A Wintry Week

 Brrrrr...it's been a chilly time here in Fife over the last week or so. We love a bit of snow up here as it's so pretty but it came in as sleet on a fierce east wind to start with and we didn't get any of those glorious blue sky days when all is bright and beautiful. 

We were lost in the mist last Wednesday.

We've had a wonderful variety of birds pecking around the garden including this wee fat partridge.

 Unfortunately my husband and two children have all been unwell with a flu type thing so it's just been a case of keeping everyone warm and looked after which hasn't left much time for making anything.

Some folk say they can smell snow in the air and I think that's true. I also believe my Granny's old way of telling if it's on it's way. She always said blue flames in the fire meant snow was imminent and we have had plenty of  those. When I rake the hot coals there's a pink glow and flashes of purple too! I've never seen that before.

This wee cottage is slowly but surely loosing it's roof tile by tile. I still day dream of renovating it into a Craft Bothy but it's just a dream.

Snow is possibly the only thing that can make trampoline netting look vaguely interesting too!

The only new thing I have managed to make this week is this oval Sheep Pendant.

It has sold already but there will be plenty more in stock in various colours soon.

 This brooch is still available though

Brooch £15

Available Here 

I do have plenty of cards in stock including this set of six for £12

Set of Six Cards £12 here

I have also been playing around a bit on Pinterest recently and found this idea for a Cable Cuff. I happened to have this wrist cuff bracelet made from a batch I made from old denim jeans last year. It wraps around the cable and the handle of the iron, keeping it nice and tidy when it's stored in the cupboard! Genius! Very easy to make with a bit of fabric and button or a bit of crochet or knitting. Mine just happens to match the iron and ironing board.

 So a very slow start to the year here creatively speaking.

Our brochure for Open Studios North Fife should be ready soon. You can keep up to date with Open Studios news on our Facebook page here

Snowed In

I have to say that we are thoroughly enjoying the deep snow that has fallen over our part of the world over the last week or so.
Last Wednesday we got officially snowed in with both roads in and out of our pocket of Fife blocked and iced over. There was nothing to be done except stoke up the wood burner, rustle up a pot of soup and go for a lovely walk in what felt like a different world.

Our Cottage.

The View East.

Hazy Sun on the Horizon.

Spanish Oak on the Lane.

And just when we thought we couldn't get any more snow......we got another four inches last night and woke up to this today.

Rowan Tree

The Rowan tree above is where I hang the bird feeders and it is a hive of activity at the moment. There are robins, sparrows, great tits, blue tits, dunnocks, black birds, bullfinch, wrens and a woodpecker having a real feeding frenzy out there. I was shocked to see a Sparrow Hawk swoop in the other day and pin down a wee birdie but it escaped unharmed. We also had a family of long tailed tits for a while last year and there are a pair of Jays that make an appearance every so often.
It's a wonderful place to live and a real inspiration for my felted landscapes.

I haven't been able to get to the studio over the past week but I'm hoping to be there on Thursday the 31st Dec. So if you are passing please pop in between 10 and 4. I'll be working on some new felt landscapes and I also have a new toy to play with. It's an inflatable ball for making felt vessels. I'm very excited to try it out. It looks for all the world like a bouncy foot ball made out of bubble gum! Photos to follow.

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the winter holidays as much as we are.