Book Review - 100 Lace Flowers to Crochet

I'm going through a bit of a phase of buying new crochet books at the moment. I've mastered most of the patterns in the crochet flower and motif books I already have so I was looking for something new.

I've just ordered 75 Birds & Butterflies to Knit & Crochet and it is expected to arrive on Friday.

I also have 100 Lace Flowers To Crochet which I got last week. Quite a few of the patterns are similar to patterns I have seen on the internet, but this is helpful for me, since it demonstrates how patterns can be modified, even slightly, to create a totally different effect.

The sheer number of different flower patterns in this book fascinates and overwhelmes me all at once. I'm being really good and I'm actually starting at the beginning and working through each pattern because I know that the patterns I really want to try, like the tulip, which is a 3D flower and is ever to pretty, would be too difficult for me to do straight away. I'm still relatively new to crochet, having only started it around a year ago, so there are some patterns in all of my books that I haven't done yet because I'm not experienced enough with the more complicated stitches.

Overall, this is a really comprehensive collection of flowers, quite a few of which I haven't seen anything quite like before. The book encourages you to experiment and to use your flowers in different projects, such as layering a number of different flowers to make a corsage. It also includes a number of leaves that I haven't come across before, and it demonstrates different ways of crocheting leaves, as well as all the flower patterns.

I think it's going to take a while for me to work my way through this one....

Etsy Seller Spotlight - Elements Inspired

Welcome to another post promoting one of my fellow Etsy sellers.

Today’s promotee is Elements Inspired, run by lovely Elizabeth Banks, who makes a variety of jewellery from a number of different mediums.

I completely fell in love with the necklace below, it’s something I may have to treat myself to sometime in the next few weeks..... I just love the pearls teamed with the rose pendant.

Elements Inspired carries a range of necklaces and earrings made with beads, precious stones, resin, some gorgeous metalwork, and even a felted/crocheted flower brooch or two.

There are a lot of different items spread across a number of pages so it’s well worth having a look at the shop and looking at everything she has to offer. I really do love the range of items that are available in this shop, the owner really is multi-talented. Elizabeth's love of metalsmithing comes through in her profile and in her items, such as this gorgeous ring:

Funny, I never really thought of metalsmithing as a hobby before.... then again, I recently fell in love with the idea of becoming a glass blower in Venice, but that is a whole other story.

Etsy Spotlight - Time Machine Jewelry

The second installment of my Etsy spotlight series focuses on a subject that is very close to my heart - Doctor Who.

Time Machine Jewelry makes a fantastic range of jewelry, of which the majority takes inspiration from Doctor Who (and if you don't know what Doctor Who is, shame on you!). There are some beaded necklaces in a straight Edwardian/Steampunk style, such as this beauty:

But a  lot of the jewellery is steampunk Doctor Who, which quite frankly makes me go wobbly at the knees. If I could justify the expense, I could buy so many things from this shop, such as:

http://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/129717556/doctor-who-ring-tardis-under-glass?ref=shop_home_active

Or

http://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/160608912/doctor-who-necklace-friend-of-the-doctor?ref=shop_home_active

Or

http://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/160235556/doctor-who-ring-gallifreyan-symbol-under?ref=shop_home_active

Mmmm....

Etsy Seller Spotlight - Digital Nails

This is the first of what I hope to be regular feature on this blog, in which I choose a fellow Etsy seller to promote. All that has to happen for me to like a sellers and convince me to consider promoting them on my blog is tat I have to like their products!

Today's Etsy spotlight is on Digital Nails run by Raphaelle.

Digital Nails has a mouth watering selection of glittery nail polish and nail polish in bold solid shades as well. Some of the glitter combinations I have never seen in regular shops, so next time I need nail polish (which won't be for a while as I have, like, 50 bottles already.... .

The main reason why I am promoting Digital Nails is because she names her polishes after fandoms, particularly Doctor Who, although there is some Harry Potter love (Harry <3's Ginny) and some Game of Thrones love (Red Wedding) among other fandoms. Some of my favourite names are Run You Clever Boy, Petrichor, I can Kill You With My Brain (From Firefly) and Wibbly Wobbly.

But this is the polish that made fall in love with the seller:

Named after the hypothetical love child of Amy Pond and Vincent Van Gogh (who has got to be Meryflowers's sponsor, as I use one of his pictures in my banner). I love Amy Pond and it's so cool that someone has named a nail varnish after her.... especially as she wears so much nail varnish herself.

So, if you need nail polish and you want something geeky and bit unusual, please visit Diginal Nails!