I spy with my little eye....

 Something beginning with......

Petunia Pig

Lacey Ladybird

Reggie Rabbit

Milly Mouse 

Kingston Koala 

Sammy Snail

Dudley Dog 

Faelynn Fox

Penelope Penguin

Piao Panda

Lenny Lion

Benny Bear

AND......because there has to, just has to  be a turkey on my American grandson's blanket......

Theodore Turkey 

And, oh my goodness, did he take a while to finish! I gave up on the instructions in the book and imagined another way to finish the feathers. He didn't come out too badly, not too badly at all....even if I do say so myself. =)

This week I completed more critters. Thirteen have joined the menagerie. Five more to go. All the fiddly bits......eyes, ears, snouts, beaks, feet, cheeks etc etc were finicky and time consuming and a bit of a pain to crochet and then sew. Thank goodness I decided to crochet the animals separate to the granny square as there would be a messy tangle of threads on the back of the blanket. All that will be seen on the back now is the outline stitching of each animal. More work of course, but for my persnickety eye, much neater and visually pleasing.

The book has an animal dancing on every granny square of the blanket. This blanket will not. There's only going to be an animal on every alternate square. An animal on every square is a little too busy for me. I know!! I'm that girl where more is never enough. Go figure!!

Throughout today (as it's Sunday) I have picked up my crochet hook and worked on more granny squares. There's quite a few to do still. Only four weeks in which the blanket has to be finished. I had better skedaddle!

Thank you for visiting my little place♡ It's a place where for a while yet I will be wrapped in a tangly, woolly mess. My little candle is shining♡ A fragrant candle with coconut and lime scents wafting around as I crochet♡ A beautiful aroma, creating a cosy ambience.......relaxing me; as I granny square away♡ Hoping your day, lovely lovelies; lovely friends, is a joyous one♡

Until the next time......

Granny Square Love♡

 

Hello lovely lovelies; lovely friends♡ Welcome to my little place, where this past week there has been a lot of granny square love, happening..........oh, and a bit of hydrangea love going down, as well♡

For quite a while now I've wanted to fashion a blanket dancing with solid granny squares with a menagerie of sweet animal faces smiling playfully atop the grannies. I bought a book last year showcasing patterns by Caitie Moore, Sharna Moore and Celine Semaan, explaining the how-tos of such a blanket. The only problem was I've never been able to read a crochet pattern. Crochet patterns have always been gobbledygook to me. It was rather akin to trying to learn another language.

So, I bit the bullet. Enough dithering. Enough procrastination. I jumped off the crochet precipice and fell down, down down into the land of hooked needles and interlocking loops of yarn and threads; where crochet symbols and terms...treble, hdc, dc, sc, BOL, FOL, fpttr, fodc etc etc rule supreme.  Oh my giddy aunt, my head is dizzy with crochet symbols ricocheting and colliding around my muddly head. I can't tell you how many times I've undone what I crocheted and how many times I've had to re-read the patterns. And, sometimes, I reverted to YouTube tutorials showing a different way to crochet ears, eyes etc. Gosh ears, noses......so, so tiny to do! And these itty bitty parts seem to take an inordinate amount of time to do! It's a good thing there are a few animal granny squares tutorials out there on the internet.

But, I must say that after a week  of scrutinising crochet patterns I'm feeling a little less overwhelmed. There's a long way to go, though.

In the book the animal faces are crocheted as part of the granny square. I found this method impossible for some of the animals. So, I've crocheted the faces separate and will sew them onto the squares later. A lot more work but I found this method easier. Also, the back of the blanket will be neater as all the messy stitching of the face details will be hidden.

I also learnt how to crochet a solid granny square this week. Oh my goodness, I had so much trouble crocheting these. A lot of frogging.......and a lot of angst. It's safe to say that after this blanket I won't be crocheting another pretty with solid grannies anytime soon . 

