Finally, you might get a step closer to living in a fairytale, because Britain’s smallest castle is up for grabs, and it costs no more than a mid-sized flat in London!
The property in question is Molly’s Lodge, a Grade II listed castle that sits on a 0.61-acre plot of land near the village of Long Compton in Warwickshire. Originally a gatehouse for the Weston Park Estate on the northern edge of the Cotswolds, Molly’s Lodge was built by the famous British architect, Edward Blore, in the 1830s. The very same guy who was in charge of restoring Lambeth Palace and extending Buckingham Palace for Queen Victoria.
Inside, it’s a fully functioning home, with one bedroom, a bathroom, living room, decorative spiral staircase and dining room complete with mullion windows and cast iron Victorian fireplace.
For those seriously interested, it costs £550,000 and you can express your interest before the 19th of April through here. (h/t: cosmopolitan)
Semi-retired artist Fanny Fielding launched her website in 2019 and doesn’t know why people won’t take her work seriously.
Despite being described as “Finbarr Saunders from Viz with a Paintbox,” her prints have sold all around the world, many to her loyal followers on Facebook.
Based in East Sussex, UK, she currently has original works on display in The West Hill Tavern, Brighton and has just launched a Christmas card Kickstarter that reached its target in under three hours and is open until the middle of October.
Bored Panda got curious about how this woman in her 60s came up with this quirky idea, and you can find an interview with her below!
We asked Fielding about how she got into the art scene.
“I was always keen on art as a child. My only real exposure was British TV shows such as Paint Along With Nancy and Vision On. At first, I could only watch these in black and white because our television was a bit behind the times. We didn’t have Bob Ross over here in those days. I studied Fine Art as my degree in London. A lot of concepts were beyond me, but I like to think I passed due to my talents with a paintbrush rather than how I thought back then.
It was an exciting time to be studying in the capital. Punk rock was in full swing and I was enlisted to help design a very famous fanzine of the times. I loved the rough and readiness of the whole scene, though Vivienne Westwood told me I was a bit too square for punk. Never meet your heroes.”#2
Fielding got back into painting seriously only when she semi-retired and, surprisingly, found her niche in quirky and naughty titles no one would expect from an elderly woman!
“I noticed that people always had something to say when I had something like ‘Tits’ or ‘Pussy’ in the title. Now I’m no prude. I grew up with Carry On films and fully aware of the British obsession with double entendre. The turning point was when I took some of my paintings into a local coffee shop where they would display work by local artists. At first, Gary who ran the shop was unimpressed, but when I pointed out some of the titles, he became very interested and suggested I concentrate on that. The boy turned out to be an adequate web designer and offered to build me a website as he said he had found the perfect domain name for me.”#4
The internet loves this kind of humor, so Fielding has plenty of inspirations on social media.
“My followers on Facebook and Instagram engage with my work wonderfully. They will often leave comments that inspire other ideas. Occasionally, I get requests via the contact form of my website, but once or twice, there have been some I refuse to paint. Otherwise, I just hear things in conversation or jokes on the radio that give me an idea. Pictures I have painted of my little pussy cat, however, have usually titled themselves. The boy has introduced me to the Urban Dictionary and will always contact me when he thinks of something that will work.”#6
And although not everyone sees the comedy in the titles, besides truly amazing art, the titles make Fielding stand out from the crowd.
“You would be surprised just how many people don’t clock the titles. Sometimes I wonder if I’m too subtle! I have a few patrons that buy my work on face value. The original paintings do not have the titles on them like the prints do. I like to think that people are buying into the project as a whole. As long as they are well-hung and people appreciate my tits and stuff, I don’t really mind. I know for a fact that several people who follow my feeds enjoy the works for what they are and will always comment with charming positivity on the aesthetics. My work sells all around the world via the shop in my website so I’m doing something right.”#8
The artist manages to fit her own family members and life experiences into her artwork.
