Fall is Heavenly!

Happy Fall, everyone (((hugs)))

I live in a place that virtually has no seasons. Example, it is nearing October its 96 degrees and climbing. We get some rainfall in the winter months. I love it, I am spoiled. I can go to the beach and snowboarding in the same afternoon. And its pretty here!

Growing  up in this kind of climate, I never really took part in eating and celebrating for the seasons.

Until I found my home on the internet. Blogs, Pinterest, Facebook, Forums...all introduced me to fall. I get to see pictures of leaves turning colors and hear stories of mothers putting away summer clothes. Pregnant women not being able to use hand me downs because of the time their baby is due? Wow.

So, I am a bit more excited than most by pumpkin spice and the warm colors. Its SO fun to celebrate the cycle of the year. Even if I am drinking my butter toffee latte (OMG!) ...iced.

Here is a little mix of what I WILL be trying this Fall.

Lets start with desert. *naughty grin*...click the pics to see where I found them :)

 

Butter...Toffee...Latte...CUPCAKES!!!

 

 

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

 

Butterscotch Blondies!

 

The blog that makes the blondies above...Bake at 350...had an insane amount of delish. It was just one after another. I want to go live with her. It was a toss up between these and her PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS! whoa...

 

 

 

And some drinks!!

 

 

Spicy Mexican Hot Chocolate

 

So good! This RECIPE looks yum! But, I usually just grab a box of Abuelitas early fall. It gets me through the entire season.

 

Spiced Apple Cider

 

A Beautiful Mess posted the best recipe for this last fall. Heavenly. I could drink this every night.

 

 

Pumpkin Spice Non Dairy Creamer

 

Pumpin Spice Lattes are famous. They deserve it! This non-dairy creamer recipe is about the best gift I can think of. I already bought my jars and I will be making several of these for hostess gifts, neighbor gifts, family...its a great "just in case" gift to have around. Here is the recipe!

 

 

 

Well, I am now hungry. I am taking the boys thrifting and then we are going to grab lunch. My husband is on-call this week (starting yesterday). We are on our own for weekend amusement. Enjoy your fall delights and try not to get over the pumpkin too early in the season. Temper it with apples!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday Favorite - Dinner!

My Thursday Favorite would have to be dinner tonight. Spaghetti! I do not do alot of evening carbs. So, I try to minimize the impact while still fitting spaghetti into my life a few times a week.

I use the spaghetti sauce with the least amount of sugar available. I cute the pasta with a bag of frozen veggies and I use lean beef. I tried "Shirataki" noodles, but I could not stomach them at all! I would rather go hungry. I use Barilla Plus (with added protein and Omega 3s). It tastes just like your run of the mill spaghetti to my guys!

 

Thank you for reading! Happy Thursday!!!

Melody

Piano Cocoon

This week I was sent a challenge...it was to make a piano themed baby cocoon. Here is my best attempt! It is super soft, double crochets, mostly with scalloped edges.

 

I used a rosey-pink yarn from "I Love This Yarn"

White and Black are both Vanna

 

I hook

 

The Cocoon is 15" Long, and 20" wide. I like them lose because you can always cinch it in the back with some ribbon for pictures. Getting a baby in a tight cocoon is like trying to put on jeans right after a shower. Inconventient.

 

The hat is my newborn size 12" wide x 5" deep.

 

Its pretty basic, but the pattern is coming. :)

 

Oh! and a quick shot of the back.

 

My Big Daisy - Crochet Pattern

Good morning!

I sense a great day in the making. I am surrounded by yarn, the school year is going smoothly, the baby grows more fun and independent every day...

I love an embellishment! What better than a great big daisy. This crochets up fast.

Yarn I Used:
 Red Heart for the White
I Love This Yarn (I do!) for the Yellow
Vanna for the Green
Oh! and a touch of Red Simply Soft for the ladybug in the center.

I Hook
Finished Size: 5" across.

Stitches used...lots of chains (ch), slip stitch (ss), single crochet (sc) and double crochet (dc)

The Flower Center (Yellow): 12 dc in a magic circle. Slip stitch into the first dc and cinch the magic circle closed. Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing it onto the flower later.

