamenco dress for the dressing up box - 75p<br />Pair of Clarks Doodles to wear as slippers at nursery -</span><span style="" lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >₤1<br /><br />and all as good as new</span><br /></span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-42467724699265601182010-10-02T06:15:00.005+01:002010-10-02T06:36:51.662+01:00Made in Dagenham<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5J9GZvzwplje5LejrwN3Xuf3NXbNOvPV4LAnkil6Ec-3s0bmYKR2gNFalt6eXh2DnZ0ZCSsZQ9QML9J37cLXa7kE2dczZGveA2TXDqvb3NSJqZb4xLm1zopr-d_GZCYxzA2JouJvZuc/s1600/made+in+dagenham.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5J9GZvzwplje5LejrwN3Xuf3NXbNOvPV4LAnkil6Ec-3s0bmYKR2gNFalt6eXh2DnZ0ZCSsZQ9QML9J37cLXa7kE2dczZGveA2TXDqvb3NSJqZb4xLm1zopr-d_GZCYxzA2JouJvZuc/s320/made+in+dagenham.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523317493717437554" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.paramountpicturesintl.com/intl/uk/madeindagenham/">Made in Dagenham</a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />I chuckled at the sight of all the employees arriving for work carrying a thermos as it made me remember my Dad making up his with milky Mellow Birds coffee each morning.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I chuckled at Rita worrying that she wasn't dressed up enough for the Berni Inn as my family would only go to one of those on a very special occasion. Prawn cocktail for starters, followed by steak very well (over) done, then perhaps a slice of Black Forrest gateau from the sweets trolley and maybe an Irish coffee to finish.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">I chuckled at the black and white news reels from 1968 showing the original lady strikers of Ford Dagenham as they most definitely didn't look like the hot-pant wearing glamour pusses of the film!</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />I stared at the actor playing Ford's US representative, trying to work out what I'd seen him in before. Later I discovered it was Richard Shiff/Toby Ziegler in the West Wing, beardless and very skinny. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />I stared<span style="color: rgb(204, 102, 204);"> </span></span><a style="font-family: arial; color: rgb(204, 102, 204);" href="http://manyamickleblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/education.htmlhttp://">yet again</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> at Rosamund Pike as she shone from the screen.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">I wondered how </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/8030030/Equality-Act-Six-things-employers-need-to-know.html">equality of pay</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> could still be unresolved over 40 years on. </span></span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-11833508459165146742010-10-01T10:12:00.003+01:002010-10-01T10:17:55.443+01:00Winter's Bone<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmm23UNbwM35CRo_ybmfATya3Bo0-ZJCWQAsBJ0RAE599dvshxnHPrSL1dhazAgWawzinLpej7hN5kdOjUKiSyC_LPE24S2nTEYWCxjueVlOdm8p6bUfEE8mCu03yoo_d611aZnvtAmA/s1600/winters_bone_MoviePosterSplashImage.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmm23UNbwM35CRo_ybmfATya3Bo0-ZJCWQAsBJ0RAE599dvshxnHPrSL1dhazAgWawzinLpej7hN5kdOjUKiSyC_LPE24S2nTEYWCxjueVlOdm8p6bUfEE8mCu03yoo_d611aZnvtAmA/s320/winters_bone_MoviePosterSplashImage.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523004263291266146" border="0" /></a><br /><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" >A great film. Menace was in the air the moment this film began and it didn't let up until the very end. I felt as if I'd been holding my breath the whole way through. </span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-33105500515306668772010-09-29T17:15:00.003+01:002010-09-29T17:24:42.236+01:00Upstairs Downstairs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemSYwZnBJZsXuaTICextrFri2kmOnGHjIG3C10GvK9xQv1oMyO9Nqql9r0R3JLUrsN9CF-5iku7qdRLQT5Gu9GKqmaymyP7Ra8_hk86PtaOYFDVf45r68hNKuBqWjfFCXH1Ps8bhFW5g/s1600/downton_abbey_1724595c.