Quality will out...

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.

From the top, Gretel's truly unique needlefelted menagerie, seen here as view from her 2010 calendar.
A dinky little handknit jingle purse from Monkey and Sofia, which is the home of Maureen and Phil living a simple life in Spain.
The festive green sock yarn is one of Helen's richly hand dyed treats from Ripples Crafts
And who could resist a treasure chest like this red Secret Stash box from Katie's shop

Me, I've been primping the cottage in readiness for its official assessment today by VisitScotland. Nice man came and did a thorough job, and it should not be long till we get our 'stars'. We have visitors is the cottage over New Year which will be very fine. There's a wee decorated tree in the porch to welcome them.

We have 'rescue' trees this year. In the cottage is one of the titchy self-seeders which spring up along the forest roads. As soon as it is that forest's turn to be felled, the first thing to happen is that the roads are widened and surfaced ready for the huge machinery and logging trucks to gain access. And that means the wee 'wild' trees are squished to pulp. Not so this one, which has roots on and will get a new life in early January.

The tree in our house may just about last till Christmas Day! It was one of several which were sawn down and discarded at the plantation up the road and lay in the ditch for weeks.... Hugh rescued ours, trimmed the worst of the dying bits off and brought it home. The living room is so cold that the needles are only falling by the dozen, not the hundreds but it is touch and go whether it will be completely bald by this time next week...!