Square PomPom Beanie

Well now that football is behind us and its now time for basketball, I decided to make something for basketball fans out there. I don't know about you but I like UNC Tar heels so I started with blue and made this cute little "square beanie" . Its different from the regular round cap beanies. This one has more style and cuteness with the double pompoms to add to the fun.

I will share with you how I did it. This is not a pattern. It's more like just an instruction, but if you can chain stitch, single stitch and double stitch, you can make this easily.

Unlike a round beanie where you start from the top and work your way down, This one you start at the rim and work your way up.

You can make it as big around as you want but I planned for mine to be for a little one. which is came out to be about 15 inches around

First I made 46 chains and joined them together with a slip stitch. be careful not to twist it. I had to keep redoing mine until it was not twisted. I still don't think I really figured it out, It just finally worked.

Then I chained one and did three rows of single stitches. At the end of each row, I would slip in the top of the chain one, then chain one to start the next row.

When I was ready to start double stitches, I did the same but chained two at the beginning of each row then double stitched, repeating this until I finished.

I did as many rows as I needed to make it about 7 inches deep.

To finish it up I turned it inside out and used a yarn needle to whip stitch the top closed.
I turned it right side out and attached pompoms to the corners. You can also add bows, scrap strips or strings to the corners to make it unique.
Here is a video how make a yarn pompom. Video

If you cant crochet but would love to have one of these. I may have one or more in my Etsy shop soon using different color combinations.

Ive shared this at:
made-by-me-66-linky-party-and-features at jaqsstudio
under-100-linky-party at beyondthepicketfence
link-party-friday craftionary
get-schooled-saturday at too-much-time
clever-chicks-blog-hop
Make it pretty at thededicatedhouse

Elmo Party

This weekend I attended a birthday party for my grand niece. She turned two. Her party was Elmo themed. This was perfect for her since shes at that age where its all Dora and Sesame Street.
Her party was held at an old school auditorium which was great for all the little party goers to run around and scream. Everyone seemed to have a wonderful time.

Can you find the birthday girl?

Her party was complete with a four foot Elmo balloon that followed everyone around, a real live Dorthy fish,

Elmo and friends cupcakes from Yi Ya's Sweeties and veggie trays made by the Mom (my niece).

 

and of course lots of presents. Including the big surprise, A Schwinn tricycle from her Nona and Pop Pop.

 

The party favors for each guest were made up of gold fish and crayons with tags that read "Elmo loves his goldfish and crayons too. Now here's both just for you. Love........."

 

She was just a little ball of fun.

Happy Birthday Brinklin!


Ive shared this on:
creatively-tuesday at therusticpig.com

Year End and New Year Planning

Whoosh! I'm behind on my blogging. There is alot I could have blogged about the past few days but I have been busy rushing here and there and everywhere.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I did. I managed to get my shopping done a week early, everything I baked came out delicious, and I racked up on some clothes, a pair Toms, and new pocketbook from St.Nick!

I think I ended up making three batches of Almond Christmas Cookies for family, friends and us, and my daughter made a batch as well. The ones I made for our enjoyment didn't stay in bowl but two days. They are just that good. You can find the recipe in my recipe tab. Along with some of my other holiday favorites.

Now the year has come to an end. I have taken down all my Christmas decorations and getting everything ready for my New Years dinner I do every year with my family. We do not really do anything special on new years eve. We will go out to dinner and then stay in and watch the ball drop on tv while we prepare for next days company. My daughter goes out with her friends to celebrate and we choose to stay grounded, so that we can always be on call in case she needs us. I guess as parents, no matter how old your kids get, you always worry about them. I hoped this would subside as she got older but it only brings on new worries. But of course, that could just be me. The ole worry wart.

I may make me a new years themed wreath for my front door or I may decorate my mantle or paint a new year painting. My mind is full of ideas. Just wondering if Ill have the time.

What is your New Years Plans?

Christmas Through Lens



Finally, after about five years, we went to see Christmas lights. I know, that's a long time, but with our work schedule, our daughters school schedule, shopping, cooking and everything in between, we just never find the time, or if we do find the time, we do not want to sit in the one hour long traffic to see them.

We happened to be lucky enough to live just 8 miles from Christmas Town USA. Unfortunately, this is the lined up traffic I was talking about, therefore, we usually skip this show and go 10 more miles down the road to Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens . Here you walk through what looks like a never ending winter wonder land. I would say its about a mile walk. Maybe longer. They also have horse buggy rides (lost that photo) keep reading.

While we were walking through, and after I had taken many pictures, my memory card got an error.  "Blogger nightmare". Lost it all. Once we completed the walk through, I got it back to working. So, we went through it again. Christmas lights are hard to take photos of and of course my camera even lost all my settings so the resolution, size, etc. was all messed up and it was so dark other than the lights, I did the best I could. Here are a few picture I took. Enjoy.

