Country Girls

E and I made these clothespin dolls during the summer hols. We had such good fun spending time crafting together. I bought the kit a while ago from Alicia Paulson here and for a while we just looked at all the pieces in the pretty package, not quite daring to get started in case we didn’t manage to make them as pretty as the ones in the picture. We needn’t have worried - the instructions were perfect, the fabrics and paint colours went so well together we really couldn’t go wrong. E enjoyed mixing the paints, deciding which girl had which dress and apron and making up the little bouquets. The girls finally got into the garden today to get their picture taken and were quite delighted with the outing! They’re back on the living room shelf now and make me feel cheerful every time I look at them. We’re thinking we might make different outfits for the winter with some little berries for the bouquets - how cute will that be!

Kitties

Leo and Lola survived perfectly well without us and with a friend coming in twice a day to feed and cuddle them. It was so hard for me to leave them but the general feeling was that they would be better off at home with the run of the place rather than cooped up in a pen at kennels. Our last cat, Elsie, was lost from a local cattery some years ago and although we found her ten long days later it has rather left me with a lack of trust in that area.

Leo was happy to see us as if we’d been gone for the day whereas Lola was a bit put out to see us actually. She was definitely standoffish, just wanting to be with Leo and not at all interested in getting a cuddle. Back to normal the next day though thank goodness. Wanting to be with me extends to sitting on the computer keyboard, which Leo used to love doing too, and playing on top of a piece of cross stitch I’d just laid out to check my progress. She playing with a straw, one of her fav toys. 

I can’t help posting this pic of Lola just sitting. I find it so hard to get a really good pic of her and this is one of the better ones. I think it shows how big she’s getting. In fact while we were away I think she doubled in size!

Here is Leo up on top of E’s wardrobe this morning - he purred and purred when I popped my head up there via the ladder to take this pic. He likes to escape up there from Lola. All that ninja attack stuff gets a bit much for him sometimes I think!

The end of the holidays

It hardly seems like five minutes ago that we were planning what to do with the six weeks that stretched ahead. I had two weeks off work to start with, three weeks of working with the house full of children and plenty of fun activities going on, then a week in a chalet on Loch Awe with E, J and of course this gorgeous girl.

M loves being in water. On walks you can see her sniffing the air and as soon as water is near she pulls and strains to get in and once in she just waits for us to throw her a stick, or a stone so that she can thrash about, swim a bit and come up for more. She would do it all day and on this holiday she was in the water more often than not! E would take her down to the water for a swim off this jetty.

The first day was beautiful but the next few days bought rain and more rain. Not that it stopped these fledgling fishers. Out on the jetty they stood, day after day, losing hooks, hooking weeds. Spotting many fish but never catching one - I was incredibly glad about this!

Many Highland cows in the fields either side of the very narrow road that led to our chalet. So photogenic - especially this little chap!

Busy Busy

So many children here last week that I didn’t even have time to think about taking the camera out and about with us, so these pics are from a great beach trip I had with E last weekend. It’s hard enough to remember hats and sun cream in case it’s hot, fleecies in case it’s not. Cycle helmets, drinks etc etc.  It was a good week - lots of fun had by all of us - but a tough one after my two weeks of pottering. One evening I actually fell asleep in the chair - which I never do.

We had some fun outings to the park, the bigger children on bikes, organised into single file by E at the head of the ride - a great sight and would have made a good pic if I’d remembered to pick up the camera! Lots of water play in the garden, even the two year old loving the paddling pool. And crafts of course.

The eldest girl I mind and E are great pals and had a sleepover here on Tuesday - that was a late night! Good fun. They get on so well it sometimes makes me sad that E doesn’t have close in age siblings. Mind you, this girl and her brother fight like billyo so there you go! We spent the evening out on our bikes doing the hidden article competition in the town. It’s our Civic Week and 60 plus shops hide something in their window display that shouldn’t be there - a paper clip, polo mint for example. Some are easy others so hard. It’s good fun and nice to see so many families out and about up and down the street. Stopping for a chat here and there, swapping answers. £10 first prize and I think we’re in with a chance!

Civic week this year has been choc full of activities, kicking off last sunday evening with bands and stalls on the market hill and a torchlight ceremony. I especially loved the Dangleberries. Great music and men in kilts - Fab!

More Cute Pet Pics

Pottering continues at the wwm house and environs. A bit of gardening, walking Milly (my easy-going grown up no trouble at all pet) and throwing her ball - over and over again, reading, putting up flat pack furniture, day out in Glasgow, golf for the golfers, swimming, cycling, crafting, sports activities for E with friends and this week I’ve been re-painting the playroom (aka my sewing room). Our two weeks of doing nothing very much are coming to a close and it seems we’ve done quite a lot.

Lola - aka spidercat - continues to settle in and we are discovering that she is fearless and fast and clever. We had the cat door rigged to just allow Leo in but it didn’t take long for Lola to figure out how to dash out past him while he would be making his way in - esp as she would be sitting there just waiting for him. We decided that Leo would have to come and go via one of two high windows but Lola can jump and scrabble up smooth surfaces like no other 11 week kitten I’ve ever known. How she got up onto the washing machine yesterday is a mystery and as the window is just as high again we now have to let Leo in and out as and when we notice he needs in or out rather than leave windows open for him. She just wants to be where he is so is inclined to follow where he goes. Very sweet!

Leo doesn’t go out as much now that he has feline company and seems to love the adoration that is heaped on him by Lola. When he does go out he is most often found on the roof, right up behind the chimney pot, eyeing up the birds. Sad that I found a little sparrow in the garage the other day. Dh said that he thought Leo had something. First kill - inevitable really I suppose, but I do love birds and it’s hard for me to know that my wee boy can do this.

