frayed at the edge

Adding a little bit of spice!

Don't worry, I haven't been reading the Kama Sutra, just adding lots of spice to tonight's dinner!!  I decided to try out my new tagine, which I got with the online voucher which I won last week - I bought it from CSN Stores, which as well as cookware sell all sorts of things from ceiling lights to furniture.  I decided to cook lamb tagine ...... this recipe is loosely based on one of  Nigella's

 

diced neck fillet

4 large mushrooms

1 large onion

dates

a generous half-teaspoon of each spice and salt to taste

pomegranite juice (forgot to include that in the photo!)

I browned the lamb then put it on a plate while I cooked the onion and mushroom.  I added the spices and salt and cooked them for a few minutes before adding the lamb and the dates.  Finally I added about 100mls of juice and the same of water, put the lid on and left it to cook

 

If this was a cookery programme on tv, we would now be treated to some scenic shots while the tagine cooks .... I wouldn't want to disappoint you, so here are some photos I took when we went for a walk after lunch

Malcolm striding ahead!

 

The Minto Hills look different every day in the changing light

 

who stole my woolly coat?

 

So while we enjoyed those photos, the tagine simmered away, until the lamb was so tender it was starting to fall apart

 

Normally, I would serve this with couscous, but we had some hasselback potatoes (Malcolm bought them as they were on special offer in the supermarket!!) ..... delicious, I will definitely serve it with potatoes again

 

Having cooked this several times, I would say that it was better done in the tagine - but next time I will do it in the oven, as it boiled over a little, although I had the burner turned down as low as possible.  So thanks again to Rattling on for picking me as the winner for her giveaway!

I even had time this afternoon to do some sewing ..... but yes, you've guessed, I'll tell you about that tomorrow!! 

 

 
 

 
 
 
  
  

Bits and Bobs

Today's post is a bit of a motley collection!  This morning, I was deadheading the vase of flowers which Jennifer gave me when she came to stay ...... I am delighted that the lilies have lasted so long

 

 

On the wall facing the flowers is this embroidery which I did years ago for my Mum and Dad - I think it must be about thirty years old!

 

When I left after lunch to meet Lorraine to go to knit'n'natter, Malcolm was busy doing the last bit of landscaping beside the summer house.  He was making a path which will be topped with slate chips, to match the path on the other side of the grass.  I would have included him in the photo, but he had on his most disreputable gardening clothes!

 

Having finished the wash cloths, I am now working on tea cosies for the Chritmas fair.  This is the first version (it will have a pompom on the top once it is sewn up)

 

 

and this is the second version

 

 

The yarn is stranded across the back, which makes the cosy extra thick to keep the teapot warm

 

 

Work continues on Kylie's second cushion ........

 

...... you might think hand quilting is a gentle way of working, but it is quite sore on my fingers!  I know that the needle has gone through the three layers to form the stitch when it pricks my left forefinger - after a few days, I develop a hard piece of skin for the needle to hit - but sometimes I miss it and have been known to utter naughty words!  But the most painful one happens to my right thumb - I pinch the fabric as the needle comes through to keep the gap between the stitches small - but sometimes the needle slips and stabs me under my nail - I have some real swear words for when that happens!

 

 

 

 

I'm going to stop making plans ......

...... because I have to keep changing them!  Today, I was going to work in the studio in the morning, have lunch, then work in the studio in the afternoon ....... but .......  the firm who installed the summer house and did the paving last week arrived this morning to finish the job.  First some panes of glass had to be fitted to the summerhouse, then a special coating was applied to the paving slabs.  This meant that I couldn't walk on them to get to the studio until later in the day.  So I spent the morning hand quilting instead.  Kylie's first cushion is done and I have started on the second one

 

 

Eventually, I was able to get into the studio and made a start to the next row of my quilt.  I am looking forward to doing this one - six cute little girls

 

 

I am going to use bondaweb to attach the girls to the background fabric, then blanket stitch round them, so the first stage was to trace all the parts

 

 

I raided my stash for some small pieces of reproduction fabrics for the dresses and pinafores (I bought them in Singapore in 1998, when I had to stay there when there was trouble in Indonesia!)

 

 

I also found some black fabric for the bodies and a variety of plain fabrics for their shoes.  Here is the first cutie

 

 

While I was busy in the studio, Malcolm replaced my flower pots and welcome frogs at the door

 

 

It turned a bit wet and miserable at dinnertime, but it is drying up again, so I hope it will be dry for my walk in the morning ..... although we do need some rain, as we have had very little for weeks - if only it would rain overnight and be gloriously sunny through the day!!

 

Yet another change of plan!

