A day full of shiny things June 10, 2009

Today started in the usual holiday manner, Bry asleep and me very much awake. This morning a seemingly apocalyptic flood was pouring on the caravan roof. Well, that’s the way it sounded, it was a passing downpour at best. I woke Bry up at ten, and he made sausage sarnies for brekky.

Mum had arranged for an ariel man to come and sort out their tv reception. Good job I was dressed. After several re-tunings and moving to point at a different transmitter a time or two the signal was declared better. We’re not convinced yet.

We set off bravely in search of lunch, and stopped in Ventnor at a lovely little cafe. Yummy again. I spied a haberdashery shop, but as Bry had spent the last cash we had on lunch, and the shop didn’t take cards I was thwarted. Damn.

We set off again, along the roads that are slowly slipping down the cliff to Isle if Wight Glass. I love watching the glass being made onto all sorts of shiny things. It’s so interesting to see them doing similar things to my lampworking, but on a bigger scale. I always get torch envy here.

Isle of Wight Glass - making shiny things

Usually we don’t get through a visit without Bry bashing his head on the low beams. This time he escaped unscathed in the head department, although his wallet was not so lucky.

Just along the coast is Isle of Wight Pearl. I could spend a fortune in there, but I never do. I shop for ideas.

Newport next, and a quick stop in Wightcat Crafts. Lovely shop, I’ve been twittering with them this week. Really friendly guys with a loyalty scheme, now that’s the way to do it.

Home via Costa and Tesco for the constituent elements of a cream tea. More felting tonight, the last of the cherry blossom is done, just a few buds to be made now, think I will make a necklace and a vessel.

Feet up in front of the fire now. Ahhhhhhhh, nice.

Newport, birthplace of Phill Jupitus June 10, 2009

Bet you didn’t know that? Mr P was born on the Isle of Wight y’know.

Anyway, we arrived for our annual IoW pilgrimage late on Sunday. On Monday morning, after spending 2 hours making pre-felt while Bryon slept we went to Newport. We always park near Quay Arts, it’s a wonderful little gallery that has lots of local artist’s work, usually most affordable. This time we stayed for lunch (Bry had the last bacon in his bacon and Brie baguette, the fiend.) In a planter next to the river, a duck was nesting. She even had her own cup full of water.

Pre-felt - in cherry blossom colours

Arty Duck

We ambled around the galleries, some nice oil paintings of local beach, docks and fishing. Upstairs had melted vinyl offerings, and a room full of what appeared to be dead sock puppetts. I bought a ceramic pot and some earrings, plus a little something for Jude’s birthday.

Melty vinyl art

What Debbie did next June 23, 2008

Well, I’ve been a bit busy being back at work last week, but the week before that we went to the Isle of Wight, and in particular, the Isle of Wight Festival. Blimey. I’m too old for that!

I’ll try and post what we were up to in order. We went over on the 8.30 pm ferry, so it was 10 pm before we got to the caravan. Not much more happened on Saturday!

Bry always goes into instant zombie mode on holiday and sleeps til lunch time, it drives me absolutely mad. Sleep at home I say. So I got up and scoffed my granola and got on with some crafting. I can’t reveal what I was making until Jude’s envelope arrives, but it was fun and quiet so as not to disturb Rip Van Skelton.

It was scorchingly hot – it always seem to be when we go to the island – so we went to Shanklin for a paddle and walked around Shanklin Chine. So here, in true Skelton holiday style, are a couple of our traditional holiday shots:

 

     

And then we went to Shanklin Chine. I love it there. It is a little haven of tranquility, and the first place I managed to walk about after my op, so makes me feel really good.

Here’s just a few shots of the lovely chine, the waterfall and bridge in it, and some of the beautiful flowers and plants that grow there.

    

a view from the chine out to sea     The stone bridge over the stream that cut the chine

                                    

The waterfall at the top of the chine – 45 feet high and I climbed the steps to the top – stuff that fibromyalgia!

 

Some strange people in the chine, and Yon’s punishment for sleeping in