Tuesday 15 November 2011

WOYWW 128 & Walker Art Gallery Wonders!

On Sunday, my fantastically kind neighbour, Colin, fitted my stainless steel top to my table, FREE, yes! amazingly and so kindly FREE.
 I must say that I'm overwhelmed and I just love it. 
It was suggested that I should stick it to the table but I found some handy clips which will keep it removable.
Feast your eyes as it may never be so clear ever again and for the last time, there's my folded strawberry cloth on my table just for old times sake. Sorry folks but it was too stiff to drape over me but, who knows, I may well make it into aprons or shopping bags one day!!
Now I must confess, our lovely mentor Julia, of the Stamping Ground blog, brain washes us into sharing our workplace every Wednesday for the whole wide World to share so hop over to visit her and you can spin around the treasures and travesties of global crafting. 
 I soon set to, making my new, pristine surface look and feel like home, by prepping some images for a forthcoming workshop. Many of the ladies aren't crafters so I'm keeping it simple and doing some of the stages in advance to speed up the class as there will be around 30 attending.

Now that my family visitors have returned to Germany, I was feeling rock bottom low, miserable, missing them so much, and I didn't want to stay home rattling round in the, now quiet, empty house so I went down town to the Walker Art Gallery to fill my mind with other lovely things. Happily there was far more to see than I expected.
Liverpool currently has so many excellent exhibitions and, apart from The Liverpool Tate Gallery where there is the (chargeable) exhibition of art influenced by Alice in Wonderland, all the other galleries and museums are FREE, no charge, gratis.... just walk in and enjoy!!!

 As part of Liverpool's homotopia festival there is a fantastic, fun, exhibition of Paul O'Grady's costumes, "Savage Style". He wore many of the OTT, beautifully made, Lily Savage gowns in his pantomime appearances as well as on his TV shows. 

 It always amused me when Paul's alter ego, Lily Savage, would state vehemently that the dark patch in "her" hair wasn't the roots showing through.... it was just because she parked her fag end there overnight ready for a quick puff in the morning!!!


 I thoroughly enjoyed scrutinising all the detail of the Peter Blake exhibiton in his screen printed alphabet and, don't tell anyone, I took photos of every letter! Peter Blake is especially famous for designing the cover of the Beatle's Sergeant Pepper Album and over the last few years I have seen three exhibitions of his amazing art. 
This exhibition runs until 4th Dec 2011
Here's my very own letter J


There is also an exhibition of "The Art Books of Henri Matisse" which runs until 15th April 2012.

Sorry I didn't get round too many of you last week but family took priority so I'm sure you'll understand.
We really enjoyed seeing my DD, her DH and our lovely little 2 year old grandee. She is a little darling, such fun and so good, with a lovely character and personality, who breezed happily into our home as though it was only a week and not over a year since their last visit to England.
I finished off a collection of Winter hats for her whilst they were here and one evening, whilst she was in bed, I made these warm mittens all ready for the morning. My DD said that it was like the elves and the shoemaker!! 
I just wish those elves would whisk them back here overnight!

36 comments:

Angie said...

I adored Lily Savage and her hard sharp wit ...I still love Paul O'Grady though. Your gallerys sound wondeful ....not much near me ...need to go into Edinburgh.
So glad you had a great time with your family ...I think your DD has it right ...I shall think of you as a Knitting Elf from now on lol.xx

Sheilagh said...

Love you stainless steel table top:)
I can't wait to get back to part time working so can have the time to visit galleries and museums. Liverpool has so much to offer:)

Family visits are over so quickly, they take a long time coming then go in a flash. You need to have a word with Dr Who, see if you can borrow the Tardis at least once a month xxx

Sarah said...

Looking slick and shiny - indeed - the strawberries just can't cut it with that sheen - even in a Lilly savage world. Very arty days out there and a good mix of culture and camp! So glad that you had that precious family time, hope the next one will soon come round - are you able to Skype...? Thanks for sharing today, Sarah at 2.

Tuire Flemming said...

