Makings Chester Zoo 2 |

Apr
11thMakings Chester Zoo 2

This is the huge painting Daughter is working on. She loves PG Tips Tea hence the label of the tea bag in the cup. I’ve put my cutter in the pic so you can see just how big this is.
There has been an awful amount of Quilt Rustling going on. 2 of the guilty parties.
The enlarged and finished Crow Quilt by Lynette Anderson from her new book.
Close up of stitcheries. Fabric is the Portugal range by Moda.

I pieced the back from sky sort of fabrics. I think Angel is eyeing this one up for a potential rustle.
Bees moths butterflies and gold cracked blues to catch the light.
With the left over strips from the FQs and background I made a couple of cushion sleeves for 20X12 ” cushions.
Here they are all together.
A little bit of Spring in the house.
This just needs buttons now for a friends new granddaughter. It is made in vintage yarn with vintage needles

From a 1930s poattern book.
These shoes also came from that booklet. Again in vintage yarn with the green flowers from Robyn.
A little Japanese themed garden area in the grounds of Chester Zoo.
But lets step back in time to the Roman Garden
Pillar lined walkways.
Clipped bushes.
Fountain and pool.
Mosaic lined pool- needs a good clean. Pretty dolphin though.
Statue of Faunus– Roman equivalent of the Greek god Pan
Horsehead statues and box hedge edged planting bed.
Stables of Oakfield Manor
This is where Chester Zoo began when George Mottershead bought it and 11 acres in 1930. History here. It now owns 400+ acres. Although George Mottershead died in 1978 his vision of wanting “a zoo without bars” lives on. So much conservation of various endangered species work goes on here. The information boards about the animals often include how endangered they are and why.
George Mottershead managed to keep it running throughout the war years. With meat rationing this must’ve been very hard. I wonder how he managed.
Oakfield Manor side terrace. You can get married here.
It was originally built in 1885 but remodelled in 1892. You want to lookie in don’t you?
So did I.
Hallway just up the steps you saw in the above pic. Sorry I wanted a better one of this but the camera wasn’t playing nicely.
Here’s a more distant shot of the hallway.
Original fireplace in one of the rooms you can dine in.
Leaded stained and painted windows.
Loved their sweet chilli.
Window by the stairs with bevelled glass.
Another room had a different glass design but there was a meeting in here.
Magnificent cedar tree on the side lawn. You can see the Roman Garden to the right.
And finally a few feathered friends. I think this might’ve been a Mountain blue bird but I’m not sure. If anyone knows let me know and I’ll put it in.
European Black Vultures.

And lastly I think this is a Reddish Egret in it’s white mating phase.