frayed at the edge

It's beginning to .......

........ smell a lot like Christmas, as I baked the cake this afternoon.  As always I used the recipe in this book, which I have had for years

 

as I always make the same size, I long ago highlighted the column, to make it easier to follow

 

is it just me that is getting a bit bah-humbug about the Christmas-isation of so many things ..... I just don't see why the butter has to have special packaging!

 

the ingredients assembled

 

I washed and dried the cherries, then cut them in half.  I added them to the fruit, which had been soaking in brandy since Monday.  I then stirred in a spoonful of flour - this helps stop the fruit from sinking to the bottom of the cake

 

the cake tin buttered and lined, and wrapped in brown paper to stop the outside of the cake from cooking too quickly

 

a little tip - before you put the cake in the oven, poke a hole in the middle - this helps keep the top of the cake flat

 

testing the cake with a skewer, to see if it is cooked in the middle

 

the cake tin is a loose-bottomed one, so standing it on a tin makes it easier to remove the outer ring

 

cooling on the wire rack, before being wrapped first in baking parchment, then foil.  Over the next couple of weeks, I will feed it with brandy before I ice it

 

it got rather overcast and dull later in the afternoon, but then we had a glorious sunset

 

with the dark clouds contrasting nicely with the pinks and oranges

 

hopefully the clouds will stay, and it won't freeze overnight

 

Little Miss Smarty Pants sorry, I mean my dear friend, the lovely Meredithe, is now on her 16th pair of socks, while I am on my 15th, so we should both complete our "16 in 16" challenge by the end of the year.  When I showed Malcolm my latest effort, he said what you are no doubt shouting at me ........ you numptie, you forgot the heel!!

 

but this is a pair of "afterthought heel" socks.  The pink stitches were knitted with an oddment of wool, which I removed to reveal the stitches for the heel

 

and here is the sock with its heel

 

I will be back tomorrow with an extra post, to make a very special announcement, so please do pop in to read all about it!!

A little bit of bling

When we were browsing in a charity shop in Berwick last week, Malcolm spotted the earrings and I spotted the necklace ........ perfect little bits of bling for Nelly!

 

I had also bought a length of gold ric rac last week, which I might use to trim her saddle cloth

 

I decided that Nelly ought to have the sun shining on her, so I marked it in the corner

 

and stitched it with a heavy Madeira thread

 

I also decided to give her a cap, and fussy cut a piece of silk

 

then I found a little sample of posh silk curtain fabric, which has heavy gold embroidery.  I trimmed the excess fabric off, then bonded it to the saddle

 

next, I quilted the sky with a loopy meander.  The plan is to stitch beads or sequins in each loop

 

a search through my thread stash produced a lovely heavy variegated thread, perfect for quilting the grass

 

the next step was to trim the wallhanging

 

then add the binding.  Once it is stitched in place on the back, I can have fun adding all the bling!

 

yesterday morning we went out for a walk, then treated ourselves to something we haven't had for ages ...... one of our famous two-scone lunches!  A delicious cheese scone still warm from the oven

 

and a rather tasty cherry scone

 

After the storm

Yesterday morning dawned cold and frosty

 

you can see the tracks that departing lorries, which had been parked in the dock overnight, left in the frost

 

we walked over to town mid-morning, pausing to watch one of the Christmas lights being attached to the top of a lamp post.  These days we are used to over-the-top "health and safety" ....... but there was just one man directing the traffic round the large machine taking up most of the road, no traffic cones, no temporary lights, not even stop and go boards

 

there has been a major refurbishment project going on for months on these two old buildings.  As they are the first buildings you see if you cross the old bridge into Berwick, it will make a great difference when the work is done, giving a much better impression of the town to visitors

 

this is looking at the works from the other side.  The businesses affected by the disruption will be very glad when it is finished

 

Malcolm spotted this town crest on an old lamp post

 

after lunch, we went for a walk on the beach ....... and were amazed at the aftermath of Storm Angus

 

Malcolm surveying some of the detritus

 

do you remember that after last year's storms we kept seeing turnips on the beach?  Well, this time it is apples

 

I wonder if they were stripped from trees by the storm, or is someone has lost their apple store

 

this year, as well as lots of tyres

 

there was a complete wheel!

 

Malcolm thinks this is part of a feed trough

 

here he is showing the scale of this enormous tree trunk

 

it is amazing that these huge trunks have come down the river, through all three bridges, to be washed up on the beach

 

this lump would look good in the garden - if only you could lift it

 

another interesting piece - you can pay a lot of money in garden centres to buy these stumps

 

I think the shadow of this branch looks like someone dancing with a handful of ribbons

 

another large piece of tree

 

and this is it seen from the other side, with the lighthouse in the background

 

but amongst all the rubbish, there were still little bits of treasure .......  a pretty shard of china

 

and a piece of seaglass (note to self : please knit new fingerless mitts, those pink ones are rather tatty!!)

