Super Secret Project Revealed

Super Secret Project Revealed

Ravelry Page

The secret is no longer a secret!  I gave Mom the afghan on her birthday, and she was thrilled.  This was such a massive project for me.  It was 320 3.5" crocheted blocks, (46 black blocks, 100 letter blocks and 174 white blocks).  I chose the names of the immediate family, Mom, Dad, their kids and spouses, grandkids and spouses, great grandkids.  With 174 blank blocks, there will be room to add more great grandchildren, one of which is due to arrive in August and is yet unnamed.

The party was the following Sunday.  I believe it went very well.  The afghan was on display, per Mom's request.  The party was not a surprise for Mom, but the decorations and guests were kept from her.  We based the decorations around her favorite pastime, working crossword puzzles.  I took most of my inspiration from a blog, I found, Invite and Delight.  I made the pinwheels attached to pencils and placed in mason jars for center pieces.  Everyone had a crossword puzzle they could fill in called "Do You Know Geri?".



I designed a cake top puzzle with Happy 80th Birthday Geri embedded.     Everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves.

Many people came from out of town.  Many she hadn't seen in quite a while.  I had asked that everyone invited bring or send a birthday card.  We gave them to her in a nice box.  She said there was around 75 cards.

After the party, we went back to the house.  We had bought her a porch swing, so we just relaxed in it and enjoyed the beautiful weather.  All in all, she seemed very pleased with her party and gifts.  I'm so glad.  I fretted over every detail with a lot of doubting moments.



Since that is now over, I picked up the knitting needles and started to learn how to make a blanket.  I found a very nice YouTuber, Gina of Brownie Knits, who is designing and conducting a blanket along through her channel and Ravelry group.  I have learned so much, and I think I'm actually getting the hang of it.  Yes, there are mistakes, but that is what learning is all about, right?

Ms Lisa Yates was kind enough to gift me the HandBrake Cowl pattern designed by Dan and Kay Jones of the Bakery Bears podcast.  100% of the proceeds from the sale of this pattern will go to cancer research.  Once I get my hands on the proper size circular needles, I'll cast on.  It will be my first project of knitting in the round!

 

Spring has sprung and the dogwoods are gorgeous.  They are everywhere!  It seems that every home has a dozen trees planted all in a row.  When the flowers started to shed, the wind would blow them through the air, causing a blanket of blossoms.  So pretty!  Later the maple trees shed their whirligig seeds.  There seem to be as many seeds as blossoms from the dogwoods.  They were everywhere, including in the house.  They tracked in so easily.