Places with Faces, Caught my Eye #38

 

Some people spot licence plates, others bird watch or trainspot. I've a nerdy habit of noticing places with faces. A few years back this screaming house caught my eye in Sligo. Then there was the creepy case of the Hills have Eyes. Now I've found something even more spine-chilling...

...queue the dun dun duns please....

Yes, it's a screaming folly! This gateway with its startled eyes and gaping mouth was spotted in the parklands at Belvedere House, Mullingar this summer. Look closely, it even has a nose and dimples!!

It wasn't until I had uploaded the photos of another trip to the midlands that I noticed a, not so smiley, smiley face on the historic telescope in the grounds of Birr Castle, county Offaly.

 All that's left to say is  :-|


Caught My Eye  is a series of blog posts showing scenes I found interesting, odd, curious or beautiful. 

Pigeon House towers & Poolbeg lighthouse- Caught My Eye 37

Caught My Eye  is a series of blog posts showing scenes I found interesting, odd, curious or beautiful. Some curiosities that I capture inspire the Jewellery that I make. Others don't, but just getting out there and looking fires up the imagination. I am a creative observer, not  a  photographer  by any  description.  So  if  you  expect  top  quality  photography I'm afraid you will be disappointed.  Please simply enjoy a snap-shot glimpse of the world and maybe grab some inspiration for yourself.

Pigeon House chimneys, Poolbeg up close, own photo 2015

Here is a sight that's as Dublin as Guinness, the Liffey and the traders on Moore Street are. 

Dubliners have used the Pigeon House power station chimneys  in Poolbeg  as a point of  reference from afar ever since 1903.  Whether you are viewing the  unmistakable towers from another  point along Dublin bay such as Dollymount or Dun Laoghaire or from up the Dublin mountains, they are a well known landmark in the distance that helps get your bearings. 

I only noticed this week that I can even see them from Portobello on the edges of the city centre. I have been looking at them daily on the way to work for a few years now and never even noticed. They were just there, part of the accepted skyline.

Poolbeg chimneys from Dollymount, own photo, 2013

This shot was taken from the bathing area at Dollymount strand in the north of the city. (Caught my Eye #16)

Here is the view from the south, taken at Monkstown, near Dun Laoghaire. 

Pigeon House chimneys, own photo, 2015

This is a shot from another location along the same stretch of shore. Is that Jaws lurking in our waters?

Poolbeg chimneys, Dublin, own photo 2015

The closest view is via a path running between Sandymount strand and Irishtown park which takes you behind the disused power station, around to the docks and the jetty leading  to Poolbeg lighthouse. (See it here on Map my Walk but do come back to me here!) If you've never done this walk, be forewarned that it's a rather fragrant part of the city with the waste water treatment plant right beside the towers. After a while you don't notice the...um...aroma anymore, though I cracked up when my  friend told me she was taken there on a school trip back in her school days. Now there is a teacher with a sense of humour!

Poolbeg pier, own photo, 2015

The red dot at the end of the angled pier is Poolbeg lighthouse, a part of the city that can feel strangely remote. Dublin is full of surprises and inspiration. For about two seconds I considered using the red and white chimneys of Poolbeg as inspiration for dangly earrings. Then sanity returned. They do however, remind me of candy cane ornaments. I'm off to to play around with some designs....

Dun Laoghaire Pier Lighthouse. Caught My Eye no.36

Caught My Eye  is a series of blog posts showing scenes I found interesting, odd, curious or beautiful. Please do enjoy a snapshot glimpse of the world through my creative eyes. 

Dun Laoghaire (Dun Laoire) is one of Dublin's ferry ports, a large, lively town and a favourite among city dwellers for a day out. It has two long piers where you can go for bracing walks with the reward of a whipped icecream cone at the end.  Just about anyone who grew up in Dublin in the last 50 years or so will nod and smile at the words 'Teddy's Ice cream.'  The humble little shop with a hatch window facing out onto the coast road is an indelible childhood memory.

Nowadays you can claim your ice cold prize at the end of the pier if you wish. Teddy's has an impermanent annex tucked behind the East Pier lighthouse. 

Dun Laoghaire Lighthouse, East Pier, own photo, Spring 2015

The lighthouse was built in 1847. Keepers and their families once lived in the dwellings at the base, though in 1955, the two families were removed and only the keepers lived and worked there in shifts. In the 70s the lighthouse became fully automated.

detail of surrounding wall, railings, steps

I last took this walk in the late Spring, accompanied by an Etsy friend, out for a crafty chat. We slurped our '99' cones, perched on a cold stone step facing the base of the lighthouse. The two hook-like structures on the opposite wall caught my eye. They call to mind snakes or birds, maybe even swans, spying on the people below and hoping for a crumb of wafer. 

They also remind me of long, sleek earring wires. In my mind's eye I added some dangly beading........if you ever take this walk and find such an addition, twasn't me...I was nowhere near the vicinity Officer....