This is the Entrance before you go into the gardens. Inside you will find a gift shop, coffee shop, Santa Claus, live music, and crafts to make!

I took this photo through a door from outside of a teenager talking to Santa.

 

Some of the cute stuff in the gift shop. (cell phone picture, ha)

In the garden there was live music, and a wonderland of lights, a fire pit, tropical hot house, water falls, lighted tunnels, bridges and even some mazes to go through.

 

 

 Art sculptures along the way were fun too!

 

 Children love running through this water tunnel. Barely getting wet.

 

fa la la la la

Diamonds and Daggers

"Diamonds and Daggers"

That's the name of the semi-formal that my daughter was in charge of for her sorority. Since she is on the formal chair, she was responsible for the whole venue for a semi formal.

This was a big task for her and a new experience.

She needed some help on a decoration that represented the theme of diamonds and daggers. So, my husband put on his creative hat and created the perfect thing. He went to the local craft store for some foam board to cut out some diamonds and found some daggers in some clearance Halloween supplies at the dollar store. He measured, drew up ideas and cut until it was just right.

 

Once finished, he had created a lovely prop for her to use for photos or decorations.

She ended up using it for a center piece on the food table.

With the buses lined up to go and DJ turning on the sound, the night was ready. It all went well even though they ran out of food. You know how those college kids can eat! She should have doubled the food but she was on a limited budget from the sorority.
She took a few pictures for me to share.

Cupcakes from a local bakery

 



The party room entrance.

 



The food table ready for everyone to come.

 

Every one dancing and having a good time. Well, almost everyone.

 

Yay! Between exams, homework, job, and meetings she did a good job getting this together!

 



She now has to plan for a big formal to be held in the spring. She said there was a lot she learned from doing this and a lot of things she will do different with the next one.

GOOD JOB! WE ARE PROUD OF HER! 

Pumpkin Guts

Its time for Halloween. I do not believe Halloween is a holiday or get all into it like some people do but that does not mean I don't enjoy the festivities of seeing little kids and adults dressed up and give out candy to trick or treaters.

Halloween at my house is when I carve a pumpkin. I could just paint something on my pumpkin but why waste the goodies inside!

Once I pick out the perfect pumpkin, I wash it and dig out the insides. I always called it "pumpkin guts". Sounds good for Halloween.

I know I waste a lot of the orange goop in the middle but I have no idea how to use it. I do not know what parts to eat or how too. All I know is I get my hands all messy digging out the "guts" to get the seeds. fun fun.

I cut off the bottom this time instead of the top so it will be easier to clean and set over a candle instead of trying to set and light a tiny candle on the inside.

Now that's a clean pumpkin!

I rinse the seeds.

 

 I tried leaving on all the gooey stuff on them one year and that didn't work very well,

So, I rinse the seeds and poured them onto a cookie sheet and sprayed with olive oil spray, spinkled with salt and baked for about 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven. I did my cleaning and carving while they cooked.

I ended up with about 2 cups of seeds. They are so tasty and crunchy. They kind of have a popcorn taste to me.
So, don't let your pumpkin seeds go to waste. either plant them, or eat them. You will love it.

*Please be aware that the seeds can be a chocking hazard to both adults and children.

 

Here is my finished carved pumpkin. I didn't not have a carving kit so I had to use a knife and spoon to get the results. 

Happy Halloween!!!!!

 

I shared this on:

lil-luna-link-party-101
made-by-me-55-linky-party-and-features at jaqsstudio 

College Family Day

Today was family day at the college my daughter attends and my husband and I were invited to the Kappa Delta luncheon with her.

 

It was in the new sorority house.

 

 

 It was nice and quiet and the food was rather delicious.

They served us BBQ with all the sides and cupcakes made by the sorority sisters. 

 

 

After lunch, we decided to take a walk the Starbucks in the Student Union for a pumpkin spice latte. 

 

 

 Here is my husband and daughter picking at each other on the way there.

 

 

After getting our caffeine fix, we noticed they were having an International festival over in the distance and so we took another walk.

 

There was art, food, music, history, and dance representing different parts of the world.

 

 

 We got a chuckle out of the fact that the college is made up of so many different nationalities, it was hard to tell who were students and parents or who were representatives.  

 

The Bratwurst really looked good here in Germany.

 



 

 Not sure what they were writing for everyone here in Pakistan but everyone was lined up for it.

 

 

This guy had this little girl singing. So, cute.

 

 People dancing

 

 

Here I am at China. "I think I rock the hat. haha".

 



I was unprepared for this event and due to the crowd, it was hard to take any good pictures or taste any of the foods but it was fun.  Having lunch and hanging around with my daughter was the real treat.