Ready for the fair

Just looking at this picture it doesn't look like many entries but there are 23 in this box that went to the Maryland State Fair yesterday.  I see this year they have a Facebook page just for their new crochet only section at the fair it's Crochet at the Maryland State Fair if you want to check it out.  Check back in a couple weeks to see how the entries did!!  I'm hoping they put pictures on Facebook of the displays since we have never had a chance to actually go to the fair and see all the displays. 

Virginia Beach

Recently I had my first vacation to the beach.  I'd been to the ocean before but not to actually stay a while and put my toes in the water!!  It sure was fun and I'm ready to do it again!! 

 

 

We had to go thru this long tunnel under the water to get to our destination.

 

 

 

This was where we stayed on the first floor.

We took a boat ride to see some dolphins and there were a few.

 

The boat went up as far as the Cape Henry lighthouses

 

Tried to get dolphin pictures but they were too fast!!

 

Lots of big ships passing by, too.

 

The view from our room.

 

This is the boat we rode on earlier in the day.

That evening there were fireworks.

 



 

Woke up early so I had to get some pictures of the sunrise!!

 

This guy has a tough job......!!

 

Later off the pier there were dolphins swimming around I finally got pictures of. 

 

 

We checked out the Aquarium and the cute sea lions out front. 

 

 

There was this glass tunnel you could walk thru the fish.  Very neat!!



 

Last but not least we went to see the lighthouses up close. 

 

 

A short but very enjoyable little get away!!

Tea Light Pumpkin

Yesterday Crochet World send my Tea Light Pumpkin back with two complimentary copies of the magazine.  Love their photo of the pumpkin!!  Thank you Crochet World!!

 

CGOA Design Contest

I was totally blown away when I saw the results of the CGOA Design Competition online the other day.  They chose my Sunday Best Purse for first place in the Accessories category!!  Then on down further in the list I saw it also won for Technical Merit. WEBS and Mary Maxim sponsored the awards for those categories so a BIG THANK YOU to both of those companies!!! and also to the judges and the CGOA.  I'm so honored you chose my purse!! When I was making it I was working on it a little at a time when I had a chance then one afternoon that was free I sat down with it and crocheted for about 6 hours. It is worked in Aunt Lydia's size 10 thread in Antique White, Olive and Wood Violet with a size 7 steel crochet hook and the pattern is in Mosaic crochet using "I" stitches and single crochets.  I laid the purse down to measure it at the end of the day to see how much more I needed to add to the body of it only to discover I had made a mistake on the very first row that I started that day..... needless to say I wanted to cry.... but I jumped in the Frog Pond and rippppped it all out.... Since in Mosaic Crochet every other row is single crochet I had worked two rows with the "I" stitches back to back and it was very noticeable after I stood back and looked at it but I love how it turned out and all is well that ends well :) 

 

More Diamond Filet Scarf....

 

Here are the professional photos of my Diamond Filet Scarf in the Fall 2016 issue of Love of Crochet magazine courtesy of  Caleb Young Photography. I think they did an awesome job of showing off the scarf!!  Thank you Love of Crochet!! 

Diamond Filet Scarf

Last September I made this Diamond Filet Scarf in Aunt Lydia's size 10 French Rose with a double knot fringe.  I submitted the design to Interweave Crochet and they bought the pattern!!

 

The other day a complimentary copy of their new issue of Love of Crochet Fall 2016 came to me... 

.....with my scarf in it done in the Black they had me make it for them in. 

 



 

I love how it looks in black and how they have it styled in the magazine.

Thank you Love of Crochet for choosing my design!! 

Get your copy at a craft store near you!! 

Pretty days

We had some nice low humidity days last week so I took advantage to do a little crocheting on the swing under the tree.

 

The flowers look so pretty right now...

 

I've never seen black petunias before.  Last year in this bucket were the prettiest deep dark burgundy petunias and now this year these totally black ones came  back in the same bucket.  Guess that's how the burgundy ones came back this year....

This cute little bunny has taken up residence under my wood shed

 

The Apple Blossom Geraniums are pretty right now, too. 

 

So are the petunias in our old shoes. 

 

 

 

And also the Tiger Lillies

 

Such a pretty time of year before the heat of summer makes them all wilt away.