Snowflake Monday

I worked on this snowflake while watching live coverage of the eclipse in Spain. Remembering the eclipse I watched with Lizard. Being so grateful for all the wonderful things we were able to do together. I pinned it while watching live feed of the Perseids from atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii, remembering all the times we tried to shoot the Perseids together. Being so grateful God brought such a wonderful man into my life and for the miracle of our twin wounded hearts trusting one more time enough for us to take a chance on each other.

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Finished Size: 5.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Heart and Soul Snowflake Instructions

Special Stitches

Popcorn Stitch (pc): Work 5 dc in designated st, take loop off hook, insert hook through top loop of 1st dc and replace loop on hook, pull loop through top of 1st dc.

Make magic ring.

Round 1: [1 pc into ring, ch 3] 6 times, omitting last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc into starting pc to form 6th ch 3 sp of Round. Don't pull magic ring too tight.

Round 2: Pc over post of dc directly below, [ch 4, 1 sc in 4th ch from hook (picot made), in next ch 3 sp work (pc, ch 3, pc)] 6 times, omitting last picot and last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc in top of starting pc to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, [ch 5, in next ch 3 tip work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 3 dc and last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 4: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc and ch 1), 1 dc over post of dc directly below, [ch 3, in next ch 5 sp work (1 sc, ch 3, 1 sc), ch 3, in next ch 3 tip work (1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc, ch 8, 1 dc in 6th ch from hook, ch 5, 1 dc in same ch, ch 5, sl st in same ch, ch 2, * 1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc)] 6 tmes, ending * on final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 3; bind off. Weave in ends.

Final Round, Rock Covering:Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each ch 5 sp around, inserting rock after about 2/3rds of Round, gently stitching while finishing Round and closing up hole so as not to damage crochet hook; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off, leaving 4- to 5-inch tail. Weave end through final Round of dc and pull tight. Bind off again, weave in end. Place in garden!

Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer.

Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

Tweet

Legacy

I just found out Alan Osmond died the same day as Lizard. I guess I had other things on my mind that day... Alan had MS. His eight sons sang at his funeral. As a teen, the Osmonds were among my favorite performers.

Tweet

Not Again

I suppose this means I'm not paying enough attention to my blog. I just missed another set of zeroes.

I think I was finishing up my Snowflake Monday post on Saturday when I remembered to check the stats. It was 13.8. I didn't stop to think I'd just hit 13 million in June. I should have looked more often. And yet, a lot of the traffic likely is bots. Probably training AI...

So, maybe it's not such a big deal that I hit 14 million and missed it. Again. Blogging isn't even supposed to be that big a thing anymore.

But that doesn't mean I'm not thankful. I am grateful for all the human eyes that actually enjoy my blog. Thank you.

Tweet

Wordless Wednesday

Tweet

Lavender Wake-Up

I began Lizard's mini lavender farm in 2021. I tried to extend it at least a bit each year, but then Parkinson's limited his access it. I had to spend a year's worth of lavender expansion budget on rock stairs to enable him to climb into the garden. Then he lost the ability to balance on slopes...

This year we decided to dive into the apple trees we'd wanted since the day we bought the house, technically ending the mini lavender farm expansion. I was beginning to realize Lizard would not be able to care for his lavender garden anymore, and then, the end came so quickly, I truly was not prepared. Emotionally, spiritually, physically, the works.

My first re-visit to the sun-baked mini lavender farm a week or so after the Celebration of Life, my initial thought and reaction was, "What's the point?" What would it matter if I let it die? He was no longer here. It was no longer his lavender. I didn't know if I would be able to hold onto the home by myself. (I'm still not entirely sure I can, but I know I should not make that decision before the one-year mark.)

A couple of weeks later, I decided the lavender farm isn't going to take care of itself, and Lizard would not want me to let it die, so I'd best try to revive it. Thank heavens lavender is drought-tolerant.

