“This very moment is a seed from which the flowers of tomorrow's happiness grow.”

 - Margaret Lindsey - 

 May seeds of happiness bloom in your garden today...

HDP

My Week in Review...

We've had another rainy week, but look what I saw yesterday evening as I was peeking out the window...It's been a long time since I've seen a rainbow...

Local reports say that we may have a record for all time rainfall within a month's time...

We are getting close to the end of the school year.  We just have six weeks left and I'm looking forward to the break.  Our weekly reading book was on Noah....very appropriate with all our rain.  This is one of the little pictures dear son drew...He likes to draw at the table before breakfast while he waits for me to fix his egg and toast...

I did enjoy a few coffee breaks throughout the week with my favorite coffee Starbucks Cafe Verona (decaf) sweetened with hazelnut flavoring.  In the background are a few of the African Flowers I've made.  I've since put those on hold for another project though...  

The little one and hubby have been working on putting together these dinosaurs in the evenings; aren't they cool?  I bought the kit at Michael's, they had all sorts of different ones for $2 and $3 each and of course I had a coupon...never leave home without one! 

:-)

It's been a quiet week with lots of indoor activities.  Looking forward to the weekend and what new adventures it may bring.

Happy Friday!

HDP

Yummy Fruit

About two weeks ago, I switched from the South Beach diet to the new Weight Watchers plan.  So far, I'm really liking it and feel like I'm starting to get into the "groove".  


South Beach was a very restrictive diet and just wasn't for me for the long term.  It gave me a good kick start though, and I'm still off caffeine, just drinking decaffeinated beverages.  I'd read lots of good things about the new Weight Watchers plan, so I thought I'd give it a try.


One of the things I like best about the new plan, for those of you who are familiar with Weight Watchers, is that fruit is now "free"; that is, you don't have to use your daily points allowance for fruit.  It's been fun getting all sorts of colorful fruit for me and the family to enjoy.  


My weigh ins are on Wednesday evenings.  So far, I've only lost 2.6 pounds on the new plan; don't forget I had that big birthday cake in there since I've joined!  If nothing else, I'm feeling better, not as sluggish and I have more energy.  Now if it would ever stop raining, dear son and I could get outside and get moving too!  


Hope your week is going well.


HDP

Happy Easter!

I hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful Easter today.  We've had a busy, yet nice weekend.  

Yesterday, my sister and her family came over and we had a small get together with an egg hunt for the little ones...

Unfortunately, it's been raining for days on end, and if our house was a boat, we'd have floated away several days ago (check out my poor water drenched Azalea...)

But, we didn't let the rain spoil the day and had the egg hunt indoors.  We had a pot luck luncheon and later in the afternoon we enjoyed the latest Narnia movie while the boys played with toys in our lower level.  

For dessert on Saturday, I made the cake pictured above, it's actually a lower in fat cake and 1/20th of the cake is 3 points on Weight Watchers' new plan; you can find the recipe HERE.  (I switched from the South Beach Diet to Weight Watcher, but I'll tell you more about that another day.) 

Today, following a very nice church service, my little family went out to lunch then to see one of the newest "G" rated movies, Rio; it was cute and I really enjoyed the music.  It's amazing what they do with animation these days. 

Now, it's time to relax, have a cup of tea and maybe get my PJ's on a little early this evening.  I'm looking forward to putting my feet up and breathing a contented sigh...

Wishing you and yours a blessed Easter.

HDP

I Did It!

I actually made an article of clothing!  

This is the Dainty Mesh Vest I've been working on (off and on) for the past month.  I finished it up last night... 

This was a lot of fun to make and I definitely see more wearable making in my future. 

We have a really gray and rainy day today.  With that in mind, I wasn't able to get outside and get the kind of photos I like to capture my crochet work (and my camera doesn't take very good indoor photos).

All the details for the project can be found by following the link I provided above.  

I really enjoyed the challenge of this project, never having made clothing before, it was something new and fun to try.  

Thanks for cheering me on along the way.  

Onto the next challenge, and... 

Joy in a finished object!  

:-)

HDP

Sad Day For The Trees...

We had to have some Locust Trees taken down today....Some of our recent wind and ice storms have taken their toll on the poor old trees...

As you can see, they had to bring in a crane...the trees are taller than the telephone pole by a good 10 -15 feet...

How would you like to be the brave worker who gets hoisted up by his safety belt with his chainsaw to take these down?

Three of the trees had to come down...

One of the trees was twisted and in danger of coming down on it's own and we were told another two were actually hollow on the inside.  Kind of dangerous, especially when you have a five year old playing ball, riding his bike and drawing with sidewalk chalk just below their overhangs.   One of the trees was responsible for a huge dead limb plopping down in the middle of our drive last winter. 

The side lot looks a bit bare now...

The poor old trees have been wood chipped and will likely become mulch for some one's flower beds...

