tattie-bogle

Hi-Fi Cabinet

2012-02-07T13:34:00.002Z


My new Hi-Fi Cabinet

I was lucky enough to be the recipient of this beautiful birthday gift on Saturday. I love it! Not least because it reminds me of my old sideboard which, though slightly later in style, had similar tambour doors. It's an old TV cabinet, but I'm using it to house my CD player, Amp and Turntable.

Fortunately there is no back to this little cabinet, which means that I won't make the same disastrous mistake I made with my sideboard when I decided to drill a hole through the back of it to take my amp cable, and realised too late that the tambour doors slid round to the back when they were open and I'd just drilled through one of the doors of my favourite piece of furniture.

When I moved to London I had to find a new home for it as there was no way I was going to have room for a 6 foot piece of solid wood furniture, but if I ever move to a bigger house it's one of the top things on my shopping list. In the mean-time this is the perfect size for the house we are in now.


My turntable has a new home

I've not been getting on very fast with my knitting this last couple of weeks, but I did finally get round to framing one of my needlepoint pictures so that I could give it to my Mum for her birthday.


Hands Needlepoint

While I was at it I took better photos of my Red Cells Needlepoint. Looking at them both made me want to do some more. A project for later in the year maybe.


Red Cells Needlepoint

Robin Hat Giveaway Winner

2012-02-05T23:26:00.001Z

Once again I got my assistant to help me. And the winner is ...

Comment no. 3 was left by KnittingDancer on Ravelry. I'll PM you on Ravelry to find out your mailing address. Thanks to everyone else for entering and the lovely comments. I'm quite enjoying this decluttering!

Still by Kim Hargreaves

2012-01-26T14:04:00.002Z


Still by Kim Hargreaves

Having cleared out my yarn I realised that I probably had enough Patons Beehive Soft Blenk DK to knit myself something.

I bought the yarn from eBay. It was an impulse buy because it was very cheap, but it's the kind thing I'm trying to train myself to resist.

I'm not too precious about what I knit with (I don't have the budget to be!) but at the same time if I'm going to put in the effort of knitting something I want it to last a little while at least. The Beehive Soft Blend is 45% Acrylic, 40% Nylon and only 15% Wool, so I'm not convinced that it is going to make a great looking garment, but for some reason I really love this sludgy mustard colour. I think it's probably a love it or hate it one.

'Still' from 'Thrown Together' by Kim Hargreaves has been one of the patterns I've been meaning to get around to knitting for ages, so I decided that I may as well use my cheap yarn on this and at least I'll get some use out of it instead of it just taking up space in my yarn drawer. I have a dream of only having one drawer of yarn so that I can fill the other one up with the sewing stuff I currently have in a suitcase on top of the wardrobe.

I cast on the other day and am really happy with my progress. After spending months knitting fiddly gloves in 2 ply I'd forgotten how quickly DK knits up. So far I've modified the pattern to add in another couple of inches of length at the waist (14 rows added after the bottom pattern). I really don't like short jumpers.

Stash Clearout

2012-01-25T16:21:00.000Z


tattie-bogle's knitting stash

I spent a busy afternoon on Sunday tidying out my yarn stash. I've been using Ravelry to record my stash since I joined the site at the end of 2007 and it's worked very well at keeping my yarn buying habits in check. As I mentioned in my last post I've been trying to knit down my stash since 2008 and failing miserably, despite making some progress knitting it up as scrap blankets: Mitred Square Blanket (4 ply), Mitred Square Blanket (DK), and Mitred Square Blanket (Chunky/Bulky/Aran)

I've been fairly good and have limited myself to only buying yarn very sparingly, and only then when I have a project in mind. In the past I've been a sucker for a bargain bin, optimistically thinking I will find just the right project for that single ball of something lovely.

The trouble is that my loved ones know how much I like yarn and are apt to buy me some lovely knitting stuff when present giving season comes around. I'm not complaining at all as I do love to feed my habit, but at the end of four years my stash had grown.

Well I finally decided as part of the great de-clutter to get it under control and sort out what I was likely to get around to knitting with, and what was just weighing me down with the guilt of not knitting with it.

I'm so pleased that as a result I have a chest of drawers that I can open!

You'll notice it's still quite full ... I wasn't too hard on myself! The other good thing about this is that I was able to offer 3 bags of mixed yarn on my local Freegle group and have been contacted by a beginner knitter who is glad to take it off my hands so that she can get in some knitting practise without having to shell out a fortune for new wool.


Odd balls

Robin Giveaway

2012-01-19T17:22:00.001Z

Robin by Kim Hargreaves

I knitted this hat way back September/October 2008 to use up some lovely Rowan Yorkshire Tweed 4 ply I had in my stash. I have to admit that for at least the last 4 years I've been trying to knit up my stash and I still haven't succeeded.

The pattern is Robin from Kim Hargreaves book 'Thrown Together'. The colours of the Yorkshire Tweed are Cheerful and Graze. My Ravelry project page can be found here: tattiebogle's Robin

I live in Scotland and the winters here are cold. In fact so are the Autumns, Springs and most of the Summers. I'm often to be found moaning about having a cold head but for some reason I don't own a coat with a hood or have a hat I want to wear.

I keep thinking I should wear this one because I knitted it from wool I think is lovely but somehow it never seems the right time. I think, rather like not being a shawl person, I'm not a 'tammy/beret' person either.

If anyone thinks they might be and would like to test the theory by trying out this one please leave a comment on this post by the midnight on the 31st January. If more than one comment is received I will pick a winner at random and post the name of the winner here soon after.

* It should be noted that I have a big head so I added some stitches in to take account of this so it's a relaxed fit rather that snug.

Christmas Hangover

2012-01-12T10:35:00.000Z

Sew Your Own Felt Baubles

The boys (via their Dad) gave me a Sew Your Own Felt Baubles kit from paper-and-string for Christmas. Rather than putting it away for a year and then rushing to get them done when we brought the decorations out again I thought I would make them now.

I've been feeling decidely unfestive as I finished them off, but seeing them hanging up for a moment while I took their photo did make me smile. The are very bright and cheary.

I followed the suggested decoration to the letter so that they would look like the photo on the box for the boys, but you could easily do your own thing with the kit.

Andromeda Shawl Winner

2012-01-09T11:23:00.000Z

Andromeda Shawl Giveaway Entrants

I was really pleased to have so many lovely comments on my Andromeda Shawl Giveaway post. Thank you everyone who entered. I'm so glad that it is going to go somewhere it can be appreciated instead of taking up much needed space in my wardrobe.

To help me pick a winner I roped in a hat and a handsome assistant.

Getting ready to pick a winner.

and the winner is ...


Heather J.

Congratulations to Heather J. As you are on Ravelry I'll PM you on there for your mailing address.

By the way, the hat is 'Robin' by Kim Hargreaves knitted in Rowan Yorkshire Tweed and is going to be my next Giveaway. Take a look at tattiebogle's Robin on Ravelry if you want a sneak peak at the hat, and check back here in a couple of days to see how to enter.

Early Mornings

2012-01-05T20:53:00.000Z

My youngest son keeps insisting that sometime between 5 and 6 a.m. is a reasonable time to get up. I'm sure that for some people it is, but as I often don't go to bed until after midnight, I find it a bit of a struggle.