The Petals (White):
-7 sc in a magic circle, ss into the first sc and cinch the magic circle closed.
-Ch 1 and two sc in each stitch (14), ss into first sc of the row.
-*ch 12 and then ss into next 2 chains of the circle*, repeat *-* 6 times.
-*dc 15 times in the next set of chains, ss into next ss after that set of chains* repeat *-* for the next 6 chain loops.
-Fasten off.

Leaves (Green):
chain 15, sc in second chain from hook, sc in next stitch, hdc 1 time into next 3 chains, dc into next 8 chains, dc 5 times into the next chain. This will work you around to the other side. dc into the next 8 chains (opposite side of the other 8 dc), hdc into the next 3 chains, sc into the next 2 chains, ss into the last chain and fasten off. work in tails.

Sew the leaves onto the petals with white yarn. Then sew the center onto the petals with yellow yarn. Then a quick sew of red on the yellow center for a ladybug...just for fun!

It would look cute on a hat, on the corner of a baby blanket, pin it to your shirt, Sew it on the side of a tote bag...I like to put crocheted flowers on Pickles leash when we go for walks. Have fun with it. :)

I am still new to pattern writing. As always, if you see anything odd or confusing, please let me know. :)

Homemade Bubblewands ...with beads!

Today I was outside with the boys while they were running around. I got up, grabbed some materials and made a beaded bubblewand!

 

 

 

 

What I'm Up To...

Happy End of the Summer!

I am in yarn heaven! So happy to be past the super hot part of the summer and I have been yarn shopping. Lots of projects on the hook this week.

I am working on a hat that sold on my Etsy page:

And a hot pink personalized baby blanket for a little girl due in November...I am putting together a fun hot pink package of fun baby stuff. I hoped to make it like my Ava blanket...but her name is alot longer so I may end up cross stitching the babys' name on after I crochet the blanket. I wont know for sure until I get to that point in the blanket. Here is a shot of my Ava blanket.

I am working on some moogle gloves for me.

2 Basic Mens Scarves

Izzy would like to be a dog for Halloween...so I will make him a puppy hat. 

I am working on some Thanksgiving dishcloths

I also have about 3 hat patterns on the way that I am very excited to share!

Its a busy week, here. :)

I did receive some pictures of my Hungry Caterpillar cocoon set in action! 

Could they be ANY cuter?? <3 ahhhh!

Do you have any projects underway? 

Fall Handmade Love Blog Hop!

I am taking part in an amazing blog hop for handmade sellers. I love handmade items. They are so personal and the idea of contributing directly to a person (as opposed to a corporation) is really charming to me. When you buy handmade it feels like you are forming a friendship. There are many reasons why people buy handmade. What are yours?

This is a contest. If you win the grand prize you will receive everything listed below (worth over $300)! Good luck :)

• AI2 Cloth diaper from Green Grizls
• Boogie Bear Creations Nighttime Cloth Diaper
• Lil Montner Mama Cloth Set
• AI2 Cloth diaper from 4oh5 Fluff
• Organic Bonnet from Bonnet Friend
• Set of Cloth Wipes & Detergent from Tender Bottoms
• Natural Deodorant from Live Beautifully
• Hybrid Fitted Cloth diaper from Silly Bear Handmade 
• Bar of Soap from Bmbyx
• Original Artwork from NJoyArt
• GPS Bracelet from Motherhood Journey
• Fabric Lowercase ABC's from The Crunchy Farm Baby Shop
• Evil Eye Baby Bell Necklace from SariBlue
• $30 Credit to Babycake Boutique
• Hello Kitty Drawstring Bag from Hoppy Mama's Creation
• $25 GC to Vagabond Studio Etsy

You can gain extra entries by going to the other participating blogs and entering today! Have fun!!!

The fine print:

Facebook is in no way affiliated with this contest. Please note that Going Green with the Grizls, The Vagabond Studio, Eight Days a Weeks and all other bloggers participating in the Fall in Love with Handmade Giveaway Hop are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. We have represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prize and in a timely manner. We will contact the sponsor regarding your prize(s). The sponsors, in most cases, are shipping their items to you directly. I will make every effort to assist you obtaining your prize. If there is an issue with a sponsor, please notify the blog you won a prize from within 4-6 weeks for assistance, after that we may be unable to assist you.

Review: Perfect Food Raw Drink Mix

Today I was at Sprouts and found a chocolate flavored greens drink mix...Raw even! Had to try it. I like chocolate a little bit. :)

It is Garden of Life brand Perfect Food Raw Oraganic Green Superfood in Chocolate!

