Thoughts from the Bus Stop

Lauren Laverne signs teen rock book deal

Lauren Laverne has got herself a book deal with Harper Collins. She'll be writing a teenage fiction trilogy about... a fifteen-year old girl who wants to be a successful rock star! 

I loved Kenickie sooooo much. Their debut album 'At The Club' was such an important record for me! Kenickie were cool in every way - the music, the lyrics, the outfits, the one-liners, the attitude (a member of Kenickie was always good value on Never Mind The Buzzcocks).

Lauren was my favourite, and I'm so glad she's ended doing TV and radio. She's stylish, funny, smart and a breath of fresh air compared to many other female presenters. A true original. Well played, punka.

 
 

Footprints In The Sand

 Flicking through an old scrapbook, I spotted a page I'd torn from a copy of Scripture Union's bible fanzine, 'disclosure', featuring a wonderful devotional aid from renowned preacher Reverend Gerald Ambulance: 

We asked Rev Gerald Ambulance to bring a prophetic word to really speak into your situation. This is the best he could come up with.

Beloved siblings, I have sought the Lord for a word. I sought him by day and I sought him by night, and then in the morning there he was - everywhere. Just like he always is. So that was worth it.

I covered the subject with much prayer, fasting and transubstantiated communion wine. And lo, as I lay on the kitchen floor, the Lord came to me in a dream, and an infallibly spooky vision was manifest unto me.

And behold I saw a beach, with two pairs of footprints on it. And I said,

'Oh no, not that one again Lord! That is so 'Eighties'. The editor will throttle me.'

And he said, 'Just bear with me, OK?'

'All right,' I said. 'Let me guess. This is my life, yes?'

'That's right.'

'You and me walking along together, yes?'

'You got it.'

'Then how is it that at the places when times get hard there is only one set of footprints?'

And the Lord said, 'That, my child, is when we were hopping.'

Reverend Gerald Ambulance now ministers online at Ship Of Fools. :)

Paper Cutout Animation

Video for NZBC, via YouTube

Via CraftStylish: This is a beautiful stop-motion animation, made for the New Zealand Book Council by Anderson M Studio. It's been created from the pages of a book ('Going West' by Maurice Gee) - goodness knows how long it must have taken!

It reminds me of Su Blackwell's work, especially the ad she did for Beringer wine (below). I love stop-motion animation but am in awe of the animators - I just don't think I'd have the patience (or skill!) required to produce it myself!

Beringer advert, via YouTube

The Poverty and Justice Bible

I bought this a while ago and never got round to blogging about it. 'The Poverty and Justice Bible', published by the Bible Society, is an edition of the Bible where any verse related to poverty or justice is highlighted in orange. This really helps you to understand how often these subjects are tackled in both the Old and New Testaments - they are really important to God, which they should be really important to Christians!

I've found them really useful when writing to persecuted Christians or their families, looking for a Bible verse to encourage them. They probably don't understand English, but they can look up the verse reference in their own Bible - it may be the only part of my letter they understand, but it will help them to know that we are family!

For more details about the P&J Bible, check out the Poverty and Justice Bible website.

Images (c) The Bible Society

 

A Close-Knit Couple

Look at who's come to live with me - aren't they cute? They are Russian originally, but came to me from California, via Etsy seller Glamourama. They make me smile.
 

Writing to persecuted Christians

Image (c) Open Doors

Since I've had ME/CFS I've not been able to do as much at my home church - the stuff which requires physically being there - so I've wanted to find other ways to serve. Having a lot of sofa-based time on my hands, the internet's been a Godsend (see what I did there?) and I've been able to find out how I can support fellow Christians who are being persecuted for their faith in places far from my home simply by writing them a letter (and praying for them!).

The two main organisations I support are Christianity Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) and Open Doors. CSW publish 'Connect and Encourage', which is has the stories and addresses of Christians who have been persecuted (some in prison) or their families, and explains how to write to them. Their website has details of the countries they focus on. Open Doors concentrates on a few specific campaigns at a time.

Both also send out advocacy alerts by email, as and when they need you to write to people of influence who may be able to help a particular persecuted / imprisoned Christian. That could be someone in their country's government, their country's ambassdor in your own country, or your own MP/MEP/Senator/whoever represents you to your government.