Flora & Fauna from Irish Bogs - Caught My Eye 35

Caught My Eye  is a series of blog posts showing scenes I found interesting, odd, curious or beautiful. Some curiosities that I capture inspire the Jewellery that I make. I am artistic and therefore an observer but I am not a photographer by any description. So if you expect top quality photography I'm afraid you will be disappointed.  Please simply enjoy a snap-shot glimpse of the world through my eyes. 

bog cotton, Clara bog boardwalk

I was back in Offaly again last week and got a chance to go walking both at Clara bog nature reserve and the wetlands of Finnamore Lakes , Boora. The area is abundant in plant and wildlife. All these photos are my own.

I fess up I'm neither botanist nor bird watcher but I love getting out walking in the wilds and always take my camera with me. Something always catches my eye,often the smaller things like the heads of bog cotton  (common cottongrass) poking up through the boardwalk at Clara nature reserve. 

section of boardwalk at Clara Bog nature reserve

The boardwalk circuit is very short, so we went round twice before the clouds opened. If you are looking for a decent walk, go to Finnamore lakes or Lough Boora.

Finnamore Lakes reserve

Geese at Finnamore Lakes reserve

On the day we went, we didn't spot much wildlife other than a few swans and one rabbit hopping away from us. Let's not forget the little midges that nibbled at our faces when we passed through a small wooded copse! At the second lake we happened upon a family of geese. I took the shot quickly and got out of there fast as they can be vicious. In the midlands they say they are more effective than any guard dog, I will take their word for it.

bog daisy, Finnamore Lakes

 This bog daisy, which is bigger than your average garden daisy, is about the only thing that inspired me in terms of jewellery making. While the daisy shape is one of my favourites, the petals themselves are a familiar shape in gemstone bead cuts.

 

Irish seaglass pendant and Connemara marble ornament with flower motifs

WATCH THIS SPACE....

pink chalcedony petal beads (large)

kyanite beads (medium)

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Click here for Connemara marble earrings inspired by Irish bog heather 

Click here for Bog oak at Boora - Caught my Eye

Click here for Inspirations from Irish boglands in Autumn

Sundown in Spring, Caught My Eye 34

Caught My Eye  is a series of blog posts showing scenes I found interesting, odd, curious or beautiful. I am artistic and therefore an observer but I am not a photographer by any description. So if you expect top quality photography I'm afraid you will be disappointed.  But please do enjoy a snap shot glimpse of the world through my creative eyes. 

Sunset in Spring

This fiery shot of a sunset just after Easter happened almost by accident. The orange sky is not a result of photo editing but partly down to experimentation and mostly fluke - it's how it came out on my ordinary point and shoot camera. 

Capturing a washed out sky versus a colourful one

During daylight, the sky in my scenic photos often turns out completely white. A friend who knows something about photography gave me a tip to make the sky blue. First you point the camera up at the bluest part of the sky, then depress the button half way, while keeping the focus on the blue. Then move your view back down to what you actually want to capture, without letting go of the button. When you are steadily focused on the target, click the button the rest of the way.  Above are great examples. These are 2 castles I shot while visiting Jersey last year. No need to guess which photo is the result of this little trick.

Sunset in Offaly, April 2015

I just thought I'd try something similar with a beautiful sunset while on an Easter break in county Offaly. Above is a wider shot.

The following evening the sunset was a bit pinker. Employing this little photo trick, this is how it turned out. This purple colour is not the result of editing after the fact.

Above is a different shot, where the trick didn't fully work, but it still turned out interesting. The actual sky was dusky with a purple tinge to it, but this is what the camera captured. The only editing after the fact was to darken the photo a little so the trees were fully black.

Bog Oak at Boora, Caught My Eye no. 33

Caught My Eye  is a series of blog posts showing scenes I found interesting, odd, curious or beautiful. I am artistic and therefore an observer but I am not a photographer by any description. So if you expect top quality photography I'm afraid you will be disappointed.  But please do enjoy a snap shot glimpse of the world through my creative eyes. 

Working with Connemara green, Kilkenny black and Cork red marbles as well as local sea glass, I am very fond of native, Irish materials. I have yet to get my greedy little hands on a piece of bog oak to see if I can fashion it into something wearable. Bog oak is the darkened remains of ancient oak, pine and yew which have been naturally preserved in the acidic, anaerobic peaty soil for hundreds,  even thousands of years. Irish bog oak can be from 3000 to 8000 years old. It can be stained brown from tannins in the soil, or be as black as ebony.

bog oak, Boora park, Ireland. Own photo

Several weeks ago I visited Lough Boora Parklands in the heart of the Irish boglands. (Click HERE to see inspiration I gained from the visit.) The above photo is one I took of a huge specimen of bog oak - a beautiful tree trunk with the beginnings of the roots. 

Irish bog oak. Own photo

I got in a little closer to check out the textures. It might be a bit of an old tree to some, but I think it's beautiful. If you have Irish roots, so might you... teehee...

bog oak 'Stonehenge' at Boora. Own photo

A Riot of Royal Colour, Caught My Eye No.32

Caught My Eye  is a series of blog posts showing scenes I found interesting, odd, curious or beautiful. I am artistic and therefore an observer but I am not a photographer by any description. So if you expect top quality photography I'm afraid you will be disappointed.  But please do enjoy a snap shot glimpse of the world through my creative eyes. 

wild, Irish flowers and NBG, Dublin. Own photo.