 

Malcolm threw this at me - fans of Harry Potter might agree with him that it looks like a mandrake

 

this sheltered corner of sand still had frost on it

 

a lot of sand has been deposited on the promenade

 

I wonder if the café owners really expected anyone to sit outside in the cold for a cuppa?

 

it won't be long until all the usable wood will have been cut up and taken away, to be added to log piles  (Malcolm has asked Santa for a Land Rover and a chain saw for Christmas, but I somehow think he will be disappointed on Christmas morning when he looks under the tree for his presents!)

 

after forgetting to have cake last week (!), I made sure we went for a cuppa at the Garden Centre this morning.  We shared this slice of deliciously gooey chocolate cake

 

and yes, we ate the little snowman too!

 

we'll be heading back home tomorrow morning, and I hope to get some more work done on Nelly.  I will also be putting the finishing touches to a special announcement for later in the week!  Have a great weekend, love Anne

Just a little bit chilly!

We got up on Monday to a world turned white.  Fortunately it was white with frost and not snow.  I wrapped up in my big winter jacket and ventured out into the garden to take some photos.  This is the top of a fence post

 

there wasn't any sun to show the time on the frosty sun dial

 

the frost made the lambs' ears look even more fuzzy than they usually do

 

so what is this frost on?

 

the old wooden garden furniture

 

this is an unopened bud on the passion flower

 

a little toadstool in the grass

 

frost patterns on the windows of the summerhouse

 

I remember windows in our house looking like this when I was little, in the days before double glazing and central heating!

 

I told you it was cold!!

 

a delicate edging of frost on a rose

 

this is a bud on the miniature rose - it is about the size of a pea!

 

a dusting of frost on a clematis flower ......

 

........ and on the pot of sage

 

in the front garden, the rowan berries are loosing their colour

 

the owl is looking grumpy - but I would too if I was frozen and had a hole in my head!

 

This little bird looks a bit happier!

 

this is a colour photo, but the green of the conifer is covered by the frost

 

the frosty Minto Hills in the distance

 

later in the morning, when I went to put the weekly food shopping in the boot of the car, I noticed these little icicles hanging over the number plate!!

 

yesterday we had a flying visit to Stuart and Alison, stopping on the way for lunch at Manderston's

 

Malcolm had delicious mushroom soup

 

and I had a tasty cheese and chutney toastie

 

this morning, instead of heading back to Hawick, we pottered down the A1 to Berwick.  Hopefully the weather will stay dry and bright (if cold) and we'll be out and about ....... there may even be some sconnage consumed!

 

 

Of course I've called her Nelly!

On Saturday, we had a very enjoyable workshop with Pat Archibald.  I've known Pat for 22 years (we assured each other that we look just the same as we did all those years ago!).  When she first started out, I did several workshops with her, but this is the first I have done for some time.  As you can see, we were going to make the most wonderful elephant wallhanging (are you now singing Nelly the elephant packed her trunk ......)

 

but first, we got to play with beautifully carved wooden printing blocks which Pat had brought back from India, and lovely thick, gloopy ink

 

we practised first on scrap fabric

 

finding out how much ink to put on the block, and how much pressure to apply to get a clear print

 

then, after our experiments

 

we printed cotton bags

 

once the ink dried, we ironed it to set it, so if necessary, the bag can be washed

 

next we stamped all over the fabric for our elephants, so we each had a unique pattern

 

using the pattern, I traced the elephant on to fusible web

 

I cut it out and set it aside

 

while I repeated the process with two fabrics for the saddle cloths

 

I stamped the two saddle cloth fabrics

 

and having cut out the ear and the tusk, assembled Nelly

 

having fused all the elements of Nelly together, except for her ear, I then fused her to the background, which I had prepared at home

 

at this stage, I had stitched round most of Nelly

 

you can see the stitching better on the wrong side

 

back home, I looked out some bits and pieces to decorate Nelly ....... I shall have to add some beads and bells as well

 

we had a fabulous day with Pat.  As well as being a very talented, award winning quilter, she is also an excellent teacher, explaining all the steps clearly, and getting us through a great deal of work, without our feeling under pressure.  Do click on the link above and explore her website - she travels all round the world teaching, so one day she may be in a town near you!  She also has kits for sale, so check out her shop as well

Today didn't quite .......