Sometimes writing a letter of support to someone who has been beaten, raped, had their home burned down, been imprisoned or whose loved one has been executed because they're a Christian can seem a pathetic gesture from someone who has complete freedom to practice their faith. But don't I believe in a God who can do big things with small offerings?

CSW says, "it lets them know that someone cares about their suffering, and it can also show governments and local authorities that people around the world are taking interest in a particular case or prisoner" (which can also result in a prisoner being treated better, even if your letter doesn't reach them personally). It really is worth doing!

Other organisations which support the persecuted church are Barnabus Fund, Release International, China Aid, International Christian Concern and Voce of the Martyrs.

Image (c) CSW

A kaleidoscope of colourful knitwear: Jóhanna av Steinum

Browsing the website of the NICE Festival of Nordic Art and Culture, I came across this amazing knitwear by Jóhanna av Steinum, which is being exhibted at The Bluecoat in Liverpool.

Johanna is a fashion knitwear designer from the Faroe Islands – a small group of islands in the North Atlantic Sea, famous for having twice as many sheep as people and a strong tradition for knitting. Her garments are made by women from the Faroes and the Ukraine, where knitting is also an important part of the heritage.

Just look at the unihibted use of colour and pattern - great styling on this shoot, too. It makes me want to go and raid my cupboards for an outfit full of clashing colours and textures - or maybe chop up three patterned jumpers from the charity shop to make myself a new sweater dress... mmmmmmm!!!

All images (c) Steinum.net

 

64-knit colour: Biggan Yarns

At last, I've stumbled across a high-quality DK yarn with comes in loads of bright colours! Normally if I want bright colours I have to use 100% acrylic yarns, which are nice and cheap - great for making toys but not nice enough to use for clothing.

Biggan yarns come in 64 (!) colours and are a machine-washable 100% merino wool which is soft enough to wear against the skin. Biggan Design was founded by Swedish designer Biggan Dups. It's based in Australia, but you can buy Biggan yarn in the UK via Woolaballoo, for about £5 per 50g. I am sooo tempted to order two dozen different colours and crochet myself a beautiful shawl!

* SONG OF THE DAY: Terry Hall & Damon Albarn - Chasing A Rainbow *

Both images (c) Biggan Design 2009

The Hesitant Hooker

I've finally done it. I've learnt to crochet!!! I'd tried learning from a book and ended up with a right mess, so I figured I'd be better off learning from a real person and booked up for a 2-hour 'Learn To Crochet'' workshop at Hove Museum. And here is My First Granny Square!

Our tutor was Jan Eaton, who has written loads of books about crochet. She was great, and explained the mysteries of foundation rings and turning chains, making them much less scary. I made another square when I got home, but I went wrong - didn't put enough stitches in the corners - see?

But the good thing was that using the pattern and diagrams Jan had given us, I could identify the mistake and correct it! It was so great to have learned a new skill - obviously I'm doing the crochet equivalent of playing 'Chopsticks' on the piano, but it's still exciting seeing a granny square take shape!

I'm hoping to crochet myself a granny square blanket to put over my sofa (if only if came out like Lucy at Attic 24's!). And I've got Debbie Stoller's book Stitch and Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker to move me on to (slightly) more complex projects - it's got a lovely light-hearted feel to it which helps to make learning the various stitches seem far less daunting. Look Mum, I'm a hooker!!!

Knitted Christmas post box

Finally got round to finishing my Christmas postbox! So it will spend a few weeks on top of my wardrobe with my other Christmas decs and then reappear in December. I love postboxes, couldn't resist this pattern. If you want to make your own, it's 'Clarence the Christmas Postbox' from Jean Greenhowe's Celebration Clowns booklet, which is out of print but easy to find on eBay.
 

Regretsy

I've just discovered 'bad craft' site Regretsy, and I haven't laughed so much in ages! Regretsy (tagline 'Handmade? It looks like you made it with your feet.') trawls Etsy for examples of truly excruciating handiwork and takes the p*** mercilessly.

