I’m in the grip of another mini craze – it is such a great feeling when the tide of creativity sweeps me off on a wave of delicious delight – it’s a teeny bit like falling in love – do you know what I mean?
So this is how it happened – I created a crochet pattern, the Woodland Hoodie, for Master R, then aged 4. He loves the hoodie and wears it all the time, still! He’s 7 now. Master R has grown and the neck, which has always been a bit tight became impossible to get over his head, I cut it and bound the edges with bias binding,
which works but I need to adapt the pattern to make a larger opening for the head.
To work out and improve the pattern with a neck opening, I made the larger size for Miss E, now aged 9. Her favourite colour is blue. We are in the middle of a Beach Clean Art project, so I call this new pattern the Beach Clean Hoodie.
I ask Miss E if she would like me to crochet a fish or something to go on the hoodie and she requests a seahorse.
I look up Seahorse and lots of wonderful images appear.
I find a link to the Seahorse Trust and become a member. Miss E and I ‘adopt’ a seahorse called Usti, found on the Dorset Coast. We get a whole pack of goodies.
I have created my own pattern.
In order to work out a pattern I need to have several trial runs. I make lots of seahorses in different colours so that Miss E can choose which she likes the best. Then I just keep making them, each one slightly different with its own little personality.
The creative mind wakes up and wonders about putting them into the Beach Clean paintings – hmmm – they look better in cotton – more trial runs – now the tail needs to be longer, now the snout thinner. Now I need to buy more colours in cotton!
Result lots of seahorses. What am I going to do with them?
I will give each of my Grandchildren (age range 5 – 9) a seahorse for Xmas – but how should they be presented? – appliquéd onto something, mounted on canvas, as a single hanging decoration?
This is where you, my lovely readers can help, with all your wonderfully creative ideas.
What can I do to make them Special? Unique? Individual?
Your reward is a chance to win a Seahorse in a GIVEAWAY!
Leave me a comment with a suggestion of what I could do with the seahorses – go wild, go whacky, go sophisticated, go classic, go where your imagination takes you, have fun!
Let me know which colour you would like and why.
Would you prefer cotton, wool or acrylic yarn?
And if you were to have one of these little cuties what would you do with it.
I will give away 3 seahorses on my birthday, the 11th November.
Please feel free to reblog or share this post and 3 new followers between now and 11th November will also get a seahorse.
Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along, where you can find all sorts of wonderful yarnsters and the books they recommend.
Now I MUST go and crochet a few more seahorses, because I love them!
UPDATE: The pattern for this seahorse is now available in my Etsy and Ravelry shops.
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A shared seahorse/dragon mobile perhaps,
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Sounds fun Denis – it would be great in bright colours.
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Quite a range of artistic imagery here Sandra. We have Seahorses and Dragons around our local piers.
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I expect they are more colourful than their UK cousins Denis. Would you like to enter the giveaway? You have til 11th November to enter.
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As I’m rather late to the party, I suspect ideas are beginning to overlap (I’m trying not to peek). But immediately saw a tiny “second” tree covered with the white ones with little sparkles of some sort. Kind of like a snowflake tree, but more special! And wouldn’t they make a lovely throw pillow embellishment! For myself, I’d love a cotton one, in a soft darkish blue, and it would live in my sewing room – perhaps a pull for the ceiling fan!
What a grand idea, this seahorse giveaway, thank you!
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You are not late – there is til 11th Nov.
You may be a teeny bit telepathic Jen as my sister has a little white tree that sits in her kitchen and she changes the decorations according to the season, I made her some seahorses to go on it now and am thinking of making some white glittery ones for her for Christmas. And yes to throw pillows (we call them cushions), you can never have enough of those! I like the idea of them adorning a fan or light pull too – sweet. ❤
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What a nice response! I have a tiny tree that I hang glass birds on at Christmas. My mom always had a little white Manzanita “tree” with seasonal decorations, too, and I always loved it.
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I had to look up Manzanita – pretty! ❤
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Decided I had better make some suggestions before it looked like I was copying. (Haven’t read the other suggestions in case they are the same!) You could make something to hang on the wall – maybe seahorse with starfish below and then shell – (if extras are allowed). You could make a number of different seahorses and suspend them from a ring at different heights to make a mobile. A downward spiral of them would look very pretty. I saw one of ceramic bird shapes once like this – https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/60160201/ceramic-birds-garden-wind-chime-spiral
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I love your ideas RainbowJ! ❤
Anything is allowed!
