Baby Sea Turtle Crocheted Blanket

UPDATED With Pattern Links. Yeah!

This week I shared on Facebook a this super cute Sea Turtles Crocheted baby afghan that PJ's Designs made. Her Facebook page is down so I added more info for each of you to try to Everyone loved it and of course, I did too which is why I shared it. She got so many shares and likes on her sweet baby afghan that she had to stop taking orders! Sad for those of us who would love to order one from her.

She did, however, share that she got the Baby Sea Turtle Crochet Pattern if you want to make one yourself. The blanket is as she said a layer of sand then sea foam and then 3 color waves of water. It's really is a brilliant design and a sweet afghan for a boy or a girl.
Baby Sea Turtle Collection Crochet Pattern

After some questions and searching, I found this great Easy Ripple Baby Blanket Crochet Pattern that can be used to create the base of the blanket. These are the colors I would use for the Sea Turtles and they blanket.

Bernat Softee Yarn 

• White
• Taupe
• Grey Heather
• Grey

Do you love to crochet? Look at this amazing set of hooks in a leather case!

I'm not very good with yarn but my mom is really good with crocheting so if you can't make one yourself you can probably find a mom, friend etc who can make these cuties for you. Wouldn't it be fun to have the blanket and then another set of the sea turtles for toys to play with? Yes, the ones on the blanket are attached.

Last Minute Valentine Ideas * Sweet & Simple Magazine

Are you looking for some fun last-minute Valentine's Day ideas? We have some for you, heart filled and everything lovey.

These easy to make Valentine's are sweet spin on kids sewing cards. Simply cut out some hearts from craft paper, punch some holes, sew together with pretty ribbon and fill with Valentine candies.

These are the Very Best Sugar Cookies, I promise! Top them with some Valentine sprinkles, red sugar or heart shaped red hots.

This Heart-a-Stack game is one for those of you looking for a sweet little game for your kids this Valentine's Day. Simply grab a big bag of conversation hearts and see who can build the tallest stack!

Want to leave something sweet for your sweetheart in the morning? Print out and tape this Valentine's Tear Card on your bathroom mirror for some Valentine's Day fun play together.

Do you do a nice Valentine's Day breakfast too? It's tradition in our house to have French Toast with red berries on top. This Berry Sourdough French Toast is delicious topped with vanilla bean creme fraiche.

Happy Heart Day!

Home & Entertaining * Hand Embroidered Valentine Bookmarks

Click here to learn how to make these lovely Hand Embroidered Valentine Bookmarks.

DIY Farmhouse Style Sponge Holder

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and  Scotch-Brite®. All opinions are mine alone. #TeamSponge #ScrubMyWay #CollectiveBias

I'm a sponge user in my kitchen. I also use sponges throughout my house for cleaning.  The funny thing is I come from a household that always use dishcloths and cleaning cloths.  I switched over when I was a nanny. I worked for the best working mom. She was very tidy and used sponges. I got use to using them and loved having the scrubber on one side for those tough to clean spots and the sponge side for wiping down the counters and of course for washing the dishes.

   I like having both the Scotch-Brite® Heavy Duty with the dark green scrubber side and the Non-Scratch sponge with the blue scrubber side. Now a regular old sponge won't due for a cleaning. You need those two scrubber options to make cleaning up quick and easy so you have time for other things in your life and to enjoy your home.

Right Tools for Every Surface

The green Scotch-Brite® Heavy Duty Sponge is great for cleaning tough messes, for example, it cleans 50% better on those tough, baked-on messes. It also great for other kitchen messes like your oven racks, use in the garage and even outdoors.

The blue Non-Scratch Scotch-Brite® Sponge is safe for cleaning non-stick cookware. It's your got to for cleaning without scratching on surfaces like counter tops, cook tops and other surfaces around your home.

Right now can enter for a chance to win a $20,000 kitchen makeover. I sure wish I could WIN this is AMAZING!! Click the green button below to enter!

 Click here for the ibotta Scotch-Brite® Walmart offer.

Since I need both the green Scotch-Brite® Heavy Duty Sponges and blue Non-Scratch Scotch-Brite® Sponges, I came up with this great super easy to make Farmhouse Style Wooden Sponge Holder to keep your sponges dry in between uses.

