Yesterday in the UK we celebrated Mother's Day. We hadn't made any plans for the day, preferring to wait and see what the weather was doing. We talked about possibly taking a country walk with a picnic, but deep down I secretly hoped that the weather would be grim. Cos that way I could legitimately request an indulgent day spent pleasure seeking within the warm confines of home. Wearing my pyjamas. And guess what? That's exactly what the day became, and I was so, so happy with that arrangement.
My sweet, wonderful family bought me tulips. Lots and lots and lots of tulips. This incredible sight greeted me when I walked into the room yesterday morning and I nearly fell about laughing at the scale of it all.......so so so many flowers! I had dropped some rather unsubtle hints the day before as to the exact name of my favourite, most favourite flower. Tulips I said. Not the mixed bouquets wrapped in loads of paper with loads of foliage. No, not those. Just a simple bunch of tulips. J heard the word and remembered it, only in his typical generous way he didn't seem to think that one bunch was enough (and oh it would have been, I would have been so happy with one bunch). He and the Little People came home from the shops with armfuls, and there they stand in our giant pasta pan, filling me with love and gratitude.
After the flowers and cards and hugs and kisses, I crept back to bed with a mug of coffee, my new book (Happy Home)
I love crocheting in bed, it provides such cosy comfort and pleasure.
These stripes will be the cover for my Easter Wreath. The colours are a bit strange to be honest as I am using up scraps from my stash, but as they will be mostly smothered, it doesn't matter too much.
I spent quite a bit of time in my nest yesterday. And when the Little People demanded that I came down to join them, I simply transferred my hooky activity to the Big Chair. I had a break from the stripes and made more flowers. I had a go at making some yellow forsythia flowers from this pattern, although I had to alter them to make them smaller. I then adapted that pattern to make 6-petalled blue flowers loosely resembling Glory Of The Snow.
And I made these too, which I really love love love. They turned out so well! I was inspired by the Japanese Quince flowers that grew in the garden of my previous house, they sprang forth into my memory yesterday and I just had to make some to go on my Easter Wreath.
They look especially sweet clustered together in groups of three with a little bit of greenery behind, and I'm going to be making many more clusters for my Easter wreath. They are really easy to make, very similar to my May Roses.
Would you like to make some? I've already written the pattern up for you, you can find it in the usual place in my left hand side bar, or go HERE to see.
I am sometimes a little surprised by how much of my inspiration comes from flowers, and by how much they constantly fill up my days (both the real kind and the woollen kind). I've tried many times to analyse why I love flowers so much, and it pretty much comes down to one thing :: colour. Of course. It's always all about the colour.
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I'm glad your family spoiled you! My Mums favourite flowers are tulips too, although I now feel a bit mean for only buying her one bunch!
Posted by: Kezia | March 11, 2013 at 08:06 PM
LOVE! there was a beautiful quince at the corner of the house where I grew up, and every year my Dad would threaten to cut it down 'because it's taking over the sidewalk' and every year my mother would just look at him with THAT look and he would just go and trim a few branches back every so slightly away from the sidewalk.I loved the flowers on that bush... and wouldn't you know, so did a certain bird family who built a nest in it every year!
Posted by: Cara Louise | March 11, 2013 at 08:11 PM
gorgeous Lucy.. I can't wait to see that colourful wreath. What a lovely treat those flowers were...not to mention the hooky time in bed :-) Nikki
Posted by: Nikki Relffe-Arnold | March 11, 2013 at 08:19 PM
Am glad you were spoiled! I got an orange tree which is exactly what I'd hoped for. And a splendid dinner. And help with blocking my shawls!
Looking forward to seeing your wreath. I love those quince plants, always wondered if you could make jelly with the fruit it smelled so wonderful.
Happy day!
Posted by: Jenny Grant | March 11, 2013 at 08:25 PM
Yes, I got flowers too, and forgetting it was Mothers day on Saturday I treated myself to a huge bunch of Ranunculas and 3 bunches of Daffs. I then got a beautiful bunch of amaryllis and other gorgeous bits yesterday and a lovely friend surprised me today with some tulips. So my house is filled to the brim. I wish I could justify this every week xx
Posted by: Janet | March 11, 2013 at 08:35 PM
Wow so many beautiful flowers! the tulips look great all bunched together, like the pictures I've seen of Amsterdam.
I made my mum a brooch with your crocheted daffodils on it, I think she was pleased!
