frayed at the edge

Miserable!!

No, no ...... not me, but the weather!  We have had some heavy showers this afternoon, and the forecast for the next two days isn't very good (snow was even mentioned for the Highlands!).  On Saturday, I popped out for a quick walk before lunch (I'm missing my morning walks, now that it is too dark).  It was sunny when I set out, but by the time I had walked up the hill to the church, some threatening clouds had gathered

 

 

However, it had cleared again when I took this next photo

 

 

But what was this I encountered along the way - have the Martians finally landed?

 

 

Nothing so exciting - it's just an electricity supply pole

 

 

Just about this time last year, I mentioned to Malcolm that there were a lot of berries on the trees and in the hedgerows - and according to folklore, that is the sign of a hard winter to come.  He laughed at me .... and we all know what sort of winter we had!  Well, I don't want to worry you, but the holly tree in front of the church is laden with berries .....

 

 

In the afternoon, I was busy in the studio - I thought it was time to make a serious effort to get things ready for next month's Christmas Fair.  Do you remember quite some time ago I knitted a great pile of cotton washcloths, and new baby sets?  I eventually found them in a drawer, and pressed them, ready to sew the ends in

 

 

I have bought some lovely soap, to make up sets with perhaps two washcloths and one or two other pamperings things (I've ordered some lovely packaging!)

 

 

I also made a batch of handbag tissue holders.  I have been making these for years - I have made dozens and dozens!  Every time I say I'm not making any more .... but I always do!

 

 

I recently bought a new die for my Cuttlebug, which it makes teeny tiny tags.  I thought I would use them for price tags and maybe make up some small bags with other bits and pieces to use for cardmaking and scrapbooking.

 

 

Yesterday morning, as usual, we went for a walk (and as usual we went for a cuppa and scone afterwards).  Malcolm spotted this cow, sitting in the shadows.  There weren't any others in the field , just this one looking lonely!

 

 

I took this photo because of the funny-looking dead tree - but now I just want to sit and look at the wonderful blue sky ....

 

 

To finish, something I haven't taken a photo of for a while - a lovely length of higgledy piggledy fence!

 

 

What's a girl supposed to do .....

...... when she is trying to lose weight (or even just not put any more on!) and her husband arrives home with lemon meringue muffins.  She could try using some willpower, but unfortunately, her willpower packed its bags and left home long ago!!

 

Fortunately, said husband only supplied half a muffin (oozing lemon curd) with the afternoon cuppa!

 

Of course I could have used the excuse that I needed to build my strength up again after the effort of being guest speaker last night ...... but that would have been a fib, as it all went very well!  I took along some extra quilts to decorate the table (thanks Tricia for the idea!)

I had all the quilts and fabrics arranged in order in two suitcases

 

But things were slightly less tidy by the end of the night!

 

The ladies all seemed to enjoy themselves

 

Here they are busy working on their bowls

I took photos when I was making the samples for the bowls, so some time soon I'll get them organised into a tutorial.  You know I'm a bit of a technophobe, but I should be able to to scan the template, then email it to anyone who would like to make a bowl of their own.

 

There was one more thing to enjoy last night ...... when I was leaving, I was delighted to see that the Abbey was floodlit.  The photo is slightly blurred, as I was using my small camera, but I think that adds to the slightly spooky look!!

Fear and trepidation!

Just a quick post, as I will be leaving shortly to go to Kelso ...... I have been invited by Abbey Quilters to be their guest speaker tonight.  I haven't done a talk for a while, so I am just a little bit nervous!  The Kist ladies were here today, so they put me through my paces, with lots of helpful advice.  I looked out piles of fabrics and quilts to illustrate my talk (The Fabric of My Life).

 

 

 

Once the talk is over, we will be doing a little project, when we will start with this

 

 

and end (hopefully!) with a fabric bowl.

 



Of course it had to be tonight that Typepad had one of its little wobblies and not centre the photos and I don't have time to beat it into behaving!  I'll tell you all about my talk tomorrow - if I have emerged from recovering in my darkened room with scented candles and soothing music!

Some of the best bits!

I've sorted through some of the holiday photos, to bring you some of the highlights!  Of course we had lots of cuppas when we were away, but the quirkiest coffee shop had to be this one in Keswick

 

The shop is full of all sorts of gorgeous things .......

 

 

I couldn't resist buying this card for Malcolm

 

 

Did you notice the little rabbit hiding under the plant?

