Wheely Good

Stumbled across this fantastic website for all things cycling related, 
www.cyclegeezer.com
almost everything is made from bits o bikes....
and unbelievable flattered that they're going to be stocking my Taxing Rides art

Dog biscuits, the answer to ultra runs?

My only use for maps is to incorporate them into art.

 



Bit of a funny weekend, this weekend, while most of our friends are off doing the London Marathon, Mr TreeHuggery has opted for the much quieter Wirksworth Incline.  I did it a few years ago.  It's one of the few fell races where you don't need a map, which was idea for someone as navigationally challenged as me, where pretty much as you can see, my only use for a map is to give it a new lease of life, and incorporate it into a piece of art. 
I'm hoping Mr T will have a good race, but that whole thing of having to list your emergency phone number does always worry me a little, not helped by the fact that on Thursday evening, on a run with the hound, he completely ran out of energy ...Thinking he was going to faint, and without a phone, his rather inventive solution was to eat the hounds dog biscuits...  it turns out that while they're incredibly tasteless (why does she like them so much) but they are very energy dense....
Might be a good solution for ultra runs

 

 

The difference between walkers and runners

It's a couple of years since I've been running; I got fed up with constantly being injured and to be honest I probably do more consistent miles now that I have the dog.  I'll tend to average about 20-30 miles a week now, where when I was running it was really erratic anything from 11 - 50 could be classed as fairly typical.
Nowadays I'm the person that's wrapped up in layers of fleece and waterproofs, only stopping to feel fairly overdressed when a runner (sometimes my husband) crosses my path in vest and shorts.

sheep and trig points
 

walker made from maps

Long walks and runs really the hightlight the difference, I used to hate having to carry water on a long run, so would drink nearly half a litre in the first 5 miles, so that my pack was lighter, and then spend the next 10 miles looking for somewhere to have a wee.

fell runner made from maps

the difference between runners and walkers

Consequently this tripyct is "The difference between runners and walkers". Hoping to get it on my website soon. Hope you like it

that moment every runner dreads

I've been wanting to create some runners and walkers for a while, but what to make them from...my bus tickets are used for people waiting at bus stops and my collection of tax discs are used to create cyclists.
After a lot of procrastinating, which at least meant that I cleaned up my workshop, I eventually hit on the idea of a "Feet and Miles" collection - creating runners and walkers from old maps.
This is my first one, really pleased, not only to have included a runner AND a (Nordic) walker, but also to capture that moment that every runner dreads.
I'm still trying to decide on a title, so ideas are very welcome, in the meantime, instead of procrastinating further on a title, I really ought to get round to updating the website www.treehuggery.co.uk  ach I much prefer working work with scissors and paper than tapping away on the computer

runner and Nordic walker. part of the feet and miles collection

here it is framed up 

cycling art

Far too windy to be cycling today - even Mr TreeHuggery who commutes on his bike whatever the weather has taken the car.... He gets a headwind on the cycle into work and on the cycle back - and despite me thinking that he's exaggerating, the fact that the wind turbine changes direction through the day, would suggest that he's telling the truth.
Been a bit of a cycling day for me too - I make cycling art from old tax discs (I like the whole irony around the argument that "cyclists don't pay road tax) and I've just had some of my originals recreated into water bottles.... love the fact that my art work which I create from sustainable materials, starts to promote the use of sustainable transport.


taxing rides, water bottle, cycling art.

Hoping to get them on my website (www.treehuggery.co.uk) later today

Taxing rides water bottle...cyclist made from tax discs



taxing rides water bottle. cycling art from ta discs

taxing rides water bottle featuring cycling art made from tax discs

Any old iron

This is a bit different from my usual art work - as I tend to favour working in collage - but loved manipulating old metal fuses, to create this..... its more abstract than my normal work, and is actually inspired by cells under a microscope..... but because it is from old metal it makes me thing of the scrap metal men who go around the streets shouting out for scrap metal and playing the tune "any old iron"
Its a funny old world when things from your child hood resurface to be current again - and at times, like the fact that we've held on to all our records, makes me feel like I'm quite in fashion!

manipulated metal

inspired from view of cells under a microscope

Sometimes its better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you're an idiot.....

All in all it's a bit of a weird day - the sun is shining but it's tried snowing, but it's just been a bit crazy without even having to talk about the weather.
Couldn't work out why I'd run out of time to take Little Moo (the hound) a walk this morning - instead of the nice long hour walk over the tops, I was dragging her to the park and playing a quick game of "I'll throw the ball, and then go fetch it myself" then just as I'm about to leave, it turns out I'd done that stupid thing of only looking at the minute hand of my watch, rather than look at both hands - and it was actually only 8.30 and not 9.30 like I'd thought - doh, I couldn't work out where the time had gone....
Then, after dropping some of my cycling art off at a gallery, I made a rather an unelegant move when I got my trousers caught on the doormat, and nearly went flying.  To the customer who helped me up, thank you, I hope I didn't put you off your browsing, in what was a lovely quiet shop before me and my too long trousers decided to leave.


cycling art made from tax discs, part of the taxing rides collection
www.treehuggery.co.uk



"Tax King" King of the mountains made from tax discs, part of the taxing rides collection
www.treehuggery.co.uk

I've got to take my car to the garage to have a new tyre and have tracking done, but I'm not sure to day is the day to do it.  Years ago, when I worked in sexual health, and my car needed tracking, I took my car to the garage, and was treated very courteously, well I was until they asked for my locking wheel nut.  I'd not realised that they would need that and it was in my car boot, under a big pile of several boxes of condoms.... with a heavy heart, I started to take the boxes out of my car, and knowing I was going to be attracting several strange looks, I gestured to the boxes., and in an attempt to explain... I told them "It's my work."......... Hmm only after uttering those immortal words did I think, mmmm that hasn't helped at all. 
Sometimes it's better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you're an idiot, than open it and remove all doubt.