Monday's Link to Free Crochet Pattern (24 February 2014)

Here's a sweet pair of baby booties that resemble ugg boots. This pattern comes in 4 sizes for babies.

Take care,
Sharon

Monday's Link to Free Crochet Patterns (17 February 2014)

Granny squares make beautiful afghans and other crocheted items. There are many, many different types of squares. Here is one I found on the Internet for you.

The pattern is in symbols here. I'm not too good at reading the symbols but I'm learning.

Have a great week everyone!

Hugs,
Sharon

Amazon has Yarn!!!

Another Pair of Slippers--5 More Pairs to Go...

This is a man's pair of slippers. 5 more pairs of slippers to go! The latest pair shown below is made of one strand of navy blue and one strand of black yarns.

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend.

Hugs,
Sharon

Slipper Socks for a Man

Once again, I am showing you a pair of slippers. These are for a man. The yarn I used for these was 1 strand of Red Hearts Team Spirit yarn in navy blue and white and one strand of navy blue. Here they are...

pattern

Take care everyone.

Hugs,
Sharon

Thursday's Tricks (13 February 2014)

Since I'm getting ready to go on a trip I'm going to share a few travel trips that I learned to follow the hard way.

• If you pack medications in a pill keeper, put a piece of tape on the lid to keep it shut. Fold under one end of the tape so that it is easy to grab and pull off. After my meds bounced around in my carry-on, the pill keeper popped open and I had medicinal crumbs all over the inside of my bag.

• Before you pack the clothes you are taking with you, inspect them to ensure they fit, are in good repair and aren't stained. A friend recently packed some brand new clothes without trying on before packing and unfortunately they didn't fit.

• After missing a connecting flight because of weather, I learned to always put in my carry-on bag basic hygiene necessities such as deodorant, tooth brush, paste and also a clean set of undies. :-)

Hope you're having a good week and are staying warm.

Hugs,

Sharon

Slippers for a Child

I'm still churning out slippers. These are a pretty peach and green color; the color isn't "true" in my lighting. Many more pairs to finish before the end of the month. I should really stockpile these because most people seem to like them unless they have tender feet then the ridges seem to be irritating.

Here's the picture of the latest pair:

Pattern

Take care everyone and hugs to all...
Sharon

Monday's Link to Free Crochet Pattern (10 February 2014)

I keep coming back to this pattern. I love the classy look of this hat. I make it with a larger hook so that my hair doesn't get mashed down so much.   Here are a couple of my versions of this hat. On the variegated version I put a flower instead of a bow.

Boye Ergonomic Aluminum Crochet Hook Handle

Hash Browns and the Waffle Iron

A few days ago I posted pictures of hash browns cooking in a waffle iron. Last night I tried this myself and it worked out great! I have a small waffle iron and since there are only 2 of us it worked out great. I used frozen hash browns and cooked them on the waffle iron after spraying the waffle iron with Pam cooking spray. They turned out great and weren't greasy at all!  My opinion of these--definitely a winning recipe and will do again.

Place frozen hash browns on preheated waffle iron that has been sprayed with Pam

Close the lid and latch. Cook until steaming is almost gone.

Check once in a while to see if they're done to your taste.

Put a little ketchup on and YUMMY!

Waffle Makers and Irons

Another Pair of Slippers

This pair of slippers is the regular size for men. The yarn I used was one strand of red from Caron pounders and the other strand was a navy and white color from Red Hearts Team Spirit line. I like the patriotic look of these. Here they are:

Pattern

These slippers are great during the cold winter months. My feet are very cold, has something to do with thyroid problems, and I make the women's slippers from this pattern and often wear them over socks to bed at night to keep the ol' tootsies warm.

Hope y'all are staying warm and cozy.

Hugs,

Sharon

Slippers for You at Amazon

XL Slippers for a Man

Pattern

Here's a pair of slippers that I made for a large man. It is hard to tell from the picture, but these slippers are a good-looking dark green and black color.

I haven't forgotten to show you the picture of the afghan I was working on. It is finished with the exception of weaving in a bunch of ends. 

Take care everyone and stay warm!

Hugs,

Sharon

Testing, Testing Thursday's Tricks...

After yesterday's post, I decided to test the scrambled egg in a shell. I shook a few eggs up, I thought maybe I'd have some golden yellow eggs and some marble-like eggs if I didn't shake them too much. Well, it must take a heck of a lot of Richard Simmons-type shaking to end up with golden yellow hard-boiled eggs because I ended up with plain ol' hard-boiled eggs. I did some googling and found this page and the following video.





