Merry Christmas one and all!

As everyone in the UK knows Raymond Briggs, "The Snowman" is a firmly established favourite tradition. The book was first published way back in 1978, can you believe!

(i'm not sure how well known it is outside the UK, would love you to let me know though.)

However it has become a firm tradition in our family to go and see Christopher Bell conducting the Royal Scottish National Orchestra performing The Snowman live, while the animated story is shown on a huge screen. Christmas music, carols and songs make up an evening of entertainment. I always take my niece who just loves the silly song where all the audience has to stand up and join in with all the actions! This year it was the penguin song, so the whole audience was hopping about like penguins at one point!!!

From the top right they are:

Ern Malley affair screen printed book by benconservato

mosaic penguin sculpture by raquelstanek

two funny penguins by vinylwalldesign

 penguin 10  by udder

I'm dreaming of a felt christmas!

These are two small gifts for my friends two wee ones.

The first set of felt numbers by MiChiMa  are for a four year old who just loves drawing her numbers and the felt sandwich, by Pachom, is for her 2 year old brother who loves to "play" at eating his tea, (and therefor driving his mum daft).

Well,  after much cleaning, rummaging in the attic and unpacking my house now looks like a winter wonderland and St Nick 

himself would not feel out of place!

What about you? are your decorations up yet?  

do share, i'd love to see photos : )

Last weekend i went to the opening of a mixed, Winter Exhibition, of which i was part of, at a small rural gallery about 40 miles north of me. I awoke on Sunday morning to a beautiful blanket of snow which made the driving a wee bit tricky but the scenery just lovely! 

Some of us were colder than the others!

Hot chocolate and chocolate crispies were enjoyed by all!

Although i have not been as active on my blog as previously, i have not been idle, promise!

Look at  my lovely, shiny treasury on the front page!!!!

Hmmm i seem to have taken an unintended break from blogging for the last 10 or so days. Like many of you i have been busy making for christmas fairs, but i promise i will catch up with everyones blog over the weekend: )

In the meantime feel free to check out my latest treasury.

I was out walking on Sunday and the colours were just glorious!

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: 

Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn. 

At the going down of the sun and in the morning 

We will remember them.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound, 

Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight, 

To the innermost heart of their own land they are known 

As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust, 

Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain; 

As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness, 

To the end, to the end, they remain.

Laurence Binyon, For the Fallen

Image courtesy of  RAF.MOD.gov

Hot off the press!

(Literally)

Beach Huts

Like most of you ,I'm sure, i have begun to do at least one or two little bits of Christmas shopping. This is a wee pendant that i order from Home Studio, for my little sister. When she bought her first house i searched everywhere in an attempt to find her the ugliest garden gnome i could find. And since then have always picked up an odd looking gnome if i see one.

 This wee guy however, is not at all ugly, but i did think it would make her laugh! 

Feel free to have a look at Home Studio on Etsy they have a great selection of pendants  : )

Have a good Bonfire night tomorrow.

Remember, remember the 5th of November,

Gunpowder Treason and Plot, 

I see no reason why Gunpowder treason 

should ever be forgot.

On the 5th of November here in Britain we celebrate Guy Fawkes night, it commemorates the 5th of Nov in 1605 when a plot to blow up the houses of Parliament and the then King, James I, was foiled. One of the group, Guy Fawkes has been attributed as being the leader of the group so we build bonfires, make "Guys" (life size effigies of Guy Fawkes) through them on the bonfires and have wonderful firework displays. (The cellars beneath the houses of Parliament were found to be full of barrels of gunpowder)

The tradition of the Guy has fallen away somewhat and in general most people go to locally organised displays but it is all good fun and is usually followed by baked potatoes, soup and toffee apples : )

More info can be found here.

bonfire photograph- racegirl1313

toffee apple -britishcreamtea

photograph - geniusvintage

HaPpY  halLoWeeN !

I wanted to share with you this splendid seller i met on etsy. 

I had spotted a bag charm which i wanted to pop into my lil sis's christmas stocking, but it was pink and she is not a pink girl!

 i contacted Marie at Poshplushie and she kindly custom made one in blue for me.(She actually made two and gave me a choice)

 It arrived the other day and it is wonderful!  she also included a most pretty wee brooch, all of which was beautifully gift wrapped ready for giving. 

So if you have the time do visit her shop, you won't be disappointed   : )

It won't be long now, so here is my halloween  treasury!

I am doing another batch of linoprints just now. 

This is  i think, my favourite stage, no colours down yet, 

just the linoleun cut and ready to go. 

There is so much promise here and as yet, i haven't messed it up!

More photographs to follow.

Just incase you were wondering, it's autum here in Scotland.

Recently i was tagged by the wonderful lauraB, and so i am now going to share with you 7 random  facts about me. Here goes;

1. i love living at the mouth of the Tay river.

2. sometimes i look after my friend's dog for her.

3. i love Neil Diamond, but then why wouldn't i?

4. there are only 4 days between my birthday and my brother's and when i was 9 and he was 8 we got a joint birthday cake in the shape of a grandfather clock. The hands were pointing to 8 and 9, we were thrilled.

5. The list is enormous, but my really, truly,  favourite illustrator is Christian Birmingham.

6. i have way, way too many Christmas decorations, (10 boxes) and yet still i'm tempted to buy more!!!!

snowflake ornament by cynthiacallan

7. i love sugar mice.

Now i think i am supposed to tag some other people to list their 7 random facts so here goes,

sol y sombra and nuvonova tag your it  next : )