Summer Crafting

 Good Morning, another week has flown by I am seriously wondering where the time goes?   The weather has not been anywhere near the same as the mainland with lower temperatures and some days rain, like today.  Saturday saw quite a lot of wind which has damaged quite a few plants.  Island living...I wouldn't change it.  

The chickens had a little adventure this week and escaped from the garden, they were found walking down the road.  Fences have since been repaired and they are back in a pen safe!  We are blessed with good size brown eggs daily but I thought I would share this particularly large egg from late last week.  I don't think I have ever seen one so large.

I have made time to craft this week as a friend from Church wanted me to make a brooch/corsage to match a dress.  I actually had fun making three so that she could choose which one she favoured.  Two crochet ones which were a very quick make and a Harris Tweed one.

The craft room has had a good sort out and some areas rearranged, making it easier to find and indeed get to materials needed for a project.  Storage is a lot better and much more effective.  During the clearout I did come across a project languishing in a basket which I have retrieved and am now working on.  It is a picnic throw that I started several years ago and for some reason never finished.  It is so bright and cheerful and perfect for a gift for my grand daughter who we have a tepee ready to take when we visit.  I am hoping to either sew her name into the tepee or paint her name on it using fabric paint.  I am hoping to start it later today, when I return from aerobics.

We intend to spend a few hours this afternoon working in the garden room, this area has been such an asset to us and enables us to grow a little food for ourselves.  The winds here are not conducive to growing some things outside.  We are enjoying strawberries, which for me are a beautiful taste of Summer.  I made a trifle yesterday out of about 6, such a luscious   Sunday treat.

As always I do thank you for your visit and your uplifting comments.  Cherie asked if I was a shawl person.  Yes I am, they are a comfort item for the climate we live.  Crafty in the med asked about the yarn used for the shawl. it was Paintbox Yarns simply DK.  Grandmadbeckyl asked about Debenhams, sadly the whole chain has closed the store will certainly be missed by me.  Mrs Tiggywinkle asked about Church, yes I am thankful that we are back in Church and are now allowed to sing but still have to wear masks and sit 2 metres apart.  Apparently from next week it is 1 metre apart.  Hope this helps.

I am also busy making lists as we intend to visit family and help with childcare during the Summer holidays.  We have had quite the issue booking ferries as they are all fully booked as so many people are having staycations and the Islands are a beautiful place to visit.  Tourism is indeed a great source of income for the Island so is certainly welcomed.  However, the added number of visitors is making it very difficult for Islanders to travel particularly with the reduced numbers allowed on board.  We are thankful that we have finally been able to get ferry bookings so we can now visit family.  I am also thankful for such good neighbours who will look after the cottage and chickens whilst we are away.

See you soon.

Keeping Busy

 I have been keeping myself busy with little projects, making it easy to fill my days.  Firstly, the humble chicken was roasted on Sunday for a roast dinner.  Monday more of the chicken was used to make a curry.  Today, the remaining chicken breast was used to make a chicken in pepper sauce dish with pasta and salad.  I have just finished boiling the bones and remains of the legs to make a chicken and rice broth for the freezer, its always handy to have some soup ready.  There was no waste but equally there was plenty of meat so the chicken has made 4 meals for 2 people.

The dolls house has been moved downstairs from the attic bedroom, making it easier to work on.  Gerard has also been down to the outbuilding to gather together any materials needed to work on it.  Today we worked on the roof.

One side both painted and the slate outlined, the other side painted waiting to be outlined and affixed.  Gerard made a start on looking at the electrics to see what is required.  It is a slow but very enjoyable project.  We both enjoy doing the research for it as well so new skills will be learnt along the way.

My doorstep delivery project will be ongoing for some time so I will be adding to it on a regular basis.  I will share anything that I do that is different.  More embellished paper clips for bookmarks or journals have been added.

I have also been working on gifts for my gift cupboard so I have made a selection of Harris Tweed brooches, they are a perfect gift to pop into an envelope.

They are all ready for when I need a gift.  Bibs and teething rings have also been made in preparation for a baby due in the Spring.

We have had plenty of rain but as yet no snow for which I am truly thankful.  It is making for some stunning rainbows.

I am keeping busy and filling my days well for which I am thankful.  I am also very thankful for all of you who visit and for new followers, I do hope you enjoy my little adventures through life.  Thankfully we remain in Tier 3, there has been an outbreak on Barra so that more than 10% of the population is now in isolation.  As expected they have now been moved to Tier 4.  The roll out of the vaccine appears to be going well here on the Island, for that I also give thanks.

Hope all is well with you wherever you are in the World.  Take care and stay safe.

See you soon.

Indoor Pursuits

Thankfully the weather is improving here a little whilst we are still having rain it is not the heavy downpours we were having.  My heart goes out to all those who have been affected by these latest floods that are causing havoc around the UK and indeed the world.  We are certainly living in strange times weatherwise.  My grass is in dire need of cutting but it is still too wet to get the mower over it.  Tomorrow is another day...

In the meantime indoor pursuits are once again in progress so a few rows of crochet here and there have been added to the Nordic Noir shawl.

I love the simplicity of this pattern and it will work so well through the seasons morphing from a wrap into a thick Winter scarf.  The shawl is made in one piece from the top down, working in rows to form a triangle.

The sewing machine has been out and I have made a Christmas table cloth to line a hamper that I have in mind for my parents.

I have enough fabric left to edge a couple of tea towels.  Using the same pattern fabric but in a different colour I have also made a table runner with once again enough fabric to fancy up a couple of tea towels.

Two more bags have been added to the gift cupboard.  One using a Cath Kidston fabric and lined with a yellow check.

The pocket was a scrap of plain yellow fabric.  The other bag was Christmas fabric lined with a plain cotton inner.

Brooches are always a great make that can be popped inside an envelope, so I have made some for the gift cupboard using some Harris Tweed scraps that I had and used a felted flower for the centres.

As Gerard has had a flare up of RA he too has been taking things easy and enjoying reading, doing crosswords and jigsaw puzzles.  We were at the hospital yesterday so a change of medication should improve things and he was given a steroid injection which should make him a little more comfortable.  As I am typing this the rain has once again started, any hope of getting anything done outside is quickly fading.

Whats the weather like in your neck of the woods?

See you soon.

Duel Purpose Gifts

I have had to put the slippers to one side until I get the measurements of the children's feet.  I don't want to be responsible for any disappointment if they don't fit.  In the meantime never one to sit around without a project on the go I made a start with some padded hangars to go with clothing items that I have bought.  I was inspired by a lovely book  Made from memories and consequently made brooches to attach to the hangar which can be taken off and used on the item of clothing.  A duel purpose gift.

 

 

Oddments of  wadding were used to pad the hangar and just tied with cotton.

 

 

I then made the crochet cover in a selection of colours.  The yarn was stunning a dream to use oddments left over from the flower wreaths I made for my daughters wedding.  They work up really quickly so would make great last minute gifts.

 

I then made up the brooches using remnants of Harris Tweed, one of my favourite fabrics.  They look wonderful frayed a little at the edges to give the brooch some depth.  The perfect addition to any outfit.

 

 

 



Another set of gifts already to be sent off to Santa.

 

Note to Daughters.  No girls they are not for you, I will not be putting anything for you on the blog.  Have you made much progress on your gift making?

 

See you soon.