Rima Staines, Underground Shops
I’d like to introduce you to an artist called Rima Staines. She makes fabulous clocks here. But I found her work in an Etsy shop here. Above you can see “Telling Stories to the Trees” “The Goods and Chattels Man” and the cute “A Button House For a Button Mouse” Now what crafter wouldn’t like a print of that one?
She has a blog called The Hermitage where she takes you on fabulous adventures or quiet meditations where you get a glimpse of her imagination at work.
Here are some examples of her work Vainamoinen Sings a Ship from the story in the Kalevala Most of her work is available in 2 sizes: $10 and $19
The Fish Who Pulled the House
The Concertina Egg Cup Song, I couldn’t resist another mouse.
The Bells
Here’s a bigger one of The Goods and Chattels Man
A while back I asked Rima if she could paint a crow for each season as I am fond of crows. So here you can see clockwise from the top Spring Crow, and at the bottom Autumn Crow and Winter Crow
I now have Summer Crow to complete the set. Isn’t he marvellous! The sunflower is perfect for the scene. Thank you Rima.
Now I promised to show you some hidden shops. Here they are in 1903 when the road is being built which will hide these lower shop fronts forever. Where this happened in Edinburgh, it is now a tourist attraction that you can explore.
Here are the same shops today where only the top 2 floors are showing. Beach is behind us so we are looking roughly east.
You can just see a statue of Queen Victoria on the left.
She was originally in the middle of the road on a much higher platform. Building in the background is the Victoria Hotel which is demolished now.
The statue diesn’t dominate the road in the same way. View West towards the beach.
Back in the Victorian time the road was covered with sand as it led straight to the beach. You can see someone riding to the beach in the above pic.
Some of the buildings have changed as well as the street lamps. View east.
Victoria Hotel to the right looking away from the beach (east)
Same view today. I’m not sure the modern block of flats has added a thing to the character of the place. The old demolished hotel looks a lot better.
1863 You can see how part of the road rose to meet the sea front one, and the tunnel led to the beach.
You can see the rise in the road from this angle looking west towards the beach.
You can see the tunnel under the road in this old photo which led to Neville Street. It is totally blocked now. Front of the Victoria Hotel on the right. The Marine Lake is here now instead of the beach.
This building has changed but you can see how the road was built up to block the tunnel by comparing this photo to the one below.
The start of the pier.
1833 postcard. The tunnel is visible and the Marine Lake has yet to be built. People bathed in the wood enclosed circle. These days it is rare to have the sea come in so close.
I played with my camera when we were in the car picking up daughter. Love the colours.
For those who want a modern night drive down Neville Street towards the beach click the tiny film I shot.
Sorry these are no crafts in this post- it’s been mad-busy here. I’ve been making a lot of things but they will have to wait until next time. It was Mother’s Day here on Sunday, so I’ll share my pressies next time. You’ll laugh as much as I did I think, and it might just inspire your crafting in a slightly different direction too.
Don’t forget Rima’s sites for eye candy etsy shop and her blog.
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