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Wordless Wednesday

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Plan B

I'm still working on the design for the landscaping in our unfinished backyard. When I first began leveling and terracing, I thought it would be so cool to have a fire pit at the top of our slope, away from all trees and anything that might be flammable. I'd planned to surround the entire "picnic" area I planned to build with flagstone to make sure no sparks could ignite.

After the late December Marshall Fire in 2021, there was no way I'd ever consider even a barbecue grill in our backyard. We are surrounded on the other side of the back fence by an extremely dry and miles-long grassy field that will always be open space that will never be human-watered. That field actually caught fire just a couple of blocks south of us late this summer, and deputies were stationed on every street of our little village to enforce mandatory evacuations should they become necessary.

Thank heavens, our nearby West Metro fire department (which immediately afterward traveled to the Gulf Coast to assist with Hurricane Helene recovery) contained the wildfire in just a few hours, and our neighborhood was never evacuated. But that was just way too close, especially after two previous fires, one and four miles respectively, from us.

I've been trying to decide what to do with the upper portion of our backyard because it is so sloped and because all the snowmelt and rainwater (when we actually get rain, which did not happen often this summer or fall) from the big grassy field significantly erodes our slope, regardless of how much terracing I construct. I'm literally fighting a losing battle.

I also don't want to have to water whatever I plant there because the water drains down toward the house. I'm also trying to be water-wise in what I plant.

I got this bright idea earlier in the year to plant sunflowers along the final segment of the fence on the steepest portion of our slope. I don't get to go east to search for huge sunflower fields much anymore, and I thought it would be SO cool if I had my own sunflowers. Then all my neighbors who've never seen the sunflower fields could take pictures of MY sunflowers. And so would I!!!

I bought six more lavender plants to extend the current lavender garden about six more feet, and then I would plant giant sunflowers across the remainder of the slope. I even considered planting red sunflowers. Wouldn't it be cool to have a whole garden of gorgeous red sunflowers?!?

I haven't put those final lavender plants into the ground yet, and I need to get busy because our first snow is expected this week. End of season. End of perfect planting time. Our outrageous heat (and other unexpected life complications) this summer kept me from doing much of what I'd planned.

But, good thing I didn't carry though just yet. When sunflower season approached, I realized my planned sunflowers would all face the wrong direction. They would face the fence. Yes, immature sunflowers sometimes follow the sun. But once the blossoms open, they face east. My backyard is east of my house. I would have views of the backs of my sunflower heads.

Now I'm considering a couple of apple trees for that spot. I've probably lost the season now and will have to wait for spring. I've decided to let mostly wild sunflowers grow rampant in the front yard next year. (I've also been spreading all my red sunflower and pink cosmos seeds in the front yard for the last three weeks.) The sunflowers likely will all face the front of my house, but I'll have plentiful flowers in August and September, which I haven't had for the last several years now because everything I plant goes to seed by the middle to end of July. This year's late summer/early autumn wild sunflowers got devoured by grasshoppers in this heat.

This means my neighbors will have a great view of the backs of the sunflowers next summer, but they can always come up to my porch for a visit and a better view. Plus, I'll be able to cut fresh bouquets for them, too!

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Snowflake Monday

I may have gotten an early start on this year's Halloween snowflakes for my grands, but I didn't get them done until last week. I forgot to take photos of three sets I had to mail, but I remembered to photograph the last two sets I delivered in person last week.

And just like that, it's almost Halloween. I couldn't resist doing one more Halloween snowflake for this season. These are so cool, perhaps this is what I will do for the grand next year... Perhaps if I start them now, I might actually get done before next October!!!

The basic pattern also could serve as ornaments for any other holiday, too. The center discs could be made with other colors and/or adorned with an ornament cap at the top, and/or the disc may be decorated as a Valentine, Easter, animal or happy face. I used fun googly eyes for my samples today, but eyes also may be made with felt, beads, markers, embroidery, fabric scraps, pipe cleaners... Use your imagination!

The name for today's trio comes from my teenage and young adult years (not from a band by the same name!) when our favorite radio station(s) would play three hits in a row, commercial-free, by music giants, such as Aerosmith, Bee Gees, Chicago, Def Leppard, ELO, Foreigner, Genesis, Heart... boy, is that old neverending game a rabbit hole I could go down and perhaps never come up for air!!! Abba, BTO, Carpenters, Deep Purple, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Guns and Roses, Hall and Oats... Aaah! Memory Lane! I think I'll go turn on my radio. YES, I still have one!!! Still have one working DVD player, too. But, get this... I still have more than 100 cassette tapes that still work! When I can find a player that still works...