This morning I put off the inevitable until 6.30 a.m. (mainly by forgetting to take the baby monitor upstairs) and when I did get up I felt fairly awake and managed to throw enough of the right things into the bread maker to give us lovely fresh bread for a mid-morning snack. I was especially pleased it worked as the last 3 loafs I tried went wrong and this was make or break for the bread maker. I'm not sure whether it's been operator error, or a bad batch of yeast but the bread was coming out without having risen and baked into very oddly formed and smelly bricks. Not appetising. Today's loaf however, was a hit, so the machine gets a reprieve from being cleared out in the grand de-clutter.

Not much else happening. We're winding down for the end of the Christmas Holidays. Decorations are boxed up and put away in the attic (except the felt baubles that I'm in the middle of making from a kit I received for Christmas but didn't get done in time for this year's tree). A. is back at work but R. doesn't go back to school until Monday. I've reached the point that I'll be glad when our normal routine kicks back in. I think I'm suffering from the January weather, lack of sleep and a bit of post-festive slump.

Thanks to all those who have entered the giveaway for my Andromeda Shawl. As there's more than one of you I'll do a random draw. I've already had a volunteer to pick a name from the hat. Good luck to everyone!

Happy New Year

2012-01-01T23:05:00.000Z

Happy New Year to one and all. Here's to a good 2012. Hope it brings you all you wish for. x

Andromeda Shawl Giveaway

2011-12-30T09:49:00.001Z

I knitted this shawl in August 2010, from Jaeger Celtic Spun Shetland Wool in the Larkspur colourway. If you are interested in these things you can look at my Ravelry Project Page.

I found the wool in a charity shop for £2.99 for 7 balls and knitted a pair of gloves and this shawl out of it. I love the colour and I really like the pattern and construction.

The pattern is called Andromeda Shawl by Miriam Felton and can be purchased at http://www.miriamfelton.com/?p=886

Sadly, it turns out that despite really liking everything about this shawl, I'm not a shawl person and have never worn it. I feel so sorry for it lying in a drawer never getting seen!

As I have decreed 2012 the year of the declutter, I'm going to begin with giving my shawl away to anybody who would like it, or knows someone who would like it. It's never been worn and comes from a smoke free home. It is made from 4 ply wool so isn't a fine evening shawl, but something to wear to keep the winter chills out.

I'm happy to cover postage to anywhere in the UK, but if you live outside the UK and want it I will have to ask you to pay the postage. I'll find out what it is and then send you a Paypal request for the amount.

To be in with a chance of getting your hands on the shawl please just leave a comment with the words "I'll help you declutter" on this blog by Midnight on Sunday 8th January 2012. If more than one comment is left a winner will be picked at random. Check back after that date to see if you have been lucky!

Sanquhar Antidote

2011-06-15T23:47:00.000+01:00


Toddler's Boatneck Jumper

As an antidote to Sanquhar knitting I'm using up 4 balls of Rowan All Seasons Cotton to make I. a simple boatneck jumper. I did the sums with my new Sweater Wizard software which I bought a few weeks ago when it was on sale at a reduced price. So far I am loving the way you can customise all the sizes and it pretty much instantly recalculates the pattern for you. As I just wanted some very relaxed knitting I have stuck to a very simple shape and am not even going to have to pick up stitches to do a neck band. I started it yesterday and have already got the back finished. I'm not hugely keen on the colour, Ravish, which is a sort of blue/purple/lilac colour - I didn't chose it as it was sent out to me with my Rowan Membership a couple of years ago - but it might be nice on little Mr. I.

Aran/Chunky Scrap Blanket Progress

2011-06-14T22:30:00.002+01:00

Aran/Chunky Scrap Blanket

As well as finishing my Sanquhar Gloves I have been making some progress on my Aran/Chunky weight Scrap Blanket. I've now knitted up 116 Mitred Squares. Sounds pretty good, but I've estimated that I need about 529 to make a full size blanket. I was happy though because I got to move my Ravelry % done marker from 15% to 20%. I marked the occasion by taking a new picture of the work in progress.

Brown Aran Weight Mitred Squares

29 of those new squares were knitted with the mystery Brown Aran weight which I came to the end of yesterday. I like the colour of the yarn, brown with an orange thread running through it, but it does pill quite badly and is fairly fuzzy just after it running through my fingers while knitting, so I'm not sure how well it will fare in a blanket.

I also finally took a photo for Ravely of the 9 squares I knitted out of Rowan Summer Tweed back in February.

Rowan Summer Tween Mitred Squares

I like the look of this yarn, which is a silk and cotton blend, but I hated knitting with it. It's like knitting with string (expensive string!) and has no give. After a short while I have sore fingers and am willing each square to end.

We've all been busy crafting in the house, with R putting the final touches to his Native American Headdress and A finishing his turned wood lamp base. Both have glue drying at the moment but photos will be taken this week before they are handed in on Saturday.

Sanquhar Gloves Finished

2011-06-13T22:36:00.000+01:00


Sanquhar Gloves in Duke Design

My Sanquhar Gloves have been washed and are now drying nicely with my Foam Core hands in place to keep them in shape. I might give them a final press before submitting them to the Royal Highland show on Saturday, but other than that they are done.

I love them, but if I am being super picky I would say that my tension when working with 4 needles and 2 colours needs a little work! Wonky stitches annoy the would be perfectionist in me, but as a first go at anything quite so complicated I am pretty pleased.

Knitted with Jamieson & Smith's Shetland 2 ply Lace Weight

I'm not sure when I will want to have another go but I still have the patterns for three more Sanquhar designs and probably enough 2 ply wool to knit at least another two pairs, so we'll see.

Blocking Hands

2011-06-12T22:00:00.029+01:00

I enlisted A's help to cut me out a pair of hands from some Foam Core he had lying around. They started off with thumbs because I'm not very good at thinking in 3D and it didn't occur to me that it would be very difficult to get thumbs which don't bend into a pair of gloves!

Both Sanquhar Gloves now have all the loose ends woven in and any holey bits patched up as best I can. Next stage is to wash them, try to even out the stitches a bit, and block them on my new hands.

I also managed to get a few more mitred squares knitted for my scrap blanket.

I had a stay at home day while A. took the boys out shopping. I'm feeling like I'm coming down with the cold so took the opportunity to snatch 40 winks while they were out. Woke up to great excitement from R. who had got a new lunch bag so that he can take his snack in to nursery for the next 2 weeks to get him used to eating in the school canteen.

In the evening we didn't do much except watch the latest episode of 'Case Histories' on BBC1. The plot isn't up to much but it's nice to see the beautiful shots of Edinburgh and the surrounding area. I do like to play spot the film location but it's quite tricky because they like to find interesting angles and change the look of places with lighting.

Leith Gala Day

2011-06-11T23:04:00.000+01:00

Leith Links June 2011

Today we took a trip into Edinburgh to go along to Leith Gala Day. I had heard about the 'knitted trees' and I wanted to see them for myself. According to the BBC news more than 6,000 knitted squares have been used to cover about 20 trees. I can't believe that I didn't hear about this in advance and add a square to the project.

Sadly the weather was so awful that it was hard to enjoy the spectacle. The knitting was just looking a bit sad and saggy.

I'm not sure how long the trees are going to remain covered, but the Leith Festival runs until the 19th June.

As for my own knitting, I've got the ends woven in to one Sanquhar Glove and I plan to do the other tomorrow. That gives me a few days for blocking. I'm hoping that will make a big difference to how neat my stitches look. At the moment it is all a bit wiggly.

I've also been knitting a few more mitred squares for my bulky scrap blanket. I'm about 15% in so some way still to go.

