Last minute Easter crochet

Pattern: Crochet Egg Cups by  Yarn Plaza

Pattern: Flower & Bird Wreath by Petra Herrmann.

Pattern: Easter Egg Cozy by me.

Pattern: Valentine's Sweet Heart by Attic24.

Pattern: Darling Crochet Flower by me.

Pattern: Little Chirpy Chicks by Moji-Moji Design.

Pattern: Baby Bunny by Crochet Objet.

Pattern: Crochet Egg Cosies by Annemariesbreiblog.

Easter really sneaked up on me this year. I'm not prepared. Are you? Maybe it is because today is the last day of school before Easter break and tomorrow it is Good Friday... Oooops!

My Easter traditions are very simple and there has been years when I've totally forgotten about the decorations and all that... It seems like Easter is that type of holiday that ALWAYS sneaks up on me from nowhere. A day or two before Good Friday I realize I want to paint eggs, organize an egg hunt for the kids and prettify my home in pastels and with flowers.

We are going away on a road trip to Provence, France next week so the flower part I've skipped this year. No need to buy spring flowers when going away for 10 days. I'll get to it when I get back. But I will dress some twigs and small branches put in a vase, preferably with feathers. I will take out my Easter Egg Cozy that I made last year in the last minute. And I would love to make some Crochet Egg Cups and Egg Hats, just because they are so darn cute!!! Maybe hook up a Darling Crochet Flower garland and a doily for a daffodils in a pot. Yes, daffodils for sure. Maybe I can find some that already are in full bloom and enjoy them over the weekend just. You know, just to get the feel of it.

However, I am out in the last minute and I don't have that much time, do I? Therefor I surfed the internet this morning for inspiration and patterns and there were SOOOOOO MANY. I've collected a few inspirational pictures and links in this post for those of you who are just like me: "Is Easter tomorrow??? Really??? But I haven't prepared anything." Lets make some Last Minute Easter Crochet, shall we? I guess the bunny will take more than just a couple of hours, but it is so cute I just have to share it anyway. Please share with me on Instagram @myrosevalley. I will share there too.

Happy Easter Crochet Makings!

Kärlek
Annette

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PhD in Teenage Motherhood anyone?

It isn't always easy to be a teenager. Nelly Bo is not an exception. No, I would say she might be rather the opposite. She is deep into it. A little too smart for her age and a big, deep thinker... There is the thing of finding your identity, finding the right bunch of friends, how to handle relationships, how social interaction works, body image issues, boys, girls, siblings, parents, life, parties, music, alcohol, independence, sex, future, past, where do I come from, growing up, menstruation, pimples, fashion, image and of course SCHOOL and what am I gonna be when I grow up? I mean this is only the tip of the iceberg right?

Being a teenage mother forces me to pull out every inch of understanding, patience, goodness, tough love, empathy, youth, maturity, clear communication skills, just enough control and at the same time the ability to let go, an open mind, listening and not interfering, interfering and taking action. Handling the quick swinging motions between emotional break downs and euphoric laugh attacks. It is exhausting. And often I feel helpless, hopeless, unsure and confused. Teenage parenting is super fast one second and slow the next. Decisions are made in an instant, there are no preparation for what is coming next. Or not. It just happens. Right there and then. And it needs to be dealt with. Right there and then.

I find it to be so true when people say: "Small children - small problems, big children - big problems". (Although I would like to swap the "problems" to "challenges". It just sounds better...) Because small children requires our care and nurturing that comes natural for us. We just need to meet basic needs. With bigger children we suddenly have to start to discuss, explain, negotiate and guide which takes so much more effort. What do you say to a 16 year old who wonders what the purpose of life is? I mean THAT is a deep conversation to have right? Compared to "Mama, boh boh on my arm. Uuuueeehhhh!!! Can you kiss the pain away???"

