Its All About Flowers

Well what a week, I've felt completely off 'balance' this week, I think I'm in need of a top up on my reflexology! Due to this 'feeling' I haven't accomplished much this week, just managed to keep on top of things.

Some beautiful sunny daffodils brightened my days, they were so pretty, a very pale creamy yellow and a pinky/peach centre, just wonderful

The photo doesn't do them justice!

 

 

The second pattern of the CAL was released and I gave it a go, but I'm still not in love with it ~ I've pretty much decided to do my own thing and incorporate some of the design elements

 

 

 second part of the CAL

 

 

We've had two family birthdays this week too, so I've enjoyed two special celebrations with bubbly and cake! But have still found myself managing to do some crochet of my own.  I've started joining the Granny squares together, the photo belies the true weather, it looks soooo sunny, but its actually very grey and rainy!

 

 



Sunny Squares!

 

Yesterday I decided I needed to make a flower - don't ask me why - and I then made to base of a new wreath for summer, this is a pic of my flower

 

I had been looking on google for flower inspiration and came across these....I fell in love with them, so will be trying to recreate them, although I'm not sure they will come out as beautiful as these!

 

 

These are just so gorgeous...I love them :)

 

 

Well I think that's it...its been a very quiet and reflective week...lets hope the weather returns to sunny and warm and I can get my spirit back!

 

Have a great week xxx

 

Happy Crochet and Sunny Days :)

Good Morning!!! :)
 
What a beautiful and sunny few days we have had and its here again today!
 
The cherry trees on the entrance to the field are looking spectacular, the sky has been so blue and it shows of the pinky blossom perfectly

 

 

look how blue that sky is

 lovely dappled sunlight against those gorgeous cherry trees

 

 

 

Walking under these trees you can hear them hum, they are teeming with bees all very busy pollenating those pretty blooms.  Nearly all the trees and bursting with buds, the one in the photo is my fav, as the buds look like little fuzzy pompoms and they look nothing like the leaves that eventually grace this tree

 

 

We didn't have a very sunny day on Sunday just gone, so I started doing the papercut my daughter has requested, when we lose this lovely bit of sunshine (I like to be outside as much as possible when the weather is good) I will continue with it and show you the finished article but for now this is a snippet

Start of the papercut requested by my daughter

 

 



Out in the garden this week not much more has burst out in flower just my really cute miniature tulips, they are just delightful, so small and cute and the prettiest pink, they close their little faces when the sun is not on them first thing in the morning, but as it warms up, they open to reveal themselves in their full glory, I just love, love, love them :) I can see the buds on the rhododendron are about the reveal themselves, but at the moment they are just teasing me.

My miniature tulips closed before the heat warms them up

 

 

fully open in the sun, they are so gorgeous



I have been busy crocheting, as always, I crochet every day, I've been carrying on with my granny square blanket and I'm loving the colours, using up all the half balls of wool I have in my basket.  I will do a post on the granny squares next week, I'll share how I deal with the loose ends and pattern making, it may help someone.



A little pile of Happy Crochet

 

one more square to do

 

 Yesterday I started edging the squares ready to join, I tried out three different ways but have now decided what I am doing so I should be able to show you the almost finished article on the Weekend as I think I will run out of wool to complete it, so I can see an order into the Wool Warehouse coming on :)  (that will mean I can order the colour chart and some of the new colours as well...oh the joy...that will make me a happy girl :)
 
The 2nd pattern has been released for the CAL in conjunction with Stylecraft and its of one of the flowers, so I think I will enjoy this one, I will be having a go at that sometime this week too, I have printed my pattern off this morning :)
 
Well off to get ready to go into my little sanctuary of a garden with my basket of wool and do some crochet and play with puppy dog, Hubby is changing the water tank today so I think I'll stay out of the way!

Have a happy day and may the above quote apply to all :) xxx

Happy Heart Crochet

Wow this week is going so fast! And my brain is very confused today (its not hard to do that) when Hubby is on shifts I never really know what day it is - I thought it was Sunday yesterday, so now its Wednesday the week really is going fast!!

I was so excited to begin the Lily Pond CAL as mentioned in my last post, but on reflection: and this is only my opinion, I'm sure lots of people are enjoying it, I think I got swept up in the hype and I started the first panel and didn't really like it, I thought it looked a bit messy.  I crochet to make my heart happy, I don't like over fiddly patterns to follow and I found this one very distracting, having to change wool colours so often and change needle size you could not do this pattern without concentration and I personally don't enjoy that.  So I will be using some of the pattern to make up a different project but sad to say I will not be making up the blanket as per the pattern,  To get over my disappointment I have started a new blanket which I am enjoying very much and its using up all my left overs from the last one which is double bonus :)

Start of my new blanket :) makes my heart happpppyyy

 

 

First panel of the Lily Pond ~CAL

 

 

The baby bear blanket I completed last week sold quickly and went off to its new home yesterday and everyone is in love with it so that's great to know, its lovely to spread a bit of joy around. I think I will post a pattern for this on a later post

Baby Bear Blanket

The weather here turned last week and we lost the felt of the shed roof in the very gusty winds so today will be spent repairing that...well Hubbys day will be spent doing that I will spend it supervising and making tea!