Thank you so much, and thanks for the link – I feel like I want to try out each and every one of the suggestions so far – and maybe I will!
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That’s the trouble with getting suggestion. Extends one’s to-do list no end. 🙂
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It does not trouble me it is a delight! My to-do list is so out of hand that I’m past worrying about it. 😉
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So gorgeous . . . . ah was going to suggest the Christmas Tree idea, but see someone has already shared that idea 🙂 likewise bookmarks, bunting and cards. Didn’t spot any brooches but think I saw clips so that’s probably covered too!
Think if I had one though (in blue cotton) I’d probably go for the clip . . .or maybe put it in a small white wooden frame or maybe just between two pieces of glass so I could hang it somewhere.
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Thank you BeckyB, it doesn’t matter if ideas double up, but i think you are the first to suggest a brooch. I like the idea of a seahorse suspended between two pieces of glass as a hanging, and I can imagine them within a white frame too. Thank you Becky for giving this so. Much thought. ❤️
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Whew! All those suggestions! I was going to suggest a little clip too but to hang on a school bag, purse, mobile (perhaps not that yet!) or the like. And I wondered of they could have a few threads of green and blue hanging from them to hint at the sea…? Hmm, I like the jadey green on the top row best I think
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I know – aren’t all the suggestions fabulous! I want to make them ALL!
I like the idea of them being on a clip so that they could be moved onto things they already have – I don’t think anyone else thought of that. I’m definitely going to try some dangles to suggest the sea. Thank you Cathy. (if there was a red one, would that be your choice?)
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Intriguing to think that you thought of red for me… no, not this time, I have my eye on that jade green one… 😉
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You posted a picture of your fabulous red wedding dress, it stayed with me.
😉 💚
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I did wonder whether it was the dress you remembered 😉
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These are beautiful. Daffy. I think you should use them as part of a beach art project for your grandchildren.
I always have fond memories of going to the beach, and I think if your grandchildren have collected shells or anything that could go into it too, to make it extra personal and special 🙂
Oh, and my favourite colour is Yellow 🙂
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As soon as I saw your name pop into my inbox I knew your colour would be yellow! 😉
I love your ideas about making this part of a larger idea and connecting the seahorses with actual days on the beach – I might just put one each in the textile books I am making for them rather than give them at Christmas when they get so many other things – you’ve got me thinking – I like that! ❤
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I am glad that I have given you something else to consider, Daffy. Yes you know me well! 🙂
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😉 ❤
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Eddie you won! Little Miss M picked your number out of the mix! A yellow one on it’s way! 😀
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YAY!!! Thanks so much to you and Little Miss M. I can’t wait to see it xxx
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Memories come flooding back, many knitters in my family! Beautiful patterned jumpers, cardigans that looked so cute when my children where younger. They’re all beautiful and good luck with this!
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So glad to have revived some special memories. Thank you for your lovely comment. Would you like to be entered in the Giveaway? If so let me know what colour you like best. ❤
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I like the blue ones best, but they’re all so pretty!
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You won a seahorse! Congratulations! You can go to the contact page to let me know your address. Would you like your blue one in cotton, acrylic or wool? 😀
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Wouldn’t dare to suggest something to someone as creative as you! But what a wonderful trail you’ve just followed – thanks for sharing it!
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Haha! Cathy thank you, so kind! Would you like to enter the give-away, if so just tell me which colour you would like and I will pop your name in the hat.
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I am too late, as not a faithful blogger, but thanks for suggesting it!
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Not too late! You have til 11th November!
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Maybe crochet light to dark strips, different width rows, heck even different widths within each row, like the depth of the ocean from top to bottom, then stitch the seahorse(s) onto it. It could be a bag or another sweater or a hat or scarf or bookcover or wall hanging…
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Ah! create a watery wavy background for them to sit on – like it – thank you Melissa. ❤
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🙂
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They are lovely – you should keep them all and make them into bunting!
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Awh! Thank you Jan! The way they are mounting up I can give away 6 and still make bunting! I think sticking to the blues and adding a few beads might make some pretty bathroom bunting – do people put bunting in the bathroom? ………. why not! 😉 ❤
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Could you suspend them in an embroidery hoop so they could be hung from, say, a curtain rail so they’d gently swing in any draughts?
