Picture Post

For Boud , Yorkshire folk everywhere and other appreciative types, more Dales delights!

There and back again

Hello, here I am full of the joys of Spring as we've just returned from a Wensleydale week! The Yorkshire Dales are a grand place to visit at any time but we really needed the break and chose a cottage in the quietest little corner to recharge the batteries. In the picture above you can see the little hamlet of Marsett in the middle distance on the right. Ash and Midge came too, and enjoyed running up and down the Roman road which was a sheep-and-lamb-free zone. As this stylish picture amply illustrates, it was not overly warm and I am not at my most elegant with a fleecy bunnet on my head! Having said that, my fashion sense does extend to having tiny little skulls and crossbones on my red bootlaces, but you'll have to take my word for it.
Hugh was trying to persuade the dogs to sit nicely and pose for pictures but this next one just makes me laugh. I took lots of arty shots of stone walls and peeling paintwork on the same walk but I'll save that treat for you for another time.

Happiness is...a new bag!

OK then! Not quite in the Hermes/Kelly Bag/latest Gucci thousand pound monstrosity league, but here's the wee bag I made. Just a titch to go over my shoulder and carry the essentials in my life - cash, paper handkerchief and lipsalve! The even titchier bag is for cards - mine and the bank's... The big bag is straight at the bottom, despite appearances to to the contrary, and embellished with red beads from a bracelet and dangly 'brass coins' acquired on Etsy and used in various projects since. Recycled zip and handle from cotton tape which I saved somewhere along the line. But the main attraction is the fabric which I have had stashed away for a couple of years now. Both are from Magie Relph's delectable African Fabric Shop where you fall in love every thirty seconds as you view another range of cloths. The indigo shibori ones above and these happy prints below are a few from my two mini adventure packs

Treats

This weekend Hugh is doing an intensive Outdoor First Aid course so that he's equipped for anything that may happen on his Adventure Days and when teaching off-road driving skills. I thought I would achieve a few things in his absence - I didn't really mean to get sidetracked into baking but, alas, I didn't fight the urge very hard at all. So here we have coconut flapjacks looking pretty fine. Annoyingly they were not cooked through despite my adherance to the recipe so they ended up back in the oven upside down and are now nice and crispy, if a little less than pristine.
Various domestic tasks were accomplished, plus packaging up my latest hand spun hanks, then I made myself a little bag as a reward for good housekeeping (well, for any housekeeping, really).
I think we are all enjoying this spell of chilly but bright and sunny weather and spirits are lifting at last. This house is blessed with big windows so when the sun shines the whole place is bathed in light (that includes the dust).
As I am sharing this blog with Ash now, I thought she and Midge had best have a biscuit treat or two too...

All things bright and beautiful

In theory, the garden will be full of warm shades this year, and gloriously perfumed to boot. I've got round to planting seeds and IF ALL GOES WELL, this not-very-upmarket selection will fill my little world with bright blooms and happiness. Just remember the theory bit....

Just so you know,,,,

The Artful Dodger, the unique and priceless Ash (chocolate labrador with substantial ego), is giving up her own blog after more posts than me, and doing guest appearances here, when and if I let her. Basically there is one computer, one Hugh, one Lindsay and one Ash. And our legs and arms are longer than hers so she gets beaten in the race to the keyboard, or sidetracked by biscuits (hmmm, could be Hugh or me too). Midge (black lab cross) is dyslexic and prefers licking anything within reach (elbows are a favourite) and chewing sticks to anything as boring as writing words.

Tart's Century

I'm not the most frequent of bloggers but today I reach Post No 100.