I really had fun playing with this pattern. I hope you get as much enjoyment from it.

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: 4.5 to 6 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, optional second color (or any number of colors desired), googly eyes or other means of making eyes, 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
NOTE: I did not glitter these flakes.

Triple Shot I Snowflake Instructions

With center disc color, make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 11 dc in ring; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same ch as sl st, 2 dc in each dc around for a total of 24 dc; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.

Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), [2 dc in next dc, 1 dc in next dc] 12 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2. Bind off if making flake in more than one color. Weave in ends.
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: If using same color, sc in same ch as sl st. If using new color, 1 sc in any dc. [ch 7, sk next 5 dc, 1 sc in next dc] 6 times, omitting last sc of final repeat; sl st in starting sc.

Round 5: [1 sc in each of next 3 ch, in next ch work (2 sc, ch 5, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and each of next 2 ch, ch 5, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 dc in each of next 2 ch, working back down spoke 1 dc in next ch, ch 4, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, 1 sc in next post ch, 2 sc), 1 sc in each of next 3 ch, sk next sc] 6 times; bind off. Weave in ends.

Triple Shot II Snowflake Instructions

Round 5: [1 sc in next ch, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 dc in next ch, in next ch work (1 tr, 1 dtr, ch 5, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and each of next 2 ch, ch 5, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 dc in each of next 2 ch, working back down spoke 1 dc in next ch, ch 4, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, 1 sc in next post ch, 1 dtr, 1 tr), 1 sc in each of next 3 ch, sk next sc] 6 times; bind off. Weave in ends.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Triple Shot III Snowflake Instructions

Round 5: [1 sc in next ch, ch 3, 1 sc in next ch, ch 5, 1 sc in next ch, ch 7, in next ch work (2 sc, ch 10, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and each of next 2 ch, ch 5, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 1 dc in each of next 2 ch, working back down spoke 1 dc in next ch, ch 4, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, 1 sc in next post ch, ch 5, 2 sc), ch 7, 1 sc in next ch, ch 5, 1 sc in next ch, ch 3, 1 sc in next ch, sk next sc] 6 times; bind off. Weave in ends.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

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.

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Pinktober, the Sequel

(affiliate links to my designs)

I was so excited to receive my newest Spoonflower cheater quilt panels. It was difficult to decide which one I should use for the new baby quilt, and I ultimately chose the original. I used some stash batik and some pink Grunge for the border, and the top was done in just a couple of hours.

The second panel is similar to the first but square instead of horizontal. The second two panels are going to be so fun to work into quilts once I finish the baby quilt. Then I'd have a couple of pink quilts ready if another little baby girl comes along...

In the meantime, I have to finish the quilt back. I began with 36 pink charm squares from the temperature quilt stash I was hoping to make into a real temperature quilt in 2023. I'm not so sure I will make an actual fabric temperature quilt now, so I didn't mind robbing the stash. But then I realized the 6x6 stitched block wasn't near big enough for the already finished quilt top.

So I dug into my pink scraps stash and added one more row of pink charm squares, then cut some 2.5-inch patches for an inner border. I really like the new size and the improved design, but now I'm stuck! I can't decide what to do next, and it needs to be more than ten inches wider and longer. I want to use fabrics in my pink stash, and I have pink charm squares, my own 2.5-inch strips and even a few layer cake squares. Ir, I could dig into some pink stash yardage and make a solid border, which I'm actually considering. I just have come up with something I think will look pretty not too busy.

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Wordless Wednesday

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2025

(affiliate links to my designs)

I didn't get to do much photography this year. So I crafted a fantasy calendar using AI or artificial intelligence.

Those who check in here at Snowcatcher often may have already seen some of my lavender garden wildlife, both real and AI.

My 2025 calendar is comprised entirely of AI images of the animals who have traipsed through my yard (but refused to pose), as well as a few critters I've seen evidence of and a couple who could have visited but left no trace.

I just wish this baby could be a scratch-and-sniff! Can you imagine the wonderfully calming fragrance of these lavender fields?!?

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