Raffle Result and Some Rambling

/ March 20, 2019

8 am has come and gone, and I have immediately put the entries through randompicker to tell you the result. The Being Green shrine goes to…

Congrats to Dotti – I think I still have your address, Dotti (that’s if it hasn’t changed since 2014 when you sent me the e-mail with your address…) . And many thanks for your comments to all other participants. The draw protocol can be found HERE.

And now, to make it worth while, I’ll ramble on a little bit. The following post was actually scheduled for Monday morning, titled “Fashion Victim”. But I scrapped it when I realised that RA himself had posted his own fashion show overnight. As a Guy Girl I am more than happy that RA has held on to those essential pieces of costume from one of his most impactful chaRActers… And I love that he is making silly selfie faces now. The most attractive pose is humour. Sexy!!! Look who’s back in Nottingham:

Anyway, I had planned this post as a “blast from the past” where I was going to look at a fashionable item of leg wear for the benefit of those fans who may not have been with us back in 2016… With RA posting his own “fashion backward”, my little fun post became obsolete. But for the record: I started thinking about 2016 because we were talking about that in-te-res-ting leather shirt in the comments, and also about that crazy-ugly shiny track suit that poor Harry had to wear in VoD. Turns out the leather shirt has been around since 2016! (Thanks to Rachel for that revelation!!!) Which in turn led me to other recent instances of… erm… let’s call it “in-te-res-ting” again… choice of garments… While we have never seen the famous ‘orange jeans’ in action, Richard actually treated us to some maroon goodness instead:

*coughs*, interesting, right?

Hey, I am not criticising. I am not even making fun of him. I am the first one to put up her hand when it comes to owning up to a bad fashion sense… I totally am not in the know. Which is why I used to wear black only for many years. Sound familiar? *smirks* But yeah, what’s your take on that look? Like it or leave it?

Hooray, today is the first of spring. I think I am finally waking up from hibernation. In the last few days I have experienced this irrepressible urge to be creative. I did not only make the annual Paddy’s Day shrine, but while I was at it also made a long over-due shrine for one of my longtime supporters. (The shrine is ready and done but will only be revealed once my mystery supporter has received the shrine, sorry.) Anyway, making shrines always means that I have to dig through my materials – and invariably I come across bits and pieces that I have forgotten but that are delightful and therefore really inspire me to do some more creative work. As happened this time. An amazing vintage tin crossed my path, and I didn’t rest until the idea had been executed. And while I was at it, I also made another. And another. And another. And another. And another. And the next day I continued and made another, another, another and another. Six shrines in one day – ten shrines in total over the weekend. On Monday evening I called an “art evening” and the hubster, the daughter and I brought our art materials down to our big kitchen table and spent a really enjoyable evening creating art together. Daughter and husband are the *real* artists in the family. Not only can they draw and paint, but they also have original ideas. I, OTOH, am just an impostor. But I still enjoy being creative, and so I experimented with watercolours again.

Anyway, those shrines are all done and photographed, and some of them will be sent away as presents, and some will be raffled, so watch this space… And now go forth and enjoy the spring. Or autumn, if you are in the Southern hemisphere.

 

 

 

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129 thoughts on “Raffle Result and Some Rambling”

  2. Congratulations dotti. I am green with envy! 👒🐸🐢🦎🐛🐊🦚🦜🌵🌳☘️🌿🍏🍐🥬🥒🥦🦠🧪📗💚✅♻️

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  3. Congratulations, Dotti! You’ve got a great one there 😊
    And wow, Guylty – 10 shrines in a weekend and you say you’re not a real artist… 😳 Your art is fabulous. Flat Richie’s book is a masterpiece!

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  4. I will fourth the congratulations to Dotti! I think the bonding time with Mr G and daughter G was no doubt precious and inspiring and priceless and that really is what family and loved ones are all about!
    Ps I wouldn’t mind seeing his maroon pants live and up close!👏👍❤️❤️🤣😎

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    • You’re absolutely right, Michele. The best thing about the art evening was that it was time spent together with hubs and daughter. Incidentally, the latter is a rather moody teenager (and currently very much so due to her final school exams in a few months’ time) but said at the end of the evening “that was such fun, let’s do this again!” *success*

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      • Guylty, ah it can’t get better than that with daughter G and I was a very moody teen ages and ages and ages ago so she gave you the ultimate compliment!! Nice to see your mojo is back in sync with The Armitage! It made me smile so much to read this post waking up this early morning in VA (mid morning in Dublin)

