Highlandhearts

Look whats on my new craft table!  I think i might do a regular post on this and it will keep me making things to show you. I had a sort through my collected materials and found the tartans and tweeds.  I have rarely brought any material, preferring to recycle clothing and bits i find here and there.  In this square is material from a couple of my sis-in-laws skirts, a leftover piece from the cushion making class i went on, a piece i was given by a friend, a square of a pair of my old jeans and other bits fou in charity shops.  This means it hasn't cost me hardly anything either. I am making a front and back piece and this might become a bag or a cushion ( "not another cushion!"  OH is shouting. )  I don't know what he means, can you ever have enough?  I am leaning towards a bag this time i think. Its had to be a very frugal week as OH has been working for two weeks on a job but not finished yet, be nice when he does though and i have only ...

It has taken 4 weeks at sewing class but at last my shift top is finished and although it looks nice on the hanger, it doesn't look so nice on me!  Never mind, if i ever lose another stone in weight it might look better on.  I now need to find another project to do next week. We spent two days down in Inverness on hospital appointments for OH this week.  We were lucky that we could stay overnight with our friends on the Black Isle as it saved us a lot of mileage and diesel.  We had a lovely walk along the beach, so warm we were in short sleeves and i collected a good handful of sea glass to add to my collection.  We were up early next morning to see the results of the referendum and although us and our friends were in opposing camps, we are still friends and although hearts are heavy, hopefully it won't take too long before all the people of Scotland come together again.   OH has created a little craft area for me in the back bedroom. It needs a bit...

Our mornings have been shrouded in mist on most days this past week, sometimes it has been teatime before the sun has broken through, making a lovely evening but yesterday it had cleared by lunchtime and was lovely and warm and today, although it is a bit cooler, it is a sunny day. This week has been a costly one for us.  OH had a hospital appointment and we were journeying over the mountain when the front brakes locked on the front wheels.  We do belong to the AA but decided it would be better if we tried to get the car back to the garage we use but it was quite difficult, the smell of burning rubber was awful and we had to keep stopping and starting till we limped onto their forecourt.  The chap came outside to have a look and the wheels were 140 degrees!  When it had cooled a bit they put the car up on the ramp to have a look and we were quoted £585 pounds to fix it.  Luckily i had been putting some money by to help us through the winter months when work ...

Lots of blue sky and a nice morning for a trip out to a pottery shop.  We drove up winding roads, past lots of green fields and stopped in a layby to look at this view across the water.  The white blobs in the picture are birds, hundreds of them and there was a bird hide open for anyone to go into.  We did pop in but I preferred to be outside.   Further over the water i spotted this I had to put my camera on full magnification to take this photo of one of the largest cruise liners i have seen.  I am guessing that this one might be full of Americans which is good news for everyone in business up here as they seem to spend their hard earned cash more freely than some others. When I worked at a tourist attraction we always had a list of the cruise ships, when they were docking and nationality of passengers and as we are an area that relies heavily on tourism, we looked forward to them coming.  I guess at this time of day most passengers would be d...

I picked up this fab cushion from Asda and only £7, bit of a bargain i thought and you can never have enough cushions right! I have finally been able to start making things again and this weekend i picked up my crochet hook and hooked up a little jar cover It has found a home on the kitchen window sill, waiting for a few flowers to be popped inside. I also picked up my knitting needles and have started making a washcloth using this lovely organic wool. Simple stitching and i am a bit slower but its nice to be making again. I have now put my favourite inspiration books beside my armchair, ready to cosy up and look at by the fire.  I felt alot colder this weekend, it was so wet and windy but have resisted lighting it so far and it is supposed to warm up a bit in the week. This morning i went to the patchwork club and as i haven't been for ages it was lovely to catch up with everyone and see what they are making.  I do have the weekend away in Edinburgh for the quilti...

Yesterday a kind friend gave me a courgette and some plums from her garden.  Its lovely to receive homegrown vegetables and the courgette was pretty big, more like a marrow but i knew i would be able to use it. I didn't have to go to work until lunchtime so as soon as OH was fed his fried breakfast and went off to work I set about some preparation.  First i made a chunky vegetable pasta sauce and 2 generous pots were put in the freezer.  I decided to make "a girl called Jack's" courgette, tomato and brie gratin for my tea and have it with a tray of roasted veg.  Definately looking forward to eating that later. Son wouldn't eat it as he doesn't like tomatoes or courgettes so i decided to make my usual carrot and lentil veg pie for him.  I still have half the courgette left so tomorrow i will make a vegetable chilli to freeze and put more in a cheesy rice dish. I stoned the plums, couldn't resist popping some into my mouth as they were so ripe and sw...