Christmas Wish list

Only a few more days until Christmas, so I thought I'd share some things on my wish list. I have so much baking and knitting to finish up, I probably will be steering clear of the computer the next couple days, SO MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone! Be safe and have a great holiday!!

Mini Alphabet Knit Pattern

So I'm on a creative kick today and wanted to get my ideas that I would like to try down before I forget. So, here is another pattern that I designed, but haas not been tested. I am new at this designing stuff so if you find something that could improve the design please let me know.

Please feel free to use this pattern for personal use, and credit back to me. Also, as always I would love to see pictures of what you knit!!

Obessing over Argyle

I've been knitting a lot of stuff for christmas and I just seemed to be LOVING argyle patterns, I just bought a few pairs of argyle socks. I made up another pattern that I plan on trying out today. I'm so excited about it I thought I would share. You can repeat the pattern how ever you see fit!!

If  knitting in the round, simply knit each row. If knitting flat purl the odd rows and knit the even rows.

If you use my pattern please credit me and also I would love to see a picture of your project!!

Christmas Goodies

A while back I posted on facebook that I would love to collect people's unwanted christmas decorations. Well, my friend Laura in New York gladly obliged. Here are some of the goodies she sent me! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the alphabet wall hanging!! And the SLEIGH!! And the Ornament!!! She also sent me some vintage cook books!! I love recycling things!! I think everyone should do it, instead of throwing it away!

Love that blog: A Beautiful Mess

Elsie is a great inspiration, and I know it's only to me but to many! She is such a creative and beautiful person. I really enjoy her blog and I hope you check her out and follow her regularly. She is also a business owner of Red Velet Art. It is the cutest shop you will ever find. I hope to make a trip there one day to visit.

What inspired you to start a blog? 

I first started my blog because I wanted to post about my scrap booking pages and keep an online journal about my family and all the things I was thankful for  in my life.

Being that blog names are (sometimes) the most important, How and why did you decide on your blog name? 

I am very messy in real life in my art studio, so I thought it would be fun name.

What is your favorite thing to blog about and why?

 Pretty things, fashion, things that inspire me, my shop, and my current adventures.

What is it that you hope your readers get from your blog? 

Beautiful (free) content, encouragement for young business owners or other creative souls, 

What are your favorite types of blogs to read? 

I like design blogs, and fashion blogs, and crafting blogs.

What is your favorite hobby aside from blogging?

 Painting, making accessories, playing with my dog, decorating my house, and shopping

And lastly, What is your favorite dessert? 

Carrot cake cupcakes, my sister makes some great ones for our store. And I always steal one. :)

You can read some more about her here and here

Christmas Babies

CROCHET-ers NEEDED

I need a couple of people that crochet to test a pattern I made. It's a beard and mustache for a beanie, if you are interested please let me know!!

Argyle Pattern

Here is an argyle pattern I created, being that I couldn't find one that I wanted for a beanie I just made my own. You can knit it with 2 colors or 3 colors. I haven't knit it up yet so if you find a mistake please let me know. I plan on putting a single row in a beanie for my brother for christmas. After I finish knitting it up I will add a photo to this blog! 

If you use this pattern please credit me Also, PLEASE post photos, I would love to see how you use it!!

**If you are going to repeat this pattern vertically omit row 11, until you are finished repeating the pattern, THEN you end with row 11.

Christmas Daze: Hot Mulled Wine

Hot Mulled Wine By Kate Merker

Serves 8| Hands-On Time: 10m | Total Time: 30m

Ingredients

• 1 navel orange
• 4 cups apple juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
• 5 whole allspice berries**
• 10 cinnamon sticks
• 1 bottle dry red wine

Directions

1. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zest from the orange in long strips. (Reserve the fruit for another use.)
2. In a large saucepan, gently simmer the zest, apple juice, honey, ginger, allspice, and 2 cinnamon sticks for 20 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook just until heated through. Serve hot with the remaining cinnamon sticks.

**Substitutions

One teaspoon ground allspice is equivalent to approximate 5 whole berries.
If you need a substitute for allspice combine equal parts of ground cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper.

Christmas Daze: Scalloped Felt Tree Shirt

Scalloped Felt Tree Skirt By Martha Stewart

Tree skirts can be sooooo expensive to buy at the store. Here is a great way to make your very own custom tree skirt for a fraction of the cost. Again I love Martha Stewart's website. She has so many great ideas.

