Mid June News - Interchangeable Crochet Hook Giveaway

+ More Crochet Videos

Hello Colorful Friends!

I can’t believe it is already June. The year seems to be flying by. In mid-May, our apple orchard bloomed. I look forward to this day every year. As a visual artist, I can’t help but be inspired by the scenes outside my door.

This week, we have continued to move sheep out onto green pastures. You can watch a video here of us moving the sheep onto the pastures in front of our farmhouse. That same day, we discovered 2 new sets of twin and triplet lambs. Here’s a video of them being moved to the barns. Follow our Instagram farm account @leydenglenfarm for more sheepy content.

The newest project in my Fun with Hexagon Crochet Along Series is now up on YouTube on the One Big Happy Yarn Company channel. The new one is called BIG Hexagon Blanket and I’ve shared the How To Crochet Along Video below. Kits are available to make this oversized hexagon blanket in 50% Wool/50% Alpaca in 3 different colorways - Rainbow, Neutrals and Blues/Greens. Use this link below to get 20% off your kit of luxurious alpaca/wool yarn:

https://onebighappy.com/discount/HEXAGONS

Here’s something really special for my readers …… One Big Happy Yarn Company wants to gift a set of Sawyer Creek Crochet Hooks to one of my readers! How generous of them.

First - let’s learn a little about the incredible husband and wife team behind this gorgeous hook set. The hook set includes 5 different hooks that snap into the hand made wooden hot pink handle.

Here’s how to enter the Interchangeable Handmade Crochet Hook Giveaway……

1. Follow both ME ( @kristinnicholas ) and ONE BIG HAPPY YARN CO (@onebighappyyarnco ) on Instagram.

2. Leave a comment on my Instagram Post featuring the hooks as shown in the photo above. Deadline to enter is Friday June 16th.

On an incredibly sad note, my husband Mark’s older brother David passed away a couple weeks ago. David and his wife Debbie ran the family dairy farm — Sunbrite Farm — following in the footsteps of their Dad Norman, their grandfather George and their great-grandfather Octave. David was an amazing, hard-working and resilient guy who always had a smile on his face. His wisdom is greatly missed. This 2014 Richie Davis article from the Greenfield Recorder — On the Trail to Eden: Two Farming Brothers — profiles the working farming relationship David and Mark have shared for over 66 years along with the history of the 225 acres of hills and forest they and their ancestors farmed. If you can find the time to read it, it will give you insight into their relationship and the complexities and difficulties of farming both dairy cows and sheep. We are adjusting to life without David — his voice and spirit are there every time I drive down the hill.

Links You’ll Like….

• I got myself a battery powered mini chainsaw and I am so completely in love with it. It has a 6” blade and unlike Mark’s large chainsaw, I have no fear in using it. In fact, I’ve become a bit of a maniac cutting fallen branches for kindling next winter. Here’s the one I purchased (affiliate link). It has been so helpful pruning shrubs and trees. It’s lightweight and it comes with extra chains and two rechargeable batteries. Best thing is I don’t have to bother Mark to get out his big chainsaw to do things for me. It is very easy to use. You can watch a very helpful review over on YouTube here.

• So sad to hear that the home of Ukrainian artist Polina Rayko has been destroyed in the flood in Kherson. Here is a video (in Ukrainian) that shows the inside of the house. You can read more about Polina here.

• House and Garden UK has started a new gardening newsletter. Sign up for it here. I find so much inspiration from photos of British gardens.

• My chickens have been laying a lot of eggs so there have been eggs on our dinner plates at least once a week. Here’s a recipe for Turkish Eggs I stumbled upon that was really good and quick. Yogurt and eggs - Who knew?

• Have you discovered The Mercerie? Such beautiful crochet blankets and throws! And on-line crochet classes.

• I was quoted in an article What to Do When Your Craft Book Goes Out of Print. Sadly with the state of the publishing business, there’s a lot of authors in this boat.

• I really enjoyed this David Lebovitz podcast with Dianne Jacobs. I’ve been reading both of their blogs since the early 2000’s. Nice to hear their voices and their thoughts on food publishing, magazines, blogging, newsletters, and more. Yes - I realize I’m not a food writer but there are so many different careers/jobs that share the same skillsets and challenges. Dianne’s book Will Write for Food (in its 4th edition!) has lots of advice that writers of all genres can learn from. Check it out.

Don’t forget if you are local, I’m at the Amherst (MA) Farmers Market every Saturday from 7:30 to 1:30. Stop on by. Here’s some of my current pots in progress.

I hope your summer is starting off good!

Colorfully yours,