Ebay-ing

I've started to ease myself back into printmaking, specifically wood engraving, more details on my other blog http://studio-window.blogspot.com/
and the mission now is to buy a printing press, as printing with a spoon is slow and very hard work. Also harder to get consistent results. As money is very tight I decided to part with one or two old possessions in a bid to boost the fund and ensure I actually get something usable.
To this end, I've offered up to ebay a Carltonware walking peg-leg pirate cup, complete with parrot, see the pic below. I've had this since 1975, bought it new and it's sat on display ever since. I'm very fond of it and hate to lose it, but we must be practical. I now discover these items are popular and sought-after by collectors, especially if they still have the paper stickers under their feet...as mine does. So I put it on ebay with a starting price of a fiver, and waited to see if any interest was shown. Before I knew it, I have one bid and 20...yes, 20 'watchers'! Watchers are people who have bookmarked your item and are keeping an eye on bidding , usually with a view to jumping in at the last minute with a winning bid. The thing is....they don't know how many are watching the cup, the only person who is given that information is the seller...i.e. me. Well, in 5 days we shall see if all these watchers create a feeding frenzy or if they were just interested onlookers. I know at least I shall get a fiver for it!


The other item I'm thinking of selling is one of my beloved Graham Clarke etchings. I have two, one called Turnip Court, and the other one of a set , of which I just have this one, called 'Summer'. Both are old prints, circa late 70's early 80's. The one I can't bear to part with is the Turnip Court so 'Summer' will probably be the one. Looking at general prices I should get a reasonable sum for it, all grist to the printing press mill. But I think I'll just wait a tad longer.

Sad news

Ron Woollatt 1921-2007

I have to report sadly that my father-in-law Ron Woollatt passed away on Wednesday 13th June, in hospital. He was 86 and he'd been ok , if frail till about 3 weeks ago, when he was rushed to hospital with breathing problems. Vulnerable to infection, he was isolated and his breathing improved somewhat. However he suffered periods of confusion and refused to eat or drink, pulling out his drips and not keen to move from his bed. For the final days he was moved to a ward in the hopes that company would pick him up. But on the Wednesday night, the nurse turned her back for 5 minutes and in that time he slipped away from us.
He will be sadly missed by all.

Life goes on and the garden blooms

It's been a beautiful weekend and the garden is awash with the perfume of old fashioned roses. They're my favourite flowers, even the names set me off sighing........Buff beauty, Rosa mundi, Shropshire lass..........I have several in my garden and I'd love more but I'll wait now until we've moved ans see how many I can cram into my new space. They're all coming out now. My favourite, Rosa Mundi, with carmine and pink stripes petals and a scent to die for, has just opened it's first bloom. I'll take photos of it when it's at it's best. Here it is as it was last year.
In the meantime here are some others.

Then we had peacocks/hens in the garden! They appeared on the roof of the bungalow over the road, then flew down to Walter's front garden. They seem to lack the long tails, maybe they're youngsters? Any peacock fanciers out there?

After picking about in his flowerbed they strolled over the road, onto our wall and into our driveway. We watched them from over the back gate; poor Charlie was beside himself, trying to ooze himself under the two inch gap under the gate!


They apparently belong to some people who have just moved in up the road. Makes a change from sparrows anyway! I'd like to see them tackle the bird table!