BOOKMARKS AND A DISHCLOTH, TOO!

We have been having beautiful, warm, Spring-like weather this week!  It has been wonderful that the children have been able to get outside and play.  They've been jumping on the trampoline, writing in our driveway and sidewalk with chalk, and even picking flowers for me!  I found out I have some crocus growing in the backyard, and I didn't even plant them!  Should I be thanking the birds?  I do want to dig the patch of crocus up, though, and move them to my garden area since they are just growing wildly in the backyard.  They'll get trampled!

  I have been crocheting these bookmarks since last month.  They are a bit time-consuming because every row alternates the two colors.  So I crochet a row, leave a length to work into the fringed end, cut it and start the other color for the next row.  But the effect really is beautiful.  The first one I crocheted with #10 cotton thread, but the last three (red, purple, and turquoise) are crocheted in a #8 perle.  They are about half the size of the one worked up in the #10.  I like both sizes, though.

I plan on keeping the burgandy and cream bookmark since it was my first one.  I figure I should keep something that I make!  Don't you agree?  The red one was made for my partner in the February round of the CLBMX (hope it has arrived by now, Kurt!).  The purple one is for my daughter Jessica (it still needs to be blocked), and the turquoise one will be for my daughter Kelley.  I still haven't finished that turquoise one, but perhaps tomorrow will be a good time to work on it as I'll be waiting in the hospital as hubby has back surgery to fuse two discs in his neck/shoulder area.  If you're interested in finding this pattern for yourself, this pattern can be found in the no-longer-published magazine "Crochet With Heart", February 1999.

Last week I received this lovely puffy from Claudia D. from the DishclothsRUs yahoogroup.  I love using this dishcloth, and I'm really looking forward to making the afghan featured on one of the free pattern sheets that Claudia sent to me.  It looks so cozy!  Not to be overlooked, look at the adorable crocheted butterfly ornament she made!  I love that!  I am familiar with this pattern as I love to make this pattern myself when I want to make a butterfly.