Sea Rose Corsage ...

I've been having a bit of play over here at Talk-a-Lot Towers. The sun is shining, the sky is blue, my roses are blooming and I'm really enjoying the wonderful summer weather. Earlier today, as I was trying to design a rose as decoration for another creation that I'm working on, I came up with this sea rose corsage:

What do you think? In the very centre I've made a bead out of a piece of sea glass, beach-combed from our village beach last summer. It was the inspiration for the sea blue and sand colours that I chose to crochet in - and, hence, the notion of a sea rose.

Just read on for the low-down on how to make one of your own ...

Munstead Wood and Sweet Hermione the perfect summer roses ...

Sweet Hermione

Spotty dotty knitted bag ...

Does the weather influence how you look at colour?

I find that when I’m in Spain I always chose bright, cheerful colours. Back home in London my choices tend to be a bit more restrained, but over on the Costa Brava I’m drawn to the big sunshine colours. And you can see the influence of that big Mediterranean sun in this new dotty, spotty bag that I’ve just cast-off.

I've lined it with a contrasting lawn cotton so that all the woven-in ends aren't visible when I open it. It's really quick and easy to make: perfect for a weekend with your needles out in the sunshine. Just read on for the pattern.

Costa Brava cliff top walk ... and the hermit crab derby ...

This afternoon Emi and I headed off with the Wonder Dog for a last walk along our favourite cliff top path. I've written about it before, but it's such a joy I could wander happily along it every day of my life and never get bored. The sea changes every day, and the cliff tops are home to a rich array of plants and animals. Every time we venture up there we find something new.

This is where we started, up above the port just behind our home.

The stone witch of Girona ...

Yesterday morning Emi and I set off on a mission ... to find the famous petrified witch of Girona who'd been really, really bad back in the day when the powers that be took a really, really dim view of that kind of behaviour.

Girona's stone witch, high on the cathedral tower