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That is a brilliant idea – I have a few hoops languishing in a cupboard somewhere – thank you, you really are a Wonder! 😉 ❤
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How utterly gorgeous! I’m not sure how I found you….I’m new to blogging. But I am so pleased I did! I wear a jumper my mum knitted with she was 15 and she is in her 70s now. So I loved to hear your little grandson is still wearing his. My daughter is wearing a jumper my mother in law made when I was pregnant and couldn’t fit into anything. Baggy is apparently fashionable now- and she even wears it to uni. Well I would love to learn to make them. I wish you would do courses so that I could learn. My suggestion is to put them on to scarves- as my girls seem to wear them everywhere. Or else on to cushions- which the girls seem to have all over their beds! My favourite is the pale blue one- but they are all really beautiful – and for such a good cause. All the best. Karen
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I’m so glad you found me as well!!! What a delightful comment, Karen, thank you. There is so much history and love worked into handcrafted family items. With regard to you learning how to make things out of crochet, there really are some very good tutorials on You Tube and you can’t do better than Lucy at Attic24 for detailed written guidance through her lovely patterns and projects. Go on have go! 😉
A whole shoal of seahorses on a scarf would be fun – or even just a tasteful one at one end – a lovely idea. Cushions too are, as you say, always a hit. ❤
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thanks for the info. I’ll go and have a look. My lovely mother-in-law used to knit everything for the family- even their socks! But the loveliest things she ever made were hundreds and hundreds of tiny teddy bears for the children on Chernobyl who were suffering from cancer and other illnesses. The doctors said that having something to cuddle made such a difference to their recovery. I do believe that small things can make a big difference.
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What a heartwarming story about your wonderful M-i-l. I have some crochet blankets for refugees on the go – maybe I’ll include a little teddy too.
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Add a little hanging hook to the top, so they can be hung from the tree as you are giving them as Christmas gifts. Add a gift card. Voila.
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Nice and simple! Thank you Barbara – I’m going to do one like that right now to try it out! ❤
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My suggestion would be to have them on a cute beanie or one those ear warming headbands since winter is coming. I could also see it on a little clutch purse or wristlet. I can’t wait to see what you choose. Those seahorses are just fabulous!!!
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More fabulous ideas JP. On a beanie sounds fun as do your other ideas – very inventive – wonderful, thank you. ❤
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JP, you won!!!! Which colour would you like? And in which yarn: acrylic, wool or cotton? Go the the Contact Me page and email your address to me and a little seahorse will swim it’s way to you soon. 😀
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You can have any colour you like. I am currently using red, gold and green. I will be buying more this weekend!
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Oooooo GOLD please! Fabulous! Do you watch Strictly Come Dancing? It will be my Strictly Owl – Strictly come hooting!
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I’ll let you know when she is ready!
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Thanks , pink or pale blue please. As for the owl I shall make another one! Which colour would you like?
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Whhoo-ooooo! Is the colour choice between pink or orange?
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My suggestion is a mobile with lots of them and some tinkly seaglass and pebbles too. Don’t suppose you would think of swapping one for a tinsel owl. I know all about odd obsessions
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I love the idea of a mobile mixing in some pebbles and tinkles, although I haven’t found much sea-glass 😦 shells might work as tinkle material.
I would be happy to swap with a tinsel owl – I didn’t realise you had more than one to giveaway/swap. What colour would you like? and in which yarn? I can see the appeal of the tinsel yarn – we obsessives must stick together! ❤
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Now that will be a sight to see, I’m sure. There are loads of images {as you’d expect} over on Pinterest. I have a board dedicated to them.
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I looked for your board on Pinterest, the link on your blog does not seem to work – I’d love a link to your page Deb. xx
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Drat. Spent ages setting that up too. Sighs. Here is the link to my page, thank you for asking! Hope this works, if not you can search by Rustic Pumpkin and my logo will point the way!
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Wow! Thank you Deb, what a feast of delights!
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Do you have this one? https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/36802921928435633/
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I love your woodland hoodie and seahorses! Is the hoodie pattern for sale anywhere? I think the seahorses would look cute sewn onto a beach bag. 😊
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Beach Bag! Yes! The Woodland Hoodie is a free pattern on my Ravelry page – http://www.ravelry.com/designers/wild-daffodil.
I am just perfecting the variation – the Beach Clean Hoodie, with a wider neck opening and seahorse motif – that will then go on sale. I will blog about it when it is ready. Thank you for your comment and your interest Mrs Craft. ❤
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Thank you for the link, I will pop over and have a look. My little girl needs some new jumpers and so on for winter! Will look forward to seeing more of your projects. 😊
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Thank you MrsC, I do have a few in the pipeline but it does takes me ages to perfect a written pattern.