Hi Jo! I´m a bit jealous of all those exhibitions...
particularly that of Blake´s!
I met Linda in Helsinki at the Arts & Crafts Fair and said "Hi" from you :) ...and bought a lot of lovely rubber stamps!!!
Your new table top looks great. I´m happy you didn´t need to stick it on the table ´cause the wooden table top is so beautiful, too.
Have a lovely week!
Tuire #28

Cardarian said...

Hi Jo!
I am back at bloggy world! Your new workspace is amazing! Sorry your grandee had to leave but I am sure they will be back soon! He, he I tend to secretly take pictures at museums too! Skype on Friday??? If you will have the time I am up for it!
Lots of hugs,
Cardarian

Bridget Larsen said...

oh man that table looks very nice, is it hard to work on? I know how you feel about post visits, I always feel down as well, funny huh, well here's hoping we can cheer you up with our comments. Love the exhibits and I hope you share photos of your family if they allow it.
Bridget #29

CRAFTY WOMBLE said...

Thank goodness for skype and such easy ways of staying in visual contact these days. One set of T grandparents are in Scotland on a good year we see them 3 or 4 times. It gets easier doesn't it as they reach 2 and start to remember who people are between visits. I am looking forward to when he will be able to respond to skype and not wonder what is happening! Glad you were able to distract yourself (and what a lovely and varied load of culcha).The only advantage to the distance is the quality of the time you get T has a much different relationship with his nearby grandparents than his distant one and sometimes quality is good over quantity!

Paul B said...

Sorry to hear you are feeling (understandably) blue. Good to see that you're keeping yourself busy. I agree, Liverpool has so much art and culture to enjoy. It's perfect for an artist's date. Love your new table top, very elegant. I'm curious though, to see what it will look like in two, three weeks time, when it's been put to rigorous, Jozart-style, crafty use :) Pxx

Helen said...

Love your new worktop! Hope you have many happy hours creating on it... I know you will. The exhibitions sound fabulous and a great day out. Wish I was closer! Happy WOYWW. 12

Annie said...

I'm sure your lovely family leaving has left a huge void so you must fill it with lots of crafty creating Jo....It's wonderful therapy :-)
Biggest hugs,
Hugs,
A x
#48 [well, I was when I left Julia's....sorry for any confusion last week but some little gremlin changed my number for me after I left :-) ]

Neet said...

So sorry that your visit(ors) is over but it will stay in your "happy memory box" for eternity and just think what that feeling was when they walked in through your door.
Glad to see you are filling your time with lots of crafting and sightseeing to keep you from thinking about it too much.
Thanks for sharing especially your new super duper table, Hugs, Neet #9

Hazel said...

Wow to the stainless steel top - what a lovely neighbour - and to the crafting - Hazel WOYWW #43 x

Ann B said...

Yes Jo, can see you as a little elf, sitting crossed legged with your sewing/knitting and sorting out everyone's problems overnight - bit like the elves in the story of the shoemaker.
Table's looking very smart, although I will miss the strawberries.
Pleased you had such a good time with DD and family, especially the little one, bet she went home with lots of hugs.
Ann B #39

Lunch Lady Jan said...

Oh, I so feel for you - the visit must have gone far too quickly :( You did the right thing getting out instead of moping - great pics of the dresses, such skill must go into the creation of those lovelies. I wouldn't know where to start. I loved the near-the-knuckle humour of Lily, more so than him as himself (does that make sense??!)
I've never been to Liverpool, but those galleries look amazing..
Hugs, LLJ #45 xx

Neil said...

Hi there; thank you for sharing your place of creativity with us this week, it was great to pop in and visit. The table top looks great and I really enjoyed your gallery tour; makes me want to nip up to Liverpool again!
Neil #58

Sunshine Girl said...

What a lovely day out - I keep meaning to go into Birmingham to wander round the art museums as I havent done it for years but keep finding other things to do (woyww being one of them!) - hope you are feeling ok am sure your family will be back as soon as they can. Thanks for sharing and have a great week. Sunshine Girl – No 34

Cathy said...

Just doing a quick pass through today ... I am going to get everyone visited!!! Great visit pics.
Happy WOYWW
Cathy xx #19

Artyjen said...

Love the new table top....very spiffing! thanks for sharing the costume pics too :)
xoxo Sioux

MvM-design said...

