A day of Autumn chills,Metal stamping,Exploring and inspiring images...

So this is day two of blogging and I really am going to try and keep this up and running but most importantly interesting! Today it truly feels like Autumn the temperature has dropped it has been about 5° C today and raining/hailing on and off all day long. I have to say I don't hate it. In fact this is my favorite time of year! There is something about the way the sunlight changes during Autumn that gives me this amazing warm fuzzy feeling in my belly. It makes the colors and the scenery look like a painting. 

But I have to say the cold really gets to me. My hands are always like icecubes or they used to be until I acquired my "Buckets" What you might ask are "Buckets?" Surely not buckets that you use down the beach as a child or similar. Well no, "Buckets" are in fact these; >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


My beautiful Shetland wool fingerless gloves. I would be lost without them! I got them from the woolen mill in Sandness and am still kicking myself for not buying 20 other pairs. I will in the future. I just couldn't cope without them. The name "Buckets" is what I was told they are called by one of the  most wonderful Shetland wives I know and trust me she knows!





So today has been a day of creating and trying new things as well. One of which is metal stamping. It is something I have wanted to do for a long long time but I never had the tools or the time to try it. But today I finally did! Now it wasn't with much success but none the less it was fun and I look forward to incorporating it into my jewelery in the very near future. I think I really have to learn not to fear smashing my fingers with the hammer. That seems to be my biggest problem at the moment. But I will get there in the end.... I always do.

I also had a wee walk today in the rain and hail and cold to soak in the changing colors. The flowers in the back of the house are dying.But there is still such beauty in the scene. And the rain clouds coming in over the field and the water in the back of the house seemed to be fighting with the clear sky. Even after being in this house for a year I am still enthralled by the constant beauty around me and the constant changes in scenery.


















The Rams and Sheep were on fine form today and I swear they thoroughly enjoy getting their pictures snapped. Even in the rain they are solely focused on one thing.... Eating!

So then it was time for my favorite kind of exploring the abandoned old croft houses. There is something magical about the hundreds of ruins and homes which stand as empty reminders of the past here in Shetland. They are truly inspirational and at times when I am alone both other earthly and very very scary.There are two empty disused croft houses next to mine. One is attached to my house and I do not often venture into it other than to use the shed for storage. 

The other is owned by a very dear friends family and is one of the most atmospheric and scary places to experience,yet I am drawn to it often but always with friends in tow. It always calls to me to explore more,take more photos, uncover it's secrets. So today I took my two minute walk to this Tempting place and entered in on my own for the first time.

The forgotten Aga outside the door is such a thing of Beauty followed by the Door that leads to this magical place!

Once inside everything seems to change it is like some portal into a forgotten world and a world that is changing constantly by the decay,winds and animals that keep it that ever going motion of rebirth.The first thing that always catches my eye in here is the model ships all left to fade and fall apart.

They are beautiful and intricately detailed, such love,care and time went into building these.They are Haunting!

I will in the future go back and get better photos of them but my visit to the croft house was a short one today for a few reasons that you will learn soon. I can spend ages looking at these pieces of art but as I moved to the other side of the room to look at yet another model ship I nearly stepped on this.

WARNING NOT FOR THOSE WITH A WEEK STOMACH OR OF A GENTLE PERSUASION!!

I don't know how this poor soul arrived here laying on the floor of this disused croft but I suspect it had something to do with the local cats. (Whom I happen to adore) But seeing this kind of sight always saddens me and also sends a shiver up my spine. I took a picture because in a small way it is a document of this once beautiful birds existence and as much as I love all things beautiful without that sad and dark would we truly appreciate that beauty? (Sorry getting a bit heavy there,but there is a point to this I promise) So I stood and looked around trying to decide what room to head to first and suddenly I just felt very alone. The wind was blowing and the rain was coming down and I could hear the old timbers of this house creaking. I so desperately wanted to get pictures so as I rounded the corner of the door way I snapped this picture.

Then I RAN RAN RAN!!! That's right I got the spooks and Ran (still being careful to jump over the dead bird and not knock over any of the model ships) And once outside the door.... I felt like a total daft arse. So much for my brave exploring. But this my new friends is what inspires me! The constant changes, the dark sky's the left ruins, the unexplored stories of peoples lives just left to ruin. I will go back in the near future and I will try not to RUN and I will share more about it with you in the future!

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