Munro Cautley (and some other new things)

Many apologies for almost a month long blog absence! Where do the weeks go? Life at SpoonerGregory Acres has been extremely busy for the past few weeks, but hopefully we can start to relax again now and post more regularly!

Since we last posted we've acquired a big, cool new block to add to the collection (thanks again Alan!). This one is for the cover of a book (well known in these parts) - Norfolk Churches by Munro Cautley, originally published in 1949 with a watercolour by Albert Ribbans on the front cover.
Cautley was also an architect, and there's a Flickr group devoted to his work.

Here's a print taken from the block -

The church is St Peter's in Ringland, not far from Norwich, so of course we had to go on an expedition (complete with the block in our rucksack....)

The tree in Ribban's watercolour has gone, but here's the church from almost the same place.

You can find out more about the church on Simon Knott's Norfolk Churches website, always our first port of call for Norfolk church related things.

Now we just have to get our hands on a copy of the book!

In other news...

I have finally finished sewing together the pile of little notebooks that I started a while ago. Sets of five notebooks are listed in our Folksy shop at the moment.

Our Folksy shop was in serious need of restocking, and this afternoon is the first chance I've had to sit down with a cup of tea and do it, although there's still more to list.

Jon is busy working on a new engraving, which should be finished by the weekend.

And finally - on my way to the Post Office with some orders this morning I couldn't help but notice this dandy Hornsea storage jar in the local charity shop, so naturally it came home with me and is adjusting to life on our mantlepiece rather than at the back of a dusty shelf.

Poppies and castles

On Sunday it was another sunny, hot day so we headed off early in the morning for a walk and then a picnic at Baconsthorpe Castle, near Holt in Norfolk. It was built in the 15th century, and was more like a country house than a castle, and the ruins are a lovely spot for an afternoon in the sunshine. We spread out our picnic blanket next to the moat and watched the ducklings gliding around.

Even though it was a glorious Sunday afternoon, there were only a couple of other people there, and we didn't see a soul on the five mile walk we did beforehand - where does everyone in Norfolk go when it's sunny? To the seaside I suppose!

Jon has printed his new engraving of a poppy head - it's on thick, Somerset paper, which was lovely to print on.

Theres one in the Folksy shop now.

We both have ideas for new prints to start this week - the inevitable water tower for me, and another engraving for Jon...

Wheels, windmills and water towers

Today we had a fun day out for the first time in ages! After several weekends cooped up doing Open Studios (great fun, but housebound), it was lovely to be out in the countryside, especially on such a nice day.

We started at Bircham Mill - a mid nineteenth century windmill in north west Norfolk, scene of many a childhood cream tea for me and Jon's first visit.

We climbed all the way to the fan at the very top!

It was definitely worth the climb up the steep ladders, and unlike previous visits I didn't have to be talked down in tears by my Dad (I am not brave with heights, but Jon was bouncing up and down the ladders).

Then it was off for a 10 mile cycle along a section of the Peddars Way, a Roman road that runs all the way up through this part of Norfolk towards Holme-next-the-Sea on the coast.

One day we'll get round to doing the whole thing, and camping along the way - but 10 miles was quite enough for one afternoon. We didn't see a soul, just lots of birds and several hares.

After a nice cup of tea and a scone back at the windmill, we headed off for a bit of water tower geekery - stopping to investigate Docking and Foulsham. Expect to see both in printed form soon(ish)...

Docking (in the distance)

Foulsham

In July there's an exhibition on the towers of East Anglia (not just water towers) in Felixstowe organised by the British Water Tower Appreciation Soceity. I wonder just how many there are in Norfolk?

New projects

Last weekend was the final weekend of Norfolk Open Studios - thanks to everyone who came along this weekend. We have really enjoyed the experience, and we've met so many lovely people!

We both started new projects over the weekend. Jon engraved a small block with a close-up of a poppy head in a walled garden -

We are going to print it one evening this week.

I letterpressed lots and lots of little coloured covers with some of our nice vintage blocks for sets of small notebooks. I've been sewing the notebooks together inbetween other jobs - very therapeutic.


This week we've been enjoying cherries and peonies (and these strange pink spiky flowers) from the market in Norwich. The cherries didn't last very long...


Just nudging into the corner of the photo of the flowers is our new little raku pebble by Norwich ceramicist Lucy Edwards. It just fits in the palm of my hand, and is lovely and tactile, and such pretty colours!
Also, thanks to everyone for taking part in our survey. We've had loads of responses, and I'm going to pick the winner of the giveaway later this evening :)

Seed Packets

The sweet peas in our front garden are in their full glory this week - they smell lovely!

Last week we finished off the seed packets that we started printing earlier in May. We finished them off with 'seeds' printed in 24pt Plantin underneath the little linocut - leaving plenty of space to write names, dates and notes.

In the background is my new orange Nutscene twine - I can't live without it. Well, I can, but the garden would be a sadder place without it.

The seed packets are available in our Etsy and Folksy shops now.

You can also win a little package of printed goodies by taking part in a short survey about buying artwork for a course I'm doing at the moment. If any readers have time to take part, I'd be eternally grateful!

Click here to take the survey

Otherwise, we are gearing up for another jolly weekend of Open Studios!

Open Studios

Well, our first weekend of Norfolk Open Studios has now been and gone! We had such a great weekend with a steady stream of visitors, most of whom stayed for a nice long chat and some tea.

We found time inbetween visitors to take some photos of everything set up -

The chimney in the front room is adorned with a framed set of Flying Ducks (as well as the inevitable Penguins).


We put Alan's manicule to good use in directing visitors through to the dining room...


...where they found a table full of materials, assorted bits and bobs as well as the Adana. We did a little demonstration for a few visitors, who had a go on it too and took their prints home with them.


Thanks to Celia, Andy and everyone else who came along to say hello! And we're doing it all next weekend as well!

But before next weekend's excitements we've got a busy week ahead of less than exciting things (like the enormous pile of ironing that's been ignored during the run up to Open Studios....).

Nearly ready!

Tomorrow is the first day of Open Studios for us! We have spent a couple of busy days getting ready to open our doors.


We're open from 10am to 5pm this Saturday, Sunday and Monday at home -

5 Chester Street in Norwich (just off Unthank Road)

You can see a map of how to get here on our artist pages on the Norfolk Open Studios website - click here!

Parking on our street is for permit holders only, but there are some 'visitor' spaces at the top of the hill, and at the bottom (outside the fish and chip shop).

Do come and say hello if you're in Norfolk.

If you can't make it this weekend then don't worry - we're doing next weekend too!

Right, back to organising things...