A promise fulfilled...

Good evening, crafty friends!  Hope you all had a good Mother's Day weekend and that you're keeping warm if you're here in the UK with these freezing conditions - and for those of you in the South, I hope that the snow isn't causing too much trouble...all we can hope is that this might mean we get some semblance of a Summer this year!
Last year, I made a promise to myself that I would learn to crochet and after watching a couple of YouTube videos, I managed to make half a dozen crochet flowers!  So, when I noticed a book on learning to crochet in the book club at our village school, I thought it about time to fulfill my promise to myself and bought it.  I began last Wednesday and sat at first just making a sort of sampler, practising stitches, then soon got bored!  Flicking through the book and skipping all the beginners projects (I am a very imaptient crafter!) I found a project that I liked which it said was for "improvers"...well, "I'm improving", I thought!!  It was for a shell stitch scarf...

...the title was for a Chunky Seashell Scarf, only problem being that I only have a 3.5 needle and some double knitting wool that Mum had given me when I'd said about learning...oh, what the heck, I'll give it a go!  So, 2 balls of wool later and I have my very first crochet project - the scarf would have been longer, but I ran out of yarn...

...the first couple of rows are a bit dodgy, but I soon got to know the pattern and am quite the whizz at double treble stitches now (which is what the pattern comprises of mainly).  I plan to make a 'proper' one once I've bought myself a larger needle and some nice yarn and I hope it will grow a bit quicker than this one because of it...hubby said I was going to get repetitive stress injury because every time he looked at me I had the needle in my hand!  It is quite addictive and I found that every time I sat down for a minute, I picked it up and stitched a few rows...maybe crochet should come with a health warning?!
I have also been busy at my craft table today making cards, just to share and this is one of the creations I came up with...

...I am trying to use more colour in my projects and just love this combo of pink, orange and green.  The papers are First Edition Spring Feast, Isabella and Boho Chic and some scraps from my stash.  I love the way Tara, at Inking on the Edge, double matts her layers, so found some bright coordinating papers and when I couldn't find the colour I wanted, I turned to my trusty Promarkers and coloured the edge of some white paper instead.  I used the Saturated Canary image Boobie Love and paper pieced her top...

Colours used :

Skin - my usual combo (Satin, Dusky & Sunkissed Pink)

Hair - Light Fawn FM, Sandstone, Caramel, Cocoa, Walnut, Umber

Jeans - Light Fawn FM, Honeycomb, Pumpkin, Spice, Amaranth Red

Tee shading - Watermelon, Tea Rose

Lips and rose - Antique Pink, Waremelon, Tea rose

I added some pearls, stickles and small polka dot buttons to embellish and decorated the inside...

...I really like the finished result and am enjoying experimenting with bolder colours...I'd just like to say a big 'Hi!' and welcome to my newest follower Claudia - I have been a follower of hers for years and she makes the most beautiful card and knitted creations....if you haven't been to her blog before, it's worth a visit in my opinion!  That's it from me folks, I'll be back tomorrow with another paper creation, thanks for dropping by...crafty hugs, Lisa x

I'd like to enter my card into the following challenges :

Simon Says Stamp

A Bit O'Green

Craft Us Crazy (2nd entry)

Anything Goes with SC

Joanna Sheen Challenge

Mother's Day (female card)

Dream Valley Challenge

Mother's Day (female card)