Hi my dears,

I just loooove summer! :-) And because I was busy like bee. Here is my latest news and revisions :-)

Do you remember my lighthouse set, I designed in summer 2012? 

 I still loooove this color combination!

Time has come and I made the revision of the hat and lighthouse applique.

And I made a revision of the fish also.

My summer bag is also blue :-) More about it this purse in my next post!

I wish you nice summer :-)

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Hi my dears, 

I would like to share with you one memory. 8 years ago was born one of the sweetest fairy I met :-) Thanks to her, I begun to create my colorful world. Happy Birthday, my sweet girl, I wish you many health, I wish you to stay the way you are... so funny, clever, empathic, full of life :-) We love you so incredibly much ..........................♥

And would be the Birthday without a cake? 

And finally I wrote the pattern :-) If you like it and would you like make this sweet little duck appliqué - the pattern is ready in my patterns store. I think, it coud be really cute on some baby blanket.

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Hi my dears,

how are you? What is you summer time???

The middle of the Summer is here and we just returned from our family vacation. As well as last year and the year before we were in same place - tiny town/village in Croatia. But we just love that place very much :-) Those, who are following me on my Instagram saw some pictures already :-) 

You know, that I took a new yarn with me this time .... What do you think, made I some new summer project? For now, I just could say - the work was done! Are you curious? :-)

Lovely time with my beloved ones... and some pictures ... :-)

Face to face to the Mantis :-)

Thank you for reading, my dears :-) And next post will be about my blue summer :-)

a week ago I wrote you about a blogtour of Alla Koval new books - Imagical Seasons /Spring and Summer – Vol. 1 & 2. Aaaand as you know, 21 of July it was my day of this amazing tour. And I was quiet like a fish. I am so sorry, about it, but it wasn't on purpose - all my devices and my internet connection were in strike - one of my nightmares came alive - I guess some of my hair get grey in last days. Today all looks good finally - sooo here it is - my interview with Alla Koval.

Vendulka: Tell me, please something about you?

Alla: Oh, where to start? ;o)

My home city is Poltava, Ukraine; it has long history and many traditions and I love my city; my family is still there and I love to come back to them from time to time. I finished high school over there and moved to bigger city, called Kharkov to study in University. Even if both cities are only 3 hours on the bus apart, I started to live alone and that's a big difference, as you can guess, and I had many friends, memories, stories and adventures and also love that place. After graduation I was working as a software developer for almost a decade.

In 1999 I moved from Ukraine to Seattle and that's where I live with my family in our not big but lovely house for last 16 years and hope to be able to live 100 more years!

Russia and Ukraine, as probably any other country, has knitting and crocheting as a traditional women's favorite hobby so my grandmother and my mother were good in that, and as a girl, I picked that up very fast. Another good part is actually a location - living in a place where European and Asian traditions met each other you see all of them and learn from all of them. Now, with Internet help this is not that important, but 30 years ago it was, and I am glad I was exposed to Ukrainian, European and Asian knitting schools.

Vendulka: What could find the crocheters in your new books?

Alla: I can show exactly! :)

Alla Koval, http://imagicalseasons.com/

Vendulka: Who is your new book suitable for?

Alla: I wrote these books pretty much to express myself to the other crocheters and designers. The main message, I believe, is a language of design and inspiration, which is not only international but targeted all ranges of skills. I tried to express myself in detailed crochet stitch diagrams and schematics, in different approaches how to apply same pattern in different ways to get outstanding results. I see my book to be useful for English readers from US or Europe and for readers with no English at all; useful for crocheters of any skill level - from beginners and to advanced designers; and finished projects to be worn by girls from 2 to 12 years old and some pattern are suitable for adults also!

Alla Koval, http://imagicalseasons.com/

Vendulka: You made wonderful projects now in your current collections, but in past also. What is your biggest source of inspiration?

Alla: Thank you so much Vendula for your kind of words!What is my biggest source of inspiration? Oh, that's easy - a magic and power of COLORS! It’s no secret that I am endlessly inspired by beautiful colors, you just have to take a peek at my portfolio (http://allakovaldesigns.com/) to see that most my designs are thoroughly and obsessively color coordinated.

One of a brightest memories from my childhood was my very first set of 48 color markers. I was super excited to experiment with the colors, and my mom paid attention to how I used them. Later she told me that when she asked why I combined the colors that way, I explained - “They felt happy together.” Well, I still have that excitement about colors, and l am always on the lookout for new color combinations to work with.

Alla Koval, http://imagicalseasons.com/

Vendulka: Please tell me some funny story from designing of last collection - something behind the scene :-)

Alla: I decided to take a little break from books routine and to crochet some swatches for Scarlet tunic (a pattern, which is still on my schedule since last 2 years, uhhh…) and to play a bit with one of my favorite, really gorgeous and versatile lace stitch patterns I used for the tunic…

Alla Koval, http://imagicalseasons.com/

Alla: It's very tough question. I have tons of plans and ideas! I am working on next 2 books - Fall and Winter, both should be finished and printed around New Year! And then few more! Plus I have few new patterns in different stage which I plan to release in nearest months.

Alla Koval, http://imagicalseasons.com/

Do you remember this wonderful tunic Alla designed in 2010. Wonderful piece of art :-) Photo by Alla Koval www.allakovaldesigns.com