Farmhouse Style Wooden Sponge Holder
supplies:

• Short Wooden Skewers (can be found in the food section near the baking supplies)
• Super Glue
• 1 Package of Scotch-Brite® Heavy Duty Sponge
• 1 Package of Non-Scratch Scotch-Brite® Sponges

Layout 2 wooden sticks parallel as shown with the pointed end in the opposite direction. Using your super glue put a dot of glue on each wooden stick and place your first stick across. 

Repeat this process alternating the direction of the sticks as shown above.

Allow the glue to try and you are ready to use your super easy super fast Farm Style Wooden Sponge Holder. This simple drying rack will keep your sponges fresh and dry in between uses.

Scotch-Brite® Heavy Duty Sponge and the 1 Package of Non-Scratch Scotch-Brite® Sponges can be easily found in the cleaning supply lane at your local Walmart store along with wide selection of other Scotch-Brite® high-performance tools that make it quicker and easier to clean each room of your home.

How to Refinish a Table

Remember when .....
-2012-
I have been thinking about refinishing my kitchen table for a while now a couple of years. I couldn't decide what to do. Should I tile it? Stain it? I decided to paint it. Plain old white wouldn't do. I chose this amazing green apple color. I love it! My kitchen is very basic white, wood and chrome. I wanted the color to come from the fruits in the baskets, the dishes, the plants, the rugs etc. It is the perfect setting for a beautiful bright green table.

The color inspiration came from my favorite apron. It's the one on the table above. Every time I wear the apron it makes me happy. This new table color makes me happy too. When the table is set the green frames the settings and food like a beautiful picture frame. It becomes the accent each place setting.

Back to 2017...

 Well, this table is now my work table where I craft and prep for blog posts and work often.  Although I love that beautiful apple green color it just isn't working for me anymore. It's time to go more neutral and I'm thinking of shades of gray. It would have to be a lighter gray but definitely not white white.

Which gray do you like best? I will be posting a vote on my Facebook feed.

I also think I will keep the legs a natural wood color. OR do you think I should stain them darker?

Thanks!

A Rose for Your Belle * Felt Rose Craft

Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite Disney movies. I love the new live action version of it. The casting was wonderful, the music was amazing and the story true to the original animated version of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. If you love the movie too you will love to make one of these beautiful enchanted roses to wear. It can easily be made into a rose hair clip or a pin. It can be sized up or down.  

Beauty and The Beast-Felt Rose Pin Hair Clip Tutorial

 1. Gather your supplies. You will need to following items.

• Quality craft felt. Here is a great assortment of colors.
• Glue Gun and glue sticks.
• Good quality scissors. We use the Fiskars Non-stick Detail Scissors.
• Safety pin, metal hair clip or metal pin back.
• Complimentary of color crochet thread and needle.

2. Fold the red piece of wool felt to cut out a square.

3. Cut out felt rose starting with the outside edge moving inward to the center. Cut in a wavy uneven line to add interest to your rose petals.

4. Cut out a 2-inch circle of green felt. Cut out another green circle of felt about 1/4 inch larger. Cut out two leafs free style about 2 1/2 inches long and 1 inch at the base.

5. Using the smaller green circle glue starting in the center of the felt circle the center of the red petal felt. Continue to glue the red petal felt in a circle around moving outward until the end of the felt is reach to form the complete rose.

6. At the base of the green leaves pinch together and glue in place to add dimension to the leaves. Next, glue leaves to the bottom of the rose then top with large green felt circle.

7.  Glue or sew safety pin, hair clip or pin back to the back of the rose.

Now you have a rose for your Belle!

xo

P.S. Check out the exclusive "Something There" movie clip from the new Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

more Sweet & Simple Crafts you might enjoy!

• DIY Dog Craft Collar

• Easy Easter Ribbon Chain

• Quick Simple Birthday Decorations

Inspirational Quotes * Something Wonderful

Adding a little bit of hope to your day is such an important thing. What are we without hope? I love this simple inspirational quote, " Always believe something wonderful is about to happen." You neve know when your luck will change even in the most desperate circumstances.
Do you have a favorite inspirational quote? I will be adding a weekly quote and free printable for you each week, I hope you enjoy them and that they bring a little bit of hope into your lives.
xo

Celebrating Winter * Recipes - Crafts - Travel - Fun

Wintertime is for us is filled with lots of snow, warm treats and soups, snowy inspired crafts and home decor. We love to cozy up by a blazing fire with a nice cup of hot cocoa to read a book or to watch one of our favorite movies or TV shows on Netflix.

