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Thanks, Shaz XX

Wednesday 27 May 2015

WOYWW #312


And indeed it is! Six amazing years of WOYWW, and making new friends.All thanks to the amazing Julia at The Stamping Ground, who came up with the idea, and regularly does her best to keep us in some sort of order.
 Just been searching back through my blog, and I first joined in with WOYWW on 12 Jan 2011,  #84, and according to my stats, I've posted 155 times, so occasionally I've missed a few.


Two desk pics today, only, as we went away for the Bank Holiday weekend. Beloved Hubby did a spur of the moment decision on Friday afternoon, and we ended up visiting a few places, so I've posted some pics at the end. When we got back yesterday, waiting on the mat was the latest Tim Holtz Distress ink colour- Twisted Citron. He seems to have gone very bright with this 12 colour release so far, I've noticed.



 Also on the desk, a couple of pressies bought by Hubby- a penguin with an extremely cute face, and a little wooden sheep.
 On the way home yesterday, we stopped off at Weston Super Mare. Walking  along the main promenade, Hubby spots this:
'What do you think?' he says. ' Me, like an idiot, says, 'Yes, I can do that'.  Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time!



And it was ok, until it started to turn! Once we are a quarter of the way round, waiting for others to get on, I decided it wasn't such a smart idea after all. Mild panic attack, realise there's not a whole lot I can do about it, and hang on to the centre pole for grim death.
So thats mainly my anniversary WOYWW post, and my ATC's I've already hooked up to trade with people will go out today, and I'll be putting a star for joining in the general swap.
 The rest of the pics you can skip and go off visiting, it's places we stopped at over the weekend.

 These are the Beer Quarry Caves, not a planned visit, we just happened to spot the signs for it. Really very interesting, they've been quarrying stone from it for over 2000 years- the earliest part of the caves dates from Roman times, and they can tell when each part was being quarried by the shape of the roof and supporting pillars- different ages used a different shape to support the roof.
 It's also home to at least 4 species of bats, and there were a few hanging from the roof.

 Very, very cold down there- appreciated the warning Jan!



Sat and had a coffee when we came out, and this fellow was pecking around under a tree with bird feeders in it, getting what had been dropped.







Lyme Regis seafront. This area is known as The Jurassic Coast, for the vast amount of fossils found here.






This one is at Bristol Zoo on Saturday, feeding the Lorikeets. I expected the Zoo to be larger than it was, but it was a glorious day, and a lovely place to walk around in the sun.


On Sunday we moved slightly along the coast to Seaton, Hubby here clambering over rocks. Me sitting down! Walking over the stones on the beach was darned hard work.



 I said that on Monday, we stopped at Weston Super Mare. Something they do every year is have a Sand Sculpture competition.  On display at the moment are winning entries from previous years, recarved for the display. They are truly amazingly detailed.

This one was truly exceptional- if you enlarge the image and look closely, the writing, and the clock face have been carved as a mirror image. This one was on the theme of 'games'- just look at that chessboard!









The amount of detail involved in them is incredible.



Had to take this pic- Sid the Sloth is who I named my Sid after! The wooden boxes at the back are how the sculpture bases are made. A box is filled with wet sand, then compressed, and more sand added until its full, then a second, and however many more are required to get the approximate size of the sculpture, are added.


They have no supporting structure inside, and where you can see some wires sticking out, they are not a framework, but to stop the seagulls landing and pecking them.



35 comments:

sandra de said...

Hello Shaz, happy 6th Woyww and guess what? I have just mailed your ATC as we had already organised and now I am going to send you a little gift in a different parcel which I had set aside for my swappee!! Thrilled to be sending you a few little goodies from OZ. Gorgeous pics of your trip away.... love the sand sculptures. Have a lovely week.
Sandra de

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

What a fabulous trip. The zoo, the caves (something I simply LOVE), and the sand sculptures that are to die for, all made a wonderful trip for you, I'm sure. Like you, I would have had a panic attack on the Ferris wheel, too. I'm not good with heights and even worse with rides.

Happy, happy 6th WOYWW anniversary from #1.

Lunch Lady Jan said...

Hiya lovely gal! Well, I'm grateful for WOYWW, because it's doubtful we'd have met without it.....and I really appreciate our friendship :-)
Great pics of your mad weekend away...I loved the caves too....and that TH lime green is gorgeous!!
Hugs, LLJ 16 xx

Helen said...

You had such a fun weekend, I thought it had been planned - but a spur of the moment trip instead, how fabulous. Love the sandcastle structures, people are so talented! Helen #9

Neet said...

