frayed at the edge

The naughty step!

Malcolm has been sent to the naughty step for telling fibs!!  After saying that he only had enough driftwood for one tree ...... he has made another two!!

 

I was busy this afternoon making more cards.  I unearthed this booklet, which was free with a magazine, from my stash

 

I've never made decoupage cards before, but is is quite simple, if a bit fiddly cutting out the smaller pieces

 

this photo shows the several layers

 

last Friday, when Sandra, the Linus Lady, was sorting out a large pile of fabric samples which had been donated, I spotted these delicious linen fabrics

 

as they aren't suitable for making quilts, I asked Sandra if I could have them in exchange for a donation to Linus, which she agreed to.  I had thought of using them for cards but this afternoon I remembered that I had some plain black notebooks.  I cut out a piece of fabric and frayed the edges, then stuck it on the notebook.  The plan now is to type up wording, print it out, and stick it on ...... nothing fancy, perhaps  "notebook"!

 

I popped into The Reivers' Moon Gallery this morning with some more cards

 

This is my favourite one - the little post box is at the end of our road, and I took the photo a couple of years ago when we had the really bad winter

 

I know that I have declared next year the "year of using it up" (and in January I am going to join Lucie in a challenge to use up scraps), but I was very naughty yesterday when we were in Jedburgh!  I had a little browse in the three charity shops, and as well as this book .......

 

........ I bought these four cushion covers, which are printed, ready to embroider (thus using up some of the embroidery thread stash!)

 

but it wasn't a great extravagance, as amazingly they were only £1 each!

 

when I was in the Gallery last week, I had asked Sally, the owner, if I could buy some mounts, backing boards and cellophane envelopes, which I knew she had left over from mounting my photos for sale in the gallery.  She was quite happy to let me have them, and it means that I can mount some photos for the Southdean Christmas Fair.  This is my favourite heron photo - I may have to buy it from myself!!

Day 23 ...... and the fruit in cola!

Some of you wondered in your comments yesterday what kind of fruit was in cola (in the jubblies).  I unearthed the box from the recycle ...... so you can see just what is in the jubblies - and I noticed that that there are even fewer calories than I thought, I had looked at the calories per 100g, not per jubbly!

 

I was interested to see that there is hibiscus in the jubblies, as when we were in Singapore, we popped into Starbucks one day for a delicious iced hibiscus tea.  In the interests of equality, over the holidays we also visited McDonald's, Burger King, Subway and KFC  ...... of course we had the healthy option menu in each establishment!

 

I had to pop into Hawick this morning, and took a rather circuitous route from Sainsbury's carpark to the High Street, crossing the River Teviot by one footbridge, then recrossing by another, in the hope of seeing a heron, but all I saw was a duck!  However I did pause on the second bridge to take these two views of the river

 

 

when I returned to Sainsbury's, I handed in this pile of books.  The shop has come up with a novel way (sorry, bad pun) of raising money for a local charity.  There is a table of books which have been donated, and for 50p, you can borrow a book to read, returning it for someone else to borrow.  The scheme has already raised a lot of money, and as the pile of books was somewhat depleted when I was in yesterday, I thought I would have a look through my bookshelves for books I know I won't read again

 

I have borrowed this one - I really enjoy the Inspector Lynley books, although I haven't watched the tv series, as not just the actor playing Lynley is wrong for the part, but the actress playing Barbara Havers is absolutely nothing like her description in the book

 

this afternoon I was busy in the kitchen, turning these ingredients

 

into "hedgehog", a delicious traybake, using a recipe I got from Meredithe.  The bits on the plate are the raggedy offcuts, the rest is in the two tubs, one of which I will take when I go down to Longframlington tomorrow to see Anne, now that she has recovered from last week's illness, and the other tub is for Friday night (but you'll have to wait to find out about that!)

 

so, would you like to guess what this is?

 

the recipe came from here, as did the bottles.  It is apple, cider and sage sauce, and according to the recipe it should last for two moonths (I think it will be eaten long before that, as it is delicious!).  I also finally made some rosehip syrup, with the rosehips that we picked last week.  Here are all the bottles, waiting for their labels

 

and how was my soup for lunch - delicious, with a spoonful of half-fat creme fraichhe stirred in!

I'm singing John Denver*

Not long to go now!!  I am just about jumping up and down with excitement at being off on our travels, but before we go, as promised, the project I am taking to work on when I join Meredithe and her friends for a sewing day.  I have so many things on the to-do list it was hard to decide, but in the end I settled on this

 

I love Anni Downs patterns (I have another book and a small pattern for a needlescase as well!).  I have gradually been collecting small-print fabrics .....