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiemSYwZnBJZsXuaTICextrFri2kmOnGHjIG3C10GvK9xQv1oMyO9Nqql9r0R3JLUrsN9CF-5iku7qdRLQT5Gu9GKqmaymyP7Ra8_hk86PtaOYFDVf45r68hNKuBqWjfFCXH1Ps8bhFW5g/s320/downton_abbey_1724595c.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522371961395212850" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">The opener to new ITV series </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.itv.com/dramapremieres/downtonabbey/">Downton Abbey </a><span style="font-family:arial;">bodes well. It is fascinating to see above and below stairs and how the servants knew so much about the goings on of the family. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />My only complaint would be that the toffs didn't seem posh enough! Apart from Maggie Smith's character, they didn't seem haughty enough and the way the women in particular walked seemed off. They should have glided a bit more, been a bit more measured or something. Perhaps their corsets weren't tight enough! Some of the speech seemed a bit modern too. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />It begins in 1912 so no doubt the story will move on to the Great War and all the men servants will sign up, never to return. I'll have a box of tissues at the ready. </span></span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-50311027386178136842010-09-27T16:02:00.003+01:002010-09-27T16:27:37.141+01:00Three Cs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4AN70PonojtTGPvbSK5RH-b5jGF_IAUFEPLnZ6AJbt8rRs-A2XGEgBpZ9BW753tMDdF-59nI4uIeDwmcds0otOPwxFo1Q97xs71fnmKGAjfho5clQwzCuk6u3FYC77qoCKQhPENq3f04/s1600/origin.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4AN70PonojtTGPvbSK5RH-b5jGF_IAUFEPLnZ6AJbt8rRs-A2XGEgBpZ9BW753tMDdF-59nI4uIeDwmcds0otOPwxFo1Q97xs71fnmKGAjfho5clQwzCuk6u3FYC77qoCKQhPENq3f04/s320/origin.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521614097498949858" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">A trip to London for some culture, some craft and some </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.kaffeine.co.uk/Home.html">coffee</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> (oh and some </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.macmillandictionaries.com/wordoftheweek/archive/031212-chugger.htm">chugger</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> avoidance). </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />Just in the nick of time, to the</span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/exhibitions/sargent-and-the-sea/"> Royal Academy for Sargent and the Sea</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> then on to Spitalfields for </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.originuk.org/">Origins</a><span style="font-family: arial;">. Last year I spent too much there but this year, restraint meant I spent nothing! As before, it was the work of the many Japanese contributors that I preferred, particularly </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.kaoriceramics.com/">Kaori Tatebayashi</a><span style="font-family: arial;">, </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://mizuyo.com/">Mizuyo Yamashita</a><span style="font-family: arial;"> and </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.originuk.org/exhibitor/eiko-sugano">Eiko Sugano</a><span style="font-family: arial;">.</span><br /></span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-10026572529282840302010-09-26T12:09:00.003+01:002010-09-26T12:25:29.373+01:00KCWC - I'm late!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjgci2EFexoZ3qlLp93s-LJp15wl8GQUyBfDRmBT8P6g-jCghbdcjZEVp3xFotsPfV-qNCUNzKlUum7L4ol2NfUHUmErHSENdwM683xr50xLM7Cv9hzUgF0uaZHRHKgfHOwJF2niuTHf0/s1600/kcwc.