New Year

I was lucky enough to spend the first weekend of the year in London combining a Lizzy House Meadow Quilt class (more of that later) with a visit to my brother and some much needed cultural arty top up.

  

Grayson Perry's Who Are You display is on at the National Portrait Gallery.  It made for a fascinating  TV series and the art work is engaging, beautiful and emotional. You can find his various artworks intermingled around the nineteenth and twentieth century rooms at the NPG.  It's a free display and very much worth seeing. It helps to have watched the series first and had an introduction to the individuals behind the portraits.

Somerset House is close to the National Portrait Gallery-they are both central and near Trafalgar Square.  I hadn't been before and the cold, bright winter weather was a perfect way to see it.  It its he most delightful setting, the Christmas ice rink was still in place- we arrived mid afternoon as the ice was being prepared for the skaters.  Its a cultural and arts centre that hosts big cinema events, displays and exhibitions. There was a lot of free stuff to see, Wounded: the Legacy of War by Bryan Adams, a truly humbling collection of recent war photographs, and yes, that is Bryan Adams the musician. There is also the Chris Stein Negative: Me, Blondie, and the Advent of Punk. A great mix of pics, I especially liked a picture of Debbie Harry cooking wearing singed vintage dress with flames flying up the pan and burnt debris all around.  

The V&A never disappoints.  We started off with Disobedient Objects , a chaotic, loud exhibition; cluttered and noisy, full of protest and dissent.  I wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. It was so busy and absorbing, and apart from crimes against font choice on display boards, I loved it.  The Tikki Love Truck celebrating day of the dead shocked and surprised me.  You can't see the death mask in this photo- it's at the front of the truck.  The video told the story and despite a packed room with audio blasting out from other exhibits, I was totally immersed, just me and the video.  Textiles and subversive sewing are well represented as objects of protest with  banners,  Mexican memory handkerchiefs, Chilean arpilleras- documenting turbulent lives through appliqué- and more.  The Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh appears to have been a main impetus for such an exhibition at the V&A. 

I can't resist stained glass, this is a beautiful example by Sèvres.  Those colours!  Happy days. Topped up and ready to start a dark, winter month. 

London

It has been a bumpy 12 months.  This time last year I still had labyrinthitis and I couldn't travel apart from on foot.  Two holidays were cancelled and the weather was truly awful.  Christmas was a challenge.  There was a sudden, awful death to deal with that left us all reeling for months and months. After all that, this summer has been an utter relief.

Prince Albert Memorial

This time last week we were starting long weekend in London.  A few days in a very comfortable, luxurious hotel, meeting up with my brother and getting our cultural top up.  We are all pale, freckled types so sunbeds and pool holidays are out of the question, but we do all like museums and city breaks and London is a treasure trove of the most beautiful sights and experiences.  Starting with my very, very favourite, The V and A.

V and A Gardens

V and A Cafe ceiling  

13th and 14th Century stained and painted glass, V and A

'The Seamstress', Russian plate 1924, V and A

 On Saturday, we toured Westminster Abbey (pricey but worth it), no pics allowed but much awe at its beauty.  I was similalry awed by seeing Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament so close up.

An afternoon of walking along the Southbank and over to Covent Garden with a little shopping for the daughter.

View of St Pauls

I had a totally me made wardrobe including a little shortie wrap robe, made from Art Gallery voile in Branch Silhouette Blue (generously provided by Jacqui at Hantex).  It was a mix of Ann Ladbury vintage pattern book from the 70s and my own invention.  It has sleeves, belt loops and a hanging hook as well as a generous crossover.  It is a short shortie, more of a PJ top but it ideal for travel as it packs easily in a case taking minimal space and is light and airy for the hot weather.

Sunday morning, over to Petticoat Lane for the enormously large market.  Its mainly cheap clothing, shoes, bags accessories and is across many roads.

and then only a short distance away is Spitalfields market, we all loved this.  Lots of cool stuff, vintage clothing, food and pretty nonsense.

We bought some of the best granola I have ever tasted ( I don't think I have written a sentence more yummy mummy and middle class than that, but it really is good).

We split into two directions in the afternoon.  Lula and I went to The Foundling Museum, Damian went to The British Museum for us to join him later.  I have wanted to visit The Foundling Museum for some time.  The hospital collection is truly touching, the tiny tokens left by mothers and to help identiy their child should they ever be able to collect their child.  The history was fascinating.  We sat and listened to interviews from adults who had grown up in the hospital.  I thoroughly recommend it.

The museum has a wonderful record of collaborations with artists including contemporary artist, the latest of whom is Clare Twomey and her ingenious and thought provoking 'Exchange: 1000 Good Deeds' project.  Lula and I got to take part.  We entered a room of tables laid out with white cups and saucers.  We were told we could exchange our token for a cup of our choice; lifting the cup would reveal the good deed we would do in return.   We were allowed 1 choice, if you feel you are not able to so the task, you replace the cup.  There was some flexibility in interpreting the tasks.  

We spent along time reading the saucers of cups already taken and tasks already given: 'smile at 10 strangers today', 'cook a meal for a friend', 'Write a message inside your favourite book and leave it in a place for someone else to find' and so on.  So we chose.  I have donated to MERLIN, £10 can vaccinate 30 children against life threatening diseases.  Lula has made our bed (having no siblings) and we have the cups of a reminder of all the Foundling hospital stood for.  

We had a wonderful time in London, we walked miles and the weather was incredible and made the sights look even more iconic than usual.  And we came home to more sunshine and the  last few days of getting ready for work, prepping for the Exeter Sewing Directory Meet Up on Sat 14th Sept and making the most of free time by a little trip to a local beach, this is Budleigh Salterton.   I feel very lucky indeed.