Good-bye old trees, we'll miss your natural beauty...

HDP

Birthday was "Tony the Tiger" Grrrr-eat!

We had a terrific family day yesterday... 

The morning started out with a birthday phone call with my twin sister and a snugly hug from the little one... 

Once we were ready, we headed off to our favorite breakfast chain; Bob Evans and had a hearty breakfast (no diet today)!  Then off to see the tulip display at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens...

The tulips were gorgeous and they had beds of them throughout the park.  

The flowering trees were starting to show their display as well...

The little one had a blast feeding the Lorikeets...

 And, of course the animals were out in full force...

We enjoyed watching the gigantic Polar Bears frolic in (and out) of the water...

After about 4 hours of walking around, it was time to head out for a late lunch/early dinner.  We decided on P.F. Chang's and enjoyed lots of delicious food including their chicken lettuce wrap appetizer they are known for...

Once home, everyone was ready to lay on the sofa and relax (and eat some birthday cake!).  Dear husband ordered this beautiful cake for me and I don't believe I've seen a prettier one except on our wedding day.  (It was super yummy too!)

It was a great day spent with my little family; you only turn 45 once and it was a day to be remembered!

HDP

My Weekend...

 

A little of this and a little of that...

Saturday, it rained most of the day, which was really fine with me.  We had some nice family time in the afternoon, then I was able to get in a little of my hobby time...

This is the back and the right side of the Dainty Mesh Vest.  I'm very pleased with this so far and hope that it all goes together nicely.  I'm hoping to start working on the left side sometime this afternoon.

Sunday, after church and lunch, our little family headed out to the park and did one of the "fitness trails" they have.  

Dear son and hubby enjoyed the calisthenics, I goofed around with those, but did enjoy the walk and looking for pretty little wild flowers along the way...

Today, it's a rainy-rainy day, but I have plenty to keep me busy.  I'm going to try to get the chores done early in the week as Thursday is a special day for me....I'll be turning 45...I can't believe it.  Hubby is going to take off from work and we have a fun day planned.  I'm looking forward to it. 

Hope you have a great week!  :-)

HDP

And The Winners Are...

After carefully cutting and pasting all the names into Word, cutting out the names into strips, folding them into little pieces, and having dear son draw two names...

The Winners Are...

Joce and Jdy.frank

Congratulations ladies!  

You can send your mailing address to me at hprusia0414@fuse.net.  First come, first serve; that is the first person to contact me can pick if they prefer the book or the magazine.

Thanks so much for playing!  

:-)

I'll leave you with a picture of my Weeping Cherry Tree, which is now in bloom! 

HDP

Reminder...

Tomorrow is my first giveaway.  

I'll draw one of the names from the comment section of THIS post tomorrow afternoon and will announce the winners then.  I'll leave the giveaway open until 1 p.m. (eastern time) tomorrow then draw two names after that.  There's still time to enter if you haven't already. 

Hope everyone is enjoying a nice weekend.  We've had nothing but rain today, but it's been a nice day of family time with the movie "Tangled", a couple rounds of "Hungry Hippo", (and of course lots of crochet time as well)!  

:-)

Have a great evening.

HDP

Blue Lagoon Spa Cloth Pattern

 

This is a little something I've been working on this week.  I'm calling it Blue Lagoon Spa Cloth.  I think these would make a cute little shower gift when paired with a freshly scented body scrub and lotion.  

The main stitch used is half double crochet (hdc) with a simple mesh mixed in every 4th row.  They have a slight texture to them and I think the mesh rows add interest.  

These could also be made using some brightly colored cotton and tuck them into your next baby gift.  

 Either way, I think they'd make a nice little addition to any gift you may be giving.  

Below are the instructions to my cloths...

Blue Lagoon Spa Cloth

By Heather P. 

Materials:

• Rico Creative Cotton 100% Cotton (50g)
• 1 skein (MC)
• Scrap cotton yarn (CC) (approx. 3 - 4 yds)

• G Hook (6-4.25 mm)
• Blunt-End Needle for Weaving in Ends

Finished Size:  Approximately 8.5" x 9"

Gauge:  Not important for this project

Skill Level:  Easy

Special Stitches Used: See bottom of Page for a list of abbreviations. 

Notes: 

• Turning chain (tch) counts as a stitch throughout and is reflected in the stitch count at the end of Row 1.
• Remember to check your stitch count periodically to ensure you don't lose a stitch.
  

Directions: 

With MC, ch 32.

Row 1 -    (RS) hdc in third ch from hook and in each ch across, ch 2, turn.  (31 stitches now and throughout). 

Row 2 -    sk first hdc, hdc in next hdc and in each st across, ch 2, turn. 

Row 3 -    sk first hdc, hdc in next hdc and in each st across, ch 3 (Counts as a hdc, ch 1 in next row), turn. 