I put my egg in a pair of panty-hose (am I the only one who still wears these?) and spun it around and around about a dozen times.

I cooked my egg and couldn't even wait until it was cooled before I started peeling it. Alas, another failure...

I think you need to use Home Depot's paint mixer to shake these babies up. What a disappointment. Has anyone had good luck doing this?

Thursday's Tricks

I saw a posting that had some great tricks for cooking. Here are 2 of them that I think are interesting and helpful.

I would never have come up with this idea on my own but it looks like a super easy way to make hash browns. Spread out a layer of grated potatoes in your preheated waffle iron then cook 'em up.  I'm not sure if you use frozen ones or ones made from scratch but it may not matter anyway. Has anyone tried this?

To get a yellow hard-boiled egg, you are supposed to shake the egg before boiling it. I don't think I need to remind you not to hold the egg too tightly when shaking it lol.  I think these eggs would be great in potato salad or sliced on chefs salad or just to munch on. I'm going to test this and let you know how it turns out. Let me know if you tried this and how yours turned out.

That's it for now. Take care...

--Sharon

Baby It's Cold Outside!

I shouldn't be a cry baby because it really doesn't get as cold here in Kentucky as it does in the more northern states. I am a cry baby about being in extreme temperatures though I do appreciate the beauty of the ice we seem to have an abundance of today. Here's a glimpse of what you'd see if you were at my home today.

I don't know where the falling snow came from in this one. I thought I took a still photo.

Amazon has large selection of snow shovels

Found in My Email

I often receive so many "cutsie" things in my email that I barely glance at them before sending them on their way to the trash bin. These hints/pictures took me by surprise because I didn't know or think of any of these hints because I live a sheltered life or something. Here they are...

Most aluminum foil boxes have press-in tabs that secure the roll in place, so you don’t have worry about it flying out every time you rip off a sheet.

You’ve been dispensing Tic Tacs the hard way.

You know how when you violently shake a container of Tic Tacs into your palm it seems as though you always end up with zero or seven? Avoid that altogether by letting a mint gently glide into the tiny lid crevice.

You haven’t been using ketchup cups to their full potential.

Instead of grabbing multiple cups of ketchup, simply pull apart at the edges for twice the space.

Chinese takeout containers are actually made to fold out into plates.

The containers actually are meant to unfold into a makeshift plate, which you can easily reassemble into a box for storing leftovers.

Greek yogurt containers are meant to be folded in half.

Chances are you’ve been scooping the toppings with your spoon onto the yogurt.

But, have you realized, the topping holder folds over, so you can pour the toppings DIRECTLY ON TOP?

You’ve probably been placing toilet seat covers in the wrong direction.

The flap is meant to be placed toward the front. This prevents the agony of sitting down on a toilet seat, only to realize you’ve dragged the cover down into the bowl.

Soda tabs double as straw holders.

Turn the tab around so that it acts as holder that can stop the straw from raising out of the can as the soda fizzes.

You probably don’t realize it, but your pots come with built-in spoon rests.

(I thought these holes were to hang pots up by) 

soft drink lids can double as coasters.

None of these hints are going to drastically change the world but they sure are interesting to know.

Take care everyone!
Sharon 

A Small Project

Here's a pair of child sized slippers I just finished. I'm going to be visiting some family in the near future and I'm hoping to have slippers for everyone. I better get busy because I've been a bit lax with my crocheting lately. Anyway, here's the slippers.

pattern

This is the same pattern I always use for adult slippers. I think this is the first time I've crocheted the child-sized version.

Have You Seen This?

I thought I had surfed the Internet from one end to the other. Somehow I had missed the online magazine Crochet Savvy. They allow it to be embedded on other sites so here's the latest for you.

Turbo Tax is at Amazon

Monday's Link to Free Crochet Pattern (03 February 2014)

Here's a cute pattern for a dalmatian hat sizes baby - adult.

Enjoy!

OOPS! I forgot to put the link for this pattern. It is now added to the post. So sorry.

Here's a Crochet-Along

Head on over to Carolyn Christmas Design's page for information on a crochet-along she is hosting. Participants will be making afghans out of squares--but not your usual granny squares. These squares are made in a variety of sizes and have circles and dots. Here is the page with all the patterns for the squares. At a later date I will be making this but right now I'm trying to finish up another afghan and I need to get some slippers made to take as gifts for a trip I'll be taking soon.

Take care everyone and I hope life is treating you good.

Hugs, Sharon




FREE Kindle Version of Lion Brand's New Fall Collection: 15 Free Crochet Scarf Patterns, Afghan Patterns, and More