Bury St Edmunds Market

Aha....I'm just testing the video camera on my new phone. Here's a brief video of Bury St Edmunds market that I took about 45 minutes ago.

Behind the lovely flower stall is the lovely Market Cross building, which is leased by The Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery. Look out for their forthcoming photography exhibition.

Busy in Bury St Edmunds

This week I have taken a gentle break from blogging. However, it hasn't been a quiet time. Instead I've been busy in Bury St Edmunds.


I'VE BEEN BUSY...

...ENJOYING AUTUMN...my favourite time of year.

...MAKING BREAD PUDDING, following a great wartime recipe from Marguerite Patten's "Feeding the Nation" book. Quite timely on Remembrance Day.

It's a fabulous recipe and is so easy that a toddler can make it...

...and so tasty that a toddler and his brother wanted second helpings.

...PLAYING "MUMMY'S TOY SHOP" and TODDLER'S CAFE... with a very imaginative 3 year old who insisted on using real money.

...GOING ON A BEAR HUNT at our local parent & toddler drama club.

(Image courtesy of Theatre Royal Website)

...ENJOYING NIGELLA'S COOKING. Not the real Nigella of course, but such a close match you can hardly tell the difference. Fab risotto and wonderful company!

...SETTING UP A WEBSITE/BLOG for a friend's business. Take a peek if you have time and let me know what you think...(and if you make a booking, let me know as I will get some commission).

...WRITING MATERIAL FOR A NEW PROJECT...more on that another time.

...ADMIRING ADAM CARTER IN SPOOKS... (now I admit to being a naughty mummy).


...CONVINCING 21st DAD to let me spend a lot of money on this wonderful print by Amanda Ross from the Crafts for Christmas exhibition at the Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery.


...DOING SOME MORE RESEARCH in Bury's eateries. This time, testing out The Lounge on Hatter Street, where access to its wi-fi service was free and easy, its lattes were smooth and its chilli paninis were tasty. (By the way, here's a big hello to the retired gentleman who wondered what I was doing and asked me to check out Greene King's share price).

...and last but not least...I've been busy enjoying the beautiful views offered by the Bury St Edmunds Abbey Gardens on a bright and sunny day.

I love being busy and it's easy being busy in Bury St Edmunds, as there's so much to do...

and...there's no better excuse for avoiding the housework.

Meet Dracula Tiger Cub...

I met this little fella at the preview of the Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery's latest exhibition entitled Traditional Skills, New Thinking: Stitching and Knitting for the 21st Century. With a title like that it would have been inappropriate for this 21st Century Mummy not to have accepted the invitation to go along.

Wearing a top hat and a neatly crocheted/knitted pink and black cape, Dracula Tiger Cub cannot fail to draw your attention. His comic cuteness is adorned beautifully with a set of gold fangs and a jewel in his tail.

The art gallery is always full of wondrous objects and this evening was no exception. As well as the Dracula Tiger Cub and the complementary range of animal jewellery, created by Dutch goldsmith Felieke van der Leest, there is a beautiful collection of textile work by Michael Brennand-Wood, Nicola Donovan, Rowena Dring, Claire Heathcote, Bharti Parmar, Maggy Rozycki Hiltner and Annie Whiles.

Dracula Tiger Cub was a particular favourite of Little E, my friend's little girl who accompanied us this evening at the gallery. I asked her at the beginning of the evening to identify her favourite work and she chose very well.

For me, it was a difficult choice as many of the exhibits were stunning. However, I particularly relished the opportunity to see Rowena Dring's Nha Trang Lily Pond, which is featured in the photo below. Described as a "fabric painting", it is an amazing recreation of a beautiful scene using a range of coloured fabric pieces as her colour palette.



Another key contender for my attentions were Michael Brennand-Wood's fabulous works from his Fields of Centre series, featuring various textiles, embroidery and stitching as well as a range of objects, all carefully pulled together to create amazing 3-D floral patterns. Their effect is incredible close-up and from a distance, as illustrated below.



Aside from the excellent exhibitions, what always delights me about my visits to the art gallery is the range of people who attend. I always come away refreshed and inspired by the conversations of the evening.