Sanquhar Knitting

2011-06-10T10:31:00.001+01:00

I found these socks in Alastair's drawer last year and fell in love. They are the most beautiful pair of hand knitted socks I think I've ever seen. I love every thing about them, from the beautiful colour of the wool, to the tiny neat little stitches.

It turned out that they belonged to his grandfather and had been knitted by a family friend. Sadly they are too small for either Alastair or I to wear, but that's probably why they have survived in one piece.

I showed them to my sister who told me that they were knitted in a 'Sanquhar' pattern. The distinctive two-colour pattern takes it's name from Sanquhar, a small town in Dumfries and Galloway, where in the 18th century there was a booming local knitting industry. The industry has long since vanished, but the patterns live on. Traditionally they were never written down, but were taught from mother to daughter, keeping the patterns alive down the generations.

In the 20th century The Scottish Women's Rural Institute produced written instructions for four glove patterns as a way of insuring that the designs would not be lost. The pattern reference is G140 and they cost £0.65 each (price correct on 10th June 2011) and the designs available are: Midge and Fly, Duke, Shepherd's Plaid and Prince of Wales.

Last year I put my name on the mailing list for the Royal Highland Show Craft Exhibition and when I received the schedule for this year's show one of the categories was for a pair of Sanquhar Gloves.

I decided to take the hint and knit a pair in the same pattern as Alastair's socks, 'Duke Design'.

I cast on way back on March 2nd and didn't knit my last stitch until June 8th. (See my Ravelry Project Page). Three months to knit one pair of gloves is a bit epic. I don't think the 18th century piece workers would have made much money at that rate! I have to admit I didn't do much at a stretch because I was knitting with 2 ply lace wool on 2 mm needles using two colours and there is only so much my fragile sanity can take these days.

The photo is only a sneak preview as I still have all the ends to weave in, a few holes to fudge where I had to pick up stitches for the thumbs and fingers and haven't made a great job of it, and some major blocking to neaten up the shape.

I am exhibiting the gloves at the Royal Highland Show and have to hand them in next weekend so I will have a busy week making them pretty.

Giveaway Winner

2010-02-18T15:09:00.001Z

4
Originally uploaded by Leo Reynolds

My son Robin* picked a winner of my giveaway by choosing a number from 1 to 5. He chose 4, and the fourth person to comment was Magnusmog, so the cardigan should arrive with her shortly.

If you've never visited her blog I would take a look as it is full of beautiful knitting and stunning photographs.

Suddenly I'm shy of my knitting skills as I usually just knit for me and mine, but I hope to get over it and do another giveaway soon.

* You can't get much more random than the inner workings of my 3 year old's mind.

Little Daisy Cardigan Giveaway

2010-01-31T11:40:00.001Z

Little Daisy Cardigan
Originally uploaded by tattie-bogle

I have a few things I knitted whilst carrying the bump that would probably suit a little girl better than Innes (not that I want to ladle on the gender stereotyping). I'd like to give them away to anyone who would like to make use of them. I'll be happy to pay the P&P.

This is the 'Little Daisy Cardigan' by Sublime Yarns to fit an 0-6 month old. I knitted it in Debblie Bliss Cathay (Shade 12005 Gold).
Chest approx 46cm / 18" , Back length approx 20cm/8"

If you are on Ravelry you can see my project page at http://www.ravelry.com/projects/tattiebogle/little-daisy-cardigan.

If you would like it please leave a comment on this post by the 14th February 2010. If more than one person has shown interest by that date I will pick a name out of a hat. I'll then contact you to get details of where to send it.

If this goes well, I'll do more giveaways for other hand made items.

Please note: I knitted this item for my own personal use, so I can't guarantee that the knitting is of professional standard. All I can say is that I'm happy with it.

Charlie Brooker's Dawn of the Dumb

2010-01-18T10:03:00.000Z

So far most of the reading I've managed this year has been squeezed in during the night whilst breast-feeding Innes. I've just finnished Charlie Brooker's Dawn of the Dumb, which Alastair bought me for Christmas. It was great for reading with 'baby brain' as each little piece is only a page or two long. I love Charlie Brooker and found myself laughing out loud to lots of this.

I've just listed in on Book Hopper, the UK book swapping site, so if anybody would like me to send it to them sign up at Book Hopper and request it.

I've also signed up to his RSS feed from the Guardian which you can get from his Profile Page. Not as good as a book for cuddling up in bed with, but free, so that's a bonus.

What a difference a year makes

2010-01-07T09:54:00.001Z

Welcome to our family Innes. x

Favourite Place

2008-12-01T11:28:00.000Z

Miss-Frugality and I have decided to work on monthly themes to try to spark our creative imaginations. December's theme is Favourite Place.

My first thought is HOME so I've been doing a bit of thinking about what that means to me, and why it's so important.

I wrote out a list of all the placed I'd called 'home' over the years. It's a long list ...

South Clerk Street where stayed when I first left home age 18 3rd floor above baked potato shop (photo is by jceddy http://www.flickr.com/photos/jceddy/)

Cotlaws (Kirkliston); Stephen's Drive (Inverkeithing); Kinghorn Road (Burntisland); Hunter Street (Kirkcaldy); South Clerk Street (Edinburgh); Hunter Street (Kirkcaldy); A room in a woman's house (Aberdeen); Kepplestone Student Flats (Aberdeen); Victoria Road (Aberdeen); Woodhaven Terrace (Wormit); Gardner's Crescent (Edinburgh); Buchanan Street (Leith); Constitution Street (upstairs) (Leith); Constitution Street (downstairs) (Leith); Newcastle University Staff Accomodation (Newcastle); Shafto Street (Newcastle); Rocks Lane (London); Tramadoc Road (London); Fingzies Place (Leith); Kirkhill Road (Penicuik)

I make it 20 places in 37 years. Although I love my current house, (it's the first I've owned rather than rented) there is nowhere that I feel particually at 'home' any more. I feel that my roots are in Fife, but my family and husband's family are all in Edinburgh and the surrounding areas, so I have more of a pull to be on this side of the water. Often I feel sentimental about things and places from the past but I think it is because I'm trying to find a sense of place. When I think about where I would like 'home' to be I think of the sea, and I hope someday to move nearer to the coast.

I've not been blogging much lately. I've been a bit up and down, but I hope that having a focus for posts will make me write a bit more. The usual things have been happening though - knitting, sewing, etc. and at some point I'll get round to taking some photos.

Heart felt Brooch Give Away

2008-10-03T16:21:00.000+01:00

Heart felt Brooch - number 9
Originally uploaded by miss-frugality.

My sister Julia (a.k.a. Miss Frugality) is giving away one of her beautiful Heart felt brooches on her blog right now. All you have to do is visit her site (http://miss-frugality.blogspot.com/) and leave a comment. The brooch up for grabs is similar to this one and she has more for sale in her etsy shop, Materialised.

Wardrobe Refashion

2008-10-01T17:18:00.000+01:00

I posted a new entry on the Wardrobe Refashion blog 'No Silk Purse'. I don't want to cross-post it, so here's the link.

Refashioning

2008-09-15T00:02:00.000+01:00

I've spent the last 3 weeks trying to get this simple skirt finished, and my only excuse for how long it took was that we're also trying to decorate our hall. It's the last bit of the house to be turned into somewhere that we'd like to live, so it's very exciting. We've bought a new carpet and we're hoping that it will be fitted sometime next week.

