Almost Christmas - 2016

Crikey, almost a month since I wrote a post ... I'm slipping, packing too much into too little time - though it could also just be my appalling time management lately!

I would like to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

and Happy Hanukkah Deanna to you too : )

 Spencer arrived safely 13 days late and both Mum and baby are doing just fine. He arrived at 9lbs 1oz, lost no weight at all and is now 9lbs. 10oz.

I have broken up from work for a couple of weeks but this is some of  what I made just before we split up.
A batch of drawstring bags for children to identify the contents by touch alone and some sensory cushions too.

I met a pal for a coffee the other day and this is the natty advertising campaign they have had to resort to, since there is so much building going on about the entrance to the lane they are in.

Clever, although I had a long blonde hair laid across the cake I ordered and Jean had an eyelash in her coffee! 

I wont be going back there lol

This impressive mosaic above is on the now very empty British Home Store building in Hull. Can you see the cities name in the sails?

It's an iconic piece of artwork and happily the new owners of the building are going to renovate it and allow it to remain a part of the cities history.

It was created by Alan Boyson in the 1960s.

More of his artwork can be seen here -

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=alan+boyson+artworks&qpvt=alan+boyson+artworks&qpvt=alan+boyson+artworks&qpvt=alan+boyson+artworks&FORM=IGRE

Interestingly they have uncovered a 22 foot long interior mosaic too, that will also now be exposed for all to see.

Below is a bit of this particular artworks history in case your interested, if not scroll on by !

: )

MANOR POINT DEVELOPMENT WILL HELP PRESERVE RARE MOSAIC
The concave mosaic of Three Ships on the front of British Home Stores, home of the co-op building in Hull, is a well-known city centre landmark. However, there is an equally important artwork on the interior of the building which was recently rediscovered by the developers of the of the five storey property.
Manor Property Group is currently developing plans to refurbish the former co-op store and recently unveiled the interior mosaic on the top floor in the former Skyline Restaurant and ballroom. It is 6.85m (22.5 feet) long and made of ceramic tiles, marble and stone that depict ceramic fish swimming freely in a tile background of bubbling water. The whole piece is set between massive columns of kelp-like fronds in stone. 
The significance of both the exterior and interior mosaics only came to light when Manor was contacted by Christopher Marsden, a researcher writing a paper for the Journal of the Tile and Architectural Society.
Robert Lane a director of Manor Property Group says the interior mosaic has survived very well and only requires a clean to bring it back to its original state. He commented: “We were delighted to hear from Christopher and to know we have a piece of history on the front of our building, and even more excited to rediscover the fish mural on the fourth floor of the building. 
“This work has been covered up and forgotten for many years, but it has survived very well and we have plans to clean and refurbish it and incorporate it into the exciting plans for the redevelopment of the building now known as Manor Point, Hull.
“The exterior Three Ships requires some repair work as there are many scaffold holes in the face of the mural and we will be addressing this work as part of the buildings refurbishment with specialist contractors.”
Both mosaics were created by Alan Boyson who was commissioned to design Three Ships in Hull by Co-op project architect Philip Andrew in 1963. He created the iconic exterior ‘fishing town’ image, which was executed in glass tile mosaic as it was too big for traditional ceramic work.  
Christopher Marsden explained: “The Hull mosaic symbolises the city’s fishing industry and captures the important role it played in the city’s heritage. I hope this research will re-awaken interest in the mosaic which has been on the front of the store for over 40 years. It looks as good today as it did when it was first created. It remains a testament and a reminder to residents and visitors to Hull of the importance and associated dangers the fishing industry brought to the city.”
The whole piece is 66 feet high x 64 feet wide. The face of the mural includes 4,224 foot-square slabs (each made up of 225 tiny glass cubes); altogether there are 1,061,775 pieces.  The mosaic work was carried out by Richards Tiles Ltd from (now part of Johnsons Tiles Ltd) and affixed by A. Andrews & Sons (Marble & Tiles) Ltd of Leeds who is still trading today.
Boyson was commissioned to produce the second mural for a prominent position under what was regarded at the time as ‘an innovative and daringly thin concrete handkerchief shell roof’ on the fourth floor of the building. The work was re discovered when Mr Marsden visited Hull to research the work and made contact with the owners of the building