Latest Posts

S’more Cupcakes

Baking/Recipes
S’more Cupcakes

I got a craving this week for some S’mores…and the weather just isn’t cooperating..too much rain, so I decided to make some cupcakes instead. I threw these together on a whim, and I am super excited with how they turned out!

Here’s what you need:
1 box Dark Chocolate Cake Mix (I used Betty Crocker)
Marshmallows(the big ones)
Honey Maid Graham Cracker Crumbs

Bake the cupcakes as directed on the box, BUT, set your timer for 5 minutes before they are due to be done. In this case, the box said 18-23 minutes, so I set the timer for 13 minutes. When the timer goes off, take out your cupcakes and place one marshmallow on each cupcake. Return the pan to the oven and watch the marshmallows melt for the remaining 5 minutes. When done, sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs on the marshmallow topping. Wait for them to cool, and eat!!:) Piece of (cup)cake!:) You can stick a bite sized Hershey bar in the top if you want for an added crunch! Or…if you like a little added crunch in your marshmallow, just leave them in a little longer and the marshmallow will be a bit burnt…which in my opinion is the only way to eat a s’more!!;)

They are so tasty! Tastes like summer…now if the weather would start acting like it!

Crochet Basket{Tutorial}

Crochet

You like my new basket??

I saw this basket over on Pinterest and fell in love!

I mean, how you could you not, it’s fantastic!! I started making it, but then I changed halfway through…deciding to do a half double crochet and double crochet in spots rather than just the single crochet all the way through. You can see her pattern here and follow that, or you can stick around here and I’ll show you what I used as mine;)

I used two skeins of yarn and double strands instead of four strands. Mostly because I didn’t have two skeins of each color, but also because I couldn’t find my bigger crochet hook…LOL whatever, Make do with what you have right? Using hdc and dc make it go by faster too since a “sc” stitch gives a shorter row.

2 skeins (I used white and grey)
Size K Crochet hook

Starting out using her pattern, I followed it for the bottom part.

I copied that part of the pattern here to keep it all in one place for you.

Ch 3

Rnd 1: 7 hdc in 3rd ch from hook. Join with sl st (8 hdc)

Rnd 2: 2 hdc in each st. Join with sl st. (16 hdc)

Rnd 3: Ch 2, hdc in same st, hdc in next st, (2 hdc in next st, hdc in next st) around. Join with sl st. (24 hdc)

Rnd 4: Ch 2, hdc in same st, hdc in next 2 sts, (2 hdc in next st, hdc in next st) around. Join with sl st. (32 hdc)

Rnd 5: Ch 2, hdc in same st, hdc in next 3 sts, (2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 3 sts) around. Join with sl st. (40 hdc)

Rnd 6: Ch 2, hdc in same st, hdc in next 4 sts, (2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 4 sts) around. Join with sl st. (48 hdc)

Rnd 7: Ch 2, hdc in same st, hdc in next 5 sts, (2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 5 sts) around. Join. (56 hdc)

Rnd 8: Ch 2, hdc in same st, hdc in next 6 sts, (2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 6 sts) around. Join. (64 hdc)

Rnd 9: Ch 2, hdc in same st, hdc in next 7 sts, (2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 7 sts) around. Join. (72 hdc)

The next round will be the first row of the body of the basket. You will be working into the back of each hdc.

Rnd 10: Ch 1, sc under the line or ridge on the back of the first st of previous round. (Hdc have a line or ridge on the back of the stitch). You will be working under this line or ridge, not into the regular loops. Creating a seam separating the bottom and the sides of the basket. Continue working sc around. Join with sl st.

Rnd 11: (Here is where it changes) Ch 2, dc in each st all the way around. Join.

Rnd 12-13: Ch 2, dc in each st around. Join.

Rnd 14: Join white yarn. Ch 2, hdc in each st around. Join.

Rnd 15: Ch 2, hdc in each st around. Join.

Rnd 16: Join grey yarn. Ch 2, hdc in each st around. Join

Rnd 17-18: Ch 2, hdc in each st around. Join

Rnd 19: Join white yarn. Ch 2, hdc in each. Join

Rnd 20-24: Ch 2, hdc in each. Join.

Rnd 25: Join grey yarn. Ch 1, sc in next 13 sts. Ch 10. Skip 10 sts and then sc into 11th st.  Sc in next 25 sts. Ch 10. Skip 10 sts and then sc into 11th st. Sc in remaining 12 sts and join.

Rnd 26: Ch 1, sc in each st until you get to the chain (handle) part. Going around the chain, sc over it 12 times. Continue with sc throughout sts and repeat the 12 sc’s on the second chain section (handle). Sc on following sts. Join

Rnd 27: Ch 1, sc in each st around.

Finish off and weave in ends. all done!! Super cute. I plan on putting mine in the car so that I have a place for all of Miss M’s toys during car trips.

Let me know what you think!

Everyday Treats with COOL WHIP

Baking/Recipes
Everyday Treats with COOL WHIP

Everyday without fail, my daughter comeshome from school and says that she is hungry. It is always nice to be able togive her a quick treat to hold her over until dinnertime. I like to use COOLWHIP Whipped Topping when making her treats to make them a bit more special. She loves the taste and thinks the addedCOOL WHIP is  more fancy.  Ipersonally do not have the time or patience to make a full on dessert everynight for after dinner, so we use everyday foods that we would have around andadd the COOL WHIP on them to make them more tasty! I add COOL WHIP to a variety ofthings that she eats but here are a few that we have done recently:

  • Pudding with COOL WHIP on top
  • Jello with COOL WHIP on the top. Even mixed together in the jello, it’s delicious!
  • Dip some homemade cookies in the COOL WHIP….yum!
  • In the winter, adding some COOL WHIP on top of some hot cocoa is her favorite! So easy and so fun!
  • COOL WHIP served with some fresh fruit is always a hit at our house. Especially with some strawberries. Delicious!

We love to have desserts that arepractical and quick because we are always on the go as a family. Between schoolevents, and after school clubs or activities, we are gone almost every night ofthe week. There really is no time to get it all done. Adding COOL WHIP tosomething that is already easy to make is just the added bonus because it makesit extra special and my daughter thinks she is at a restaurant getting extravagantdesserts.

One of my favorite recipes using COOLWHIP that I have been making for years and grew up eating is Apple Snicker Salad.Super easy and super yummy!

Ingredients
Bitesize Snickers – 1 bag
RedApples – 4-5 apples
COOLWHIP –large container

First, cut the bite size Snickers in halfand put them in a medium sized bowl. Then, cut up the apples to the same sizeor slightly bigger without peeling the apple. (You can peel the apple if youwish, but it is not necessary). Add those apples to the bowl. Finally, add inyour COOL WHIP and stir gently. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to chill itand you are done. Tastes just like a caramel apple!

This is something we would always bringto cook outs and friends and family members loved it!

Newborn brimmed hat {Free Pattern}

Crochet
Newborn brimmed hat {Free Pattern}

I hope everyone had a great weekend. We got a lot done around here and it was nice to be able to spend some time with the family. Miss M is finally feeling better so she went back to school today, which means I got some lovely quiet time around the house today! Hooray!!

Abbreviations used:
ch-chain
hdc-half double crochet
dc-double crochet
sl st-slip stitch
st or sts – stitch(es)

For this hat I used Red Heart Yarn and used a double strand pulling from each end with an H Hook. That hat will fit a newborn. If you need to make it bigger, simply add an increase row after row 4 until you reach the desired circumference, and then dc in each stitch down.

Here we go!

1. Create a magic ring.
2. Ch2, dc 8 in ring. sl st
3. Ch 2, 2dc in each st. sl st
4. Ch 2, *1 dc, 2dc in next* repeat to end. sl st
5. Ch 2, 1 dc in each, sl st.
6-8 Repeat row 5.
9. ch 2, 1 hdc in each, sl st.
10. fold hat in half with the seam in the back…where your hook is.
11. from middle of the front, count left 8 sts. place st marker in next to left, then count 16 to the right. place st marker in 17th st so you know where to stop your brim
12. finish off from the back and weave in tail
13. pull up loop next to the left stitch marker. ch 2, dc in each to right before st marker
14. ch 2, dc2tog, dc in each to last 2 sts, dc2tog.
15. change colors, pull up loop sc around the entire brim and base of hat. finish off and weave in tail
Strap:
1. Ch 25.
2. Ch 2, dc in each. ch 1 and sc around edge of last dc. Finish off and leave a long tail to sew onto hat.

Add a button on each side if you would like and you are finished!!

Below are some pictures to help explain where to put the stitch markers.

Row 10

Row 11

Row 11

I hope the pictures help! Let me know if you have any questions!!

Baby Football Beanie {Tutorial}

Crochet
Baby Football Beanie {Tutorial}

I just love this beanie! I have seen them floating around on Pinterest from different places and I had to try it out! I am very pleased with the end result. And the best part..I am going to share with you how I did it.

Materials Needed:
Main Color (MC)-Brown yarn (I used Red Heart)
White yarn (I used Red Heart)
H-sized crochet hook
yarn needle

Abbreviations used:
MC-Master Color (in this case, brown)
ch-chain
dc-double crochet
st-stitch
sl st-slip stitch

**Note: I don’t know if this is the proper way, but when I switch colors, all I do its make a slip knot on the hook with the new color and start chaining. Then after I finish that row, I cut the previous color and tie it off on the inside to the beginning tail of the new color.

**The size used here is for an infant and would fit 0-3 months.

Row 1-Using MC, make a magic circle. Ch 3, 5 dc in ring. Sl st to join
Row 2- Ch 3, dc in same st as the ch. 2 dc in each st. Sl st to join
Row 3 – Ch 3. *2 dc in 1st st, 1 dc in next* repeat from * to end of row. Sl st to join
Row 4- Ch 3. *2 dc in 1st st, 1 dc in next 2 sts* repeat from * to end of row. Sl st to join
Row 5 (CHANGE to white) – Ch 3, dc in each st. Sl st to join
Row 6 (CHANGE back to MC) -Ch 3, dc in each st. Sl st to join
Row 7-9 – Ch 3, dc in each st. Sl st to join
Row 10 (CHANGE to white) – Ch 3, dc in each st. Sl st to join
Row 11 (CHANGE back to MC) – Ch 3, dc in each st. Sl st to join. Finish off by weaving in tail.

Laces:

The laces part is super easy. Take your yarn needle and thread it with the white yarn. *Make sure you have at least 15 inches to work with. I know it sounds like a lot, but that way you can pull it through without having to worry about it getting too tangled up. The shorter the string I used, the harder it was to make it look smooth.*

I have noted in the picture what number corresponds to where I am talking about.

1. Find the center front of your beanie. From the center, in row 6 (where you changed back to brown), count over three and place your yarn needle in from inside. Pull that through and count over 6 dc’s. Go back in after the 6th dc.

2. From the inside, go to the middle of the hat again,(between 3 and 4) and go down 1 dc pulling the yarn through from inside to out and back in.

3. For this, you will do the same as in step 1, only this time,  you are only using 4 dc’s to go around.

4. Go down as you did in Step 2

5. Go back out to 6 stitches and repeat as you did in step 1.

I hope you enjoy making this hat! As always, your comments and questions are always welcomed! Thank you for stopping by!