“I’m currently looking after my sister at her home in Hertfordshire. She tells me, ‘the paintings are nice but I’m not sure about the title.’ I often feature my wonderful stepchildren and grandchildren in my works and they are always delighted to see parts of their lives popping up on my feed. My ex-boyfriend, Frank, was with me for a large part of my life and documenting some of our happiest times is a very cathartic part of the process. The paintings are true. He really could ‘destroy a chocolate box while I was sleeping’ and sadly, when he suddenly moved out, genuinely DID ‘surprise me with his junk in my back passage.’”#10
Neighbour Fills My Gaping Hole (With Drawers Pulled To One Side)
We asked Fielding what comes first—painting or title, to which she responded that it’s half and half.
“The camera phone changed how I work completely. I’m always taking photographs of things I find interesting or encounter from day to day. They are wonderful to use or composite together to create pieces. Sometimes the title comes first, so that’s not always a bad thing. I paint wherever I can, which is currently a kitchen table as I don’t have access to my studio. Each piece can take me a few days, as I will work a couple of hours at a time. My eyes aren’t what they used to be.”#12
“In truth, I am a very private person. I wouldn’t say shy, but my taste in comedy is much more traditional than you would think. This is something I have discovered from engaging with social media at a later stage of life. It gives one an anonymous voice. I interact with my followers online in a manner I probably would not consider face to face. This isn’t always a good thing, but it has worked out well for me and my fan base. I admire a lot of character-based comedy such as Spinal Tap, Alan Partridge, or Count Arthur Strong. I think it’s wonderful the talent some people have to live out alter-egos and turn them into entertainment.”#14
The artist sells her beautifully drawn watercolor paintings, but because of that unexpected twist in the title, people often buy them as a prank and a naughty gift.
“I’m first to admit that I know people sometimes buy my works as a prank for unsuspecting in-laws and wonder just how many are hanging in downstairs toilets waiting for the owner to realize. Covid-19 put a stop to me having a stall at a local arts fair and exhibitions in general for now, which is a shame as I am eager to see a reaction from the general public. Gary tells me that more than once a ‘Tits Around Fat Balls’ has been returned to his Coffee Lab by a red-faced customer.”#16
Lastly, we asked Fielding what keeps her inspired: “The process of painting itself is very mindful. I often drift off while I’m working and then realize I’ve spent several minutes sitting examining my bristles. I am a huge fan of pop art, particularly Peter Blake, Jamie Reid, and Andy Warhol and have had an homage project up my sleeve for a few months’ time. Bridget Riley and Cy Twombly are two of my classical favorites. Visiting the original ‘Sensation’ exhibition in 1997 changed my whole view on modern and conceptual art. I’m a massive fan of all the homegrown new-wave artists that sprang from that, especially Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin. Now there’s a lady with a sense of humor.
Social media has introduced me to many contemporary personalities with a skewed take on art. Those I admire include Ryan Gander, Mr Bingo, Heath Kane, Rob Lowe (Supermundane), David Bellingham, and Cold War Steve. They use varying degrees of humor in their work and are well worth looking up on Instagram or Twitter.”#18
Rob Lond-Caulk is a developer who took an old farm and turned it into the most beautiful, fancy and luxury mansion that anyone of us would love to live in.
Rob has renovated an agricultural building called The Old Grain Store in Norfolk, UK, he transformed it into a dream house that’s worth $1.3 million now.
This fancy home has four bedrooms, three reception rooms, a media room, sun terrace and many more fancy extras! Scroll down to see the finished result yourself!
If you’re not familiar with what rephotography is, it’s the art of reshooting old photos of places in the modern day as accurately as possible. This can prove to be rather tricky, especially when it comes to really old photos, as the places often change dramatically over the years, and finding the exact spot where a picture was taken almost a hundred (or even more!) years ago is really challenging. Nevertheless, the users of the r/OldPhotosInRealLife subreddit love a good challenge and constantly provide us with amazing recreations of old photos in modern times, proving how time changes things – and not always for the better.
Check out some great examples of rephotography in the gallery below and if you want more, explore the amazing work of re.photos here!
