no photos please!

To celebrate me surviving my first whole week in my new job (I was going to say, "surviving in style" but frankly there was nothing stylish about it!) Graham took me for a little day out. We started with a visit to a photography exhibition at the Collins Gallery.  The exhibition was not the greatest but, judging by their collection of catalogues, they have had some amazing exhibitions in the past so I will be sure to keep a closer eye on them from now on.  While browsing around their books for sale, I found a small book about a printmaker called Willie Rodger.  I did a bit more research on him when I got home and found out that he was the artist responsible for the print that I always wanted to steal from a corridor wall when I went to Stirling University.  If you like linocuts, you should definitely click on one of the links to see more of his work.

We saw the lovely roof garden pictured above at our next destination, The Lighthouse.  For those of you living in Glasgow, did you know that admission to The Lighthouse is now free on Saturdays?  I've been there more over the last couple of months than I had in all the rest of the time it's been open.  I'm such a skinflint...  We climbed up the Mackintosh tower (ouch!) and enjoyed the views.  Here is Graham on his way back down:  

Even my camera got a bit dizzy!

There is quite a fun exhibition on just now.  The best thing at it was this beautiful... thing:

The surface of this is made of paper that has been treated to make it water repellent and is covered in a pattern of bumps.  Water flows into the test tubey thing at the top and eventually tips it over.  The water runs down the slope in blobs like liquid mercury, getting split by all the bumps.  Meanwhile, the test tube falls back into its original position and hits a sweet sounding chime bar: ting!  The water runs off the bottom and feeds back into the test tube and the whole process happens again.  I could have watched it for hours.  I got told off for taking a photo (I swear I didn't see the sign!) but since I have done the crime now I might as well share the profit with the world at large.  I didn't like to admit I had also filmed a short video - hee hee! Now I really can watch this for hours...

Just to slot in a bit of craftiness (one week away from my craft table and I miss it so much already) I thought I would share a couple of not-the-greatest photos of some bunting I made for my godson Rudi's first birthday a couple of weeks ago.

His name on one side.

And my cherished cowboy fabric on the other.  I knew this fabric would be a big hit with his mum so I forced myself to cut into it.  I received a thank you message from him telling me it had been very tasty!

This bunting was so easy to make.  I had been a bit put off by my previous bunting experience.  This time last year I spent about two weeks solid making crazy giant cupcake bunting for my niece Kim's second birthday.  I may never make cupcake bunting again but I'll definitely bear the good old fashioned triangular stuff in mind for future occasions.  Talking of Kim and birthdays, she is three today. She didn't enjoy my rendition of happy birthday when I phoned her this morning ("Mummy, make her go away now") but she did enjoy receiving her spotty dog.  Happy birthday, Kimmy Kim Bob!  Should I share the story of Bobby Oatcake now...?  Hmmm, enough rambling, I think.  Maybe another day...