Yikes!

Blogging has taken a back burner to a lot of illness, crochet, outings, tiredness, and sorting.
There is still a mammoth amount to do for the move to Liverpool - (shhh I am panicking a little because I just don't seem to be making a dent in my to do list... mind I've been mostly ill since getting back, grrrr).

There's been secret fears and doubts about Hooky Delights, and just as I thought I was kidding myself on the viability of it... things start to pick up a bit.  These roses are popular:

 Freeform roses made using ribbon yarn, eyelash yarn and variegated wool.  The leaves are the traditional Irish lace leaf motif.  The pink rose is quite big, the rose itself is 9cm diameter, and from tip to tip of the leaves the entire piece is approx 18cm across.  So I bought larger broach clips, and these do look very pretty on jackets/coats.

 Continuing to play, I hooked up using blue eyelash yarn, and soya cotton, with lighter leaves this time.
This one is smaller, the rose is approx 6cm diameter.

I am currently hooking up different variations of these and will pop them in the shop

I've also designed a string bag, although it needs tweaking, and I hooked another water bottle holder:

The lampshade I'm working on, it coming along lovely, I'm currently figuring out how to make it into a globe... whether to mould it over a beachball/punch balloon.. or whether to use the willow I have to give the globe structure...

Sorry, the photos are a bit rubbish, I've just not had the energy to set up nice shots.  

And my latest WIP, this is for an Autumn/Halloween inspired make for the shop.  I was playing with pumpkin motifs, wondering if overlay crochet would work... but I'm not keen, the motifs are too small.. tho I suppose I could try using thread cotton...  Saying that I do like my little pumpkin in the bottom corner.  

There's also been entertaining Rye and Clare, I'm no longer a childminder, but her mum has become a good friend over the years, so I'm continuing to have Clare until I leave - besides it gives the kids more time together.. they are going to miss each other a lot; they have grown up almost as brother and sister, and Rye, even when he's tormenting her, loves Clare to bits.

 Wednesday evening, I met Clare and her mum down at the fountain.  The kids had a great time, and the water with the lights on looked so pretty.  I love the red, it makes the water look like flames.

 Next morning I took the kids back down to the Fountain, we went down quite early and had it mostly to ourselves.

 Yesterday, on the spur of the moment I took Rye and Clare down to the Coastal Park.  Initially it was fairly quiet, but after a few hours, it was teaming with children and parents.

 We stayed about 3 hours and then I dragged the kids away, it was getting too stressful trying to keep an eye on them in the thong of kids.... we spent the afternoon out in the garden, I sat and crocheted, while the kids played on the trampoline and in the sandbox.

Not often this happens these days...  This was Thursday, combination of late night fountain frolicking and early morning frolicking meant once Clare went home, a very tired Rye gave in and fell asleep.

And oh gosh, just how sweet is this.  It is Clare's birthday early September, and Rye has been practicing making her a card and writing in it..

This is the first piece of writing he's done where I've not written it out for him to copy, or written it in yellow for him to write over.... he just asked me how to spell Clare and Love....  clearly need to remind him what a "V" is ;-)