Instant Pot monoprint

 

Featuring my new Instant Pot in a 70s inspired monoprint: two projects in one! This is the easiest monoprint where you put ink on a glass plate and then put the paper facedown and draw and press on it to make coloured areas. Don’t lean on it and use a sharp biro! The 70s is all about orange for me.

2021 Projects

 Let’s hope 2021 is a better year than this!

I have lined up a programme of projects which include:

Mastering my new Instant Pot cooker

Having progressed my meat and cake cooking, working on fish, veg and puddings.

Retro 70s homecrafts: I have a candlemaking and plant pot making kit and want to try macrame. Maybe that classic, a macrame owl.

Knitting: the DrWho Scarf continues and I have a pair of legwarmers planned. Maybe this year I will even do a jumper!

Monoprint: I tried this this year and liked it, so will be doing more next year.

Reading: I am working on appreciating difficult c20th architecture, starting strongly with a book on c20th churches. I will them find some in the real world and draw them. My plant pot kit also feeds into this as it involves mixing your own concrete! 

70s Crafts

 

I made a 70s inspired patchwork floor cushion from denim offcuts, stuffed with random fabric off cuts, as I like to sit on the floor by the radiator. Also I find 70s nostalgia comforting.

Gothick in the Sunshine

 

A lovely gothick house I spotted on one of my local walks. 

2020 Media Review

 Favourite Books of 2020

I haven’t actually been reading that much this year, but some books I particularly enjoyed are:

Beowulf by Rosemary Sutcliff, a retelling of the classic viking myth. Also King Arthur by the same author, epic and weirder than you expect.

The Steel Bonnets by George MacDonald Fraser about the reivers of the Scottish border, Alistair’s bandit ancestors.

The Cabaret of Plants by Richard Mabey about interesting and weird plant biology and history.

How do we Look and The Eye of Faith by Mary Beard, to accompany the Civilisation series. I love Mary Beard.

Favourite TV

The Crown, surely needs no explanation

Queens Gambit, drama about a girl chess champion

Classic Tom Baker era Dr Who

Poirot, ok some of these are re-watches

What have you enjoyed/ recommend blog readers? 

2020 Thoughts

Well, I hardly need to digress on what a bloody awful year 2020 has been. Some much needed good news emerged in the form of a vaccine being developed and Trump losing the election. 

Other good things that kept me going included having our new house and garden to work on and inhabit (including my own study), sewing which I did a lot of, jigsaws and cooking.

I am now running my own Dungeons and Dragons game, which keeps me busy with plotting and researching. And devising deadly dungeons for the adventurers to suffer in! 

Workwise it was actually quite a successful year once we were back off a seemingly interminable furlough period, working mostly from home is actually quite productive.

Things I need to work on for next year include doing more art, doing more exercise and reading more. I am also determined to crack knitting, having started well with my epic Dr Who scarf project.

Things I am hoping to do next year are to see family and friends, go to the theatre and restaurants and go on holiday, but we will see. 

Retro Gaming

 

I love Scrabble (although Alistair usually beats me). This 1980s vintage set didn’t have a bag for the pieces so I made one in green needlecord to coordinate with the box.

Retro Crafting

 

Really enjoying making loads of these to stick on our front window. From outside it looks nice for passers by and from inside cheers up the gloomy winter view. I used to love making these as a kid, its when you unfold and the design is revealed! Also an eco way to use up those bits of printer paper where it’s just printed one random line at the top! 

Might try some more winter papercrafts...does anyone remember making stained glass windows with bits of tissue paper stuck in them? 

Christmas and New Year Projects

 

I bought this lovely jersey fabric in a forest with deer print to make pyjama trousers, which is my current project.

My big project for early 2021 is a Dr Who scarf (Tom Baker era) knitted using the authentic BBC instructions. We are currently watching all the Tom Baker Dr Who series and they are brilliant.

https://www.openculture.com/2015/12/instructions-for-knitting-the-iconic-dr-who-scarf.html

Also I plan to finally crack making a pair of proper jeans and sew a waistcoat for Alistair, who seems to be getting lots of use out of the one I made him years ago. (Working from home in the winter makes you realise how cold it is with the heating off).

