This week’s self-portrait: 52 Weeks 30/52 (2008 week 38).
Taken in Rochester Cathedral Tea Rooms.
Category Archives: personal
Noreen Marshall, Her Book
After something like 2 years in gestation Noreen’s book, Dictionary of Children’s Clothes, finally appears in early-October. Here’s what the V&A’s blurb for the book says:
Over the last 300 years, children’s clothing has witnessed a gradual shift from dressing children to adult requirements, in multiple layers and formal styles, to the booming designer childrenswear market of today. This accessible and well-illustrated dictionary features over 300 garments, from air-raid suits to zouave jackets, with specially commissioned photographs from the world’s largest and most diverse collection at the V&A Museum of Childhood. A fully illustrated timeline and introduction offer an at-a-glance understanding of the changes in children’s fashions and a rich selection of line drawings and illustrations from sewing and knitting patterns, to catalogues, dolls, fashion plates, photographs, paintings and children’s fiction put the garments in context. Noreen Marshall is Curator of the Dress, Doll and Childcare Collections at the V&A Museum of Childhood. She has worked on a number of V&A exhibitions, including Stile Liberty, Jolly Hockey Sticks, The Pack Age, and a series of Christmas exhibitions.
Despite having been married to Noreen for most of the 30-odd years she’s worked at the Museum of Childhood, I have seen relatively little of this book during its birth traumas; it’s been a closely guarded secret. Until now, that is! I have now seen an early-released copy and, as can be seen from the dust-jacket (above), it’s a sumptuous volume illustrated with specially commissioned colour photographs on every page of the dictionary section. As well as the dictionary there is an extended essay by way of introduction, a 300-year timeline and several appendixes which enhance the main content. The book isn’t cheaply produced, something which is reflected in the cover price of £30, but this is excellent value considering the quality and the work which has gone into the production.
This book is a real treasure for anyone interested in costume or childhood. It may be pre-ordered from Amazon UK or from the V&A Online Shop.
Dictionary of Children’s Clothes, 1700 to the Present, by Noreen Marshall, is published on 06 October by the Victoria & Albert Museum at £30; ISBN 9781851775477.
09/09/2008 This & That Meme!
1. Anyone for Cricket?, 2. Sooty Oystercatcher, 3. Blue Hyacinth, 4. I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue, 5. Oz on bookcase 04212006 003, 6. Hoover Factory Greenford London, 7. DSC_2240, 8. Cunt Examination, 9. giving Katie the best there is and hoping she’ll be gaining back some weight …, 10. Jack and Jill Windmills in Sussex, 11. egg custard (gross), 12. Latin
The concept:
a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste the html into your blog or Flickr stream (the easiest way is to copy the URLs and then head over to the fd’s flickr toys link above and use the mosaic maker).
The Questions & Answers:
1. What was your favorite summertime activity as a kid? Cricket
2. What was your first pet’s name? Sooty
3. What model car did you learn to drive on? I didn’t; yes that’s right, I never have learnt to drive and I don’t want to.
4. What’s your proudest moment as an adult? I’m sorry I haven’t a clue
5. What are your top 3 hobbies (other than photography)? cats, science, books
6. Where do you call home? Greenford
7. Where did you call home at age 11 (or any age)? Waltham Cross
8. What word do you love to say? C**t
9. Where do you go to relax? Lying in the sun
10. Who was your first kiss? Jill
11. Least favorite food? Egg custard
12. Least favorite subject in school? Latin although it’s a close finish with woodwork.
Created with fd’s Flickr Toys.
Homeward Bound
Homeward Bound, originally uploaded by kcm76.
This week’s self-portrait: 52 Weeks 28/52 (2008 week 36).
Taken in the car by the light of the streetlamps on the way home after a day out. (And no, I wasn’t driving!)
In fact we’d been to Lowestoft for the day (long trip!) as Noreen wanted to meet up with one of her aunts and discuss family history. we met Noreen’s cousin and her husband for lunch (yummy!) and then the “girls” spent the afternoon with their aunt while Tim and I amused ourselves (separately). I spent most of the afternoon on the seafront (which was cool, dull, intermittently wet and windy; with a good swell running on the outgoing tide) taking equally dull photographs. I know I saw the less interesting bits of Lowestoft, and the weather was against us, but sorry guys, the place is a dive. But it was a good day out and blew away some of the cobwebs.
And Not a Holiday in Sight
I’ve not been blogging as much as I would have liked over recent weeks. I blame the day job which has been manic especially as I’ve spent a chunk of July and most of August covering for colleagues who are on holiday.
And now summer has gone and, yet again this year, I’ve not had a holiday. Every plan we’ve made to get a break away this year (excepting our 5 days in February) has turned to dust for one reason or another. We had 2 weeks off in early June, but couldn’t get away as we couldn’t get either a cat feeder or get the little buggers into the local cattery. We were planning a trip to Sweden in late-October/early November but our work has scuppered that with important meetings etc. and the friends we were going to see are moving then.
