A Walk in My Garden pt1.- Crochet butterflies

Today is Father's Day, Hubby wanted to be outside most of the day. So we went to the Garden Nursery and bought some flowers. The girls, hubby and I spent most of the day outside, planting flowers and just enjoying the beautiful day.

So I thought I would share my yard. Today I will focus on the front yard.This here is a flower bed that my younger brother Darren and I built. He lives in Manitoba, he came down here for a visit (years ago) and helped me build the wooden flower hanger. The flower bed is in the shape of a heart. I think of him everyday when I look at this.

This is a bird bath that I converted to a planter. The sun isn't at the right angle, sorry for that. This is in the center of the front yard. I love this.Here is a bird house that I painted years ago. My SIL Sharon knows I love birdhouses, when she would go away on a trip she would buy me a plain wooden birdhouse for me to paint. I love Debbie Mumm and Susan Branch's style and colours. I made a wall hanging from Debbie Mumm's fabric (which I can't find in town anymore) and got this idea for this birdhouse from the fabric. The birdhouse has weathered through the years but I still love it.Here is a bird feeder right beside the front door. I love to hear the little birds tweeting around during the day. What I don't like is weeding under this. The birds are so messy that I sometimes have wheat and corn stalks growing in my front flower bed, teehee.This photo here is just before you enter the side yard. I built this flower box many, many years ago. Yes I did, all by myself. I even put a decorative edge at the top of it.

The shrub and Iris's that are underneath it grew there all by themselves, I didn't' plant them :) I love when that happens. That big rock is from my hubby's gravel property. He loved it and brought it home with him. It has a red tinge to it and has sparkles in it.

Yes that is a heart cut out of my gate, cute eh? I made that little garden angel hanging underneath it. She has a birdhouse, watering can and "Welcome" sign hanging between her arms. Above my flower box is another angel, my Aunty Carol got it for me, it says "Bless My Garden" she has little bells dangling from her dress. When I water the flowers beneath her I love to ring the bells. I know its silly, but its the little things that put a smile on my face.
So that is the front yard. I will share the rest of my yard during the next few days.

Onto some crafty pleasures now.

I have been asked by a few of you on how I made my crochet butterflies.

For the first butterfly I used crochet cotton. For the smaller one I used crochet thread. They are both with the same sized hook. I put the quarter beside them to show the actual sizes.
For this one I did a single crochet in pink around the butterfly.
Here are the instructions. ch=chain, slpst=slipstitch, dc=double crochet,

Hook size=2.5

-Chain 10, slipstitch in 1st chain to make a ring.

*1st Round

- ch 3 (makes 1st dc), 2 dc in ring, ch 2, 3 dc, ch2. Continue until you have 8 sets (ending with ch 2)

-slpst in top of chain to join, slpst in dc, slpst in ch 2 space.

*2nd Round
-ch 3 (makes 1st dc), 2 dc, ch 2, 3dc, ch 2

-go into next loop 3 dc, ch2, 3dc, ch2. Continue until you have 16 sets (ending with ch 2)

-slpst in top of chain to join, slpst in dc, slpst in ch 2 space.

*3rd Round

-ch 3 (makes 1st dc), 7 dc in space

-slpst in next space,

-8 dc in next space,

-slpst in next space

- Go all around until you get to the beginning. slpst in top of ch. End.

Easy Peasy.

Then you fold the circle in half matching the edges evenly. Using flower stems, fold them in half and put through the middle of the circle.

Wrap your crochet thread, cotton, or wool around the middle of the butterfly about 15 times. Knot it twice in the back. Thread your ends through your work.

Now just admire these little cuties. I am sure you are going to be making many of these little beauties, they are addicting.

You can even use embroidery thread to make these as well.

If you can't understand my instructions, even though they are awesomely written. Check out this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHMYlC2KgX8&feature=related

Hope your weekend was a crafty one.

Tracy