I know it's the New Year but ......

I really love Christmas and so rather than blogging about the New Year and the joys of what the new term will bring in respect of students's work (exciting and lovely) and the politics and uncertainty of college restructuring and redundancies (the feelings are summed up so well by Ivy Black in her Sheldonian lines..... http://ivyandruby.blogspot.com/) I thought I'd proove to my A2 Textiles students once and for all that I love glitter and sparkle by posting some photos of my decorations.

Our glittery Christmas cake with splendidly light catching star

and the tree, which for me has to be so sparkly that it glitters all day and night.

and here are a selection of some of my favourite decorations on the tree at the moment; a mixture of old handpainted and new mass poduced. I love them all.

   and here's what happens when the lights and baubles dance together quickly after a few new year's eves drinks.

     

The final Christmas decorations

Well, even though term is over here are some final photos of the last of the Christmas decorations.

Some of the adult students with special needs also came to look at the decorations and bought over some they had made.

More Christmas decorations are appearing

A few more decorations have been added to our twiggy tree.

Christmas is coming to the Textiles Room!

Well after a couple of attempts, plus thinking we'd managed to set the College fire alarm off, causing all of the students and staff to have to evacuate in the rain and owning up to the Vice Principal that the fire alarm had probably gone off because we were trying to hang a tree branch near a sensor, Liz and I have managed to make a start on displaying the A2 Textiles students handmade Christmas decorations.

By the way we found out it wasn't us who set off the alarm, but someone burning the toast!

Made 11

I've been intending to visit Made 11 for a few years now but finally managed to this year. I organised a college trip and Liz, Sammi, Gayle and I took about 40 A2 and Btec Textiles students on a lovely day out there on Friday. The students were great and we had a gorgeous day with lots of research done by all. Everyone was much friendlier than when we take the students to Origin and so I even managed to take a few photos, but I missed some as I got so wrapped up in all of the beautiful things.
Anyway on to some of the gorgeous people and things I saw:

Joanna Corney   http://joannacorney.co.uk/  

 

Katie Almond   http://katiealmond.co.uk/  

 

Rebecca Anne Lee   http://rebeccaannelee.co.uk/Site/Home.html  

Angela Davies   http://www.angeladaviesartist.co.uk/  

 

Lara Sparks  http://larasparks-embroidery.co.uk/     

Ros Lymer   http://ros-lymer.co.uk/  

How lucky am I!

Lunchtimes at work used to be OK, they usually consisted of a trip to the canteen, often for pasta or a roll from Costa, but for the last few weeks my husband has spoilt me rotten. I must admit his motivation was probably mainly that luch for him was a limited selection from Sainsbury's sandwiches section.

A couple of months ago we were in Guildford and popped into the lovely Steamer Trading Cook Shop

http://www.steamer.co.uk/

where we saw a great selection of Bento boxes so he treated us to one each and since then lunch has been totally transformed.

Homemade Kijiyaki chicken on green salad with plain basmati rice

First attempt at Onigiri, stuffed with smoked chicken and served with green salad, sweeet potato and pickled carrot & suede. Not the tidiest onigiri in the world, but they tasted yum.

Beef soboro and egg soboro with blanched brocoli and sugar-snap peas on udon noodles with a kaeshi sauce.