Happy new year! What a lovely bright day to wake up to.
a little walk behind our house
puting up a small flock of ringed plovers in front of the house
which flew under the rainbow
We went away for a family Christmas to our house in Ireland, a generous legacy from my uncle in law
a huge local tree (it only looked this tidy for the photo!)
but I do love the 'natural' tree in front of our home on new year's day - click & you can see the sunshine in all the droplets.
We've worked on the Irish house, a bungalow really, getting it ready to rent out this Spring as a weekly holiday home
It was a 'working holiday' but it was also a rest from arranging a local Christmas fair in that fabulous new building I was telling you about earlier this year, (above) An Crùbh - our shop (I've been selling a little work from the arty crafty corner of the shop!), cafe (delicious coffee & cake with a regular get together to knit (stitch) & natter) & huge hall (where I had an exhibition in June, below & organised 19 artists to get together for Made in Sleat in July)
So, did I mention I was a Grandmother?! The eldest, who called me 'Granny Em' & his lovely wife delighted us with the birth of Deacon James in April, & nothing can really prepare you for the emotions brought on by being given a grandchild.
I'm going backwards here (well, that's just me) as above, we had a lovely visit here on Skye in October (instead of Christmas) - Deacon's first flight!
The above 2 are June - I went South for a family wedding & managed a visit too, of course (you've got to grab the chance when they live 650 miles away!) & was so glad to be able to have a photo of 4 generations (my Dad is in his Home & can't really travel far)
Proud grandparents in April - he's so tiny here compared to his 6 months in October pic!
I flew back from the June trip up to my Youngest's graduation, a First in Cell and Molecular Biology from Herriot Watt in Edinburgh.......a son of mine!!!!
Just thought I'd slip this one in - my birthday flowers & a fire....in June!
I've not being doing much new work - I could blame recovery from the shoulder op a year ago (it's 99% good as new now) or that I did one year of a weekly square & just stopped or that as my Dad got better in the Home (but not enough to come home) & watched my Mom go steadily downhill, living alone at home & despite morning carers coming in to check she wasn't in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the stairs (she did insist in going down in the middle of the night with just a small torch.....) a weekly visit from my brother & aunt & 3 pop ins from her most helpful cleaner. I have managed to visit almost every 2 months since my Dad got ill 2 years ago - I don't resent it al all but it does take time. My last visit was November & it became very clear that I couldn't possibly leave her at home on her own anymore, I wouldn't have been a responsible daughter, so we got her ready to 'move back in with Dad' not that she wanted to & she promptly went into heart failure. So now she is 'convalesing' in the residential bit of my Dad's home recovering & settling in slowly. back together, with care & safety (with only one night in hospital thanks to the fabulous NHS!) The relief is enormous. I'm down again next month to sort the house out.......
I did make these small strips above when there was a challenge on the Sketchbooks & Experiments for Textiles fb group - we swapped fabrics & paper & I got the exact colors I love working in!
I also made this piece above based both on the tiny 'meadow' I sewed in front of our lovely community building - below
where the community hanging now resides in it's rightful place, in the wood burning stove nook in the cafe, below
& on flowers from my garden. I don't think I'll ever get tired of the inspiration I find in my garden.
a little walk behind our house
puting up a small flock of ringed plovers in front of the house
which flew under the rainbow
We went away for a family Christmas to our house in Ireland, a generous legacy from my uncle in law
a huge local tree (it only looked this tidy for the photo!)
but I do love the 'natural' tree in front of our home on new year's day - click & you can see the sunshine in all the droplets.
We've worked on the Irish house, a bungalow really, getting it ready to rent out this Spring as a weekly holiday home
It was a 'working holiday' but it was also a rest from arranging a local Christmas fair in that fabulous new building I was telling you about earlier this year, (above) An Crùbh - our shop (I've been selling a little work from the arty crafty corner of the shop!), cafe (delicious coffee & cake with a regular get together to knit (stitch) & natter) & huge hall (where I had an exhibition in June, below & organised 19 artists to get together for Made in Sleat in July)
my exhibition
So, did I mention I was a Grandmother?! The eldest, who called me 'Granny Em' & his lovely wife delighted us with the birth of Deacon James in April, & nothing can really prepare you for the emotions brought on by being given a grandchild.
I'm going backwards here (well, that's just me) as above, we had a lovely visit here on Skye in October (instead of Christmas) - Deacon's first flight!
The above 2 are June - I went South for a family wedding & managed a visit too, of course (you've got to grab the chance when they live 650 miles away!) & was so glad to be able to have a photo of 4 generations (my Dad is in his Home & can't really travel far)
Proud grandparents in April - he's so tiny here compared to his 6 months in October pic!
I flew back from the June trip up to my Youngest's graduation, a First in Cell and Molecular Biology from Herriot Watt in Edinburgh.......a son of mine!!!!
Just thought I'd slip this one in - my birthday flowers & a fire....in June!