Blown away with the sand sculptures! Now I will have to go back to your post to see what else was there as my mind has totally gone!
OOps, sorry about that but those sculptures - thanks so much for showing them to us.
Glad you had a fun time following the crop. Must say you are looking good despite all you have been through - and so brave - how on earth did you get on that big wheel? And what a fun time you must have had at the zoo. Love your goodies, cute penguin and such a tiny sheep.
Then to crown it all you came home to goodies. Can't be bad for a week of fun.
ATC on its way.
Happy WOYWW 6th Anniversary - Hugs, Neet 29 x

Artatag said...

What a fab trip! Would have loved all of it except the ferris wheel. Thanks for sharing and let us become part of it!
Happy WOYWW!
Hugs
Gabriele 36

Anonymous said...

Stunning sand sculptures! Nice to see you out and having fun. Funny but the 4th anniversary post popped u in the You Might Like sections and it was fun to pop back and have a look. :) The more things change the more they stay the same, right?

Happy 6th-anniversary WOYWW!
Mary Anne (3)

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hullo Shaz..
how wonderful all your pickies and saw some ex-pats (not bats :D)there... namely the Rainbow Lorikeets... noisy critters, aren't they??
I really like your new DI. too.. and cute penguin!
hugs and happy #312, Shaz in oz.x #33

{Shaz in Oz – Calligraphy Cards}

Julia Dunnit said...

You two get around! Fab pics all of them. I know exactly what you mean about walking on pebbly beaches, it's a real leg toner! The sculptures are mesmerising aren't they, amazing. Such patience and devotion to something of a limited lifetime. Maybe that's the attraction?! I'm loving the TH bright releases..although I don't own any yet...can't buy until I make time to try!

Jac said...

looks like you have been very busy with all the places you visited, I would love to come back to the goodies you came back to, I agree with you on the colours they are very bright, Thanks for the snoop on your workspace
Jac x
N0.39

Lisca said...

Great to see photos of your holiday! I know W-s-M well as I used to live in Bristol. Those sand sculptures are fascinating. The fact about the wires I didn't know.
Interesting photos of the quarry. I've never been there.
I’m still travelling but managed to have internet today so I’m visiting as many of you as I can. Happy anniversary all! Six years is quite a long time.
Have a good week and CU Wednesday
Lisca#45

Annie said...

Oh what a wonderful six years it's been. We really are part of such a lovely bunch aren't we? Your pics are fab...it looks like a fun time was had by all....and I would have been hanging onto that pole with you on that ferris wheel :-)
Have a great day.
Hugs,
Annie x # 36

Robyn Oliver said...

Hi Shaz, happy 6th WOYWW. I have noticed TH new colours are bright too - I love working with the Distress Inks and I am slowly collecting the lot..that's a nice new colour I haven't seen it yet. Cute penguin and tiny sheep and lovely photos of your short break. Thanks for visiting, take care and enjoy your week RobynO#14

Julia Dunnit said...

I had to come back and say the Ferris Wheel thing....that would have been me too.......aren't we all a bit funny really?!!

Neet said...

Thanks for the motorway info - must make sure we go that way some time.
Hugs, Neet xx

voodoo vixen said...

Hi Shaz, what a fabulous few days out you had, the weather looked dry too which always a bonus and the sand carvings... wow, fab. Happy 6th WOYWW to you, what a lovely whirl around the world snooping this is! Annette #15

Nannie4 said...

Hi, Shaz. I woke in the middle of the night and saw the notification of your post. I checked it out then and couldn't get back to sleep for quite awhile thinking about that ferris wheel!! I haven't been on one in many years. I know I can't even consider it anymore --- I'm sure my heart would stop! Good for you for being so brave. Those sand sculptures are amazing! It looks like you had a fun time. Aren't the impromptu trips best? Thanks for sharing that. Happy 6th to you and your ATC will be posted today.
Hugs.

Unknown said...

I'm like that on the ferris wheel too! Your outing looks wonderful though. Happy WOYWW 6th Anniversary! Sandy Leigh #52

MrsC.x said...

what lovely photos am always amazed by sand sculptures
Happy 6th Anniversary WOYWW-er!
heres to many more
Charlie x #35

sally said...

Love the sand sculptures- we used to visit the ones in zeebrugge every year before they stopped going there.

Sally

Fiona@Staring at the Sea said...

The sand sculptures are an amazing sight. My husband and daughter went to Lyme at the weekend. My boy was feeling rough so I stayed home with him. How weird would that have been, if we'd happened across each other?! I'm not joining in today as Blogger is refusing to place nice. I wanted to stop by though and wish you a Happy 6th Anniversary x

Ayala Art said...

