Garden Blossoms

Hi Everyone!!!!  So sorry I've been MIA lately but there has been so much activity around here with the family, I just didn't have the time to sit and write up a post. Really, I haven't even had the time to photograph a single thing until today.  We have had many birthdays this month too. My daughter turned 16 on the 13th and my sweet little boy turned 6 on the 22nd!  Yes, they are 10 years apart and their birthdays are one week apart from one another~ so you can see.....just the parties kept me extremely busy. It was also the last day of school on Garrett's birthday, so we had a double party for that. Also.....my step-son had a graduation on the 19th and Lauren got her drivers license on the 20th.....she's street legal so look out!! ( I've been saying extra prayers all this week.) It's been and exciting whirlwind of a month for sure!!

 Now....as far as crafts go, I've only managed to finish making my blanket with all those squares I had worked on last month. The inspiration came to me in early Spring when things were just starting to sprout out and every corner you saw was just popping with color. But now the only thing in my garden are a few little roses and lots and lots of greenery.....nothing really is blooming right now~but still enjoyable!

It surely came to be a very inspirational blanket. I gave it a name cause it is waaaaaay to pretty, NOT to have a name and I've also made up the border which I like to call the garden fence border. A very pretty elegant lacy border. Each square is bordered with several rows of single crochet so each square would stand out from one another. ( I tried putting them side by side but I was not getting the look I wanted for this blanket so this is the way I went) Then each square was whipped stitched together so everything laid nice and flat. All colors where used in this blanket. Even those~not so pretty colors you may have stored at the bottom of the bucket, ( thanks Linda for that suggestion). It was a great way to use up your stash which I surely did.

Add all that up and you get a beautiful Garden Blossom blanket perfect for a garden swing, chair or just to lay upon the ground for a late evening picnic.

Nothing is more lovely!.....don't you think?

Well, that's about it for now. I so wish I had more to show you but hopefully the next few weeks I'll be able to get more done. I did notice however, that I have a few new blogging followers so I wish you all a big welcome and so happy you have taken the time to say HI!

Until next time......

xxxxx Shari

Small Packages

Look what came in the mail today!!!

 I was ever so lucky to win one of Debi's Giveaways the other day and it's finally here!

I am so happppppppyyyyy!

I love this yarn! it's so soft and comfy!

One great big pound of 

L O V E

and also........these.....lovely little buttons

......and.....and.....

this lovely crochet hook!!!

Could there be anything more beautiful as this!

Thank you, Thank you so much Debi!

It's all so wonderful!!!

 I also received a lovely little gift from Lauren for Easter.

A cool tin bin for my yarn.....

It too is just 

P E R F E C T

I've always said......

::   the best things come in small packages ::

xoxoxo

From my week....

H A P P Y    E A S T E R

everyone!~

Can you believe it's finally here!!!

.......This week it's been all about making these little crochet cozies for our eggs. 

 ....making lovely cookies

....pretty bowls and saucers

.....tons of jelly beans

....sunny days through the windows

.....and beautiful butterflies!

Wishing you all a lovely Holiday!


x x x

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