Patina Moon

Hi Everyone!  Originally, I was planning to show you some crochet pieces I've been working on. But instead,  I sort of got caught up in a photo shoot,  once I saw how the colors of the blossoms matched my favorite  yarn bowl! I'm still learning about "when" to cut these  "moody blooms" for drying.  I noticed the colors were starting to  look so different,  so I had to take a chance. This is a hydrangea that I have in a container by our front door. When I bought them they were blue and purple. Now, the pedals are changing to a beautiful, patina green with even some pinks mixed in! This weekend was the  Bellevue Arts Fair   here in Washington. It was a fun and beautiful day to walk around and see all the different booths filled with creativity!  I even got to meet artist/illustrator   Cori Dantini . If you are not familiar with Cori's...

Every Wednesday now,  it's become part of my regular routine to  walk down to the  Farmers Market. This time of year you can find a market everyday of the week. Fresh fruit and veggies. We've even been trying vegetables we've never even heard of before and  enjoying them in our salads.  Always beautiful flowers... ...and music! The market vendors, like this one at a floral stand, working hard at bunching beautiful bouquets, making them hard to pass up!    I love the natural textures... burlap, wooden boxes and crates. ...Homemade jams and pies... ...and of course this time of year...lavender. Bunches and bunches of lavender! Some vegetables in a variety of colors I never even knew existed. There's just "something special" about walking home with you...

Yesterday, a day of warmth, sunshine and a little crocheting outside.  Today,  cool, pouring rain, and tea!  I've been making things with tea bags again.   The texture,  color and strength of these little papers make them so fun to work with. For this project, I cut pieces of the tea bag paper to the size of a tea bag before use. Then using little muslin scraps I had, I secured a piece to the back of one side with my sewing machine, so that it would be easier to add hand embroidery. Using free hand or a stamp, add what ever design you'd like to the front, add the back tea bag paper and sew around again with your machine.   I left the top part open to add some dried lavender, then sewed up the opening. Easy peasy!  This is my new little tea pot I bought at a tea and spice store near my home. They have so many interesting mixes of loose leaf tea, it's hard to decide what to get!  ...

Right in my own backyard!  I hope you'll understand my excitement when I post about this blue hydrangea in my garden. When we rented this house back in May I had no idea that this beauty was growing in the garden.  One day, while unpacking moving boxes I recognized the leaves on this scrawny, hydrangea on the back side of the house. Just like a lot of the landscape here,  it was in need of a little TLC. I was so excited to discover this hydrangea was going to be blue!  Deep blues and purples... I've loved the hydrangea for a long time, but it was always the blue ones that captured my heart the most. Isn't it funny how something as simple as a flower can mean something to you?  Maybe you already know this from reading my blog.  But, this journey to Seattle to begin a new life has been something we've looked forward to for a long time now.  ...

Well, as you can see, I am STILL hooked on crochet for the moment.  I have been practicing and practicing, getting frustrated and pulling out stitches, and starting over.   But,  when I'm able to complete something I'm happy with,  it feels so good!  I tend to gravitate toward the hemp and linen yarns so when I found a pattern for a little sea star, I thought the hemp would be perfect!  The sand dollars are made with linen yarn and embellished with the lazy daisies in hemp thread. I've been so happy to finally be living near the ocean,  that this little crochet motif from the sea was fun to try.  There's just something so calming for me about making these. I think they will make the perfect little embellishments for gifts or to use on a collage. What do you think?  Now that I have the pattern down it doesn't take me too long to make a few.  ...