........ turned out as planned!  As Malcolm is over at the flat (I stayed home because I have my Pat Archibald workshop tomorrow), I thought I would pop up to Melrose and have a look for some presents for his Christmas stocking.  As you can see from the ice on the birdbath, it was rather cold this morning, and that caused a bit of a problem when I went out.  To cut a long story short, one of my windscreen wipers had stuck to the ice on the windscreen, the other hadn't, and they got in a tangle and one of them got rather bent out of shape (I was too busy saying naughty words to think of taking a photo!).  So instead of heading to Melrose and a potter round the shops, I had to head to Kelso and the Ford dealers, to get the wiper fixed

 

the Ford boys didn't have a spare wiper part in stock - so they took one off a brand new car on the forecourt and popped it on my car!  Exhausted by all the trauma drama inconvenience, I headed to the local garden centre for refreshments

 

I resisted the temptations of Julian's excellent fruit and veggies

 

although I did have a quick check to see if there was anything worth taking from the free firewood bins (there wasn't)

 

so having bought a half-price, out-of-date craft magazine to read, I was soon tucking in to the most wonderful bacon roll.  I'm not quite sure if this was a second breakfast or an early lunch!  Then the day took a definite turn for the better, as I was joined by Margaret, Queen of Applique, and her husband Stan (they had coffee and delicious scones).  We had a lovely long blether, then I thought  really had to get on with the day's objective!

 

I might have bought one or two little things in the garden centre for Malcolm, then I walked over to the town centre ....... and was further cheered up by the blue sky and this tree (or perhaps very large shrub) covered in bright red berries

 

on the way back to the car, (having perhaps bought one or two little somethings for Malcolm) I walked through the old graveyard

 

which is beside the Abbey

 

when I uploaded my photos this afternoon, I discovered that my "Photos" software had been updated, and one of the new things on offer was a variety of filters.  I applied one called "slate" to this shot of the Abbey.  Not quite B&W, you can still see a little bit of colour in the traffic cone

 

back home, there were lots of birds in the front garden.  I was frustrated trying to take a clear photo of the nuthatch, as it was constantly on the move

 

pecking at a piece of driftwood

 

but finally it kept still long enough for a clearer shot.  I love the black band across its eyes, making it look like a cartoon villain

 

there always has to be one bird that keeps it back turned!

 

another option the upgrade offers is being able to write/draw on photos!

 

I can't believe it - but I forgot to have a cake this afternoon!!  Hopefully someone will bring some baking to the workshop tomorrow, or I might have to pop out to Greggs at lunchtime.  We keep being threatened with terrible weather, but hopefully it will stay away until I am home from the workshop ..... and until Malcolm gets home on Sunday morning!  Whatever your weather, have a wonderful weekend, love Anne

 

Super moon

I didn't see the super moon when it rose on Monday night, as it was too cloudy

 

but I took these two photos yesterday morning.  A little bit of cloud was just moving across the bottom right hand side as I snapped this one

 

I don't seem to have got much sewing done recently, so on Sunday I knuckled down to make a start on the Advent calendar that I bought when we were in Hampshire

 

I cut out the strips for the pockets, and top-stitched the top edges with silver thread

 

the strips are then folded to give small pleats on either side of the dotted line.  The first strip all pressed - I only scorched several of my fingers!

 

the strip pinned in place ready to be stitched down the sides and across the bottom

 

then the pockets are stitched in place along the dotted lines

 

you will just have to take my word that this shows the first strip of pockets stitched in place!

 

yesterday, I stitched on the other three strips of pockets, but you can't really see them either!

 

layered up, ready to quilt

 

to finish, on Monday afternoon I saw Margaret, the Queen of Applique.  She had her two latest projects with her.  This isn't the best of photos, but I didn't get the chance to take a better one.  I love the hares, but I'm not so keen on the foxes.  The leaves are all cut from beautiful batik fabrics and bonded on to the background - they just need to be blanket-stitched in place

 

this snowman block is fabulous - do click on it to enlarge it, to see all the details that she has stitched, and the embellishments that she has added

Chips by the ocean!

 On Saturday the sun was shining, so we decided that rather than going for a walk on the beach, we would have a day out in Eyemouth.  The first thing to catch my eye was this somewhat complicated knot - and its shadow

 

an imaginative bit of upcycling in front of the Lifeboat office!

 

the water in the harbour was brown from the river running into it, following some very heavy rain

 

a family of swans ........ I'm assuming that is the male swan who walked forward to guard the others

 

I think it is unusual for so many cygnets to survive

 

we were a bit concerned watching this little fishing boat coming into the harbour.  It was rocking from side to side, and at one point we thought it might roll over

 

the last time we were in Eyemouth, they were preparing the site for this memorial

 

you can click on the photos to enlarge them, to make them easier to read

 

it is hard to imagine what the families must have gone through, waiting and watching for the men who didn't come home

 

although the figures are only a few inches high ........