2020 Essentials

 Starting to look forward to the end of 2020. I hardly need to say what a nightmare this year has been for everyone.

Here’s a list of supplies I found essential in 2020...

Masks

Sanitiser

Soap

Hand cream

Jigsaws

Craft supplies

Gin (or any other alcoholic drink)

Gardening tools

Laptop (Alistair’s)

Office chair (liberated from my work)

Slippers

Dungeons and Dragons books for our gaming

Cake (preferably home made)

Corduroy Success

 

I finally made a pair of trousers that really fits, on the fifth attempt! Super chuffed with these cords, in dark red, one of my favourite winter colours. This is a new sewing pattern and really works with three different body shape options.

Next up, christmas pyjama trousers, classic jeans and a red jersey dress.

Boring Views: by Denburn Car Park

 

A messy, semi abstract acrylic of the old hospital by the car park. I liked the red chimney.

Autumn plant

 

Even my indoor plants, like this begonia, are taking on autumn colours.

Favourite Sewing

 

My favourite sewing and sewing patterns reflect things I wear and like to make. The easiest is the pyjama trousers, top middle, with a tricky trouser project I am working on top right. My favourite comfy jersey dresses appear at the bottom with a useful drapey cardi. I have made all these several times in different fabrics and they always work.

Pop Art Hope

 

An experimental stencil/paint of hopeful hearts while I was anxiously awaiting the US election result.

Sewing Update

 I have been sewing on, slowly and persistently and also knitting.

I am currently sewing a brown 70s style corduroy skirt. I have been increasingly drawn to 70s stuff lately. It was to have been trousers but the cord was too thick.

Projects completed: a festive stretch red velvet dress in the cheapest fabric ever, about £2 a metre. It looks surprisingly ok. 

I am also planning to knit some legwarmers in this colour to try out different cabling techniques 🧶 

And I am doing a skirt and a pair of fingerless gloves for Leen.

For some reason I have hardly any winter bottoms, one skirt and three pairs of trousers one of which is too small. I see more corduroy in my future. 

Pop Autumn

 

I love Autumn leaves and combined with inspiration from an online course on Pop Art here we are. Stencil leaf, acrylic paint, sellotape.

Blairs College Linocut

 

Another doomy linocut of the old Menzies House across the road from my work carpark. Notice impressive old oil tank on left.

Cooking Flavour Experiments

 This weeks cooking experiments include:

Cake of the week: Gingerbread. I love ginger and saw this on Mary Berry. I try and make a cake every fortnight. The last one was coconut celeriac and fruit muffins. I ran out of the specified carrot and apple. Basically most things are ok with enough cinnamon in. 

Breakfasts of the week: avocado toast and eggs benedict

Vegetable of the week: boiling beetroot. I have been scared off by the excessive redness, leafyness and rootyness of the beetroots before but giving it a go as I really love beetroot and the tinned stuff is not very flavoursome.

I like to work each food experiment around a flavour or ingredient that I fancy. Also getting into more Autumnal foods.

Castle Print

 

Then I did a version of my Braemar Castle picture as a mono lino cut. Which do you prefer? 

Breakfast Experiment

 I love a good hearty breakfast. Unfortunately I am also the most useless and grumpy person in the morning. Not a good combo. So to celebrate a week off I am making a week of good breakfasts. All served with juice and coffee.

French toast with bacon

Blueberry pancakes

Banana pancakes with more banana bits and nutella

Hash browns (potato cakes) with sausages

So far pancakes are winning out as you can make them in advance and even freeze them. Requiring less morning effort. And no, I can never face a full fry up although I would consider it minus eggs and baked beans. The best breakfasts I ever had were in Canada, home of very large pancakes. 

Castle Round the Back

 

A bigger building for my round the back series. Braemar Castle; proving that even wonderful old castles need somewhere to put the plumbing, the sheds, the telly aerial and even a cheese press! Just out of sight: a horrible old garage on the right, full of mowers, wood and bits of old furniture.

