Sheila Schnauzies Sparkles: Wrapping Up The Backward Roses...

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Wrapping Up The Backward Roses...

... At least for the moment! Today I'm working on the next-to-last design, a crocheted necklace, for Series 1 of the Backward Rose... I am already planning Series 2! I have to tell you, this Backward Rose is the design of which I am the very most proud out of everything I've ever done. Why? Because I achieved my goal, to create something completely different in crocheting roses.

What I really love about designing these roses is that the petals/leaves on each pattern are just a tiny bit different. I'm eventually planning to come out with a pattern with a variety of petal designs for the Backward Rose, like modular "plug-ins" to the pattern. I think that'd be fun for everyone to be able to complete roses with their choice of petal design.

When I started this project, I thought about roses a lot, and how we have traditionally crocheted them. Here is a picture of a rose I grew years ago that finally "turned on the light bulb" for me, becoming my inspiration. Next to it is my first Backward Rose prototype. I was really pleased with the result.

On the home front, we're in our sixth week here with almost no measurable rain. A lot of my would-be crocheting time is being spent keeping my precious gardens alive! Every day it's just me and the garden hose or sprinkler, fighting an almost-losing battle to keep everything looking pretty... or at least alive! On top of that, dear husband wanted the grass to be green so I've been watering that too. The constant temps of 95º - 100+ have only made matters worse. Since we have an acre-sized yard, that's a big project! I can only cover half the yard each day.

I've just finished giving all the Miniature Schnauzer furkids their summer haircuts, and I'm sure they all feel a lot better! I'll have to get them together for a group shot.

The other day I had so much fun with my grand-dog Macie, the 7 month old German Shepherd Dog puppy! I was watering with the hand sprayer, and she decided it was fun to play in the water! Well of course I was going to encourage that! But unfortunately I came back awhile later and saw that Macie had decided to roll in the dirt afterward! She was now... "Oreo Puppy!" I snapped this picture, sent it to her Mommy at work, with the note, "You might want to pencil in some bathie time today!" She was mortified... but what happens at Gramma's stays at Gramma's, right?