This blanket will be cot size. It's a gift for Lenox, who will be turning one in April. I cannot believe he is nearly one. Where oh where did that time go!!?? The blanket will have thirty five 6" squares in all. I've completed thirteen so there's a way to go. It has to be finished in five weeks as Lenox and his mummy and daddy are coming to Tassie for a wee holiday. So, it's all guns blazing re animal granny squares. Notwithstanding all the angst and the pulling out of hair this week, I must say, I'm loving these sweet critters. This afternoon I crocheted a ladybird for Slow Sunday stitching. 'She's' a sweet little thing.

She's taken a shine to the flowers in the garden♡

Thank you for visiting my little place where a menagerie of sweet animals wait patiently to be finished and indeed, to emerge. Plenty more granny squares and critters to be fashioned, though. Have a beautiful day, lovely lovelies; lovely friends, enjoying moments that bring you joy♡

Until the next time......

Home Sweet Hydrangea Home♡

 

Hello lovely lovelies; lovely friends♡ A lovely welcome to my Home Sweet Hydrangea Home, on this Sunday evening♡

Today is the very first day of February. 

Eighteen years ago, on 1st February, my youngest daughter, Pete and I left the cacophonous, urban jungle of Sydney, and  with all our worldly goods and chattels, arrived in an idyllic, pastoral corner of Tasmania. When I look back at that time when we three were entering the great unknown, I remember many mixed emotions at the time, but always with the quote of Van Gogh's quote "in spite of everything......yes let's"... foremost in our minds we were excited where our new journey would take us. I remember we three were all too ready for the challenges ahead (of which there were many) but, also new friends and adventures; and a different lifestyle. And, I must say we've met gorgeous people and kindred spirits, here in this far rural outpost. I'm so very glad we swapped a frenetic city existence for this quiet and peaceful country life, which blesses us every day. We've become rather accustomed to our bucolic and simple life.

Eighteen years down the country lane we are happy to live in this little piece of paradise; our home sweet hydrangea home. Well, I suppose our little place is really Home Sweet Flowery Home, as there are always sweet blooms blooming in the garden. But, at the moments it's the hydrangeas which are the stars.

The hydrangeas have begun to delight and I of course have filled my home with vases of these beauties. Two years ago Pete took to 'my' hydrangeas with a machete and hacked them to within an inch of their life. Last summer wasn't  great for the hydrangeas but this year they are fabulous. At the time of Pete massacring the hydrangeas the word divorce did fleetingly cross my mind but it seems the gardener knew best. He proved yet again that he knows a thing or two about gardening So, with divorce put on the backburner, Pete and I continue to skip down the garden path of matrimonial bliss. =)

This week, Pete hooked up the plumbing in the garden shed. It's a quirky little building of which I have taken possession. A fabulous little place where I can play florists to my heart's desire. There's a deep sink which I fill with water to soak the hydrangeas for a couple of hours before plonking arranging them into vases. I find if I smash the ends of hydrangeas with a hammer and submerse the flowers in water for a couple of hours they last in vases for weeks. Other flowers get a little soak too, to rehydrate before arranging them into vases and bouquets. AND....I can sweep the helluva of a mess I make, out the door. And, believe you me when playing florists I can make an almighty mess. There's a small window with a view of the garden which is lovely. Of course, the walls need a lick of paint and a wave of my styling wand needs to create a li'l magic. But for now, it's nice to have a place where I can be messy.

Love, love, love my new, little flowery, workroom.

Enough of flowers!! =) Let's chat about a little stitching; after all it is Sunday when I and other lovelies all around the world enjoy a little slow stitching. More trippin' around the world with fabric squares was enjoyed this week. Two more 'flights' around the world. All from the comfort of my sofa. Thus far I'm still finding fabric from my stash, so, no need to go to the fabric store........yet. =)

Thank you for visiting my home sweet hydrangea home, lovely lovelies; lovely friends♡ Sending you some hydrangea love♡

Enjoy your day, joying in something that puts a smile into your day♡ Take care♡

Until the next time......