I day in bed just hooking and reading and sipping coffee sounds pretty perfect, especially after today's unnecessary snow
http://ahandfulofhope.blogspot.co.uk/
Posted by: Helen | March 11, 2013 at 08:39 PM
Wow! That's a mega bunch of tulips, absolutely gorgeous! You really do need to get over and see the tulips fields!
Glad you had such a lovely day :)
Jones x
Posted by: Jones | March 11, 2013 at 08:43 PM
I love reading your blogs. I feel like I am there. I'm mesmerized by your colors.
Posted by: Gail Carroll | March 11, 2013 at 08:43 PM
What a lovely day you had. The Tulips are epic - that is the only word I can use - so many, you lucky mummy.
http://joeveryday19.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/happy-mothers-day.html
Posted by: Jo Roberts | March 11, 2013 at 08:51 PM
Such wonderful tulips - you're one lucky Mummy!
Posted by: Julie Taylor | March 11, 2013 at 08:58 PM
Well obviously I'm looking forward to the wreath but - goodness me - what an inspired use for a vase! Dare I mention a pan cosy? x Jane
Posted by: Jane | March 11, 2013 at 09:05 PM
The tulips look so beautiful. You need to come to South Lincolnshire in the next couple of months to see the fields we have here full of them! Such beautiful colours. I was also glad that the weather was a bit grim yesterday so I could also just hang out in the house and rest! Have a great week. Chel x
Posted by: Chel C | March 11, 2013 at 09:14 PM
Oh Happy Mother's Day! Your tulips are stunning! I'm planting some these days so until they bloom i'll be looking at yours. Before you said that they colors for the wreath are strange I was thinking how beautiful they are :) Do you follow a pattern or do you choose randomly? Enjoy your hooky time and those tulips...
xoxo
May
Posted by: may | March 11, 2013 at 09:23 PM
Such a well-deserved spoiling day! Those tulips are just outrageous, you are a lucky, loved lady! Thank you for the new tutorial. :)
Posted by: Thistle | March 11, 2013 at 09:31 PM
Lovely tulips, Lucy! And happy mothers day!
Kisses from Catalonia!
Posted by: cristina | March 11, 2013 at 09:31 PM
such a lovely gift for you from a very loving family.
Posted by: kate | March 11, 2013 at 10:11 PM
Such lovely lovely tulips, sounds like you had a perfect day. I spent the day snuggled up in the warm with my yarn, while the bitter winds and snow dragged us back into winter again. Love the little ditsy blue snow flowers xx
Posted by: Clare | March 11, 2013 at 10:12 PM
You make others happy with your flowers and it's lovely that your family have showered you with lovely flowers on your special day.
Blessings Gail
Posted by: gail.firenze | March 11, 2013 at 10:12 PM
Lucy, the colours in your life never fail to lift my spirits when I read your blog! I'm a very new "hooker", having been a lifelong "clicker" and always having thought I could never master the hooky thing. However, with help from my lovely friend Kathryn (who introduced me to your blog) and with the inspiration from your photos and patterns, I'm now more willing to have a go at the hooky thing and am quietly delighted at my small successes! I'm glad you got so many tulips, you deserve them x
Posted by: Jools Morgan-Jones | March 11, 2013 at 10:21 PM
Oh what a beautiful flowers, I like tulips.
I ave just fall in love with your blanket, I am definitely gonna try some day :)
Have a great week!
Lluisa x
Posted by: Lluisa | March 11, 2013 at 10:23 PM
What glorious tulips! You all are such a sweet family =-)
Posted by: DebbyMc | March 11, 2013 at 10:28 PM
Tulips are my favourite too...yours look amazing and I didn't notice they were in a pan until you mentioned it! I made my mum a daffodil broach to wear and a mug cosy too, and I really enjoyed spending my Mother's Day having some hooky time (even though my little man had me hooking to the soundtrack of the football on tv!) Glad you enjoyed your day!
Posted by: Emma | March 11, 2013 at 10:33 PM
You give so much pleasure to all of us through your blog, it was wonderful to see how your beautiful family spoiled you on Mother's Day. Yes, tulips are such special flowers. I am going through all the bulb catalogues choosing some bulbs for our Australian spring.
Posted by: Ann Caldicott | March 11, 2013 at 10:57 PM
Love your tulips!! They are gorgeous!What a wonderful family you have! We have a quince in our backyard. It is very old and doesn't produce very much fruit anymore. Have you ever had Quince Jam? It is wonderful!
Posted by: jan | March 11, 2013 at 11:12 PM
Happy Mothers Day! Your tulips are beautiful!
Posted by: Cassandra | March 11, 2013 at 11:29 PM