Y-Fighter

No News is Good News, Right?

2012-03-28T13:04:00.000+01:00

After a year of absence I am back!

I finally made the move to the south coast. I now live in a lovely 60s chalet bungalow with a great basement workshop which will eventually become my studio (once we've saved up enough to replace the balcony flooring above; damp proofed and rewired; installed heating and secondary glazing...). Nanook is, sadly, no longer with us but we have a lovely fluffy bunny.

A first version of my website is now up though – yvetteeady.com – and I will be setting up Etsy and Folksy shops soon. I'll keep you updated on my progress.

If I am quiet on here you can also find me here: blueveils.tumblr.com.

Bye for now.

New Patterns

2011-04-24T22:35:00.000+01:00

I've been drawing some new patterns. Below are a few on Spoonflower that I am still working on.

Summer's Here (Kinda)

2011-03-28T22:02:00.000+01:00

(Click on above image to view video)

Our friends A & S came over on Saturday to see the new house and we spent hours trawling through books and on websites, getting excited about lino, old wallpapers and bungalows whilst drinking cups of tea and eating Bakewell tarts. The perfect Saturday afternoon!

We had to get the car seen to yet again this weekend but luckily it was fixed in time to just make it – after a night of dancing to girl groups at the Komedia – to an afternoon car boot sale at Plumpton racecourse just as they were starting to pack up! One lemonade in the glorious sunshine of the pub beer garden and a little walk on the beach at Rottingdean (still no fish & chip shops open on Sunday) then disaster just as we got to within two minutes' drive from home: smoke coming from the bonnet hood and into the car through the gear stick! I am sure our car is doomed... I'm going to start buying and storing parts for it in the garage now just in case.

Anyway, the car boot sale wasn't amazing BUT we found a great stall where we got a whole piles of frames and some amateur paintings, a little glass measuring jug and 15 copies of Golden Hands (which I may or may not already have) for under £2. Happy days!

Nice pub loo sign:

Giving It Up

2011-02-18T00:03:00.000Z

Spoke to some interesting people today at the Big Society Network's Giving for Good event but had to leave early, just when discussions had started properly getting going. See some of what went on here: http://www.amplified10.com/bsngiving/.

Really enjoyed hearing from Living Well's Clued Up participants and talking to the team and to Youthnet this evening though. They're doing great work in an area I'm very interested in.

Came second in the pop quiz this week. Bob & co. won this time but we may still be top of the league...? Watch this space!

Leaving drinks tomorrow. My new job starts on Monday and I'm really looking forward to it. Wish me luck!

Currently listening to Colour Trip by Ringo Deathstarr

A Bright Future

2010-12-13T23:03:00.001Z

Whilst my friends were at Bowlie 2 I, amazingly, managed to break from my current obsession with knitting to attend the above workshop this weekend. Some really interesting papers and a lovely group of people from several universities around the world that I hope to meet again. Perhaps everyone's work will be collated and published? I'll keep you posted. The dinner at La Fourchette afterwards was really good too.

Our new (old) car has a new lease of life since the Sussex snow melted and my boyfriend swapped garages so we headed to Bexhill's De La Warr Pavilion again yesterday. We went to see Myths, Manners and Memory. We'd watched William Eggleston in the Real World a couple of nights before to get us in the mood. It was a great exhibition that really complimented Sally Mann's The Family and the Land show that we saw earlier this year.

I have been missing my sister and her family who have recently moved a bit further south, to Charleston, and this exhibition made us want to go back to the American south. Before that though we'll be back at De La Warr Pavilion to see Patti Smith again.

Twin Sister and Still Corners played at The Lexington a couple of weeks ago. I really enjoyed the gig. We went to see Dark Horses at XOYO and Teenage Fanclub again (which pleased my boyfriend no end) at The Electric Ballroom last week too. I can't think who else I've been to see now but we're off to see our favourite karaoke band again on Saturday at The Forum.

I've bought quite a few more vintage sewing patterns over the past few months from various flea markets and a few more pieces of Hornsea that I will post soon.

