Little Things

 It's reassuring when something so simple gives you a warm feeling and thankfully so many little things have the power to do that for me.

My lovely friend Babs always passes on her Woman's Weekly magazines once she has finished reading them and look what I have found in the 30th May issue....

I know I said that I wouldn't be doing anymore cross stitch after completing the the Twelve Days Of Christmas Sampler as I found it a huge strain on my eyes but as always never say never because when I saw this my heart gave a little lurch and I just knew that I would have to make it. No pressure or time scale, I'll work on it when I can, I can't wait to create my own little Summer Seaside Paradise.

Another thing I love about the Woman's Weekly is the Book Club page, they write some great book reviews and I nearly always find at least one that I fancy, I like light hearted easy reads something to escape the doom and gloom and awful things that are happening right now, I'm looking at Summer Fever by Kate Riordan. I will go to the online library for my area and reserve it if it's available, it may take a few weeks to get to my local branch but that doesn't matter at all. I like the fact that it always introduces you to new authors and if I enjoy the book I usually go on to read more of what they have written.

Another thing that made my heart lurch this week was this free cardigan pattern from Underground Crafter here

A little bit different and very cute don't you think. As I mentioned before NHAP are asking for colourful cardigans age one to teens so this will definitely fit the bill but I won't start it until I've finished the one I'm working on. I have just the sleeves to finish and then I will reveal. 🙂

Flora's Fauna blanket is coming along slowly, the snails are done and the hedgehogs are emerging, the next part of the the pattern is out but it will be a while before I get there there's no rush.

Trying to finish those hedgehogs will be my priority today.

The garden is beautiful at this time of the year but still the weather disappoints, I have been wanting to paint my decking since last year and I started this week, I got just less than half done and it has rained on and off since, showers weren't predicted today but we have just had one anyway, I'm glad I didn't put my washing out. 

The Lily's are in full bloom right now aren't they beautiful...

I hope that the little things are putting a smile on your face this weekend, take care until next time. 😘😘

Linking with Kathy's Slow Stitching Sunday

A Mosaic Crochet Cushion and a Loveliness of Ladybirds

 Thank you for all the lovely comments on my last post, it's good to know that it's ok to have a lazy day now and then, I did get dressed by the way but I have to admit crochet was still pretty much the order of the day, I didn't manage to finish the ladybirds that day but I have now and here they are ta daa....

The Ladybirds..

 Aren't they cute! 😊  I know that I'm always saying mosaic crochet is easy and it is, however if you try to work with more than two colours at a time it can be more tricky, but I was determined that the ladybirds would look like ladybirds making a whole lot of extra work for myself. Never mind I'm happy with the result and I won't be as pedantic with the rest of the blanket or I'll try not to be.

Did you know that A group of ladybirds is called a Loveliness - I didn't but how perfect!

The Cushion..

Here it is the long awaited cushion. It didn't take me long at all to crochet the tiles, the beauty of this pattern is it's in one piece so no sewing of squares. Although there are 72 tiles to choose from I only selected two for this cushion and I'm happy with how it turned out.

The blanket at the back is this one here

I used fabric for the back which I found in my linen cupboard, I cut it from the back of a cushion cover which  I'd bought years ago and had never used because it was too big. 

I had intended to insert a zip, but the zip I ordered from Amazon arrived broken, I didn't want to delay so I just used good old fashioned press studs for the closure

I used just over 200 grams of Hayfield Sundance Dk in shades Cherry pop and Whitesands which I had left over from making the blanket above.

The Pattern Is Azul and you can find it here.

My garden at dusk

I just love this beautiful climber, I took a cutting from my garden in my previous home and I'm so glad it took. It blooms practically all summer

and the beautiful David Austin Charlotte Rose another cutting from my previous garden,  this year is the first one it has done so well😊

I hope you are all having a great Sunday, I will be going for a long walk with my friend Barrie and there will be a Sunday Lunch at the end of it, I'm watching the weather and hoping that it doesn't decide to rain.  When I get back my son, DIL and little grandson Mikey are coming to visit, then this evening I'm hoping to continue with Mikey's blanket, this week is part two of the CAL and I have already started

can you see the snails starting to emerge?

Take care care until next time.😘😘

Linking with Kathy for Slow Stitching Sunday

A Lazy Sunday - Three things

 Can you believe it's 11 am and I'm still not dressed. I have been up since 7 30 but I picked up my crochet hook whilst watching the news and got quite carried away.

One

The new CAL Flora's Fauna began on Friday and I couldn't get started on it till late last night. I get so excited when starting a new piece of work don't you? 

The little creatures in the first part of the blanket are ladybirds and I just love to see the picture develop row by row.

I must admit there's not much to see so far but if I just sit here in my sunny conservatory and do nothing else but crochet I could have a row of little ladybirds before the end of the day.

I have no idea how this little Mikey blanket will turn out because I have to be led by the yarn I have in my stash, the little creatures could turn out to be any colour and that's part of the fun of it.

Two

I have progressed a little on the Bohemian blanket I showed you last week, I have now tried all the shapes that are needed to complete the blanket, they need blocking but you get the idea.

I'm thinking about making it into a bed runner to send to NHAP for someone with dementia but I'm in no hurry, this is an easy pick it up and put it down project that I can do between other things.

Three

As if that wasn't enough I have something else I'm itching to start, NHAP, have asked for bright happy cardigans or sweaters for children aged one to teens, it's ages since I made a cardigan and I've found a fabulous pattern which I will share once I get started. I have the colours all ready although they could change depending on my mood, lots of stash yarn fighting to come forward and be part of the design 😂

Now I think I had better get dressed and do something other than crochet for a while, they say it's not good for you to sit for long periods, something about exercise is good for you, what a drag🤦🏻‍♀️

As always we have blustery winds and intermittent sunshine so my exercise will be out in the garden with brief periods of rest with crochet hook in hand. (View from Summerhouse)

What are your plans today? Whatever they are have a lovely Sunday and a very happy Father's Day to all those Dad's that are celebrating 😊

Linking with Kathy for Slow Stitching Sunday