Wednesday 8 December 2010

A snow day off work!

We had a wonderful walk into the Cuillins at the weekend, lots of snow in the hills & just about ok driving to get there. They all had a wonderful time sliding down & trudging up over & over again while I watched, enjoyed my extended family 'playing' together & froze my buns off sitting on the snow ;)  I did make an angel, going back to my own childhood & delighted in laying there watching the tiny clouds in an otherwise clear blue sky....for about 3 minutes, tops.


youngest, middlest, the gf, me, the 'dil', eldest.

It was a strange contrasty light with the end of the Cuillin Ridge between us & the sun.



                                                        
                                                                   Walking on into the Glen







An ice sculpture


& a helping hand ( he had to be pulled out when walking on a thin bit of ice for heavens sake!)





It was truly a winter wonderland here today. I enjoyed my first snow day off work yesterday - the snow had come around here overnight but the eldest & 'dil' just managed to start & finish their journey back to Edinbro after 2 extra days stuck here. The gf can't get back to near Glasgow tho & my DH bravely tried to get the youngest out of the village (up a steep hill) so he could get a bus to school but it was too slippery. Bring back the wonderful (expensive!) Landrover! So we're still a housefull & I'm trying not to be too distracted! I'm happy to bundle up, enjoy the snow while waiting to see if my last craft fair will be on this Saturday. It's out of our hands so we might as well eat mince pies!







& in the garden





I made a couple of brooches as Christmas presents for the 'dil' & the gf, a bit bigger than the ones I started to make for last years craft fairs.



And finally, a month of squares. I was 2 months behind & now I'm only 1 month behind - these are October's squares. In gathering them together, thinking I had lots to make to catch up, I'd find a little pile on my desk hiding under pieces of paper strewn about, or a small pile of them in a little bag for safe keeping, so I wasn't as behind as I thought. Hopefully I'll come across some  for November, tiny collections of bits & pieces of the day tidied into a little square or a piece of an experiment cut away for adding to my squares pile ready to find at a later date. When I empty my pockets I find papers or plastic stuffed in there - I'm always thinking This could be for a square! but take a little longer to assemble them into one place, ready to photograph. It's taught me such dicipline, making these squares, well, & showing them here in an organised fashion & I'll have such a collection by the end of the year, something to be proud of. I'm thinking already of what to do regularly next year, something like a collage a week, something for the studio. I'd like to work thru all my wonderful books & actually make that collage or hanging that I'm always saying I will get round to one day, giving it my own personal spin, of course.

We'll see.



I've shown the top 2 lines already. The 3rd are all the usual suspects except the 'braille' one, not sure if you can see that I've painted a pill packet & highlighted the braille dots. The last 2 strips are the usual again, including a bird stamp used for a Christmas card & the multicolored bear is similar to the sweet 16 birthday card for the youngest. The last 2 squares are the start of my trip to Oxford.


16 comments:

Anonymous said...

you all look like you are on an expedition to the top of the world!
Broaches are sweet, nice to see those squares again. Still no snow! xox Corrine

Unknown said...

Fantastic photos! I love how white and bright snow is in the sunlight and although I'm annoyed about the disruption to transport I love seeing the hills covered in snow. They are so pretty! The brooches are gorgeous too! :) x

mano said...

so wonderful, fantastic winter pictures! really - it looks like a wonderland!
I love your brooches and your squares mosaic is so stunning . great work!

artymess said...

Great family pic and stunning photos Emma ....xx

Jill said...

Wow - if you have to have a snow day I cannot think of anywhere more stunning to have them. Fabulous photographs.
Your squares are great too - as I think I've said before, you make it look so effortless, but I know you have a talent for it.

Julie said...

I so enjoyed the photographs Emma, the clouds are fantastic and how wonderful to have all that on your doorstep. I have often looked at braille on packaging and wondered whether it could be used in an art piece so it is interesting to see how you have used it. I do admire your achievements with the squares over the year. I shall look forward to seeing what you do next year. If I could only find the discipline to work alongside you!

ju-north said...

What a place to live! Superb photos - and I enjoyed your squares! Looking forward to seeing what you decide on for next year!

Beverley Baird said...

What gorgeous shots from your trip!
Love your squares! Love the idea of a regular project. Tried that this year but not too successful I guess any creating is better than none!

Parabolic Muse said...

You all make a great photo. Happy Snow Day!

Anonymous said...

You all look as if you had a great time. Let's hope that the craft fair is on tomorrow - I think the snow is meant to disappear - we shall see. ;-)
L xx

Heloise said...

Stunning photographs. Hope you find some hidden squares.

Aileen Clarke Crafts said...

You got the snow! Hurrah! Looks like a wonderful walk. I hiked the kids to our nearest farm shop and cafe on Saturday and it was twilight by the time we hiked home and just so beautiful! It's gone all drippy with the slight haw now and even though most things are back to normal I'm still stuck here with two kids who can't get to school ahhh! Going to try and make my escape tomorrow though : )
Love the brooches. And all your photos.

Mail Art Dramas said...

my teeth a chattering ...snow and cold!
nice to see your art, makes me smile.
How is the sketch book going??
working on mine..not much else. have projects for the New Year lined up.
keep warm!
jill

Laura said...

Oh Emma the landscape is exquisite...how blessed you are to live in such a beautiful place and to be able to walk about and see all the glory around you...Thank you for this journey to a place I'd love to visit!!!

jackie said...

Fantastic scenery.That is a clever comment,I certainly am hard on myself sometimes, but I meant my eldest, DBO - in hindsight it is usually helpful, as he tends to push me to do better.

Catharina Maria said...

Oh , I love the photos with the snow on your island and I love your squares too .
I am in Spain at this moment and we can not go to Portugal because we are in a big storm , the Mistral . Than you can not drive with a car and caravan . We have sun and a blue sky but the mistral is very , very ,very cold .
Love from ♥RINI♥