The skirt is my first completed project for wardrobe refashion, although of course it's not even technically a refashion, but as I made it with my own fair hands, it does qualify for keeping me out of the shops. The fabric is from Ikea and the pattern was made by me from instructions in 'Metric Pattern Cutting for Women's Wear' by Winifred Aldrich.

The other items I've very excited about in this photo are my new boots, delivered yesterday. They are from a company called Duo who sell boots to those of us who are wide of calf (and also those who suffer with narrowness), and I have to thank the Fashion for Aliens blog for telling me about them. I'm very happy!

Wardrobe Refashion

2008-08-25T13:51:00.000+01:00

I've decided to sign up to the next round of Wardrobe Refashion beginning on the 1st September. Here's the pledge:

"I, Jennifer Brown, pledge that I shall abstain from the purchase of "new" manufactured items of clothing, for the period of 4 months. I pledge that i shall refashion, renovate, recycle preloved items for myself with my own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium for the term of my contract. I pledge that I will share the love and post a photo of my refashioned, renovoted, recycled, crafted or created item of clothing on the Wardrobe Refashion blog, so that others may share the joy that thy thriftiness brings! Signed Jennifer"

I can knit, I can sew and the more I avoid Primark, H&M and Tesco the more I'll be able to stick up for my principles without getting distracted by cheap clothes & accessories!

Also being 'built for comfort, not for speed', as a certain someone I know puts it, it can be difficult to find the clothes I want to wear. Well, I'm now armed with a copy of metric pattern cutting for women's wear so it's time to start making my own.

b.t.w. I've changed my blog layout. I think I've got a personality disorder - every few months I NEED CHANGE. Enjoy for a while, it will probably change again soon :)

FO Gallery

2008-08-23T09:22:00.000+01:00

I've had my yarn in my craft shed for the last few months, but recently noticed that it was acquiring a bit of a musty smell so I thought I'd better bring it back in to the house. I've made room for it in the living room, but just seeing it all in one place made me realise that I really mustn't buy any more yarn until I've knitted up what I've got!

Some progress has been made - I finished 'Harrison', a tank top for me knitted in reversed Stocking Stitch with a panel of Twisted Rib. Robin asked for a scarf so I made him a simple Garter Stitch one with a ball of Sirdar Click I had lying around. I made myself what turned out to be a neck warmer using a ball of Mirasol Hacho that Alastair had bought me for my birthday in February. Alastair got a new tie from a pattern in a vintage Patons Bazaar Book. I love the way the variegated sock yarn I used turned out in the simple two colour check pattern.

I also finished knitting Seacliff which I knitted based on the Elizabeth Zimmermann percentage system described in her book 'Knitting Without Tears'. I used Debbie Bliss Cathay which I bought on impulse in the John Lewis Sale. It was marked down to about £1.60 a ball which made it a good deal, though I did get through a lot of it with this.

Robin & Jennifer's Painting

2008-07-11T23:11:00.000+01:00

Robin & Jennifer's Painting
Originally uploaded by tattie-bogle.

Robin and I had fun painting using his pots of Ikea paints. We put the paint on together and I sort of rubbed at it. I really like it. When I asked him what it was he told me it was Granny and Grandpa and David and Sarah and Mummy and Daddy and Robert and Elspeth in the holiday house. It must be quite abstract.

Happy Thursday

2008-07-03T22:37:00.000+01:00

Today Robin and I spent a lot of time in the kitchen. We're going away for the weekend for a family gathering and were preparing some food to take with us. Robin helped me make some fairy cakes, but when he came back into the kitchen later the snails had got to them.

When I came into the living-room to get the camera he was taking his own photo with it. It's to be discouraged because we can't afford to buy a new camera, but I liked the happy face he was making in his picture. He likes nothing better than playing with something he knows he shouldn't.

I picked up his sandals the other day and realised that they were they same colours as the yarn I'm using to knit the Bedtime Dressing Gown from Lucinda Guy's 'And so to bed'. They're obviously my colours of choice, I don't know about Robin. He's looking forward to having a dressing gown 'like mummy's' but there aren't too many similarities between my M&S one and this. I'd rather have his - I love the way the stripes are turning out. The nice people on Ravelry helped me work out how to knit single row stripes of stocking stitch. At one point I had 4 balls of yarn on the go at once and it still wasn't working. It turns out logic isn't my strong point and I couldn't work out why it wouldn't work. It turns out that you have to use a double pointed needle or circular needle and move the knitting backwards and forwards to reach the yarn you want for the next stripe. It still made no sense until I started to do it, but as soon as I did I was hooked. It also makes a super neat reverse side. Hooray for Ravelry folks.

Like Father Like Son

2008-06-30T15:43:00.000+01:00

I've spent a lot of last week knitting like an obsessive freak*, and have completed most of a little jumper for Robin using the left-overs from Alastair's Ringo (a Jaeger Handknits pattern). Robin's jumper is Hugh, also a Jaeger one from their kids pattern book. It's a shame that the Jaeger yarns have been withdrawn because I really liked them, but I bought Cygnet Wool Rich 4 ply to substitute which is pretty nice yarn, and a far better price for my budget. I'm finding that it knits up a bit loose at the tension quoted in the Jaeger patterns, but that might just be my loose knitting style... The colours were Alastair's choice and I wasn't sure when I held them up together before starting his jumper, but actually I really like the finished item.

* mainly because I am one

Knitting as Therapy

2008-06-24T15:21:00.000+01:00

I bought some Trekking XXL sock yarn the other weekend on the way back from Newtonmore as the colours were so appealing. I had a bit of a rough plan for them, but after recent events I was looking for a bit of therapeutic knitting so decided to simply knit a load of Mitred Squares from Katie Grady's pattern. They are very easy to do, which is just what I need at the moment. I'm not sure what they will turn into - a cushion cover perhaps.

On the other end of the knitting spectrum is my attempt at Blue Garter's Twisted Tree Pullover which is driving me a little crazy. I've at last started the sleeves, but it's been painfully slow going, and I'm getting the sinking feeling that I should have done the bigger size for Robin as he will keep growing. I still love the pattern, and I love my choice of wool, but I'm not sure that the use it will get will justify the effort.

Sad News

2008-06-22T06:35:00.000+01:00

Sadly, my apprehension about the pregnancy turned out to be right and we have lost the baby. Nothing else to say for now.

Garden Progress

2008-06-04T22:38:00.000+01:00

I uploaded some photos to Flick r today, a few of which were of the garden. I get frustrated at how long it seems to be taking for the garden to take shape, but then I looked out the above photo which was taken in April 2007 and couldn't help but smile. Things are living in our garden.

In fact the main problem with our garden is that the plants are still outnumbered by the weeds. I spent a couple of hours today trying to redress the balance.

Poppalina's Game

2008-06-02T13:04:00.000+01:00

Miss-Frugality posted a Mosaic on Flickr today in response to Poppalina's post The Game. It looked like fun, so I thought I'd join in too. The above photos are my responses to 12 questions about myself. Take a look at Poppalina's post to see what it's all about.

I've been meaning to post for a while - the gaps inbetween my blogging are getting longer and longer - and this gave me a good enough reason. I've not been on the computer as much as usual lately so my Flickr photos and Ravelry comments have gone pretty quite too.

My main excuse is that I'm 15 weeks pregnant at the moment and am just coming out of the phase where all I wanted to do is sit on the settee staring blankly at the TV whilst eating everything in sight. Luckily I'm now feeling a bit more like a person again and less like a crazy zombie.

