Robots and pompoms.

A few photos from the official launch of the Robots sculpture in the Crescent Arts Centre on culture night.

I demonstrated how to make the giant paper pompoms from old newspapers, and brought a few cake stands down to hold the cupcakes.

Why not get yourself down to the Crescent and choose a tile to re-interpret from the board below. You can then become part of a collaborative, ever changing art work, based on the amazing recycled wood sculpture by ROBOTS. And if you haven't seen it yet, go to the Crescent immediately and follow the crazy installation as it grows through the stairwell.

Elise goes to Whiteabbey

There sits Elise in all her splendour on a recent cycle out to Whiteabbey, just a few miles outside of Belfast.

There's a great view back across Belfast Lough to the Samson and Goliath shipbuilding cranes.

And the park in Whiteaabey has not only my favourite of all the playground features - the roundabout, but also a freaking zipline!!

And the sun even made a brief appearance when we stopped on this little beach (followed by incessant drizzle on the 6 mile cycle back home)

Today's find - The Griffin kids

I do bring some strange things home sometimes and I wasn't sure about this picture when I first saw it, but now it's my absolute favourite thing.

It is signed R.Griffin. '76.

The summer's gone....

Okay so I'm pretty sure you all noticed that summer ended quite a while ago but I'm only really accepting that fact now. Chancing upon these photos taken last July convinced me that we're into October now and it's nearly time for hibernation. Or at least the donning of fur coats.

These pictures are filled with warm evening sun from a walk along the Cliff Walk in my hometown of Portstewart. You can imagine what Dominican College looked like back when it was Captain O'Hara's Castle. (No relation unfortunately) Like my mother and most people who go to that school, I'm a Dominicanite for life.

Rock Castle at the little harbour on the cliff walk.

Home sweet home.

Quirky wedding fair

Yesterday I took part in the Quirky Wedding Fair that took place in the Crescent Arts Centre in Belfast. Four of us squeezed our things onto one table - my sister in law Lucy and 'The Lulu Lounge' - her brow and lash salon, Fiona who has a foot parlour in the same place and our friend Gavin who is a make up artist.

I brought down some of my cake stands and the brooch and origami bouquets. It was a really fun day and I had a great time chatting to all the brides to be. Who knows whether I'll get any business out of it, but we had a great time either way.

Below are Fiona and Gavin behind our rather makeshift table display.

Origami bouquets cost £40 and brooch bouquets start at £150. Leave a comment or email me at maevep22@hotmail.com if you'd like to discuss possible commissions.

Diana je t'aime

For a long time now I've been eyeing up the Diana camera as an addition to my Lomo plastic camera collection, despite the fact that they do little but gather dust much of the time. Various versions of the Diana cost between £50 and £90 and you can get them at Urban Outfitters or the Lomography store, if you so happen to be in the market.

So imagine my joy at finding an original Diana in a charity shop for £2. Yes, 2 English dollars. And all parts appear to be present and correct. Who knows how long it will take me to get round to buying the 120 film, shooting it and then gettting it processed, but life is better with Diana in it. Plus I just loves me a bargain.

The Palm House

So before my internet went down and I disappeared from the blogosphere recently (don't pretend you didn't miss me), I had a walk around the Botanic Gardens in Belfast and the glorious 150 year old palm house which was actually built before the more famous glasshouse at Kew Gardens in London.

In the gardens there is also a 'tropical ravine' building which is filled with exotic plants, dripping ferns and this weird and wonderful flycatcher and the plant below which is straight out of 'Little Shop of Horrors'. It looks like it has lots of green bananas starting to grow on it, but surely banana trees aren't that mad looking are they? Anyone?

My new best friend

Introducing my beautious brand spanking new bike which greeted me after work on my birthday - courtesy of my very generous parents and in laws.

I can't lie, the basket is my favourite part. But the leather seat, purty colours and vintage style had me at hello.

And then it was out for dinner with family and friends. Thanks everyone for a great birthday!