I replaced two of the lavender plants that didn't make it through the winter with home improvement center lavender and the third with the only home-grown-from-seed lavender tall enough to survive transplanting. That was back in May. I'm proud to say all three are still going strong, as is the rest of the mini lavender farm. (And the other two home-grown from seed lavender are finally tall enough to transplant, but I'm waiting until fall.)

The entire mini lavender farm is in need of new and fresh mulch, as well as and some rock border replacement, thanks to the local wildlife. The new apple trees also are doing well, although I have yet to finish the landscaping around them because it's just been too darned hot.

We bought a mature wisteria and a blueberry bush when we bought the apple trees. The wisteria found the pergola all by itself. I haven't had to train it or the mourning (pun intended) glories I planted at the base. They are healthily climbing and doing their best to bring me daily cheer.

The third and final clematis didn't survive our July heat dome, and I'm throwing in the towel on clematis. No clematis on this property has survived more than one year in 18 years, so I give up. Mourning glories and wisteria will suffice for the shade I hope they will produce within the next couple of years. The ivy that came with the house didn't survive the transplanting to the pergola, even though everything I've read says ivy is extremely easy to root. There's always the Virginia creeper that seems to grow wild everywhere here...

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed some of the leaves on the wisteria were turning yellow. My heart sank. I googled and learned I need to mulch the clematis in this heat. I couldn't afford to buy more mulch, and the lavender needed to be pruned, so, I decided to use the lavender trimmings as mulch.

I hate cutting the lavender because it feels like I'm killing it. (It's actually necessary, but it's a mindset thing for me.) And yet I LOVE cutting the lavender because the smell is SO incredible. Now when I water my wisteria, I'm overcome by the wonderful aroma of lavender. And the wisteria looks healthier!!!

A few years ago, I generated a bunch of AI images of bears in a lavender field because I'd missed my award-winning shot. AI has improved a bit since then, so, last week I tried to generate new AI interpretations of a bear in Lizard's mini lavender farm. I'm tickled with the new images. But I'd rather have real photos of bears in Lizard's lavender.

Tweet

Snowflake Monday

I'm really feeling the love of serving others and working together to make the world a better place. Here's another flake destined for Operation Ornaments.

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Finished Size: 5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Heartfelt Snowflake Instructions

Special Stitches

Popcorn Stitch (pc): Work 5 dc in designated st, take loop off hook, insert hook through top loop of 1st dc and replace loop on hook, pull loop through top of 1st dc.

Make magic ring.

Round 1: [1 pc into ring, ch 3] 6 times, omitting last 2 ch of final repeat; 1 dc into starting pc to form 6th ch 3 sp of Round. Don't pull magic ring too tight.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 hdc and 1 sc over post of dc directly below, [in next ch 3 sp work (1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc)] 5 times; in next ch 3 sp work (1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc); ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 point of Round.

Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, [ch 3, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook (picot made), in next ch 3 tip work (3 dc, * ch 8, 1 sc in 4th ch from hook and in each of next 3 ch, ch 1, 3 dc)] 6 times, ending * on final repeat; ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form snowflake tip and base for foundation sc, 1 fsc in top of dc, 3 more fsc, ch 1, 1 dc in bottom of fsc just worked to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.
NOTE: If you are not comfortable with fsc, work 6th point same as previous 5 and bind off, rejoining on any tip.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 4: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, [working down spoke, 1 dc in top of next sc, 1 tr in next sc, 1 dtr in next sc, sk over next 2 sc, next 3 dc, next picot, next 3 dc and next 2 sc, working up next spoke, 1 dtr in next sc, 1 tr in next sc, 1 dc in next sc, in ch 3 tip work (3 dc, ch 7, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, ch 4, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook and in next ch, 1 hdc in top of next dc, 1 sc in bottom of same dc, sl st in next ch (heart picot made), ch 1, 3 dc)] 6 times, omitting last 3 dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.

NOTE: If you're having trouble with the heart picot, see the photo tutorial here. Although this heart is just a bit different than in the tutorial, the technique is the same.

Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer.

Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

Tweet

Friday Fortius

Tweet