They're currently mining a particularly rich seam of Twilight fan art. Other enticing categories include Dead Things, Pet Humiliation and Spelling Issues.  It's a guilty pleasure, in the same vein as red carpet fashion site Go Fug Yourself. For more bad craft, there's also Craftastrophe and Glitter Gone Bad.

Loveheart for Eddie and Sharry

Wedding loveheart (c) Kristen Bailey 2009

Today is a very special day! My best friend from school is marrying the lovely Eddie, and I'm being a bridesmaid (my first time!). Sharry at I met on the first day at secondary school, when we were 12. I'm so blessed that our friendship has lasted this long.

Sharry will be a beautiful bride. The other two bridesmaids and I will be by her side in floor-length midnight blue satin, grinning, crying and trying not to trip over, I expect. I know how much planning has gone into making the day special for everyone and it will be fantastic to see it all come together. Congratulations you two!

 Wedding garter (c) Kristen Bailey 2009
 

Queen Victoria doll for Mum

 

Mum's really interested in Queen Victoria, so for her birthday I knitted her this doll of old Victoria in her mourning clothes. Once again I based the doll on Jean Greenhowe's Little Gift Dolls pattern, using the skirt from the Christmas Tree Fairy and the cuffs from Miss Valentine. The widow's cap I made using the veil pattern from the Summer Mouse in the Knitted Animals booklet.

I made Victoria necklaces of pearls and crystals, and pearl earrings, and a mourning brooch with Albert's cameo on it. The crown was knitted in silver crochet thread, using Jean Greenhowe's 'picot hem' pattern, and I sewed on crystal beads. Does her face look amused?
 

All images in this post (c) Kristen Bailey 2009

Loveheart for Cathy and Tim

This little felt loveheart is a wedding present for my friend Cathy and her new husband Tim, who is from Canada. They met while working in Spain, and aren't sure which country they're going to make their home in, so I had to give them something more portable than a toaster!

Stuarts Granolithic

'Stuarts Granolithic' paving stone in Holland Road, Hove

Grinding gears at Hove Museum

Mum and Dad came down for the afternoon so the Blonde and I took them to Hove Museum to partake of afternoon tea. In the foyer of the museum is a wonderful coin-operated automata by Ian McKay.

There's a chap reading a newspaper, seated next to a lady with a flask of tea...

... and a kissing couple!

I love automata. I enjoyed making the sheep automata for my mum, and I'd like to learn how to design one myself. I'm not a woodworker so I'd like to see if I could make a fabric one - over an armature of some sort I guess.

Rob Ives' Paper Engineering and Pop-ups for Dummies looks like it might be a good starting point.

* SONG OF THE DAY: The Rolling Stones - Start Me Up *

Bus phone

Spotted in Snooper's Paradise in the North Laine - a bus phone! Saved myself the £30 by making do with a photo :) 

September sunset in Hove

September sunset in Hove (c) Kristen Bailey, 2009

Slept most of the day as I'd been awake all night, but still managed to get outside for a walk as the sun went down. Beautiful, eh?

* SONG OF THE DAY: Belle & Sebastian - Another Sunny Day *

Hedgehog pincushion

This (rather bald) hedgehog pincushion was made by me at primary school as a Mother's Day pressie. I can vivdly remember making it. My teacher had a large shallow box full of brightly-coloured embroidery silks, which I found so exciting that I got told off for sorting them into colour ranges when I should have been sewing! We stuffed our hedgehogs with chopped-up old tights.

Some of our dinner ladies had stayed on after lunch to help supervise the sewing. Take a look at the blanket stitch - can you guess which bit was done by a dinner lady and which was done by a five-year old?

Ye olde Bunn Shoppe

I found this advertising card being used as a bookmark in a charity shop paperback years ago. It extols the virtues of 'Cowley, Fancy Bread and Biscuit Maker', at 9, Pool Valley in Brighton town centre, off the seafront near the Palace Pier. The Cowley family traded there for 150 years - not sure which of those years this card comes from! They must have closed in the mid 1940s. I love that their telegram address is 'Biscuits, Brighton'.

These days, if you find yourself in Pool Valley with a yearning for something sweet, treat yourself to tea and cake at The Mock Turtle.