OWNING UP

Well, I was not awarding prizes in the previous post for “guessing the mystery person.”   I suppose I’m rather glad  only Andrea saw a resemblance!

The “man” in the photo was my mother and she wasn’t half miffed at being kept out of the powder room as her friend had a flask of gin in there!

I first saw that photo more than 50 years ago and I begged to be allowed to show other kids. Got a flat refusal on that! And, next time I asked, Mother said she’d burnt it. I really don’t know why she hated it so much. Perhaps it was the painful memory of having used spirit gum to stick all that hair on!

<><><><><><><><><>

I am currently involved in several “arty” projects. Most involve paper in some form. And paper form is something that really rings my bells.

It can be amazingly strong or breath-takingly delicate. I had a hat crocheted from paper string which I wore in the vineyard. Day in, day out. In fact, I have a similar one now…

Yes, the hat is made of paper and yes, it has been caught in the rain more than once. I also have a pink one; it’s in the car and I can’t be bothered fetching it!

I’ve used paper in all sorts of things over the years. I remember needing a can-can petticoat in a hurry once. Good old flour and water paste and a few sheets of last Saturday’s newspaper did the trick. I’ve used paper tubes to protect seedlings, paper bags as hair curlers, folded paper as splints for wounded animals (it would also work for human fractures.)

But I’ve never made anything quite in the same league as Simon Schubert http://www.thisblogrules.com/2009/11/simple-paper-turned-into-two.html

If looking down that stair well does not make you giddy…!

And now, I must toddle off and fold some paper for book pages. If you have any favourite paper tips, do share them.