Wednesday 24 November 2010

Reflections

A's school Christmas Fair is this weekend. In addition to the crocheted scarves I mentioned in a previous post I will also be donating...

... tree decorations. Made from felt and hand sewn/embroidered/embellished. Several of the Mums have been making these, the ones above are all the ones I've done so far. I'm hoping to add a couple of gingerbread men to the collection before Saturday.

I also had a go at some crocheted snowflakes. Two of the ones shown here were made using Lucy@attic24's tutorial, the rest using this pattern. I also tried another couple of patterns but these two produced the best effect though I still think they look rather wonky even after blocking & stiffening. I think Lucy's pattern is probably the more forgiving in this respect.

Again I'll try and get some more made before Saturday. The show I was doing is now over and I have a little bit of time in the evenings. It was Crazy For You, all the songs listed at the end of this post were from it. It went really well, the cast on stage did an excellent job. By the fifth night in a row it does get a little wearing, though looking on the bright side it was five nights in a row of not having to deal with bed time for the children! I'd been asked to play as they needed a double bass for the Slap That Bass solo. I understood there wasn't much money in it but I would get something. I have to admit to being a little disappointed to find that the "something" for four nights performance (and four nights rehearsal not to mention private practice time) amounted to less than what I received per night for playing bass in shows when I was in my teens. So much for inflation!

While I'm moaning, I'll also note here that the pesky starlings have discovered my birdfeeder, grrrr! It's a squirrel proof one which keeps out the jackdaws (there is another feeder they can use) but not, it would appear, those greedy starlings. I'll need to find another way making sure the sparrows, blue tits and robin get their fair share undisturbed, any suggestions?

This morning was gorgeous. N and I went for a walk at the loch. Yet another current bug bear is the speed (or lack of) at which toddlers walk.

Frozen puddles delayed us quite a lot today.

On the otherhand, were I at work (I worked for 13 years in a factory on an industrial estate in the middle of nowhere, all the windows in the office area were obscured by those loathsome vertical blinds and there were no windows at all in the fabrication line area) I wouldn't even have been able to get out at all. For being able to have the choice of whether or not to go outside (albeit "lumbered" with children) I am glad every day.

The folly on the hill (still unvisited, perhaps next year...)

Reflections in the loch. The surface of the loch was mirror flat until N started jumping about in the shallows. All those tiny little ripples on the water were caused by him.

We then went to the cafe for an ice cream each, mmm.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have starling problems too. I tend to put other food out away from the feeders for the greedy birds (usually something stodgy like bread or cake so it fills them up) leaving the feeders free for the smaller birds to have their share. It's either starlings or pigeons I find that are the greedy bums in my neighbourhood!

topchelseagirl said...

Your tree decorations are lovely!

Svanvithe said...

Very wonderful snowflowers.

...Nina Nixon... said...

Wow - I love the second to last picture of the Loch and I love your felt ornaments - the Robin looks adorable.

No suggestions on the starlings I'm afraid - we normally have a parrot problem with the bird feeders this time of the year and apart from standing watch as a living scarecrow I haven't managed to stop them - sorry.

Nina xxx

Apples and Pears said...

Fantastic tree decorations...and the countryside where you live is beautiful :)

Julie said...

I love your grumblings. They are along the lines of things that get to me too. I feel so dreadful for moaning about things sometimes - it is always good to remember what the alternative is! Mind you, when I first started in forestry, before promotions meant more office work, I would be out and about most of each day checking on squads etc. Seems like a very long time ago now. Juliex

**Anne** said...

The Christmas ornaments you have made are gorgeous. Your photos are beautiful as always. Thanks for sharing.

Hazel said...

Love the ornaments. Need to ask what you use to stiffen the snowflakes as I want to do some. Do you use some sort of spray?

Marg said...

Both the felt ornaments and crochet stars are so cute, I'd like to try my hand at the felt ornaments, maybe next year.
Your landscape photos are beautiful. It looks so peaceful.

Tilly Rose said...

Lovely deccies hunny....
Love those snowflakes!
x x x

Funkymonkey said...

I love your Christmas decorations. I hope you show us them again when they are up and ready for the big day. Thanks for your wonderful photos of the loch too.

Tracey

Simone said...

A wonderful post and lovely tree decorations. I would like to have a go at making some too! x

silverpebble said...

Those little coloured felt decorations are perfect, and the snowflakes are exquisite. Wintry isn't it?

Anonymous said...

I love your felt decorations, lucky school geting such nice donations for their stall and I'm impressed by your snowflakes, I'm still trying to manage a small basic flower right now!

Thanks for the recent purchase, I was really chuffed you'd ordered something, she should be with you any day now.

Beth :)

Anonymous said...

Your snowflakes are exquisite! I am awestruck at your putting so much time and effort into the school fair (note to self, must try harder).

I too used to get hugely frustrated at toddler-paced walks. They do have their own special magic, however, especially when puddles are involved.

Heather said...

I love your felt decorations, I had hoped to make some myself and then I remembered that I can't sew. Learning to sew is on the list for 2011 :-)
xxx

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