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Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Crochet Plaid Blanket Pattern Reviewed

A Perfect Gift For His Man Cave

Crochet A Blanket For Him Image courtesy of Pixabay.com

Today, I'll be reviewing a crochet plaid blanket pattern that I plan to make for my son-in-law for Christmas. As I write this it is the 4th of July but now is the time to plan for making things like this to be sure that it is, in fact, finished before Christmas morning arrives.

I found this wonderful pattern at Yarnspirations.com. It is called the Buffalo Plaid Afghan and it is free to download and print. Actually, on the page it not only lets you get the pattern but you can purchase your yarn there, too; if you so desire.

The pattern was created to celebrate the 150th birthday of our friends to the north, Canada. That is pretty neat in and of itself. What caught my eye was the manliness of the design. It is sometimes difficult to find things that we crocheters can do for the men in our lives. Oh, sure, we can do a scarf or a hat. We can hook up a pair of socks for them and we can even do other blankets. The options for a blanket are usually just picking a color scheme that might appeal to a guy, though. In my opinion a plaid blanket is perfect for a man.

I've mentioned in other articles that I like to visit Mikey at The Crochet Crowd and watch his tutorials. Well, he has a tutorial on the blanket I want to make using this pattern!

The pattern and the video recommend that you use blanket yarn which is a thicker option of yarn. It is kind of bulky and works up pretty fast. You can choose any color combination that you want; it doesn't have to be in the red and black. Personally, I do not care to work with the bulkier yarns so when I start the one that I will make, I plan to substitute the yarn for a standard 4 ply yarn and use a smaller hook than is recommended in the pattern. That is the fun thing about crochet, you can usually adapt a pattern to suit your own tastes.

As you can see by the video this crochet plaid blanket will work up pretty quickly. It is just a matter of creating the mesh work and then doing the overlay crochet to finish it off. I love this pattern and I think that my son-in-law will love the blanket when I give it to him. If time allows, I may do one for my hubby, too.

For some additional ideas for things to create in crochet for the men in your lives, you might enjoy this set of patterns.

I know it is only July but if you plan to craft some gifts for the holidays; it is time to look for the patterns, get your supplies and start working on them. I love making things for gifts for my family. How about you? Do you craft items for gifts?

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Monday, July 3, 2017

Reviewing Colorful Pens, Pencils, and Coloring Books

Traveling doodles

I recently spent several days in a row attending presentations. Oh how the time drags when I sit for hours on end. Fortunately, I had several of my InkJoy pens with me, which made note-taking and doodling more interesting. However, I regretted not bringing along some coloring pages or one of my journals with me. I doodled so much on the training handouts that my notes ended up being illegible. With so many different coloring items available, it was an oversight on my part to not take sufficient adult "fidgets" with me. An oversight that won't happen again. I am writing this as both a reminder for myself and a review of some of the best adult coloring and journaling items available.

Adult Coloring Books

Bev shared with us the gift her husband gave her for Valentine's Day - Midnight Garden Coloring Book. Prior to her review of this adult coloring book, I hadn't been aware that coloring books with black backgrounds existed. What a great idea! the black backgrounds result in vibrant finished pages.

Adult coloring books are so much in demand that they are now offered in "travel" or "on-the-go" sizes. These small coloring books are the perfect size for me. They fit in my work bag so I will be able to take them with me everywhere I go. The spiral-bound books are the best for laying the books flat and coloring ease.

on-the-go coloring books with travel pouch included

Colorful Pens

I mentioned my InkJoy pens. I find those ball point pens to be the best for doodling, note-taking, and journaling. The colors are vibrant, the ink doesn't blob, and InkJoy pens are readily available in local stores and online. I really like being able to journal or take notes in a wide range of colors. one day I may be in a "blue" mood and another day I may want to write in pink, or orange, purple, or brown.

While my InkJoy pens are perfect for doodling, journaling, and taking colorful notes gel pens are better for coloring pages. This highly rated set of premium gel pens include metallic, glitter, and neon colors.

premium gel pens set with case and refills

Colorful Pencils

I tend toward colored ink and fine-tipped colored markers rather than colored pencils. But I know many people who prefer a quality colored pencil. How fortunate we are that our own Heather has created high quality colored pencils and offers them for sale to the public! If you create with colored pencils you must check out her pencils at Aurora Art Supplies.

Sunday, July 2, 2017

How to Decorate a Small Space Using Color

Looking at a small space, we think, 'How will I get everything into it.'

If you've ever watched the TV show 'Tiny Homes,' you've seen how small spaces can be maximized and that, yes, it's totally possible to decorate a little room successfully and practically.

But What About Color in a Small Space?

You don't have to settle for bland colors because the room is small. You can make it funky and bright without shrinking its overall feel.

The Walls & Ceiling:

A good choice is a white-trimmed window to soften the darker wall. Also, having a light window on a darker background lets you introduce a pop of color using draperies.

Yes, you can paint a ceiling a dark color and make it work. However, a dark ceiling can be challenging when a room is small, and you're already putting darker colors on two walls.

The Wall Unit, Bed and Desk:

If the interior of a wall unit has dark shelves and a dark background, the room would feel and look more closed in.

By putting color only on the front of the cabinet and leaving the rest white, you get storage and color without overpowering the space.

The primary reason a storage cabinet reaches the ceiling is the feeling of height it gives to the space, and storage of course. It gives a sleek, streamlined appearance and lets you draw your eye upward, giving the illusion that the ceiling is high.

The Room's Accessories:

Other than the bedding, choose color.

With solid-colored walls, floors, and bedding, the rug is a perfect place to feature funkiness. In fact, if you can find the rug first, you can draw colors from the carpet to determine the room's overall palette.

Use color in the lights, pillows, drapes, bean bag chairs, photo frames, or a shelf or two as featured in the photo.

Texture - that's right, texture adds depth, even to a small room. Use texture in pillows, rugs, chair covers, and drapes. Without it, the room would feel stark. So go ahead and choose a bright textured rcarpet- you could even select a thicker shag rug.

Lastly, Your Color Palette:

That's easier than you think. If you're pulling colors from a rug, stay in the family of colors featured in that rug.

Another way to choose color is to select two colors, then allow the walls and floor to act as the neutral base, and always add a third and/or fourth color in the rest of the accessories. That helps to soften the feeling of the room. When you only select two primary colors, a space can feel more monochromatic and cold.

Don't let small spaces hold you back - let your funky side out.

Happy Decorating!

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Saturday, July 1, 2017

How to Make Easy Healthy Vegetable Stock for Free!

Image by Lou of Lou's Designs

I love my slow cooker and one of the things I regularly make in it is my super easy vegetable stock.

The best thing about this recipe is that it's free food! Well pretty much free - all you have to pay for is water (depending if you're charged for water) and electricity.

Let's review what you will need to make your own homemade vegetable stock (you won't believe how easy it is!) .......

What You Need To Make Easy Veggie Stock

Vegetable scraps/peelings
Water
Slow Cooker
Strainer

Vegetable Scraps

When I'm cooking I don't throw away any vegetable peelings, onion skins, carrot tops etc. I have an old, empty, plastic ice cream container in the freezer and I put all of the vegetable scraps that are thrown away in most households into it. I should note that I also add any mushroom stalks and skins (if I've peeled them), but I don't add asparagus ends as they don't do too well in the stock.

Basically making this stock is also reducing your household waste which is a big tick for the environment as well as your wallet - and the health benefits of eating stock that has got no hidden extras - well that's priceless. Okay, sermon over and on with how to make the veggie stock.

I'm actually thinking that I need a bigger container to store them in especially since my daughter became a vegan. At the moment I seem to be making a pot of stock once a fortnight.

Slow Cooker

I think everyone should have a slow cooker and they don't have to buy an expensive one. I have a very basic slow cooker that has lasted me for more years than the company that made it.

Crock-Pot SCV400B 4-Quart Oval Manual Slow Cooker, Black
The slow cooker I have has basically three settings - low, high or automatic and that's really all that you need for your first slow cooker.

You can buy slow cookers that have a number of different programs, but I wouldn't spend more than $25 on a basic slow cooker for your first one and see how you find it.

The important thing that you want to make sure your slow cooker has is a removable stoneware for easy cleaning - I think most of them have this nowadays anyway.

Once you've left something cooking in your slow cooker and have walked back into your house to the delicious smells wafting through you will wonder why it took you so long to get one! If you're already a slow cooker convert you know exactly what I'm saying, don't you?

So Exactly How Do I Make Simple Veg Stock?

The Easiest Vegetable Stock Recipe Ever!

Empty your veggie scraps into your slow cooker, add enough water to cover the scraps, turn on slow cooker and walk away! How easy is that? See if I say something's easy I really mean it!