Tonight's tonics featured several quick catch-ups with friends, plus indulgent introductions to some new folk, giving me the opportunity to admire the aspirations of a young artist with creative writing ambitions, hear first-hand accounts of an experienced artist whose daughter is in a chart-topping all-female classical group, topped off with an introduction to a local county councillor and a spontaneous phone-conversation with another councillor about educational matters.

Indeed the gallery was alive with the art of conversation itself and the photo below captures the atmosphere beautifully.

(The photo above is courtesy of my lovely friend Ruby)

Nice Saturday Post

I love getting post, you know, the old fashioned type that gets shoved through your letterbox and lands on your doorstep with a big THUD!

Normally our post is a mixture of bills, junk mail and reminders of things to do, but today it was different. It was full of nice heartwarming lovely stuff...things that just make you smile.

On the left of the photo is an invitation that I received to go to the opening party of the forthcoming exhibition at the Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery, entitled Traditional Skills, New Thinking: Stitching and Knitting for the 21st Century. Having just become a member of the gallery, I am now looking forward to going along to the event on Tuesday evening.

On the right is a 15% off voucher for East. I was thinking I need some new jumpers to keep me warm through the winter and the offer of a discount is always helpful.

In the centre of the photo is a stunning postcard from Monet's Garden in Giverny, which came in an envelope, adorned with beautiful French handwriting. It was from Monsieur et Madame LEROY, my sister's in-laws, sent as a thank you for the present that we recently bought them for their 40th wedding anniversary. Merci Francoise et Yvan, je vous en prie.

Last but not least, poking out from the top of the photo is a letter confirming a subscription to the BBC's Good Food magazine. It was a surprise present from my friend Baba, for no reason at all, except for her enthusiasm for good food and wanting to share the joy! Thank you Baba - that was a wonderful surprise.

It's been a very happy Saturday, thanks to some very nice people and a few great surprises.

ADDENDUM: I have just popped over to see what Picklesmum has been up to. Take a look at her recent post about her post (or is that her post about her recent post?) Looks like hers would have made a bigger thud than mine and not just on the doormat!

Despite the coincidence, there is now a bit of a theme so I think this would now make a great tag.................so I am tagging Jo Beaufoix and Ruby to post about their own post. I'm looking forward to it girls so don't disappoint.

New term makeover

I am amazed by the surge in energy levels that the new term has given me. It must be the time of year, inspired by the fresh start of a new school year combined with the freshness that the Autum chill brings. I have been busy dusting the cobwebs off our family routines ready for the new term, which has lead to life in our 21st Century home undergoing an incredible makeover. I hadn't planned it, it just fell into place. Nice to know that my haphazard ways still have a role to play.

Makeover no 1.

When I should have been ironing new labels onto school uniform, I suddenly had an immense desire to turn my youngest's bedroom into a fabulous playroom (a job which took all day...on the last day of the school summer holidays). Don't worry, he hasn't moved house or been booted out to a tent in the garden. He's been unofficially sharing with his older brother for the last month and this week we made it official. The boys now have their shared bedroom as well as a shared playroom. The results are amazing. They're having a great time sharing a room and we now have one room in the house, where ALL the toys can be tidied away. We feel as though we live in a bigger house, yet we have the same number of rooms!

Since he'd gatecrashed his brother's room, they seem to have got closer and their play has been better with much more sharing and taking turns. Of course we still have the odd tussle here and there, but that's natural. We are all benefiting from the latest arrangement and it's great!


Makeover no 2.

I've just booked my eldest's birthday party. He's going on a mini-beast hunt at a local nature reserve, where they will also make party hats and clay mini-beasts. Sounds fab...but the real big news is...as most of his friends will be from his class at school, I have suggested to the mums that a joint present might be easier. So far this has gone down a storm. One mum has already offered to co-ordinate, which means less shopping hassles for the others, less money spent and fewer boxes to open. Just imagine if this catches on...less clutter all round and children won't expect so many toys in future. Train them early on I say!


Makeover no 3.