 

....... including some of Anni's own designs

 

and of course there was the bundle of Lynette Anderson fabrics which had one with cats on it hidden in the middle of the bundle!

 

However, I won't be taking the fabrics with me, as I will be working on the stitcheries first.  I photocopied the patterns, to make it easier to trace them on the light box

 

 

Once the patterns were traced, I put some thin iron-on wadding on the back (oops, forgot to take a photo of that stage!) and looked out an assortment of embroidery threads

 

We leave here early tomorrow morning, and finally arrive in Sydney on Thursday  I've got lots of books on my Kindle and music on my ipod for the journey, but as it is an overnight flight, I will probably sleep through most of it.  I got used to flying longhaul when we lived in Indonesia, so although it can be boring, I don't mind it too much.

 

When I have finished this post, I will do another three quick ones and schedule them to appear while we are travelling, as I still have lots of photos to share with you ....... and we visited somewhere new yesterday for our cuppa after our walk.

 

* and I'm still singing "all my bags are packed, I'm ready to go" and "I'm leaving on a jet plane"!!

Winning ways

There was great excitement on Satuday afternoon when I went back into the hall after the judging was complete (Malcolm had gone back home to watch the Test Match).  First was my "champion chutney" (the jar on the right with the red lid with white spots), which I had called "going for gold" as I had made it with golden delicious apples ........ there may have been squeals of delight when I saw it had been given 1st prize.  Then it was on to the "jubilee jam" (the jar on the left with the spotty lid).  I had called mine "not quite red white and bue jam" ........ I had made three different jams and layered them in the jar - the strawberry was nice and red, the pear had gone slightly yellow and the blueberries had gone a bit purple ........ but it still got 2nd prize

 

Next was "2 metres of paper chains" ....... I was the only one who entered that category, so I got 1st and 2nd!!  The one at the back is made with scrapbooking papers which were free with a magazine, and the one at the front is made from pages from an old road atlas, which I bought in a charity shop last year to make bunting

 

when I saw the other entries for "a tealight holder", I didn't think I would win anything, so I was pleased to see that my felt one had been given a 3rd

 

when I saw the next category on the schedule, I thought "oh dear", and I guess others thought that too, as again mine were the only entries ........ toilet roll covers!

 

fortunately I already had two handmade brooches - another 1st and 2nd!

 

the herb pots in the garden provided lots of choice for this arrangement (I had asked Malcolm not to cut back the parsley when it went to seed, as the seed heads looked good!)

 

the hedgerow and the garden provided enough flowers for "purple passion in a vase" ........

 

......... and "a button hole with a Scottish theme" (mine was the only entry for this category!)

 

there were also some quirky categories ........ this one was "something still in use".  These are my pinking shears, which I have had for just over 40 years

 

"stitches from times past" ....... the small table cloth on the left was made my by Great Aunt Mima, and must be about 80 years old, and the tray cloth on the right was embroidered by my Granny, and is maybe 60 years old (I still use them!)

 

next, the photography section.  I won a 1st for "a photo taken on the 1st of August! ....... mine was called "one man went to mow".  Then a 1st and 2nd for "first day at school" ........ yes that is Stuart!!

 

a 3rdd for "a holiday snapshot" ....I took this at the Sunday market in Pollensa in May - "Spanish onions"

 

and another 3rd for "the wonder of nature!

 

and now, the big one ........literally!  Malcolm entered his garden chair in the "I used to be something else" category, and was delighted to won a 2nd for it

 

 

I still have lots of photos left, which I will show you tomorrow ........ I'll finish with this one of a very handsome chap.  The children had to mark on a chart where they thought he would poo - the chart was put into the cage under him when they had all had a go, then there was much excitement waiting for him to do the business!!

 

Well, well, well ....

........ sorry, corny heading, as the first subject today is the old Cross Well in Linlithgow

 

here are two of the little side panels ....

 

 

and two of the figures

 

 

there were lots of tourists about ...... this bus had just disgorged a large contingent of foreign tourists, who had set off for the Palace, while their tour guide had a word with the driver

 

as always, I also found some quirky shots!

a funny little window set in the roof

 

a collection of chimney pots

 

higgledy piggledy roofs

 

spot the unused chimney!

 

this morning was dull, dreary and damp ..... or, to use a Scottish word, dreich.  These ewes looked miserable as they trailed across the field

 

and this one looked a little bit damp!

 

I have to admit that it was so dreary, that when I got yet another drip down the back of my neck from the overhanging trees, I about-turned and went home for breakfast!!

 

Remember the orchid that was about to flower ...... several flowers have now opened - isn't it pretty?