I was really excited that I didn't have to buy an entire canister just to test it. I just bought one packet. 

 I mixed it with a cup of water and lots of ice. The taste was not so bad. The smell bugged me. But a straw took care of that. I do not think I would add this to my morning smoothie. But, it is MUCH preferable over my plain flavored greens drink.

And pretty, too! LOL

I would like to note that when I drink a green superfood shake in the afternoon I do not crave my 3 o'clock coffee. It gets me through my evening rush beautifully without the urge to snack while I am making dinner. Which makes the ugliest muck look beautiful to me! 

Take care,
Mel 

Crocheted Trim on My Dishtowels

Today I saw a project that I just HAD to undertake. Pretty mercerized cotton trim on dishtowels. I went with plain white towels and a rich blue cotton yarn. I am really pleased with how they turned out!

I got the pattern from this months issue of Crochet Today (Sept/Oct 2012).

Did anyone else get this magazine? I will be doing several of the projects inside.

Melody

September Beginnings

September is FABULOUS!! I know its not hear yet, but it is peeking just around the corner. The boys are settled into their home-school routine now. Izzy is starting a preschool curriculum and my teen is now in 10th grade. It has been a very smooth transition.

I am really happy to see the weather beginning to cool off a bit, too. Those 100+ degree days do not make yarn appealing. And I love yarn!

September is also when my planning stages for holiday gifts begin. When it is too hot for crocheting I get my fix by thumbing through idea books and websites to see what I want to make for family and friends. I look at decor ideas for projects. Pinterest is dangerous!

Happy end of August!
Mel

Fitting Crochet In My Day

I can't crochet in a state of disarray. I am not the neatest person around. But, if there is clutter or a huge to do list it makes my ADD itch. I cannot relax and enjoy my work at all.

Some things that have to be handled before I can enjoy crochet:

• My nails have to be nice. If they are chippy they snag my yarn. And if the paint is chipped I feel frumpy and it bugs me. Hence, my weekly nail posts. 
• My house has to be picked up and NO dishes in the sink. It kills my ADD to be surrounded by clutter . 
• I have to have exercised. I can't enjoy my yarn if I feel sedentary. 
• I have to have dinner planned. Preferably in a crockpot already. It is unfailing that if I sit down to crochet I will get TOTALLY into my project, excited to see how it will turn out, have a tricky pattern that I have just gotten in stride...and someone will say they are hungry. Or..."whats for dinner?".

I have a morning routine, a home-school schedule, a night time routine and a handful of odds and ends that are scheduled each day of the week. All of these are entered in my google calendar and message is sent to my phone when its time for me to do something. If I want a big window of time to work I just peek at my calendar and get everything done all at once in the morning. Its a breeze and takes a huge load off of my mind. 

I also love online timers!

There are a few things that make sure to do each day that guarantees the next day will be a good day.

• Meditate
• Yoga before bed
• Get to bed by midnight
• Pack lunches the night before while I am preparing dinner
• Start the next mornings load of laundry before bed
• Run the dishwasher -My oldest knows to unload it in the morning if the "clean" light is on.
• Clean out my purse. 
• Always keep my keys in my purse -EVERYTIME. 
• Protein shake before bed -It makes me feel better the next morning no matter how early I rise.
• Wash my face and moisturize before bed -It helps to wake up feeling your prettiest.

I wish you many many awesome morning!

Here is a little something from my trip to Target this afternoon. 

Wrist Bling Swap!

I had the best time making a bracelet to swap Michellesque (her blog here). It was so fun getting to meet her and hear about her. Swaps are awesome!!!

And look what she sent me!!!

Thank you Yellow Heart Art for bringing the fun!

Farewell...for just a little bit longer

I have been missing in action. But, I have great excuses!

My craft is yarn and its been about 110 degrees here everyday. The idea of grabbing yarn is unappealing. Even cotton. Even bamboo. I pretty much just want to sit in a baby pool and be ladled!

My second excuse is way more fun...we are taking a family road trip to Texas. Leaving in about an hour. All the details have taken a lot of time and effort. But, the car is beautifully packed. Snacks and toys and clothes and I grabbed an umbrella stroller for Izzy.

Happy week to you all! I have some posts scheduled to pop while I am gone.

Mel