I've not being doing much new work - I could blame recovery from the shoulder op a year ago (it's 99% good as new now) or that I did one year of a weekly square & just stopped or that as my Dad got better in the Home (but not enough to come home) & watched my Mom go steadily downhill, living alone at home & despite morning carers coming in to check she wasn't in a crumpled heap at the bottom of the stairs (she did insist in going down in the middle of the night with just a small torch.....) a weekly visit from my brother & aunt & 3 pop ins from her most helpful cleaner. I have managed to visit almost every 2 months since my Dad got ill 2 years ago - I don't resent it al all but it does take time. My last visit was November & it became very clear that I couldn't possibly leave her at home on her own anymore, I wouldn't have been a responsible daughter, so we got her ready to 'move back in with Dad' not that she wanted to & she promptly went into heart failure. So now she is 'convalesing' in the residential bit of my Dad's home recovering & settling in slowly. back together, with care & safety (with only one night in hospital thanks to the fabulous NHS!) The relief is enormous. I'm down again next month to sort the house out.......
I did make these small strips above when there was a challenge on the Sketchbooks & Experiments for Textiles fb group - we swapped fabrics & paper & I got the exact colors I love working in!
I also made this piece above based both on the tiny 'meadow' I sewed in front of our lovely community building - below
where the community hanging now resides in it's rightful place, in the wood burning stove nook in the cafe, below
& on flowers from my garden. I don't think I'll ever get tired of the inspiration I find in my garden.
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18 comments:
Emma! I was thinking about you recently and wondered what you'd been up to. Here it is in a nutshell! I've not been into the blogging a bit as you can probably tell. Nice to see your update and congratulations on the new grandbaby!
xo Kim
Thanks Kim, great to hear from you! I'm replying here as my old heavens ocean email is no longer & altho I changed to my current email escskye@gmail.com , it didn't come thru. Let me know when you are back to blogging - happy new year!x
Happy New Year to you and yours, dear Emma! How lovely to read about all the wonderful goings on for you, your family, your art. I'm so happy for you, and glad your shoulder is almost back to normal. Much love from California's north coast! xx
That's been a bit of a year - so we will let you off! The house in Ireland looks fabulous. Sorry about the failing health of your parents - I can empathise with that - and congrats on being Grandparents. 2017 was certainly a bit of a roller coaster year for you. Hilary xxx
Happy New Year Emma - so very good to hear from you again, and see everything you’ve been up to. It’s obviously been a year of mixed emotions for you, but lovely to see your stitching and creativity going from strength to strength. You’ve inspired me! x
Congratulations again on becoming a Grandmother, you're right, there's nothing compares. I'm glad your Mum is settling in. It's so hard when parents have to be looked after and don't want to admit it. I hope 2018 settles down for you and you are able to enjoy more 'me' time. I hope too you'll share details of your Irish holiday let when it becomes available. It looks beautiful.
What a year, when you put it all together like that! But a lot of really wonderful things to look back on. The Irish house looks amazing, and so different to what I imagined (where are the drain chains?!). Catch up with you soon, at AC or here. Anne x
very nice to read this news from you! congratulations!! I think you will be a wonderful grandmother!! the story of your parents sounds not so good, but I hope it will be better soon.
have a great new year with you family and especially with your grandchild! wish you many creative days too!
best wishes, mano
Happy New Year Emma. What a full year you've had, and wonderful photos to start 2018 off.
Good to have you back for a pop in. Happy New Year. Beautiful family doings. Grandbabies, so welcome and loved and work from you. Lovely legacy for the uncle, how nice. Enjoy time for new work, pop in now and then. xox
Great to hear all about you, Emma from our new home in Wales. Good old FB for letting me keep up with your news. Maybe I should start a blog too. Take care xx
Happy New Year to you and your family, Emma. It's strange seeing your boys all grown up, as I remember them as children running round the garden the first time I came to your shop! I've now been a granny for a whole week - and yes, it's wonderful :) Best wishes for your mum and dad, because it isn't an easy time of life, and it's hard to know the best thing for them xx
Emma, what a lovely surprise to see this post from you, although I an sorry to hear about your Mum and Dad. You've certainly had a difficult year, apart , of course, from the birth of your little grandson and graduation of your youngest son.
I hope the New Year is kind to you and yours, wish you all the best.
A lovely round up. You live in a beautiful part of the country. I miss the coast! Proper shorelines that is, not the manicured stuff we have here. Being grandparents is great fun, enjoy! I hope the parents are settling. Keep up blogging or we will have to nag.
I have been trying for nearly a week to find time to comment on your blog. I love seeing all the wonderful things you make and read about your family - the babies grow far too quickly so make the most of him while you can!
I had been wondering how your parents are getting on - it is a tough time to be going through. Did you ever manage to find anything helpful to assist your father/mother (I can't remember which parent)with reading? I hope so.
The flowers in your meadow garden look lovely, no wonder they provide you with so much inspiration. Cheers
Great catch up post, some beautiful shots. Sorry to hear about your parents health. I guess that is in store for all of us fortunate to live that long. Great news about your children and beautiful grand child though! Hope you are well and finding moments to work on your art.
Great to see a blog just like mine. I surely should say mam, well done.
busy Universal patcher
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