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjgci2EFexoZ3qlLp93s-LJp15wl8GQUyBfDRmBT8P6g-jCghbdcjZEVp3xFotsPfV-qNCUNzKlUum7L4ol2NfUHUmErHSENdwM683xr50xLM7Cv9hzUgF0uaZHRHKgfHOwJF2niuTHf0/s320/kcwc.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521181685179841794" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">I fully intended to take part again in Elsie Marley's Kids Clothing Week Challenge but life got in the way this week. I had prepared for the first outfit so I am going to get cracking now, just six days late! </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I had some burgundy corduroy in my stash and wanted to turn it into a pinafore dress. The pattern I'm using is Burda 9675, which was not chosen for its styling! I'm making view B but will be leaving off the ric-rac and just adding four sparkly pink buttons. The inside of the bodice and the pockets are to be lined so I've chosen "petal pink" Caress Taffetta and I'm also going to use a pink zip for some colour at the back. Both reels of cotton are also from the stash. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Better make a start!</span></span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-72552247108483016002010-09-18T15:24:00.005+01:002010-09-18T15:58:04.887+01:00<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGchxPYzVJj6JIPW48Vr_fU4j4NvUtazLUqDbMCH-ujauidLce8q7IaFwdNcaG0yD99-cXW0qjuPAqK0qksUmrBbATqv80tBpEr8ABruhbo7WfqmcAYx7lBsy3D7Obd9gyZrzl-sMg8U/s1600/wisteria.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 207px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGchxPYzVJj6JIPW48Vr_fU4j4NvUtazLUqDbMCH-ujauidLce8q7IaFwdNcaG0yD99-cXW0qjuPAqK0qksUmrBbATqv80tBpEr8ABruhbo7WfqmcAYx7lBsy3D7Obd9gyZrzl-sMg8U/s320/wisteria.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518265790029368098" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Wisteria at Englefield by Stanley Spencer (1954)<br /><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">To cover the interests of all members of the family during a day out in the countryside of Berkshire, we visited a pub for real ale, the </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.stanleyspencer.org.uk/">Stanley Spencer Gallery</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> in Cookham for some art and the playground at </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-cliveden">Cliveden</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> for some running around.<br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJkM7C9Y8aH_8Lb04TwQ8W_tLZExbCX0yDmmP5FtmsJU9GhyuzuefHkTZY8q2rerP2-PRfl12f6VKJ8dwHmrLGu_Qnala2kmfjkPQ5IgcXxu__7G7q4kKRIlOl224XKD4AtE6IxnsL_Y/s1600/P1010656.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWJkM7C9Y8aH_8Lb04TwQ8W_tLZExbCX0yDmmP5FtmsJU9GhyuzuefHkTZY8q2rerP2-PRfl12f6VKJ8dwHmrLGu_Qnala2kmfjkPQ5IgcXxu__7G7q4kKRIlOl224XKD4AtE6IxnsL_Y/s320/P1010656.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518266330033340514" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">When we first walked through the gate into the playground, I was a bit taken aback as I'd been expecting the usual brightly coloured slides and swings. Instead, everything was made of wood and carved to create plenty of footholds for climbing. </span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzE4Aea7ARcb80yqeclD-8V-Rag1R5oRheEEVRa66SZTfaraEvI8h1R6asulxlcnm-IMGvPgc5Wh6_wdXNeTYz8tSGc-n4iWKS7nswwNCA2OXBmxaAl5USUq-_CApxEs7AVZSs5GiCqiM/s1600/P1010662.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzE4Aea7ARcb80yqeclD-8V-Rag1R5oRheEEVRa66SZTfaraEvI8h1R6asulxlcnm-IMGvPgc5Wh6_wdXNeTYz8tSGc-n4iWKS7nswwNCA2OXBmxaAl5USUq-_CApxEs7AVZSs5GiCqiM/s320/P1010662.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518266807373402546" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">There was also a cluster of wicker wigwams to hide in and a stack of long beanpoles to make your own. I had a great time........!