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  5. Well done to the raffle winner 😊
    I love colour..rarely wear black (have cats!!) Though sometimes wear alot of grey but with bright splashes of colour. So lovely to see him in some colour even if they are red trousers (in joke in Bristol about red trousers and middle class men )
    I have a friend in Bristol who’s has a shop in St Nicks market and it’s a whirlwind of colour as she sells Indian throws , cushions, materials and she also makes stained glass. It’s a wonderful place to go and recharge!
    Well done on being so creative over the weekend too 😊

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    • Hehe, I never thought about the relationship of cats and black clothes 😉 – mind you, our cat is black, so maybe that’s why it never bothered me. But yeah, I am gradually moving back to colourful clothes, too. Mainly because all that black actually had some sort of influence on my moods. And I want summer and joy now.
      Oh, that shop sounds great… I really must get Mr Guylty to go on a trip to England with me. He has a favourite aunt in Bristol, so it would be a good place to start 😉

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  6. Congratulations, Dotti! I admit to a little jealousy but am very happy for the winner at the same time. 🙂
    And wow, that is quite a creative spree you had there, nice! Look forward to seeing the results.

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  7. Congratulations Dotti! You´ll get a real masterpiece.
    Can´t believe you call yourself not a real artist. I second Helen, the logbook is an amazing work of art and your shrines are always great!
    I have to say that I don´t like colourful trousers in general, sorry Rich.

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    • Aw, you are sweet, Nordlicht xxx (But just to qualify: artists have original ideas. I usually take an original idea and ‘make it better’. I ‘work on’ original ideas… but I don’t come up with them as such… Very frustrating!)

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      • Ich würde eher sagen, du lässt dich inspirieren. Und Inspiration brauchen auch die größten Künstler, um irgendetwas zu erschaffen. Also mach dich nur nicht so klein.

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        • Genau!! Und das eingentlich Künstlerische, die sogenannte Schöpfungshöhe, liegt ja auch in der Idee und nicht nur in der (nebenbei gesagt ebenfalls hervorragenden) Exekution. Und deine Idee ist ja wohl höchst originell.

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                  • Da hast du absolut Recht, Anja!! Das mit der Kunst und dem Künstler-Sein war schon während meines Fotografie-Studiums ständig ein Diskussionspunkt zwischen mir und einem meiner Profs. Der war der Meinung, dass ich einen extrem veralteten Kunstbegriff habe…

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                    • in meinem Studium war das zum Glück kein wirklicher Diskussionspunkt sondern eine sehr spannende offene Diskussion mit dem Ergebnis, dass durchaus jeder für sich einen anderen Kunstbegriff haben kann und ein offener Zugang der Kunst nur nützt. Auf die Frage was denn dann “Kunst” ist, habe ich nach eingehender Überlegung *für mich* folgende Definition gefunden: eine Kreation, die mich bewegt, die in gewisser Weise Wellen schlägt, etwas auslöst (Emotionen, zum Nachdenken anregt, meine bisherige Sicht auf etwas verändert etc)

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                    • Deine Definition finde ich schön – ich würde das eigentlich auch ganz genauso unterschreiben. Nur dass ich für mich selber irgendwie immer das Gefühl hatte (habe), dass das, was ich produziere (und ich rede jetzt hier nicht nur von den Fan-Shrines), dem Kunstanspruch nicht gerecht wird… Aber vielleicht ist auch der Künstlerzweifel an sich selbst gar nicht mal so schlecht – ist eine Art Motivation, weiter an sich und an der Kunst zu arbeiten und die Werke zu perfektionieren.

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  9. Congratulations Dotti – you’re going to love the shrine.
    And Guylty, can’t wait to see the fruits of your labor. Those shrines are mini works of art.
    As for Richard, nice to see he attempted to dress himself and everything halfway matches. Heck, he could wear a potato sack for all I care & I’d still find him attractive.

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  10. Love the Green Shrine!! It puts me in mind of Spring, which is still tantalizingly out of reach here. As to the Trousers, I must say that it seems to me like red trousers are a “thing” among Englishmen. At least, I have spotted them a number of times on everyone from an Oxford archeologist, to random guys in London, to Mr. A. I have nothing against them, especially when so deliciously occupied, yet I admit that were the Long Suffering Husband to don such a pair, I might object. (Full disclosure: he wouldn’t be caught dead in them.)

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  11. Congrats Dotti, the shrine is lovely!

