Tulip Meets Daffodil

Valentine Tulips and Snowshoe WV

Happy end of February! Where on earth did this month go...

I've been staying busy - and actually doing a lot of crocheting which has been wonderful. (Helps my stress-level!) I've made a lot of progress on my seafoam afghan. It's still a beast, and growing, and I keep plugging away at it. I started it originally to give away as a gift, but I am wondering now whether it's actually too large to give away - it's well beyond a simple lap throw at this point. We'll see. I also might just be too attached to the thing at this point to give it away!

I had a very sweet Valentine's Day. My hubby, even though he is "anti-Valentine's", brought me two boxes of chocolate (heart-shaped, of course!) and some lovely pink tulips (how did he know? :) They lasted a long time, and I'm hoping I can transplant the bulbs this spring.

We also went away for the weekend last week to Snowshoe, West Virginia with some friends. I made two scarves with Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick yarn - officially, my new favorite yarn ever. (Well, for this week at least.) I am dying to make a whole afghan with this yarn - it is so warm and snuggly - but I really have to make progress on/finish some of my other aghan projects first.

Here are some pics of where we stayed, Soaring Eagle Lodge. Our condo was on the top floor and the views were wonderful.

Sunset from our room (no photo filter and no editing)!

More February pics to come soon. I have some crochet projects I want to show off.

♥

February Daffodils

Is this really my first bloom picture of 2013?

Why, yes... yes, I think it is.

Picked up these lovely mini daffodils at Whole Foods. I splurged on two bunches (like, crazy, too much money - but they smelled like spring, they truly did). I even put some by my bedside. Trying to brighten up this dreary, cold winter!

Please note Patrick in the background. He's wondering what the heck I'm doing and when he's going to get his next cookie. :)

The Year in Blooms

I missed my one-year "blogiversary" on Dec 12th. My blog is one year old! I'm still very glad I started it... it's been a great place for me to be creative - even though I wish I had put more time into it. (Work has to come first and, well, sometimes I am just lazy and/or the worst procrastinator in the world!)

2013, here I come.

I did want to mark the end of the year though. Here's my first mosaic, titled "Blooms of 2012"!

I hope in 2013 to show off more blooms I've actually grown myself (however, I'll also take a healthy bunch of Virginia tulips from Whole Foods any day of the week as well!)

Tulip Love

Orange tulips?

Yes, please. :)

Updates and Sunsets and Mums

I feel so badly that I haven't posted anything in weeks... I've been doing well and happy and fine - I just don't have much very creative or interesting to say, I suppose. That's the problem with making a big afghan. Progress pictures are, well - boring. Plus, I've not made all that much progress on it anyway which makes updates even more boring.

I've really been itching lately to do something else - something beautiful and colorful and granny square-related specifically. But, I also feel like I've got to make a last-ditch effort to finish this project by Christmas. Not going to happen. I hope to make some real progress this weekend... pictures next week, really (if-I-write-it-I'll-do-it).

And I'll leave you with some images of fall here in northern Virginia. This shot was taken at sunset at my favorite northern Virginia winery - Willowcroft, in Leesburg. We had a lovely day with some friends who had come in from their house in DC. We showed them "country life"!

And some (thirsty) yellow mums... just because.

♥

Finished Crochet Scarf and Pink Gerbera Daisies

I finished my vacation scarf (so named because I WORKED on it on vacation, not because I plan to wear it ON vacation... although I suppose that's possible!)

And yes, I did find the pattern. It's called the "Surreybelle Scarf" and it's wonderful - definitely a keeper. Works up very quickly and creates a wonderfully dense fabric:

And no edging needed because the stitches create a slight scallop at the edge. Love it.

I used Cascade Yarns Chunky Baby Alpaca in Ivy Twist (three skeins), and a size G crochet hook.

I am now back to my Seafoam Afghan - the thing is a beast, but I'm still enjoying it, and hoping to get it finished before the holidays. (We'll see... not holding out too much hope!)

And lastly, some gorgeous pink gerbera daisies I bought (on sale!) at Whole Foods last weekend. Not very "autumn-y", but I couldn't resist them and they really are really brightening up the house.

Plenty of time left for autumn!

My Vacation... Guinness, Flowers and Amazing Views

I wanted to bore you show you some of my vacation pics, (before my procrastination makes posting these pics, well - kind of odd. We've been home two weeks already!)

We (the hubby and I) spent a wonderful week in Ireland with my father.

We drank a lot of Guinness in fabulous Dublin city.

(Guinness pints waiting to be topped off. Then consumed. By us. :)

We were overwhelmed by ALL of the flowers and greenery - everywhere, on every lamp post, street corner, and building.

Some pubs in the Temple Bar area of Dublin. See? Flowers, flowers everywhere.

We also went to the west coast... County Sligo and County Mayo, where my grandparents are from.

These cows have the best view. Ever.

And yes of course, I did buy some Irish yarn while I was there. (Which has been added to the stash for that certain, special project... still TBD.)

♥

Sunflowers and Crochet Magic Circles

Happy Wednesday! Here are some bright and happy sunflowers to (hopefully) provide a bit of mid-week cheer...

I also wanted to share (in my opinion) the very best tutorial on how to make a crochet magic circle that I've ever seen. (And I'm obsessed with magic circles so I should know.) Click here for the excellent video tutorial.

And that's all I have for you today, dear reader. My brain is full and it's time to put away the computer, feed Patrick, take a nice long walk, and make dinner (and I will try to NOT make the arugula & goat cheese salad that I had on vacation and made every night this week so far - apparently I've found something else to become obsessed with!)

♥

Crochet Scarves and Dishcloths and Flowers - of course!

Hello lovely readers... The past few weeks have been a blur of work and travel (the hubby and I went to Ireland with my father... more on that, and perhaps some pics, later!)

My current work in progress is a scarf using this soft and wonderful Chunky Baby Alpaca yarn from Cascade Yarns called "Ivy Twist".

I'm about halfway done... more will be done this weekend, (after about 100 loads of laundry, a long trip to the grocery store, and a good house scrubbing).

It is, by far, not my best work! Most of it was done while on vacation in the back of a rented Skoda, while traveling on Irish backroads. Not exactly a smooth ride. (It's still scrumpled from the trip, actually - as you can see!)

And to be honest, I was not sure about the two-tone color of this yarn at first, but worked up in the scarf it really does look better. And I think it will be soft and cozy and warm for the upcoming Virginia winter. (Brr.)

I'll post another picture when I'm done, with a link to the pattern (which I can't find at the moment!)

I also went on a "Ruffly Dishcloth"-making binge. I think I made four in the span of about a day and a half using this wonderful pattern, and Lion Brand Kitchen Cotton yarn in "Natural".

Pretty isn't it?

I did change her pattern a bit, just at the end I think, doing the ruffly corners. It just was not looking right when I did it as the pattern read.

And lastly, a snap of the absolute last flower of the season. In my own backyard at least.

Thanks for reading. ♥

Finding My Creativity Again and Blue Hydrangeas

I have to admit I've been sadly uncreative lately. I've not touched my ripple blanket (except to move it to another spot on the couch) in a couple of weeks at least.

But the hubby and I are taking a road trip this weekend - six hours in the car each way - and I thought it might be a good time to try to make some progress on it. It's not so big yet that it would be too unwieldy in the car. (And hopefully my hubby will be sweet and drive most of the way... he usually does. :)

The one bright light in my dreary backyard continues to be the blue hydrangea bush. It is coming along beautifully.

So pretty and delicate. Like a watercolor. ♥