The other reason for no updates is that I really, really wanted to jump for joy and tell everybody as soon as I found out I was pregnant, but felt that I shouldn't. When I was pregnant the first time I didn't dwell too much on things going wrong, but after I he'd been born I once sat down with 3 other first time mothers who all told me that their previous pregnancies had ended in miscarriage. Well, we went for our scan at the Hospital on Monday and I am very relieved and happy to say that everything is going well. Alastair was also very relieved when it was confirmed to be only the one baby. Roll on November 21st, or whenever the baby decides to make it's appearance.

The Italian Chapel, Lamb Holm, Orkney 2003

2008-04-03T14:29:00.000+01:00

The 'Italian Chapel' on Lamb Holm, Orkney, was built by Italian prisoners of war who had been captured in North Africa and brought to Orkney to provide additional labour in the building of the 'Churchill Barriers'. The prisoners were housed at a purpose built prisoner of war camp, 'Camp 60' from 1942 until the end of the war. The accomodation for the men was basic, comprising of a number of huts, but they spent their spare time making improvements and planting vegetables and flowers.

The chapel building was begun in 1943 under the guidance of one of the prisoners, Domenico Chiocchetti, an artist, who had already completed a statute of St George for the camp using barbed wire and cement.

Chiocchetti painted a highly decorative interior, which he even stayed behind after the war to complete. The interior was so stunning that the men decided to add the concrete facade to the front of the building to improve the look of the Nissen Huts.

Although the rest of the Camp has long since vanished the Chapel and Chiocchetti's St George sculpture have been saved as lasting monuments to the work and dedication of the Italian prisoners of war, and to the artistry of Domenico Chiocchetti.

