An Easter Centerpiece ... DillyDally Style!

Pic from Facebook

Fresh flower centerpieces aren't really an option here in my remote corner of the planet.  You can imagine how expensive fresh flowers are ... plus, by the time they have traveled this far ... they are no longer very fresh! ;-)

In true dillydally fashion ... I have had to make do with what I have on hand!  In 2011 that meant using the trimmings from a project I was working on ... leftovers from a line of fabric called Dilly Dally!  Too fun!

Last year, my centerpiece would not stay in the basket!  Hee-hee!

Easter is almost here ... time to throw together a centerpiece ... throwing things together is the dillydally way!

How to Build an Easter Centerpiece ... DillyDally style!

• Begin with a bowl.
• Line bowl with Easter Grass (kitty wouldn't allow that) coasters that lucky for you happen to be green.

• Add knitted Easter eggs.

• Mix in some peeps.

• Yield:  An Easter Centerpiece 

Definite step up from fabric trimmings! 

The peeps won't be hopping off the table like the kitty did!  Wink!

Yep ... I consider this centerpiece an upgrade ... an accidental improvement! 

Do what you love!  Make do with what you have!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Hangin' With Some Peeps!

Peeps are such fun!  They're too sweet for me to eat ... but every Easter when they arrive on the shelves ... they just make me smile!  And I love seeing the multiple ways people have used them!  This floral arrangement just oozes with happiness!

Here in Cordova, I don't have access to the supplies I would need to make many of the ideas I come across ... so I make do with what I have.  Last year I made three peeps from wool felt ... decided to add a few to the family.

Flicka found herding peeps to be exhausting!

And then there were four peeps ... we corralled them in a bowl ... giving our shepherd kitty a break from her duties!

Flicka took particular interest in the fifth peep!

She checked to see if they were edible ... or at least good to chew on!  Fortunately for the peep, wool obviously doesn't taste good ... she spit it out very quickly!  Too silly!

After deciding that peeps have no taste ... nor do they play well ... she was happy to return to her herding responsibilities!  Yep ... more napping was involved!

And ... then there were five peeps!

It was nearly a year ago that Flicka adopted the DillyDally family!

We've had many adventures in the sewing room ... lots of nonfunsense ... and how my little wing nut has grown!  Yep ... she is my favorite peep!

Do what you love!  Hang with your peeps! Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Easter Eggs!

I didn't really give up quilting for Lent ...

... but I have been knitting!

For the second time ... I've been inspired by these two Norsemen Arne and Carlos!  You can read about my first crush on them here.  Love these guys and love the idea of hand knit Easter Eggs!  How fun!

I love their sense of whimsy.

And their polka dots!

And ... we all need a speckled egg!

And ... well ... those of you who know me ... yep, I had to design a few of my own eggs!

 OMGosh ... making knitted Easter Eggs was sooooo fun!

Cannot wait to have them as a centerpiece on my table!

Thank you Arne and Carlos ... for the fun and inspiration!  What a wonderful way to dillydally!

Do what you love!  Knit Easter Eggs!  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

A Crochet Challenge!

Last fall I picked up a crochet hook while on an overnight layover in Anchorage and made these dishcloths.  I used colors to make them into Forget-Me-Nots, Alaska's state flower.  I couldn't bring myself to use them to do dishes ... so have since decided to use them as mug mats instead.

Messed around with a few other dishcloth patterns in the book ... then put my crochet hook away.  I thought ... well, that was that!

Let me be very clear ... I am not very skilled at crochet ... I am very much a beginner.  My grandmother made beautiful lace doilies, tablecloths, and bedspreads.  My mother also loved crochet ... she made lovely and complicated afghans, pillows and other home decor items.  As a child, I was surrounded by crochet titans!  So naturally, I avoided crochet ... too much to live up to!

In January, while on facebook, I came across this photo.  I visit The Patchwork Heart blog and facebook page often!  Such inspiration!  I shared this photo on my fb page with the comment that they were the cutest coasters ever!  I love following Heather and her projects.  We are both full-time teachers, and live on the coast (she in England).  Heather's talent is amazing!  She sells her work and does special orders as well.  At some point, either on facebook or her blog she shared the pattern source for the coasters!  I couldn't resist ... I had to check it out ... you'll find the pattern link here.

My crochet skills?  Chain, single and double crochet stitches are all I am capable of. ;-)  Fortunately, that was enough for this pattern!  Let's just call it ... dumb dillydally luck!

The pattern was originally published in 1893 (I know... love it!) in a publication called Fancy Work Manual.  A designer named Sandi Marshall reworked the pattern into contemporary instructions.  I found the best source for her and her patterns on pinterest.  Here is the link, her work is impressive!

I am very much a visual learner and have always found written patterns difficult ... so naturally written crochet directions were very intimidating!  It took multiple attempts ... but I'm a dillydallier ... and we welcome challenge! ;-)

Once I got it ...

... it's been hard to stop! Hee-hee!

Gosh ... they just make me happy!  On many levels!

OMGosh ... they make me giddy!

Am feeling the urge to host a tea party!  Grandma and Mom have been smiling down from heaven, I could feel them cheering me on!  It has been a great dillydally adventure!

Do what you love.  Accept a challenge.  Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally

Poor Flicka!  Her challenge is learning knitting/crochet manners!  Yarn is just so tempting!  Too fun!

A Double Adventure Day!

I woke to a beautiful Monday ... seeking adventure ... of the dillydally sort.

At 8:00 am I decided to drive out to 7 mile for a morning walk.  I tried to get Kysa to join me ... she refused ... guess she is not a morning dog! ;-)

The trail is a straight shot to the base of this mountain.  Nice and level ... great for my knee!

Lots of moose tracks ... none were very fresh.  It was very chilly, so the snow had a strong crust and was easy to walk on.

When I was nearly there the sun had finally risen ... it felt so good!

At the base of the mountain looking towards Scott and Sheridan Glacier.

Looking toward the trail head ... Kysa missed a beautiful hike!  What a glorious way to begin the day!  It was about 50 minutes of walking on snow ... just enough challenge for my knee!

In the sewing room ... a new adventure began!  Here is the back story ...

... two years ago Bonnie Hunter inspired us with her hexagon quilt!  She has since finished it!  Seeing it live makes your heart skip a beat!

She gave us a demonstration ... shared with us how she worked on it in units ... and didn't overwhelm herself with the finished plans.  As always, her techniques were explained well and she shared tips that make it easier.  Gosh ... I admire and appreciate this woman.  If you ever have the opportunity to meet her or take one of her classes ... do it!  I like the idea of breaking things down into reasonable pieces that eventually complete a larger goal!

QBee Sara wasted no time ... shortly after Bonnie's visit she made this beautiful table topper!

Last fall, Sara taught several of us how to make a hexie project using a Sherri Fall's pattern.

I made mine into a candle mat.  I have loved hexagon quilts for as long as I can remember ... just don't really enjoy all kinds of handwork.  So after sitting on the hexie fence for what seems like forever ...

... today I took the plunge into "hexieland" ... Flicka was my cheerkitty!

Actually, Flicka was much more interested in the song birds ... they were taunting her!

First one done!

Second one in progress!  My intentions are completely unclear ... ;-) ... that is the dillydally way!  I am wading into this slowly with no expectations.  At this point, I plan to use the same solid yellow for the flower centers and floral scraps for the petals ... plans can change on a whim. ;-)

Who knew that being a "cheerkitty" was so exhausting ... she couldn't even make it through the first one without napping!  Too funny!

Found and posted on my facebook page

This was my goal today ... I nailed it!

Do what you love. Do dillydally!

Mrs. DillyDally