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Thy are soooo cute, I can see why making them is so addictive. I appliquéd a crocheted heart onto a peg bag. I just used the zig zag stitch on my machine and it worked really well. If I won one that’s what I’d do – for me! As I’ve made nearly everyone I know a peg bag and I’ve still not made one for me! I like one of the other ideas to make a Mobile with them – would they stiffen up would spray starch? 😀
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Like the idea of the peg bag – I will try the zig-zag technique – [perfect for our next Photo Challenge subject! 😉 ]
Spray starch would make them more usable for a mobile – thanks for the tip – I’ll try it. ❤
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Those are adorable! I have no great ideas for how to use them, sadly. 😀
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Thank you – I’m glad you like them. Would you like to be entered in the Giveaway? – if so just have a look at other suggestions and let me know which idea, colour and yarn you like the best. 😉
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A bunch of them would slso make a great mobile for a nursery if you get a brand new grandchild sometime…
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A mobile – yes! A new grandchild???!!!! Crumbs! hope not! 8 is enough surely!!! Ha!Ha! but that’s not up to me!!! ❤
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🙂
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Ok. I scrolled up AFTER posting my comment and saw you mention bookmark in response to Deborah’s suggestion! Great minds hey? I honestly didnt copy…I promise! 😊
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I believe you! Doesn’t matter if ideas are doubled up anyway – and you added the dangle! 😉
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Yes, in a court case about patenting the idea, the dangle will be the point of difference haha 🙂
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Ha!Ha! 😉
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Your sea horses are beautiful. You are on talented lady! I suggest customising the presentation for each grandchild, depending on their individual tastes…on a cushion, in a small frame that makes it look as though it’s underwater, on a pencil case, dangling off a bookmark…that’s all I can think of for now.
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Cool ideas!!! Thank you for your lovely comment! Love the idea of one being in a frame as if underwater – hmmm – that’s got me thinking! A pencil case is a great idea too. ❤
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Thanks, glad to help with ideas 🙂
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You won one!!!!!!!! Post about the picking of the winners soon – in the meantime, what colour would you like and which yarn – acrylic, cotton or wool? If you go to the Contact Me page you can email me your address. Thank you for entering. 😀
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Oh my goodness!!!! THANK YOU!!! This makes me so happy! I’ll show my son your pics tomorrow and get him to pick a colour he likes 😊
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Wonderful! 😀
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😊
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Thanks WD! Happy New Year! Have I left it too late to claim my prize?
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Oh my goodness me – i’m so sorry – I thought I had sent it to you – I AM SO SORRY!!!!!!!! I am away from home at the moment – I will send you your seahorse when I get back in about 2 weeks time – in fact I will send you 3 as an apology!!!! xxxxxxxx Happy New Year!!!!
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No….it’s me- i never got back to you with choice of colour or my address. Don’t stress! 😊
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Phew! No it’s not too late! Email me your address and choice of colour and i will send to you when i get home. Happy New Year!
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Thanks! And okay, will do 😊
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Go to the ‘Contact Me’ page in the header and send me your colour choice and your postal address and a little seahorse will swim/fly its way to you. xx
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Thanks for the prompt WD…will do now before I get distracted and forget yet again.
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Oh they are lovely. I especially like the pale turquoise one at the top. Have to give some thought to best way to present/use!
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Glad you like them RJ. Plenty of time til 11.Nov. 😉
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They are adorable beyond words {I’m a huge fan of seahorses and weedy sea dragons} You are incredibly clever. If you are giving one to each grandchild, then I don’t know what to suggest, but I think they’d look grand as a mini bunting, maybe with some crochet star fish, or some shells? Whatever you decide I know they will adore them.
I love all the colours because they come in all colours in the wild; I favour cotton over acrylic because acrylic is my ‘chalk on the blackboard’ moment! If I won one, I might use it as a bookmark in a favourite book {now, there’s a thought} or let it join my small collection of favourite hanging things on the mantel shelf.
Thank you for the link to the Seahorse Trust too, something I will be investigating.
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Ooooh Deb, you have started us off with some fabulous ideas! Thank you so much! ❤ My 3 London granddaughters would love a bookmark I think – excellent. ❤
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I just looked up Weedy Sea Dragons!!!! WOW!!!!! I never knew about them – they are bonkers!!! uh-oh now I’m going to have to make a pattern for one of those!
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