Celtic designs and city skyscapes

Still on the theme of 'decorating for Samhain', the three of us (Himself was busy doing the loft conversion) got creative.

In between walking around the village for Lily (there has been several possible sightings of her  so we have been out all times of day and night in hope) Youngest and I have been carving pumpkins and Eldest has made a brilliant window display.

He first drew a skyscape on black paper, cutting many windows. He was definitely practising multi-tasking as he was watching Fawlty Towers at the same time.... !

We had, on one of our Looking-for-Lily walks, collected some very vibrant leaves, which Eldest then painstakingly taped and trimmed to fill the windows with colour.

I then taped it to our front window for him and we strategically placed fairy lights behind the windows and....

Just look at this!

before switching on the lights

The leaves made gorgeous colours and they really showed off all his 'windows' he had created - I am really pleased with his creativity.


Youngest and I ended up with two decorated pumpkins and a huge pot of pumpkin, chilli and garlic soup and home-made cinnamon bread - aaah heaven!

So, now the house is fully Samhain-ed and souped up.

PS - the possible sightings of our dear Lily are still coming in, I have just had another phone call saying that a cat was spotted - So without much of a thought apart from grabbing a coat and a torch, I set off, but  - nothing.  We do still have hope - how many deep red super furry fluff-cats live in our village?

Hawthorntime horrors

For Angela and C,

Hopefully a little inspiration to set off your Samhain mojo 

I trawled the internet and found some free templates. ** I've listed them below

With a little bit of scissor action and a lot of snippity bits left everywhere.

We now have a murder of crows cackling above our mirror.

A swarming colony of bats dashing across our wall.

Goulish faces watching our every move.

And skulls adoring our walls.

I've not quite finished, there are spiders and their webs waiting to go up and a few last touches.

AND!

Yesterday we bought two pumpkins -

Just think of the fun (and the soup says Himself and Eldest)

For the spider look HERE

For the Crows look HERE and HERE

For the goulish faces look HERE

For the bats look HERE

Thank you for your lovely comments about my last post, they are a delight to read :)

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This and that and thank you x

Thank you all for your kind words and suggestions. Some we are following up, others we have already done, posters, checking sheds, garages, speaking to dog walkers, checking drains and ditches, rivers edges, walking out during the day, walking out during the night, ringing veterinary surgeries, local cat rescues, the cleansing department, the ID chipping centre etc etc.

But we have to face facts that today is a week and no sign. No body, no sightings - nothing. I still look out the window at any movement - just in case.

We are keeping our little Pan indoors, not that she is that put out, she is more timid, preferring our company than being on her own and as the weather cools, she is happier to stay at home. But that is not the answer, cats should be allowed out and about. Any hoo........

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Youngest had asked a week or two ago for a knitted kerchief to wear whilst out walking. We chose a deep forest green in double knit with a black textured stripe as a contrast.

He wanted to wear it before I even had a chance to block it - so this weekend the kerchief had a walk out first and now is being blocked whilst Youngest is at school. Pan keeps sitting on it - hummmmmm, need to cat proof my blocking!

I then offered to knit one for Eldest. His reply - was very gracious (as gracious as a 14 year old teenager can be) in his new baritone voice 'No thanks......but, can you make one for my cat? In bright blue?'

I swear she is smiling :)

And finally, I have been doing a test knit (my first) and had fun doing it. Helped keep me busy. As the pattern is now out for sale I am sure I can share pictures and links.

Meet Humphrey the Camel.

His creator is Linda Dawkins from Natural Suburbia. Linda designs and makes the most gorgeous knitted creatures and I have long been a distant admirer, not trusting my novice ability on her patterns so when she asked for test knitters, I jumped at the chance and voila!  Humphrey.

I have other things on my needles, one item has been 'affectionately' dubbed the re-frogged scarf. I am on my third attempt....the previous two being frogged almost at point of completion. I should go with my gut instincts.....both scarflettes irked me as they grew on my needles but I kept going - just in case they improved....they didn't. So were duly frogged.

The present pattern I am now doing has potential - I just need to get further than frogging after about 30 rows. I will get there eventually!

I also have another cat cowl and crochet string bags on the go. Shame I have to go to work.

The calm AFTER the storm

Yesterday when I returned home from work (Thursday afternoons are mine and mine alone) I had an unhealthy itch to bond with the vaccum cleaner. Bordering on obsessive I whipped up a storm of plaster dust and building rubble as vacuum cleaner and me worked through in a determined-come-hell-or-high-water type of way. I am sure that the carpet was lifted off the floor with the suction to return to it's usual position in a quivering submissive manner. I dusted and wiped with a wet cloth, the water turning black with every rinsing. A red mist filled my glazed eyes - I*was*going*to*reclaim*my*house*from*the*plaster*dust* (this madness was briefly interrupted by the school run, feeding children, cats, dog, chickens, dispatching one off to music and dragging the other one up to his room to continue the BIG clean)

We continued, walls were vacuumed  skirting boards washed, curtains flicked and earmarked for the washing machine (which was already chewing it's way through a years worth of stashed clothing - the boys have inherited my tidying up genes....see abombstrukket). Pictures were removed off walls, dusted and stacked ready for the walls to be painted, toys were separated into re-home, keep, throw away - Eldest was shattered and pleaded to go and do homework (now that is a first!) 