I would've been scared to death too... lol
Love this post, my favorite pic is the one with the bird Xo)

lisa said...

Hi Shaz
Happy 6th Anniversary. You look like you celebrated in style, lol. Well done you for braving the Ferris wheel, you're a braver woman than me!!!!
Love all the sand sculptures, they are amazing.
Thanks for popping by already and your lovely comments.
Hugs Lisax #38

Twiglet said...

What a fab set of photos Shaz. Thanks lots for the ATC which arrived via Julia this week. I love the sentiments and its great to see how everyone interprets our anniversary challenge. Happy 6th WOYWWaversary!

Hettie said...

Happy Anniversary Honey!!
I had a hazelnut latte today, but I do like their Mochas too.
Fabulous photos of the sand sculptures. Love Sid and the Minion of course.
Last time I was at Bristol Zoo I was about 6 0r 7!!
Hugs
xx

Unknown said...

Just LOVE the photos!! It's about the only way I get to see other places! And the ATCs are fabulous! Happy 6th WOYWW!
Carol N #55

My name is Cindy said...

Happy WOYWW 6! Well not sure when I started but I know I have missed quite a few! Still haven't made up my mind about the new DI's - although with a slight re-jig they would fit in my cabinet...... but I am enjoying using them with my new toy, the sponge blenders from creative expressions. So much better than all those pads! Sounds like you had a great weekend - sometimes I think we should be a bit more spontaneous, we haven't done a thing this year. Love the sand sculptures - we saw some great ones in tenerife this year - including a snow scene, although I am not sure what he was dusting over it all to make it go white. Hugs, Cindy x

Felix the Crafty Cat said...

Fantastic photos Shaz bet you had a great time. Fantastic sand sculptures. Have a great woyww anniversary and happy crafting, Angela x 37

Princess Judy Palmer said...

I've seem photos of these sand sculptures shared before (none of these though) and they are just so astounding to see. The work and thought that must go into each one of them! I laugh that you got scared on the big wheel in the sky but not under the earth in the quarry! Thanks for sharing all your photos. I feel like I went on a real trip somewhere (and am home in time for dinner). Judy #73

RosA said...

Wow! Aren't those sand sculptures amazing!! I particularly like the sloping chessboard. There is a sand sculpting display not far from here in summer, which is weird because we are about an hour from the nearest beach, although I guess they have to use "special" sand anyway, so it gets trucked in :)
You are so right about those rolled roses. I expected instructions on the packaging, but no, so I thought "how hard could it be?" ... well I needed Youtube too :)
Thanks for dropping by earlier, happy 6th woyww anniversary :)

Belinda Basson said...

You really did pack in a hell of a lot! I love those sand sculptures. Hard to believer they will just fade away...so much work...then gone. Happy 6th Anniversary and thanks for the visit already. Aren't panic attacks the worst?!? ESP up there with no way to get down! Hugs from the other side of the world. #26

Elizabeth said...

Hi Shaz, I think Tim Holtz must have tapped into the neon trend hence those vivid colours. The little creatures are just too cute - who wouldn't love the penguin's cute face. I've been thoroughly enjoying seeing the photos taken on your weekend trip - apart from the mild panic attack ... nothing would persuade me to get on that thing ... you seem to have had a wonderful weekend :) Belated Happy WOYWW 6 - I'm slowly but surely visiting everyone still. Hugs, Elizabeth x #54

CraftygasheadZo said...

Hello there my lovely. Wow wonderful photos Weston super mare is about 45 mins from me, Keagan often goes on the train with his friends so that they can spend all day on the pier. We've been on that wheel, fab views but not if you're not good on it. Amazing sand sculptures too. You both fitted a lot in! Take care Zo xx 47

Kyla said...

Oh fabulous trip, down my neck of the woods too!
Love Beer caves (glad Jan warned you about the chill). I can also recommend Exeter caves, different to Beer as much thinner and lower but they are beneath the roads of the city, most odd!

I know what you mean about Brizzle Zoo, the @Bristol is a great place, lots of science experiments to try (even better on an adult only evening-no waiting for kids to finish playing on them!) and the Aquarium is fabulous too.

thanks for visiting my desk already
kyla

Nikki said...

WOW amazing pictures and the cave walk must have been so much fun to have seen something that was carved out 2000 years ago so kewl !!! That Sand art is just too fantastic and Happy WOYWW #6 Hugs Nikki 9

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