November's link up party

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November's words and photos

Previous post edited to reinsert the photos - hopefully everyone can see them now xx

It is time to share our images with this month being the final one for 2019. There have been some amazing images and lovely accompanying stories with them - thank you everyone who has joined in during the year. We will pick up again in the new year for January's Scavenger Photo hunt. Keep your eyes peeled for the words which will be released some time during December.

Until then - here are my words and pictures for November 2019 - enjoy.

Seasonal view

The view through the studio door a week or so ago - was a rather dismal day and it took so long for the space to warm up that I retreated back to the house to work - being closer to the kettle as compensation does go some way to make it better however, I do miss that 'setting off to  play work' feeling of shutting the back door and going through the garden with the cats and dog tagging along.

Oops

Oh dear - a rather muddy Moss. 

Seashore

The view from the edge of the Rubha Hunish Peninsular, Skye, it was this holiday that made me realise that my job and the people who were there (not all I hasten to add) had been the reason for my stress and I would have to do something to sort the problem out.  It was a major step to leave, but I did and although still not fully the person I used to be, I am so very much better. It was also, coincidentally, the last time I've been anywhere near the coast and I do miss it.

Card 

A birthday card to my brother. It still gives us a giggle when we see it.

stripe

This is one from the archives, it was a slouchy beanie and the description did say it was comfortably large and ideal to tuck hair into. I felt to be knitting for ages and when I stitched it together I could not believe how big it really was. It was ripped back the same day as it was finished. 

mega beanie on Eldest's head

My own choice

This had been a candidate for 'oops' but when it did not make the grade, I still wanted to share this little snippet about the county I live in.  Charming.

 Any hoo - happy Friday and all that :) Off now to check out all your lovely photos - speak soon xxx

Sunshine, you are my sunshine (not)

Edited to reinsert the photos - hopefully everyone can see them now xx

Sitting in the gloom - who turned down the colour button?

It is so grey and dank today that I am on line trying to sort myself out a daylight lamp so I can work. I do already have a really good one which lives in the studio, however has a clamp type arrangement so is not easily portable and it requires a sturdy surface to grab on to. The light also has the tendency to turn into a large and unwieldy monster as soon as I release it from the table. I have never known a lamp take on Houdini like characteristics as this one. 

So I am just looking for a table top version ............ but why, I ask myself ........... has it taken nearly and hour and a half and required a dip into Pinterest, a dabble on FB, a bit of blogging and tea drinking to decide that .... yes ... getting a daylight lamp is a good idea and ..... no I have not chosen one yet.

Procrastination medal of the day just about to be awarded to..... Me!  

And yes, that is another daylight table top lamp there, but as you can see - someone small has decided to top up her Sunshine D levels. We need one each .......

Right, I seriously must get on, I have feather paintings to do, ACEO paintings to finish and a lamp to order. Until tomorrow!

xxxx

Wednesday waffling

Firstly - hello to my new followers - there have been a quite a few recently - welcome to my little corner of the blogisphere - do say hello and I will pop over to your blog and say hello back!

We've been painting Youngest's bedroom - his room is in the attic and has exposed brickwork which is making painting hard going, no sweeping strokes or easing rolling. The brush has to be loaded with paint and 'scrubbed' into the brickwork making sure every vintage nook and cranny in the hand made bricks are painted a clean bright white .... I can see it taking several coats. 

We opened the window letting in the cool night air and I was gently surprised to see a inky black sky full of stars -hopefully the skies will still be clear today - I am getting cabin fever as is the dog and we both need to get out and walk.

Still on the theme of painting, my sketch from yesterday - still work in progress but as the colours began to appear - it made me feel really happy - need to finish it today.

Right best get one, must also finish the needle felting commission and start my next one. Have a lovely 'tipping day' (Tipping day I hear you say? What's that? Well Wednesday is known as tipping day because it is tipping you towards the weekend!)

xxx happy tipping day to you too xxx

'Bear'ly 'hare'ing along

The house is gently quiet, I can hear the occasional vehicle trundle by, the tap tap of the rain on the roof and as usual the radio entertaining itself in the kitchen.

I am contentedly drawing and designing patterns for an upcoming idea I have - shall see how it plays out - but first my mug is empty and that needs rectifying.

What are you up to today? Not sure what the weather's like where you are, but yet again it is wet here. There is a damp looking female blackbird hopping up the pathway - good thing the cats are fed up and have gone back to bed!

Best get on, out this afternoon at knit and natter - except I'll be taking needlefelting, working on a commission at the moment - a BooBoo the Bear keyring.

Yea gods, they are playing festive songs on the radio - gah!

