frayed at the edge

A good read

When we were in Falkirk last week, I had two places I wanted to go to ....... The Wishing Well Newsagents, who have a superb collection of magazines, and Waterstone's bookshop, because you know that I love books.  So .... did I buy anything - of course I did!!

 

I haven't seen this American knitting magazine before.  There are lots of super patterns, and I particularly liked these stockings - but I don't think I will be knitting any in time for this Christmas!!

 

I like cloth.paper.scissors magazines, and I really, really like their Studios special issues.  It's fascinating to see other peoples' studios ..... and to show Malcolm that there are people who have bigger stashes than me!!

 

I liked the little sign about chocolate in the next photograph - I think I may have to do an embroidered picture with the saying for my friend Lorraine - she would rather have a box of chocolates than sausage, bacon and egg for breakfast (and I do mean a box!!)

 

Then it was on to Waterstone's, where I was spoiled for choice ...... there were just so many wonderful books!!  When it got to the point of Malcolm threatening to drag me from the shop, I choose this gorgeous book.  I just want to make everything in it!!

 

 

How could you resist these fabulous little creatures

 

 

I think these little birdhouses are just so cute - they are definitely going to the top of the post-Christmas to-do list!!

 

But I would need to make a much bigger birdhouse for the pigeon who visited the garden this morning, pecking at the food which the small birds had scattered from the bird table

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

Oh the pain ....

..... oh the agony - I was at the dentist this afternoon ..... but it wasn't the treatment that hurt, it was the fact that I finally had to pay the bill for six months' treatment!  I wouldn't have minded so much - but the amount ended with a penny .... and they made me pay it!!!

Never mind, on with the fun stuff!  Ulrika decided that she wasn't going to wait for her sisters, and sat up and posed nicely on top of the cushion on my favourite chair

 

She loves her skirt with its fluffy edge to match her scarf - especially as her sisters' skirts are plain!  But I did say yesterday she looked as if she was full of mischief .... I turned my back for a minute and this is what she got up to .....

Who ate all the panettone?  (I keep my stash of hot chocolate in this old tin!!)

 

If I promise to clean my teeth can I eat all this chocolate?  (No!!)

 

I don't like these satsumas - they clash with my hat!

 

 

My new best friend ..... Cheeky Monkey!

 

 

Tomorrow we are going up to Falkirk to see Stuart, and I'll be giving him this beautiful Christmas card that I made for him .....

 

 

Don't worry, he will be getting a proper card, this was just a bit of fun .... when I saw the badger card-making kit, I just couldn't resist it!

And finally - did I put up the tree?  Yes, I did!!

 

ps - I'm sorry the last two photos aren't centred, but Typepad has thrown one of its periodic wobblies and refuses to co-operate!!!

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

Small people .......

....... at least I think this first person must be small

 

This photo was in yesterday's Daily Telegraph.  As you know, I like pillar/post boxes, so of course I had to show you this super photo.  Hopefully you can read the article - but what it doesn't say is that John Cooper works for Machan Engineering in Denny, Stirlingshire, the only company left in Britain which makes pillar and post boxes.

 

I know this next person is definitely is small ... and not only small, but also very shy.  Here is Ulrika, hiding behind the cushion, but looking as if she might be plotting against her brothers!  She says she will come out from behind the cushion and show you her lovely fluffy white scarf once her big sisters stop hiding in the knitting basket (it must be a family trait, remember her brothers hid in there too!!)

 

I had hoped to put the Christmas tree up today .... but the best laid plans ..... ah well, there is always tomorrow!!
 
 

Making amends!

After the embarrassment of having no new photos for you yesterday, I made sure that I took lots today!!  So ..... let's get started!

This morning we went to Hawick for some shopping (and we may have had a cuppa and a scone).  I bought 5 lovely little napkins in the Oxfam shop for 99p ....

 

I thought I might use them to make little gift bags - I have just folded this one, but it gives you the idea of what I could do ...

 

It has been a lovely clear bright day, so I popped out after lunch for a quick walk up to the church, hoping to get some shadow shots for Sunday.  I got some good shadows and reflections, and I also was pleased with this photo of a large tree in the old graveyard behind the church

 

I also liked this colourful shrub in front of one of our neighbours' garden wall

 

Tomorrow we are having our Christmas lunch at patch'n'chat. We have to take a small gift for the 'Secret Santa', so this afternoon I headed out to the studio to make some cards ....

..... but you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see how they turned out!

 

Work on the Gnome Sisters is going well, so I thought you might like to see how they're looking

I have some lovely fluffy white wool to knit scarves for them and I think I might also knit skirts.

 

Later on this afternoon, the birds appeared for their teatime feed

 

The fat balls were very popular - I think the birds need the fat to help keep the cold out

 

ps - I also did all the ironing, so altogether a busy day!!