 

 

We also visited Ambleside, where we found the smallest house in England

 

 

And in Grasmere, we visited William Wordworth's grave

 

 

Which brings me to this, which we spotted in an underpass in Keswick ....... is it art, or is it graffiti?

 

 

 

If it was graffitti, then at least the vandal is educated!!

 

I also added to my collection of pillar boxes, with an Edwardian one (Edward VII)

 

 

And a Georgian one (George VI)

 

 

We were in so many places, we might have got lost ...... but this wonderful old signpost showed us where to go!!

 

I might not eat here .....

...... just in case the ingredients came from the shop next door!!

 

 

Oh dear, I just had to start with that one!!  We are back home, after having had a wonderful holiday!  The weather was a little bit mixed, but not bad for this time of year.  We have walked for miles (I think we did 10 miles on Tuesday!), eaten far too much, had the odd glass of wine ...... and taken lots and lots of photos!

When we have been on holiday, we always ask each other what was the best bit .... and this time I think just about the whole holiday qualified as a best bit!  I showed you my super kit that Malcolm bought for me at the Quaker Tapestry exhibition, but I forgot to show you the pencils I got for him at the Pencil Museum

 

water colour pencils

 

 

pastels (and a helpful booklet, which was a free gift!!)

 

Other little bits and bobs were also bought (some may involve chocolate!) - I will have to organise them into collages to show you next week.  On the way home, first we stopped here (with blue sky and sunshine) - I got a beautiful skein of angora yarn in the upstairs craft gallery

 

 

Then we stopped here for lunch, at the highest cafe in England.  As you can see, the weather had changed just a little bit!  We had a really good lunch - Malcolm ordered a roll with turkey and stuffing and a roll with roast beef and gravy for me - they were so good, we cut them in half and swapped bits.  I would have taken a photo, but the place was full of macho male cyclists in very tight lycra shorts .... if I had accidently included them in a photo they would have made the 'braw laddies' look like choir boys!!

 

 

Our last stop wasn't far from home - despite having lived here for four years, we still hadn't visited here

 

 

And I still haven't visited, as it was closed for the winter!  Malcolm may have climbed over the gate to take some photos (!), while I stayed on the road (on the other side of a stream) ....

 

 

Malcolm's tiny figure in the bottom right hand corner gives you an idea of the size of the castle.  He particularly liked this photo - attackers creeping up would get a surprise when they got to the top of the slope and found just how big the castle was!!

 

 

Malcolm also had to screech to a halt (as always, he did of course check for other cars) when we spotted these cuties

 

 

Do make sure to come back for Shadow Shot Sunday ...... you will see concrete as you have never seen it before!!

Have a good weekend - Jennifer is coming to stay, so we will be out and about .... fingers crossed we get the wonderful weather that has been forecast!!  Love Anne

How much is ......

....... that doggie in the window?

 

Sorry - couldn't resist starting with that one!  This morning we went to Kendal to see the Quaker Tapestry (sorry, no link, as it has been a long day and I forgot!!)  I couldn't take photos in the exhibition, but I bought a book, and have taken a couple of photos to let you see what a wonderful work it is - if you are ever in the Lake District from April to October, make sure you go to see it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The stitching is amazing (click on the photos and they should enlarge).  I just hope I can make a good job of this kit which Malcolm bought for me

 

 

On the way back, we stopped at Townend

 

 

 

 

 

 

This evening, we bought fish and chips, and went down to the lake to eat them ..... and watch the sun go down


 

 

I still have about 200 hundred photos that I have taken over that last four days - I will have to sort them all out over the weekend and share more of our adventures with you next week.  We'll be heading home tomorrow - no doubt with a stop or two on the way!!

 

Shall I pencil you in for later .......

.......or will I get right to the point?  Yes, you've guessed, we went to the Pencil Museum this morning

 

The first photo op was before we even got in the door!

 

 

When you go into the museum, you go through a mock-up of a graphite mine - this poor chap didn't look too happy at his work

 

 

The museum is well laid out, with lots of information boards telling the history of pencils

 

 

But there was more to this new industry than you might imagine

 

 

There were displays of pencils ......