Monday musings

Good (damp - again) Monday morning. I am sure when I last looked it was still Friday - where have you gone dear sweet weekend? You are sorely missed.

Thank you everyone who voted for my work - every little bit helps - the closing date is end of the year so no one will know the results for a few weeks yet.

Although we did manage to get out between the driech drizzle and the essential weekly shop over the weekend - these photos are from Friday's walk.

I best get on, still working on commissions for chrimbly and have to make festive type stock for a festive fair coming up in a couple of weeks - which is difficult as I am not inspired in the slightest - I get annoyed at the jingly music making inroads on the radio, the festive adverts being bombarded at me from all corners and I don't want to be part of that - however, I have to get on - so, I shall stick the kettle on and make myself a large and frothy coffee and walk determinedly down to the studio and 'get to it' - wish me luck!!

Five on Friday - Gratitude

Five on Friday

An idea I have seen around in tintersphere and it seems a gentle way to round up the week.

Five things I am grateful for...

The woodburner - it is quietly ticking over, keeping the house (and me) warm. The cats show their gratitude by curling up in the tightest of fuzzballs with their eyes squeezed shut while Moss stretches out in front. This weather we have had recently - not bitterly cold but damply cool - does nothing for the spirits, but the warmth of the woodburner definitely helps.

The unexpected kindness of others - having put TAM (art trail) to bed, so to speak, I had felt at a loss as to 'what next'. My fellow TAM co-conspirator and I got together this week to have a chinwag and commiserate and give each other a pep talk. No sooner than we'd done that, we were contacted by the chair of the community centre and invited to install our work on the walls of the lounge.  He was so kind about our work and our efforts. Talk about a boost to moral.

Bonfire toffee - Eldest keeps making it..... which is a terrible shame ... coz it needs eating (nom nom nom) and it is such a dark and warming treat which is perfect to pop in to your mouth as you wrap up before being dragged around the wet countryside by a dilly dog.

My studio - a sanctuary (albeit a chilly one at the moment) where I can immerse myself in to my drawings or paintings, have a flask of tea with music quietly filling the air. And talking of music...

Music on the internet - oh deep joy, oh wondrous bliss - to be able to listen to what I want without anyone cocking a sceptical eyebrow. The ability to choose anything weird and wonderful and listen to it on repeat if it deserves it. Aah - happy happy.

What are your Five on Friday that you are grateful for?

Listing them does make you realise what gentle goodness goes on in your day that you may not have noticed. Go on give it a try xxx

And a gentle plug - I am presently updating my art blog with some of the work I have done month by month (not all work has been added otherwise we'd be here all year...) if you have a brew and a couple of minutes to spare please pop over and have a look thanks - kjsutcliffe art blog

Now a shameless plug - I have entered a competition to get some of my work printed onto to cushions, but to win I need to have earn points which rely on folk looking at the post on facebook and ticking like and share - please follow the link -  HERE and beneath the cushions is the option to Like  and Share, if you can - I would be so appreciative xxxx thank you xxx

November - stop being dreary - Please!

This time of the year can veer from dreary and damp to sparkly and crisp, recently it has predominantly been the former - driech and dingy and damply cold.

The colours are muted now, gone is the spring luminosity or the summer brashness or the autumnal glow, leaving a dull palette requiring sunshine to lift it or frost to give it sparkle.

This make me look inward and observe the smaller view rather than the expansive one. 

Makes me see the secretive and shy.

 Small and delicate pixie cup lichen quietly shelter between the rocks of a stone wall.

Enigmatic Roe deer tiptoe silently through sodden leaf matter. 

Sunsets - when not washed out by rain, translucently illuminate straw-coloured moorland grasses. 

The anomaly being the winter flowering scented shrubs, 

this Daphne fills the lane with it's delicate and sweet perfume,

it's small blooms glowing in the low lights. 

 Some one who finds joy in everything - the wetter the better being top of the list .....

So, now, with the fire crackling, the lights twinkling and 

my crochet blanket tucked snugly around my legs, I am warm and cozy.

Have a good Thursday and keep warm :) xxx

PS - Up until yesterday morning, the news regarding the rescued cat had been good - the owner had been traced. It had appeared he last saw his cat in August.  Unfortunately I heard the sad news that the cat, despite having antibiotics, steroids, warmth, love and food (the vet took the cat home every night to ensure wonderful all round care) began to deteriorate after a few days and the sad decision to prevent further suffering - was put to sleep. All I could think was that his last 10 - 12 days were warm and comforting, he was cared for and was fed and looked after and not out in the weather. Still sad though.

Squirrel Nutkin eat your heart out!