Great desk , thanks for sharing!
Have a happy WOYWW!;-)
Hugs Marleen #10

Twiglet said...

What a great idea to boost your spirits with a visit to the galleries - wish we lived nearer! Glad you had a good time with your visitors and those little mitts are so cute. Its cold here - I think I could do with a pair and do you make woolly knickers to match?!!! x Jo

MaggieC (Silvercrafter) said...

Those exhibitions sound fantastic, especially the Alice in Wonderland. Glad your family visit went so well, and enjoy that beautifully empty table.

donnalouiserodgers said...

i feel the need to come and test drive the table - any chance of a squeezed in sunday lunch?

dx

donnalouiserodgers said...

ooh ooh ohh, the jewelery that could be cut out of that table top.

ha ha

dx

sam21ski said...

Glad you had a great time with your family Jo and also glad it inspired you to leave the house and go to the exhibitions. Those dresses are stunning, I love the bingo one - TFS

Sam xxx

Marjo said...

I like that term, brainwashing...lol Awesome pics this week. Love the table in transition.

Thanks for the peek and sharing. Hope you are having a great WOYWW,
xoxo Marjo #109

Sarah Anderson said...

that show sounds fantastic!!!

olive said...

well you have been busy (not unusual) must get to see the exhibitions, before we move away.... the Mattise looks amazing. Lily's dresses would give me some ideas for doll costumes. Brill xxx

Anonymous said...

Ooh look at that table! Looks like something from the Starship Enterprise! Interesting show, the dresses are amazing. Such a lot of culture in Liverpool, great city. Love the little mittens, can't believe how quick you knit! Glad you had such a lovely time with the family.

Hugs
Brenda 86

Diane said...

Wow, Jo! You're always so busy it leaves me breathless just reading bout everything you manage to do! I hope you're feeling a little more cheery now but I do understand how painful it must be when they all go home - wonderful to have them here though!
Diane x

sandra de said...

Such a lovely post .... gorgeous little mittens and such wonderful photos of the exhibitions. No strawberries in sight will take some getting used to but that new surface screams to be defaced.

Dotpat said...

Jo what a fab post, really enjoyed reading it. Is your table still as clean ? he he if you are anything like me I end up working in 6" of space

Shoshi said...

Oh Jo, sorry to hear you fell so flat after the family had gone, but so glad to hear you had such a good time with them, and that you managed to get to the exhibitions. A real feast there! I LOVE your new table top! That is really, really cool, and especially as it's removable if you want! Brilliant!

Thanks for your lovely comment on my blog. I laughed at how you made all those cards and then lost them!! You must have put them in an extremely safe place!!! I managed to do the session with the group and we all had such a great time, but immediately afterwards started to get the shivers and my friend said all the colour had drained from my face. Took to my bed when I got home, had the most awful night of my life and now am feverish and have NO voice at all! My lovely hubby is so generous with his germs (that unfairly don't affect him nearly as badly as they affect me!)

Happy belated WOYWW, Shoshi #61

Lee said...

Fab post,really interesting to visit you.Great table, so refreshing to know there are still some kind people left in the world today !!!
Can understand how you must be feeling.Sending you Big Squidgy Huggles.xx

Elizabeth said...

Ah, those mittens are so cute - her hands will be cosy in them over the winter. She sounds an absolute poppet. Love your new table top - even I will miss the strawberries. Great to see Lily Savage's wardrobe ... so understated! I see you've been busy making a lovely lot of cards - very busy. Hope your weekend is good. Elizabeth x #78

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

dear kind caring Jo, my heart aches for you in your aloneness, so know what you mean about the empty house! I really love the wee mittens and you table top - wow! and wow again!! was wondering though if you make jewellery on it will the heat from it go throguh to the timber base a scorch it though? or maybe your heat for jewellery is not that hot? thanks for popping over for a chat ad happy WOYWW! Shaz in oz.x

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

For being number 1 this week, I'm awfully late visiting. I'm so sorry I'm late, but, after a computer crash I had to stop by and get a bit of inspiration from your now strawberry-less table. I am impressed because ALL our museums charge. No free days, no nothing. Glad you shared your photos and "your" J.