This week I've turned French. Well I haven't quite changed my nationality, passport or even my name (although, Maman du 21eme Siecle has a nice ring to it). No, I have just changed some of my habits, thanks to the influence of a great book that I have just read "French women don't get fat". After a recent trip to France, I thought I ought to find out a few secrets. Apparently, if you eat just a healthy balance of the right things, you can allow a few of what we British would refer to as naughty foods. Coupled with visits to good honest markets for fresh produce and natural exercise through lots of walking, living life the French way is apparently a great way for keeping slender and trim.

Of course this is all obvious, but I thought I'd give it a try. So after a pleasurable wander around our local market, filling a shopping basket with fresh produce and returning home to recreate a few tempting recipes from the book, I am now sure I could disappear to the midst of Provence and settle in beautifully. 21st C Dad has been well looked after with some delicious suppers this week Note: we used to have dinner, but it's taken me so long to organise myself in the evenings hence now it's supper!

...alors.... voila....


Okay...I know it looks just like a tomato salad with goats cheese...and it is but with a delicious home made dressing of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard and shallots, It definitely beats a jacket potato!

This has been a major transformation for me because since having my youngest boy my interest in cooking has completely diminished and for the last three years we have lived off plain stuff. Healthy but unadventurous. However, I've now got the taste for culinary delights, so watch this space. The breadmaker has even been recovered from the loft and dusted off, ready to be installed in place of the microwave!

At supper last night, 21st C Dad even suggested making baguettes at the weekend. So watch out for photos of our experiment!


Makeover no 4.

At last I've made a social effort. After hiding away for most of the summer ... doing our own thing on our own in our own space...I've got out there and organised a social gathering with parents from my eldest's class.

You will have gathered that only close friends get invited over the threshold for fear of my cover being blown big style. Call it pride, but I don't want the whole of the local community realising that my abilities are domestically challenged... and the effort to avoid being the talk of the town far outweighs the rewards.

But this 21st C mum actually likes being sociable and I have made the effort to invite everyone to a coffee morning...but not at mine...instead to the Art Lounge at the Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery, where many haven't entered since their own schooldays. However, the benefits are immense...a wonderful space with fabulous toys and drawing space for the children and tea and coffee readily available. The downside is that the exhibition won't be open that day, but eh that's a great excuse to go again!

Arty Facts

We've had a bit of an arty day today, so art is on my mind. I'm afraid I can't take credit for these creatures though. We found them lurking in the Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery when we visited this morning.

We went to see the Picasso exhibition, which features beautiful prints from the Histoire Naturelle series. From a five year old's perspective we saw spiders, toads, frogs, dragonfiles, butterflies, horses, cows, birds and about ten other animals\insects that I can't now remember. From my perspective it was a real treat to see an element of Picasso's work that I had never come across.


There was the added interest of seeing the beautiful pottery exhibits in the Animal Fantasies exhibition, which was featured alongside.



Art Galleries are great for children and we are lucky to have one that welcomes them (and I mean, REALLY welcomes them) . My five year old has been used to visiting our local gallery ever since he was two years old and he loves it. The trick I find is to crouch down at their height and ask them what they can see. Behind the fun that you can have spotting new things is the more serious element of of the communication process. Engaging in conversation about the colours, shapes, sizes, content and materials used helps to develop a wide ranging vocabulary.

The Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery is a real gem. Not only does it have regular exhibitions that are accessible to children at a level which they can interpret, but it also has an art lounge which has a drawing table and lots of wooden toys and books to keep their interest. There is currently an extra creative corner, which focuses on the exhibition and encourages children to create animal drawings or to have a go at creating a plasticine model.


Having the opportunity to engage in art & craft activities helps children in many ways including sensory experiences, communication skills and even developing their sense-of-self, not to mention the importance of developing their fine and gross motor skills. Of course, these kind of things are a key feature of early years and primary school experiences but providing extra opportunities outside an educational setting is always beneficial.


The Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery certainly provides such opportunities and with an entrance fee of just £1 per adult (children go free), it is an excellent experience all round. It also has a comprehensive range of reference books and magazines available in the Art Lounge, where you can even relax with a tea or coffee.

