Why is a Pigeon like a Writing Desk?

It's a pretty little writing desk!

Even arriving slightly battered and covered in stickers, it's very, very nice :)  Having lived it's time in the bedroom of my other half through his childhood, I think it had a difficult life. 

Despite spending the greater part of three hours gently scraping stickers from it's surface, and around the same sanding it, I'm still no closer to deciding what to do with it.

Keep it lovely brown?  Or delve into the world of duck egg blue and decopage...

Very tempted to paint it white with lemon accents, with a tiny teacup handpainted to fine black vines.  As inspired by my favourite teacup of all time.

From Whittards Coffee shop

Since all the photos last week seem to have gone down quite well, I thought I'd send you this week in photos too :)  

The train journeys have been used to listen to Harry Potter and knit hexipuffs from leftovers!  And the walks home through the botanics, though bereft of trees whose genetics will apparently forever puzzle me, was filled with pigeons.  When cleaning out ones bag, do be kind and feed the crumbs to local wildlife.  Sadly, my bag had rather enough crumbs to be getting this lot fed quite happily.  Oatcakes are a menace.  

The obsessive gradient dyeing spree continued, with a cashmere blend and featuring orange, purple and green.  

And the healthy eating?  The strawberry salad for dinner?  It turned into strawberry cake.  That didn't last long.  

I'm *still* trying to convince myself to knit socks.  What's your favourite sock pattern?  

xx

One day, I'll iron my tablecloth. 

Beachy Picnic & A Visit to Old Maiden Aunt

What do you do when you have a little day off?  Well, you take a friend, some yarn, and pink bubbly to the beach.  Cold enough to wear our woolens with pride (but not cold enough to stop us picnic-ing on the beach), t'was a perfect day for a wander.  

For aaages I've been wanting to visit the studio of Old Maiden Aunt, in West Kilbride.  This quaint little place is Scotland's only 'Craft Town', and is lined with workshops where you can see the shop owners at work.   Though she was (supposed to be) busy packing for a trip, Lillith was wonderful - so friendly and ever so helpful :D  We may have spent 2 hours deciding what yarn we 'needed'.  And playing with the woofy dog!

Old Maiden Aunt dyes her colourways onto several different bases - all of which alter the final colour.  I may have bought the same purple twice, one on a silky base and one on a cashmere blend.  Nomnomnomnom.

Some of the two hours may have comprised of a woofy dog photo shoot.

Too much choice!

Yarn Cake?

Trunks full of goodies!

'Tardis' colourway.

My wares.  And a woofy dog.

Woofy dog photo shoot

On the way to the Old Maiden Yarn shop, we came across this gorgeous little glass workshop!  Everything was so teeny-tiny and detailed!  Apparently she also does workshops... I might have to visit again...

Finally, the beach!!  So many woofy dogs.  I actually didn't realise when I planned this trip, but I used to come to this beach when I was little!!  

 

When you go down to the woods tonight you're sure to find a Lauren exploring in the forrest...  All of these forresty photos look a little trippy; apparently trees + fish eye lens does crazy things to the mind.  

 

You still have time to enter the shawl pin giveaway, and the christmas yarny swap!!

AAAlllllso, there's now a GIANT pile of fluff in the shop.  Jus' sayin'.  

Autumn Loving

I love autumn!!!  On the way home from work this morning (in a slightly delirious sleep-deprived state) I couldn't help but marvel at this time of year.

The sun was out, the brisk wind pulling at my scarf (handknit, ofc).  Chestnuts fall from the trees above as squirrels begin to prepare for winter.  Crunching, crisp leaves underfoot rustle and spiral and dance in the eddying wind.  

It's a time of year when all my favourite colours - the oranges, greens & browns - are out everywhere and so inspiring for new knits and musings :)  I'm currently trying to make items for my new flat on my days off - cushions, blankets and the like.  It;s coming along!  If a little slower than I'd like.  Is it just me who has no patience when it comes to this sort of thing?  Or, saying that, no patience at all, ever, really.  

This is my bedroom.  It is rundown and damp and I'm pretty sure all the neighbours can see straight in.  Forgiving all of that; I love to sit in my cozy feather bed with a book or some knitting, watching the trees and plants outside the window sway in the wind.  We have little bird feeders hanging from the branches, and the way the little creatures move is mesmerising.   It's the perfect spot to curl up with a hot water bottle for storied & daydreams.

I also love this photo, because it's not difficult to spot which side of the bed belongs to who.  On my partners side, the basic ikea bedside table, with a spare desk lamp and clock, watch, other useful items.  In contrast, I have a little white table which I love, and although you can't see it the shelves are filled with pretty yarn baskets and books I've yet to read.  And the owl lamp.  Oh goodness the owl lamp.  It is pretty, and girly, and not at all functional (I'm not sure anything which would be useful overnight is actually in that thing).  

We need some prints or something for those hooks above the bed - it's definitely a little bare in there!!

I've just fallen in love (and so promptly bought) this amazing print from Sarah Ray, though am sure it will fit better in the kitchen...

Again, I've been experimenting with dyeing different fibre in the same manner.  Today was massam and teeswater top.  Both come from lovely curly looking sheep - aren't they the cutest kind?!   The teeswater is so shiiiiiiny, definitely my favourite of the two!!  Both available in my etsy shop :)  

Massam

Massam

Teeswater

Teeswater

What do you have planned for this week??  I have the week off!! Cannot wait to sit and do nothing for a day or two!!  Hehe :)

Any suggestions for some awesome artisty types I can nosey at for a new picture for my wall?

xx