A Favourite Corner

 Around about this time of year we start to make a few trips around Scotland. It's such a gloriously lush time and our feet get itchy. One place we love going to is Ullapool, on the north-west coast of Scotland. It's only an hour and half from where we live, but it's just far enough away to feel like a decent adventure. Over the years a few things have become dear to our hearts, not least the fantastic Ceilidh Place (do visit the link - really sweet) which does fabulous food - some of the best vegetarian food I've ever eaten. This time round I had an open sandwich, which doesn't sound especially exciting, but thick homemade bread topped with slabs of gooey goat's cheese, dripping with aromatic pesto and loads of local salad...oh I can taste it still! Even better was sitting outside in the glorious sunshine, which I should say is not always possible in this part of the world...bliss. Not only great food but wonderful books for sale in a teeny-tiny bookshop, and some great art exhibited to boot.

After all, that glorious food, Ullapool is a great place to pootle around. For the boys the beach, any incoming Hebridean ferries and the fishing boats are of most interest.  And of course we go home with buckets of their treasures - which may explain a distinctly fishy smell coming from just outside the backdoor...

 I love all of that too, but I am always pleased to have a chance to visit a beautiful little wool shop, which sells all sorts of goodies that I'm unable to get in Inverness. I came home with the makings of a wee project to take on a holiday with me this year.

And we are off again on another adventure this weekend, to the new Solas festival (a Scottish relation of the wonderful Greenbelt)  on the Borders, to represent L'Arche and hear our pal Andy Howie sing. Happy days.

The longest day - a Scottish summer begins

Chaise Ecossaise

A neighbour gave me this old chair a while ago, and although it had a newish cover it didn't really go in our house. I'd been drooling over some beautiful tartan to re-cover it with, but it was going to cost a small fortune. Hmm. Then I realised I had lots of tartan at home. But...in many small pieces. And many different colours. Hmm.

Eventually a plan hatched itself for a tartan patchwork, with a few bits of tweed, felted jumpers and other oddments thrown in to the mix. Just for good measure.

Well, it took a while, Christmas happened, birthdays and a few other celebrations had to be attended to. Then the sewing machine decided it wasn't going to play nicely anymore and we had a few arguments about that. A huffy silence for a couple of weeks. Then we managed to get back together and sort out our problems. And finally, fifty three million staples and 100 upholstery nails later, here we are. Cheery and oh so comfy. I love it. However, the boys did think I was straying from the plot when I dragged it out into the garden...possibly, possibly.

Five

Last week, my youngest turned five. Five. I am still slightly in shock about it. When did that happen? Despite all my pleading for him not to grow, he has. And it seems there is little I can do about that. However, a birthday is good time to stop and wonder at the marvellous person who is being celebrated. My boy is a highly unique individual. How to describe him? 

He is very small (perhaps he has been listening to me after all!) and most people are surprised that he is actually turning five. But he revels in his smallness, loves it and makes a game out of it all the time. He is often hidden in tiny places, and will squeak quietly, informing me "I am a baby mouse/frog/lizard/etc, you can't see me". he will stay hidden for quite some time, before making a mad and sneaky dash to grab a banana or other tasty snack within his reach. Often a hand will quickly appear from under the kitchen table to skillfully nab a biscuit...

He is extremely curious about things, especially nature. He recently brought me his friend's welly boot, full of water, frog spawn and a large live frog! So I should also add, he is very, very messy! So he relished a 'volcano' at his birthday - very satisfying activity, I must say, for all concerned!

His love of chocolate knows no bounds.

He can happily play for hours on his own, pottering around the garden, building large and elaborate train sets, or engrossed in books. But he adores his brother, leaping on and wrestling with him, with perhaps rather a little too much exuberance. But although, at times, they fall out (daily, probably) he is so funny and irrepressible that his big brother can only roll his eyes, tap his head and say with love, "He's crazy". And truly he is. He knows no fear. Small he may be, but he makes up for it with his dynamic, offbeat personality.

So, here's to five, and all the many, many adventures it will bring us all. Our boy-mouse-dragon has wheels, an accomplice or two, an empty jar, ponds and woods to explore. We can't help but love him deeply.

New Life

Happy Easter! We have been having a busy but wonderful time, with lots going on at L'Arche. You can see a bit of what we were up to by visiting the L'Arche blog. And otherwise, we have been getting in a bit of time with friends and to relax and walk a little too. Crazy weather too - yes, that is me in a hammock with four inches of snow on the ground - and enough sun to dry the sheets! But it is so wonderful to be out and about, climbing trees, wandering the hills and woods. New life indeed.

Bunny Egg Cosy Tutorial

It's been sunshine and showers around here, so fair-weather gardener that I am, I have been in my studio quite a but during the rainy moments. And it is still quite chilly, so I have been drawn to use cosy fabrics, especially wool felt and felted jumpers. Spring is the perfect time to sort out the scraggy looking woollies that really have had their day. And so chucking them in a  hot wash gives me the pleasure of some splendid felt to play with. More on that in another post! But with the remnants, I came up with these bunny egg cosies that will make splendid Easter presents. And they are so easy and quick, I thought I'd share the pattern.

What you will need:

* The pattern, click on the pattern below and print it off. You may need to resize to the measurements marked on it, sorry I'm not very good at sorting these things out for you!

* Felt, I like to use wool felt as it so nice to sew with, or a bit of a felted jumper

* A scrap of felt for the nose, or embroidery thread

* Buttons or beads (optional) for the nose

* Embroidery thread in various colours to suit the felt

* Oddments of wool for the tail

Cut out the pattern, then pin it onto two layers of felt (I cut two at a time, but if your fabric is very thick you may prefer to do one at a time). Cut out two rabbits. Then decide what you want to do for the face (buttons, beads or embroidery for the eyes, a felt or embroidered nose, embroidered whiskers). You may wish to mark it on with a vanishing fabric marker first. Stitch the face - I used 2 strands of emroidery thread for everything, except the nose, where I found it was easier to use 4 strands). When you are happy with the face, pin the rabbit together carefully, wrong sides together. then sew together using oversewing, blanket or running stitch - it's up to you! Finally, you need to make a wee pompom for the tail.

 The easiest way to do this is to wrap some wool around two fingers (don't do this too tightly!), then slip the wool off carefully and tie a strand around the middle, two or three times, tightly.

Snip all the loops and fluff out the pompom, trimming it into a nice round shape. Sew it firmly onto the back of the rabbit. Fluff up, and taa-daa! One cute rabbit ready to keep your breakfast egg nice and warm, while you are spreading Marmite on your toast soldiers, no doubt!

If you make one, do send me a link to your picture!

Time to hang up the mittens?

Although all the snow was beautiful and wonderful, we have been terribly excited to see it creeping away. After three months of looking at a white landscape, we were longing for colour and light. And here it is! The poor garden looks a little crushed and dried out, but with a bit (a lot!) of clearing and raking, I am uncovering all sorts of treasures emerging. It's so GOOD to be out again, woolly mitts exchanged for gardening gloves, breathing in fresh spring air.

And getting the first washes on the line. It's not really warm enough to dry things completely, but just that smell on clothes, well, it's heavenly.

My wellies have gone back into the cupboard and now the garden clogs stand on the mat. 

There's enough light in the morning to make me at least think about getting up for an early morning wander...

Is it time to hang up the mittens and declare spring has arrived?