#11 The Banyan Tree In Maui. Top Photo Taken By My Grandfather While He Was Stationed There During Wwii. Bottom I Took Without Knowing His Photo Existed
#13 The Changing Face Of St Bartholomew-The-Great’s Gatehouse In Smithfield, Which Was Built In 1595 And Some Point Bricked Over. It Was Bombed During A Ww1 Zeppelin Raid Knocking Off Some Bricks Revealing Its Tudor Half-Timbered Facade. It Was Restored To How It Looks Today. 1916 vs. Now
One day, this guy just kind of figured – “I spend most of my time on the internet anyway, why not turn it into a profession?” – and he did! Now he not only gets to browse the latest cat videos and fresh memes every day but also shares them with people all over the world, making sure they stay up to date with everything that’s trending on the web. Some things that always pique his interest are old technologies, literature and all sorts of odd vintage goodness. So if you find something that’s too bizarre not to share, make sure to hit him up!
Got wisdom to pour?
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This artist by the name of milkdongcomics on Instagram creates illustrations. However, those illustrations are not simply art. They have a heavy message behind them—animal abuse. Many of us don’t even think about all the ways animals are being mistreated by humanity. So this artist created a project called “Murder Scene” to shock us back to reality.
The art may be uncomfortable for many people, but it’s the sad reality of many critters in this world. Perhaps this art will make us rethink our actions and create a world safe for animals. Many organizations are already working towards that. Consider donating to shelters and institutions working to save animals and give them a better life.
Animal abuse is common all over the world. Research shows that animal abuse strongly connects with abuse against people. The most common animals abused are pets, like cats, dogs, and farm animals.
There are many forms animal abuse takes: from hoarding too many animals, breeding them incorrectly, to slaughtering them for fur, horns, and teeth, to even organizing fights and pitting animals against one another. Many would argue that there aren’t enough laws to help prevent animal abuse; usually, people responsible for mistreating animals are not persecuted.
There are many discussions about testing drugs, makeup, and other products on animals. Many companies are going the cruelty-free route—however, many believe it’s necessary to ensure the safety of the product.
Humans and animals have been inseparable from one another from the very beginning. Animals are a very important part of our lives, not to mention our planet. So please be considerate and report any animal abuse you see, donate, and help this world become a safer place for them.
LiBye21 hours agoI really hope they stop capturing animals from the wild to show them off in zoos. It’s better to appreciate them in their natural habitats and not as part of capitalism. I also hope they stop forcing them to breed.
M O’Connell21 hours agoHoly hell. As the proud parent of a grey & white one-eyed tailless gimp-legged cat, I don’t know! But I’m doing my best. image-2019…e47e2d.jpg
Mari12 hours agothese sharks die without fins. they need them to swim, sharks always need to keep moving, and without fins, they can’t, and die 🙁 its so sad. would you like it if someone cut you arms and feet off, and then didn’t care if you slowly bled to death?
Tess18 hours agoI didn’t understand this at first but entrapping Civets for tourism and some “better” coffee? Mmm yummy animal diarrhoea! Who even tested that in the first place?
Dancer Clare Meardon from West Cornwall in the UK has been dressing up in different jaw-dropping costumes to walk her dog Hendrix. She’s been doing this since the start of April after her friend dared her to mix it up and step outside in unusual clothes. Now, Clare’s making all of us smile with video clips filmed by her husband Aidan.
Some of the costumes that the 40-year-old dancer has tried out include dressing up as a ballerina, a masked superhero with a cape, and even a unicorn. Honestly, we can’t wait to see what she’ll come up with next! Clare told Bored Panda that she didn’t expect her costumes to be so popular. “It started off as just a way of making my friends laugh as some were having a tough time. It was all just a silly bit of fun!” Scroll down for the rest of our interview with the dancer.
Clare isn’t the only Brit to dress up in fancy costumes when going outside. Check out Bored Panda’s previous posts about a postman, as well as one former Royal Marinewho did the same to cheer up their neighbors.
We were interested to find out what costumes Clare has planned for this week. “A ‘walker’ never gives away her secrets!” she joked before adding that she’s not sure yet. “I have a ‘normal walk’ with my husband in the morning and we decide on a theme and I go from there!”
Clare also added that the walks she does in costumes happen right outside their house, so it’s fully in line with government guidelines.
The dancer also had some great advice about keeping physically and mentally fit during lockdown.