</span> </span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-63499171491850503592010-09-08T11:37:00.005+01:002010-09-09T08:23:15.402+01:00BP Portrait Awards<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaR7IYr34Ai_9f91V_keqvYVEDSyN17ZKOdG7IBFI5g8VmCjTbmxpTGpm-N9THtal9LETMtVCB4ErK0G14wWJ1ke9ailBDte9qZtXMXBocCo41_WUgcRFhgmRS5u9Wbb_jHjTEkejPJOk/s1600/npg.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 220px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaR7IYr34Ai_9f91V_keqvYVEDSyN17ZKOdG7IBFI5g8VmCjTbmxpTGpm-N9THtal9LETMtVCB4ErK0G14wWJ1ke9ailBDte9qZtXMXBocCo41_WUgcRFhgmRS5u9Wbb_jHjTEkejPJOk/s320/npg.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514490605675834866" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />The judges of this year's BP Portrait Awards at the National Portrait Gallery got it wrong. This picture, Ciara by Alan Coulson, should have won! </span></span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLRdgWGpwhaE0zXSmRvU6eJZRH1EqqkpwxSxqhf4hXusgvOD5nZ4CAMxbPvOwYX3sUN8-Lo8Hp7Uab3ha2up8akSEr3t1eEwL8cy_bAPn4ZgE1ahodb0nTQVc0-CGtduUulcNjnnV7dUk/s1600/npg2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLRdgWGpwhaE0zXSmRvU6eJZRH1EqqkpwxSxqhf4hXusgvOD5nZ4CAMxbPvOwYX3sUN8-Lo8Hp7Uab3ha2up8akSEr3t1eEwL8cy_bAPn4ZgE1ahodb0nTQVc0-CGtduUulcNjnnV7dUk/s320/npg2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514490468934687090" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >If ever there were to be a competition to judge the best painting amongst the NPG's main collection my vote would go to this one of Lady Colin Campbell by Giovanni Boldini. Each time I visit the gallery, I always seek out it.<br /><br />All the BP Portrait Award contenders can be viewed<a href="http://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/exhibitions/bp-portrait-award-2010/the-exhibition1/exhibitors.php"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">here</span></a>.</span> <span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >Which would you have voted for?</span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-7592555547481925212010-09-01T16:45:00.005+01:002010-09-01T17:06:07.430+01:00Man Booker<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZGxt3NZ8ZbomIZ5BuotfD44bIEoOCxvKnXuuSkXO3xwDk3UN-PR5brvNjmdWBJkZFf5sEbGsZ6iCnDL7otY43m_Hx5IXttnn8OlPqrw1_7zvRmZPEQcdyH2mxzbX98D97kxVUj99HQo/s1600/booker+prize.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixZGxt3NZ8ZbomIZ5BuotfD44bIEoOCxvKnXuuSkXO3xwDk3UN-PR5brvNjmdWBJkZFf5sEbGsZ6iCnDL7otY43m_Hx5IXttnn8OlPqrw1_7zvRmZPEQcdyH2mxzbX98D97kxVUj99HQo/s320/booker+prize.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511976482438104114" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">These two books are both on the</span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.themanbookerprize.com/"> <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Man Booker Prize</span></a></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">long list, both are hardbacks sold without dust jackets and both have beautiful covers with shiny designs which sparkle as they catch the light. For me, that's where the similarities ended!</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />One, the </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: arial;" href="http://www.themanbookerprize.com/prize/books/427">Long Song by Andrea Levy</a><span style="font-family:arial;">, the story of a slave called July, is a great read which trips along, despite the harrowing subject matter. I was totally immersed in the life on the Jamaican sugar plantation and wanted to follow July's story right to the end. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />The other, </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-family: arial;" href="http://www.themanbookerprize.com/prize/books/429">The Thousand Autumns of Jacob De Zoet by David Mitchell</a><span style="font-family:arial;">, I abandoned after 150 pages, deciding life was too short to spend it reading this! All very clever, historically interesting, highly imaginative but, as I lacked the ability to picture the story in my imagination, it became a tedious slog. It will probably win!</span></span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-31251763100059626972010-08-27T16:18:00.008+01:002010-08-27T17:10:06.020+01:00Orange and Green<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVwqKSBltSKZgtLfq4vXNXbUUIt6m95369ayx0La4dq372hyphenhyphenSDqyZEpciRi-k4Ss0luvPx1VLqfLl808aU8TfKUiwKoNSDNx5SjXH3eBWsLiLNVDXmZe-b4ZePJj88w2VX5dCS9HAw4o/s1600/petersham+green+and+orange+1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBVwqKSBltSKZgtLfq4vXNXbUUIt6m95369ayx0La4dq372hyphenhyphenSDqyZEpciRi-k4Ss0luvPx1VLqfLl808aU8TfKUiwKoNSDNx5SjXH3eBWsLiLNVDXmZe-b4ZePJj88w2VX5dCS9HAw4o/s320/petersham+green+and+orange+1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510112581066767730" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />The things that caught my eye on a recent visit to <a href="http://www.petershamnurseries.com/home.asp">Petersham Nurseries</a> all seemed to be orangey-yellow or green - even the cake!<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQVMeBSP20hYCYc7giw6hqdzrjVeC51I3XkLBLQraxAau_5rvdPoq9CDOC2eiF1byQ8uvyggzmgOpf-2avW3Oy6SjnHtCsvU59yoq6J5xjDSK4Uk3PeuVBMilTvV-TziTHCAacoddTGlw/s1600/petersham+green+and+orange+2.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQVMeBSP20hYCYc7giw6hqdzrjVeC51I3XkLBLQraxAau_5rvdPoq9CDOC2eiF1byQ8uvyggzmgOpf-2avW3Oy6SjnHtCsvU59yoq6J5xjDSK4Uk3PeuVBMilTvV-TziTHCAacoddTGlw/s320/petersham+green+and+orange+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510112216140683666" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHOwvppyOuejX2h0lm-Jke76BWonbcPGIIjVXBSd4EXl4wMHvMQ7MEmIG_jFg53So7QTNvi5gNX8SooTg1Bb_Xf552C2F0WE89j8xYRYiratu5sdQriJExb52CVty8K_pOPqBU6e1q9YQ/s1600/petersham+green+and+orange3+.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHOwvppyOuejX2h0lm-Jke76BWonbcPGIIjVXBSd4EXl4wMHvMQ7MEmIG_jFg53So7QTNvi5gNX8SooTg1Bb_Xf552C2F0WE89j8xYRYiratu5sdQriJExb52CVty8K_pOPqBU6e1q9YQ/s320/petersham+green+and+orange3+.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510111724638562066" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCWb5OT4xhMINrOXvBbMJBuKARZKOGQIXwVcvmG4rqaWG-Didko7CbObc9FmvgVpHofFDVRX_8voNq-wTDLLhIzvaekyRhfAyX-FFlXMBXLaZPA57uKetq8SMIqvQlweSBTMYiGZeHaY/s1600/petersham+green+and+orange+4.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCWb5OT4xhMINrOXvBbMJBuKARZKOGQIXwVcvmG4rqaWG-Didko7CbObc9FmvgVpHofFDVRX_8voNq-wTDLLhIzvaekyRhfAyX-FFlXMBXLaZPA57uKetq8SMIqvQlweSBTMYiGZeHaY/s320/petersham+green+and+orange+4.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510111307148050706" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4941517192370704774.post-89851764622749113502010-08-23T16:20:00.015+01:002010-08-24T20:27:34.769+01:00Festival of Quilts<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUL5Sv4AlaprGoSOArpiVZ6fZm5iSxmqJb345CnDqN1wHrwK_p7q0p6WpiwkpYUeYFawtDnDQyUkY50L1DpZuwQBC4Op9oEY9JjA29Y8UFDKXxzNXv_4iokzUimM-h1_W8iE7kRdwrgHg/s1600/quilt+4+from+last.JPG"><br /></a><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_W5wKTUAbLaAjqEsYY-OL7GnEDXKflo15CBsivwLa7BVlUhp90MorfHNN2zwmM25uFBuSbjjKUlzU0W9EBOlnN6xmpKO-pbp-wM_C2Rbr43iLFjN8CygiHrDZW3pF88Zighse2giBEwQ/s1600/quilt+last.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_W5wKTUAbLaAjqEsYY-OL7GnEDXKflo15CBsivwLa7BVlUhp90MorfHNN2zwmM25uFBuSbjjKUlzU0W9EBOlnN6xmpKO-pbp-wM_C2Rbr43iLFjN8CygiHrDZW3pF88Zighse2giBEwQ/s320/quilt+last.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509055597047057394" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><br />"To see quilts?" asked the puzzled taxi driver taking me to the</span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" > station so that I could catch a train to the NEC Birmingham.