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#9/52 Weeks: Drawing Stuff

Lorrie — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 11:00:05 +0000

As an artist I buy a lot of materials and supplies. But, I also love them for their own sake. I love the colours, the textures and the choice. It’s safe to say I am addicted and it is impossible for me to have too many sketchbooks, pads, textured paper, pens, inks, paints, pastels, pencils etc, etc, etc. I also love to photograph them occasionally as they are great subject matter in themselves. As soon as the weather improves I plan to get outside with some big sheets of Conte paper and get swirling with my chalk and oil pastels.

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#7/52 Valentines Day

Lorrie — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:18:06 +0000

Sadly missed the last two weeks of my project, due to again…family illness and commitments, but I will do better.

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#4/52 Weeks: Grandma’s LiMoge

Lorrie — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 21:11:54 +0000

So, I missed last weeks entry for the 52 Week Project because Orla wasn’t well, and I simply didn’t have time, hadn’t gone anywhere or done anything other than look after her and simply didn’t feel up to it. However, I was playing with my HTC one afternoon seeing what it could do, and took a shot of my Grandma’s Limoge ornaments and and used one of the Android filters to create a vintage effect. I am always amazed

As for the Limoge. I am very fond of it. Gladys collected it over two or three trips to France many years ago. I think on the last she made to the continent I was went too, I was 13. In fact, there were two of the miniature vessels with the handle, but sadly she knocked one over in the Nursing home one night and broke it. Gladys always wanted me to have her ornaments as she knew I was fond of them, and indeed…I am very glad to have them.

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Correct me if I’m wrong…

Lorrie — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:36:39 +0000

But should not an ‘ebook’ cost considerably less than the printed version? Really? No? Well, I ask this because around Christmas I toyed with getting a Kindle. However, Luke pointed out that it was an unnecessary expensive when I could have the Kindle app on my iPad. So, I bowed to pressure (always pays to take the line of least resistance where my husband is concerned) and I did indeed install the Kindle app on my iPad. I was very excited to discover that many of my favourite classics are free. I downloaded many. I also decided to buy some of the ones available in the Kindle sale. I was rapidly getting carried away with it all, when my excitement and enthusiasm was brought to an abrupt halt!

Now, I love history, really love history and have many, many history books. So many in fact, that I am now prohibited from buying any more due to lack of space. I am not interested in historical ‘novels’, though these are cheap as chips. I read factual history books based upon a solid body of research and evidence. I decided therefore to go and check out some of my favourite historians to see what their bestselling works were going for. My first port of call was Barry Cunliffe, well known historian whose specialist field is the Celts. Imagine my consternation when I discover that his best selling work ‘The Celts’ published in 1997 is £10.99, and the paperback version (wait for it), £10.99. Another of his, ‘The Ancient Celts’, also published in 1997, Kindle version£11.63, paperback edition £12.92.

I did some research and discovered pretty much the same situation for most of the history books that interested me. I am at a loss to understand how the publishers can justify this pricing policy when there are no printing costs or other related overheads? I appreciate that there is the royalty payment to the writer…but still!!! How is this mark-up justified?

So, my Kindle experience thus far? Disappointing.

ETA: Having said that, reading the books I have downloaded thus far is an enjoyable experience.

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#2/52 Weeks: Lay-ins and Toys

Lorrie — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 09:03:17 +0000

I had a lay-in yesterday morning. One doesn’t often get lay-ins when one has children. But, this Saturday having managed to shoo the child and husband away I had the bed to myself. In this situation, I make sure I am surrounded by my ‘toys’, usually consisting of my laptop, ipad, phone, diary, sketchbook and books to read/look at, and I stay there for as long as I possibly can, which means until I am nagged to rise, or my back starts to ache. I don’t get to read as much as I used to, and reading at bed time sends me to sleep, so it’s a real treat to be able to read undisturbed and not on the point of physical collapse! Anyway, to illustrate here is my entry for week 2 of my 52 Weeks Project.

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#1/52 Weeks: Hearts and Flowers

Lorrie — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 21:29:18 +0000

My first picture for my 52 Week Project. Orla sitting at my desk drawing hearts and flowers. This is her favourite thing, to get in my workroom and mess with my stuff. My workroom/studio is very much my inner sanctum and generally she is now allowed in there. However, behind her on one wall of my studio, is all her work, paintings and drawings, so what can I say. She makes her presence felt everywhere

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Happy New Year – A Message by George Carlin

Lorrie — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 09:40:23 +0000

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much or too little, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.

We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete…

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.

Remember to say, ’I love you’ to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

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#46/52 Something to be thankful for…

Lorrie — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:13:01 +0000

I am so behind with my 52 Week Project, it doesn’t bear thinking about. Reasons being, life, life, busy, busy, things to do etc, etc, etc. However, recently my little girl was quite poorly. It’s been quite a while since she was ‘proper’ ill. I suppose in some ways Luke and I had relaxed somewhat since the days of the horrific fevers after she had pneumonia, lulled if you like. Anyway, she was a very poorly girl. Off school for two weeks and despite that she is back there now, still pale and fretful. But, I cannot express the joy one feels when you see the love of your life on the mend, smiling again and looking happy. To illustrate this, here is my week 46 piccy, my Orla, sitting on her pink bed, pretty in pink and clutching all her ‘Puffs’ made by the lovely Kittypinkstars‘.

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Warning – When I am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple

Lorrie — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:30:30 +0000

I read this poem many, many years ago when I was at school, and it stayed with me. I decided that when I was approaching a certain age, that I would adopt this very policy. As I am now in my forties and fifty is imminent I think it is now time to cultivate my batty and eccentric persona. I believe I now qualify to join the Red Hat Society. I have a red hat, but yet no purple. This shall of course be remedied.

When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple
with a red hat that doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
and satin candles, and say we’ve no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I am tired
and gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
and run my stick along the public railings
and make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
and pick the flowers in other people’s gardens
and learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
and eat three pounds of sausages at a go
or only bread and pickles for a week
and hoard pens and pencils and beer nuts and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
and pay our rent and not swear in the street
and set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

By Jenny Joseph

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Breachfield, Shaftesbury – September 2011

Lorrie — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 10:42:19 +0000

I made this. Enjoy.

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