Bank Holiday #2

Hello my loves.

 Sorry I've been a little erratic with the blog just lately!! I've been sooo busy with work and a little stressed to be honest, so I've not felt like it :(

This week is the fantastic Bank Holiday Jubilee weekend and half term so I can breath... and relax a little aaaaahhhhh :)

How utterly amazing was the Jubilee Pageant today. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it on the T.V. It brought a tear to my eye and made me realise  just how patriotic we all are. I really wish I'd hung a bit of bunting now !!

Although I've not been blogging I have been rather busy. I'm going to take us back a couple of weeks to when we had the sunny weather. I popped out to do a spot of gardening and realised I'd not bought the plants for the hanging baskets or pots!!!
So we all jumped into the car and headed off to my favourite garden centre, Tree Tops.
And this is what I bought.......

There doesn't look a lot there, but there were enough plants for 4 hanging baskets and 7 pots.

This is how they looked when I'd finished.....

This is one of the hanging baskets I bought from the Newark Garden Show, do you remember?

I also planted up.....

These two gorgeous pots, they were my Grandads before he passed away. Also this one.....

It will look so pretty once the flowers bloom.

I've also planted a few of these pots up. Can you see the strawberry plants I bought from Newark? They have tiny strawberries growing already.

Here's a closer look....

The veggie patch is doing really well....

We have potatoes growing in the bags and behind are onions, cabbages, squash, tomatoes and chives. It's amazing just what you can squeeze into such a small area!!

You will be pleased to know the Wisteria came back, hoorah....

Double hoorah, the Lupins haven't been eaten by slugs!!

Before I move onto the crochet I just wanted to share with you my two favourite flowers in the garden so far.

A beautiful perfectly formed Allium...

And  my Peony's.....

I just managed to take the pic before the flowers dropped.

Okay, onto the crochet.

To be honest I got a little fed up with crocheting and churning things out for craft fairs, so decided to make something for me or the house. But what!!!!!??! 

One chilly night Daisy sat snuggled on the sofa under the ripple blanket I made for her last Summer, Charlie wondered into the room and asked if I'd make a blanket for him. Well done Charlie, what a marvellous idea. So off I went to Anita's and came back with this....

Cheap and cheerful double knit in boy colours that washes incredibly well. I bought ten balls for just over £10, bargain :)
And here's how it looks so far...

Charlie is very pleased and so am I. There's no pressure though, I aim to have it completed for this years holiday to France (Can't wait eeekk, I'm so in need of a sunny holiday).

I started the blanket and it got me thinking about all of the other blankets I've completed. The first was this.....

I was so pleased with this achievement, I completed this two years ago just after I'd learnt how to crochet. At the time all I wanted to do was to be able to crochet a Granny square. I used  the yarn from the crochet mag that was popular at the time.

I still love this blanket and often find Gav snuggled under it x

My second blanket was Daisy's ripple.....

The marvellous Margaret at Crochet club taught me this neat ripple. It sits looking lovely at the bottom of Daisy's bed.

The third was.....

this fabulous Japanese Flower blanket. I used my favourite yarn. Riot.

It's so pretty, the original pattern was for a shawl and can be found on Ravelry.

This is going to be my fourth. Do you remember these?

They've sat in a bag for a while!! I ran out of yarn and I threw away the ball bands, Doh!! So wasn't sure what to do....Make a smaller blanket? Add in more colours? I went with this.....

I decided to stick with what I'd got which was 250 squares. I positioned them 25 squares across by 10 squares wide. It is going to be a pretty little runner to lay at the bottom of my bed to keep my feet toastie in the Winter. I've used a double crochet to attach them. I just need to go across the rows and add a fancy border in left over yarn then it's complete, woooo hooo :)

I've started going across and it takes an age. It will be worth it though. I'll share a pic next time.

I have a few more projects to finish before the Arnold Carnival on Saturday 16th June, which is two weeks away Aaaaarh!!!! I have yet to finish Geoff the Giraffe, the green baby cardi and more bootees. They will be done, but I'm not going to worry if they're not !! ;)

Do you know, it's good to be back. I have two weeks left before my contract at college ends for the Summer. I hope to pop in then and share more projects with you. And maybe gardening if the weather improves!!

Night night for now my loves and happy crochet x x x

P.s crochet club Wednesday...woooo hoooo. I hope to see ALL of my lovely pals there x x