Love This #96: Pencil art

We’re heading to the Derwent Pencil Museum in Kendal for today’s post, and yes, a museum for pencils. It was the most fascinating place, but it turns out that I’d been there before, many years before though I had no recollection of it. When our cottage host told us there was a pencil museum, it definitely piqued my interest and while it was a little further away from the trips we had planned, it was a great one to add into our itinerary.

I’ll share more about the museum, its stories and the vintage pencil sets on show another day but first something else that you’re probably not expecting - and that’s miniature sculptures on the tip of a pencil.

Yes.

They’re by sculptor and artist Jasenko Dordevic from Bosnia and Herzegovina. He’s self taught and tried many pencils before finding the right one - if you’re interested it’s the pencil with the highest ‘H’ grade. It definitely requires way more patience, and skill, than I have - but I’m very happy to admire them. The short stubs of the pencils below have the letters DERWENT on their tips, aren’t they amazing?

And if letters weren’t enough, there are miniature sculptures too - I can’t quite work out the middle one though (I’m no good at those picture puzzles either), but the acorn and the weightlifter on the first and third pencils respectively, are more than amazing.

I can’t even imagine how he came up with the idea, let alone had the patience to perfect these. Truly a skill.

These alone would make a great ‘Love This’ post, but there’s more. I’ve decided that I must be a bit of a pencil geek, as I could have spent much longer in the museum and I already left with many photos - and it took me a fair while to choose which set I’d purchase too. It’s a shame that the cafe wasn’t open (because of Covid restrictions) as I think MOH would have happily have sat there with a coffee waiting for me!

I think he’s worried that I might try and replicate the display below - and he’s right, I like it, but I have no plans to do so (yet) - but I can admire it. I think I’d prefer to use my pencils, though I’ve not used the ones I bought a huge amount, but I’m hoping to make more time for that soon.

The final pencil art I’m sharing is also from the museum, and this has an older feel to it - but is no less beautiful. While I like the rainbow circle above, this one really captured my imagination. To me it has a more prairie feel, and reminds me of many patchwork star designs too. Though to be honest I’m happy just looking and enjoying and not giving it much more thought.

But then again, when I peered closer and saw the detail of the pencils pinned int its place I was smitten all over again.

Discovering stunning plants at Holker Hall

I discovered these plants for the first time last June when we were in the Lake District, and then again more recently when I was finally sorting through and editing my photos. With no firm plans on what to post here, and also wanting to finally post the outcomes of a delayed pre-pandemic post, I decided to share them today.

Holker Hall is an independent garden in Cark, Grange-over-Sands which was close to the cottage where we stayed in Cartmel, and just around the corner from Sizergh which we also visited.

Part of the beauty about these plants, is that for most I don’t know what they are - that doesn’t make them any less stunning, but if you can identify any which I can’t then please leave a comment and let me know.

The lightness and airiness of the white flowers above is their appeal, but I’m not sure what they are - they look like they could be related to a chrysanthemum but I’m happy to be told otherwise.

It’s not often that you see a blue flower, even bluebells can be more lilac, and I’m not sure I’ve seen plants like the ones above and below before. I’m leaning towards them being some kind of wort or maybe a euphorbia, but I really don’t mind, as I think these are absolutely the most stunning. And if it turns out these are suited to woodland type environments then they’ll go to the top of my wish list.

Alliums and irises are more well known so I feel on safer ground with the next few photos. Each appeals for their vibrancy and delicacy, in equal measures.

And one final shot which I couldn’t resist including…

Isn’t it great - the expression, and how good does that stretch look?

The view from the (hot) tub

We’re staying in the Lake District for this post, and more specifically the hot tub from our cottage stay back in June. I’ve yet to share the cottage interior, and that’s good, but the view from the hot tub was exceptional. Even getting to the hot tub was more unusual. Though it was sited on the back of the cottage, access was by walking around the building.

Though it really wasn’t a hardship.

Remember those stones for later.

How’s that for a gate post? With the blossom on the slate, the traditional stones and the well worn wood, the first time we visited we knew we were in for something special.

We weren’t disappointed. It was a gorgeously private and dramatic space.

With everything you could want - the outdoor shower, and somewhere to hang your robe and towel.

And the view.

A purposefully included (or should that be excluded) window, giving the perfect view of the rock and the stones I shared earlier. And the view up the hill of the field. And completely private, and relaxing.

The ferns against the darkly painted walls though.

And just to show it really is private here’s my best shot at trying to look over the top - and failing!

It’s clear that a lot of thought went into the planning of this space, and it truly paid off.