    Guylty, I happen to think you are a brilliant artist, working in unusual materials, hence why I picked the shrine stickers from Flat Ritchie. Your productions have humour, are quirky, interesting and inventive and bring joy to those of us lucky enough to possess one (or more!). Please don’t do yourself down because others are skilled in more conventional media, keep on rocking those shrines!

    As to whether people prefer a darker palette in their wardrobe, I do, to provide contrast to my long suffering Other Half and The Boy, both of whom favour Hawaiian shirts. This makes them easy to spot in airports and large shopping centres where they might wander off. I keep a low profile and channel my inner Lucas North 🙂

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    • Aw, thank you Tiny, that is very nice and kind of you to say. Yep, my medium is a bit unusual – and my subject is rather unvaried – but in the end what matters is that *I* have fun with it. And if there is also an audience – even better.
      Haha, your explanation why you tolerate Hawaiian shirts is priceless!

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  12. Congrats to Dotti!
    A little bit of colour suits him and this kind of red is ok. But trousers in yellow ochre for men are worse for me. Mr Bea prefer dark clothes except for the holidays (nobody knows me)
    I love colourful clothes and I have worn a lot of strange combinations as (really) pink trousers with a bright turquoise T-shirt. At the moment I am much more reserved with colours and much more “respectable”

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    • You are right – a little bit of colour enhances everyone. I mean, I love black, but somehow it sometimes gets a bit depressing…
      I used to be a VERY colourful dresser in my teens. Bright red trousers and long sleeved t-shirt and a tourquoise vest over that *eeek*… no wonder I turned it down a little bit when I got older 🤐

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  14. Congratulations Dotti.
    Love the selfie manip and so good to see Guy back, even if it’s just a photo.
    I have to confess, I’m not a lover of the coloured jeans…….. Having said that, I tend to dress mainly in black, so I may be a little biased. My friends are on a mission to inject some colour into my wardrobe (I’ll accept purple).
    Wow, that’s some amazing creative time. I look forward to seeing photos of your results.

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  15. Congratulations Dotti!!
    What a productive weekend you had, G, I’m envious! I don’t have a naturally creative streak and have to work at coming up with something original and appealing.
    Those selfies of Richard in his Gizzy gear will continue to bring a smile to my face for a long time to come. His sense of humour has always been a big part of his appeal for me, and it’s lovely to see that spark in him again. As you say – sexy!!
    I quite like the pinky red jeans, not so sure about the jacket being the right one for them though. Coloured jeans seem to have been all the go here for women this summer. I have two bright cropped pairs – hot pink and citrusy green – but I stick to denim, black and navy for long pants. My legs are too solid for full length colour!

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    • I disagree, Mezz – you are creative, too. You make all those gifs and sets that you post on tumblr.
      The Gizzy gear was just the thing. I mean, it’s funny that Guy has such a big place in the fans’ hearts, but I never really believed that RA himself was much interested in Guy once the part was over. Guy was, of course, always designed as a bit of a cardboard cut-out. (Which RA imbued with as much life and character as he could – and did.) But probably less of a seminal character to play than, say, Thorin or Proctor… Anyway, to see that RA kept Guy’s gear for all these years, and to share those pics with us – well, let’s just say I was overjoyed…

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      • Mezz, I totally agree with Guylty. I have been lucky enough to see your handiwork via Guylty’s Round -up and Rachel’s links to me that you are highly creative. I could not even begin to create as you both do.

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        • Thank you both, but I have to confess that making gifs is more of a technical skill acquired through practice and Photoshop lol!!! To have learnt a skill like that though – and that people enjoy the result – is very satisfying for me, especially if I manage to get a gif just right with a particular mannerism, smile or laugh of Richard’s (or a chaRActer’s) That’s the joy of creating them, for me, I can sit and watch it over and over 😉
          Rachel’s links to you Michele? Thank you Rachel!! *hugs to you all*

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          • Mezz I am not on Social Media so I don’t view Tumblr or any of the sites so Rachel has been kind to send me via email gifs you make as well as some Twitter stuff on Richard, mainly pics and tweet responses so that I’m in the loop. You are marvelous though, very gifted (no pun intended!) and I too view your gifs and creations over and over again!!!!!!

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  16. Remember the Stage Door button pants from The Crucible? I loved those pants. I dreamed about those pants. I miss those pants. I have a thing about red pants – I can’t stand them. However, RA gets a pass. And not just because those long legs look good in anything; even red pants.