As I really don't have a huge following I have no plans to do what seems to be de rigeur in blogging circles and have some sort of giveaway and pull a number at random out of all the comments I might receive. Since I probably average about one and half comments per post it would be easier if I just sent y'all a prize for perseverance anyway! It's a celebratory post nonetheless as I have just clocked up another year. I had a very fine birthday featuring handmade goodies as well as those simple pleasures which are coffee, chocolate, books and bubble bath. I hope you can see the amazing black and silver and glittery necklace there which Frances made me - I need an occasion now to put on such finery! And Louise deserves special mention because she spoilt me with a subscription to that magazine which urban dwellers cherish, rural souls snigger at and people like me love the linger over and dissect, devouring every image and advert with equal enthusiasm! The fancy Marmite was from Hugh - I may have hinted about it a few times. As he loathes the stuff I will get every last drop to myself, though he also got me this wee gem which has given me lots of ideas on how to slither the yummy stuff into various dishes. His comments were unrepeatable when I read the suggestion for mashed banana and marmite sandwiches, though, so I'd best play safe.Have you been following Katie's equine creations? Wait till you see what Amanda made for me!My very own Tunnocks Teahorse!

Sticky Fingers

These collaged boxes went off to Paxton, along with another. The first is Bird Box, and here's a close-up of one side..

And this is Lovey Dovey, with a glass teardrop hanging from the shelf.
And then two of Wonderland, which is covered in fairy tales and toys and children's images of yesteryear.
They were fun to make and I am on a roll now, making different collaged papier mache objects so there will be more photographs soon. I am having a great time, getting covered in glue and paint and little bits of paper, not quite singing away to myself but not far off it (even I find my tortured singing difficult to cope with, and my whistling isn't any better).

Today we had a fine Woolgathering - between the ten of us there was spinning, knitting, embroidery, wet and dry felting, kantha work, needlepoint and patchwork all going on, as well as talking, drinking of copious cups of tea and coffee and a substantial amount of cake-eating. It was lovely to see what others are working on and who's seen what and who's got lovely new books to admire or work to display.

A passion....

....for yarn!
I showed you rolags and part spun bobbins of a greeny gold mix - it's Moorland now, second from the left in the pic above.
My stash of handspun is growing, ready to head out into the wide world as the end of the week. Crossing Borders artists are again exhibiting throughout the season at Paxton House. Over thirty artists' work will be on show and we'll each be there in person on a different day of the month. My trusty wheel will accompany me, and sometimes a cutting board and papers so I can make envelopes and cards. My first day there is Easter Monday - wonder if there will be any chocolate eggs left over by visiting children...

I've been making more papier mache display boxes and shelves which will be heading to Paxton House too. Must photograph them first.

I have more wee items on display/sale at a brand new space in Jedburgh.
Gallery in the Alley is run by talented illustrator Linda Lovatt and she'll be holding an open day to launch it (with her delicious cakes too!) very soon.

Chocolate Challenge

Hello!
Yesterday I wrote a post and uploaded it and sw it on the blog and now it has disappeared - completely and utterly vanished, no trace, nada. I am miffed, to put it mildly.

Anyway, what I was waffling on about was that my kind Woolgathering friends and I have rounded up enough pennies to buy a coffee farmer in Nicaragua a new start with cocoa beans. this is what Present Aid (Christian Aid) have to say -

The livelihoods of coffee farmers and their families in Nicaragua are on the brink of disaster.

The warm weather caused by climate change is ruining their crops. The solution is to switch to cocoa, which thrives in warmer environments.

A starter kit contains enough cocoa seedlings for one plot of land and three days training that will help the farmer learn how to cultivate this new crop.

With this new start, livelihoods can be protected and secure the future for farming families.

What I did was clear out some of my arty/crafty supplies, either stuff which had been my Mum's and I was never going to use (there was a lot!) or other treasures that I had gathered along the way. And over a couple of Woolgatherings they were gradually purchased and the pennies went into the Chocolate Fund. I topped it up from the egg money and hey presto!

I'm starting a new collection now, for some pigs for help Bolivian women build a steady income to support their families!

Meanwhile I have been spinning autumnal shades. First a lovely big heap of rolags... ....spun onto two bobbins, one with added bombyx silk fibre, then plied together. I have a few new hanks of hand spun drying at the moment and will take a snap when they are dry and labelled with suitably silly names.

Now to save this and see if it survives to show on Blogger today.

Work in Progress

Doesn't this just make you want to smile? A stunning papier mache confection from Dianne Fox who has a studio at Kirkharle in Northumberland that you can visit. She produces a fantastic range of bright coloured jewellery and wall art that is all highly covetable - go see her!

