I have recieved a gift package from Scottish Highlands ! In fact, I think this package was mailed about the same time that my package (of alpaca mitts and home-made shortbread) was mailed to Kelly , the winner of my little give-away the other week.   Our two packages crossed in flight,  and I just now have picked myself up off of the floor, being that I was completely bowled over by the generosity from Kelly,  in the way of a pile of treats from the Highlands of Bonnie Scotland.

And I do mean a pile .

Some darling wee coasters (already stained with tea rings from my afternoon tea while studying cookbooks )  and postcards, depicting old castles nestled into Scottish landscapes,  and most sweetly,  two yarn cakes from Kelly’s personal stash, of lovely Hebridean 3-ply yarn in the ‘pebble beach’ colorway.

Oh but wait… as if two cakes of Scottish Hebridean yarn wasn’t plenty on it’s own, there’s more !  Some ‘cakes’ of Scottish soap . . .

and ~~~ Scottish cookbooks !!!!

Nay, not one. . .but two !!!

And right on time, because I’ve been having a real hankerin’ for some Cullen Skink lately !

And just look at these adorable wrapped cakes called ” sair heidies ” !!!

I’ll be trying the recipes in these Scottish cook books, beginning today.  I believe me sair heidie is for want of one of these wee wrapped cakes, with my afternoon tea this weekend, perhaps tomorrow,  on an Easter Sunday ( I wonder if I can use wool in place of kitchen twine?)

Ah, but the yarn which arrived in this package, well, it got me thinking.

Since now I’m happy owner of a couple of skeins of some Hebridean 3-ply Virtual Yarns in ‘pebble beach’ colorway…   (see all those colors? Yes, do click the photo) . . .

. . . perhaps this is a great incentive to swatch for my first Alice Starmore sweater? Since buying her book “Fishermans Sweaters” a couple of years back, I’ve had one on my mind to knit.  In particular , since acquiring the book, I’ve dreamed of knitting miles of cables and moss stitch diamonds in deep navy tones in this design , and more recently I’ve pondered the idea of substituting her Hebridean 3ply for her Scottish Fleet yarn in one of the fisherman designs.

 However my thoughts have now refined to a more feminine style of ‘fisherman sweater’ style, perhaps an Alice Starmore sweater for myself. I just took a look at her designs for which she uses her Hebridean 3ply yarn, and so now I’ve got my eye on this one~~~

a sweater she calls  Scalpay .

 ((I really do just love shawl collars ))

What do you think? 

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Thank you so very much Kelly,   for all of the treats from the your  Scottish Highlands ~~ they’ve become food for thought, as well as for my tummy !   Maybe the Hebridean 3ply yarn you sent will launch me into a knitting diversion,  for I’ve wanted to try for some time, my first Alice Starmore Design. . . just maybe ?

But it’s off to the kitchen for now, because I’ve got a sair heidie thinking about all these knitterly possibilities…. and I’m going to take some pantry inventory and prepare myself for some real Scottish cooking !!! xx !