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    • Oh yes, the button pants. Those were cool!!!! I loved those. Where have they gone? They were only seen a couple of times, right?
      Oh RA gets a pass from me for (almost) anything. Fan prerogative, right?

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              • Well Guylty I just think he was so uninhibited and devastatingly sexy there with those odd poses and what he could do in those biker moto pants. The more I view them the more turned on I get, sorry for the candidness!! I love Proctor look the best. He was just fit, healthy, rugged, all over and the beard and everything just came together for me. Sure there are other shoots that he looks great in, This one just seemed a bit wild and unfettered and exposed himself physically in a sexual sense more maybe. Does that make any sense?

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  18. Congrats for the win Dottie! Personally, I didn’t care for the red jeans so much but then I really don’t think red is a flattering color on him (just my opinion). That said, I probably have mostly black, white and gray in my own closet so what do I know about good taste? I have gray hair and sometimes I feel like certain colors really wash out my skin tone. Pastels look terrible on me but I can wear most jewel tones. I feel like if he looks in the mirror and likes his fashion picks then I say more power to him and just go for it- (he’d still be gorgeous in the most hideous ensemble… just sayin’) I choose my own clothes because they’re comfortable and hopefully they’re flattering, but I try to be somewhat fashionable too. I think he definitely has his own favorite go-to style, which I think suits him, but every once in a while he throws in a surprise like these red jeans.
    It sounds like you’ve had a brilliant creative streak and I’m so happy that RA continues to inspire you. That means we get more shrines to admire 😍 I love that you had an art evening with the fam. Oh how I wish I was creative and artistically talented.
    Btw I’d love to see those Guy manips turned into some of your lovely postcards 😉

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    • You are absolutely right, D! Good for him to be taking an interest in fashion – and to try some slightly more daring stuff every once in a while. Fashion is an expression of self, after all. (Bonus: It also gives us something to talk about ;-))
      Oh yes, RA does inspire me. And it is not only a renewed interest in him due to seeing him live and up close in February. I also have to say that I made a conscious decision earlier this year to approach him, his projects and his tweets with a more positive attitude. In dubio pro reo – assuming the best rather than the worst, and also giving myself permission to simply love him and what he does without always having to critically analyse him. It’s done wonders for my fangirl life…
      Nice idea re. those Guy manips as postcards. I must look into that, D!!

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  19. Congrats to Dotti for winning! 🙂

    I think he can pull off the maroon/red trousers. They’re not too bright that it’s glaring, though the fit in the photos from LLL seem a little loose to me (either i’m so used to looking at skinny jeans or he didn’t have time to have those altered). When i was still active in watching kpop groups colorful skinny jeans were all the rage and i’m so used to the idea guys wear mint green or pink pants, though they were performing and admittedly half the age of RCA. He can still rock those jeans if he wants 😉

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    • You know what, Nix – I thought the same. The trousers are okish – except they are not as tight as he usually wears them. But well, maybe only black and blue jeans can be worn skin-tight??? He totally rocks any jeans, I have to say.

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  20. Congratulations Dotti.
    Hach, es wird Frühling und du lässt die alten Zeiten aufleben. Beides ein Grund zum Lächeln.
    RA hat kein sicheres Händchen in Modefragen, aber das finde ich eher erfrischend und ich liebe eure angeregten Diskussionen über sein Erscheinungsbild.
    Sei übrigens nicht zu streng mit dir und gönne deiner Kunst die Anerkennung, die sie verdient 🙂

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    • Hehe, was heißt “ich” lasse die alten Zeiten aufleben? Das ist RA mit seinem throwback to Guy-times. Wunderbar, oder? Das ist doch genau das, was man sich als Fan wünscht. *schwärm*
      Du hast absolut Recht – der Modegeschmack von RA ist nicht ganz so stilsicher, aber das ist genau das Gute daran, denn wenn er eine Stilikone wäre, dann hätten wir ja auch nichts zu besprechen…
      Danke dir für deine nette Bestätigung xx

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  21. Sorry, I have to say it, Shrine on you crazy diamond;. There I’ve said it. Congratulations too Dot ! No, not fond of the red trousers but I’m VERY fond of the purple Guy pic at the top. Another one of my favourites – slayed. Btw the smirking selfie is my favourite of his ( which isn’t saying much) precisely because of his disdain

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  22. Congratulations, Dotti! I’m still enjoying last year’s Sham Rock shrine … it travels with me in my work bag. Glad to hear your creativity has been re-sparked,Guylty. 10 shrines? Wow!

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