Crochet? What crochet?

It's been a while. I busily knit a sweater over Christmas (of which I'll eventually post a picture, but I really am tired of taking pictures of myself in a mirror and need to enlist some help) and am now happily back to crochet, working on a shawl for a one of my many friends who's having a baby.



It's the "Petals and Stems" openwork pattern from this amazing book I've been wanting for ages:





And though I did just realize I paid $9 more at Barnes & Noble than I could have bought it for on Amazon, I think the work I've done in the last week is worth it. Yes?

The yarn is a Blue Heron hand-dyed; wool with a sparkle from Seaport Yarn.