New hooks, new yarns, new project = Happy Hooky!!

Well, what an exciting few days it has been!! So much has been happening all at once which is lovely. The weather has been quite nice most of the time, apart from the occasional downpour, so we spent a couple of days out in the garden getting everything ship shape and tidy. Then when the weather was not so good we focused on getting the inside spotlessly clean, comfy and welcoming for some visitors.

Thursday I drove down to Cambridge to have lunch and a catch up with my youngest lad and then I drove the 3 hours home again! SO worth it tho' to see my Lovely Boy (that's what I call him! And the eldest is Big Man!) - I'd drive all night if necessary.

Friday night we were out with friends for a 21st birthday meal and yesterday was my own birthday!! Had a fabulous day, starting with breakfast in bed (thanks P!!) opening my cards, as I ate poached egg on toast and drank tea from a china cup. My cards made me laugh and cry in equal measure! SO heart-warming to be remembered and receive such lovely messages (& some not-so-lovely but hilarious references to my age!) from family and friends...... Then, since I could do whatever I chose, I did some pottering about the garden, not working you notice, some reading and quite a bit of hooking!

One set of the new hooks I had ordered had arrived and, even tho' I was so excited to use them I really was too busy until my birthday. I had also received some new yarns - how I managed to be patient is beyond me! I was itching to get started! And with new yarn and new hooks, what else can you do but start a NEW project!! I know, I have still got others to finish but hey, it was my birthday!

So out came the beautiful multi-coloured hooks with the wide comfort grips

These are so good to use! No more pressure marks on my index finger! And such good value! You can find them here if you are interested. The other set I've ordered haven't arrived yet but these are just perfect. I'll let you see the others when I get them.

So, anyway, out came the hooks and the yarn and I settled myself into the sunny conservatory with a pot of tea for a few precious hours of hooky bliss! And voila!

New project, as yet unnamed, and I LOVE it! It's just as pleasurable as rippling but in a different way. I love deciding which colour combination to do for the next square and then how to arrange them into rows. I even made myself a colour wheel by taping strands of each yarn onto a piece of card. This time I am hooking a few squares and then joining as I go which is very satisfying as I can instantly see the blanket taking shape - and I don't have a big pile of squares building up! This project was totally inspired by Kirsten @ haak maar raak who has generously shared her pattern, details of her colour scheme etc for free. Thank you, Kirsten.

I use Stylecraft Special DK for almost all of my projects which I buy online from Christine at Country Crafts. If you follow the link you will see that she has put together a pack following Kirsten's colour scheme. I already had many of the colours from other orders so I just sent for the ones I needed.

So, an afternoon of hooking bliss, interspersed with phone calls from loved ones and friends, and people popping in - just lovely. And I got these GORGEOUS new plants to brighten my days!!

Beautiful pink roses, one from each of my lovely boys! One sent from Belgium & the other bought in Cambridge - and they hadn't spoken about it! How freaky is that!  Sibling telepathy.......

 And then I got this most gorgeous, exotic creation from my dear friend J who lives just around the corner!!! What a superstar - both J and the plant!!

I feel very blessed to have great health, the love of a good man, and a really good life enriched by the most lovely family and friends. Hooking is a bonus!!!