This lunchtime we tried Moshi Moshi for the first time. Get down on a Monday for 50% off most food. Great deal!

Currently reading Popular Music (Populärmusik från Vittula) by Mikael Niemi. Thanks to JWB for the reminder and my boyfriend for lending me this one. (Actually watching The Joy of Stats right now though.)

Hornsea Folk Museum

2010-09-15T21:52:00.000+01:00

My camera ran out of battery mid way through my visit but here's what I managed to capture. Will try to connect my phone to my computer and grab photos my boyfriend took to upload more later.

For Miss Lady Day

2010-09-15T20:44:00.000+01:00

I love CE. She always kicks my arse to be creative again and is always interested in what most people think are my frivolous purchases so I'm going to start putting photos on my blog. Her latest request was for my Hull car boot goodies from this weekend so I'll start with them:

Self-explanatory, really.

You can't go wrong for 50p, can you, even with a cracked cover? Noisiest game ever. Hours of fun JM & me used to have playing this one.

More books I won't use for years but just enjoy looking at.

Just to show Mr Tupper's wares in finer beauty.

A prime example of the joys of carbooting. Beswick Dancing Days TV set.

An equally pleasing set of Beswick Ballet plates (two small, one large).

I haggled the seller down and borrowed £1.50 of my boyfriend's change for this beautiful creature. Unmarked but still precious!

Currently listening to Young EP by Summer Camp on Moshi Moshi

Some Songs to Ease You Into Another Working Week

2010-08-22T22:45:00.001+01:00

I will get round to properly posting again soon.

Hornsea Potty

2010-08-04T22:47:00.000+01:00

Apologies for the bad light in these photos. T wanted to see some more Hornsea Pottery pieces. We're planning another trip up to Yorkshire & Humberside so perhaps we'll get to see/buy even more. We'll pop in here for sure: http://www.hornseapottery.org.uk/.

Toys R Me

2010-08-04T22:36:00.000+01:00

Just to fuel the laughter some more for those people who just can't help themselves when I tell them what I collect, here are some of my Fisher-Price toys. (I do have more, including two record players.)

I may get round to taking some photos of my Tupperware but you all might just die from your sides splitting...

Joan Martin May

2010-06-02T23:34:00.006+01:00

I don't know anything about Joan Martin May other than she's illustrated some children's books that I own but she is one of my favourites. I will dig around for some information on her and post soon but, in the meantime, here is some more of her magic:

Jessie Tait 06.03.1928 – 14.01.2010

2010-02-22T10:16:00.008Z

Jessie Tait died of cancer at the age of 81 last Sunday. She was one of my favourite ceramic designers. My boyfriend and I have quite a bit of her Midwinter pieces. I'm listening to a profile about her on Woman's Hour right now.

Toadstool is one of my favourite designs of hers but I only have a little milk/cream jug:

The Zambesi design is one of the most popular of hers and teapots go for about £300 on Ebay. I have a Sudlows copy/version (below) which cost me only about £10. I'm sure the price of Jessie Tait designed pieces are going to rise again now.

Her legacy has inspired many. If you would like to find out more about her a good place to start would be the Stoke-on-Trent Museums website.

New Christmas Cards For Sale

2009-12-07T09:57:00.002Z

Here's a rather blurry photo from yesterday's jumble sale. If you fancy seeing clearer photos of the Christmas cards go to my website.

