Nature Study.

 Inspired by Heather's blog, I decided to use my promarkers to draw a shrub in the garden.
This is the second attempt to upload the photos with words . . . so there are fewer words this time!

Make your own Easter Eggs!

 First of all, you need to make a small hole at each end of the egg.

















Then you blow in one end.
















 and the egg comes out at the other end.

















In goes the chocolate . . .

and in the background someone is waiting to lick the spoon!

Early writing.

 JoJo found this strip of old window putty in the garden., and wrote the letters of his name with it.
Look at Heather's blog on teaching writing in her series on Homeschooling.
At this point, JoJo is 4years and 2 months. Notice how it fits in with the idea of first of all learning something with actual objects.
These letters were entirely his idea, and part of his playing.
http://beautysglance.wordpress.com/
This is the link to Heather's blog.

Hillls

One of the things I enjoy most about my trips to Scotland are the views of hills.
First there is the view from my cousin's guest room window.
It looks right over Glasgow to Ben Lomond.
 This time I was lucky enough to spend a day at North Berwick. This is the Law. If you can zoom in you'll see the whale bone arch on the top.
 These are the hills to the south of Peebles. This is looking south up Manor Valley where we lived for a while.

And these are the Pentland Hills to the south of Edinburgh.
In Edinburgh itself, Arthur's Seat was looking resplendant, covered in yellow gorse. Sadly I didn't get a photo of it.








I lift up my eyes to the hills-
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
the maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip-
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over  you -
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm-
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and for evermore.
Psalm 121

A Sleepover!

Yesterday three of our grandchildren arrived for a sleepover.  Alyssa brought me this branch from her neighbour's cherry tree. She carried it to the house of  the friend they visited en route, then on the underground, followed by the overground train.
After tea, I went to put Joel, the youngest, to bed. I gave the girls paper, and a book to lean on. They settled on the settee in front of the vase.
 

You should have heard them gasp when I opened my box of Promarkers and Aquamarkers on the seat between them!
 

Here are the results!
 

There wasn't a sound out of them for almost two hours!
 

 

I think this is a good reason for having some more Promarkers, don't you?!
 

Paper piecing.

 Paper piecing is the name of the process by which this kind of patchwork can be put together.
You need to have a pattern - this one is called a circle of flying geese. Then you sew the fabric onto the paper, in correct numerical order.
Once you get your head round it, its easier than it sounds!

 My first effort was a Christmas one.

 Then I did a Spring version. I don't think I would choose gingham again - it doesn't lie as flat as I would like.

 The embroidery on the back is called Feather Stitch which I found in an old book of embroidery stitches.

 In situ chez Erulin.

January 2011

My diary for the month.

New Year's Day at Evie's flat. We had the whole family in the same place, at the same time.

Things I made this month
Joel's pirate suit

Mr Broccoli - the second - to replace a lost one.
I also made a book of photos for my friend Marion, to commemorate a particularly happy time several of us had at her house a few days before Christmas. Sadly no rooom for a photo.

Another memorable event was the Peter Pan Party, but I think that deserves a blog of its own!

Books read this month: An Act of Peace - Ann Widdecombe
The Help - Kathryn Stockett
Picture Perfect - Jodie Picoult
Girl with a Pearl Earring - Tracy Chevalier
A Place of Secrets - Rachel Hore
I started Out of the Woods but not Over the Hill - Gervase Phinn, but I got distracted... I will finish it sometime. The one I read quickest was the Rachel Hore one.
Surprises in January included haggis for dinner on the 25th , and also a pineapple upside down pudding. That same week we had prawns - all prepared by Brian, DH is branching out!
Healthwise, in the last few days of the month, I actually stopped coughing and began to feel better!