We had intended to go for a walk yesterday morning - but not long after we got up it started to rain ...... and rain and rain.  The rain did go off later, but then it got windy .... and windier.  After one of my flower pots blew over, I moved them to the shelter of the log store

 

 

This morning when I went for my walk, I spent quite a lot of time lifting branches off the road - it must have been even wilder during the night!!  I also picked up some little bits and pieces and had fun making this 'still life' when I got home

 

 

I mentioned last week that I had won Rattling on's giveaway.  My prize was a voucher to spend online on something for the kitchen.  Unfortunately the voucher wasn't quite enough to buy an Aga!!  After a bit of thought, I decided to buy something I wanted, rather than something basic.  So what did I get ..... a gorgeous tagine, which arrived at lunchtime

 

 

I spent the afternoon both yesterday and today in the studio, working on the houses for my 'row' quilt.  Here they are waiting to be trimmed .......

 

 

....... then stitched together

 

 

I've had another play with the embellisher ..... and again I  wet the felt, then molded it - this time round a glass which had held a scented candle.  However, as last time, it is just a bit too soft - I think I will have to use proper wet felting to produce a felt with more body.  Never mind, it is very pretty!

 

 

I have almost finished the quilting on the first of Kylie's cushions ......

 

 

..... so this afternoon I marked out the second one.  This is a detail of the centre

 

 

So ...... how did the visit go?  Very well!!  Alison is lovely and we got on fine.  Malcolm cooked a new recipe - boneless pork loin coated with a mixture of maple syrup and cajun seasoning - it was delicious!  We went out for breakfast on Saturday, before they headed back to Falkirk via Ikea ..... amazingly they didn't buy anything (not even a bargain bag of tealights!) but of course they did have meatballs for lunch (we always have them too!!)

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Shadow Shot Sunday

 

 

Two weeks ago, we went out for breakfast (my treat, as it was Fathers' Day).  Duly fortified with bacon sandwiches, we then went on one of our favourite walks.  There were some wonderful shadows .........

light at the end of the tunnel

 

little patches of light on the path

 

the shadow of the leaves looks like lace on the tree trunk

 

a brand new Lotus

 

That last shadow shot was for the boys, because the next one is for the girls ....... yes, it's a new month and another braw laddie baring (almost) all for this good cause.  I thought I had better show that it is really a page of a calendar, as last month Magical Mystery Teacher was worried I had taken the photo myself!!

 

Do pop over to Hey Harriet to see what other shadow shots have been found around the world! 
  
   

 

Lazing on a sunny afternoon!

When I arrived home from patch'n'chat, I would have rushed out into the garden to see the summerhouse ........ but first I had to meet a very special visitor!  Stuart and his new girlfriend Alison  arrived just minutes before I got home, so I thought I had better meet Alison before disappearing into the garden to take photos!

 

if you can't find me - I'll be here!  

 

 

we were glad that we could keep the tree!

 

 

I'm looking forward to getting my flower pots back at the door

 

When Malcolm was giving Stuart's cracket a final polish this morning, I realised that I hadn't taken a photo .......

 

I should have got Stuart to sit on it for another photo!

 

It's Friday, which means cake, and Wimbledon, which means strawberries ......

 

I accidently sat in the seat with the biggest slice!!

 

No doubt for the next two days I'll be in the summerhouse, enjoying the weekend .... I hope you have a lovely weekend too, love, Anne

 

Minor and major changes

The plan for today was to go into Hawick this morning, then I would spend the afternoon in the studio, while Malcolm finished a cracket he has made for Stuart.  However, there was a minor change to that plan when we met Lorraine as we left The Pickled Orange, where we had just enjoyed a cuppa and an excellent date and walnut scone.  So the minor change to the day was that I went to visit Lorraine this afternoon, to help her with laptop/printer issues.  Lorraine won't be at all offended if I tell you that she is a complete technophobe (actually, I could say what I like about her, as she doesn't read this!!)  She was recently given a laptop by her brother, and her son had set up internet access on it, but she was struggling to cope with it.  Then her brother gave her a printer, which was just a piece of technology too far for her!!  So I spent the afternoon taking her through the steps for her to access her e-mails and to use the printer .... she was delighted to discover it is also a copier!  And as an extra, I installed the software for her camera, so she is all set (maybe!)

Meanwhile, at home, the major change was happening ..... we had a summerhouse in our last garden, which we used a lot, and since we moved here we have talked about getting another one.  Several weeks ago, we finally took the plunge, bought a summerhouse and arranged to have it installed, along with some associated hard landscaping.  So this is what I came home to ....

 

The paved area outside the studio door had sunk in places, and we got puddles when it rained, so we chose to have the blocks lifted and paving slabs laid instead  This gives a nice defined area outside the studio, where I can have my flower pots.

 

the slabs have a nice texture

 

The paved area has been extended to take the summerhouse, and the slabs will come along the front to provide a path.  The work should be finished tomorrow!

 

I've been working on Kylie's cushions ....

 

 

cutting the fabric

 

 

 

 

the fabric and pattern on the lightbox, ready to mark

 

 

 

 

the layers basted together and ready to quilt

 

 

 

 

the quilting is going well

 

It is probably just as well that I shall be at patch'n'chat tomorrow afternoon when Andy Murray plays Rafael Nadal in the semi finals at Wimbledon - I think I would have to watch it from behind the sofa!!