Bright Wings

Crown Lynn taken for granted

We used to take Crown Lynn china for granted. Growing up in the 1950s and 60s, it was everyone's everyday china onto which the meat and three veg was piled, day after day.

Living rooms gave pride of place to a Crown Lynn swan, often sitting on a dainty ecru lace doily.

NZ History Online's presentation of some of Crown Lynn's finest pieces puts it in a different perspective. NZ Pottery and Collectables Forum are aiming to collect photos of every Crown Lynn shape. I was amazed by the diversity.

What are your memories of Crown Lynn?

A Merry Mix of Fibre

A Merry Mix of Fibre is the annual exhibition of Manawatu Spinners and Weavers, hosted by Taylor Jensen Fine Arts, 39 George Street, Palmerston North.

It features tapestry and fine hand-crafted work by members and is on until 22 July.

Examples of the work are on the Taylor Jensen Fine Arts website.

Chelsea Flower Show delights

Forget the endless, freezing southerly and visit the Chelsea Flower Show.

Courtesy of clever technology you can go on a 360^o tour of each garden from the comfort of your living room, without having to cope with crowds and sore feet.  

Among the more unusual designs was James May's Paradise in Plasticine. In describing the design, he notes:

Ever since William Harbutt, a teacher, invented Plasticine in the late 19th century, it has been endlessly used to model something like little penguins in a bow tie, or an unconvincing two-inch-high Eiffel Tower. It’s high time the full expressive breadth of this modelling medium was revealed.

The photograph is from my Rangitumau Garden Tour series.

Cambodian enterprise

New Zealander Ruth Yoffe has set up a business in Cambodia, Reloop Designs, providing work for locals recycling coloured plastic bags into designer bags and containers.

What a wonderful enterprise.