“Keep it light. Don’t take life too seriously. Get up and do it, you’ll feel better if you do something physical or productive as soon as you get up. Even 10 minutes of light exercise first thing will boost your mood and endorphins and make you have a better day.”
She added: “We are all responsible for our own health and well-being, we are just here to give you a helping hand along the way. We are posting short clips and doing live workouts on our Facebook and Instagram, whether you want a 1-minute plank or a full hour of Pilates, dance, stretching or fitness, we have it all. You deserve to feel amazing. All our workouts and videos are being done for free. We just want to share some fun and fitness for all during this difficult time.”
“Because I run a dance school, I have a lot of costumes which I make myself,” Clare told Caters News. “We were meant to be having a show in July, so I’d taken them all home to fix ahead of that. I was mending the Eve costume, and because it’s a stretch fabric it is actually much easier to work with while you are wearing it, so I put it on.”
One of the dancer’s dog walks involved dressing up as a ballerina
She said that was the moment that she realized that this could be a great funny photo opportunity. When she sent the photo to her friends, one of them dared her to go for a walk dressed like that.
“When she said that, how could I not? After I posted the first clip online, people said watching it was the highlight of their day and I realized just how much of a bad time a lot of people must be having at the moment and how everyone needed something to laugh about.”
So she decided to keep things going. “So the next day, I dressed as a ballerina and walked along the pavement in my pointed shoes. The hype just built and built from there to post a new video each day!”
Clare, who runs the Savvy Studios in Hayle, revealed that she wants to make people laugh and smile while they’re all stuck at home because of the lockdown. “Laughter is the most important medicine for everyone, now more than ever. For me, mental health is as important as physical health. You can have a fantastically fit body, but if your head is full of negativity, you aren’t healthy.”
And here’s Clare as a superhero with her trust doggo sidekick
The dancer believes that each of the characters that she dresses up as represents a part of her personality or how she’s feeling on that particular day. “The superhero costume came from a desire to ‘be fierce’ and remind women they can be whoever they want to be—they can be sexy and sassy and funny and ridiculous all at once.”
Here’s how some people reacted when they saw Clare’s photos
Have you learned any new talents while being stuck in quarantine? How about some languages? Don’t worry if the answer is “no” – you still have plenty of time to do that as it looks like the quarantine won’t be lifted anytime soon. But while you and I are stuck at home learning Spanish on Duolingo, some artists are still out there creating amazing street art.
Graffiti artists all over the world are creating coronavirus related street art their art pieces are as accurate as they are funny. Check them out in the gallery below!
From the artist’s Instagram:
“We all are going through this together. There is a reason which we will see after all. It’s time to look at ourselves. Take a look at what are we doing with the planet and our lifetime. Maybe we should change our priorities? Maybe we should slow down? Maybe we should take a look around and start respect our planet and all those with whom we share it? Maybe someone is trying to hide some changes? Or economic collapse? Maybe one more step to a new world order?”
One day, this guy just kind of figured – “I spend most of my time on the internet anyway, why not turn it into a profession?” – and he did! Now he not only gets to browse the latest cat videos and fresh memes every day but also shares them with people all over the world, making sure they stay up to date with everything that’s trending on the web. Some things that always pique his interest are old technologies, literature and all sorts of odd vintage goodness. So if you find something that’s too bizarre not to share, make sure to hit him up!
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Photoshop is an amazing tool that can help you turn even the most mediocre photos into masterpieces. You can do almost anything you want – fix the lighting, adjust the colors, apply a filter – the possibilities are endless! However, there are times where you actually take a picture that’s so incredible, people have a hard time believing it’s not photoshopped.
Be it skill or pure luck, sometimes we end up capturing shots that look almost too amazing to be real. People are sharing their stunning photos online and you’ll have a hard time believing there was no Photoshop involved. Clever angles, perfect timing, a little creativity and a dash of luck – check out the incredible photos you won’t believe aren’t photoshopped in the gallery below!
