Sunday 25 January 2015

Flaybrick Hill cemetery... Unseen for over 3 decades!

Having a husband who works for the council has it's benefits.  He knows a lot of people who work in interesting places.  He knows great locations and is always happy to show me them and take me to where he thinks I would get some great images.  But he totally exceeded himself with this one!

Flaybrick Hill cemetery is on the Wirral near Birkenhead.  Just a 10 minute drive from my house.  I've been in the area often as I grew up in Oxton and also after having kids I spent many hours in the lovely Tam O'Shanter Farm that is just across the road from the cemetery.  Although never actually visiting the cemetery until a year or so ago after I got the 'original' Mr Click.

The last time I was there I focussed on the amazing trees and old stones reside there.  It's a well looked after cemetery, but does have that typical 'spooky graveyard' feeling to it as all of the stones are just so old.  At the top of the cemetery, in the centre, stands a derelict chapel.  Actually (after I have now researched this) it's two chapels that mirror each other end to end.  One end used by the Non-conformists and the other by The Church of England.  It's not been used since 1975!  I prowled the gates of this chapel last year hoping to find an 'in'.  But it was well gated and had clear signs to inform the public that it was a dangerous area due to it's considerable state of dereliction..... *sigh*  My hopes were dashed.

So when my husband announced a week ago that the chapel was being cleared  of all the overgrown vines for maintenance and assessment and that he can arrange for me to go along with him and the staff members working on the clear up to take some shots INSIDE I jumped at the chance.  I got up last Friday feeling so excited and by lunchtime had taken many wonderful images.  I feel so lucky that I was able to do this.  The building is beautiful.  I really hope it gets a Heritage grant very soon. 

Right, hard hats on.....  Here you go!


As wide as my lens would allow...  Wish I had a fish eye!
 
I loved all the details of everything.... All so aged.

In the centre of the chapel...  Yes, I was rocking my hard hat too!

The stones are all so beautiful.
I think these are apples on the columns... I might research these a bit more for meaning and symbolism.
I would have liked a ghostly figure in flowing dress, but a 6 foot bearded bloke in a hard hat would just have to do! ;)

The light through this opening was stunning...
 
I'm not going to lie, this freaked me out a little bit....  Also there is a high chance that the child this belonged to could actually be older than me right now!
The spire remains from one side...

The spire remains from the other side...

This chimney stack was leaning so far...
Seeeee....  The trees, just amazing!







Thanks so much for looking ~ Fleur 






Friday 9 January 2015

Double Trouble....

Before I even start this properly, I've just got to hand it to all those photographers whose genre is newborns and babies... WOW!  You'd think it would be fairly simple to photograph a little person who doesn't move about too much.  But, think again...  As you know I'm a parent of three young kids so I still thankfully remember what babies are like.  And fortunately again for me, these two beauties are the twins of one of my oldest, closest friends.  So we could capture these natural images while we enjoyed a coffee and a chat too.

So here you go; bonny baby boy and little sweet girl.  Mum wanted some pics to possibly use on Thank You notes, and I just wanted to take photos of scrummy babes - why wouldn't I? :)  So here's what I got on our coffee morning in early December.  Would you believe that in close proximity to all this was another couple of raring-to-go toddlers, hundreds of mega-blocks, a dolls pram, a ball pond (balls not necessarily just contained to the pond!), more dolls, board books, a Christmas tree and 3 other adults gabbing with a brew...

Hope you like them.

Why so serious, little fella?

Hi baby girl!

Double trouble...

Looking fancy little Miss.

Baby girl tootsies.

Big stretch for a little guy!













































































































Thanks for looking ~ Fleur 
















Friday 2 January 2015

Hitting the SALES.......

Christmas has been and gone.   And what come straight after Christmas?  SALES of course!

So the girls and I went on a little trip to the shops to browse.  I needn't have asked them what they wanted to look for first - I should have known: SHOES!














Thanks for looking, Fleur x