Pure Dead Brilliant!

Having been brought up in a fairly 'arty' family, it's more or less always been my experience that if you're artistic you're considered 'eccentric' or 'a bit weird', which, it has to be said my mother probably was. Not in a bad way obviously, but she did take cutlery into the cupboard during a thunder storm.....but that's another story.

I've always been accused of having a weird sense of humour or liking things that other people might consider odd - like graveyards (which are FASCINATING by the way...), or my little collection of death certificates which I really want to frame and hang on the wall but have faced family opposition to.

Really old graveyards are the best with amazing sculptures and creepy old cloches which really are works of art. A game I used to play with my children was to try and find a gravestone with the name of somebody they knew on it. I don't think they were damaged in any way by this.....ahem!

However, it is always refreshing to find other people with similar tastes and that was how I came across Elaine Allison

I absolutely totally LOVE her work and she has so many strings to her bow but one of my favourites incorporates two of the things I love best - cloches and things found on beaches - I just wish I'd thought of this first dammit!

By Yon Bonnie Banks...

I may be a wee bit biased but really, Scotland has to be one of the most special places in the World. Amazing scenery, humungous talent in all areas, inventors galore, world class athletes and comfort food to die for. So, combining a first puppy holiday with a photography opportunity we headed off to midgie land for a few days.

The potential for disaster was huge - full of beans puppy + somebody else's house = potential mayhem.
Our fears were unfounded however thanks to Gracie's almost impeccable behaviour combined with a great welcome from Lesley and John at the Tom-na-creige B&B.

Not only were the breakfasts great, but the view was pretty spectacular! So, a big thank you to Lesley and John for making Gracie so welcome - the daily bribery sausage went a long way to modifying her behaviour!

Scotland isn't just famous for it's mountains though! Our cities are pretty gorgeous too with many iconic landmarks and buildings to ooh and aah over.

One talented man I have met along the way is Stephen O'Neil

So,if you thought Scotland was all about 'tartan tat', 'See You Jimmy' hats and extremely dodgy £20 kilts - think again!

The Party's Over........

.......and I was so sorry to call it a day!

Had a FANTASTIC time in my cosy little booth at the West End Fair!

After four days of (almost) sunshine and endless hours of fun with the general public I've decided people watching is absolutely the best pastime ever! A big thanks to the man who enquired whether I photographed a lot of groynes....ooo er missus!

Almost as good as my fellow stallholder Little Sister Lucy who was giving out sweets to entice people to look at her silk knickers - I was beginning to wonder what kind of tent I had stumbled into!

However, the real star of the show turned out to be my shelf unit....cobbled together by my talented hubby from a bit of an old pallet and some driftwood we found the night before (true!) on our local beach.

If times get hard in Elle & Pea land at least I know I can send him off down the road to beachcomb his way to keeping me in the style to which I could become accustomed!

You have to keep your options open in this game!

It's Cool To Be Vintage.........

I've always been a fan of vintage paraphernalia. I put that down to the fact that I was what my mother termed 'a late baby' - or, what my sister termed 'a mistake'. Anyhow whatever the reason for my conception I did have a lot of older relatives in comparison to my friends whose parents were in their 20s or 30s when they had children as opposed to my parents who fought in the War!

Vintage for me was gas masks, cast iron ranges, enamel soup pots and wally dugs. Things my Nana actually had in her house.

Imagine my dismay then to discover that vintage now includes things I used in MY day to day life! How did that happen? When did I become vintage?? Things crop up on Facebook all the time - AND I RECOGNISE THEM! I'm distraught.

However, sometimes things turn up which make me happy to be part of the vintage scene. One of these is the very talented Mentalembellisher who makes amazing, vintage inspired jewellery combining all sorts of bits and pieces, sometimes put together in a rather disturbing, but always eyecatching and tongue in cheek, way.

Famous for her Gourmet Killer Bees and rather raunchy photographs, embracing your vintage side always seems a bit more fun when you can wear a pair of acrobats in your ears!

She's not called Mental for nothing.........

I shall not let the enthusiasm wain.......

Did I tell you I'm doing an important Craft Fair? No, well I wouldn't have because I've only been here five minutes.....!

Anyway, I am!

I will be at the West End Fair - Venue 27 - St. John's Church, bottom of Lothian Road, Edinburgh (along with at least 100 other stalls!)

WestEndFair

I'm really excited to be PART of the Edinburgh Festival this year instead of just a casual bystander and I have been working flat out to build up my stock.

For the uninitiated I make these little pieces of art by dragging my husband and dog all over Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife in Scotland to take photographs, collect pieces of broken seapottery (ie old broken bits of crockery which have at some point been tossed into the sea, battered about for years and spat out by the tide.....)and then do magical things with the ingredients to give you THE most unique little piece of Scottish history ever! Easy!

Anyway, it is now ALL over the house in various stages of gorgeousness and even the puppy is starting to ignore it (yes....result!). But the end is in sight and I hope to see you at the West End Fair from Thursday 9th August - Sunday 12th August!

It's a start.......

.......and it will be a slow one!


Despite finally persuading my other half that I would make a great housewife, giving virtual birth to a tri-coloured collie puppy and slashing my personal income by half....I still can't find enough hours in a week to blog...but...I'm here.

Be gentle with me, I'm a quick learner and before long will have you mesmerised by my totally inane, mundane, ordinary accounts of the day to day life of a frustrated artiste...brace yourselves..

PS - you can find me on Facebook