Newborn Baby Bonnet Pattern

I've had a lot of friends having babies lately. This has been my number one gift. I just love these sweet bonnets on a newborn face. I've also sold them on my etsy page with a matching newborn cocoon.


First I cast on 30 stitches with a thicker yarn on size 8 needles.
Row 1- knit
Row 2- purl
Row 3- knit 1, k2tog, knit accross, k2tog, knit 1
Row 4- purl
Row 5- knit 1, k2tog, knit across, k2tog, knit 1
Row 6- purl
Row 7- knit
Row 8- purl
Row 9- change to baby yarn, I like to use a double yarn just to keep the thickness consistent.



Keep going with knit (rs) and purl (ws) until you reach 4 inches.



Then bind off and leave a long tail to stitch up the back of the bonnet with.



Cut long strings with all three yarns for the braided ties.



Or just buy it here!!

on the needles and on the stovetop tonight...

hot pink ala Cyndi Lauper and black scarf



Loaded baked Mashed potatoes, Bacon layered Meatloaf, Garden Green Beans, Pear Crisp from my canned Pears



Shayne was VERY excited about it!

A Very Pinterest Valentines

Source: etsy.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

Source: allrecipes.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

in the kitchen today

Breakfast today was my take on Martha Stewart's egg and bacon cups. She says to roll out the bread and cut it with cookie cutters to make it fit the muffin tin perfectly. I decided to just cut the bread in half and make the cups into hearts.

Then the bacon in a heart shape

And the egg in the center.

Baked for 25 minutes at 375

Lunch today was leftover Chicken Pesto Lasagne. No one complained about leftovers of this. It was wonderful! Especially with the white sauce I made to go over top to mix with the pesto and make it even creamier.

Dinner tonight is homemade tortillas.

Inside the tortillas is maple and bacon cured beans, chicken, tomatoes and cheese. Baked at 375 for 20 minutes.

Bebe skirt

I've made a few pairs of the Pickles Pants . They are so cute on little diapered bums! I was knitting for a friends sisters the other day and thought up a way to change the pattern into a skirt. So this is what I came up with- the Bebe Skirt.

Cast on 44 stitches in a round. Knit in stockinette for an inch.
And then in the direct front of the skirt, make two holes for the drawstring to go through. I use a k2tog.
The next round, make a stitch where you lost a stitch on the round before.
Knit another two inches in stockinette.
Then for one round, make a stitch after every stitch you knit. (knit 1, make 1)
Knit in stockinette again for another two inches.
Then to make the ruffled edge, knit in the front and back of each stitch.
Knit two more rows and then bind off.

Roll the top of the skirt down and sew a hem for the draw string to go through. I usually sew it with the draw string inside so I don't have to weave it through later.

Tuck in all the loose bits of yarn with a plastic needle.

I use a crochet hook to make the draw string, but you could certainly use a knitting stitch too.

The great thing about this skirt is it will fit from newborn until probably about one year with a pain of bloomers.

chicken for cheap

I've been determined to cook healthier and cheaper this year. Yeah, the other day I fried bread in crisco... but overall I really am trying to feed the family wholesome meals that won't kill my wallet.

I was buying too much ground chuck because it's the cheapest protein source that is quick and meaty. So this year I'm looking to use more chicken and dry beans in my cooking. Chicken can get so expensive though! So I have been buying the whole chicken and cooking it down into useable portions.

I put the whole bird in the crock pot and fill it half full of water. I quick chop some onions and garlic, maybe carrots and celery if I have them. I put in dried sage and thyme from the garden and I let it go all day.

After about 8 hours the chicken is fully cooked and super moist and flavorful. The hardest part if then taking all the meat off the bones. I usually try to keep the breast meat intact for one meal and then use the rest of the meat for another meal; usually something calling for shredded chicken. Then I put the bones back in the crock pot and let it go a bit longer for stock. I just use a ladle and get the liquid out of the pot. This usually makes about two quarts of stock. This can then be used for soups or for making more flavorful rice. The bonus for me is that the fat all rises to the top so I can skim it off and have a lower fat chicken stock than you'd find in the grocery.

Just thought I'd share in this experiment. Anyone have a better way to go about it?

Color me Loved

More early Valentine's! This time for Isaiah and Lil G (the boy who hangs with me). I took all the old crayons from the big crayon bucket and melted them down. I found silicone muffin pans in a heart shape at Target for a buck- perfect for this!! Especially because I'm not sure they will be food friendly afterwards... they are still soaking so we shall see on that.
I broke the crayons into littler bits and put the pan in the oven at 180. It took over an hour for them to melt down. You don't want to rush it or you'll just get grey globs. These are bright and colorful and will make a perfect after nap craft!