Bees

Spoonflower's latest design contest is called Bees. I had to enter this one. I love bees and could watch them buzzing around flowers all day the noise is so relaxing. They are so important pollinating over 80% of all fruit, vegetable and seed crops, without bees the cost of pollinating food would be so expensive many of our favourites may no longer be produced like broccoli, cucumbers, pumpkins, blueberries, watermelons, apples, cranberries, and cherries, almonds. Plus they make both honey and beeswax. Bees are decreasing so plant a few flowers for them in your garden.
The brief for this weeks contest was "Create a bee-inspired design to be previewed at the fat quarter size (21" x 18"). Deadline for entry is Tuesday, April 21st. Voting will open on Thursday, April 23rd" Here's my design called Bees Together, it matches my filet crochet chart on my website (its a free chart) called Here Come The Bees.
To see this weeks entries and vote for the designs you like the link is below. There is no need to sign in and you can vote for as many as you choose.
http://www.spoonflower.com/contest_voters_temp/new?contest_id=300
I am looking forward to seeing all the other entries.

Variegated tulip

The sun has returned, not sure for how long and this beautiful tulip seems to have appeared in the garden overnight, it has stunning red and yellow stripy petals. We got it from a variety pack of tulip bulbs that are all different, so far only this variegated one has grown, but there are more blubs starting to appear so hopefully there will be more :)

Glass Beads

 

Recently I went to the Spring Knitting and Show at Olympia, it was costly to get in (£16.00 at the door) and I think this put me off buying yarn (shock! horror! I only bought a few skeins of pure silk that were a super bargain @ £1.00 each) plus my credit card malfunctioned and the pin don't work (mmmmm...... the universe also sending me a message no more yarn buying you need to use what you have!..) So my budget was much smaller, but that was good.

I did find a very good bargain at beadtime's stand, they had nice glass beads and metal charm packs. I wish I had bought more at this stand, I only got one pink and one green glass bead pack and a couple of metal charm packs. It was only when I returned home and opened the packs I discovered how nice the glass beads were. I decided to make a necklace with the pink and some of the green glass beads. I used a pink copper 0.8mm wire I already had (bought from jewellerymaker ages ago on a large reel, it took several metres of wire to make but there's loads still left) and decided to use my one step big wire looping pliers (made by beadsmith) instead for a change. I don't know why I don't use these more, it makes looping so easy. I added a little photo how to above on using them :) I think the pink wire compliments the glass beads and am happy with the results.