12 Weeks of Christmas CAL 12

Holiday Scrubbies

Well here it is, the last week of the crochet-a-long. This had to have been the fastest 12 weeks I have ever seen, well probably not, just seems like it. Anyway, this week was Holiday Scrubbies. Again, I couldn't find the yarn (if you can really call it that!) in the colors I wanted, so I had to settle for red, blue and black. This stuff is very weird to crochet with, it's hard to see the stitches so sometimes it's a guess where to place one, but overall, I think they came out cute and besides... they're scubbies!

12 Weeks of Christmas CAL 11

Snowflake Coasters

This week was Snowflake Coasters. I couldn't find any cotton yarn in the colors I wanted so I made mine with size 10 crochet thread and a size 7/1.65 mm Boye Steel hook, stiffened with Sta-flo concentrated starch. I hung them on an vintage bottle brush tree that is older than I am and has seen better days but I love it and all the memories it brings back.

`12 Weeks of Christmas CAL 10

Week 10 of the crochet-a-long is Santa and Elf Bag. I only make the Santa Bag and I changed it up a bit.  I used white yarn from my stash and for the trim I used Yarn Bee from Hobby Lobby called Gilt Eyelash in the color Star Ruby. I liked it because it sparkles and was different from the fur. I used the crochet cord with two colors tutorial for the tie, I think it looks like a candy cane. For the pom-pom I used the 2 1/2 inch Clover pom-pom maker, it was messy but I like how they came out.

12 Weeks of Christmas week 8

 

I finally got week 8 of the 12 Weeks of Christmas CAL the Jolly Holiday Stocking done. I used size 10 cotton by Artiste in Water Lily from Hobby Lobby, the white is Aunt Lydias and a 8/1.5 mm steel hook. I want to hang it on our tree and fill it with small candy canes or chocolate kisses.

Click link for free pattern.

Close up of pattern

12 Weeks of Christmas week 9

Velvety Soft Slippers

I didn't get around to making week 8 yet, hopefully I can get it done soon. This week it is Velvety Soft Slippers. I couldn't find the Red Heart Velvety or anything similar in the same weight class, so I used Bamboospun from Hobby Lobby and a I/5.50 mm hook. It's very soft, but also fuzzy and gets fuzzier if you have to pull it out. Overall, I think it worked out pretty good, they're soft and comfy. I used the 2 1/2" Clover Pom-pom maker and I think I went pom-pom crazy. They might be a tad large, but I like them!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip

It's the season of pumpkin. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies. I have a recipe for pumpkin dip that I make for Thanksgiving and Halloween that everyone really likes. Most of the dips I have seen use cream cheese, sugar, spices and pumpkin. This one is very simple and makes a lot. The original recipe didn't call for cool whip or whipped cream, but I like to lighten it up so I add it.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip

8 oz. of ready made cheesecake filling

15 oz. can of pumpkin pie filling

1 3 oz. pkg. instant vanilla pudding

1 cup cool whip or whipped cream

Mix pudding mix with pumpkin pie filling, add cheesecake and cool whip. Mix well and serve with graham crackers, apples or my favorites, Annas Swedish Thins ginger or almond.

Halloween 2015

 Happy Halloween!

I love Halloween! I love the colors, the smells, the fact that it's finally cooling down, and most of all, the memories. When I was a kid Halloween was great. almost all houses were decorated and trick-or-treaters filled the streets just like you see in movies. No worries about creepy people doing creepy things. One great memory I have is with my mom. She used to be the library directory of a library in a small town. One year we were decorating for the children's part of the library so we went down by a creek and gathered fallen leaves. It smelled so good, there was a crispness to the air with just a tinge of smoke from fireplaces. Every Halloween brings back this memory.

So anyway, this year we were going to try to have a small party, but, as usual, things didn't work out. I saw these cake pans on Facebook and just had to have them. Off to Williams Sonoma we go. At first I just bought the ghost pan, but those skulls kept calling me back.

I used Fudge Ghost Cake from the Nordic Ware site. I haven't cut into it yet so I can't vouch for the flavor. It baked up nice, but when I tasted the scraps, it seems a little sugary and not very chocolaty, maybe it was just the part I cut off for leveling. I used canned cherry frosting to "glue" them together and used bamboo skewers to insure they stayed that way.

For the skulls, I used a Paula Deen recipe from a magazine I bought in 2008 called Red Velvet Pound Cake. It baked up nice too. I halved the recipe because the full recipe make 12 cups and I only needed 5. Here is what it looks like cut into.

It's actually much more red. 

For the icing, I used a Petit Four recipe from Gretchen's Bakery. It's easy to make and tastes good too!. Some things I learned using it are: have ample space prepared in advance in refrigerator for them to set up, make sure you have completely covered the cake and do not go back and try to add more, it sets up quickly and the result might not be what you want, and most of all, do not move or try to move until completely set. Don't ask me how I know, just don't do it.!

I piped royal icing flowers, my daughter says the red ones remind her of the Crimson Peak Movie

I collect things all year from Goodwill and here are some of those things I used on the table.

Fostoria candle holder and silver serving bowl,
 I thought it looked like a cauldron.

I have a pretty good collection of black glass. This has some black glasses and some etched ones that I'm not sure of the maker. One of my favorite candle holders is the black one in the back, you might have to click on the picture to enlarge it to see the details better. And, a silver serving tray. 