 

there was no patch'n'chat today, as most of them are at the Festival of Quilts ...... so sadly that means no cake!  So to finish, I have a photo of this wonderful book, which I bought yesterday in Hobbycraft.  I've only had time for a quick look through it, but I am already full of ideas for new projects!

 

I am still finishing my entries for tomorrow's Southdean show!  I am in the middle of making paper chains, and have still to wrap a parcel.  Fingers firmly crossed that the cups come home again with me - the lounge looks bare without them!  I hope you all have a great weekend, love Anne






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Perhaps not quite a sunset ......

......... but there was definitely a bit of colour in the sky as we headed to bed last night!

 

 

and there was a wonderful colour this morning ....... blue!!

 

this ewe looked much happier, surrounded by DRY grass

 

and the view over to the Mintos was even clearer

 

I think this Jacob's ewe was probably in a show, as she is clean and clipped

 

the cows in the same field are very keen to pose at the gate!

 

 

recently, despite the fact that I don't bake, I seem to have acquired several books on the subject (I blame Sainsbury's, which sells them at half price!)

Marion used baking to fight off depression

 

the delightful Rachel with her take on classic French recipes

 

the very skilful Jo

 

the king of baking, the gorgeous Paul

 

but now, I really will have to knuckle down and actually bake cakes, instead of just drooling over the pictures, because I have just bought this beautiful glass cake cloche and stand (from here)

 

until I have a cake to put in it, I have put it on the dining room windowsill

 

and next to I have put a little glass butter dish, which is Italian ....... but I bought it in Jakarta!

 

there are other things on the windowsill from Indonesia.  This is a becak (pronounced bay-chack), a bicycle taxi

 

this chicken man is carved from a single piece of wood

 

with amazing detail on the man's face

 

and on the chicken

 

to finish ........ I'm used to encountering large lorries out on the main road when I go for walks after lunch - but I was suprised to meet this one this morning!

 

I had just taken the photo, when the lorry stopped and the driver jumped out.  Oh dear, was he shy and didn't want his photo taken?  No, he was lost!!  He was looking for our neighbour Billy the Farmer.  I had to tell him that unfortunately he had passed Billy's yard ...... and he would have to go a mile up the road before he would be able to turn!  It's just as well that he was unlikely to meet anyone else on the road that early, as he took up most of it

Can I have my coat back please?

I had to turn back early again this morning when I was out for my walk, as the rain got steadily heavier, so the only photo I took was of this forlorn ewe, looking very miserable without her woolly coat!

 

At patch'n'chat this afternoon, Anne S. had a present for me, that she and her husband Bobbie had found in a charity shop while spending a very wet week in Yorkshire. As soon as they saw this book, they thought of me ....... so now I should be able to identify wildflowers all over the world

 

it is beautifully illustrated and brim full of information

 

Don't tell Malcolm, but I bought this super new magazine this afternoon ...... not so much for the bags, as I have one two three books on bags, but I want to make these birds

 

and I know I have some ultrasuede in my stash, so these flowers are definitely going on the to-do list!

 

today's cakes were Annette's light-as-air cupcakes - some people (who, me?) might have eaten two!

 

I have put my lovely crochet butterfly from Ali in the studio.  You can't quite see in the photos, but it just landed on a branch above my big felt flower.  If you pop over to Ali's blog, you can see the rest of the things that I sent her that I forgot to take photos of!

 

 

I can hardly concentrate on typing this, as Andy Murray is playing his semi-final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga ...... it's on-the-edge-of-the-seat stuff!!  We have both finals to look forward to over the weekend, but no doubt I shall be sewing and knitting as well.  Love Anne

Please come back Rafael ......

....... and take your shirt off one more time!  What are we girls going to do now that Rafael Nadal is out of Wimbledon ....... the perfect manners when he is interviewed, the funny little smile, and best of all, that beautifully honed body.  I was very impressed last night that he still took time to sign autographs after his defeat, when he probably wanted to just go home and be miserable!!

 

I realised that I forgot to show you the other cute animals from Woolfest - so I'll now rectify that!

a very fluffy bunny!

 

very cute alpacas

 

can I please have one for Christmas?

 

an inquisitive goat

 

a Bedlington terrier pup

 

When we were in Keswick last Saturday afternoon, we went into possibly the poshest ever Oxfam shop.  I was delighted to find this little book ......

 

each design introduces a new stitch

 

Do you remember the bottle of wine with the "carry on" label?  This is the cork - such good advice!