As promised yesterday -

Peanut Butter and Oat Cookies (US measurements)

• half a cup of brown sugar
• half a cup of crunchy peanut butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/4 cup oats
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

Heat oven to 180 deg C
In a bowl mix the peanut butter and sugar until well blended.
Beat in the egg.
Add oats and baking powder.

Mix well then drop tablespoon sized pieces, pressing lightly down, on to a lined baking tray and just for good measure - with added hazel nut on each one.

Cook for 6 - 8 minutes - watch carefully they cook suddenly towards the end. Cool on a rack and store in an air tight container (if they get that far....)

Serve to friends and family and watch them vanish! (the biscuits not friends and family haha) 

It is just like magic :D

Nutty enough to to sate my inner squirrel - peanut butter and oat cookies 

Optional Extra:

whilst waiting for them to cool, sketch with a mug of tea. Bliss.

Sweet blue skies

Walking yesterday morning was glorious. We had bona fide sunshine with elongated shadows and it was warm enough to actually regret the layers of clothing we were both swaddled in.

Chilly last night though and there is still a nip in the air this morning. Best get on, things to do, treats to bake, posters to make, showers to take - running out of words now :)

Have a good Tuesday, I am off to knit and natter this afternoon, so I shall get some quality crochet time and not feel guilty!
xxxxxxxxxxx

edited to add: just made a small plate of peanut butter and oat cookies - ooh nom, nom, nom. Will share recipe tomorrow x

The lightness of being (a cat)

Our cats quietly stroll in and out of the back yard, pausing briefly at the yard gate - casting around the view and then slipping out and vanishing into our back lane and garden. One, Pepper, returning often between forays, standing at my side and 'meeiaoweeek'-ing (a small miaow that seems to tail off into a squeak). Sometimes I know what she is saying ... I am wet ... or I am cold.... or hungry. Often I wonder if she is just reporting back what she has seen - as she has just done now.

To explain ... the house is quiet apart from the radio broadcasting an interview where the unfortunate guests are having to sing on the spot while using the gripes and moans of some random caller -  bizarre entertainment.

Any hoo, in pods a cat on quiet feet. I can see her as she walks in a vague wave pattern along the yard, gently crossing over then back as she transverses the space.

Then the quick clack clack of the cat flap as she enters the kitchen. A momentary silence. Although I can't see her, I know she is casting around, checking on her surrounds and her territory. Then suddenly she is at my side, looking up. A chirrup - similar, I assume to a human clearing their throat to attract attention.

  I look down and say hello - she responds with a rather long sentence - a mixture of meeiaoweeeks and chirrups, brips and prrrrs. Out of part courtesy and part curiosity I always respond as if I know what she has said - this usually elicits a second singsong sentence and it is this one I usually understand as this often has body language as well as chitchat.  Her favourite conversation is usually related around food and if she has come in wet or cold, she will tell me by standing up and patting my arm or leg or if I appear to be ignoring her, a quick leap on to the desk and a swift but gentle patting of my face with a wet or cold paw.

I then respond -  as I should as a good owner/cat-mother - by following her to the kitchen to rub her dry or rub her warm and then as a reward - offer her a small but rather tasty cat treat. This is what it is all about.... the cat treat. A very small but obviously addictive and morish nibble not much bigger that my tip of my little finger.  Nibble urge sated, fur dried, the small but determined cat will slip back out of the cat flap and I will return to what ever I am working on knowing that in about twenty minutes the ritual will be repeated. Only this time I will put the kettle on while we are in the kitchen. Such are are the small but sweet interruptions during my working day at home :)

 And the photos? Taken last night after dropping Youngest off at Uni, using my camera I experimented with light and movement while Himself drove us home.

Ahh. The cat has returned - excuse me - I am off to the kitchen to ruffle fur, hand over a small treat and to put the kettle on.....

Happy Monday every one :)

A Friday cat related conundrum ....

Dare I say it (shh will whisper just in case) .....*the sky looks to have strange blue pieces between the clouds*.... and it is not raining? gasp!

Have a good weekend what ever the weather :)

And I shall leave you with this curiosity....

why - when I look at this bowl think it looks fine,  my cat insists that it is empty? 

frost moon

Still on with completing my walking challenge.

October and the rain have really set me back so in order to catch up we, Himself, Moss and I walk in the evenings.

We have been rained on (are you surprised??) and hailed on - we were lambasted one night with ice, chilling us and giving the dog a frosty white coating - we returned sharpish. Last night, although cold with a clear sky, was rather nice to walk out in. 

Not sure why the camera made the light from the 'glow-in-the-dark' dog collar into such lovely ziggerdy-zaggs but I like it.

I will go out shortly and get on with my latest work - good to be back painting again.

Have a lovely Thursday xx