Easter Prettifications

Something that I've always found just a teensy bit irritating is the way that magazines are out of sinc with real life months. So for example, the magazines that land on your doormat in early March are labelled April and are full of chit chat about things happening a whole month away. I am really, really not that person who can get giddy for Christmas at the start of November, or think about Easter a whole month in advance. I am much more of a Here and Now girl, living in the moment and just about able to think a week ahead at the most.

My current solution is to stash my two favourite seasonal magazines when they arrive, leaving them wrapped in their plastic so I'm not tempted to peek. I place them gently on top of my teetering to-do pile which sits precariously on my desk just to the right of my computer and I leave them for a good few weeks until I feel ready for them. It takes some doing, it's not easy to leave them alone, but I find that the very act of waiting gives me a bizarre amount of pleasure during the three weeks that they sit there staring at me.

This week I finally felt ready to think about Spring (it was the Spring Equinox that nudged me) and with Easter happening this weekend I thought it would be a good time to take a walk in Magazine Wonderland. First up is April Country Living, one of my most beloved indulgences (I've been a faithful subscriber since 1998).

Summer magazines are my most favourite, but Spring comes a close second best.

I am such a sucker for these nature-inspired styling photos, they are always so inspirational and make me want to jump up instantly and do something to prettify my home for the season.

There are always some lovely little decorative ideas and easy makes in these 'Seasonal Styling' sections....

.....oh those butterfly eggs!! So simple, but oh so pretty and majorly appealing (the butterflies are temporary tattoos, so clever! Filing that idea away for another time).

These are the 'Seasonal Looks' pages from April Country Homes magazine. I adore these particular pages every month and spend an age scouring the images and taking in every single detail. There is always a small-print section at the end which is essentially a huge long shopping list, telling you where you can buy every item and how much it costs.

The interiors are of course completely over-styled, over-thought and more than a little bit fake....

....but it doesn't stop me swooning over the gorgeousness of it all.

If I work at zooming my mind outwards and away from every minute detail in these images, it's possible to get an overall feel for the season by taking in just the colours. It's a very useful exercise for me as a lot of what I do in crochet is inspired by seasonal colours, and I really enjoy the challenge of seeing images in this way. Try it for yourself - see what colours come to you from the above photos, and focus on how they make you feel. They are light and dreamy, dusky pale pinks and soft duck egg blues, chalky whites and soft greys but there are pops of bright colour too (that mustardy-lime colour, wowsers). They make me feel relaxed and happy, and inspired too.

Here in my own home, things are much the same as they always are at this time of year. Colours aren't so much soft and dreamy as bright and breezy here in the Attic.

I fetched down the Easter Box from the Attic Eaves on Monday, I had Little B home from school with a rocket-like temperature so he was my willing assistant. I'd quite forgotten about the Mini Chicklets from last year {pattern on my blog}, it was surprisingly lovely to see them again.

I've got fancy daffodils on my table this week, all flouncy and twiddly in the centres. The deep orange is a really stunning colour, but the best thing about these daffs is the scent - oh I wish you could smell them! The essence of Spring right there in my jug. I've been sat at the table a lot this week (fighting the low grade stress that arrives with a poorly, feverish child), writing lists in my planner and quietly knitting my sock whilst breathing in the scent of these lovely flowers. It's been peaceful, in an oddly stressy kind of a way. By the way, Little B is back at school today, still a  bit wobbly but at least his body is no longer on fire. Thank goodness our Easter Holidays start tomorrow (yipppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee).

Little B and I set to work with Easterifying the mantel on Monday, the Spring version of my Christmas efforts. It's a rather shambolic, haphazard approach to be honest, a weeny bit chaotic (hang ALL the decorations, fill EVERY single branch!) but I love, love, love it. 

Most of the felt Easter decorations are as old as Little Man (13), I bought the funny little felt birds and painted wooden eggs from eBay and made the felt flowers. You can just about see that the little crochet blossom flowers are back on my twigs for Spring, I made them four years ago {pattern in this post}.