Charity Shopping

 Finally got out to do a morning at Braemar Castle, measuring the temperature and humidity and checking for pests. A beautiful drive with all the autumn woods and trees.

On my way back, joy as my favourite charity shop in Ballater was open. I got a blue jumper, three classic crime novels (The British Library reprints) a cookbook and a stash of vintage sewing supplies all for £8! 

Quite tired after the very long drive now of about 54 miles each way, as have not driven that far since March, but it was so good to scoot along under the mountains and by the river in the sunshine!

Heraldic

 

Found this obscure but delicious wine in the back of the wine cupboard under the stairs on friday. The wonderfully gothic heraldry on the label reminded me of the knights in the series of King Arthur books I am reading at the moment by Rosemary Sutcliff. I am loving the novels and plan to read her one on Beowolf next. Her most famous book is The Ninth Legion about the supposed disappearance of a Roman legion in the north of England, (although they may have actually been wiped out in the infamous rout that was the battle of Teutoberg Forest against the Germanic tribes).

Autumn/Winter Sewing

The seasons are a-changing here. Autumn has arrived. I am making and planning sewing for Autumn and Winter. 

This year has been all about comfort. I have not needed many work clothes, more clothes for lurking at home, gardening and going for walks. 

For Autumn I am making:

Pair pink jeans (came out very Michael Portillo somehow)

Pair green cord trousers

Pair brown jumbo cord trousers ( the cord is jumbo, not the trousers. I discovered corduroy ribs are referred to as wales and the number per inch defines the type of corduroy, which goes from baby cord to jumbo cord).

Skirt for someones birthday...

For Winter I am planning:

Velvet dress/jumpsuit for Xmas (is a jumpsuit too weird?)

Comfy hoodie sweatshirt possibly grey.

Another less boring view

 

A really nice view looking down the back road towards Aberdeen Central Library and adjoining church. I had a lovely walk in the autumn sun round the back roads here. 

Super sunflower

 

I was so pleased with my giant sunflower I did a wee painting of it enjoying the sun today.

Lunchtime Salads

 I am trying to eat more healthily in the form of salads with the cheese, ham etc of lunch. The salad items need to last a long time as leaves always go mushy. Current successes/experiments include:

Celery sticks

Grated carrot with walnuts or pecans in vinaigrette

No mayo coleslaw

Grated raw celariac in yoghurt dressing

Boring Back View

 

A boring view of the much more mundane back of my house. Round the back people put the unattractive yet functional stuff like plumbing, vents, satellite dishes. Also featuring our deck with seating and the world’s smallest shed! Not actually a flat roof, I am looking up at the house.

Second Hand Autumn

 I feel Autumn is definitely coming in now. Its one of my favourite seasons.

I refreshed my wardrobe going second hand as I wanted some quality items but didn’t want to go to the shops or buy new online, incase they weren’t right.

So on ebay I got a leaf green wool cardigan ex Hobbs, barely worn. And a pair of black leather ankle boots, barely worn, from Reiker. Shoes are the most difficult thing to get online so a bit of worn in quality is a blessing for comfort.

Sewing projects include a pair of 70s style jeans, a khaki jumpsuit and a pair of green cords.

Less Boring View

 

Actually quite a nice view from the Clydesdale Bank car park.

Maxi Dress

 

Me posing in my latest maxi dress make. 

Aberdeen Doors

 

A set of four doors on Devonshire Road. I surveyed door colours on my street and black is most popular followed by natural wood and grey. The design of doors and door surrounds enlivens my boring walks.

Sewing Plans

 I hate to say it, but Autumn is lurking, there are already some colourful leaves appearing. My intense sewing project continues. I am making things I can wear for gardening, DIY or messy craft activities.

My latest effort was a pair of black jeans, which I really love although they are perhaps a bit baggy. I tried to make them a bit retro styled with a high waist and turnups. I plan another pair with a 70s style, maybe a bit flared.

Other practical projects include dungarees and a boiler suit inspired by that worn by Ripley in Alien, one of my favourite Scifi films.

I have not bought any clothes since April! I also made a pegbag for the washing line, for a change of pace.

