More about Greens and lots of other stuff!

I do like French Beans, peas, broccoli and lettuce just to let you know that I try for that healthy diet.


But that is not what this post is about!  Surprised??


I have finished off the lovely block for Kat and wanted to give you a glimpse before it travels around the world to summer!  I was thinking why does Kat want a picnic blanket now but duh of course it is summer downunder while we are enjoying brass monkey weather!  



[Glorious sunshine today just not the warmth to go with it!  And driving my kids to school means I get to see fabulous sunrises with pink tinged clouds and sky - almost worth getting up for - a free display to gladden the heart!]


This block was made for the Sew & Bee Happy Bee which you can find here!

Liking this block - so thanks Kat, liked Cindy's too last month (though it did look scary to me), so looking forward to next month....








Do you like to check out new blogs!?


If so, you may want to drop past my local friend Nora who has recently started a blog and enjoys crochet!  She is much inspired by attic24 !  Mary - you need to get that crochet hook at the ready!

There is nothing worse than blogging into thin air - we all know that - so if you don't mind perhaps you would be kind enough to say hello!  


Sorry Nora I pinched these photos from your blog so that people could see what they were missing...hope you don't mind!?






I got into a crochet mood myself yesterday when my friend Eloise invited me to teach her how to crochet a rose like the one on the pouch the lovely Judith made for me. 

I have to confess I have not made one before but we followed this tutorial at Heidi Bears.


I am cursing the fact that I forgot to take a photo of Eloise's rose as she finished hers.  Katy, her lovely daughter, on an INSET day off school, and I were too slow to finish yesterday!  This is my unfinished one...ok not up to much yet I know but I am better at knitting than crochet I have to say!

And they taught me a bit of chinese painting - now that was fun!

First up is the one by Eloise, then her daughter Katy's and lastly my geriatric one!  Haha!


Here are a couple they did earlier in true Blue Peter fashion - beautifully modelled by the lovely Katy!

Lastly I have another secret little project in the process of being made - here is a glipmse....getting closer to sending that parcel!  Eek!

What could this be, I wonder....?

Hockey and crochet go together...

Two hooked sticks - one my youngest daughter held in her hand during her first team game for her new school and woohoo! she scored the first goal of her match!    She was a mean tackler as well even though she was the smallest on the field!  Proud mother cheering on!


The other held by said mother during the previous match when daughter was not playing!  Between watching hockey (who forgot her scissors then) and waiting for eldest to do piano lesson I managed to get one granny square crocheted!  Not a very good result but today was not such a creatively productive day.


My one crochet square - and the others previously done...

Did get my kitchen floor washed, did show my lovely visiting friend Eloise all my quilts, Free Motion Embroidery, goodie swaps etc, did go to hockey match and piano lesson!  


Have to admit that I can't do everything but the best bit was that goal!  Glad I didn't miss that!

Crochet cushion finished!

As I told you the crochet cushion cover was waiting for a cushion pad to be finished.  I found an 18" feather pad at Design a Cushion!  A UK company with products made in the UK!   They were certainly quick in delivering all the way 'frae bonnie Edinburgh' so I didn't have long to wait.

I only started making this on Saturday evening and it was finished the following Friday - that's good going for a procrastinator like me!

So tada!  I changed this:

Into this......!

....with a bit of help from Nicki Trench, Rowan wool and Design a Cushion!  Thanks people I really enjoyed that and guess what I ordered two cushion pads, not just one, so I can do it all over again.....or something different!  Any suggestions cushion lovers????

What has been your favourite cushion project - I know there are lots of them out there...?

Have fun with your cushions today!

Nicky

Crochet cuteness on the beach!

We were away on the Isle of Wight at the weekend so had a few fun moments on the beach.    While the usual sand castle building and person burying went on ........

. 

 

............ I was getting down to some crochet action! 

I know I said I wanted to make the cute granny square bag first from the Nicki Trench book I bought, but somehow when I was buying the yarn I ended up buying for another project - a round cushion cover.  Lovely colours don't you think....?

I bought the yarn from the Laughing Hens online-shop as we no longer have a decent yarn shop in the vicinity. :(  The order came very quickly!  Another Nicki Trench success as she founded the shop and Rooster yarns too. 


Must be a busy lady, but when I e-mailed her about the supplier for an extra large crochet hook she e-mailed back very quicky.  She obviously understands that when you want to get crafting you want answers quickly! 






What can I say... the cushion cover is quick to make, and it was easy.  Instructions were clear but I ran out of grey yarn on the last round - could be because my tension is too loose but I had to finish in a different colour.  As that doesn't really bother me much I'm still thinking this is a great book: cute & easy crochet by Nicki Trench.

Here is the (almost) finished product - just waiting for a cushion pad to fill it up and then double crochet the opening closed, then it's ready for the Summer House, which is being built in the garden.

Do you like my cushion cover? 

Now if I just use that link I can go back to Laughing Hens and get my next order in for the Granny Square bag,  have to go, crochet is becoming addictive....


Nicky

If Spring isn't coming quickly enough make your own!

A few weeks ago I was longing for Spring so much that I crocheted my own flowers - have to admit not all are Spring flowers...  

 Let me see: we have a tiny buttercup, a helebore, a tradescantia and a daisy going round clockwise from the top.  This is just the tip of the iceberg - there are loads more where these came from and if you don't crochet you can knit them - haven't tried the knitted ones but these are some of the easy crochet ones.

Have to say this is a great way to use up scraps of yarn and they are quick to do, although you would require some patience to complete a whole bouquet.  They are from this book available here!

If you have this book, I'd be delighted to know which ones you have done ...if you haven't and want to know if your favourite flower is in here - ask me!

Nicky

Was I naughty this weekend?

Yes, I guess I was! 



I bought the blogging book, Blogging for Bliss, by tara frey, to make things a bit prettier here, of course!  You can let me know if you have noticed anything different??  And you can check out her own blog here!

This book is an enjoyable read and gives lots of examples of beautiful blogs, including some patchwork/craft ones.  Like I really needed some other blogs to follow!! haha!  Between reading and writing blogs I won't have time for housework!  Now that's a thought.....  

The most value I have got from it so far is to make me think about how I want my blog to look and what I want to say - maybe that's worth the price in itself??  ISBN 978-1-60059-511-0 and you can get it here!

  

I love Orla Keily don't you?  So how could I resist this notebook - so much cheaper than her fabric, handbags, chairs, cushions etc, etc.....................I just have to think of what I am going to use it for - it has to be something special.



And finally, the crochet book cute & easy crochet by Nicki Trench is just gorgeous - beautifully photographed and lots of vintage style projects in pastel colours.  I'd like to make the granny square 'patchwork bag' first and I will probably use it as a knitting bag. 

There are lots of other lovely projects to do as well so it's not a one project wonder.  Take you pick from blankets; cushion covers; bunting; a crochet hook holder; a purse; hats; jam pot covers; wash cloths; egg, mug, cafetiere, and tea cosies; scarves; gloves & baby accessories .

ISBN 978 | 907563 06 5 and you can get it here!

Why not tell me about some books you have bought recently?  I have a few others up my sleeve so to speak but more about those later.  Have a great week!

Nicky

PS I just wish I could get blogger to stop centering text after a photo....??