Putting the "Spring" back into my Step

......I think the slump I was in has ended thanks to so many of you who are making mandala's and such I thought I would make one for myself ....

.....and then......



my mojo came back.! 


There is just something about yarn that I can't ever part from it too long.....it will always find it's way back to me sooner or later.

What started out to be yucky day, surely took a quick turn for the better and it put me in such a better mood. I fix myself  a cup of iced coffee and sat in front of the kitchen window, with the windows up....it felt so good!! . I sat there long enough to whip up this cute little mug cozy, wondering why in the world haven't I ever made on before....it was so darn easy and quick!


After my second cup of coffee, I went for a walk around my yard and this is the view right when I step out. Isn't it lovely!!  So much color! I've never seen such vibrant colors around here in a very long time. Last year, I guess the Winter did everything some good and I am


 ♥    l o v i n g   i t    ♥

I've even started up on, not one, but two projects other than making mug cozies and mandala's. One will be a table topper for a small table and then the other will be a blanket from all those squares I've still been working on.
I think that will keep me busy for awhile....don't you?

I'll keep you updated on them soon.....

xxxxx
Shari

Restless......

........why? Not really sure. Have I lost my mojo? Maybe.  Do I need a break from crafting? Who really knows. My mind has been so clouded lately I feel as if I am stuck in a whole and can't dig myself out.

I think it's because I have the fever for something new to work on. New fabric or more pretty yarn might do the trick but until payday comes around....it will have to wait. So what do I do in the meantime......ponder around some more in the garden, play around with blankets and quilts already made......

......dream of making more bunnies since Easter is on it's way......

.....play around with their dresses already made up, adding little accessories.....

....fold and stack some more.....

...or just hanging out doing nothing.....That's been me lately. Sorry for being such a bore. I am sure it will pass soon!

Have a lovely week!
xx

More Squares and more squares

Ever since I finish my Blocks of Spring blanket, I've sort of been in a slump. I have a list of so many things in my head and jotted down on paper, I just can't make myself make any of them. I start....then I rip....I start again, then I rip!! I've ripped and ripped until my yarn is starting to unravel. So....what do you do when there is so much undecided decisions.....make granny squares. these little squares are starting to take over my side table and a little chest, all from my stash. I've even reached down to the bottom of my basket, using those colors that no longer served any purpose for me~ the ones collecting dust, into the mix.
"Lovely Happiness!"

While making so many squares, I always ask myself, "What directions will this go?" "Do you really want to make another blanket?" and my answer is always YES.  Blankets are always a big favorite of mine so I hope you don't mind seeing another one come into play. Most of them are on the smaller/to medium side but this one, I want it to be bigger. I have a vision on how I "want" it to go so lets see and time will tell.

Lots of happiness outside too. My garden is in full bloom but only in one section. The winter really did it's toll on it this year but still enjoyable. It has inspired me to name this blanket which I will reveal later on once completed. 

I would like to take a minute and welcome all my new followers to my blog. It's so nice to see and meet new faces, so Welcome!  Blogging has open up so many doors for me and has given me the chance to meet such lovely ladies as yourselves. I've said it many times before that blogging friends are the best. So generous and thoughtful in so many ways. I was so lucky to receive a nice surprise in the mail from the lovely Linda over at Linda's Crafty Corner, I know most of you know her but if not please stop in for a visit, your will love her space. She sent me a book in the mail for knitting different blocks. I am a new beginner to knitting and thoughI am still very very slow at it, I am coming along nicely. It surely has been a challenge and this book has so many great patterns for a beginner like me to make beautiful stitches. Thank you so much Linda, I know I will get great use out of this book.

Here's to a wonderful week, I'll be back soon.....

xxx
Shari

Blocks of Spring

Hi everyone!  Thank you all for all the lovely messages on my last post. I had started another blanket right after my shipment of yarn came in from Knit Picks. { It was all awesome!!} It's that kind of yarn that makes you feel all fuzzing inside.... just knowing when you start a project that it will be a good one from beginning all the way to ......the end!  It really is the most perfect blanket in my book.

My inspiration for this blanket came from our "MAYHAW TREE" that's out back. It has the most beautiful little flowers on it with a lot of thorns so you have to be careful when touching them or you will get stuck for sure!!!

There are different shades of green, pink, with light lavander in some spots, also brown, cream and whites but I did not use any of the white in the blanket. The main color I used was the cream...really marshmallow. Don't you just love that name. It even felt like marshmallows!!

 Anyways, there are 9 rows of 5inch granny squares with 7 squares in each row.  Using a ( G) crochet hook, I used the basic granny stitch square pattern on most of them but there are a few that are a little different.  For those, I started the granny square with only one round and then I used single crochets throughout with a sc, chain 2,sc in the corners until it measured the same size as the other squares. Soo so easy. I only made a few of those because I was running out of the cream color so if you decide to give this a go, just make sure you buy a few extra skeins of yarn for your main color.

At last but not least....I whip stitched all the squares together in the back loops only as I went along. I made sure once a square was finished that I left a long tail for the so called "whipping!!! "  Joining it this way surely made this blanket go by supper fast and before I knew it.....I'm done!

I did however finish it off with a single crochet border around in the cream and then with the fig color, I made a row of a sc, chain 3, skip two, sc into the next all the way around. Easy again, yet so simple! 

