Today was lovely and sunny, so I decided to spend as much time outside as possible to boost those all-important serotonin levels. So, I went ghost sign collecting, the results of which I have posted to my Ghost Sign project online album:
http://s257.photobucket.com/albums/hh224/amyjaneb_photos/Ghost%20Signs%20of%20Leicester/
On our way back from lunch, I spied a man sitting on a bench outside his house drinking a beer and wearing a gorilla mask. It was the funniest sight, and I was caught without my camera. By the time we got home, go the camera and drove back, Gorilla Man was nowhere to be found. I took some random pics on our journey there and back home of people, and caught one of myself purely on accident in the passenger side mirror. I wanted to take a picture of the person on the right corner, but in a moving car things shift and I spied myself instead. If you want to read more about my misadventures, check out my blog.
I also tried 3d papercraft unsuccessfully. The results of that you can see here. Basically, what I realized is that I need to pick a design that’s a bit more solid and linear than something impressionistic.
For as long as I can remember I’ve been fascinated with those old, faded advertisements and signs you often see painted on the facades of old shops. I recently discovered that they are commonly known as ‘Ghost Signs’, which seems like a very apt description. I already knew that there were a few around Leicester, so I decided - this afternoon - to go and seek some out, and take photographs of them. I’ve uploaded my efforts from today here: http://s257.photobucket.com/albums/hh224/amyjaneb_photos/
I have to confess, I felt a little uncomfortable taking the pics - like I was spying on people’s houses (though, of course, that was never the intention). In fact, I found a fifth example, but that’ll have to wait for another time. As I was passing, a couple came out of the (their, presumably) front door. I didn’t think they’d appreciate me taking snaps of their house!
Personally, I love the fact that these signs survive as the tangible traces of what went before, well after the shops and their proprietors have passed on. They are part of our urban heritage; a link with the past, albeit a fairly recent (in the grand scheme of things) twentieth century ‘past’, often overlooked, but worth recording before the ravages of time cause them to disappear for ever. Plus, searching for them is like being trapped in a massive, convoluted, and unending treasure hunt. I think this could be the beginning of a great, and all-consuming passion!
I know I have already done one today, but this is what I worked on after dinner and I just couldn’t wait to post it. Plus I have to do a new project for tomorrow. 
Today was mild and sunny, so I took a stroll down to the University of Leicester Botanical Gardens. I’d never been before (despite living here for three years), and was pleasantly surprised - it’s beautiful, even in winter! Looking forward to taking a book down there to read in the summer. Anyway, I snapped lots of pics and, for my thing for today, I’ve created a collage of the best.
P.S. I am clearly obsessed with trees at the moment!