Youngest returned from his musiscand was gang-pressed to continue in his brother's stead. We continued the unrelentless slash and burn action on the house. I was possessed. Youngest was procrastinating and eventually was banished to his  homework.

By 9.30pm I was finished - not in a-clean-house-sort-of-way, but in a-I-couldn't-do-another-thing-coz-I-was-so-tired-sort-of-way.

This morning - that whirlwind energy has all gone, I am back to my sore head and throat state, where only a mug of tea and some yarn action is all I can cope with....... So, the more gentle activity of knitting and tea sipping is bringing me back to equilibrium.

Don't think I could handle another frantic tidy up session for quite some time. If I show any inkling of doing so - please waft some wool below my nose (not too close I am still snotty!) to bring me back to my normal state - I thank you. 

WIP and help

Waiting to be played with.

Now, sitting in the sun, just about to press - ..Publish.. I am enjoying the quiet time, only the cats and the washing machine and me.......And Oh Yes In Case You Hadn't Realised! It Is F*R*I*D*A*Y!!

Have a good one xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Inspiration

A couple of weeks ago we happened upon , whilst on holiday, an event call the Spring-fling, which occurs during the first week of June and celebrates arts and crafts in Galloway. We wandered around artist's workshops and homes and came away enthralled, delighted and inspired.

Youngest was so inspired by one exhibit that he actually created a smaller version to suit a homework topic.

We had wandered into a willow workshop and fell in love with all the creativity and joy the willow sculptures exuded. Outside was a quirky sprite-like figure happily 'juggling' pink wellington boots and a mystical woodland lady with huge swirling skirts.

The door way to the workshop was as equally quirky and inviting

And inside, the space was dominated by a huge willow tree

The boys were fascinated, both decreeing they wanted one in our house too, I agreed and Himself, although raising his eyebrows as the silliness of the thought, probably would love it too.

What Himself did like was the huge mermaid in a shell (although at the time we thought it was a coracle - it was only afterwards when we looked at the photos we could see it was a shell)

Suitably sated and inspired that when we came home from our holiday,  Youngest started his homework with enthusiasm.

The topic was to create a sculpture or some form of artwork to reflect the positivity of life and the environment and he immediately set about planning a tree like the one we saw at the willow workshop.

We all marched off to the local beck and fought our way through a swathe of nettles and brambles to help collect some willow for him, which he painstakingly wove and wound until he had a tree shape.

He then wrote a list of positive words down, then cut out coloured leaves - writing down the words he'd found on each leaf. These were then tied on the tree. He wound barbed wire at the base to represent evil and gave the tree a tree post - naming it 'strength'. We were amazed at his creativity and I am kicking myself at not getting a final picture of his tree - which is now at school. He carefully/triumphantly carried his tree in this morning with such a grin on his face - bless him!

To anonymous or not to annonny-mouse - that is the question*

Dear Anonymous - I took on board and I agree with what you said and you will have seen I was delighted to read your thoughts and have published them .

The reason I have that little phrase 'Sadly anyone signing anonymously will not be published'  is down to a few blog-readers who have written some unkind things and hide behind their anonymity. They don't take responsibility for what they say. Since adding that little phrase, the only 'anonymous' comments have been genuine .Blogger also do not allow you to remove the anonymous option.

I am not looking only for positive comments choosing to ignore anything I disagree with, I was just trying to prevent another vitriolic tirade. You can sign a name if you wish,once you have typed in your comments, by choosing the NAME/URL option (one higher than the anonymous option) it allows you to sign in - but if you still wish to remain anonymous that is your choice and please feel free to remain so :)

Poppy Cottage thank you for your comments - I got my name tags from - Woven Labels UK and they have some nice colour combinations and icons - my little ribbons came from the craft and hobby label option.

I've just collapsed at my desk with a throbbing knee - Youngest was desperate to go trick or treat-ing (or as he calls it trickle treating) and he wanted me to go with him.  Unfortunately I was supposed to be at work, however, thanks to a timely and suitably spooky power cut forcing us to close early - I managed to get home in time to help him into his ghoulish costume, paint his face and hobble off (complete with wig and suitable facial grimace) We went out with friends and saw many familiar families of monsters and mini-witches. Now, home after a suitable haul of sugary treasure, I am limping like a peg legged pirate (oo-argh me 'arties).

