Friday 7 February 2014

A Snowless Winter's Tale

This year the snowbird who, (as we all know!), brings the first flakes of spiralling snow that change the landscape from dull, wet winter grey to a magical white winter wonderland seems to have passed the UK by, (or she's passed my bit of it by, anyway), and decided to stay across the Atlantic instead. I miss her and the snowflakes she usually brings. So I have had to make do and construct one myself, complete with hooky snowflake, of course.


She is based on the pictures of Attic 24's gorgeous Bower Bird that Lucy posted about here. I think my proportions are a bit out - she has a very long beak for a start, but I like her. And I particularly like her glassy bead wing and tail-feather adornments and her iridescent blue eyes.


Here she is looking for a roost, using my new hooky doily as a launch pad ...


This is my first (and probably last) crochet doily from a beautiful pattern called Winter''s Breath by Denise Augostine Owens which you can find on Ravelry here. I love the result but I am not really patient enough to crochet with such fine thread and such a thin hook, so I think it will be a one-off.




This is my snowbird's final roosting place on the wire tree that holds notes and reminders in my study, among some hooky snowflakes. All the snowflakes come from this book apart from the one the snowbird is holding in her beak which I invented myself . The bigger ones are hooked in DK weight mercerised cotton on a 4mm hook so have come out quite large but after the doily, I couldn't face using the thin thread and hypodermic-needle-diameter-hook combo again.


My snowbird seems quite at home here. And I prefer her and the hooky snowflakes to the reminders and "to-dos" that have been evicted to make room for her.




Outside it's not snowy, it's just "water, water every where, nor any drop to drink" as per The Ancient Mariner.

This is not a lake, or even a pond; it's a field. Quite close to where I live. Not as bad as on the Somerset Levels but the water here and elsewhere is making driving "interesting" / impossible and there are sandbags this evening down the road in case what is currently lapping around the feet starts rising more alarmingly.





But even if there is no snow, there are snowdrops to pick and put on the kitchen windowsill.



Wishing you all a happy (and safe and dry) weekend, 
with or without snow, depending on where you live.

E x

25 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing. Love the doily and the photos of snow drops. Here in Minnesota we have mountains of snow and luckily later in spring we will have snow drops in our backyard. They will tell us winter is finally over.

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  2. The little beaded snow bird bird is beautiful, but that doily......oh that doily! I said last week that you had come on a-pace in the last 18mths, but this is something else. Have you worked that from a written pattern or a diagram? It looks absolutely amazing :) x

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  3. Oh my goodness that bird is delightful, I love how you embellished it, it is just perfect. And love your doily, you have done a great job with it.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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  4. The bird the snowflakes and the doliy they are all so gorgeous, I'd love a bit of the white stuff instead of all this rain and the terrible gales, my heart goes out to those flooded, keep dry !!
    Clare xx

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  5. Your Bird is truly beautiful indeed. The beading adds sparkle to him. Love all the lovely snowflakes and doilies. Beautiful work. Hugs Judy

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  6. Dear E
    What a lovely wintry decoration and the bird is gorgeous! Your snowflake doily really was a labour of love, but congratulations, because it was worth it.
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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  7. I have a Polar vortex you can have! It's the snowiest winter I can remember here in Michigan. My kids have missed 7 days, one more than is allotted, so they will have to make a day up at the end of the year. I enjoyed your birdie and seeing the snowdrop flowers. So pretty. I don't think I've ever seen one. Flowers in winter? Not here : (

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  8. Oh the misery of these floods. And I am totally thrown by the fact that we never seemed to get Winter at all. Just wet and grey. Odd and somewhat depressing. Your snow tree is the perfect solution!

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  9. Here in Tokyo we are getting our first snow and its a big one. Still more than 12 more hours of snow expected and we have a foot of snow on the ground after about 20 hours of snow already. I'm wondering if school will be open on Monday. Helen

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  10. A beautiful doily and the bird is magnifico! Love her pale colors. She is perched on her tree looking very content. A pretty Addison for your home.

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  11. lovely, lovely doily. Well done you. I love your winter coloured snowflakes. We too have no snow in the South West. Meh.
    But oodles of spare water.
    x

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  12. Just saw your Ravelry link and got the answer to my question :) x

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  13. Snowdrops hurrah!!
    ... and a Snow bird to watch over them, I love your snow bird and I love the proportions.... tres elegante....
    bestest Daisy j x

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  14. LOVE the idea of your snowbird! And congratulations on the doilies - I would certainly never have the patience. You are always full of creative, colourful and pretty ideas.

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  15. She's adorable, and I love the setting with the snowflakes -- lovely! Your water shot of the ripples is very nice as well. Stay warm! We'd be happy to send your snow back to you from over here :)

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  16. Hope you're still dry. Even here on the dry side of the country we have flooded roads and fields and count our blessings that we aren't in Somerset. It feels very strange that we've had no proper winter - I wonder if it's still to come!

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  17. I love your charming bird. We had about 1 1/2 inches of snow here a couple of weeks ago, and it resulted in two days off from school! I love the snow, too, and miss the dearth of it in the South. We've had gray, wet weather, too, and I'm beginning to look forward to spring. My daffodils are already popping up.

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  18. I LOVE it all!! The whimsical bird is just magical! The tree really speaks of possibilities with the changing seasons. Your snowdrops are gorgeous too. Like I said, I LOVE it all!

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  19. The bird is beautiful! But WOW! The doily is just exquisite!!!!

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  20. Goodness gracious I love this bird. The soft colors of winter, the embellishments and that snowflake...perfect, E! Stay dry and safe, please. :-)

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  21. Il tuo snowbird è adorabile ma anche il centrino è bellissimo!
    Quest'anno l'inverno è più che strano, anche in Italia piove, piove ...
    Bye, bye Elli

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  22. Hi stunning as always Elizabeth love the tree hugs x

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  23. Wow, wow, wow! I love your snowbird, doily and snowflakes!! ♥ Thanks for the doily pattern :-)
    Greetings, Nata

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  24. Sorry, I meant "doily pattern link" :-). Thanks as well for your kind comment on my Valentine's heart! Today there are two nwe ones by a pattern of Linda('s Crafty Corner), maybe you'll like them, too :-)

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  25. Your snowbird is beautiful, and so are your snowflakes. She flew past this city briefly on Tuesday to bring a sprinkling of snow. Unfortunately it didn't last but maybe she'll be back soon (it is really cold now). Cx

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