 

 

...... and this one of pen nibs

 

 

When we went for a cuppa, we discovered paper and pencils on the table, and instructions on how to draw a mouse

 

 

This is Malcolm's mouse

 

 

And this is mine

 

 

We then did some shopping, before going for lunch ..... delicious tomato and tarragon soup and a crusty roll - I had ham and chutney, Malcolm had beef and horseradish

 

 

We needed a hearty lunch to build us up for our afternnon walk ...... up a very long hill to see the Standing Stones. 

 

 

The walk up to the stones was in lovely sunshine, so we were a bit peeved that it started to rain as soon as we got there.  However, I didn't mind so much when I captured this shot of the rainbow

 

 

Unlike Stonehenge, you can walk round these stones

 

 

We liked this stone contraption on the gate ...... it makes sure that the gate shuts!

 

 

On the way back down, we had some wonderful views of the hills ......

 

 

....... and saw lots of sheep!

 

 

ps - I bought some pencils for Malcolm at the museum, but I forgot to take a photo!!

 

 

 

 

A lot of walking ........

...... and a little bit of knitting!  I wouldn't want you to think that I am being lazy on my holiday.  On the way over yesterday, I started knitting a sock in the car (I've discovered that I can manage plain knitting .... maybe I'm finally growing out of car-sickness!

 

Did you notice that there are only three needles ....... I had a slight accident when I went to start a new row - the needle pinged out of my hand and vanished down the side of my seat, never to be seen again!  We know it must be in there somewhere, but we just can't find it (for some reason Malcolm refuses to dismantle the seat!!).  Fortunately is was one of my very cheap bamboo needles, so I wasn't too upset - and there is a little wool shop here in Keswick, so I was able to buy another set!

I have also started knitting 'Ishbel' .... a lovely shawl by the very talented young designer Ysolda Teague.  If you haven't seen Ysolda's work, do have a look at her website - and you can buy her patterns (as I did) as a download.  For Ishbel, I am using beautiful yarn that is 70% merino and 30% silk, which was given to me by Meg.  It is knitting up very quickly

 

We have walked for miles (and miles) today ..... and I have taken lots and lots of photos.  Once we are back home I will do a collage or two, but for now, here is a small selection

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I still have so much to tell you ..... and we haven't even been to the Pencil Museum yet (we will probably go tomorrow, as rain is forecast).  I'm off to rest my poor legs, have a glass of wine and do a little bit of knitting!

A little bit slow!

We're away from home, and this is a little bit of a slow connection, so there may not be a lot of photos tonight!  We had a rush of blood to the head a couple of weeks ago, and decided to go to the Lake District for a few days.  We are staying in the lovely town of Keswick, in a little cottage tucked away in a courtyard on the High Street ...... lots of shops and restaurants just a few minutes walk away!!

On the way, we stopped here at the Lanercost Tearoom for an early lunch - delicious Cumberland sausage in a roll

We also stopped in Bramptom for a stroll - we were a bit disappointed ..... the town has lots of character, but had a lot of litter everywhere.  However, in one of those little coincidences, there was a pub called the Nags Head!!

As I may have mentioned (only once or twice!!), Saturday was my birthday - I was thoroughly spoiled (thank you Malcolm and Stuart) ...... I just want to show you my present from Stuart.  I had mentioned to him some time ago that I wanted a tailors' dummy, to model my knitting on.  He had a look on e-bay for me, but they were a bit pricey.  Then on Friday, he arrived with an enormous box (beautifully wrapped with ribbons and bows)  I just couldn't wait until Saturday, so he let me open it ...... and here's what he had bought for me

A very stylish mannequin, beutifully decorated ... it even has jewels on it!

I know you got very excited when we went to the Needle Museum ....... so I hope you can cope when I tell you that there is a Pencil Museum here!!

Hard graft!

Don't worry, I haven't been working my fingers to the bone, rather I was grafting the toe on Malcolm's second sock last night.  This is also known as Kitchener stitch (but I don't know who Kitchener was!).  No matter how often I do this, I have to read the instructions and then keep reciting the method as I work my way along the stitches

 

 
all ready to start

 

 

finished!

 

This afternoon, it was off to Borderland fabrics for an afternoon of patch'n'chat.  Anne S. brought in her latest project - she has completed the centre of her quilt top, and is ready to add her first border

 

 

I made a start to my first owl

 

 

And of course there was cake - one of Annette's lovely sponges with delicious raspberry jam

 

 

It has been a rather miserable day here, so I thought we ought to have something lovely to look at to cheer us up ...... I hope these two orchids do the trick

 

 

 

 

I hope you have a super weekend, love, Anne