Yesterday was a beautiful day and me and the puppy dog spent it in the garden playing, it was lovely to spend some time in the sunshine and see quite a few of the flowers in bloom

Later in the afternoon and after much playing of ball, squashing the plastic pop bottle, chewing loin toys nose off and rough and tumble, puppy dog decided to take an afternoon snooze in the conservatory :)



Snoozy puppy dog...bless her

 

Well off to crack the whip in the garden...speak to you soon xxxx

 

Have a lovely day :)

 

Stylecraft Crochet Along

Its CAL time! ~ the Stylecraft Crochet Along first pattern has been released and I'm sooo excited :)
I have had my new stash of wool for a few weeks now and cant wail to get started...but I have to finish off the baby blanket I am making first...luckily that didn't take long...here it is

It was a nice simple pattern with a pretty border which will be for sale on Ebay later on, it will be perfect for the spring and summer to just keep the chill off a little one

 

The weather has been amazing this week so we have made the most of it and took to tackling the garden, which is very much in need of some help as I was unable to do much in it last year due to my ill health.  But now its looking much better the hedges have been trimmed and yesterday I planted some new shrubs and pretty things, a good part of the day was spent walking around the local garden centre and I wished I had a garden the size of a football pitch for all the things I wanted to buy, but alas I only have a small, perfectly formed little patch and it is my sanctuary...I would have gone out this morning to take a photo of it but wouldn't you know it...its raining!

 

During this lovely dry weather we have been able to take puppy dog over the local fields now they have dried out a bit...last week we would have come home knee deep in mud!  She has enjoyed it so much as you can see from her face, she's almost smiling with joy

 

 

 

 

 

The little ones enjoyed their Easter activities very much, a great time was had egg hunting and the local Easter Party and little E won the Easter Hat Competition he was so chuffed and yet another egg was won!

 

 

Well that's it for today, I've a papercut to design for my daughter...she has come up with an idea, hopefully I will be able to share it with you next week....

 

Have a lovely weekend all...I hope the weather is kind and you can spend some time in the glorious outdoors :) Bye for now xxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 





Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone hope the Easter bunny has left lots of lovely chocolate eggs :)

Last week I made some new decorations for my Spring decoration ~ I made some crocheted daisies and mini mandala's.  Some time ago I purchased a bag of mixed wooden shapes so I searched them out of the craft cupboard, sorted out little hearts, bunny rabbits and butterflies and my box of tester pot paints and spent a pleasurable hour or so painting shapes and colouring in pretty butterflies with metallic felt tips, a bit of thin string and ribbon to finish off :)

On our next walk out with puppy dog I snipped some blossom twigs and other greenery to go with my sunny daffodils and tulips

Arranged my bronze hares and hung my new decorations from the little branches a few decoupage eggs will complete the scene ~ a little tip to pass on from my florist days is to cut your tulips short and don't worry about them looking a bit buried, in a few days they will be above the daffodils...why...because they carry on growing in the water that's why they droop and flop in a vase, you need to cut them every couple of days to keep them perfect ~ as these a placed well down in the vase they should be ok and supported so I won't have to keep disturbing the arrangement

This photo was taken the next day you already see the tulips have grown!

I forgot about my first go at felting I made a rabbit he I now happily sitting in the middle of my Spring Wreath

I love him and I plan to have a go at making more :) 

My grandsons have got the crafting bug too ~ they have made their Easter cowboy hats and are now on an egg hunt and at an Easter party

Happy Easter everyone be back soon xxxx

Spring At Last ~ Happy Easter

Well I'm finally back in blog land! Since I was last here a lot has happened, there's been sadness and heartache, illness and finally surgery, but now healing has taken place and that is all behind me 😊.

At last Spring is here, longer days, warmer days and everything coming to life after a sleepy winter...oh how I love this season.  The cherry tree blossom is about to burst, the snowdrops (our first inkling that Spring is coming) have been and gone, the daffodils have opened their bright and breezy faces to the warming sun and I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of bluebells 🌷

This year I have decided to try a few new crafts ~ felting, watercolour painting, papercuts to name a few...quite excited at the prospect of new creations 🎨

So far this year it has still been pretty much crochet creations I've recently completed a bright ripple picnic blanket ready for our summer outings

I have used Stylecraft DK using 14 colours

I love celebrating the seasons in the home and last year I made a Spring Wreath but my crochet skills have improved so much that I decided a new one was in order, so after reading Attic24 blog and seeing Lucy's winter wreath I decided to use some of her new patterns to make my new one and I so enjoyed the therapeutic process

Wreath ring made and a few flowers made ~ think I need more large flowers 🌸

All the bits and pieces made and ready for blocking and pinning

All pinned and ready to attach

Ta-Dah all finished 

Whilst attaching everything to the ring in the peacefulness I began to think of my Nan who taught me to crochet when I was 4 years old what a special gift she gave me, being able to create beautiful things that make me very happy for nearly 50 years now...thanks Nan hope you are looking down at these creations 💕

There will be more photos tomorrow then I should be upto date have a lovely evening all xxxx