In the absence of any great creative masterpieces emanating from this humble abode, I bring you a selection of my favourite blogging artist friends' work to admire and check out in more detail.
Finally, just a mention for anyone who may be interested that Janice is selling a drum carder and a lovely little Ashford Kiwi wheel - you can find her here.
Attending the film meant I was on hand when a 'new' pile of books was dropped off at the hall. There's a couple of bookshelves there for folk to recycle their old tomes for the good of the hall's coffers. Rosie is moving house and had had a clear out. Thus I found 'The Getabout Bird' by Madeleine Collier, published in 1944 and with these delicious illustrations by Jennetta Vise. You can read more about her illustrating career on this fascinating blog
Meanwhile, there's much spinning, stitching, paper-cutting and chutney making in evidence as there are a few events coming up for the Border Tart... more soon..
Well the Open Studios weekend was grand! The weather was bright and sunny which cheered everyone, artists and visitors alike. People came and viewed and chatted and bought and stayed for coffee and cake or home made soup and chatted some more, and dallied in the sunshine and said what a lovely spot Chesters is. Using the village hall to display our wares worked well because there was lots of room to move about or linger without feeling under any pressure.
I showed off some of my recent albums - this first one is a record of those lovely hand knitted socks I have been amassing (and wearing). It is a stab bound book with a page devoted to each delightful style.
I also took delight in showing off this concertina album made to display the fantastic drawings done by Denholm Primary School children after I demonstrated spinning for them earlier in the year. The pages are bright colours and I've recorded each child's first name with their drawing and attached my favourite quotes from their 'stories' on the back.
The very long booklet folds up into a neat cover and is secured with a handspun string 
But I can spin one!
Progress indeed! As I write this our very first let of the cottage is underway - and the sun is shining on our holiday makers so all is right in this corner of the world.
But not for long! Hugh is busy forming a front and side to it, which will be weatherboarded to match the porch on the cottage and before long we will have a wonderful store adjacent to the house. No more tripping over wellies and wet waterproofs in the rainy season (!), no more jam packing the hall cupboard with everything from a sack of dog food to a Kenwood and spare tins of tomatoes. Order WILL prevail.
Now, I know you have all been desperate to see what a bumble bee poison arrow froggie looks like so here's a lovely shot which I borrowed from iPhotograph's flickr page. Isn't it a beauty? Sadly quite deadly and not at all cute in real life, but stunning design! 
This sort of bee is rather more common round here, fortunately.
Here they are looking refreshed after a day and half of torrential rain. It is still drizzling now but at least we can venture out in it without fear of being washed away...
The delicious handthrown bowl, bought in Hawkshead, is made by Mary Chappelhow. It's a very neat shape and allows for my morning meusli/granola to have milk added without drowning any fresh strawberries sitting on top. I shall endeavour to take care of it, but sadly my 'enthusiastic but clumsy' attitude to dishwashing does lead to frequent chips and cracks.
Our walk around the Sculpture Trail in Grizedale was done in steaming hot weather - quite uncomfortable for us northern types! Fortunately it was too hot for midges to be out, otherwise we would have just travelled direct from car park to cafe... 
Lots had changed since our last visit a century ago and several of the older creations are damaged or gone but this wonderful flock grazing by a stream were waiting to be stumbled upon. 
There were giant metal spiders too but I thought you might appreciate them less. 
There's a huge new visitor complex nearing completion so the air was rent by Stihl saws and the like. However, inside this very posh cafe was another treat (not just the cakes). 
An exhibition of work by Edward Acland (environmentalist and small holder who lives in the Lake District) who has used old double glazing units and, well, rubbish, as his medium. The windows are framed in wood, as you can just see, and he jam-packs the gap between the panes with layers of all sorts of discarded items. There are layers of, for example, sawdust, sheep's wool, soot, baler twine, toast (!), swarf (the tiny corkscrew metal shavings off lathes), dust and other sweepings. They make abstract shapes and are inspiring in concept and appearance, in my humble opinion.
Woolfest was the excuse but we managed to escape for a few days to the Lake District, towing the trusty ol' caravan (which I have named Bessie). We arrived at the Ritz of caravan sites, Skelwith Fold, just west of Ambleside. Situated on a wooded hillside, completely invisible from all roads and with lots of landscaping within the site, it was quite an eye opener. At the site shop you can order croissants and petit pains au chocolat to collect at breakfast time the following morning - now that is seriously posh.We had the oldest caravan by decades, no hook-up, no fancy schmancy satellite dishes, barbeques, remote control parking gadgets - no siree. But we did indulge in quite a bit of people- and 'van- watching on the site. Hmmm, I bet they said a few things about us too!
The weather was fantastically hot (too hot for us softies) and so on Day One we indulged in a cruise down Windermere to the Aquarium of the Lakes. This involved four different vessels and was pretty fine relaxation. We visited the aquarium ten years ago and one of the attractions we wanted to watch again was the sight of ducks diving underwater. You are situated at the bottom of the 'lake' and can watch through the glass the ducks propelling themselves down to search around for food among the carp and other fishes. Other tanks hold scarier stuff and a slightly curious collection of 'non native' critters like scorpions, and tarantulas and fantastic 'bumble bee poison arrow frogs' which were my favourites. 
Another day found us beside Coniston where we resisted the temptation to take one of the delightful old steam gondolas across the water to Brantwood - one time home of Ruskin. We had been to Grizedale to walk the sculpture trail - but I'll show you some images from that next time...and I may just mention my Woolfest purchases.
Here's something else for me to appreciate! These stunning socks, knitted for me by the Jess, my sock star! I dyed the main yarn and Jess used scraps I gathered from Janice to do the toes and heels and tops. The cabling is fantastic - she tells me the sock pattern is called Paraphernalia. The colour scheme is quite 'old school tie' I think, though the wearer is anything but. 
David B has PAT tested all the electrics this morning so we are all proper and correct now. A bit of tidying and planting at the front of the cottage would not go amiss but comfort-wise, it's pretty fine (said she, modestly)
Spring is sprung, the grass is riz. I've seen my first primroses, the snake's head fritillaries are out in a wee corner of the garden, I've had a birthday and I still have not planted any seeds.
by Tamzin
byAbigail
by Matthew
