Crochet Baby Cocoon

I got this simple pattern from Ravelry and changed it up a bit. I just love how it came out and can't wait to make more colors.










Making baby photo props has become one of my go-to projects when I'm looking for something quick. A cocoon like this one takes about 2 hours, less if you use a bigger hook. You could also tighten this up and use a smaller hook to create more of a basket effect. I love the white but I am looking to try it in a brown.

I was lucky again to have my work photographed by the very talented Laurie Brandt at Laurie Brandt Photography. She is amazing!

Huggy Bear Amigurumi Pattern

 

After taking a pretty awesome Craftsy class and lots of practice I have finally finished my first Amigurumi pattern! It was easier than I thought, and while it's not perfect I'm pretty proud of this little bear and my 4 year old is the proud owner of the very first one.
So here it is, the Huggy Bear Amigurimi pattern. It is free, and available for download here.

 

 If you make one of these little guys (or girls) I'd love to see pictures.

Amigurumi Olws

I saw this owl on FreshStitches and instantly fell in love. "Nelson" is his name and I just love owls and have incorporated them into my daughter's nursery and also, they're just too cute so I can't resist. Up until now I have kept it pretty basic with my amigurumi skills, I made these owls before my daughter was born and I still love them, but to have another pattern in my arsenal is awesome. Now, the pattern is $5.00 but it is so worth it. This pattern looks intimidating but is also very do-able. The pattern has lots of help and pictures so if you do get stuck it's no big deal to get out of a jam.

Here are a few "Nelsons" that I have made so far!

 

Diaper Cover Sets

Diaper cover sets are becoming one of my favorite things to make for a couple of reasons.
#1 They're pretty quick, I can whip up a set in a couple of hours including sewing (which is the worst part of any crochet/knit project IMO)
#2 You don't get much cuter than a baby butt in a homemade diaper cover.

The first diaper cover set I made was for my Mickey Mouse Crochet Set (the patterns I used are included in that link- and yes- they're FREE!)









Since then I've made quite a few sets and this past weekend I finished some of my favorites yet. It goes to show that you can take the same pattern (in this case the diaper cover) and re-work it to suit whatever project you have in mind.
I tweaked the pattern slightly but I pretty much stayed true to the original. Adding embellishments is the quickest way to change up any pattern.
Here are some of the sets I've made recently: (some of these are for sale in my Etsy shop ^^)

 

Avengers...do your chores!

 

I didn't forget about the boys!!
Here is the Avengers version of my behavior chart! Free to download here

Hello Kitty Printable Behavior Chart

I have a four year old, and sometimes she needs a little motivation. I saw some behavior charts online but since she's obsessed with Hello Kitty I thought that I would whip this up to put on her door.
My plan is to laminate it and use a dry erase marker so that I only need one copy and it can stay on her door with a command strip.

**** If you have already downloaded this, you can now download the new version with customizable fields****

Get the new version here!

Enjoy!

Zig Zag Ombre Cowl

This cowl pattern is adapted from a free pattern I saw on RAKJ Patterns. Instead of making an entire scarf, I just stopped after 6 repeats of the pattern, and sewed up the seam. *UPDATED with better pictures. 5/22/14*

Now, because of all the color changes it does take awhile to finish, but I think it's worth it. I love the colors. For this cowl I used Bernat's Vickie Howell Sheep(ish) yarn in Tealish, Turquoiseish, and Robin Eggish. This created a beautiful Ombre effect. There are a few colorways in this yarn that would make a beautiful ombre look.
If you do not want to deal with the color changes it would also just make a pretty texture effect. I do love the original pattern but this was a fun way to change it up and still get the look I was going for.
The lesson here is,don't be afraid to experiment with existing patterns and make them your own!

A Quick Time Out for: Nerium International

A very good friend of mine, Elisa has embarked on a new journey in her life. She has become an independent brand partner for Nerium International. What? Never heard of it? Well, I hadn't either until she told me about it and while I haven't tried the products (yet!) I'm intrigued. If you have heard about it then you know just how great Neurium is , the company has a stellar reputation for being so young (Launched in 2011).  Their products have been featured on many news and print outlets.
What I found most fascinating are the Before and After photos. They are just amazing.
Please check out and like my friend Elisa's Facebook Page and whether you need some products or are thinking of becoming a brand partner for yourself, it's worth the few minutes of your time to look into a wonderful line of products and a wonderful company.

Back to your regularly scheduled crafting-and don't forget our giveaway!!

Giveaway!

It's that time for another giveaway! I am a little frustrated with Facebook, in that a lot of my posts are not being seen by my readers and they want me to pay for my posts to be seen. So, if you happen to already be a fan of my page on Facebook, please make sure that you check the option to "see in my newsfeed"

With that said, on to the giveaway!


Now that we've reached 800 fans (I know, right!?) I wanted to do something special for you guys.

^^^ The giveaway info is up above! ^^^

It lasts for one week starting tomorrow 2-25 and runs until 3-4. Good luck!!

Update!!!
We've now reached over 1,000 fans and I've also decided to add another prize for the winner to choose from.
Our 4 choices now are:
-A Photography Prop ( a baby cocoon/nest or hat)
-A Crochet Cowl- choose from one of the styles from my Etsy shop
-A "Nelson" the Owl Amigurimi, colors/details winner's choice also...I haven't decided yet if I am going to start selling these so if you want one, enter the giveaway!

"Nelson"

-A choice between a Baby Stats or Wedding custom Subway Art digital file. (all examples of these are on my Etsy shop as well)

Winner will be posted here and on FB/Twitter so be sure to check it out!

Easy Apple Jell-O Poke Cake

 

 

This cake is one of my favorites to do in a pinch. The best part is the combinations are literally endless. But the main staples are a box of cake mix, a box of instant pudding mix and a packet of dream whip.

Normally I do a chocolate cake with some kind of berry Jell-O, but this time I saw the Jolly Rancher Apple Jell-O and thought I'd give it a try. Next time I will probably add some caramel syrup to the pudding/frosting to make it a caramel apple cake.

This cake is super easy to make, made even easier by using the throw-away pans.

Tip: I make this cake the night before it's needed, just to make sure it's nice and cold/set. If you're in a hurry though, you can do it about 5 hours ahead of time.



Step 1: prepare cake mix as usual, you don't need to grease the pan. 35 minutes at 350 in my oven and it's perfect. When the cake is almost done baking, prepare your Jell-O. I use the smaller box, but if you have a big box, go for it, it'll just make the cake more Jell-O-y.










Jell-O is ready to go!

 Step 2: As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, go nuts and poke a bunch of holes in it.
Then pour on your Jell-O, cover it and stick it right in the fridge

 

Step 3: The Frosting- These directions are also on the back of the Dream Whip box- With an electric mixer, combine 1 packet of instant pudding mix (4 serving size), 1 packet of Dream Whip and 1.5 cups of cold milk. Mix on high until stiff peaks form (if you're using skim milk this might take awhile) That's your frosting, it's that easy. Keep in mind, this cake needs to stay refrigerated, so only take it out when you're ready to serve. Enjoy!!

 

 

Some flavor combos:
Vanilla cake - Orange Jell-O , vanilla frosting w/orange rind it takes like a Creamsicle
Chocolate cake- Raspberry Jell-O, chocolate frosting
Vanilla cake- Lemon Jell-O, vanilla frosting
Chocolate cake- Cherry Jell-O, chocolate frosting - a family favorite!

One thing I've been wanting to try but haven't yet is to layer the Jell-O. If someone wants to try this let me know how it comes out!

*You could also make an adult version and instead of the cold water in the Jell-O add some Vodka for a Jell-O shot cake! *