Row 4 -    sk 2 hdc, *hdc in next hdc, ch 1, sk 1 hdc, hdc in next hdc, repeat from * across, ch 2, turn.

Row 5 -    sk first hdc, *hdc in next ch-1 sp, hdc in next hdc, repeat from * across, ch 2, turn.  (This is a good row to check your stitch count.)

Row 6-9 - Repeat Rows 2-5.

Repeat Rows 2-5 just short of desired length, then repeat Rows 2 and 3 once more, ch 1, turn.  Do not fasten off.

Edging and Border:

Round 1 -  sc evenly around work with (3 sc) in each corner, sl st in first sc, fasten off.

Round 2 -  turn cloth to RS, attach CC in any corner, sc evenly around cloth with (3 sc) in each corner, sl st in first sc, fasten off.

Finishing:  Weave in ends.

Abbreviations: 

ch........ chain stitch

ch-....... refers to chain or space previously made (i.e. ch-1 space)

ch sp... chain space

dc....... double crochet

g......... grams

hdc...... half double crochet

MC...... main color

oz........ ounce(s)

rem...... remain/remaining

rep...... repeat(s)

rnd(s)... round(s)

RS....... right side

sc........ single crochet

sk........ skip(ped)

sl st..... slip stitch

sp(s).... space(s)

st(s)..... stitch(es)

tch........turning chain

WS...... wrong side

yd(s).... yard(s)

yo....... yarn over

HDP

Some Works in Progress...

First, I have to say thank you to all you kindred spirits out in "blog land" who left your very kind comments on my previous post.  I appreciate your sentiments very much.  :-)

Now, on the crochet front...

My Dainty Mesh Vest took a backseat while I finished up my son's Vertical Horizontal Stripe blanket.  But, I have it in my sights again and hope to start on one of the sides in the next couple of days.  I did find some pretty silver buttons at Joanne's, which I think will look nice with the springy green color.

But, the big project coming up, that is going to devour most of my crochet time, is (drum roll please)...

an Aran Fisherman-style Afghan.  This is going to be a wedding gift for my husband's niece who will be getting married this summer.  The pattern is from Fisherman Crochet Afghans which was published 1983 and I don't believe is in print any longer.  Although, I do see it come up for auction on e-bay quite regularly. 

I'll be using Lion Brand's Wool-Ease for the project....all 66 oz!  I was very lucky to get the yarn on-line at Joanne's when they were having a 30% off sale (and free shipping!).  I'm allowing myself two months to make this.  I'll be making number "6" on the back of the leaflet; it's called "Cork".  It uses a lot of stitches that are new to me, so I know this is going to be slow going.  If it isn't complete by their wedding, I can always give it to them following their honeymoon.

I know I'll need some color intervention while I'm working with all that creamy yarn, so I'm also working on some African Flower motifs.  I'm thinking I'll just do one or two here and there as a break from the big project and in a couple months, I should have enough for an afghan.  I'll post some pics of the African Flowers when I get a few more made.

Whew!  So that's the game plan for now.  I hope I haven't bitten off more than I can chew, but I do love a challenge and this will be a big one.

Don't forget about my giveaway!  I'll be drawing two names on Sunday, April 10th.  You can follow the link I've provided for details.

Have a wonderful evening. 

HDP

I'm Having a Giveaway!

In the eight months I've been "blogging", I've never had a give away.  

I think it's about time I did!  

:-)

I have two items I'll be giving away, one is the book pictured above called 40 Favorite Ripple Afghans. 

AND,...

the other is the current issue of Crochet World (April 2011).

In order to win, you must be a Follower and leave a comment on this post.  I'll have my little one draw a name this coming Sunday (April 10th).  I'll let the winner know they've won and we can exchange mailing information privately.

Good luck and a big thank you to all my faithful Followers!

HDP

A Beautiful Afternoon

Today felt like Spring.  We've had an incredibly cold spring so far with temps in the 20's and 30's, but today all that was forgotten with blue skies and 60 degree weather.  As you can see, we still don't have leaves on the trees, but hopefully, it won't be long now.

We went to the park so the little one could play on the play set and run around.  It was packed!  Everyone had the same idea.  Then we walked down by the lake to take a look at the ducks, the most colorful things were the boats moored at the dock.

We do have our first daffodil in the yard.  I know everyone is showing pictures of daffodils, but when you have the sunny flowers popping up in your yard, it's a true sign of the change of seasons.

We also had the above pretty little blue flower pop up.  I think its some form of ground covering (Vinca perhaps?).  We used to have a pond in our back yard with all sorts of flowers, plants and vegetation.  My husband deconstructed it about 4 years ago, but we still have different plants popping up from time to time. 

I hope you are enjoying a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon!  Tomorrow, I hope to give you an update on all my crochet "works in progress".  Until then...

HDP