Monday 30 April 2012

cutting out and listening

A long long time ago, in a galaxy before blogger I used to work in a science laboratory, and for several months I carried out experiments with involved weighing out minuscule amounts of the finest powder (usually dried ground leaves.....) you can possibly imagine, into tiny tinfoil cups which were then squished tight shut, weighed again and then put into tiny trays with a little well for each tiny parcel. The weighing scales were so impossibly accurate and thus incredibly sensitive that anyone walking nearby would cause havoc with the readings, and therefore the whole set up was in rather a nice cupboard. It was called a room but really it was a large cupboard. just me and the scales and my lifeline, Radio 4.


Sometimes people would try to rescue me from the cupboard, tempt me out with trips to get a cup of tea, but I would always have to say "can't come now, woman's hour is just starting" or "but it's book of the week time" or "if I come to coffee break I will never know what happens at the end of the afternoon play".


Why am I telling you this? you may well ask,  and the reason is that recently I have found myself cutting out tiny scraps of fabric, a task that allows for quiet contemplation and perhaps a little background listening.
Since having a houseful of children and the resulting chaos, I have found I am never in one room long enough to actually listen to proper conversation on the radio, or if I am sitting down sewing then the roaring (it's not quiet) of my machine deafens out the story, so the radio is more often set to a music channel.


right now however, I have just run out of teeny tiny leaves, and if I hurry I might catch the food program before the children get home from school.


what do listen to in the day? any recommendations?

26 comments:

  1. You have just caused another eeeeeek moment. That tree (or cheese) as SmallerBean calls them is.... FaNtABulOSo. It is. I think it is the birdies that just make it.
    Smaller has perforated ear drum.
    I have perforated head after the fifth day with her poorly.
    But it has been blueblue skies here and seasid type breezes so who cares about perforations?
    Want more snippy creations. Ax

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  2. I listen to Radio 4 all day every day. I love how my day is marked by the programmes and I'd be lost without it. However my children do get sick of me saying "I heard on the radio today ...." as I share a little snippet I THINK they'll find interesting and I'm not allowed to listen to it during the holidays!

    By the way I love the little birds with curly tails :)

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  3. Loved the trees and birds...I looked at it and thouhjt...I could do that...you never know...I just might! There are so many things you discover with blogging! It's now just motivating myself!! Thanks once again! joan

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  4. I love the trees, especially the bottom one. Nowadays I tend to download podcasts or use iplayer to listen/watch again, so I'm not really in the know about what's on the radio anymore :-(

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  5. All of your cutting out is yielding some very pretty results! I could only wish we had your BBC channels at our fingertips. Mostly, what we have here is a bunch of noise!

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  6. But more importantly your cutting outs and sewing back together are just gorgeous, though I know what you mean about never really being able to settle - I always say 'I'll do it later' but never get round to it, partly because of all the interruptions.

    Take care and enjoy your peace - as and when.

    Nina xxx

    ps. it swings between Absolute Radio (used to be Virgin) and Radio 2 - but not at lunchtime....too boring and frustrating. And as an extra special treat Absolute 80's on a Friday night to boogy too (now I sound old) and if the weather is pants and I'm in the kitchen for any amount of time then it has to be Radio 4 extra for a good old play.

    See, told you I couldn't stick to just one thing. N xxx

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  7. OOOOh - I love love love the heart tree. Do you sell them? I think the bird is just a the perfect addition to this tree of loveliness xx

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    1. Thank you FourHappyBunnies, I love the little birds too! I'm hoping to start selling the heart trees soon, watch this space. x

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  8. Replies
    1. Thank you Trish, I am happy a lot of fun making them, although the tiny leaves are Very fiddly!

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  9. I flip between Radios 2 and 4 throughout the day depending on what's on and whether I feel like shouting at the radio.

    Your embroideries are so lovely - you clever person!

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  10. I loved reading about your job in the cupboard. I work with Radio 4 on nearly all the time too - it's very frustrating when I come to a bit that involves the noise of the sewing machine sometimes. At those times I switch over to either my iPod and listen to music or even ocassionally put on Classic FM...which I like as it makes me feel temporarily serene, but I find that the presenters' voices don't sound quite so reassuringly familiar and easy to listen to as those on Radio 4 - they really do pick a very particular sort of accent.

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  11. I work to the sound of radio 2 mostly, but sometimes it gets a bit 'much' and then I flick to 4. My studio is a bit like a cupboard, but it's my cupboard! Loving these new works! xCathy

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  12. Listening to the radio with a pair of scissors in your hands is clearly a good thing for you T! Love those creations! I can't help with the radio suggestions; you can't lip read radio's but home alone with an iPod and you can play anything your heart desires and no-one will know or make fun. My boy and I love the soundtrack to Bugsy Malone but sssshhh, don't tell anyone! J x

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  13. I'm a Radio 2 girl all the way. Have a major crush on Jeremy Vine (it's the voice!). I'll occasionally listen to something on Radio 4 that gets recommended to me but I'm not that familiar with the schedule.
    I love the colours on the last tree photo!

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  14. Sorry. You were saying something? I got distracted by the UTTER GORGEOUSNESS.

    We like comedy - The Unbelievable Truth, Bleak Expections (love this), News Quiz.

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  15. Unfortunately anything I listen to is overpowered by the full voice calling of 'MUMMY!", repeated constantly until I answer. Sometimes this can go on for a VERY long time. My listening choice when I get the chance is music of course, I can't handle the voices on the radio when I've been listening to constant chattering all day. ...did I happen to mention that I also LOVE your trees? I really, really do! xx Susan

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    1. thank you Susan, and I understand the chatter, I really do.... x

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  16. Radio 4 for me too (or 4 Extra for the comedy!) - except, as with your sewing machine, the noise of my hammer (& my thoughts) tends to drown things out, or I drift off and miss the vital part... So it's usually 6Music these days - thanks to Lauren Laverne and Radcliffe & Maconie I get to laugh *and* listen to great tunes!

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  17. What happy, beautiful trees!
    Radio reception here is awful...too many high hills here in the country. I do love to listen to recorded books.

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  18. Gorgeous stitching :D

    Radio 4 all the way here!

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  19. LOVE, love, love you fabric trees, Tess... these are whimsical and fun...The heart tree is my fave. ;o) I listen to Radio 3 and Radio 4 streamed online, but I listen to podcasts of all sorts from Buddhist teachings to knitting--I like variety laced into my creative time. Having been away some days, it is a delight to visit here. ((HUGS))

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  20. Love your colourful trees and the leaves, so very colour-TASTIC! Must start listening to Radio 4 I think - I sometimes catch Women's Hour..

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