In the Easter Box there was an assortment of little decorations made by the Little People over the years, so sweet to see them all again. Funny little paper chicks, decorated eggs, things stuck with glitter, and this cute little Easter Basket made by Little B when he was a tiny toddler at playgroup. The knitted sheep in the pink knitted woolly jumper there, well she was hand knitted, by ME. Yes Me!!!! I knitted a little sheep!! More about that particular adventure with the sticks coming soon, I bet you can't wait eh? Baaaaaaaaa!

Other seasonal goodness this week has included buttery toasted Hot Cross buns (essential stress relief you understand)....

....and the finishing up of my Cupcake blanket. Finished, it is indeedy, and I do love that the colours are very In Season and just right for March. And April.

I shall be taking it to Dorset with me next week, with my fingers crossed for good weather and good photographic opportunities.

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 ps the Cupcake yarn pack will be available from my shop at Wool Warehouse on Monday 18th April. As always, I'll be sharing a full ta-dah moment here on my blog which will include a tutorial for the new Linen Stitch edging as well as the full colour sequence for the cupcake stripes. Not long to wait :)

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Lynda]

Blue sky in Weymouth today,hope you have a lovely weekend in Dorset with your family.Glad to hear you are feeling better,your blog is so inspirational to everyone!
Can't wait to crochet your new Cupcake blanket roll on April! Xx

[Holly]

I love the wee sheep!! I do the same things with magazines - stock piling the seasonal ones to pull out when I am ready to think about them.

[Charlotte]

About 5 years ago my daughter made a basket with beautiful eggs for me. Since we have moved I cannot find it. I always put it on our dining table, so I am trying to make some mini chiclets to take it place. Have leftover yarn from some of your blanket kits. Your home looks very spring like and ready for Easter. Maybe I can make the deadline for Sunday as all of my children & grandchildren will be here. Happy Easter to you and your family.

[Dawn]

Love those gorgeous yummy colours on your new blanket Lucy. Looking forward to the post about it. Hope our Dorset weather brightens up for your stay - currently not so good but hopefully the sun will reappear next week! Your posts and photos are so inspirational, thank you. Dawn

[Emma F]

Have a lovely Easter! Your home always looks loved and welcoming. I haven't got any Easter decorations really, we tried to make some last year but it didn't go well! So I have to live vicariously through the more ordered lives of other people (I honestly forget about Easter every year!).

[CJ]

So glad Little B is on the mend. We are very ready for the Easter break as well. I know exactly what you mean about magazines. It's especially annoying with gardening magazines when they're so far ahead. I write for a little local magazine which goes to press during the first week of the month and is out around 15-20th of the month, so March's issue came out just a few days ago. It's how it should be I think. Wishing you and yours a lovely Easter Lucy. CJ xx

[Robin Summers]

I really love this post! My two favorite magazines that I subscribe to religiously are Crochet! and Country Sampler. I love them both for different reasons. Like you I don't like reading or celebrating a whole month early. That is so crazy. I have been enjoying my little bit of gardening this year as well. Waiting for them to blossom is always so much fun. Normally I am a bright color girl but I really am liking your cupcake blanket. That will be a fun one to do. Lots of love and hugs to you Lucy!!

[clare]

This is my favourite time of the year I love Spring and Easter more than Christmas, I put the Easter decs up today including a new bunny bunting and my wreaths back in Spring mode with a few additions have a wonderful Easter holidays.

[Susan Smith]

Oh Lucy, what a lovely cheery post. I too love those 2 mags, although here in Oz they are 2months behind and I try not to buy them as much as I used too. My favourites at the moment are both Landscape and Landlove and also some of the English crafts magazines. I'll being waiting for your Cupcake pack to come on sale and definitely buying it. Thanks, have a lovely Easter and take care.

[Kyle]

I want that sheep!!!!!!!!

[Izzy]

I cant get enough of the jelly jars with eggs in them, they are so cute .. I currently have a few of those jelly jars filled with lemon drop candies..

[Georgia Wilkinson]

Happy Easter! We are not celebrating ours until May as that is the Orthodox Easter. But we are enjoying sharing everything with friends. I have just found your blog and am rediscovering the joy of crochet. My Cypriot Granny taught me the traditional art of lace crochet when I was about 5. I fought and won against breast cancer 2014 and during the treatment I created a lovely crochet bed spread. I am now making blankies for neo natal units locally. Love your colours and look forward to seeing you at Yarndale. Just booked for the whole week in Skipton.