Any hoo - thought I would share with you a photo of my littlest darling........ in all his gory........ he's a sweet kid, really, no really!!

Well, two posts in one day - waffled enough now, will end here ..... got a bit of crochet to get on with :) 

Night all and blessings be on this night of all Hallow's Eve and tomorrow is a new day - 

Have a lovely Tuesday xxxxxx

*Apologies to Shakespeare for completely ruining his line (or was it Edward De Vere's?)

In which a tree eats my children, giddy dog spreads her toes and Eldest carries a heavy heart.......and I make biscuits! (14/52)

A brisk spring breeze cuts my cheek as I pull my hat down hard to just above my eyelashes. High above our heads a curlew screams a courting song while his mate whirls and wheels around echoing his every cry. The hump back hills beckon as we follow a centuries old grass-gentle path through the field. Each step takes us further into the view as we leave the car behind - it is Saturday and we are breathing - after the week I have just had, I need to breathe.

I can feel the earth beneath my feet and hear the giggles of my boys as they, like me, experience the release that only walking can bring. The dog, ball in mouth and wag on tail, trots around us, her eyes full of expectation and excitement as she invites the boys to play.

We reach our chosen spot and shelter out of the breeze while we eat sandwiches and cradle cups of tea in cold fingers. The still weak spring sunshine gently teasing us with shafts of light between the wind blown clouds. In the far far distance, almost too far to be clear, we can just make out the main road. Full of cars. Full of cars going somewhere, no where, any where.

Sheep bleat reassuring replies to their lambs as they call out incessantly. Small cat sized lambs on wobbly knobbly kneed legs. Still bearing umbilical cords, still placenta stained they lean against their mother's legs as they warily watch us as we stride by.

We reach a field we last visited several years ago. A sentinel tree stands tall and inviting. And, like they did last time we were passing through, the boys listened to the invitation - this time, it was a bit of a squeeze as they pushed into the open mouth. The last time, they both fitted into the cavity. How they have grown........

The tree had regurgitates the boys and we walk down into the valley,  slipping quietly in then out of a sleepy hamlet where we are escorted by what appeared to be the only living creatures. A rather handsome cockerel and his henny harem watch us with intense beady eyes. 





We leave the village and it's feathered bouncer and find ourselves alongside the River Wharfe. Although, today it meanders lazily over water worn stone slabs, the evidence of winter storms is everywhere. Our gritty pathway continues riverside where our previously delicious solitude is now interrupted by other walkers. Old dodderers to fleece-clad yompers, family groups nattering to serious booted and suited walkers striding self-importantly as they clutch walking poles and water proof maps. We retreat from the massing humanity and find ourselves a quiet shore edge where we eagerly drink  tea and munch on much needed chocolate biscuits.






Ahead is a narrow wooden suspension foot bridge that will swing and bounce with every step we take. We laugh as we anticipate giddy dog's approach to crossing this strange moving bridge. She lowers her head, spreads her toes and shuffles wide legged across.
















We chat, the boys play, giddy dog gets tired, she is getting older, as we all are, and her muzzle bears the tell-tail (sic) signs of greying. We stop so the boys can skim stones on a stretch of almost mirror calm water when after a while, Eldest who is now sitting on the river's edge finds a stone he wants to take home. He calls me over - it is more akin to a fossil filled boulder than the 'stone' he hints about and I am suitably impressed with his find and take a picture in lieu of taking the boulder as it seems far too large and heavy.

We set off, Eldest lags behind as Youngest skips ahead full of energy and chatter. I look behind and see Eldest is still lagging, I call. He smiles a reply and speeds up a little. Our walk continues away from the river, back into fields and farms. Back up hills and towards the car. Eldest is now struggling to keep up. We investigate.............the 'stone' now nestles happily in his haversack. We carry on up the rutted track, Eldest doing his best to seem unaffected by the huge lump on his back. I can not bear it any more and swap my pack for his and instantly wish I hadn't.

I now trudge.

As we walk through the final fields and farms, I feel relief as I can see in the not too far distance the car parked patiently waiting for us.

Later, now the boys have gone to bed, the house has taken on that  satisfied semi-sleep state, Himself takes the heart stone upstairs to weigh for me. It is 6kg (over 13lbs) ...........an awfully heavy stone heart for a slight 13 year old to carry.

It now sits on my dining room table...............



It is time for me to go to bed and I see it is no longer Saturday and is now Sunday - Don't forget that we change to British Summer time this weekend - Summer is on its way!

**walking* baking* thinking**

Walking:

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Thinking:

Further to my last post (Japan) things have progressed, I will let you know soon x

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Baking:

At this very moment I am baking buns for Youngest's fund raising at school for Red Nose Day, the kitchen is wall to wall with chocolate buns in various stages of completion. When the boys come home tonight we will have a marathon icing session - oh the mess the mess!

I love, love, love these silicone baking cases, the colours are really cheery and bright.

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