My only regret is that having spent time enjoying the exhibition and taking a few snaps, I completely forgot to take a photo of the stripy cat that we made out of plasticine (It's the purple blob to the right of my little one's arm). Never mind, it gives us another great excuse to go along again. If you live near Bury and fancy a trip along to the exhibition, you'll be pleased to know that it is on until 9th September. If you have a buggy in tow, don't be put off as there is a lift.

At the start of the post, I said that we'd had a bit of an arty day. Being inspired by the gallery as ever, on the way home we popped into the local art shop to buy a new watercolour set...so I'm now off to have a dabble with the paints...wish me luck...as I am certainly no Picasso...

Want to make money? Well visit an art gallery!

Yes it's a bit of an odd title for the subject of this post but I recently read on a business helper website, that if you want to generate some new ideas, an art gallery is a great place to head off to. As they say, it sounds mad but, away from the office in such a visually inspiring environment like an art gallery, it is easier to think up new ideas.

Is that why, my brain is constantly being bombarded with ideas for new ventures? I visit the local gallery about once a week and yes I do find it an interesting and inspiring place to sit and think. I often come away with new things to think about and ideas to try out.

The problem is, I don't always want all these things to think about. I have one husband, two kids, a pocket-money business, a share of another business, a lecturing position, two volunteer positions, and now a blog and a house to take care of. When have I got the time to devote to anything else? (And yes, the ordering of all those items is deliberate).

It's not as though I even have a huge desire to be a millionaire. It's a pity really, because I am sure in the right hands some of these ideas just could develop into a nice little earner!

From now on when I get the spark of an idea, I will freely blog it, in the hope that the idea isn't wasted and that someone, somewhere will be able to use it. If you do and you make a load of money, just remember the laws of karma and where you read it first!

Joking Aside - This is Serious Stuff

Tonight was both an interesting and surreal experience. I went along to the preview of the Joking Aside exhibition at the Bury St Edmunds Art Gallery, which explores how humour is used by artists to portray views on modern life relating to our conditioning. Subjects covered by the exhibition include social stereotypes, prejudices, and the dark side of human existence.

Due to its subject matter, this exhibition is not so easy on the eye as other exhibitions that have been held at the gallery and requires the visitor to delve a lot deeper. Joking Aside is extremely thought-provoking and features a wide range of installations, including Henry William Bunbury's satirical works, photographic imagery, use of technology and jokes formed from children's magnetic letters.

Take a closer look at the audio-visual material which includes the Festival Residency range of black comedy sketches by Alex Pearl, called Little Deaths. For more info, check out Alex's blog. It is also worth spending time watching the videos of the comics who deliver their material without an audience present. Explore how their delivery changes as a result of no interactive feedback and how much your interest is retained in consequence.

A great addition to the night was a stand up routine by New Orleans comedian David Mullholland. I saw David compere at Kate Smurthwaite's gig at Benson Blakes on Tuesday and really enjoyed the performance. However, it was interesting how uneasy I felt addressing similar subject matters in the setting of the art gallery. Why was this?

I suppose unlike a darkened bar, the gallery was a more formal environment, which was very well lit. We were standing, rather than sitting and relaxing, listening to David address some uncomfortable subjects including sexually related jokes with some hard-core language.

At first glance, the content might have appeared inappropriate for the setting and the audience. However, take the opportunity again to look deeper. We were all adults and able to manage our own responsibility in understanding how serious these issues are. For me, David's performance was an artform and lived up to what I would expect of this exhibition, a live performance addressing serious and contentious issues, allowing us to explore an insight into our own feelings and reactions through the lighter side of comedy, no matter how uncomfortable that might have been.

On a much lighter note, it was great to catch up with a few familiar faces at the preview. I was pleased to bump into gorgeous ladies Lizzy and Terry of the Terry Fox studio. Terry Fox (right), an exclusive bridalwear and corset designer, is in the middle of making a gorgeous corset for me, which my husband ordered from her shop on St John's Street. Lizzy, is a talented portrait artist, who was involved in the Face of Suffolk programme that was recently screened on TV.

The night ended with a trip off to the Mason's Arms with a few friends and Resident Artist, Alex Pearl . We managed to cajole David Mulollhand into coming along before he headed back to London. A great opportunity to delve even further into the interesting mind of a comedian.