Friday 9 December 2011

Bonnie Wee Hooses


 I think it's fair to say and obvious through my work that I have a bit of a thing for wee cottages.
I was brought up living in a cottage on the outskirts of Perth and I've lived in a few different ones over the years including the one I live in now with my husband and two children. 
This is the cottage I grew up in as a teenager. My brother lives in it now.

Painting By Jim Douglas

This is the cottage we live in now.
You can just about make it out behind the trees! The trees provide a nice bit of shelter and are home to lots of Greenfinch in the summer. Thankfully they are all still standing after yesterday's gale force winds! I felt like I was in the opening scenes of a disaster movie yesterday when I went out for wood and coal!


 I found these old photos taken in 1996 on a visit to Donegal with my Mum. I can remember we were ridiculously over excited with these cottages much to the bemusement of the old fella we met in the driveway.


 We were even more over excited when we saw that this one was a florists!
Mum and I both worked as florists for years and we thought this our absolute dream place.


A few weeks ago I spotted a photo on Craft Blog UK that really intrigued me.
It was of a knitted cottage against the backdrop of the beautiful Scottish Highlands. I immediately went in search of it's maker and got chatting via email to Julia Marsh, owner of Hand Knitted Things based in the north west of Scotland. 
Julia sells knitting patterns for her little croft house cottages but seeing as knitting is not one of my talents she offered to knit one for me!


 Drum roll please.............


Ta da!!!


 I am so delighted with it! I think it's the cutest thing ever.

It reminds me of some of the wee hooses we saw on holiday this summer out on Harris.





And of course it's like a 3D version of one of my own little needle felted ones.

£40

You can find out more about Julia and her Hand Knitted Things here

So we had an unusually wild and windy day here yesterday with the children off school and the fire needing fed like a hungry animal.
My postie still got through though and brought me some new supplies to play with.


 These new Felt Flower Pendants are now available in both my Etsy and Folksy shops priced £20.


More colours coming soon.


I also have these new Sheep Earrings available in both my shops. Just click the images to go to the listings.






6 comments:

  1. Aileen thank you so much for the mention. Glad you are please with the knitted croft house.

    Thanks for sharing the photos, there are so many variations on the theme! I like the photo mosaic of croft buildings, there's more colour out there than you think!

    Loving the new items in your shop.

    Regards

    Julia

    ReplyDelete
  2. stunning, I love little cottages and I love your choices x

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh so sweet, I'd have liked a little real byre for my studio but I'm glad of the studio I do have.

    Glad you survived the winds, we have a snapped bird table, half a pergola screen down & a flattened Eucalyptus - we're lucky to still have a house standing !

    ReplyDelete
  4. Lovely post Aileen!
    You have some wonderful work for sale again...your work is never stagnant, always full of brightness and gorgeousness!
    Love your new 'cottage' too.
    I love cottages and have a pic of one I'd love to own and live in, it came from the packaging of some new bedlinen bought about 15yrs ago! I have it cut out and it sits atop my computer screen along with, a postcard type advert of a Skye coastline from a bottle of Talisker Whisky I had given me last year, a card butterfly from Lottie (Allotment Lady blog), a saying from a broken keyring @The most wasted day of all is that in which we have not laughed', a smiling cat pic with the quote 'Yesterday is history ... etc'. Things that ought to go on a pinboard or something similar!

    Any how, have a great weekend,

    Sandie xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hey Aileen, I love the cottages and it's funny but I have been thinking of bonnie wee hooses this week as well.
    I'm having my first giveaway and one of the prizes is a lovely pendant made from an old plate and it has a cute little house on it.
    If you're interested just pop over and leave a comment.
    Love Julia's hand knitted cottage just too sweet.
    Your new felt flower pendants are lovely, great colour and the sheep earrings are just too cute.

    Enjoy your weekend,

    Claire :}

    ReplyDelete

Your comments are very welcome and much appreciated ♥

All contributed content © Aileen Clarke