Anyway. I'm loving every minute of it. Or actually that is a lie. Let me re-phrase that. With a helicopter view I'm loving every minute of it. When zooming in on this particular phase of parenthood I'm wondering if I can really pull this off? I mean, don't you need a PhD in Teenage Motherhood to do this right? I don't know, I feel a bit lost, like I'm out on deep water where my feet can't touch the ground anymore... Hopefully I will find my way back into shore... And hopefully she will be there safe and sound right next to me. No one makes me laugh harder then her. Love her to the moon and back. Of course.

Kärlek
Annette

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Walking the paths and a Swedish Cream Cake recipe

The weather has been totally bonkers lately with unpredictable mood swings up and down. And so my back seem to have joined this erratic behaviour as well. After last weeks great progress, I must have overdone it in pure euphoria later on and have been suffering great pain in my lower back for about a week. I'm so disappointed to be sent all the way back to square one after months of careful recovery exercises to meet my goals of a life without pain.

It is surprising how pain instantly sends me into a dark place of lethargy and loss of energy. Fatigue and lack of motivation do anything. Do we really need to eat? Why even bother to vacuum? Washing clothes? Really? Why even do anything today? Hopefully this will be over soon and my creative juices and energy levels will flow all back in like high tide.

Anyway, pain and bitter mumbling aside, I've been taking long walks in rain, wind , snow and sunshine. Because long walks is the only exercise I can do without hurting. I most often listen to Swedish Radio or podcasts and take my time to spot spring flowers, bugs and hairy cows. My daily walks have turned into great moments of "me-time" where everything is put on hold (clutter, dust bunnies, laundry piles and other boring chores and has to's) and I am able to just be in the moment. I love my walks. The naked trees stretching out towards the sky. Snowdrops spotted by the creek. Wood in rows, bee hives soon to be awakened...

A birthday tea party at my house with my dear Swedish girlfriends lightened up my week. We meet up too seldom. We need to talk more, laugh more, hug more and meet up more. So little time and so much chatter. So much love, coffee and Homemade Swedish Cream Cake with Berries. I had two pieces. Who can resist?

I have also been sort of creative. I started the joining process of my crochet patchwork project, bumped into first one problem and then another. I'll tell you more about that later. A while ago I finished the blue Olivia's Shawl. A project that was started in excitement and finished with deep disappointment... Using a 4ply sock yarn was not a great idea... The shape is odd, it wraps weirdly around my neck and it only looks good on pictures. Well oh well, I learned my lesson alright. This shows how an alternative yarn choice can put a pattern havoc. Lesson learned is: Always use the type of yarn recommended by the pattern. Or is this really a lesson learned? Last year I failed the Granny Cardigan doing the exact same thing if I remember it right... So silly. I never really learn do I?

So... things are what they are. The sun is shining and I'm going to hang some laundry outside to dry. Check my flower beds for spring bulbs shooting through and maybe, just maybe, I'll get around to tidy the house for the weekend. Or not. In the end I'm the only one who cares. The rest of the family are just as happy no matter what the mess looks like. There is something to learn from that, don't you think? Happy Friday my lovelies!

 Swedish Cream Cake with Berries

4 eggs
200 ml sugar 😳 (I know... but it's really good!)
100 ml white flour
100 ml potato flour
2 tsp baking powder.
250 ml full cream
200 g fresh raspberries
200 g fresh blueberries

Instruction:

1. Whisk eggs and sugar until fluffy and creamy white, a good 5 minutes or more.

2. Mix flour, potato flower and baking powder in a bowl and gently fold into egg mix until smooth.

3. Bake in breaded cake pan in the middle of oven for 30 min in 175C/350F.

4. When sponge is cool, whip the cream (no added sugar) until fluffy but not too stiff or too runny.

5. Splat (Yes! 😜) whipped cream on cake top with ignorance (the more imperfect the better!)  

to cover top and let drip down on sides.

6. Sprinkle with even greater ignorance, your berries on top.

Enjoy!

🎂🎂🎂

Kärlek
Annette

FOLLOW  My Rose Valley HERE:

Feeling like a million bucks!

Photo: Freerangestock

Mr Pain, I can beat you!!! I will not allow you to abuse my body anymore. I will not have you dominate my life, limit my actions or ability to move and do the things I love to do. No longer will I be a slave to your manipulation. You might be there, but you don't own me. I own you. I'm in charge.

