St. Patrick's Day

As I have mentioned in years past, I love St. Paddy's Day. We get together with the same couple every year and do something fun to celebrate. This year started off extra special, as I won this scarf from Crafty Holly Louise.

How cute is this?  Holly's stitches are totally even and gorgeous, and I just adore the white flower that she put on it.

I seriously love it (and I'm not really a cowl person). If you want one, or something similar, feel free to check out her shop!

Also, we celebrated with Guinness Floats & Mint Swirled cookies with our dear friends, Kev and Linds. It was nothing compared to last year's feast of corned beef, cabbage, and Guinness & Bailey's cupcakes; but it was fun. And that's what counts. If you want the recipe for the cookies, check it out on FireWifey [and just FYI they are gluten free :) ]

Do you have St. Patrick's Day traditions? What about Easter, since, ya know, that has also happened since then? :)

St. Patrick's Day 2012

This year our annual St. Patrick's Day celebration with Kevin and Lindsey was a day early. It was really low key, but I did make corned beef and cabbage for the first time. I used an amazing crockpot recipe.

I also made Guiness and Bailey's cupcakes. Oh man. So good. Pinterest is so bad for me!

This was all a day early because we were celebrating my grandpa's 80th on St. Patrick's Day proper. So great to see my whole family together (except my bro. :( We missed him).

Previous years: 2011 (Chocolate Stout), 2010 (post rehearsal dinner Guinness), 2009 (Irish Car Bombs), 2008 (Green Beer). I keep trying to remember what we did each year, so I have to write it here to remember. 2008 was the weekend we got home from our Honeymoon and I NEEDED to see people!

I just realized the pictures from 2008 have dissappeared. Where are they, google? You were my photo keeper. Grrrr. Anyone know how to recover pictures or what happened to mine?? Yeah. So all of my old pictures have re-appeared. That's awesome. No idea what happened. Did google hear my plea??

Luck O the Irish

I realized that I never shared pictures from our annual St. Patrick's Day celebration with you all.  This year we tried Harp's Lager and Guinness, naturally, as well as chocolate stout ice cream -- soo good!

What did you do to celebrate the day o green?

Iron Craft 7: GOLD

When I saw the challenge of gold I was at a complete loss.  What the heck am I going to make that is gold?  I mean, I am more of a silver (or white gold) girl.  But to craft gold... no idea! haha  Then I remembered the pattern for March 16, Pot O Gold.  Instead of buying plastic gold coins, I could crochet them!  I used gold super saver yarn (it's gold, not yellow, I swear!) and gold crochet thread.  So fun and sparkly!  And now I am ready for St Patrick's Day!

I am pretty sure the leprechauns had some whisky before moving this pot of gold to it's hiding place... that is why it has a few dents and dings!

At least, that leprechaun story is what I am telling myself!

Here's to all things Gold (and the Midas Touch that inspired us all)!

Here are a few pictures from our previous St Patrick's Day escapades, first 2008 and then 2010.  This year will be our fifth year (at least) of celebrating St Patricks Day together!  We do love these two!

About a week after our honeymoon... green beer with good friends!

Their first St Patrick's day as husband and wife!  :)

I just love this picture... can you tell that Matt is patronizing me? hahaha (check out Halvsies!)

Much better!

Mar 19: Four Leaf Clover -- COMPLETED

Pattern #78: Four Leaf Clover

After all of those 3 leaf shamrocks, I thought we needed a real four leaf clover! I found this pattern over at Crochet Spot. What do you think?
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Updated June 10, 2013: This project was QUICK. It was totally what I needed to just check something off of my list! It's cute too. I guess I could use it as a coaster for St. Patrick's Day. Right? Actually, it would probably be really cute in a little picture frame. I think that's what I am going to do!

Mar 17: Shamrock Garland (St Patrick's Day) - COMPLETE

Pattern #76: Shamrock Pin / Garland

Happy St Patricks Day! I hope you are wearing green today! My plan is to make a few of these single shamrocks into pins - then no one can pinch me! hahaha I want to make a small garland to hang over the mantle as well. This pattern is from Suzie, who made the hearts that we used for our heart garland. This does have a similar feel to it, doesn't it?

First, I made a tiny version (my own knockoff of her pattern) using a C hook for a necklace charm. Of course I forgot to put it on a jump ring & black corded necklace last night, so I cut a paperclip apart and just attached it to my gorgeous green necklace from my mom.



Here is a comparison of my regular sized one (followed pattern) and my little tiny one.



The pile of shamrocks so far (Can you tell which one is different and why?):



I finished the project! I used a very lightweight yarn, so the shamrocks are much smaller than hers. I had to go down to a G hook as well. I like the small, quaintness of it. To see another version of the chain, check out Skip to My Lou's.

Mar 16: Pot O Gold - COMPLETED

Pattern #75: Pot O Gold

If only this pot came filled with gold! haha This would be a fun little thing to have sitting around the house for St Patricks Day! I bet you can get fake gold coins at the DT (that's dolla tree), to make it look just right!

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Updated 2/14/2011 - The challenge for this week's Iron Craft was GOLD.  I was not sure what to make, then remembered this pattern.  I thought that I could crochet the "gold" pieces to go in the cauldron.  I messed up the handles, but am too lazy to go back and fix them.  It's not my favorite project in the world, but I do love the way the gold pieces turned out.  I used Super Saver in green for the cauldron and in gold for the coins.  I added a sparkly gold crochet thread to most of the coins.  I also crocheted one tiny coin out of just gold.  Very cute.  We have standing St Patrick's Day celebrations with another couple (this year will be year 5, I think), so this will be some of the decor in the entry way of our home!

The pattern calls for a margerine tub to use as the base.  I don't have one that small (nor have I seen one), so I just made it without anything holding the inside.  I think it turned out just fine!

Mar 15: Cape (St Patricks Day)

Pattern #74: St. Patrick's Day Cape

This cape, designed by Laura, [and here on Ravelry] is super cute. How fun would this be for a little kid on St. Patrick's day? To complete the cape, you will need to make the octagon first, followed by the cape.

Here is Laura's picture:

Mar 14: Leprechaun Hat -- COMPLETED

Pattern #73: Irish Greeting Sign

What better way to start of St. Patrick's Day-Week than with a greeting sign? How cute is this thing?? It is designed by Jocelyn Sass and can be found in Crochet! Magazine, online.

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Updated April 12, 2013: Sometimes patterns disappear between now and when I first found it (in 2010). That is the case with this. I originally found a door greeting sign, but now it is nowhere to be found. So I replaced it with this Leprechan Hat. Fun. Right? It goes perfectly with my Pot of Gold!