 

I had to abandon my walk this morning when it started to rain ...... but not before capturing a fat little lamb

 

two horses that were obviously not speaking

 

and the new stream which has now spilled over into the road

 

By the time I walked back home, the rain had got heavier, and these sheep were huddling together

 

but after breakfast things brightened up and a rainbow appeared

 

and things definitely got better this afternoon, when Annette served up her wonderful chocolate sponge topped with cream and strawberries

 

The weather has been so awful, I think I will declare next week's posts a weather free zone!  Whatever the weather, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, love Anne

 

Raindrops kept falling on my head!

It's so good to be back home with my reasonable internet connection - I've got lots to show you, so let's get started!

We got to Woolfest early, and headed off to have breakfast before the show opened.  Suitably fortified, we headed straight to Kate's stall, as I had told her that I had intended to be first in the queue to buy her wonderful new design, the sheep carousel tea cosy.  Malcolm wielded the camera, as Kate and I tried to smile nicely!

 

Not only did I get the tea cosy kit, but it came in a super cotton bag

 

 

It's a long time since I did colour work, and I haven't worked steeks or braids  before, but I'm looking forward to getting started

 

My next purchase was this yarn bowl, which I bought from Willofibre.  You sit the yarn in the bowl, feeding it through the spiral.  Then when you knit, the yarn stays in the bowl and doesn't roll about all over the floor

 

I had said to Malcolm that I wasn't going to buy any yarn, as I am trying (!) to reduce my stash.  However when I stopped at Helen's stall for a blether (Helen, second from the left, used to live here in the Borders, before she went off to the other end of the country) .......

 

......... I succumbed to this rather tasty skein

 

It was hard to capture it in a photo, but can you just see that it has a sparkle running through it

 

I bought one or two other things, but I'll save them for tomorrow, so that I can show you some other photos.  I may have mentiooned that it rained rather a lot ...... this was the view from our cottage, looking out on to a section of flooded road.  It was quite entertaining watching the different methods employed by drivers to deal with the problem - drive slowly, drive fast, through the middle, along the side

 

 

 

The rain might have been pouring down, the road may have been flooded - but if the verge had to be cut, it was going to be cut!!

 

On Saturday Malcolm went in to Cockermouth - these are some of his dramatic photos of the river in the town centre

 

 

 

When Malcolm picked me up on Saturday afternoon, we headed off to Keswick - where it was still raining!  When we walked down to the lake, we found that the rowing boats had been pulled up on to the road ....

 

....... as the strip of shingle where they usually sit was under water - as were the wooden jetties - you can see the lines of poles showing where they are, usually with pleasure boats moored alongside

 

Usually when we are in Kewick, we get fish and chips for dinner, sitting down by the lake to eat.  However this time we had to eat indoors!  Haddock and chips - delicious!

 

But, I hear you cry, where are the stars of the show, where are the sheep

 

 

 

 

I'll be back tomorrow with more of my purchases, more cute animals ....... and I'll tell you whom I had a cuppa with, and whom I had lunch with!

 

 

I was going to say .......

....... something clever in French - but my French is decidedly rusty, so I thought I wouldn't embarrass myself by getting it wrong!  The reason for using French?  Well, when we were leaving the cafe after lunch yesterday, we stopped to look at two cushions on a sofa, showing a map of the British Isles, with the wording in French.  Then when we went to RE, we spotted the very maps - they are actually dishtowels!  I plan to make cushions for the summer house with them

 

 

I couldn't resist these notebooks - perhaps one will end up as a giveaway some time soon?

 

Yes, it's string - but I love string, it has so many uses.  The butchers' twine is great for tying up parcels and I'll probably use some of the plain coloured ones for bunting

 

I didn't mention in yesterday's post that I was going out (again) last night!  This time it was to Souter Quilters in Selkirk.  Dawn Cameron-Dick was the guest speaker

 

she was very entertaining and had us in fits of laughter, as she gaily slandered various members of her family!  After the talk, we were allowed to take photos and touch the quilts (some quilters hardly let you breathe on their quilts, never mind touch them!)

 

The quilts were all fabulous - but my favourite was this sheepie one, which she made after her first visit to Scotland!

 

I bought the book which Dawn has recently published

 

I have to admit that when it comes to all the technical stuff about sewing machines, needles and threads, I have the attention span of a gnat, so this little book will provide a quick and clear reference source

 

Of course you know by now that whenever quilters get together, there is ........food!  The members of Souter Quilters laid on a wonderful spread!

 

The tits are still busy feeding their young in the nesting box, so this morning I tiptoed over, wedged myself in between the compost bins and a large trellis ...... in danger of being strangled by a large clematis!  But it was worth the discomfort to capture these shots (click on the photos to enlarge them)

 

 

I then moved round to the back of the trellis and stood on the garden (don't tell Malcolm!) to get this view from the side

 

Fingers crossed that I'll be there with the camera when the young leave the nest!