Some Drawings

2009-10-17T00:32:00.002+01:00

Finished Bowl

2009-10-17T00:14:00.000+01:00

Jumbled Up

2009-10-06T14:24:00.004+01:00

The lovely Ellie posted about Sunday's jumble sale on her blog and here are a couple of photos she took on the day:

My hairgrips, brooches & rings

Two girls um-ing and ah-ing over my Stylophone

Awopbopaloobop Alopbamboom

2009-09-29T23:05:00.003+01:00

Hope to see you there for a drink and a bop at:

The Mucky Pup
39 Queens Head Street (off Essex Road)
London, N1 8NQ
Tel. 020 7226 2572
www.myspace.com/muckypupn1

Tube: Angel (Northern line)

Buses (Angel/Upper St/Essex Rd): 4, 19, 30, 43, 56, 73, 153, 205, 214, 274, 341, 394, 476

Rail: Essex Road

It's All Relative

2009-09-28T13:56:00.006+01:00

I recently learned that Clarice Cliff is my relative. As she was born, lived and worked in Stoke on Trent it wouldn't be such a shock. She even looks a lot like my Nana in some photos. I know little about her (and am not a big fan, to be honest, of the house and tree designs but like her more abstract ones a lot more) but it kind of makes sense that she would be a relative of mine since my Nana used to paint plates and I recently started really getting into it. I visited the Worcester porcelain museum a couple of weeks ago and loved it. I am planning a trip to Stoke to see my cousins soon so I will definitely be dropping into the museums there to find out more.

Oh, and I finally got my bowl back from being glazed. I will take photos soon. Not bad for a first ever attempt. I am going to sign up for pottery classes in the next few months as I've never tried that either.

Jumble Fun

2009-09-26T23:59:00.001+01:00

Next Sunday's jumble sale

The first one was a success last month so I'll be selling my wares again next Sunday. Pop along to say hello if you're in the area.

Weird

2009-06-07T13:21:00.002+01:00

I tried to take a photo the other day and three came out at once:

I can't figure out what was going on there...

A Few Films I Like

2009-06-07T12:39:00.007+01:00

Nanook

2009-05-09T21:09:00.002+01:00

My boyfriend bought this book for me in A. Schwab. Amazingly, in a rare state of non-movement, I managed to get a photo of Nanook standing on it.

Next Show

2009-05-08T13:04:00.005+01:00

Photo courtesy of Connexion FM

I will be joining Veronica again this Tuesday 12th May from 20:15 GMT on Vive Le Rock: www.connexion.fm (click on 'Listen Live'). There will be plenty of chat and tracks inspired by my recent trip. Lovely! Hope you can tune in.

Making Up For Lost Time

2009-05-01T14:30:00.004+01:00

Image courtesy of leoplus

Back from the US of A and fighting sleep. The May Day protesters seem to have disappeared. I wondered what the racket outside was until I twigged the date. Normal life will resume soon. In the meantime I am suffering the post trip blues. No more stateside family; no more Memphis and the cornucopia of 'dry goods' that is A. Schwab; no more Noo-AW-lins, grilled oysters, gumbo and mufalettas; no more nearly getting killed by J either in the car on eight hour-long night drives or by walking to Stax in the midday sun...

We saw for the first time or saw again some awesome people play at Stomp including Howard Tate; Otis Clay & the Hi Rhythm Section; Dale Hawkins & James Burton; Roddy Jackson; Lil Greenwood; The Remains; Wanda Jackson; Bobby Patterson; Roy Loney & Cyril Jordan (Flamin Groovies) with The A-Bones; Dan Penn & Bobby Emmons.

Listened to some talks with Robert Gordon, Scott Bomar, Otis Clay, Teenie Hodges & Roosevelt Jamison; Marshall Chess, John Broven & Joe Bihari; Peter Guralnick, Dan Penn, Rick Hall & Jimmy Hughes.

Saw only two films (missed the whole of the first day talks and films due to fatigue) which were 'The Legend of Bo Diddley' + discussion with Lady Bo & Hurtt & Holly and 'America’s Lost Band' + Q&A with The Remains.

Planning our next trip already to do and see all the things we didn't have time for like Graceland. I know, I know, but you try fitting everything we managed to into the space of nine days!

Congratulations to JB on the birth of her little one and deep condolences to EO for losing her brother so sadly and also to my mum & PM's family who lost a good friend, mother & wife a few weeks ago after a long battle.

More Baby Clothes

2009-04-13T00:50:00.002+01:00

I've finally finished Fodger's jumper. It's so small and cute!