Alastair and I visited the Chapel in 2003, and although neither of us are religious, I found it to be an inspiring place. It's amazing to think of these men, brought here and forced to provide free labour for a country they were at war with spending their free time creating such a lasting thing of beauty from next to nothing.

~~~~~~

I'm really enjoying looking at my random photo set - it's making me think about things that wouldn't have otherwise popped into my head.

Working

2008-04-01T15:46:00.000+01:00

I'm working full-time this week and next which although I don't enjoy, does mean that I'll get a full-time pay packet for 2 weeks this month - always welcome. It also means that I get the odd moment to myself - so today's masterpiece in 5 minutes is above. Way too minamalist for the scanner to pick up. Must remember to actually add some colour, or something you can see to tomorrow's lunch hour art session.

Liverpool International Garden Festival 1984

2008-04-01T13:07:00.000+01:00

According to the BBC Liverpool website the 1984 International Garden Festival was the first to be held in Britain and was to regenerate an area of derelict Liverpool dockland into a unique riverside parkland to be gifted to the city of Liverpool for all to share. My quick search on Flickr and Google puts paid to that notion pretty quickly. It looks like the site is currently partly derelict and partly in the process of being turned into a housing development.

The mosaic above is mostly made up of other Flickr member's photos. Click on the image for the details of whose images I've used.

My memories of the gardens are pretty sketchy (well it was almost a quarter of a century ago). I remember the day we went was very hot. In fact I seem to remember the whole of the summer of 1984 being very hot, but maybe I've just got my rose tinted specs on. I was 13 and still happy enough to go with my parents on this kind of trip. My older brother and sister didn't come with us, but maybe they were working, or just didn't relish the thought of hours trapped in a car all together. I remember that the festival had been mentioned on TV a lot, so I had a real sense of going to a big important event, but in retrospect I guess that the PR machine was in overdrive pushing out an upbeat story about Liverpool. At the time I was too young to take a real interest but in the early eighties Liverpool had been going through a period of economic depression (along with the rest of the country!), which in turn had led to social unrest and outbreaks of violence like the Toxteth riots.

It turns out that the festival was the brainchild of Michael Heseltine, the then Environment Minister, who thought that it would help revitalise the city through tourism. According to the Land Restoration Trust website the development of the site cost £12.5 million and attracted 3.2 million visitors.

This year Liverpool is once again in the spotlight as 2008 European Capital of Culture and it looks like there might be plans afoot to do something more with the Garden Festival site. I hope that any development undertaken under this banner provides more long term benefit to the people of city than the Garden Festival site seems to have done.

It did please me to see that the Yellow Submarine, which I do fondly remember from my visit, has found a new home, at least for the moment, at John Lennon Liverpool Airport.

I've been neglegting my blog

2008-03-31T13:49:00.000+01:00

I haven't felt like I've had much to blog about lately. I don't know why as everyday I seem to be really busy, but I never seem to have to urge to put fingers to keyboard. I think the sensible answer would be to take down my blog and have done with it, but instead I came up with a new ploy.

I have a 20 random photos Set on Flickr that gets generated by Dopiaza and I thought that, to get my blogging habit kick-started again, I'd share some randomness with you.

This was the view from my front door on the 23rd July 2007. We live in Penicuik, a commuter town about 7 miles from Edinburgh, which mainly consists of a number of very large housing estates. We are lucky enough to live on one of the roads heading out of town and when I look out of my front window I can see green fields and sheep, which I just love. My ideal location would be beside the sea, but it seems churlish to complain. Our house isn't quite as picturesque as the cottages on the other side of the road, and I have a dream of winning just enough in the lottery to do a quick flit accross the road. I didn't notice until I posted this just now that the photo I took was of a double rainbow. Much as I like the pretty picture I'm hoping that this summer we have fewer rainbows and more heat waves!

Alastair, Robin, Julia, Robb & I all went to Portmeirion for a long weekend in February, which was great. The village is really amazing and though it was cold in Feb, it was none the less beautiful. I'd been once as a day visiter in 2000 and Alastair & I stayed for 2 nights on our honeymoon in 2004, so we have decided it's going to have to be a 4 year tradition - I'm already looking forward to 2012.

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe

2008-01-28T14:13:00.000Z

As I've mentioned before I'm spending a lot of time on Ravelry. For anyone who knits, crochets or spins I can't emphasise enough how fantastic the site is. You can spend hours lost in the world of other people's craft creations.

Looking at all the beautiful things that other people are making has spurred me on to some 'real life' activity too.

I've been sorting out my wardrobe so that I can make myself some clothes that actually go with other clothes that I own. I have knitting and sewing plans in mind, and after a sort through my existing stuff I can see that I spend far too much time dressed like a witch/funeral attendee and the rest of the time wearing shouty COLOUR. The red dressy shoes in the photo are new mind you (an early birthday present) so I'm not about to stop with the in your face colours, but maybe I should try to at least co-ordinate them a bit!

While I was sorting out I came across these badges. I love them and will have to find a better use for them than just sitting in a box for the rest of time.

'The Twist' - local band from Kirkcaldy, Fife in the late '80s; I've been to Kirkcaldy Museum featuring a Wemyss Ware cat; Pooh bear; 'F*ck the Poll Tax'; Shetland Puffin; 'I'll see what I can do' - Pulp; 'Freak out' made for me by Kirkcaldy boy in late '80's; Wemyss Ware cat; 'Shockwave' - mid eighties (?) band my brother played in; Miffy

Christmas

2007-12-26T23:34:00.000Z

Robin Christmas 2007
Originally uploaded by tattie-bogle.

Despite our house being hit yet again with a dose of the festive lurgy, good times were had by all.

Hope everyone had jolly festivities too.

J.x

I am still around here sometimes

2007-12-17T11:44:00.001Z

So, I have been intending to post here for ages. Way back when, we had to move out of our house for 3 weeks to get our kitchen & bathroom replaced. I'm not going to even start on our tale of woe about that but we're still trying to get the work a) fixed & b) finished.

Apart from trying to stand up for my consumer rights I've been busy getting organised for Christmas, and for once am feeling quite festive. I think it's because I got to buy toys, which is always fun.

I've also discovered Ravelry and am in knitting heaven. If anyone knits I strongly suggest you sign up to join Ravelry. I think the reason why I'm quite so in love with it is because it appeals to my librarian side as well as my crafty side. It's like a giant yarn and pattern index that allows you to browse what other people have made. Fantastic.

Jamie by Louisa Harding

2007-12-16T10:20:00.044Z


Jamie by Louisa Harding


A. on top of Maes Howe

I added a Ravelry project page for Jamie, the red jumper that I knitted A. back in 2003. This was the first thing I knitted him and he chose the colour and pattern. It was made with Jaeger Matchmaker Merino DK in red which is beautiful wool to knit with, but is very heavy and bulky to wear. He wore it a lot on our summer holiday in Orkney that year, and it is still going strong now.

Sasha Doll Summer Dress

2007-12-05T10:44:00.010Z


Sasha Doll Summer Dress

I added a Ravelry project page for the Sasha Doll Summer Dress that I knitted in Summer 2003. I made up the pattern and used some scrap yarn that I had around the house.

Flashback Friday

2007-10-05T15:02:00.000+01:00

Jennifer, 1986
Originally uploaded by tattie-bogle.

This week's theme for Flashback Friday was 'Nanna Technology' which I thought was brilliant but I haven't been able to get at my photos to scan anything relevant this week.

In lieu of that I'm posting this picture of me in Dundee in 1986. I think it must have been a quirk of the viewfinder on my old camera that the subject was hiding right down in the bottom left corner, as I have quite a few pictures similarly composed!

This was taken on a day out during a holiday with my friend to her Gran's house in Tayport (the Nanna connection). I remember being very excited at being away and getting to wander about on our own during the day - I was obviously a very sheltered child compared with today's youth...

The theme was supposed to be about what crafts you learnt from your Nan, but I have to say I don't remember either of them teaching me much. Both knitted, and my Granny Ritchie could also crochet. I remember her trying to teach me at my request, but me not being able to get very far with it. I still can crochet very well although I can virtually knit in my sleep. Around this period my Gran was in a bit of a sock knitting frenzy and I remember having many pairs of brightly coloured acrylic socks.

Belleville Rendez-Vous

2007-10-04T20:46:00.000+01:00

There was nothing on TV last night so I rooted around in the cupboard and found a DVD of Belleville Rendez-Vous which had come free with a newspaper a while ago.

I hadn't seen it before, but Alastair had heard good things about it. We weren't disappointed - it was great!

2007-10-03T12:42:00.000+01:00

I finished 'Notes on a Scandal' yesterday (See the comment on yesterday's post to see what I thought of it) and started on Zadie Smith's White Teeth. So far I'm only a chapter in, but I'm really enjoying it.

Alastair's mum turned up whilst I was cooking tea last night with an expectant look on her face. It took me a good while to make the connection that I was going to the theatre with her on Tuesday, and in fact it was Tuesday! A very quick shake of my hair and change of top later we headed in to the Edinburgh Playhouse to see 'South Pacific'. It was great (although I kept getting distracted by just how uncomfortable the seats were) and I was particularly impressed by Dave Willetts voice.