Today I proved to myself that I am in control. That I can live without you. It took me 3 months of hard work, determination and perseverance. Going to the gym, stretching and facing the fear of you every single day. Often you've been there, right up my face. Staring at me with your angry eyes. Making me feel small, scared and helpless. Wanting to give up. But I stood up to you. I took a deep breath and held my head up high. Pushed you to the side and did it anyway. I faced the fear. Held on to the steering wheel navigating towards my set goals.

Today I did the skipping rope. And not just that. I did double unders. And not just that. I was fierce. I mean, like a machine did I put hundreds of double unders behind me! I felt so strong. Nothing could stop me. I finished today's gym challenge with huge margin before all the others. And I cried. Of happiness. Of relief. Of exhaustion. That I can do this. I defeated you Mr Pain.

#idefeatedyou

#feelingstrong

#beingkindtomyself

#feelinglikeamillionbucks

Kärlek
Annette

FOLLOW  My Rose Valley HERE:

Feeling sentimental, feeling hopeful, feeling grateful, feeling love...

Spring, dear spring.
How I long for your presence.
Fill my trees with blossoms in the most delicate shades of pink.
Make the meadow green, lush and wild.
Let me hear the buzz from the busy bees, spot a bumble bee for the first time.
Bring bird song to my early mornings and warming sunlight when I go outside.
Give we a light breeze to dry my laundry.
Give me hope that our universe won’t get defeated by humans' need to consume and abuse the world and its resources until there will be nothing left...

Spring, dear spring.
Let me run around bare feet over the fields, remembering the joy of small things and adventures as they were when I was little and innocent, curious and pure.
I crave an honest life.
I crave simplicity.
I crave the moment I’m in.
Most of all I crave the feeling of love from what matters most in my life.
My children.
The next generation.
Our next spring.

Spring, dear spring.
I love you so.

Kärlek
Annette

FOLLOW  My Rose Valley HERE:

Crochet patchwork inspiration

@attysloveforcrochet

Left: @gremlincrochet     Right: @brightredcherries

@aliciapaulson

Left: @attysloveforcrochet    Right: @indiblue_makes

@attysloveforcrochet

Left: @carryoncrochet     Right: @lecosedinonnamariella

My own crochet patchwork WiP.

Hi my lovelies. Today I want to share a post full of colorful crochet inspiration. At times I can see a wave of trends sweep over my Instagram feed: there was the V-stitch blanket wave, multi stitch blanket wave, woven stitch wave, embroidery on crochet fabric wave etc. For a while now  I've spotted these wonderful, beautiful, extraordinary crochet patchwork projects on Instagram. I guess technically every granny square blanket is considered a patchwork as it is made from blocks sewn together, but when I talk about crochet patchwork I refer to the creations that are more of a fusion between a classic patchwork block design and crochet. If you are a quilter you know exactly what I'm talking about (Ohio star blocks, Jack's chain blocks, Tumbling blocks, Pinwheel blocks). When you mix these two fiber arts together - WHIZZZ! - you will get a fabulous fun CROCHET PATCHWORK creation.

The technique has been around forever but as I'm working on my own little patchwork crochet project for the moment, I've discovered I'm not alone in this fun creative journey. You know the phenomenon of buying a purple car and suddenly there are purple cars everywhere, although you never saw them before? Just like that, kind of.

I've collected some of my favorite inspiration sources here today. Find more inspiration searching hashtags like #crochetpatchwork #patchworkcrochet #crochetquilts on Instagram. And visit the ladies I've featured above. They all got wonderful feeds. Now I'll pour myself a cup of coffee and continue playing with my pieces. Can't wait to get started with the joining process. So excited. Are you tempted yet? I'm having so much fun with my project. It is the most fun I've had in ages to be honest. You should give it a try.

Note: All pictures are from Instagram feeds of the mentioned owner in the captions.

Kärlek
Annette

FOLLOW  My Rose Valley HERE: