LINK IT UP THURSDAY #44

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

We are out trunk or treating with the kiddos.  I hope y'all are doing something fun as well! Don't forget to vote for your favorite Halloween costume.

Here are a look at the BELLES  of the ball from last weeks party.

Once Upon a Sewing Machine~Toddler Peasant Dress

I love this little girl and her dress!!  The pattern and tutorial provide are wonderful, makes me want to break out the sewing machine!

Becoming Martha~ Mini Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate

MMmmmm chocolate and cheesecake...., need I say more?!?

Our Pinteresting Family~ Stereo Cabinet into Toy Box

I love that they took an old stereo cabinet that wasn't being used any more and turned it into a toy box.  So clever!

Not So Super Mama~Starbucks Pumpkin Scones

Pumpkins is seriously one of my very favorite things!  YUMMY!

Happy Hour Projects~Owl Stuffie

This little Owl would be perfect of little stocking stuffer or birthdays or anything.  The pattern is free and they are super easy nothing could be better.

The most viewed link of the week is:
Sweet Little Bluebird~Pumpkin Pie Tortilla Rolls
Have I ever told y'all how much I adore pumpkin pie??!!  These look fantastic no wonder you guys were checkin' it out!

Y'all are AMAZING  go ahead and grab yourself a Featured Button!  Face Book Features, make sure you get a button too.



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I want to see everything you have to link up! Old projects, new posts, giveaways, recipes, crocheting, any and everything.  If you have more than one thing to link up, even better.  Here are the very simple rules.

1.  Please keep it family friendly.

2. Please link back or grab a button so others can share in the fun.

3.  Following would be nice. (but don't feel you have to)

4. Have fun, be inspired. Try to visit the 2 links ahead of you.

If you would like an e-mail reminder about the party let me know in the comments. Make sure you leave your e-mail address with your comment. I will happily add you to the list.  

Small Brimmed Ladies Hat Pattern

Yesterday I showed you all the new hat I made over the weekend.  As promised I have written out the pattern for y'all to use.

This is my first pattern for a hat, so please if you have a question or a problem let me know. (be kind with me this as I said this is my first one).  You may sell the items you make from my pattern but a link back here to let others know where you got the pattern from would be appreciated.  


Materials:
6.0 mm hook
5.5 mm hook
4.0 mm hook
Worsted weight yarn
Stitch Marker
tapestry needle
One to Two Buttons

Pattern is written in American Crocheting Terms.
Abbreviations used
ch-Chain
dc-Double Crochet
hdc-Half Double Crochet
sc-Single Crochet
sc2tog-Single Crochet 2 Stitches Together
sl st-Slip Stitch
rnd-Round
fpsc- Front Post Single Crochet
bpsc-Back Post Single Crochet

Difficulty easy+, because you change hooks and use different stitches, you also need to be familiar with increasing and decreasing.   If you are comfortable with these things you will find this patter fairly easy.

Fits preteen - adult: 21 inches  *note hat stretches 1-11/2 inches as most crocheted items will*


Small Brimmed Ladies Hat
by Kadie (Seven Alive all Livin' in a Double Wide

Using a 6.0 mm hook make a magic ring with 8 hdc inside, close ring.

Rnd 1: 2 hdc in each stitch around.  Place your stitch marker in the last stitch, you will move your marker up at the end of each round.

Rnd2: 1 hdc in first stitch *2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in next stitch, repeat from * until end of round. (24 hdc)

Rnd3:  1 hdc in first 2 stitches, *2 hdc in next stitch, 1 hdc in next 2 stitches, repeat from * to the end of round. (32 hdc)

Rnd4: 1 hdc in first 3 stitches. *2 hdc in next stictch, 1 hdc in next 3 stitch, repeat from * until end of round. (40 hdc)

Rnd5:  1 hdc in first 4 stitches, *2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in next 4 stitches, repeat from *until end of round. (48 hdc)

Rnd6: 1 hdc in first 5 stitches. *2 hdc in next stitch, 1 hdc in next 5 stitch, repeat from * until end of round. (56 hdc)

Rnd7: 1 hdc in first 13 stitches. *2 hdc in next stitch, 1 hdc in next 13 stitch, repeat from * until end of round. (60 hdc)

Rnd 8-17 hdc in each st around (60 hdc)

Change to a 5.5 mm hook

Rnd 18-19 *fpsc in next stitch bpsc in next stitch*  repeat from *to* until the end of the rounds.

Fasten off and work in ends.

Brim:

Change to 4.0 mm hook

Turn hat inside out and with right sides together join yarn 17 stitches from fasten off point.

Row 1:  ch 1, working in front loops only sc in next 24stitches, sc through both loops of  last stitch.  (26 stitches all together)

Row 2:  ch1 tun, sc2tog, sc next 5, 2 sc in next stitch, sc next 8, 2 sc in next stitch, sc next 5 stitches, sc2tog, sc last stitch (26 sc)

Row 3:  ch 1 turn, sc2tog, sc next 20 stitches, sc2tog, sc last stitch (24 sc)

Row 4: ch1 turn, sc2tog, sc next 4 stitches, 2 sc in next stitch, sc next 8 stitches, 2 sc next stitch sc next 4 stitches, sc2tog, sc last stitch (24 sc)

Row 5: ch1 turn, sc2tog, sc next 18 sts, sc2tog, sc last st (22 sc)

Row 6:  ch 1 turn, sc2tog, sc next 3 stitches, 2 sc next stitch, 2 sc next stitch, sc next 8 stitches, 2 sc next st, sc next 3 sts, sc2tog, sc last st (22 sc)  fasten off and weave in ends.

Band:

Change yarn color, using your 4.0 mm hook attach your yarn to the right side of the hat at the edge of the beginning of the brim.

Row 1:  Using the ridge created by making the brim sc in each stitch along the brim. (26 sc)

Row 2:  ch 2 turn, dc in each stitch (26 dc)

Row 3:  sl st in to each hat stitch above the band.  This will hold the band in place and create a nice finish.  Fasten off and weave in your ends.

Add one or two buttons at either end of the band using a large needle and yarn.

Enjoy your new hat!!

Thanks for stoppin' by and hangin' out.

Small Brimmed Crocheted Ladies Hat

I am headed up north for a quick visit in a couple of days and have to admit, I think I'm going to freeze!  It has been in the high 50's here in the mornings and I am all bundled up and still cold.  However where I am going it snowed 101/2 INCHES last week!  I think I may be in trouble.

So I was going though a list in my head of things to take with me, and the thought hit me, I need a hat.  But I don't have a hat, (well not a cute hat).  I looked online and found some really cute hats, I even had one in my "shopping cart".  Then I thought (as I often do) I can make something that looks like that, duh.  So I turned of the computer and got out my hooks.

Here's what I came up with.

I'm really excited in how it turned out.  It's long enough it even covers my ears and keeps them warm.  I'm even working on writing up the pattern for this hat.  If anyone would be interested in that.  (it would be my first hat pattern, eeek)

Thanks for stoppin' by and hangin' out.

I add the FREE pattern here for any of you looking for it.

Learning to Take Care of Roses

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Miracle-Gro for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I love gardening.  I had my first full garden two years ago, I know just enough to know I don't know anything.

One thing I have always wanted in my garden was roses.  I planted some a couple of years ago and have been slowly learning (through trial and error) how to take care of them.

The roses are living but I wouldn't say they are thriving.  So I was so excited to find the Gardenieres  it is like one stop shopping for all your gardening questions.



As you can guess I found this video on pruning, training, and caring for roses a huge help.



I'm so excited to head out and prune my roses.  I was pruning them in the wrong spot to make them grow the way I want them too.   I also learned that I'm not feeding them properly.  Did you know that rose roots grow 2-3 times larger than the plant.  I didn't, so I will be getting some rose plant food and feed my roses to keep them blooming throughout the fall months.

For all my other plants and vegetables, the Liquafeed would make feeding and them much easier.  Which should help them bloom through the fall as well.



You can always head over to Miracle-Gro Facebook page to hang out with other gardeners, share stories, and get tips and tricks to make your garden last as long as you can.

Halloween Costume Contest

What are you going to be for Halloween this year??  I'm guessing you hear that as much as I do this time of year.   I love to look at everyone's costumes! I'm really excited to be co-hosting a costume contest with some other wonderful bloggers.  So link up your handmade costumes, show us what you will be this year.
In true Costume Contest fashion there has to be a prize!!  We are giving away a gift card to Hobby Lobby!  How fun is that??!!


Here's how it will work, link up on Monday, come back to vote for your favorite Tuesday and Wendsday   winner announced Thursday.  Feel free to have your friends come vote for your little goblin or ghoul.  How FUN!

$50 Minted.com Giveaway, Open World Wide

 Did you know there are only 56 days left until Christmas?  Did you all just have a mini heart attack like I did?   I'm going to help you out today, minted.com is the right place to purchase your stationary, gift ideas and even party decor! They have a beautiful style!
In fact I'm loving everything about minted!! Their style is so eye catching and their Christmas decorations are adorable!

Check out minted.com, trust me you will fall in love too!

Today you, lovely readers, have the chance to win a $50 credit to Minted plus FREE SHIPPING!

 Use the rafflecopter form below, to enter the giveaway.

Giveaway ends November 8 at 12:01am. This one is open WORLD WIDE.  So all you Canadians get in on this one!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Holiday Cards

We just had family photos taken a couple of weekends ago.  This is the first family photo we have had taken with all the kiddos.  Shameful I know.

I'm pretty excited to send out "good" Holiday Cards this year.  It's been a while.

I love all the different cards and styles that Shutterfly has to offer, so I headed there to pick out my cards. They have so many special offers to check out.  I love that I can have my photo take most of the space on the card.  Because really, that's what I look at most when I get photo cards.

I can't decide which one I like better.  How about you, do you like the snowflakes or the bow?

Shutter Fly is being kind enough to offer one of you very lucky readers $50 off your total order with them.  Just think of all the cards you can get with that! (does not include shipping & cannot be combined with any other promos)  Rafflecopter will walk you through the entries.





a Rafflecopter giveaway


This is a sponsored post. However all opinions are my own.

Get Ready for Flu Season Seven Generation Giveaway

You know it's coming, right?  FLU season is right around the corner.  It's terrible with three kids in school we catch just about every bug that goes around.  We try to do what we can to keep them from spreading what ever disgusting germ they have picked up at school, to the rest of us.
I meet them at the door to tell them to wash their hands before they have a snack {or touch anything}.  Often I have them change their shirts, too.
While they are at school I like to wipe all the door knobs and sink handles with anti-bacterial wipes.
It's a constant battle to keep the germs and sicknesses out of our house.  And Seventh Generation is here to help us all out.  You know how much I love their cleaning supplies. {you can read my review here}  They even show you how to make a Germ Monster out of your tissue box.

This time the wonderful people at Seventh Generation sent me a pre-flu care package.  Including, anti-bacterial wipes, tissues, hand soap, natural all purpose cleaner, and disinfecting multi-surface cleaner. These cleaners are wonderful!  You should see the inside of my microwave! The All Purpose Cleaner made cleaning it so easy.

 And you guessed it they are being kind enough to offer the same pre-flu package to one of you lucky readers!  Raffelcopter is going to walk you through the entries.  Sometimes it take a minute to load.

If you love Seventh Generation {like I do} here are a few other places you enter to win a similar package of cleaners.

Bear Rabbit Bear

{Friday-Friday 26th-02}

Wait Till Your Father Gets Home

{Sunday-Saturday 29th-03}

a Rafflecopter giveaway

LINK IT UP THURSDAY # 43

Hey, hey party people!!  I hope you are all having a wonderful week so far!

We have been having a fun week so far.  We made easy fall decorations and a fun mod podge fridge magnet.  We also have a fantastic giveaway going on.  A Crafters Dream Giveaway you can enter for it here and then after you enter you can hop around to 50 other blogs all having amazing giveaways too!  It going to be open for a while because you are going to want to enter each giveaway!  Speaking of giveaways we are going to have another fantastic giveaway from Seventh Generation Cleaners on Friday, make sure you come back for that one.

Are y'all ready for Halloween?  Starting Sunday I'm teaming up with a few other bloggers to have a costume contest.

Remember to come back and link up your costumes, of course there will be a prize for the best costume!

With that being said I think we need to see some Halloween BELLES of the ball from last weeks party.

Oh Boy, Cato!~Halloween Footprint Ideas.  Seriously how cute are these footprint cards?!  Love them.

Toqua's Crafts~Pop Up Bat Card.  This is such a fun idea and there is a great tutorial so you can make your own pop up card.

Capital B~ Super Simple Halloween Countdown  Such a cute idea!  Easy and perfect for little ones to help with.

Quilt Doodle Doodles~Something Wicked This Way Comes  Wouldn't this quilt block make the cutest little Halloween pillow or even just in a frame would be adorable.

Mandy Made~Wummer Women Costume  Because I just couldn't resist I HAD to show you this costume.  This little girl is beyond adorable and looks ready to save the world!

The most viewed link last week was:
Petals to Picots~ Crocheted Candy Corn Pattern.  These are so cute, they would be perfect to decorate with and they wont give you any cavity's!

Y'all are AMAZING  go ahead and grab yourself a Featured Button!  Face Book Features, make sure you get a button too.



<center> <a href="http://www.seven-alive.com/"><img src="http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k591/loulou711/NewFeaturedButton-1.jpg" /></a></center>


I want to see everything you have to link up! Old projects, new posts, giveaways, recipes, crocheting, any and everything.  If you have more than one thing to link up, even better.  Here are the very simple rules.

1.  Please keep it family friendly.

2. Please link back or grab a button so others can share in the fun.

3.  Following would be nice. (but don't feel you have to)

4. Have fun, be inspired. Try to visit the 2 links ahead of you.

If you would like an e-mail reminder about the party let me know in the comments. Make sure you leave your e-mail address with your comment. I will happily add you to the list.  

Mod Podge Fridge Magnet

It's pretty well documented (on the blog) how much I LOVE mod podge!  It's amazing stuff.  So, when I got a big box of Plaid products yesterday to play with I was ecstatic !

I think the poor Fed Ex man may have been a little frightened of the crazy woman who didn't even wait for him to make it all the way up to the door before throwing it open.  I'm pretty certain the two small children clamoring all over her and each other to see if our "fun glue stuff" was here didn't help.  Aww the stories he'll have to tell....

Any way I was so excited we ripped open the box and got started on some crafting!  I wanted to do something easy enough Wyatt could do most of it (with help).

So we started with one of the Mod Podgeable shapes they sent.

 Cut out some small pieces of fun paper.

"Paint" on some modge podge.  I just LOVE seeing little hands crafting.  Can I get an awww?!

Place your paper on the shape in the mod podge.  This is were things get the most messy and little hands need lots of help.  So no photos.  We "painted" sparkle mod podge on after everything had dried.  After the sparkle mod podge dried we picked out a rub on transfer.

Wyatt wanted to give this to daddy so we used the transfer that said #1 Dad.

I found an old magnet and using a little E-6000 glued it on the back of the shape.

That's it, a fun easy craft small hands can help with  can make.  It would make a fun Father's Day gift or, an any day gift.

We'll have much more mod podge fun coming up!  So stay tuned for that.

Thanks for stoppin' in an hanin' out.

Easy Fall Decorations

Wow what a crazy weekend!  I'm a couple of days late and a couple of dollars short on the extra features from last weeks party.  {story of my life}  We had a great weekend just busy,busy,busy!  Since it's Tutorial Tuesday I'll have to push off the features a couple of more days.

Let get to the tutorial shall we?  I'm really not a huge Halloween fan.  We don't do a lot of decorating or anything for Halloween.  The spider wreath I made this year is the most I've done for Halloween for years.  However decorating for Fall is different.  I love fall, especially here in the south.  While the temps are still much higher than what my Idaho blood would call normal fall temps, it is cool enough to enjoy being outside.

So a super easy fall decoration is perfect for this time of year.  Perfect because it can stay up until Christmas and because it doesn't cost very much.

What you need.

• plastic charger in a color that matches your fall decor.
• vinyl
• scissors or a cutting machine

Yep that's it.

Cut out the saying you would like with you scissors or your cutting machine.  Because I'm in the south I chose "It's Fall Y'all"

Center it on your plate.  I got my plate from Hobby Lobby for under $2.  Try to find one that isn't too scratched up. I just saw similar plates at Wal-Mart for under a $1.  They are labeled under plastic chargers, normally they are used to place under dinner plates to dress up the table for your holiday meals.