I hope everyone had a great Halloween, now to plan for next year!

Quiltville Bonnie Hunter's 2015 Mystery Quilt

Bonnie Hunter's 2015 Mystery Quilt is alive! I'm not going to do this one, I still have last years's to finish.  It has beautiful colors inspired from her tip to Italy. I'm going to save it and make it in the future, after the 2 quilts I have started get finished. It's free on her site until February, then it will be listed for a fee. Here is the link, get in on it while you can. Allietare Mystery Quilt 2015

12 Weeks of Christmas CAL 7

This week we made the City Girl Cossack Hat. I made mine to match the City Girl Boot Cuffs from week 4. I used the same materials, Red Heart Super Saver in black and zebra. I added the Red Heart Boutique Fur and used the Clover Pom-Pom maker in size 3 3/3-85 mm for the added pom-pom. I love Clover Pom-Pom makers!


I had to shorten the main part of the pattern form 18 to 14 rows, and then did the color change. I would suggest anyone making this hat to try it on before starting the brim to make sure it fits.

Just a reminder that all these CAL patterns are free and can be found in the links. Thanks for looking.

12 Weeks of Christmas CAL 6

This weeks project was a cute Gift Bottle Sweater. I couldn't find the Red Heart yarn it called for, so I used Caron Simply Soft Party in red. It has red sparkle to it and for some reason it reminded of Santa Claus, so I added Red Heart Boutique Fur in polar.
It was an overcast day and I had a hard time finding a good place to take a picture. The white fur kind of blends in with the curtains so I took the bottle out of it to better show the details.

It is sitting on the Joyful Flower Table Runner from week 3

12 Weeks of Christmas CAL 5

This week we made a cute Snowman Wall Hanging. I left mine plain and just put a pin on him, but I might go back and embroider some snowflakes on his scarf. I used Red Heart Super Saver for his hat and scarf and Red Heart with Love for his face.

Applesauce Raisin Cookies

Applesauce Raisin Cookies.

Every year my husband bugs me to make these cookies. They're soft, spicy,  full of raisins and very easy to make.This is the third batch of this recipe this month, I think he's gotten his fill of them.

I bought this book at a thrift store about 25 years ago. 

I have several copies of these Betty Crocker Cookie/Cooky(the red one)books, if I find one at a thrift store, I buy it. My mom got me the first one when I was a kid in the 60's, she had ordered herself one then decided I needed one too. I hope I'm not the only one that had a cookbook collection when they were a kid!

The first step is to beat together the brown sugar, shortening (I use butter), applesauce and egg.

I just dump the dry ingredients into the first mixture and blend until completely mixed.

 Then add the raisins.

Scoop onto a cookie sheet, I like to use parchment, but it's not necessary and bake for approximately 12 minutes at 375° until they just bounce back. 

Cool on a rack and then enjoy!

Applesauce Raisin Cookies

1 cup brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup shortening (I use butter)

1/2 cup applesauce

1 egg

2 1/4 cup all purpose flour

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt 

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup nuts

Preheat oven to 375°

Mix together brown sugar, shortening, applesauce and egg. Then add flour, spices, baking soda and salt, mix until well blended. Add raisins. I don't add the nuts so I add an extra 1/2 cup of raisins. Scoop with 2 spoons or a cookie scoop onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake until tops just spring back when touched, my oven takes 12 minutes, remove to cooling rack.

12 Weeks of Christmas CAL 4

Week 4 of the CAL is The City Girl Boot Cuffs. Where I live it doesn't really get cold enough to wear these, but they are cute and don't take long to make. I used Red Heart Super Saver in black for the bottom and zebra for the bobble tops. These are supposed to have buttons, but I opted to add Red Heart Fur to the bottoms.

12 Weeks of Christmas CAL 3

Week 3

Close up of 4 motifs instead of one.

This week was really up my alley. My favorite crochet medium is thread. I like making lacy table covers, doilies, pillows.  I know, kinda screams grandma, must have been Victorian in my past life.  Anyway, this weeks project was supposed to be made with a yarn, but I chose thread. I had to alter the pattern because my motifs came out about 2 1/4" instead of 6. This is my rendition.

Joyful Flowers Table Runner

12 Weeks of Christmas CAL 2

Week 2

This week was mittens. I haven't had a pair of mittens since I was a kid. When I was a kid, I lived in Flagstaff Arizona where there are pine trees, cold winters and snow. Ah, the memories of snow and sledding...and freezing your tookus off!! So, as a commemoration of those mittens I decided to make mine red.


Wonderland Mittens

12 Weeks of Christmas Crochet-a-long

  I joined a Facebook crochet group that is having a Christmas crochet-a-long. Crochet a Long
The first project is a scarf. Here's is mine done with Yarn Bee yarn in Shale, using an I/9 5.5 mm hook.

Here are some close-ups. The yarn is actually very dark, almost black, but when the picture is taken with a flash, it appears much lighter.

Here's  a close-up of the pattern.

#12WeeksChristmasCal

1960's Kenmore Model 54

I found this little gem in a thrift store on half off day, it was $14.00. I tried hard to leave it there, I even left the store figuring that it would be gone in a hurry. But, it wasn't. I went back in the afternoon and there it was, like it was waiting for me. The more I looked at it, the more I liked its odd shape and cream and lilac colors.