Mustard Project

 

I realise I really like mustard while riffling through cupboard. Left to right mostarda (candied fruits in mustard syrup) picallili, dijon mustard, grain mustard, blackcurrant mustard, parmesan mustard and onion mustard. I bought the last three in a set to pep up the lockdown meals. The mustard syrup fruits are very weird as they start off sweet and the the mustard unexpectedly kicks in...

Garden View after Matisse

 

Boring Views

The unexpected beauty of weeds growing by the electrical substation.

Sweet sweet peas

I was so delighted with the success of my sweet peas! I have a big pot of them grown from seed. Everyday I harvest some and bring them in as they are so pretty and smell fantastic, like honey. 

Latest Sewing

I’ve been sewing a lot lately. I find it interesting and relaxing.

I bought a sewing pattern for an authentic Japanese kimono which will be an exciting project. It’s from an American company called Folkwear who make patterns for clothing from around the world and for vintage clothes. 

I’m also making or made:

A black jersey dress with pockets

A multicoloured striped tshirt (Shown)

A pair of pyjama shorts in pirate pattern fabric

Several pairs of knickers (one shown)

A 70s style maxi dress in black and white floral fabric

I bought fabric for another cardi in mauve and (maybe shorts) in grey cotton with pink dots. 

Still life with Bins

I liked this varied group of wheelie bins and the contrasting mattress and worktop I spotted on Hardgate opposite the chinese takeaway. Is this the most boring view yet? 

Growing Food

This year I decided I wanted to try growing food in our new garden. Some successes, some not. We also inherited an apple tree (type unknown) and a massive clump of delicious rhubarb. And a mystery shrub which turned out to be a blackcurrant.

Success

Rhubarb and blackcurrant are delicious stewed and served with yoghurt.

The apple has good apples on but they are not ready yet. It is grown as an espalier flat against the wall, which is very nice and historical looking.

Courgettes grew and fruited( I think they are fruit strictly speaking) well and I like to serve them in a fritatta omelette with potato and cheese. We have yellow and green ones. They are very attractive with big yellow flowers and enjoy growing in a large pot.

Broad beans did well, I got a slightly shorter chunkier variety. Lots of pods on them.

Less Success

Strawberries did not fruit much. The wild ones are not good to eat but spread everywhere.

The peas were mostly eaten by creatures unknown.

The squash is a spectacular plant but I think it is too cool here for the squashes to develop and grow.

Runner beans still to make beans.

I really enjoy growing the plants though it has been great fun and even one serving of food is a bonus.

All the herbs are doing well I have fennel, dill, chives, mint, rosemary, sage and thyme. 

More Gothic

Another gothic house from our boring walks. This is Newton House on Braemar Place. I love the Aberdeen road signs with the rather weird pointing hands on them too. 

Gothic House

This is the very gothic Deeford House we see on our walks by the river. I drew it in a gothic novel cover style. I might seek out some more gothic houses to do as I really enjoyed this! 

House Tour 2

House Tour 2

70s dress

So I finished my 70s dress inspired by our retro Dr Who watching. You can’t really see here but it is in a 70s floral pattern and I used a sewing pattern from 1973. Its very comfy as I cheated a bit by using a jersey fabric and adding waist elastic. I need more dresses with long sleeves for our at home date nights as the weather in July is appalling, we actually had hail this week! Disgraceful! 

Boring Drawing

A really boring drawing, three garages down the road from me. I liked the variation in the design and colour of the garage doors. Even small details can be pleasing. 

Sewathon

I have been sewing constantly during lockdown. I have a secret goal to be able to make all the clothes I need.

Lately I have made 

An orange/white striped tshirt

A black/white striped tshirt

Three pairs of knickers from jersey fabric offcuts.

I am now working on a 1970s dress using a genuine 70s pattern from ebay and 70s style floral fabric. Pictured above! I am making version 1 but possibly without a collar and in a jersey fabric. 

Boring Drawing

 

Houses on our street. They are built in groups of four. Ours is an end style one but a previous owner built an extra little house on the end, depriving us of garden and parking! Grr!