I love musicals, though not the Andrew Lloyd Webber variety, but just about any from what is 'the golden age' according to Wikipedia, 1943-1968. There have been some more recent successes, but most of the ones I really love are from this period. I just find that the emotions of song really touch me, so watching a musical fills me with joy, laughter or sadness so much more than a film or a play. It seems to be a really middle-aged thing to like judging by the audience last night, but I've enjoyed them since I was a teenager.

I'd heard somewhere that the 'War of the Worlds' stage show was coming back to the UK, and when I checked online I discovered that it will be in Glasgow at the SECC on the 5th December. I would absolutely love to go and see it, but at £39.50 plus booking fee for a ticket I'm not so sure that we can afford it.

Wasting time & Reading for Pleasure

2007-10-01T14:26:00.000+01:00

I've been busy wasting a lot of time over the last few days on Facebook. I have to admit it though, I am an old fogey, and I don't see the point. It just seems to be a big online address book, where you can browse through other people's friends lists in a voyeuristic fashion. At the same time I've found that it is quite addictive doing just that, hoping that any moment now you're going to spot someone you know!

I think the main problem with a 36 year old being on Facebook is most people I know have grown up and don't spend their time 'virtually'. I'm resisting the temptation to add people to my friends list that I recognise from Tesco's.

We had a very nice weekend of seeing friends in real life, which is novel these days. On Saturday we met friends for a spot of lunch at the Botanic Gardens, which was very nice. It was also Doors Open Day in Edinburgh and we took the opportunity of a tour of the Botanic Garden's Library and Herbarium. I did my 4 week library placement there in 1993 and I was interested to see if the place had changed. In the end we didn't get much of a tour of the library, but it was still nice to take a walk through and the Herbarium is an extremely interesting place so I would recommend a visit if you get the chance.

On Sunday we went to Gullane to a friend's house warming BBQ (yes on the last day of September), and then took a lovely walk along the beach. My sister took some lovely photos which she's loaded onto Flickr (Miss-Frugality on Flickr). I think they are friends and family only so if you're not on her list, you'll not see them.

We also paid the cheque for the balance of our new kitchen and bathroom to MFI and are expecting work to commence week beginning 29th October. I can't wait for it to be done.

We also went to Waterstones on Saturday so that I could treat myself to some fiction. I can't remember the last time I read a novel and I thought it was about time I started reading again, so that I could feel more like myself. At some point when I was pregnant I lost a large part of my brain. I'm not sure what happened to it, but I had assumed it would just come back once Robin was born. That hasn't happened so I'm now thinking I'm going to have to encourage it back by trying to read books instead of Heat magazine.

I got drawn to the Penguin Celebrations display and choose three books, the first of which is Zoe Heller 'Notes on a Scandal'. When I looked for an image to add to this post I realised that I was pretty out of touch and that it's already been made into a film, but I had no particular reason for choosing this book except that I've heard of Zoe Heller as a newspaper columnist and the blurb on the back looked reasonably interesting.

I've signed up to Good Reads, a site that allows you to keep track of the books you've read, add reviews and view other people's reviews. As if I need another excuse to sit in front of the PC!

Drawing

2007-09-28T23:26:00.000+01:00

Drawing and Flowers
Originally uploaded by tattie-bogle.

I had fun drawing whilst Robin had a nap.

There was a time when the thought of drawing just about gave me a panic attack. My pulse would race and I would sweat and would want to cry just thinking about it.

I was so afraid that I would make a fool of myself because I never had a natural talent for art like my Mum and my sister did and I didn't want to 'show myself up'.

Anyway, gradually over the years I discovered that when I stopped worrying about the results, or measuring myself against other people, I began to enjoy drawing and painting for myself.

These days I don't do it very often, but when I do I always surprise myself with how much I enjoy it and what I can produce. When I was at my most fearful I could only bring myself to do the most basic stick drawings because anything else was opening myself up to failure.

I'm not kidding myself that I've found an untapped well of talent, but I am pleased that I have been able to get over the block.

Macro Photography

2007-09-03T14:36:00.000+01:00

Dandelion Clock
Originally uploaded by tattie-bogle.

Yesterday Robin went for a day out with his Granny and Grandpa Brown and I went over to their house later for my tea. I decided to walk over to Roslin so that I could get some exercise and after a pretty drizzly morning the sun actually came out just in time for my walk.

I took my camera so that I could have another shot at trying to use the macro function, and at last I think I've cracked it. All this time I've been admiring other people's lovely close-ups thinking 'why don't mine come out like that' and now I know the answer! I just need to take the time to find the right setting.

I took some more pictures along the way, and even tried a couple of shots using the black and white digital filters that allow you to keep either red, green or blue, which were good fun.

Home and Away

2007-09-01T23:15:00.000+01:00

Looking at Glenkiln Resevoir
Originally uploaded by tattie-bogle.

Last weekend Alastair, Robin and I went on summer holiday. Admittedly it was a pretty short holiday - one night away in a tent just outside Newton Stewart in Dumfries and Galloway - but people who are about to get new kitchen's and bathrooms are in no position to complain about not going on fancy holidays!

Really we were experimenting with taking Robin camping to see if we would be brave enough to attempt a longer trip. It went pretty well, with only half an hour or so of Robin crying and us feeling like public enemy no. 1. I really like getting out in the fresh air and should do more of it. Somehow it's hard to get the motivation when you're sitting in front of Flickr looking at all the lovely photos.

Before we went to the camp site we went for a walk around Glenkiln Reservoir to look at the statues that look out over the tranquil countryside. My favourite was 'King and Queen' by Henry Moore, who sit in a lovely spot gazing out over the water. I've got more pictures on Flickr.

During the week I decided to find some lovely things closer to home and took a walk out to Penicuik House, which was built in the 1760s and was once a very grand country house, but was gutted by fire in 1899 and has been a ruin since.

I also took the time to appreciate some of the beautiful things closer to home.
Gardens in the Eskhill Estate in Penicuik.

I was having fun taking lots of photos, but also realised that despite having owned my digital camera for 3 years now, I don't really know how to use it. I was getting frustrated with the poor quality of my close-ups using MF, the Macro Function, only to discover the other day that it was in fact Manual Focus. Oops - explains a lot. I read the instructions properly as I was sure something must be wrong with all my out of focus pictures. It may be the first time I've looked at it properly because it came on a disk rather than as a book, and I find reading things on screen and then remembering them difficult, but didn't want to print out all 130-odd pages at my own expense. I also think that the contrast is a bit off, but didn't find an easy answer to that one. There are a lot of adjustable settings that I've never explored though, so maybe it's time for some experiments in photography.

Jennifer with Michael's Bass Guitar

2007-08-31T11:52:00.000+01:00

Jennifer with Michael's Bass Guitar
Originally uploaded by tattie-bogle.

The theme for Flashback Friday this week was music, so here is me posing with my brother Michael's bass guitar. I seem to have missed the concept of holding it like a guitar player! I think I thought it was too heavy.

Michael is 8 years older than me, and in 1979, when this photo was taken, that made him twice my age. I was in awe of him because he was so grown up, and could play an instrument. He still is, and can - see www.myspace.com/sadsociety and his own blog at http://livejournal.gothman63.com

This photo was taken in the living room of our new build house in Inverkeithing. We'd moved in when it was built in 1976 and I'm not sure when the wood panelling went up, but I loved it. We moved out in 1980, and I doubt that the wood is still there.

Plastic Bag Snake

2007-08-24T18:57:00.000+01:00

Plastic Bag Snake
Originally uploaded by tattie-bogle.

I promised you something other than old pictures of me ... so here is my first piece of 4 needle knitting. I started it as a knitted plastic carrier bag dispenser, and then got a little carried away.

I completed the knitting a few days ago, and today put the finishing touches to it using my new sewing machine.

Now I have a very handy snake draft excluder, stuffed with our ever present plastic bag collection. He is made from cheap eBay yarn, and has a felt lined mouth and button/felt eyes. I attached a ribbon to his mouth with a loop of elastic (actually my sister's hair band which she forgot to take home with her last time she visited, oops) so that I could keep the end closed. Not the most attractive of closings, but pretty easy to do and might outfox Robin for all of 5 minutes.

Jennifer and the Blue Peter Ship

2007-08-24T09:28:00.000+01:00

Jennifer and the Blue Peter Ship
Originally uploaded by tattie-bogle.

Another picture for flashback Friday. I promise to post something other than old photos sometime soon!

This week's theme was suppost to be cool t-shirts, but I couldn't find a photo of any. To be honest I think I probably didn't have any! I wasn't a cool kid.

I do really like this photo of me in a t-shirt though, because it is a rare moment when I actually enjoyed having my photo taken.

I've always had a problem with my body image and low self esteem and spent almost my entire childhood feeling too big, not feminine enough and ashamed of the way I looked.

In this photo though I'm 13 and at the stage that most girls seem to find most awkward, but I really loved. For a brief period I felt that I was growing into my body rather than out of it! I was developing curves and could put on a t-shirt and feel like a girl instead of an outsize boy. I wasn't even that big when I was younger, but for some reason my whole life I've thought I was huge and clumsy.