You can hang it on the wall or prop it up on the mantle like I did.  I you need a tutorial for cutting out the vinyl with scissors you can find a great one here.

How's that for easy peasy!  What saying would you put on a plate?

Thanks for stoppin' by and hanin' out.

A Crafters Dream Giveaway #ACraftersDream

I'm so excited to bring y'all the monumentally HUGE A Crafter's Dream Christmas Giveaway! I'm so excited to be joining My Merry Messy Life, Earning-My-Cape and Tutus & Tea Parties for this Christmas, crafting, and supporting small business theme! Each blogger is offering her/his own giveaway worth $25 or more going on now through Sunday, November 4, 2012 {you are going to need that much time to enter them all!}. With more than 50 bloggers offering giveaways on their blogs this is one fantastic giveaway!

Christmas is just around the corner, and the time to start crafting our gifts for friends and family is now! Some of the blogs in the giveaway group will be giving away some awesome crafting supplies!

I love to be able to give handmade gifts for Christmas. However there are times that there just isn't enough time. This is a great opportunity to support small businesses and shops who offer handmade items! Some of the blogs in our giveaway group will be highlighting such small businesses and offering giveaway items for them, as well. Even if you don't win the giveaway, we hope that you will keep these small businesses in mind when shopping for that perfect gift for your special someone.

I was lucky enough to team up with Roxana of RoMa's Musings.

My name is Roxana, I am a stay at home mom of three beautiful children. My interest in jewelry started in high school when I took an Intro to Jewelry & Metals class, but the only things I ever sold were items I made for the Art Club's jewelry sale. Usually whatever I made ended up being given away as gifts. In college I studied photography at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Needless to say somewhere along the way life took over and I let my passion for creativity take a backseat. So with the encouragement of my wonderful husband I dug out some of my old beading stuff, got to work, and opened an Etsy shop.  

While he was encouraging me I was encouraging my mom, Margaret, to do something with all the extra fabric she has. So she is also joining me on this adventure.

I used to joke that my mother was born under a sewing machine. When someone says "that's in their blood" that is literally the case with my mom and sewing. She, like her mother and grandmother before her, has mastered the craft with over 45 years of "sewing time" under her belt. Having studied Furniture Design in Zakopane, Poland she took easily to sewing home fashions, window treatments, slip covers, etc. Her talent is beyond words!

And last but not least... is my lil sis, Corinna.  A college student/certified nurses assistant by day and craft crazy girl by night.  She especially loves to sew and crochet... I think it gives her mind a good break from studying. ;)  

RoMa's Musings... one mom, two daughters creating together.  Let us design something special for you!

They are kind enough to offer not only one, but two giveaways for you lucky readers.  

Prize #1:

Handmade IPAD Sleeve ($21.95 retail)

Handmade from a red/beige paisley floral pattern with red banding around the edge.  Button closure keeps your IPAD tucked safely away while 2 front pockets give you easy access to your phone, IPOD, earbuds, or a pen.  
Dimensions 9" x 10.5", inside lined in a red quilted fabric, spot cleaning recommended.  
INCLUDING a $5.00 Hobby Lobby gift card.

Prize #2:

Keepsake Custom Photo Scrabble Tile Bracelet ($42.95 retail)

Create your favorite photos into a lasting treasure!  Select up to 6 photos on 6 tiles.  Each photo will be put on a Scrabble Tile letter of your choice.  Every image is sized and carefully applied to each tile and finished with a glaze.  Pick your favorite color for the Swarovski crystals to go in between the tiles or tell me the month/birthstone for each tile.  6 tiles would yield approximately a 7 1/2" bracelet.  Fewer than 6 tiles, I will work with you to select some natural stones in your favorite color just as the example shows (beads shown are sky blue quartz).  Lobster clasp closure is silver plated.  Please indicate finished size you will need.  A photo of the layout would be sent for approval prior to final assembly so that adjustments/corrections could be made.  Please allow 2 weeks for fabrication upon receipt of the photos.

a Rafflecopter giveaway





Now you can hop from blog to blog entering as many giveaways as you want!
There are over 50 more blogs with giveaways going on during the same time all with prize packs worth $25 {some of them a lot more} go enter as many as you can.