Are you all ready for Christmas? As usual I'm not but I know that somehow everything will be alright on the night! I have been busy baking and cleaning up after having builders in. We are not quite finished but it can be done in January. Everything seems to be geared towards Christmas day doesn't it and then you blink and its all over. I am singing in the choir for the Christmas Eve service and that for me will be when the magic of Christmas begins.

I wanted to share with you a few pictures that I have taken recently when out with the dogs its been very cold and frosty but beautiful. Anyway here is a local resident! He looks cuddly but I was glad of the fence between us!

This was the view when we went for a walk to S ...

Back again at last! I have been busy at Christmas Fairs this last couple of weeks and yesterday completed a stock take (not my favourite job!). I was really excited to hear that I have been nominated by www.thegreenfamilia.co.uk for their very first rated annual awards under the Beauty Products category for my chamomile spa soap which is lovely and soothing for irritated skin. So do visit and vote for me won't you. The green familia is fast making a name for itself as an exciting website which publishes a Light Green Blog about Lifestyle/Home/Family and Environment.

I have just two Christmas Nativity scenes left now so hurry if you would like one. They are very colourful with chunky pieces that little hands can grasp easily. A lovely interactive way to te ...

It's pouring with rain here, I have just got back from a walk up the river which is really full and charging down at a terrific speed. Magnificent yes but a bit scary too. Anyway I don't think I will be going far for the rest of the day. I have some new things to put into the shop. These gorgeous little hats which are handmade in organic cotton look out for them very soon.

This time of year seems to be a busy one for everybody and I have been out to lots of Christmas Fairs. I am buying lots of my pressies online this year as I get fed up trailing round the shops and call me Scrooge if you like but you can hear just t ...

I have had a busy time recently doing lots of promotion of my products at local Christmas sales and have been delighted at how well my Fairtrade jigsaw puzzles have been received. They are made from rubberwood and are sturdy for small hands to use, very colourful and many have numbers and letters on them.

This dragon has a very friendly expression

He has a lovely range of colour and all the letters of the alphabet.

Or perhaps a friendly Mother elephant with her calf .Super for a first jigsaw

We awoke to a beautiful cold and frosty morning again today, this is one of my favourite times of the year everything looks so beautiful once the early morning haar has gone. Blue skies and lochs and clear air.I took the dogs for a long walk and really wished that I had taken my camera to record the beauty of the scenery around me. Minnie disgraced herself by running off after a rabbit or something and then refused to return I shouted myself hoarse for half an hour and she was not popular when I finally caught up with her,

I have been really busy lately I suppose its that time of year! Lots of Christmas sales and fairs and of course my weight watching class which is going very well we are all losing weight steadily. Anyway I have found some green cleaning recipes for cleaning your oven which may be of interest so here they are -

Bicarbonate of soda
Water
Washing up liquid

Directions:

■Fill a spra ...

I've finally added all the new clothes to the shop. One of my favourites has to be this gorgeous babygown in Seafari print the perfect present for either a baby boy or girl. You may have read my short article about why babygowns just have to be one of my favourite things but if not you can find it here

You can find this gorgeous nightgown here Or how about this pretty babygrow if ...

Halloween! We are out tonight at a music night in the pub which has nothing to do with Halloween but it does seems to have well and truly arrived here from America doesn't it? Our neighbours kids usually come trick or treating so as we are out I dropped off some sweeties for them earlier. A spooky bonfire is being planned and they are dressing up to go out with their Mum to terrorise the neighbourhood before coming back to light it and enjoy the spoils. I'm sure they will all have a great time and it will be lots of fun.

I have been preparing to put some new clothes and soaps etc into the shop hopefully tomorrow. But here is a preview they are from Frugi and really cute. I love this little smock top.

Or for the little boys this Paw paw top. I've bought one for my grandson!

Wet and dreich here today I have just got back from walking the dogs,not the best day for it but we had to go out because the new kitchen floor is being laid and its not very helpful having them careering around . Anyway we arrived back soaked, thankfully they are settled now. I have been really busy lately, not sure if I told you that I am now running a weight watching group in the village which is going very well, I am losing weight as well just in time for Christmas parties!

On that subject I have just put a new gift into the shop which I hope will be popular its a Christmas Nativity scene with MDF characters which little ones can move around. A very fun way to learn about the Christmas story. The little characters are really sweet.

You can find it

I took the dogs for a walk this morning to one of our favourite places Loch Craggie its about an hours walk to get there and is so tranquil and peaceful. Autumn has really arrived now and the colours are beautiful the loch is ringed with trees and they are all shades of russet. Even the pine plantations are full of colour they often have larches planted there as well and they are a lovely mellow shade. There was very little wind so the loch was flat and glassy looking. It's definitely a place to go to recharge your batteries!

I have just ordered some new jigsaw puzzles in the shape of dinosaurs multi coloured with letters of the alphabet printed on them, they are made from rubberwood and are Fairtrade. I don't know what it is about dinosaurs but they seem to have a timeless fascination for small boys. I can remember my brothers being interested and my own sons too. So watch this space they will be in the shop before long.

I have been looking out some more recip ...

Its a beautiful bright and sunny day here, we had a ground frost this morning so quite chilly but lovely for dog walking. I seem to have been coming and going for the last couple of weeks and just got back from Glasgow last night so it was lovely to go out and enjoy the scenery and walk today. It also probably comes as something of a relief to the builder who is working here as Shula our flat coat retriever seems to think that he is here to entertain her by throwing balls, sticks or whatever else she finds and is constantly hanging around whinging.

I am going to make an early resolution that I will try to be more methodical in my record keeping I have just had a lecture from my long suffering other half who is trying to do my accounts and has been extracting information with some difficulty! I always mean to file everything but I'm afraid my system leaves a lot to be desired and I have been doing a lot of rummaging and hunting around this afternoon.

I ...