Conceal a Christmas tree stand with a lovely scalloped tree skirt. The skirt is made of felt, which won't fray, and has one open seam.


Tree Skirt How-To Print template; cut out. (Our skirt fits standard tree stands, but you can adjust the size if necessary.) Piece together printouts, and trace template 16 times onto a 36-by-36-inch piece of felt; cut out.
Place 2 pieces of felt next to each other so the right edge of 1 abuts the left edge of the other. Starting at rounded ends, sew edges together using a zigzag stitch. Repeat until you have 8 pairs.
Sew 1 pair to another using the same method, but stop 1 1/2 inches from pointed tips. Continue adding pairs, leaving first and last pairs unattached.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Scalloped Felt Tree Skirt - Martha Stewart Crafts

Christmas Daze: Cocoa in a jar

Cocoa in a jar by Sunset.com

I love cocoa, it is absolutely a holiday favorite of mine. Here is a great tutorial on share the cocoa love. 

Layer the ingredients in a jar, add a ribbon and a tag, and you have a simple but stylish gift. Mixes will fill 1-quart jars (12 servings), but if your containers are different sizes, just keep the ratio of ingredients constant. On the back of the tag, write: "Mix contents in a large bowl. For each serving, place 1/3 cup cocoa mix in a mug and stir in 1 cup boiling water. Store remaining mix in airtight container.

Here are 4 Different cocoa recipes

Classic Cocoa

Ingredients

• 1  cup  granulated sugar
• 1  cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1  cup  powdered milk
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  cup  miniature chocolate chips
• 1/2  cup  miniature marshmallows

Preparation

Layer sugar, cocoa powder, powdered milk, salt, chocolate chips, and marshmallows.

Mexican Cocoa

Ingredients

• 1  cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1  cup  powdered milk
• 1  cup  firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1  tablespoon  ground cinnamon
• 3/4  cup  chopped Mexican chocolate (such as Ibarra)
• Cinnamon sticks

Preparation

Layer cocoa powder, powdered milk, brown sugar, salt, ground cinnamon, and Mexican chocolate. Add a few cinnamon sticks to top of jar.

Mocha Cocoa

Ingredients

• 1  cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1  cup  granulated sugar
• 1/2  cup  espresso powder
• 1  cup  powdered milk
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  cup  chopped bittersweet chocolate or miniature chocolate chips

Preparation

Layer cocoa powder, sugar, espresso powder, powdered milk, salt, and chocolate.

Peppermint Stick Cocoa

Ingredients

• 1  cup  powdered milk
• 1  cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1  cup  granulated sugar
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  cup  miniature chocolate chips
• 1/2  cup  crushed peppermint candy

Preparation

Layer powdered milk, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, chocolate chips, and peppermint candy.




Read more at sunset.com

Christmas Daze: Doily Wreath

Doily Wreath by Martha Stewart

This is a beautiful wreath I found on Martha Stewart's website. I love all her decorating ideas. That woman is seriously gifted.  It's super easy to make and will add such a speacial touch to your home.

Step 1

Working on a covered surface, lay a 24-inch wreath form inside a 30-inch one. Attach them with 24-gauge wire at 6 to 8 evenly spaced points.

Step 2

In a ventilated area, coat combined wreath form with white spray paint. Let dry.

Step 3

Wrap wreath form with a 20-foot strand of white holiday lights (test lights beforehand), leaving the plug end unwrapped (as much as is needed to plug in).

Step 4

With scissors, widen the center-hole slits slightly in paper bouquet holders (we used 10 8.8-inch ones, 20 6.4-inch ones, 20 4.8-inch ones, and 50 3.2-inch ones). Poke a finger through center hole of each bouquet holder (from front to back) to create openings large enough to accommodate a lightbulb.

Step 5

Beginning with largest ones, place bouquet holders evenly around wreath, slipping a light through each hole so that bulb bases, not bulbs, rest against paper. (From time to time, hang wreath, and step back to ensure that the arrangement is balanced and attractive.)

Step 6

Add remaining bouquet holders in descending size order. Use smallest bouquet holders to cover centers of larger ones and to fill in any gaps. Hang near an outlet. Unplug when unattended.

Read more at Wholeliving.com: Paper-Doily Wreath - Martha Stewart Crafts