 

they convey the emotions

 

I popped into Whigmaleerie

 

for some more sock yarn

 

I hadn't seen this one before

 

as you can see, it contains 39 percent cotton, so it will be interesting to see how it knits up (hey, Meredithe, I've just started pair 13!!)

 

Malcolm was rather taken with these seats made from pallets ....... perhaps he will make one for the garden?

 

the planters weren't as stylish as the ones he has made

 

a random heap of rope and lobster pots

 

Malcolm spotted this shadow shot on a boat

 

brand new lobster pots - one of them would look good in the garden with plants in it

 

we usually see this boat at St Abbs ...... I wonder why it has been moved to Eyemouth

 

I liked both the name and the cute little bee on this boat

 

Malcolm tells me this is a sacrificial anode*, attached to the bottom of a boat  .........

 

for weeks now there has been a song played constantly on the radio called Cakes by the Ocean, hence today's title (although we were by the sea, not the ocean!!)

 

* you can find out what that means here

Friday again!

Oh my, this week has just flown by - we just always seem to be so busy there aren't enough hours in the day!  But this afternoon, we slowed down and went for a walk out to the lighthouse.   On the way we passed the Money Pit .......

 

........ which has even more scaffolding on it

 

it's a long way down from the chimneys!

 

as we walked along the Walls, a goods train rumbled over the railway bridge

 

when we reached the pier, there was a new sign, which seemed to be a list of what not to do

so we took care not to fall over bollards

 

or rusty old mooring rings

 

I felt seasick watching this fishing boat pitching on the choppy water

 

when we reached the lighthouse, there was the usual dilemma ...... should it be on the right

 

or the left of the photo!

 

in the distance we could see Lindisfarne

 

and Bamburgh Castle

 

the wind was whipping spray off the tops of the waves - but you can just see that there were people walking on the beach (bbbrrrrr!)

 

we quite often see a bird perched on this pole - it always makes me think of horror stories - perhaps Edgar Allan Poe wrote one?

 

there were lots of birds on the sandbank - and more people on the beach

 

I have been neglecting my arty photos recently - so here are two!

 

at the end of our walk, we popped into Lowry's for a cuppa and cake

 

Malcolm forgot the first rule of being a blogger's husband, and started to eat his cake before a photo was taken!  He had a raspberry and almond slice, which he said was similar to a Bakewell tart 

 

I was doubly naughty, as not only did I have hot chocolate instead of my usual tea, but I had a slice of the most delicious chocolate fudge cake!

 

weather permitting, we will have walk on the beach tomorrow - I need to walk off the rest of the calories from that chocolate cake!  Have a good weekend, love Anne

 

 

 

Bits'n'bobs

I realised that I hadn't taken any specific photos for today's post, so here is a selection of oddments!!  First, our passion fruit.  The last time you saw it, it was still on the plant and was green.  It started to turn yellow just as we were threatened with frosts, so I picked it and popped it in the fruit bowl.   It slowly turned a darker colour, and then, as it was going a bit squidgy, I decided  ........

 

....... to cut in half, to see what was inside.  There were seeds, but different to the ones that are inside the more usual dark purple passion fruit.  As I knew you would want to know what it tasted like, I bravely had a little nibble on a few seeds.  There was only s slight flavour of passion fruit - but then, the fruit was a bonus from growing the plant for its stunning flowers, so the taste didn't really matter

 

suddenly, amongst the small purple clematis flowers, there appeared this much larger, paler, patterned flower

 

it has a very striking centre.  There is such a tangle of stems, we can't see if this is a rogue flower on the existing clematis, or if it is an entirely new plant that has somehow grown through the existing one

 

this is all the leftover stuff from Saturday's Santa class.  It is now all sorted out and put away

 

Meredithe and I are working on a very secret project ........ a challenge for next year, which we are going to invite you to join us in.  Could all these unfinished projects on my work tables be a clue??!!

 

on Saturday the 19th, I am going to a Pat Archibald workshop.  I thought I ought to sort out the requirements list

 

Malcolm found me wandering about the studio saying "where are you Riley, stop hiding from me Riley, where are you Riley?".  But don't worry, I didn't have a handsome toyboy hidden away, I was looking for a piece of Riley Blake fabric which I knew would be the perfect colour for the elephant!

 

in the kitchen, the "Christmas" cactus is flowering.  I have had several of these over the years, and every one has flowered earlier and earlier

 

on the kitchen windowsill, the little chilli plant is thriving

 

these chillis may be tiny, but they are VERY hot!

 

snow was forecast for last night ........

 

but it didn't quite reach us.  I took the photos from our front garden, looking across the valley to the higher ground on the other side

 

and to finish, a piece of advice.  Don't sit the accessory box of your sewing machine on top of a slippery polythene bag, on a chair ....... or you will spend along time picking up all the sewing machine feet, sorting them out and putting them back in the proper slots!!