Monday 17 December 2012

Christmas, Throats and Oiled Paper


This Christmas stuff takes up a lot of time, doesn't it?  I have made my presents more personalised this year - can't tell any more in case the recipients are reading this blog - I will show you after Chrimbo. I think it has cost me twice as much money ( I kept seeing 'just the right thing' after I thought I had finished) but it has been huge fun.

I have also been playing with oiled paper, a technique that I propose to show you in a step-by-step in the new blog, which launches just after Christmas - in case you are bored in the gap between Christmas and New Year. The piece below is an oiled paper version of a photo of a stand of birches, near our house. I took the tablet thingy for a walk and got good results from playing with Phototouch.





Here is a close up - I love the texture that this method produces. I will also include the little shrinky books on the blog so there will be lots to see. We will have a give-away, too.




I fear I have yet another throaty cough thing. I am so cross as this week there is lots of singing going on with the Local Vocals group. Yesterday we went to Stourhead, a lovely National Trust house and sang three sets. We had a captive audience in the resataurant. At one point the heavens opened and we broke into an impromptu version of Singing in the Rain.  I had an exciting moment when my throat pastille shot out in the middle of a particularly enthusiastic chorus of Fa-la-las! I quietly picked it off the coat of the person in front (luckily it was an old waterproof so didn't leave a mark). I had difficulty controlling the giggles, though.





In the meantime it is back to the Lemsip, which has to taken from a Beatrix Potter mug. It's a comfort thing. Off now to get some Manuka honey from the health food shop.

5 comments:

Gill said...

The oiled paper looks fascinating - looking forward to seeing more!
I hope your throat is better - we don't want any more incidents with throat sweets do we????

Su said...

Oh dear, hope your throat gets better soon. The image of you picking the pastille off the coat had me laughing out loud - no idea how you didn't collapse into giggle! Look forward to seeing the new blog.

Heather said...

Those oiled papers are beautiful. I have no technology skills beyond blogging and have only made them using magazine pages but still got interesting results.
Sorry your throat is bad again but loved the bit about the throat pastille - it cheered me up - I could just picture the scene. You'll have to mime the rest of your songs, but get well soon.
Looking forward to the new blog.

Maggi said...

Looking forward to the new blog. Hope the throat is getting better. Couldn't stop laughing at the vivid description of the pastille missile.

liniecat said...

I will never think of a throat sweet without imaging you now...........lol hope the voice and throat survive events and dont hold up your fun : )