Just now I’d pulled the piano away from the wall to paint behind it and balanced a dolly pram on the top of the piano out of the way. Leo often sleeps in this pram when my minded children play with it so as soon as he spotted it down from its high hook he jumped up and settled down for a snooze. About 5 minutes later E came back from the shop (emergency cat food dash) and I told her to go and look at where Leo was sleeping. She said how did Lola get up there and sure enough Lola had found her way up and snuggled up with her best pal.

First Days of the Holidays

This is the first year since E started school that I’ve taken the first weeks of the holidays off work. Usually I work right through to the end of July. We’re not going away until the end of the hols so these two weeks are about pottering. I love pottering.

A family dog walk to the woods on sunday ended after 10 minutes as the heavens opened and rain was bouncing off the fields and soaking us even through the thick canopy of leaves. There’s E huddled up against the cold and damp. Not such a good start to the school hols. E has a new wetsuit and is keen to get out on the waves on her body board. She’s not so keen that she wants to do it in the pouring rain though!

Earlier in the day Lola discovered that by scrambling up items propped up against my desk she can join in the sewing fun. She is quite fearless and has already discovered a way of getting up onto the high worktop where Leo has his food so that she can steal it.

On Monday while DH was away playing golf at Turnberry no less, E and I had a cycle ride to Threave Gardens. A turn about the gardens admiring the plants and a coffee and scone in the cafe. They have an amazing walled garden with produce for sale, including a pick your own lettuce and blackberries. E was very enthusiastic about the plants and was even able to name a good few. This waterfall is one of the new features at the gardens and is a work in progress. I imagine it will be beautiful when planted up. E thought it would be fun to paddle in on a hot day.

This low growing conifer is in the rockery. The way it’s grown has created a little cave and looked so exactly like a fairy house we had a story all made up for it. I think E would like to go back with accessories.

There is some great sculpture around the gardens. I love this cat - disturbed mid-wash.

And these pots are amazing. I’m sure when I first saw them they were newly placed and over the years they’ve become all mossy which sets them even deeper into the landscape

While we’ve not been out and about the kitties have continued to amuse us. For a few days now I’ve been convinced that Leo is actually quite pleased to have a kitty pal. It’s perfectly clear that Lola adores Leo, flinging herself at him and chasing him about the house constantly but it was this moment yesterday when Lola decided to join Leo in my paper basket - which is barely big enough for him but which he was happy enough to share for a while - though you can see the way he’s holding himself he was a bit surprised initially!

Victorian Girl

E’s class had a Victorian Day yesterday and I was quite pleased with her outfit considering we had just the weekend to sort it out. I made the bonnet and shawl quickly and easily from a simplicity pattern - 3725 - using fabrics we had at home and the rest was from stuff we already had. An old linen dress of mine with lace sewn in the hem and a belt to bring in the waist. A lacy top with bits and bobs of ribbon. I’ll have to take a picture of the bonnet on it’s own because it’s just so cute and I think this pic doesn’t show it so well. It would make a lovely baby’s sunhat in a flowery print.  The basket with a broderie anglaise cover for her school books and lunch was a last minute thought.

E won 1st prize of a very Victorian box of malteasers! Which I inisted she share with her mum of course!

Big cat, small cat

What big teeth you have Leo.

All the better to bite little tiny defenceless kittens with!!

Actually I think he’s more scared of her than she is of him, which leads him to leap on her, pin her down and sink his teeth into her tiny neck! However, Lola is a feisty little miss, being the only girl from a litter of six kitties and at the time she came to us on Wednesday she had been living with 7 kitties and several full grown cats. Also she is, like Leo, the kitty of a feral mother, born under the caring wing of the Cats Protection. Helen tells me she can look after herself!

Leo isn’t happy though that’s for sure and I feel a tiny bit bad for upsetting the apple cart. But he’s already better with her than he was on Weds and though I can’t leave them alone together and we have to remember who’s in which room and give them supervised time together several times a day, which is time consuming, I know that ultimately he’ll get used to her being around and all will be calm again. Milly hated Leo when he first came and within two weeks they were great pals, so I have high hopes.  Milly is delighted to have another cat in the house as it means more food to steal - Yum! Seriously, she has shown no upset at all, no snarling or growling, just a sniff and a lick and warm welcome. What a great dog and I didn’t even take her picture!

As for Lola, the pics in my last post were taken the first night when she was tense, wary and frankly not a happy girl. Gradually through Thursday she relaxed and by the evening she was playing with toys and chasing her tail. Today, with no children in the house and all quiet she really let herself go and discovered a great passion for balloons. Such fun. After a while she appeared at my shoulder from the window ledge and snuggled on to my lap and went to sleep purring loudly. While the big cat looked on!

Lola

 L.O.L.A.

 Lola

 

La, la, la, la Lola

Inspirational Craft Swap

I took part in a Summer craft swap from here last month and just realised I forgot to post my photos. I was partnered with Joanna and received a lovely parcel of goodies from her. She makes lovely bags so I was delighted to get a sweet make-up bag made with one of those purse frames I’ve been keen to try  myself - I had to fight E off as she also has a passion for little bags! Amongst all the other lovely things was a ring Joanna made from buttons. Love it , as does E so we decided to share! Thank you again Joanna!

 

After I signed up I was a little stumped as I tend to favour autumn and winter themes when crafting but then I hit on the idea of a peg pag. Summery yes? I came across the washing line design in an Australian quilt magazine so decided to add that pattern to the peg bag and I was delighted with the end result and I think Joanna was too. E keeps asking when I’m going to make one for us!