After a day out in the now sledding or building a snowman some fresh hot benneigns are the perfect treat. Here is my recipe for Mini Beignets ( French doughnuts).

If need something a little more substantial my mom's recipe for White Chicken Chili is soooo good!

Are you thinking about visiting the love snowy Rocky Mountains?  We loved our visit to the Montage at Deer Valley, Utah with ski in ski out access, delicious complementary s'more around the fire pit and soaking in the hot tub under the falling snow.

Happy winter!

Free Christmas Coloring Page

With Christmas just 9 days away, half the country in a major snow and freeze and kids inside wondering what to do I made a fun free Christmas coloring page " Visions on Sugar Plums" to sparks some Christmas Eve dreams.

We used markers to color our pages but crayons, colored pencils or even watercolor paints would be fun.

Click here to print Visions of Sugar Plums Color Page

(Save it on Pinterest for later)

Krazy Christmas Balls with Krazy Glue

sponsored by Krazy Glue

Don't you just love going to all the fun Christmas parties with your friends and neighbors during the holiday season. Some of the funnest parties are the ones with everyone dressing up in their crazy ugly Christmas sweaters and exchange white elephant gifts and play fun silly games.

Inspired by these parties and the crazy Christmas sweaters, I created this fun new Christmas tradition that even your most craft challenged friends will have fun making because anything goes!

Krazy Christmas Balls are over the top glittered, ribboned, tinseled, rick racked, jingle belled ornaments. The key to getting all those layers of glorious sparkly bits to stick is the Krazy Glue.

Gather your supplies. Lots of them. The more and varied and holiday themed the better.

Supplies List:

• Krazy Glue
• Mini Wood Cutouts
• American Crafts Glitter Set
•  Essential Colors Glitter Set
• Christmas Ornament Balls
• Glass White pearl Ornament Balls
• Wired Tinsel
• Craft Scissors
• Tiny Jingle Bells
• Tiny Reindeer
• Paint Brush Set
• Nail Polish Remover (in case you glue some bits to your fingers or your fingers together!)

Now start creating. No reason to be intimidated or trying to make them perfect, anything goes! There are no rules. Just add Christmas bits to your heart's content.

To apply the seed beads, sequins and tiny pieces of glitz I used the Krazy Glue All Purpose No Run Gel. It's great for precise glue application without running. For adding the ribbons, tinsel and other embellishments I used the Krazy Glue All Purpose with the brush. The reason Krazy Glue is key to this craft is because it is fast-acting and dries so quickly and can be used on multiple surfaces including, glass, wood and vinyl.

This is a great craft for parties because of the quick drying glue everyone's ornaments will be great to take come with no drying time.

Be sure you have good ventilation in the area you are crafting with Krazy Glue.

Happy Christmas Crafting!

xo

Christmastime * Decorations + Baking + Trees and More!

FREE Christmas printable click here

Christmastime is here happiness and cheer... It really is the most wonderful time of the year. Magical and all. Traditionals and treats and spending time with family and decorating are all part of the joy. Here are some of our favorite Christmas traditions and post from years past. I hope you love them as much as we do!

Choosing a fresh Christmas tree is one of my favorite activities as a family. Here in this post we go over the types of trees and some tips to keep your tree alive and fresh throughout the holidays.

Here is a nice set of free printable gift tags. No need to buy any just simple print and cut out.

This is one of our most popular Sweet & Simple quick gift ideas perfect for a neighbor, co worker or even the mail carrier.

I love party food and a good cheese ball or tree is always a crowd pleaser.

Every year we make gingerbread houses. This cute cabin was from last year. It was the perfect centerpiece on our dining table. The snow and smoke from the chimney is white cotton candy!

Another very popular recipe here on Sweet & Simple magazine are these White Chocolate Peppermint Brownie Truffles. They are so easy to make and dreamy to eat #YUM


Merry Christmas!