From the sublime to the rather tamer.... these images are from my latest project which is collaged display boxes and shelves. They really are just work in progress at the moment as there is so much else to be done this month.
Hugh is launching his new business right now and we are off to Kelso on Tuesday to the Borders Tourism Partnership's conference and leaflet exchange to spread the word about Far x 4. If you follow the link you'll find that it cunningly takes you straight to the relevant pages in our newly re-launched Workhouse website. The site now shouts about the cottage and our arty stuff as well. Let me know what you think!

In between website work and estate office work and a million other little chores, I am trying to get some spinning done. I'm hoping to have a few outlets to sell it at this summer but I need more stock...

Knitting (very, very simple knitting)

First, here are the crocheted wristwarmers I made using Twilley's yarn from my small but select stash... I used Attic24's own wee bobble trim pattern too and finished them off with tassels at the wrists, for no particular reason except I was enjoying myself. They are fine and thick but non-clingy.
and here are my just-finished ribbed ones made from stripes of five different leftover lengths of my handspun yarns. Much closer fit, obviously, and a little bit longer. The stripes even match. Genius, eh?
Now, just in case you are interested, I am selling my hardback copy of Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitting Workshop. There are some 'new' copies on ebay for £29, if you like. Or you could have mine, with a name label stuck on the inside cover but otherwise in very good condition, for a mere £18, including postage.
Her book has lots of clever stuff in it - shapings, colour pattern knitting, shawls, rorshach sweater, surprise jacket, tomten jacket, i-cord...ach, there's masses in it. Shout if you'd like it.We're having a Valentine's Day Woolgathering - all pink hearts and chocolate - no, well, maybe not, but lots of yarn and pattern talk, idea swapping and a little selling maybe, good chatter and always lots of laughs. Everyone's welcome - the more there are, the warmer we'll be!

Winter chills

Not coughs and colds, just freezing night time temperatures and a house that's less than toasty at times. Still, I've made this...

Winter chills

Not coughs and colds, just freezing night time temperatures and a house that's a lot less than toasty at times. Still, I've made this...
Yeah, I know, it is a bit Little House on the Prairie, isn't it?! But it looks warm and it's made from fabrics from four sources - a curtain (the big bold checks), some linen left over from backing cushions, some more from a jumble sale and a swatch book of stripe and check curtaining fabrics. Backed with an old white cotton sheet, and with a polyester/cotton mix wadding (which I did have to pay for) It's not quilted as such, just tied through at each corner of each square with little felt squares top and bottom, and mother-of-pearl buttons on the centre sections.

I have also made a quick and simple pair of crocheted wristwarmer gloves based on Attic 24s idea. She's a talented one, and her colours make me want to sing (alarming thought for loved ones, sorry).

As a lively contrast I thought I'd show you this which I scanned from a little piece of paper that Ali used to giftwrap a present for me. The colours are much brighter than the original but it's about the right size. I particularly like the character slugging something from a bottle and the one with the trumpet (?) over her head!

Dragging my heels...

Well, by now I should be full of enthusiasm for a new year but whether the snow and cold has robbed me of ooomph or the size of the to do list has done for me, I am not sure. I am building up steam but it's a struggle...

So, to take my mind of it all, I bring you something glorious to behold! This lovely piece is by Amanda Mitchell, stained glass whizz and daft as a brush. You can see more of her work here and you can commission delicious stuff like this which is, by the way, ALL MINE! It's an abstract celebration of the Borders, all rolling hills and fields and rivers, and it hangs in the hall window where we can admire it every day.

I'll stop with the snow pix after this but here are a couple of images from our chilly Christmas Day walk at Kielder - the wonderful curved suspension bridge is at Lewisburn. The silly black dog and her silly owner, stylishly dressed in her brand new Christmas present wellies, were mucking about on the snow-covered picnic benches back at the carpark

Festive Bounty

Jennifer's hand painted Christmas card to us

Stunning jewellery made for ME! by Frances

Nutmeg walnut shortbread biscuits

A handmade birdie hook holding a pressed metal birdie heart

My Christmas window dressing, with plenty of
snow visible outside, and one of Amanda's
glass doves on the mirror