[Sue Francis]

Lucy I don't know how else to contact you.
I'm having a crisis-- I spoke to you and bought your lovely lilacy blanket kit at Yarndale, I've saved it till now to do on my Easter holiday break in Wales-- I've got the wool all safe but I can't find the pattern. Aaaaaaaaaagh!
Is there any way you could possibly send it to me.
Please , please please😕😕😕😕😕😕
Sue
XxxxxxX

[Petra Baker]

Happy Easter, Lucy and family, hope you have a good break! Just love your crochet journey and your Easter decorations are simply fantastic😊. Looking forward to seeing your blanket in full glory

[Teresa Kasner]

❀.•❤•.✿.•❤ Happy Easter! ❀.•❤•.✿.•❤

I thoroughly enjoyed all your Spring-y photos and sharing your magazines with us.. and LOVE the colors in your new blanket.

((hugs)), Teresa :-)

[Rae]

Happy Easter Lucy x Love your mantelpiece display and I'm with you re the magazines having articles so early on, in fact I refuse to buy any of them with Christmas articles in as I just don't like looking at them once the season is over. Please give my love to Dorset hopefully it won't be too long before I visit there again.

[Tracy 🌷]

I so agree with you about the magazines, it's even worse when you subscribe to them as they seem to come earlier than in the shops. Love the decorations every year I say I'm going to do Easter decorations and then Easter is here and I have done nothing about it.
Can't wait for your new kit to go into Wool Warehouse, you really have inspired me to embrace colour, Something I have struggled to do in the past.

[Adaliza]

Happy Easter - I decorated a crazy willow branch from my crazy willow tree a couple of days ago - spray painted it pastel pink and now it has tiny chicks nesting in the branches and some pretty glass hanging eggs - wish I could remember where I got them from! The blanket looks very Spring-like and cup-cakey!! A

[Elizabeth]

Lovely decorations Lucy, thank you for sharing.

I subscribe to several, and I do mean several, British magazines. They include the two you featured and several others. They are all done so well compared to our American issues. It's such a treat to look forward to reading them every month.

Glad to hear Little B is feeling better. Enjoy your Easter break (and take lots of pictures for us).

[Jenny]

I am in the middle of crocheting a Easter chick I have happy memories as a child on a Easter holiday seeing fluffy day old chicks a host of golden daffodils sudden snow shower necessitating a roaring log fire .
Singing in Church sharing the joy of "The Lord is risen ! " He is risen indeed " Chocolate eggs oh and a new egg cup with a decorated boiled egg complete with egg cosy and toasted fingers of bread. Daffodils tulips primroses violets. pussy willows and catkins decorating the house .Miniature Garden tomb. for Sunday school.
I wonder what every one else makes and enjoys at this special time.

[Estella]

You just inspired me to take out more of my easter goodies. I treated myself to a vintage ceramic bunny sitting up at a country shop last weekend but there is more stuff to take out. I love your magazine pictures. Thank you for showing. Your mantel screams Easter and your completed blanket looks beautiful! Can hardly wait for your upcoming pictures. Thanks for posting!

[Grace Horton]

Love the Spring of your home...and that yarn....gorgeous.

[Jill]

You sound as if you're nearly back to normal, health wise, Your enthusiasm is shining through.
I have the opposite problem with Country Living UK, by the time I see them it is a month late! The bookstore here in the states will have the March edition in April. I love it anyway, late or not.
Your lovely Easter decorations have inspired me to pull out my bits and bobs and get the house decorated.
Any Connievan trips planned?
Thanks for the eye candy.

[Alison]

Feel inspired to get down my own Easter stuff even though the weather now here in Dorset is grey, cloudy and cold (just for a change) never mind we can make it all springy inside!

[Carol]

Love the Easter mantelpiece. Very colourful. I am about half way joining the squares in the Harmony granny Square blanket. Love the Palma Violet colour. In some lights it looks grey, but in others it is a delicate lilac. Beautiful.