Views, messes, and a finished waistcoat

The thing is I get behind with blogging  because I can't keep up with all the blogging things I want to blog about. Then I end up with a mishmash of bits and pieces. The mishmash keeps growing and I feel defeated by it.  So I shall make a start and post some of the mishmash but there is no connection or link between any of it. Just a few old bits of this and that
I'll start with the view - as always!  Glen Affric is beautiful. You must come and walk here. I have found the perfect place to have Christmas with family and friends. The distance and expense may well be the two reasons why it won't happen - but I can dream on

The walking on this estate is good. Friends who don't want to clamber up slippery steep mountain sides can walk here instead

and just soak up the loveliness of it all

I like drawing from photographs. It's neat and it's tidy, though it does feel like cheating sometimes even if the photos are my own and I put my own interpretation into the drawing

But a while ago I went to see a 'proper' artist's studio and recognise that I'm not nearly messy enough to be a real artist

this artist even paints his washing machine. I'd have to feel very liberated ( messy even) to do that

I went on a 'Dare to Draw' drawing course a month ago here at Bridge House Art in Ullapool I loved it. Eleanor encouraged us to be as messy as possible.  I drew this mug using coloured pastels and chalk and finished it off with a good splashing of strong black ink using bits of stick out of the garden. I  felt very liberated and artistic and even quite a bit messy as I drew off the edge of the paper and onto the wall - fortunately not my wall and - covered in lining paper. I still haven't painted the washing machine, but I like to think I'm getting just a bit messier.

I finished knitting my waistcoat. I'm rather partial to it, complete with leather buttons that I'll have to remove I expect should I ever decide to wash it. I often have the great idea and the practical application follows later - in this case a bit too late.

And lastly Ullapool Hill at the weekend. Winter is here the nights are pulling in. We've had our first snow and the leaves are off the trees.