Lockdown Eating

During the lockdown the supply of food has been ok, but unpredictable. I used to shop for chosen recipes but now I buy ingredients and then decide what to make. I must admit I rather enjoy the challenge of this. I buy basic foods and then a few ‘wildcard items’ which are unusual.

New recipes I have discovered and experimented include:

Bread based (there’s always bread)

Welsh rarebit and croque monsieur 

Unusual meat cut based (from our local butcher)

Pork ribs in slow cooker

Beef shin with balsamic vinegar

Baking (popular lockdown activity, yeast free)

Sourdough pancakes

Banana pancakes

Chocolate and date loaf

Belgian fruit loaf

Frozen veg based (I only shop every two weeks)

Spinach in cheese sauce

Matching Retro Purse/bag

Made a matching purse or bag (pouch in US?) to the dress using leftover fabrics and random zip. Very pleased with this and a really fun, quick project. I like to alternate a long, complicated project like a dress with something quick and easy like this.

Retro Dress

So here’s a quick pic of my latest sewing project, a ‘post lockdown’ retro party dress. The fabric is fun but a nightmare to sew in a cloud of pink hairy fuzz and gold glitter bits. I love metallic though and am pleased with this rather outrageous dress! 

Boring Views: Usual Walk

Another boring view from our usual walk. The walk is deliberately very boring as the scenic and interesting walks seethe with people. There are some nice gardens though. Aberdeen features huge numbers of chimney pots as many buildings are Victorian tenements of six flats where every room had a fireplace, thus twelve chimney pots for each building. Also a forest of tv aerials and satellite dishes.

Get Dressed

As I am currently on furlough I have lots of time so have been doing regular sewing. Although I must remember not to use my sewing machine during Alistair’s conference calls as it is just through the wall and sounds like a road digger.

So far I have made:
Gold and white striped summer skirt
Purple velvet cloak, love it so much.
Orange and white stripe tshirt. Not my usual colours but a change is fun.

Currently making:
Pink and gold brocade party dress. An eyesore, but why not.

To make:
Fabric on order for
A sensible black and white stripe tshirt (love stripy)
A 70s style jersey dress inspired by watching lots of old Dr Who

Out the Back map

A mini map of the view from our back garden. Featuring all the most popular attractions such as DIY mans endless power tool projects, the many inflatables of his small redhaired daughter and neighbour who hates gardening’s poor mowing technique. Spot the couple who like a cocktail by the wheely bins and the joggers on the old railway path.

Boring Views: Takeaway

Another boring local view as we wait outside the Eagle May Takeaway. You can see the hills in the distance. I like the contrast between the wee takeaway and the blank end wall of the tenement. 

Lockdown Hobbies

Like a lot of people, I am in lockdown for the virus and am on furlough from work.
So staying busy in a non challenging, non stressful way is key.
Here are some things that help keep me sane during this difficult time.

Futurelearn free online courses.
So many great, free courses especially in history. I am just starting one on the Scottish Clans and finished one on Paleography or how to read old documents. Its great for my CPD (Continued Professional Development).

Jigsaws
When I really can’t concentrate, getting into a fiendish jigsaw will pass many hours in a super focussed obsessive state, maybe with some tea and cake.

Cooking
I am experimenting a lot more with cooking; breadmaking, baking and using my slow cooker. Ordering unfamiliar meats from my local butcher to cook. Making more ambitious weekend breakfasts. Punctuate the day with tea and coffee.

Art and Crafts
My main art project centres around drawing very mundane places I see from the house or on my short walks. It is fun to find interest in the most apparently unexciting things.
My sewing progresses slowly but steadily, I have a stash of fabric and am making a summer maxi skirt with giant pockets to wear in the garden once the good weather returns (optimism).

Gardening
My new garden is a major new interest/obsession. I am growing veg and flowers from seed and plants from bare rootstock. Pruning, dividing, mowing all keep me busy. Seeing what unexpected plants emerge is an endless joy: what colour will the peony be?

Boring Bridge View

Actually this is not a boring view as this is the very architectural footbridge erected over Holborn Street on the site of the old railway.

https://doriccolumns.wordpress.com/city-streets/1841-street-directory/holburn-street/

This website has an interesting history of Holborn Street and a view of the old bridge, with trams!
The name is not to do with Holburn in London but is a corruption of the How Burn or stream.