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

Introducing the Gnome Brothers!

Olaf and Gustav have now been joined by their big brother Sven, who was persuaded to come out of the knitting basket last night.  Here they are, sitting like good little gnomes on the couch this morning

 

 

So good and sweet and well behaved ..... until I turned my back for a minute .... they ran out the back door and were found creating havoc in the garden!

 

lolling about in the lavender

 

 

this house is a bit small for all of us!

 

 

hanging out in the sun

 

 

hurry up you two, let's see what's on the other side of the gate

 

Naughty little gnomes .... perhaps when their sisters arrive they can keep them under control!

I hope you have a good weekend, love, Anne

 

Sisters!

Why should boys have all the fun?  Girls should get to join in too .... so next on the needles (big fanfare!) ...... girl gnomes, little sisters for the boys!!!  I've been looking through my stash and pulled out these girl gnome colours (don't worry, they won't have beards!)

 

The colours look slightly washed out, as I had to use the flash .... we were away all day visiting Jennifer, so it was dark by the time I took the photos. 

 

Even I can no longer deny that Christmas is almost here, so these little fellows have made an appearance on the kitchen bookcase, to remind me how little time I now have to get organised!

 

I'm off now to see if I can persuade Olaf and Gustav's big brother to stop hiding in my knitting basket, so he can be the star of tomorrow's post .......
 
 

Leftovers!

As promised, here are some of the photos that didn't make it into yesterday's post (I'm keeping the others until next Tuesday!)

 

frost on the deck

 

 

sunrise behind the house

 

 

frost on the Minto Hills

 

 

Lambs' Ears traced with frost

 

Now for some other photos that I took yesterday and today ..... first of all, do you remember an early Tuesday Treasure, when I showed you Stuart's baby things, and had to admit that they were kept in a shoe box?  I was going to make a new box, but I decided that the shoe box was now part of the memories, so when I recently got a lovely handmade paper carrier bag, I decided to use it to cover the box 

 

I added some ribbon decoration on top

 

 

and some pretty braid round the edge of the lid

 

 

I was up at Homebase this morning (I can't tell you why, as it might involve Malcolm's Christmas presents!).  Looking over the valley to Ruberslaw, I was surprised to see it wreathed in mist, as it was bright on my side ......

and finally ......
 

Olaf has now been joined by his brother Gustav, but they are both still very shy, and say they won't come out from behind the cushion until they are joined by their big brother - but he is still hiding in my knitting basket ........
 

  

 

Spring is just round the corner ......

...... if these plants have their way!

 

first, a little primrose, just starting to flower

 

 

the first daffodil, just peeking through in a pot

 

But before spring arrives, unfortunately we still have to get through the winter, although we will have the winter-flowering jasmine beside the front door to cheer us up

 

Yesterday was a thoroughly miserable day, with rain and sleet - although fortunately the snow which was forecast didn't arrive!  We went to the Mayfield Garden Centre in Kelso for a bacon roll for breakfast, then had a look round their new craft department.  I bought this rather large ball of Aran ..... it's 75% acrylic and 25% wool, so will be ideal to knit some more of the small shawls I knitted recently

 

 

We then went on to the garden centre at Floors Castle, where I found this chilli plant considerably reduced in price (and I already had a matching pot to put it in!)

 

 

Malcolm treated me to this gorgeous beaded ribbon - I think it will feature in our Christmas decorations

 

 

You know that I like to take quirky photos ...... I have printed out three photos that I took on holiday, and have made them into cards .....

 

 

 

 

Now that I am making up the gnomes I have started another little knitting project, using gorgeous wool from my friend Helen .... can you guess what it is going to be?

 

 

While I was taking my photos, there was someone keeping an eye on me ...... but he was too shy to come out to see you - he says he has to wait for his two big brothers to join him!!

 

this is Olaf Gnome - I wonder what his brothers are called?

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

Another one bites the dust!

Hooray - it may have taken a long time, but finally today I finished the zebra cushions for Stuart!  It's so good to cross another thing off the to-do list.

 

 posed on my favourite chair!

 

 

I like the effect of the faux chenille

 

I used the same fabric as the binding on the opening on the back

 

Next on the agenda is to finish the gnomes - hopefully next time you see this ........

 

....... it will have been transformed into three Christmas gnomes!
   

 

What a beautiful baby .....

...... and Mia is gorgeous too!!  Yes, I know you can't really call a six-foot tall young man a baby - but he will always be my baby!!  Emma took these photos last night when Stuart called in to give Mia her quilt and shawl and forwarded them today so that I could pop them on the blog

 

Stuart, Mia and cute quilt

 

 

Stuart, Mia and her shawl

 

 

the two gorgeous babies!!