#1 My Friend Just Got This Once In A Lifetime Picture
#23 6 Years Ago I Posted My Wife’s Eye That Her Doctor Told Her Was The Weirdest He’d Ever Seen. Since Then My Photography’s Improved Quite A Bit, So Here’s A New Pic I Took A Couple Days Ago
Most people nowadays recognize the problem that is plastic pollution and many are finding ways to fight it. From reducing personal plastic use to banning single-use plastic straws, both civilians and governments are trying to fight the ever-growing amount of waste we produce. Waste that can take thousands of years to break down. One of the people who’s taken a pro-active role in this fight is Toby McCartney, an engineer who seemingly found just the perfect use for plastic waste.
The Scottish man was inspired by two things. First, he said that his daughter’s concerns over large amounts of plastic in the oceans were something that touched him deeply as he realized that his child shouldn’t grow up in a world where the image of the beautiful sea would be tainted by plastic waste. Secondly, while on a trip to India, McCartney noticed local people melt plastic waste to fill potholes on their roads. That gave him an idea to start a company.
This company creates pellets out of plastic waste and uses them to make roads
The company, MacRebur, has its origin story detailed on its website:
“The idea was born when our CEO, Toby McCartney, was working in Southern India with a charity helping people who work on landfill sites as ‘pickers.’ Their job is to gather potentially reusable items and sell them to be turned from rubbish into something useful again.
Some of the waste plastics retrieved by the pickers were put into potholes, diesel poured all over them, and the rubbish set alight until the plastics melted into the craters to form a makeshift plastic pothole filler.”
However, McCartney quickly realized that councils in the UK wouldn’t be too happy about the idea of burning plastic and diesel, so he had to find a better way to execute the idea. Toby got together with his friends, Gordon Reid and Nick Burnett, to launch MacRebur in April 2016—the name being based on part of each of their surnames. From there, they started developing a technique and formula to achieve their goal—use plastic waste for road construction.
They take plastic from commercial and household use (the split is about 60 percent commercial and 40 percent household) and use a granulator to turn it into small pieces of no more than 5mm. Their website details the process: “Next, the plastic granules are mixed with our activator—it’s this that makes the plastic bind properly into our roads. Our activator is patented and what’s in it is a secret! This blend of plastic granules and the activator—let’s call it the MacRebur mix—then goes to an asphalt producer.”
Regular asphalt is made mostly from bitumen and stone. However, MacRebur’s technology replaces a chunk of bitumen used in the asphalt, which, in turn, decreases the use of fossil fuel. “We can do this because we are turning the plastic into its original oil-based state and binding it to the stone with the help of our activator,” they explained.
The company also makes sure to use proper temperatures to avoid microplastics getting out and polluting nature:
“Well, making asphalt requires heat—usually around 180°C. We make sure that all the plastic we use melts at a temperature lower than this—around 120°C—so it homogenises properly without creating microplastics. It’s for this reason that we can’t use all plastic waste but we can use most things, including black plastic, which is difficult to recycle.” MacRebur reported that it doesn’t use recycled or new plastic.
In an interview with CNN, McCartney claims that because of their special formula, the roads they produce are 60% stronger than traditional roads. He also noted that the lab tests they ran project that the roads made from their product may last up to three times longer than regular ones.
“We went through about five to six hundred different designs of different polymers that we were mixing in before we found one that actually worked,” he said. “At the end of the day, plastic is a great product,” he says. “It lasts for long, which is a problem if it’s a waste product, but not a problem if we want it to last,” McCartney concluded.
You can learn more about the process in the video below
My name is Rachel Austin. I’m a textile artist based in Gloucestershire in the UK. I have been needle felting for a few years now, and more recently, I tried to photograph my creations using a standard lightbox I purchased from Amazon. The photos of my little sculptures didn’t come out quite as I wanted them. My daughter, who is studying A level DT, is always coming up with amazing product ideas and designs. She came up with an idea of a design for a unique lightbox, which would not only let in a lot more light but also allow for easy, changeable scene building/assembling.
I really hope you like these little woolly scenes, which would not be possible without the help of my wonderful daughter, Sophie! If you’d like to see more, please feel free to check out my Facebook and Instagram.
Also, stop by my other posts on Bored Panda here, here, and here.
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