So we’ve had to compromise and are taking a week in mid-September – though having decided where we wanted to go we’ve been unable to book anywhere, so it’s going to be another stay at home break. Still we already have a couple of away-days planned, including a trip to see my favourite aunt who has just come out of hospital after a stroke. The only problem is that if we stay at home we don’t relax properly and you always that never-ending list of jobs round your neck like an albatross.
All of which means we’ve had one 5 day break away in the last two years, mostly because of clashes caused by my work and Noreen’s – at any time one or the other of us has been tied to immovable project dates and schedules. And the medics seriously wonder why I get depressed. It’s enough to drive you mad!
Maybe we can get that Swedish break in next Spring. And plans are already afoot for Autumn 2009. By then I might have won the lottery and be retired. Well at least I can dream!
Mr Deacon's Shop
This week’s self-portrait: 52 Weeks 27/52 (2008 week 35).
This is the one of the windows of the pub at 7 Shepherd Street in London’s Mayfair district. Taken on a very wet August Sunday morning. With the photographer caught unawares on the right.
25/08/2008 Pet Meme
25/08/08 Pet Meme, originally uploaded by kcm76.
1. Gianduia occhioni, 2. Mutant pickles, 3. Thirty years old…, 4. Almost Nothing, 5. Rallying Point… In The Middle Of Nowhere…!!!, 6. Paper & String, these are a few of my favorite things, 7. Relaxing is good!, 8. Emergency Rescue, 9. Near Humphrey’s Peak, 10. Kissie … just arrived back home from the vet …, 11. A hunter Russian blue, 12. pussy 3875
The concept:
a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste the html into your blog or Flickr stream (the easiest way is to copy the URLs and then head over to the fd’s flickr toys link above and use the mosaic maker).
The questions and answers:
1. What was your favorite pet? Calico (tortoiseshell & white) shorthaor moggy
2. What was it’s name? She was nicknamed Pickle
3. How old where you when you got your first pet? The first to be really mine was when we moved to our own house when I was 30, but there had always been pets at home, including a dofg which came for my 7th birthday and was nominally mine.
4. What do you feed your favorite pet under the table? Almost nothing, the current 2 cats aren’t that interested in human food
5. Where to you like to take your pet on trips? Nowhere, they don’t like travelling
6. What is your pets favorite toy? String
7. What is the coolest trick your pet can do? Relax
8. Did you adopt your pet or buy it from a breeder? Rescued, all four of our cats (2 now long gone and the current 2) were rescued from The Blue Cross a charity which we continue to support
9. Where is the furthest you’ve taken your pet on a trip? For the current two, 7.2 miles from the rescue centre to home
10. What is the most extravagant thing you’ve purchased for your pet? Vet care
11. What is your favorite breed? Russian Blue cats
12. Describe your pet in one word. Pussy 😉
I guess I should explain that our first two cats were Floss (white & black; male) and Bubbles (aka Pickle; tortie & white; female) were rescued from Blue Cross at Victoria in August 1981. They were followed by the present two Harry (grey & white; male) and Sally (tabby; female) from Blue Cross at Hammersmith in December 1998. H&S appear from time to time on these pages. Notwithsatnding that there were always pets around home: cats, a dog, a tortoise, a duck. Oh and of course we also have fish. Now I know we’re mad!
Determined to do this without a human in any frame!
Created with fd’s Flickr Toys.
Wedding Ring
Wedding Ring, originally uploaded by kcm76.
This week’s self-portrait: 52 Weeks 26/52 (2008 week 34).
Sadly this isn’t my original wedding ring (that’s now too small, cracked, and on a chain round my neck); this one was made some 15-20 years ago by a local craftsman goldsmith. It still astonishes me that I’ve been wearing a wedding ring – yes since the day Noreen and I married – for almost 29 years (anniversary in a couple of weeks time)! We often look at each other and say “how did we do it?”.
Inside the Actor's Studio Meme
Inside the Actor’s Studio Meme, originally uploaded by kcm76.
This week’s entry to the Flickr My Meme group
1. To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells, 2. process_diagram, 3. sun, sea, sand…….., 4. Stressed Poser Friday, 5. Seeking Seashells On The Sunny Seashore, 6. Pathway to sirens, 7. fuck art bomb everything, 8. Retirement Cake, 9. Butchery 2, 10. Oh ye of little faith!, 11. Tranquility…, 12. Capricorn
The concept:
a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste the html into your blog or Flickr stream (the easiest way is to copy the URLs and then head over to the fd’s flickr toys link above and use the mosaic maker).
The questions and answers:
1. What is your favorite word? tintinnabulation
2. What is your least favorite word? process
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? sun, sand and sea
4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally? stress
5. What sound or noise do you love? sunshine and seashore
6. What sound or noise do you hate? sirens
7. What is your favorite curse word? fuck
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? retirement
9. What profession would you not like to do? butchery
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Oh ye of little faith
11. What is your favorite emotion? tranquility
12. What is your zodiac sign? capricorn
Created with fd’s Flickr Toys.
From Below
This week’s self-portrait: 52 Weeks 25/52 (2008 week 33).