Quick video of downstairs in our New House

A wee house tour video. Upstairs soon! 

More Boring Views

View under the cycle path on the old railway line. A lovely walk or cycle!

Boring Views

The blog is being a bit glitchy today. Here is a boring view up the road from our living room. Yes, the houses are on a hill! 

Spring Wardrobe

A lovely sunny day prompts me to move into the Spring Wardrobe. Away with the boots and coats. And sod it I will still wear and buy some wardrobe rejuvenating items, even if it is just in the garden or to the supermarket,

The trend colours for 2020 are apparently:
Dark and light green
Purple and mauve
Coral
Pale blue

A nice selection!

Things I have bought or am considering buying:

Stripy tops
Blue flat shoes
Grey trainers
A denim jacket

Let’s spring into Spring!

Boring Views

As an art project I am doing a series of Boring Views from my house or my short local allowed walks. This is the view of the flats to the right of our house as seen from the bathroom window. 

I enjoy drawing all the plumbing, wiring, tv aerials, chimney pots etc. 

Spring Tulips

So many tulips coming up in my garden and a complete surprise as I have no idea what they are going to be like, as we are new to the house. 

Sewing projects

As we are all stuck at home I am getting into some sewing projects. Luckily I ordered a ton of discount fabric before this thing really hit, so I have lots to be getting on with.

So far I have made:

Wol pattern PJ shorts (above)
Stretch black pencil skirt (for work although who knows when I will need that)
Stretch teal pencil skirt

Nightwear is fun to make as you can use novelty fabrics without looking like a complete loon while out and about! Also I think we are all spending more time lurking in our comfy and comforting outfits at the moment.

And plan to make:
Pink and gold brocade wiggle dress
Blue leopard print PJ shorts
Japanese style cotton blouse
Purple velvet cloak (outlier suggestion by a friend, for me to wear while playing Dungeons and Dragons! I actually have a great book on making historical and cosplay stuff called ‘The Hero’s Closet’, which I can use.

Garden video

A new thing for today: a video tour of our garden...

Gardening Series

I am doing a lot of gardening at the moment as it is relaxing. Looking in the shed I was inspired to do another series of things pictures. The blue ones are floral pattern. 

Spring Summer Wardrobe

This year I plan to mostly make things for my wardrobe. But I treated myself for my birthday as I got two John Lewis vouchers.
 I used them to get three stripy tops; one black/white, one blue/white and one multicoloured.
Stripy things always remind of being on the beach or by the sea and when I was a kid in the 70s and 80s when stripes were very much a thing.
I must admit I am stocking up on these a bit as not much shopping may be had for a bit.
I also ordered a load of fabric. So far I have made a black work skirt (probably not needed for a bit) and plan a green stretch comfy skirt and a pair of pyjama shorts patterned with cartoon owls.
Let’s all look forward to things being better in the summer and we can all be out and about maybe in stripy tshirts!

Weird Furniture

Inspired by our viewing of a jumbo dvd set of The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes...weird victorian furniture. This one is my dressing table. Rivals features many bad taste victorian interiors which I secretly love, full of fringed drapery, overstuffed upholstery, giant ferns, lace, heavily carved furniture and ornate light fittings. It’s set in about 1890, a period when women’s costume also resembled a heavily draped, fringed and tasselled window treatment. Upholstery tassels and such like are actually known as passementerie, and no, I don’t know how you pronounce it.

Fruit and Veg

So glad we have our garden at the moment! In a fit of enthusiasm I ordered some veg seeds as above. I put some broad beans in the border today and planted a squash and courgette in wee pots on the windowsill. Also in wee pots, although I forgot to label them are chillis, red pepper and cress. 

Already in the garden we have an old apple tree, rhubarb, strawberries and black and white currant.

If only the huge and hungry wood pigeons will leave them alone! Will report on progress! 

Pictorial Map

I did a pictorial map showing places I go in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. All the places I work are in the west and places I go for fun in the east. Notice omnipresent seagulls.