Explore the Outer Hebrides with me.

The “Homecoming”.

When I was a child, the Isle of Lewis was where I spent most of my school holidays. My aunt and uncle lived on a croft where my brother and I got to experience a different childhood to that which we were used to growing up. The air was a mix of sea salt and peat smoke, but to me, it was simply the smell of laughter, freedom, and adventure. My uncle is a native islander - a MacLeod, which meant we felt as if we got to know every inch of Lewis, and a fair bit of Harris too!

Somehow, 25 years had passed since my last proper trip. I had gone a couple of times with the children when they were wee along with their dad, but my aunt moved away and time moved on. It wasn’t until a few years ago, when I went back fleetingly for a family funeral, that I realised how much I had missed it! Sailing into Stornoway harbour felt like a homecoming, the Gaelic people and culture wrapped around me, making me feel as welcome as ever, like I belonged.

I was determined to go back for a proper trip, to explore all the old haunts and wallow in the beauty of it all. Although we were only there for a short week, that’s exactly what we did.

The garden unfolded it’s unique magic in May as the days lengthened and the warmer months began. After the last whispers of spring, the air was filled with a quiet anticipation, punctuated by birdsong from our increasing number of visitors. It had been a full year since we started creating our beautiful garden space here in Troon from a completely blank canvas.

Soon we would see whether all the plants we’d moved from my garden in Glasgow had survived the winter, and whether the new roses we planted last year would bloom again. We were not disappointed as suddenly, our new garden began to sing in a symphony of colours. So many of my favourite fragrant blooms began to open, each with it’s own happy memory or association with special people and places.

It was almost a year to the day that I had done my last wet-felting workshop in my flat in Glasgow. This time I was at Honeybee Cottage in Saltcoats with the lovely Denise.

We ended the month on the beautiful island of Mull. A place I had always wanted to visit, I wasn’t prepared for the jaw-dropping beauty of the landscape!

After the darkness of January, I’m always excited for the arrival of spring. Fortunately life continues throughout the winter months with evergreen abundance or peaks of new shoots to remind us of what’s coming round the corner.

In 2023, I got such a lot of pleasure from exploring my creativity through my passion for textile crafts.

I started the year by decorating my spare bedroom…

2023 has been a year brimming with creativity and boundless inspiration for me, punctuated by leisurely walks near my home in Glasgow. I love exploring the ‘hidden’ parts of the city, only a stone’s throw away and brimming with nature.

This is a building that I have wanted to see for so long! If you watched the TV series ‘Abstract’ on Netflix you will have heard the designer Olafur Eliason talk about this stunning building which respons to the light and reflects the landscape beautifully.

As well as the quality of the light in Iceland, I’ve also been a bit obsessed with the colour palette from the landscape. Whether it’s the pale blues of the lagoons, lakes and glaciers or the olive greens of the mosses, I can’t get enough.

I’m just back from my first ever trip to Iceland. I wanted to visit Rekjavik for a long time so I used the excuse of my 50th birthday to plan my adventure. I knew it was going to be beautiful with the city surrounded by sea and mountains, but I wasn’t prepared for the incredible quality of the light!