Overall, I am really loving this blanket! I highly recommend Knit Picks cotton yarn if you want something very veery soft and lightweight. It is by far the most wonderful cotton yarn "I" have ever used. I usually buy the Lilly's Cream&Sugar cotton yarn but this is so much softer!  Not to put down Lilly's cotton yarn...it still is wonderful too but it's so much heavier. Now..... If you would like to see the colors choices I used please check out my last post. The pattern itself  is so easy really. If you have been crocheting some time, you will know to make the basic granny square but for those of you who do not just let me know and I will point you in the right direction on how to make them. 

Now what's next....I haven't a clue!   I hope you all have a lovely week and seeing signs of Spring. See you again soon......

xx Shari

Today.....

Look what arrived in the postage today!  My new shipment of yarn that I have been waiting on. Any and all projects that I started over the weekend have been put on hold cause I have to work with this now!   I have been dreaming of a new blanket for this Spring, a light and airy blanket....ohhhh yes!

I put in a large order of all muted colors that I loved the most and of course, it's all cotton!! Actually, the smaller ones lying down are the Comfy Sport and the larger ones are the Brava Sport yarn.....and let me tell you........I am in cotton heaven!!!!

It's going to be a wonderful day, I can just feel it.  I have already started working with my favorite pattern, what I like to call~ the old fashioned granny square but with a little twist...you'll see as time passes or maybe you can see already!!!

I do hope you all will have a wonderful day too, full of lovely surprises.
The sun is shinning at full beam, the air feels so good when the wind blows, my yard is full of bright-red...full bellied Robins, and one of my rose bushes is about to bloom, it can't get any better than this.....
xx Shari

Crochet Briar Bunnies

Hello everyone!  How is your week going?  We had a wonderful extended weekend. Lauren was out of school until today because of the big Mardi Gras Holiday one that we really don't participate in due to all the {how can I put this nicely}, "the crazy people" .We rather stay home and watch everything on TV instead of fighting crowds.  We really enjoy our home time. We never left the house for five straight days. It was total ponytail, pj bliss! I did pop my head out the door from time to time to watch it rain. So exciting~ I know.  My poor yard is one big sloppy mess....I can't stand it anymore. I am so over Winter!  Just three more weeks until the first day of Spring and we better have some sunshine.


I did however make these two cutie-pies.  They are my new addition to our family.

"Crochet Briar Bunnies"

They were each given a name because they are just so darn cute. I really enjoyed working on them and seeing them come to life.  I really wanted them to be knitted, and boy did I ever try, but I failed at the whole working with three double pointed needle thing.  I guess I am not that coordinated.

Anyways, I do love them~ but the next one I make I might try and come up with a way to have the body and the head all in one instead of having each piece separate. It was so hard stitching them on so they would look right. You can tell I mess up on the one on your left compared to the one on your right, but who cares right....they are still cute!

I love them so much I have played with one all day. I have carried her with me everywhere I went treating her like she is my little baby girl. Silly, I know, but I just can't help myself.  She is squishy....cuddly.....soft.

If some of you are wondering about the blanket she is all wrapped up in....I did not make this one.  It is Lauren's baby blanket that I wrapped "her" up in when we brought her home from the hospital almost 16 years ago.  The lady who made it did such a beautiful job , I am amazed how well it has kept it's shape for all these years...plus it's knitted!!!  No rips or snags anywhere.

Before anyone ask.....Where is the pattern?   Well, it's tucked away in my brain for now. I do not have it written out and I might not ever.  I used to write out patterns but for some reason lately....I just don't have the patience.  But.....I might  give one away in a giveaway closer to Easter so watch this space.

Until then, I do hope you all have a wonderful weekend ahead. Tomorrow is Friday again and I am ready to tackle on another project. 

See more details on her on my Ravelry page. You can find my link on my sidebar.

xx

February round-up

It was a slow month this past February due to all the big projects I had in the works but now that they are behind me I can start on new little things. I am still working on bunnies but this time they are crocheted. I tried knitting one but that was a toss...not quite there yet with knitting. Sorry I don't have any new pics of them just yet for they are in pieces. Maybe I can get things moving on that this weekend and show you next week.

But I did enjoy playing around with a lot of little pretty things around the house to keep my spirits up with all the darkness we have been living in. I think we saw one full day of sunshine during the whole month of February. It's that insane!!!!  ( don't let all this light in my photos full you...they were edited a lot so you could at least see them.)  Most days were pouring down rain so it was a bright gray cloudy light coming in my windows....so hard to work with you know.

Anyways, getting off track. I updated the old blog again. Really just my header. I love change so don't ever be surprised if it looks different all the time. I like to flow along with the seasons. Hopefully this month will bring us all some warmer weather and pretty sunshine.

I wish you all a wonderful weekend and happy crafting!
xx Shari

I am leaving you with some of my favorite Flickr pictures also that I gathered up this morning. I can tell already I will be on there for a few hours today....soooo much happy inspiration!!!

1. good mail, 2. tea time, 3. Phone, 4. Knitted bunnies, 5. "mia", 6. 092620133735, 7. Crochet Christmas, 8. Knitting helped..., 9. lots of friday love!