I was at the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin, yesterday. My last visit was Autumn 2012 so I was it was about time for a look at the summer blooms. I was met by an amazing riot of colour.

bright summer flowers (own photos)

These stunning mauve artichokes reminded me my Etsy shop could do with a fresh a burst of purple. I've been filling it with nautical blue, Irish green, warm pink and hot red jewellery. Time for a some royal hues and some summer florals methinks.

Caught My Eye, Inspired by the Sea

Caught My Eye  is a series of blog posts showing scenes I found interesting, odd, curious or beautiful. I am artistic and therefore an observer but I am not a photographer by any description. So if you expect top quality photography I'm afraid you will be disappointed.  But please do enjoy a snap shot glimpse of the world through my creative eyes. 

This week has been all about the sea on my blog:  ocean inspired pendants,  nautical treasuries,  and a recycling project for small pieces of seaglass, So I'm ending the week with one of my favourite views: the harbour in Howth, North Dublin, taken a couple of weekends ago. The seagulls seem to be enjoying the calm.

Here it is from another angle, at the beginning of the lower cliff path walk...but that's a story for another day....

Crafty Bottle Chandelier, Caught My Eye No. 30

Caught My Eye  is a series of blog posts showing scenes I found interesting, odd, curious or beautiful. I am artistic and therefore an observer but I am not a photographer by any description. So if you expect top quality photography I'm afraid you will be disappointed.  But please do enjoy a snap shot glimpse of the world through my creative eyes. 

recycled bottle chandelier, Tullamore Dew Centre

I love any crafts that involve recycling. This chandelier in the tasting room of the Tullamore Dew visitors centre really caught my eye for the clever re-purposing of old whiskey bottles. It reminds me of a lamp my very talented Mum once made out of a milk bottle. 

On a not too dissimilar vein, the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin boasts a very unusual, industrial chandelier in one of its private function rooms. It's a little hard to see in the website photos, but above the table is a huge light fixture made from original pipes and fittings of the building. I'm afraid I don't have a photo of my own (though I worked there for several years) but the chandelier is re-purposed, industrial chic at its best.

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 Click to see pendants made by re-purposing sea glass found on the Dublin shore

E.T. Stone Home? Caught My Eye #29

Caught My Eye  is a series of blog posts showing scenes I found interesting, odd, curious or beautiful. I am artistic and therefore an observer but I am not a photographer by any description. So if you expect top quality photography I'm afraid you will be disappointed.  But please do enjoy a snap shot glimpse of the world through my eyes.

I use Celtic spirals a lot in my jewellery. I spotted this lovely carving on the seafront in Greystones, Co Wicklow. Without meaning any disrespect, this caught my eye for another reason too. Is it just me or does any one else see ET here?

In the meantime, here are a few of my own spirals, definitely of a terrestrial kind....

Connemara marble                        Sea pottery                 Agate slice 

Sea glass                            Honey agate                        Tigers Eye

                               

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CLICK HERE TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE A WIRE SPIRAL

Under The Dandelion Clock,. Caught My Eye.#28

Caught My Eye  is a series of blog posts showing scenes I found interesting, odd, curious or beautiful. I am artistic and therefore an observer but I am not a photographer by any description. So if you expect top quality photography I'm afraid you will be disappointed.  But please do enjoy a snap shot glimpse of the world through my creative eyes. 

Last time I posted under the heading Caught My Eye, I had slid my wee cannon camera under a yellow dandelion and taken a shot as if from an insect's perspective. (Click Here to see it.) Not being able to see what I was capturing in the frame, it was a pot luck shot. When out walking from Bray to Greystones this weekend, I decided to try it again from under one of the many wispy dandelion 'clocks'. The seed head is so light and barely there, I had no idea if I was going to pick up anything at all.

Nature is amazing, isn't it? The structure vaguely reminds me of an upturned jellyfish I once saw on the shore. As it's not a super crisp masterpiece, I couldn't help but mess around with the image afterwards - the digital equivalent of doodling for inspiration:

I doubt I will be using any of these photos as inspiration for my jewellery, but perhaps they will inspire a reader in some other craft. The last one looks like a pompom. Haven't made one of those in years. I've seen them used as keychain ornaments and earrings etc, but personally, I'd rather wire wrap a bit of sea glass.

Under the Dandelion. Caught My Eye #27

Caught My Eye  is a series of blog posts showing scenes I found interesting, odd, curious or beautiful. I am artistic and therefore an observer but I am not a photographer by any description. So if you expect top quality photography I'm afraid you will be disappointed.  But please do enjoy a snap shot glimpse of the world through my creative eyes. 

Yesterday I was out walking along a canal bank scattered with white daisies and canary yellow dandelions. I took a notion to stick my camera under the petals and take a guesstimate as to what I was going to capture. I was hoping to get an insect's perspective.

This one came out more like a painting than a photograph, which is the exact opposite of what some very talented artists do. But I like the wispy effect created by the sunlight filtered through the petals.