I usually put my slow cooker on low and leave it for 6-8 hours, on occasion I have put it on high and left it for 3-4 hours and both options have worked well.

Once you've turned your slow cooker off you can either let it cool for a bit or strain it straight away. I just ladle the contents of the slow cooker into a sieve over a jug and just strain all of the liquid through. The vegetable scraps that you're left with get thrown away by me, although I might start keeping them for compost - I'm researching whether or not I should use them once they've been cooked especially as I've read that you shouldn't use onion skins in the compost.

You will note that I haven't added any salt to this vegetable stock - I just season the dish that you're making with the stock as opposed to adding any at this stage. When I used to buy stock I hated it when you used a stock that was quite salty because your husband forgot to get salt reduced!

When you're making your own homemade stock you will notice that every time you make it the color can be different. This is because of the different vegetable scraps you have, if you are using red cabbage and red onion one week it will look very different to a week when you have mainly potato peelings and carrot tops.

Most of my vegetable stock is used to make a range of different soups as I usually make a different batch of soup each week. The soup is then put into single serve containers and labeled with my favorite label maker before being popped in the freezer.

On days when I'm working I simply select which soup I feel like and that's a nice, quick and healthy lunch for me.

So let me know do you make your own vegetable stock yet? If not I hope you'll give it a try and let me know how you get on.

How to make easy healthy vegetable stock

Image by Lou of Lou's Designs

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Friday, June 30, 2017

Anne of Green Gables with Megan Follows Movie Reviewed

Anne of Green Gables with Megan Follows Reviewed

When my daughter was in her teens, we watched the mini-series, Anne of Green Gables starring Megan Follows. It was a delightful, perhaps even enchanting series based on the book with the same title. We both loved the shows so much that I purchased them on VHS so we could watch them over and over again, which we did. We spent many wonderful weekends watching Anne experience childhood and young adolescence. Megan Follows made the storybook Anne come to life. She made her lovable!

I was really excited recently when "Anne with an E" was released on Netflix. I expected another wonderful show, but I was greatly disappointed. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't recommend this new Netflix series. However, that series did make me long for the less "jaded" Anne played by Megan Follows. I immediately ordered the DVD's of Anne of Green Gables starring Megan Follows and I spent the weekend watching and remembering the beautiful story written by Lucy Maud Montgomery back in 1908.

If you want to meet Anne, look for Megan! She plays the part beautifully and leaves us wishing we could all adopt Anne.

Synopsis of Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Green Gables: Collector's EditionFor those of you who have not seen or read Anne of Green Gables, I'll give you a brief description of the story. For those of you who are familiar with Anne, I'll remind you to watch and read again.

Anne Shirley is an 11 year old orphan who is mistakenly sent to live with Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert. Because he was getting older, Matthew and his sister Marilla decided he needed a boy to help him care for their farm. It was quite the surprise when Matthew arrived at the train station to pick up the boy and he discovered a little girl instead. He wasn't quite sure what to do with Anne, but he knew he couldn't leave her at the station overnight, so he took her home. On the wagon ride back to the farm, Anne talked none stop about how happy she was to be adopted. How hard her life had been when she was placed with other families over the past few years. She had pretty much won Matthew's heart by the time they got home to Green Gables.

Marilla was equally shocked when Matthew arrived with a girl instead of a boy and was determined to send her back as soon as possible. After all, she didn't need a girl. At least, she didn't think she needed a girl. When Marilla and Anne went to visit the woman who had brought Anne from the orphanage, the woman recommended giving her to another mother who had 11 children and needed help. That would have been Anne's worst nightmare and even Marilla wasn't too thrilled with that suggestion. She ended up taking Anne back to Green Gables on a trial basis.

There were many adjustments for Anne, Marilla and Matthew. Throughout the show, Matthew is Anne's champion. And, while it may have seemed that Marilla was harder on Anne, she certainly did her fair share of defending Anne any time she did something embarrassing or wrong.

Anne excels as a student, but she is very imaginative and feisty. She manages to get herself into a number of predicaments that make you smile at her temerarious and determined ways. One my favorite scenes, which exemplifies her personality perfectly, is when Gilbert Blythe pulls her hair braid and calls her "carrot". She promptly jump out of her desk seat, grabs his student chalkboard and breaks it over his head.

I highly recommend the Anne of Green Gables DVD series starring Megan Follows to anyone. Just make sure you get the right one!

Anne of Green Gables Anne of Green Gables: Collector's Edition Anne Of Green Gables - The Sequel