The trouble is it seems to have been a self fulfilling prophesy and now I am very overweight and look back on my younger self and feel very sorry for her. She was beautiful and had every right to enjoy posing for a photo in her hat! The trouble is I still feel the same way about myself - I wonder if I will look at photos of me now in twenty years and feel the same way?

Someone liked my socks too much!

2007-08-18T11:21:00.000+01:00

I was looking through some of my photos on Flickr the other day and noticed that somebody had made my 'balloon girl' photo a favourite. When I checked their profile I realised it was for all the wrong reasons (or I suppose for them it was for all the right reasons). Yuk. Flesh crawling, etc.

Anyway, the upshot is that I've decided to make all my photos on Flickr that contain people, or are of my house, for 'friends and family' only. I suppose up until now I've been a bit niave about putting photos online for everyone to see. I thought it was better to assume that everyone was above board that to worry about perverts lurking round every corner. Turns out that as soon as I thought, 'oh I hope no-one is looking at photos of Robin in that way' I couldn't leave them public.

Photos that I decide to post to groups will still be visible to members of that group, just not to casual browsers, and I guess that they won't appear on Bloglines, or any other RSS feed.

If anyone isn't on my 'friends and family' list on Flickr but would like to be, please get in touch and I will add you.

Flashback Friday Group Photo

2007-08-17T18:23:00.000+01:00

Burtisland Primary School Christmas Party 1982?
Originally uploaded by tattie-bogle.

Here is a photo from the local paper of my primary school's christmas party. Unfortunately I only have a cut-out of the picture so couldn't get the date off the header. I can't remember exactly when the party was, but I'd guess it was in primary 7 (the last year of primary school) and that would make it December 1982. Looking at the clothes I'm struck by how innocent the dress code was back then. Last weekend I saw a girl of around three in high heels and make-up so it's quite surprising to see a group of 11 year old girls, none of which are flashing the flesh!

Looking at the photo I really don't recognise many people, but I am far right, second from the front.

Monsoon Window Shopping and MFI Actual Shopping

2007-08-10T14:34:00.000+01:00

I was doing a bit of window shopping from my desk at work today and saw all of this stuff that I liked in Monsoon. Like everywhere else at the moment, most of their tops are long tunic style, which unfortunately I don't think suit me. I really like the ones they have called 'Bardot' though with the tye and the scoop neck. The Chartreuse colour appeals to me, but I think it's probably a bit difficult to wear when you're fairish without appearing to be in the late stages of some illness.

Anyway lack of an off-shore clothes fund prevents me from popping in to Monsoon to experiment with colour and skin-tone, but if my planned purchase of a new sewing machine goes ahead I might bear the styles in mind for sewing experiments...

The sewing machine is a small part of a much bigger spending plan - Alastair sold his car 'Pandora' recently and we have been able to go ahead with some much needed home improvements. Alastair has already replaced his car, which appeared to my untrained eye like a pile of old metal, with another pile of old metal, so he is getting to remain happy in his garage. Luckily we had enough left over (because he was frugal) to buy an extravagant new kitchen and bathroom. Hurray!

After much consideration we have decided to go for white kitchen units with a gloss finish. The range is Space White from MFI. They are doing the bathroom too and if everything goes to plan the work is all going to take place towards the end of October. We are all going to escape to Alastair's Mum and Dad's while the work is going on so that Robin doesn't get too involved in the chaos. Luckily they live near enough that we can pop back to keep an eye on the work.

Apart from buying the house, I have never spent so much money so quickly, and it was quite frightening picking things from brochures that cost hundreds and hundreds of pounds, but I am pretty sure that it will look fantastic once it is done, and whatever happens it will be a huge improvement on what is there.

I couldn't help thinking about how much more fun I would have had just spending a tenth of the money on a huge load of crafty things - just think of putting all the wool you wanted in a big shopping trolley!!

Anyway, this weekend we will be off looking at tiles and trying to make a decision about flooring. The trouble is we make a general decision quite easily and then spend ages comparing the differences between a shade or two of tile, or a millimetre difference in shape, when really it doesn't matter at all. We both need to learn to let go!

Balloon Costume for Flashback Friday

2007-08-10T10:39:00.000+01:00

Balloon Costume
Originally uploaded by tattie-bogle.

This photo was taken outside of our house in Inverkeithing, Fife in about 1976/77. I have a vague memory of being dressed up and the photo taken, but I don't remember what the event that required fancy dress was. Maybe Halloween, and I was about to go round the local houses 'guising' which is the Scottish version of 'trick or treat'. I am a balloon seller (?) and my Mum made the outfit. I'm not sure if she made the dress, or just added the balloon shapes to an existing one. I don't remember being in fancy dress very often, and I don't think I have any other snaps of me dressed up. Apologies for the photo quality, it was a slide originally and came out dark when made into a print.

Sewing for Fun

2007-08-03T21:20:00.000+01:00

Robin's New Top
Originally uploaded by tattie-bogle.

I've decided to have a sort out of my wardrobe and work out what I actually want to wear and do something useful with the rest.

I really liked this cardigan when I bought it about 5 years ago, but it's seen better days, and if I'm honest the colour is a bit difficult to wear. I don't seem to be able to do subtle with my colour scheme. I'm always either wearing black or I'm putting on red trousers to brighten myself up!

Anyway, the back of this cardigan has now become a new 'tank top' for Robin. Of course I was so impatient to start once I'd had the idea that I didn't measure it but judged it by eye. I wasn't too far off, though it is a bit fitted around his middle. I recon he'll get about a fortnight's wear out of it, but at least it's a fortnight's pleasure instead of a resigned sigh when I pull it out of the wardrobe.

The rabbit aplique used up some other fabric I had kicking around and I reused the buttons from the cardigan as eyes and 4 down the side (don't show up to well on the photo).

I did all the sewing by hand as I couldn't get away to my craft shed where the sewing machine lives, but the stitching will probably stand up as long as he can fit into it.

Robin, by the way, is fine today and went to nursery quite happily. I took him to the Doctor yesterday and we spoke about his wheeziness, but there wasn't anything that could be done straight away. I've to keep a note of when he seems to be 'chesty' and if I feel that it is more than it should be I've to take him back and speak to the doctor about it again.

Flashback Friday

2007-08-03T20:46:00.000+01:00

Laing Family circa 1972
Originally uploaded by tattie-bogle.

I've joined the Flickr group Flashback Friday as I've been enjoying everybody else's photos so much. As I'm a bit anal of course I had to start chronologically and find a photo of me as a baby.

I'm the youngest in the family, so don't really remember anything about this photo, but I like the way we are all dressed up in our finery. It must have been taken sometime around 1972 and at that time we were living in Kirkliston but I'm not sure where we are. Perhaps my better informed family members will enlighten me. My sister grew up to be Miss Frugality and my brother Gothman63 and I hope neither mind being featured in my flashback.

My father, sadly, died 20 years ago, and I think this photo appeals to me as we look like such a 'normal' happy little family. Things, as we've grown up haven't always been so simple.

Looks like one of those days ...

2007-08-02T11:32:00.000+01:00

So far it's not shaping up to be a great day. We were supposed to be going into Edinburgh to meet my Mum for a nice walk in the Botanics or something, but Robin spent most of time between half past eight and half past ten screaming. He's also got a bit of a rash, a bit of a temperature, a bit of a cough, and I think, a bit of a sore throat. All in all he's miserable and wouldn't touch his breakfast.

Eventually, I phoned Mum to cancel and decided to make an appointment with the Doctor.

Now it is half eleven and the boy has been happily wandering around and playing with his toys for the last hour! At least he seems to be feeling a bit better, but this is why I never know what to do for the best. One minute he seems to be really ill and the next he's quite happy and forgotten that he was screaming the house down.

Anyway, I'm still quite glad that we're going to see the Doctor this afternoon because I'm working tomorrow and full-time next week, so if there is any advice they can give me about what to do for his chesty cough and wheeziness, now is the time to get it.

[n.b. in the 5 minutes or so I've taken to write this he's fallen asleep but poor thing is coughing every few minutes - no wonder he is grumpy if he can't get a settled sleep]

Hand Dyed Bodysuits

2007-08-01T16:19:00.000+01:00

bodysuitswithswing
Originally uploaded by tattie-bogle.

Last week I made some changes to my toddle-togs shop and put up the under construction sign and I've finally got around to finishing what I was doing and taking the sign back down.

[Drum roll] I bring you hand dyed baby bodysuits.

Bits and Bobs Scrapstore

2007-08-01T08:57:00.000+01:00

If you're interested in recycling, crafts and getting a bargain have a look at the Bits and Bobs Scrapstore at http://www.bitsandbobsscrapstore.org.uk/. They are based in Edinburgh, but have an online ordering facility for those who can't get in to their warehouse. You have to pay a membership fee before you can buy from them, but then you have access to a wide range of recycled materials at very reasonable prices. I haven't bought anything yet as I think that I'd probably like to go in and have a browse around first.

Happy Halloween

2006-10-31T08:53:00.002Z

Halloween 2006, a set on Flickr.

We celebrated R's first Halloween by dressing him up as a ghost and going out guising.

Lunch at Flotterstone

2006-10-29T08:13:00.000Z

Flotterstone Oct 2006, a set on Flickr.

We had lunch at the Flotterstone Inn and then went for a walk up the hill.

Quiet Day

2006-10-01T10:13:00.000+01:00

Robin Oct 2006, a set on Flickr.

We spent a quiet day at home today.

Hello Baby

2006-04-19T09:01:00.010+01:00

My beautiful son, R., born today.