Friday Catch Up - 30th October 2026

 

Doodlewash Art Challenge

26. Cornstalk

also for Friday Face Off

Leafy Sea Dragon

I didn't use a prompt for this, I saw a picture and I thought it would be a challenge

27. Jack O' Lantern

I quilted another crumb bag. 

They seem to have taken quite a while to do but my pile of scraps hasn't gone down much.

Photo Challenges

Monday Window, Thursday Doors and Pull up a Seat

More from Porto

Below is the beautiful Sao Bento Railway Station, it was very busy with people looking at the building rather than catching the train. We did catch a few trains from here.

The deck chairs were at a small market.

Flower of the Week

One from the summer - Fox-and-Cubs. It is a wildflower but we have lots of it in our garden as it spreads all over but it does add a bit of colour.

And as it is Halloween tomorrow I thought I would take some photos of my neighbours decorations.

Have a fun weekend.

Friday Catch Up - 23rd October 2026

Doodlewash 4. Dalmatian

also for Friday Face Off

below is the version shows the pen work before painting

5. Handbag, 6. Black Cat

22. Pinecone

23. Cauldron

Crumb Quilted Bags 

made from scraps of fabric

I forgot to mention last time that I wouldn't be around for a couple of Friday's. I was in the lovely Porto, Portugal which is where I took these photos. It was very run down in places and had a lot of graffiti but I still loved it. It was also very busy so difficult to take photos without people in the shot.

 Photograph Challenges - Monday Window, Thursday Doors and Pull up a Seat

Flower of the Week

It was our 49th wedding anniversary yesterday and our children bought us a gift of flowers and chocolates. The unusual spiky flowers are called Pincushion Protea. My arrangement of them could be better.

Last time a few people asked about this photo at Beamish

It is a waiting shelter repurposed from an old 'egg ended' steam boiler and it can be found at Pockerley Waggonway Station where the Puffing Billy replica operates.

The Structure: It is a historic iron cylindrical boiler with rounded, dome-shaped ends (hence the name "egg-ended"). A section has been cut open to allow visitors to step inside and shelter from the elements. 

Historical Accuracy: In the early 19th century, it was common practice for collieries and early industrial railways to upcycle worn-out or obsolete machinery. Repurposing old boiler shells into storage tanks, water troughs, or trackside shelters was standard practice during the Georgian era.

That's all this week, hope you enjoy your coming week.

Friday Catch Up - 2nd October 2026

27. Jacana [never heard of these]

29. Koi Betta

For Doodlewash Art Challenge and Friday Face Off

There's a new AI editor with Photoshop so I thought I would try it out with my painted fish. I asked for the background to look like black sea and the fish to be more vivid, this is the result

Photo Challenges

Pull up a Seat [at Crook Hall and Gardens]

Monday Window and Thursday Doors

The first was in one of the rooms at Souter Lighthouse and the rest were at Beamish

Flower of the Week

Rambling Rose

It rambled a bit too much one year so I cut it down but it came back. I'll try to keep on top of it this time. It's very pretty but it only blooms once a year and not for that long.