Crochet Hook Jelly Roll

I under estimated the crochet prowess of my blogging buddies. :-)

Pearly Queen's lightening quick response on the project, from the previous post,

won her the rose pattern.
Pearly Queen is in France and can be found at the of the Violet White blog.

Her guess was: a case for crochet hooks, which was precisely correct.

I have named it the "Crochet Hook Jelly Roll".

I picture that the cream colored yarn as cream cheese, yum!

Oh well, some things in life should be easy, right?

These were to be the future clues:

I think I should have started with this one.

And to see the life altering impact this project had on my life...

This is the mess I had beforehand:

And this is how the "Jelly Roll" changed my life:

And not just for hooks...

but a few crochet accessories, as well.

Made with:

Tilda yarn from My Rose Valley.

Based on a pattern that I purchased on Etsy called

 "The Love Knot Crochet Hook Organizer"

 by Living In Amethyst.

Click here for this beautiful pattern:

Thanks for playing,

and congratulations Pearly Queen!

Guess What?

I finally finished something that has been on my "Crochet To-Do List" for quite some time:

Can you tell what it is from this photo?
How about a contest?

How about a prize for the first person to enter the correct guess into the comment section of this post?

If no one guesses within 24 hours then another photo clue will be posted and so on and so forth.

The prize....

your choice of three of the Tilda roses from this post or the pattern to make your own roses.

(Most colors available.)

Happy Guessing!

Wreath via Precious Sandra

You know, if I would have known how many wonderful women I was to meet while blogging,

 I would have started years ago.

I had no idea the friendships that could be borne of cyberspace.

 I thought I would just simply be entering into a journal, my day-to-day domestic meanderings, 

as a reference to look back on now and again; a diary of sorts.

 I had no clue anyone would be interested in my blog and ideas, let alone become friends.

What a glorious experience it has been!

One such friend that I am thinking about at this time is Sandra in Switzerland.

A talented and creative writer, crafter, teacher and photographer.

Her blog is called Reflections and Nature and is definitely worth checking out.

We have bonded over crocheted roses and a lace clock.

Who would have thought?

Sandra purchased my granny rose pattern and look what she has made:

An Autumn Wreath.

Isn't it fabulous?

I can't stop looking at it; it makes me so happy.

Sandra has posted about it here.

Clicking on the photos will also take you to her post, as well.

Stay tuned into Sandra's blog, 

as she also purchased one of my lace clocks without the roses.

Sandra has her own plans for the clock.

I can't wait to see!

THANK YOU SANDRA!

So happy to have "met" you!

Autumnal Equinox Dishcloths

A gift for a friend who said she just can't get enough of these:

 To coordinate with her kitchen colors.

We love the way way these can hang from the faucet to dry.

 Pattern found here and here.

100% Cotton Yarn by Sugar 'n Cream.

The bottom two striped ones are in a dc. It was an experiment that did not turn out so well. :-)

Happy Fall Equinox!!!

Bean Stalk

Jack is almost there...

...at least past the top of the fence.

He better prepare to hide the scent of that English blood.

This was but a few weeks ago:

It's grown a foot in two weeks!

And this is how it began,

a gift from our friend "L.L.":

And it was loved,

And it grew...

Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum

I hope your weekend is Fum!

(Yeah, that's a stretch; nevertheless the good wishes are still there. :-) )

Birthday Cupcakes

For Little Bug, #6

The birthday girl's request:

Devi's Food cupcakes with a hole punched in the middle with the end of a wooden spoon.

Caramel syrup drizzled into the hole.

More caramel syrup added to chocolate cream cheese icing.

Tops sprinkled with coarse sea salt.

Placed in a box rescued from the recycle bin,

wrapped in happy wrapping paper.

(Gotta' love the free containers.)

H.B.L.B.

(Happy Birthday Little Bug!)

Baby Blanket Ta Dah!

Finished just in the nick of time

and ready for a baby shower this weekend,

and an arrival in early November.

And a pillow to match...

...the nursery bedding.

Yarn is 100% washable wool from Knit Picks and Bernat Country Garden.

"H" crochet hook.

Nursery fabric is a sheet from Land of Nod,

"Bright-Eyed and Bushy Tailed".

Sewn into a pillow with a little stitched yarn detail.

Crochet pattern is from Jan Eaton's 

"Ripple Stitch Patterns".

It's called Bobble Zigzags.

And the border is:

1 row of 1 sc, 1 ch, repeat.

Then two rows of dc.

Wishing you a happy day!

Crochet Lesson

It's a glorious day when one of your own would like to learn to crochet.

A day I had hoped for, for years, finally happened.

During a business trip to Dallas last month we were fortunate enough to visit #2, Jole Blon, 

who lives in Keller, Texas with her lovely family.

She expressed an interest in the dishcloths I was working on.

She had dabbled with a few stitches many years before so I handed over some yarn and a hook, a little instruction and before you know it she was single, half-double and double crocheting her hands away.

So a package is in the mail for her.

Yarn and a hook.

A gift for her to continue practicing.

(Gotta' strike while the iron is hot.)

And dishcloth sampler with the three stitches she learned:

Cream is sc.

Brown is hdc.

And varigated is dc.

A little picot edge.

And she'll be ready to make some dishcloths to coordinate with her kitchen. 

(Coordination is of utmost importance.)

Have you ever had a willing participant?

How did it go?

Roses and Rose-Hip Tea

Sometimes I wonder if I should change the name of my blog to "Rose Blossom Dreams".

Roses aren't my favorite flower, although I do like them and I am starting to love them.

Apple Blossoms are not my favorite either, but they sure are pretty.

They are so short-lived and that makes me sad but maybe that's what makes them special.

In any case, there's a specific reason why the blog is named

 "Apple Blossom Dreams"...some of you know. ;-)

Oh and my favorite flower... tulips; hollyhocks and peonies are pretty cool too.

What is your favorite flower?

So I do not know exactly what prompted this three year long "rose" kick.

Perhaps it was the popularity of the Granny Rose projects and all the camaraderie they instilled. 

Friendships born of crocheted roses; I like the sound of that. :-)

Oh well, the madness continues and  I see no signs of it stopping. 

So with that I will leave you with a double "rose" post.

 My sweet and very literate blogging friend Elizabeth of the

Thomasina Tittlemouse Blog, reminded me with her latest post of my cabinet full of rose-hip tea...

Her post referred to tea and some crocheted rose-hips.

And seeing how it's been quite hot out, I thought iced would be in order.

So I gathered up some forgotten tea bags,

two types to be exact.

I like the word "Nype" it's likely German, but the same in Norwegian.

Mixed with some water then sun:

And there you have it: tea for more than two.

I love the tartness of this special tea.

I understand that it is high in Vitamin C, too.

Oh, and the rose pattern can be found here.

Made with Swedish Tilda yarn from My Rose Valley in the following colors:

Cream, Light Pink, Fuchsia, Wild Strawberry, Dark Red, Red, Apricot

Don't forget to share your favorite flower and your favorite tea, as well. :-)