What am I doing here?

I'm nearly there now so better explain what I will be doing.

I will be making some of my Crieff Chranachan bath bombs, containing raspberry and vanilla scents, scots porridge oats and famous grouse whisky.

Weather is fine so hopefully it will go ok.

Barony Reaches New Heights (8m high to be precise)

Oh ,What Have I Done?

I've really excelled in my stupidity. Yup, I've really done it this time. A couple of months back I was watching the news on Channel 4 and on came an item on Anthony Gormley's new project about using the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square as a living art installation and calling it 'One & Other'. (click on the link to watch the Internet stream live, 24 hours a day)

Well, I thought I'll enter and show my support for the whole project (maybe get a couple of update emails, a link to a blog page, yadda yadda ya) never thinking for a second that out of the so many thousands that would enter I would be picked.

Darn 'n' Blast it, bloomin' random generator computers...I WAS PICKED! (OMG, I now have that butterfly in the stomach, slightly sickie and cold wobbly feeling all over me then on flip side I've a beaming smile from ear to ear, that's making my cheeks ache) and in the first week, only 4 days into the 100 days.

This week, Thursday 9th July 9:00am - 10:00, I will be standing on top of the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square. I've had the confirmation email and the short phone interview (well it went on for about 40 mins - short, huh?). And the fear of God put in me by the interviewer - 'Now you know you will be part of history here? And as you are taking part only 4 days into the 100 days the world media will still be very interested. I hope you are not going to back out and let everyone down' Oh, the pressure!

Then... He wanted to know what I'll be doing on the Plinth. I said 'Oh, I don't know... nothing, possibly? There was a lot of discussion about the possibility of soap making on the plinth - not possible as I need electricity so I decided that I could make Bath Bombs (weather permitting! Don't know what I'll do if it's raining).

I'll be making my Crieff Cranachan Bath Bombs and will be taking all the ingredients from Perthshire. Bit worried about taking Bicarbonate of Soda and Citric Acid and whisky in a backpack down to London. Dodgy Looking Couple + Rucksack + White powder + London Underground = A police investigation if ever I've heard one. It's bad enough worrying about the scary amount of Sodium Hydroxide for soap making in my workshop. I'm just waiting to be asked to explain myself (he he).

I've now watched a bit of the live streaming of the event and at the moment a lady is releasing sponsored balloons for charity.

Things worrying me about the whole thing

• The trains: late, cancelled... crash (if it's going to happen to anyone it's going to be me!)
• The sudden realisation I have vertigo once lifted onto the 4.4m x 1.7m, 8m high Plinth for an hour.
• The weather - Bath Bombs fizz when wet, my professional reputation is in the balance here.
• Pigeon Poo! (nuf said)
• Away out on left field but has been worrying Dave a lot, a mad gunman taking pot shots at me on a very exposed platform in the middle of a big city. Now I'm worrying.

Feel free to add to my neuroses or give me some ideas as how to fill the hour.

I'm hoping to get an I-Phone before Thursday so I can take some photo and blog to you lot while I'm up there. Dave will be videoing it all. More soon....

Claire 'now look what you've done' Robertson

P.s I'm secretly really, really excited and really chuffed to be part of it all.

Crieff Cranachan Soap Launch

Today we launched a new soap - Crieff Cranachan - and all went well. The balloons, the ice-cream and the prize draw all came together without a hitch. It's been 1 whole year we've had our little stall at the Crieff Country Market and for our 1st birthday celebration we thought we would launch a really special soap bar and have a bit of a party. Oh, I'd better tell you a bit more about the bar - It smells heavenly, a mixture of Raspberries, Vanilla, Honey & Oatmeal and, of course, Whisky.

The bar is made with Crieff Honey from Dargies, Oatmeal from the Aberfeldy Watermill and Whisky from The Famous Grouse in Crieff.

I asked The Famous Grouse if they could come up with a cranachan freebie for me and it was decided that cranachan ice-cream would do the trick. So, for a 'Thank You' to all our customers and supporters over the year and to help celebrate the launch of Crieff Cranachan we gave away little samples of cranachan ice-cream to everyone. How nice are we?

The Prize Draw was for a huge 9 Bar Selection Box

handmade here at Barony and valued at £35.00.

And the winner is ... Mrs Grubb from Glasgow.

You can buy our Crieff Cranachan soap bar on-line here.