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5R9RF5sQ3mrzBMnirf8TnljanyAbewcL7wXFm5F-XW_vWd-z7OUR0y2cyGWXZWdYOtdEWJi_24BNpVv8_T5G1iXI592ZsB4LMnIeR_5NjmnOkdkrN0_wI562XQxNvjKQtgrJSouD3kTY/s1600/quilt+1+from+last.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5R9RF5sQ3mrzBMnirf8TnljanyAbewcL7wXFm5F-XW_vWd-z7OUR0y2cyGWXZWdYOtdEWJi_24BNpVv8_T5G1iXI592ZsB4LMnIeR_5NjmnOkdkrN0_wI562XQxNvjKQtgrJSouD3kTY/s320/quilt+1+from+last.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509055222947821874" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><br />Neither my explanation of what I was off to see nor the photos I've returned with do it justice!<br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo59ci2MYGMYNyeLUXYJIeTE-2sAM26tTGd65iQ81LQFgbMRDE-PFFL6zRRJkUMwQGjLfXCaA3YJoYE6h2dPuO3934PJng2Z4GnROJKvOKlXMOLe4mXtreHDKAg5IY0VmZBIvDtD5W2aA/s1600/quilt+2+from+last.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo59ci2MYGMYNyeLUXYJIeTE-2sAM26tTGd65iQ81LQFgbMRDE-PFFL6zRRJkUMwQGjLfXCaA3YJoYE6h2dPuO3934PJng2Z4GnROJKvOKlXMOLe4mXtreHDKAg5IY0VmZBIvDtD5W2aA/s320/quilt+2+from+last.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509054723889098530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><br />It was a tiring day ........<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgethOZtyPVabilSLqhr49s4VZEHSJ4AX7N8es__hGY_qxxVmHYHdGqlymkRlFPZKuFZE07FVUGcqhh03lou6a6ZPFiYiUX7dOexYnpCT17YQOHvaJh5cNGwF8YF6ppRPyzHltd2doxDks/s1600/quilt+3+from+last.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgethOZtyPVabilSLqhr49s4VZEHSJ4AX7N8es__hGY_qxxVmHYHdGqlymkRlFPZKuFZE07FVUGcqhh03lou6a6ZPFiYiUX7dOexYnpCT17YQOHvaJh5cNGwF8YF6ppRPyzHltd2doxDks/s320/quilt+3+from+last.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509054370915245986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><br />... of stroking gorgeous fabrics, peering at intricate stitch-work on beautiful quilts, dreaming of having the time to commit to sewing and gawping at Amy Butler's diamond rings.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUL5Sv4AlaprGoSOArpiVZ6fZm5iSxmqJb345CnDqN1wHrwK_p7q0p6WpiwkpYUeYFawtDnDQyUkY50L1DpZuwQBC4Op9oEY9JjA29Y8UFDKXxzNXv_4iokzUimM-h1_W8iE7kRdwrgHg/s1600/quilt+4+from+last.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUL5Sv4AlaprGoSOArpiVZ6fZm5iSxmqJb345CnDqN1wHrwK_p7q0p6WpiwkpYUeYFawtDnDQyUkY50L1DpZuwQBC4Op9oEY9JjA29Y8UFDKXxzNXv_4iokzUimM-h1_W8iE7kRdwrgHg/s320/quilt+4+from+last.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509053961797327186" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><br />Somehow, I trekked all the way to Birmingham yet ended up only buying fabric from two exhibitors whose shops I visit regularly anyway! <br /><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3oyMMkxWiAlc_9ueCwJtJT2GlyCZc8QXJCcRBrvoDKk0AdsLQLiYXWcF_81C4_thyphenhyphenbNbmU_RKqca5h1l0vS1hLMVglQum4Ro_6zl6OAwx-btN2RNZjqKySIf8cw1OnmCtIyLEX3jBv90/s1600/quilt1.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3oyMMkxWiAlc_9ueCwJtJT2GlyCZc8QXJCcRBrvoDKk0AdsLQLiYXWcF_81C4_thyphenhyphenbNbmU_RKqca5h1l0vS1hLMVglQum4Ro_6zl6OAwx-btN2RNZjqKySIf8cw1OnmCtIyLEX3jBv90/s320/quilt1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509056539435356114" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ></span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><br />The Robert Kaufman icecream print "Confections"and the mushroom print "My Happy Garden" by Cloud 9 Fabrics were both from <a href="http://www.eternalmaker.com/">The Eternal Maker</a> and the pink flowers from<a href="http://www.fabricsgalore.co.uk/"> Fabric Galore</a> . </span><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >All are destined to become nightwear of some sort, providing that time dream comes true.</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /><br /></span>Many A Micklehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16073132365703048316noreply@blogger.com1