Boot cuffs are apparently the new fad.  I would never have known what they were or thought to make them if my sister hadn't specifically requested them.  After she explained what they were to me it was simple to come up with a design.  The basic design has the same base, but with a choice of two different tops.   I decided to do the base sideways because it allows more stretch in the cuff and can therefor fit different sized calfs more easily.  The pattern below makes a cuff that is 12 inches in diameter that can stretch to comfortably fit a 14 inch calf.  You may need to adjust the rows of the base depending upon the size of the calf.  Each of the FREE patterns can be found below!

Enjoy :-)  

Oh, and remember, I am not the best at writing pattern instructions so if you have any questions please feel free to contact me through e-mail or on Facebook!

Supplies Needed:

• Lily Sugar'n Cream 100% Cotton Yarn (one 2.5 oz. skein per set) 
• Crochet hook USA size 9 (5.5 mm)
• Crochet hook USA size 7 (4.5 mm) (If you choose the ruffled top).
• Scissors
• Yarn needle

NOTE: If you choose to use two colors you either need to use the same color as the base to make the seam, or if you want to make the seam a different color like the picture above, you have to make it OPPOSITE so they will match properly!

Love decorating for different holidays but discouraged by having too much stuff to decorate with?  Does the thought of decorating make you tired before you begin? Are you running out of room to store all that stuff?  Want to find a simpler way?  Then it is time to minimize and organize! Less stuff = less stress so  here's a simple way to minimize and organize all your seasonal and holiday decorations now.

Where to start?

• Think about the different seasons/holidays you decorate for and choose which ones you want to continue to fully decorate for (sort of go all out).  We chose Christmas, Easter, and Halloween.
• Decide how many bins you want to have per holiday, and how big they need to be. We purchased 10 gallon bins with locking lids and decided to have one bin each for Easter and Halloween and two bins for Christmas (one for the tree including ornaments, skirt, topper, and lights and one for indoor/outdoor decorations and stockings).
• Decide which holiday/season to start with and take out all the decorations for that holiday.
• Start putting the items you want to keep into the bin one at a time.  When the bin is full you are either done, or you need to take something out in order to put something you want more in!  This is the hard part, but it really makes you look closely at each item to decide what is really important!  It is helpful to have a box ready for all the stuff you decide you do not want.
• Label the "keeping" bin with the name of the holiday and put it on a shelf out of the way until you need it!
• What about what  you are not keeping? Donate or sell them! Check out our Pinterest Board Selling & Donating for ideas on where and how to do this!

​
What about the "Binless" Holidays?
These are the holidays you don't go all out for, but still want to acknowledge and celebrate.

• We have decorations for holidays such as the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving, however we don't need a bin because we don't decorate a lot for them. We just change either the pillow covers, the front door hanging, or both!  Oh, so simple!

I just love this super simple double crochet stitch because it looks the same on both sides which makes it perfect for a scarf! Connect the ends and turn it into an infinity scarf or add some fringe to dress it up!

Supplies:

• 3 Skeins 2.5 oz Lily Sugar'n Cream Cotton Yarn
• USA size K hook (6.5 mm)
• Yarn needle
• Scissors

Pillow covers are a simple way to change up your interior decorations for the holidays or seasons without going to a lot of trouble!  They also take up hardly any space to store and are oh, so simple to make!

Same simple heart pattern with different borders!  Choose the one you want to make, or make them all!  Add a few drops of lavender essential oil to turn it into a sachet.  A lovely way to show someone you are thinking about them on Valentines Day!

Connect With A Border:
Choose the border you want to use to connect the two sides of the heart.

Directions:
Using a different color, connect to the center stitch at the tip of the heart and do one single crochet in each stitch around for a total of 47 stitches.  Before you finish, be sure to fill the heart with stuffing. Then using the same color as the heart, connect to the original center stitch of the sc you made at the tip and do one single crochet  in that spot using the same exact original hole.  This will require a longer amount of yarn.  Then chain 2, skip one sc, and sc in the same sc stitch as the alternate color.  You are basically repeating this pattern all the way around using the same stitch holes as the first row of single crochet.  Weave all ends.  Refer to picture if you are confused.

Directions:
Connect to the center stitch at the tip of the heart and do 2 sc.  Continue around the heart doing one sc in each stitch around.  You want to do the sc's loosely especially around the bumps of the heart.  Connect to original sc and finish with a slip stitch. Weave all loose ends!

Directions:
Connect tot he center stitch at the tip of the heart and do 3 dc in that stitch.  Continue around doing 3 dc in each stitch until you approach the "V."  Two stitches before the V decrease to 2 half double crochets  (learn half double crochet here), then to a sc in the center of the V.  Then do 2 half doubles in the next stitch, then do 3 dc in each stitch the rest of the way around.  When you get to the point of the heart do one last dc in the same stitch that you originally did 3 in, connect with slip stitch and finish off.  Weave all loose ends.

Add an Optional Hanging Loop:
Connect to the top center of the "V" with a  slip stitch.  Chain 15 then connect again to the top center of the "V" and finish off.  Weave loose ends.

It's the start of a new year so what better time than now to start a Christmas memory tree?   A Christmas memory tree is a tree where each ornament has a specific memory associated with it. A few of our special family memory ornaments are shown in the picture above.  As you can see they range from simple items like key-chains to exquisite glass ornaments. But each one has special memory associated with it that we share and remember together every year when we decorate the family tree for Christmas.  

CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE VIDEO ABOUT
​OUR MEMORY TREE:
OUR BLENDED FAMILY TRADITION!

Why We Started This Family Tradition
This is a second marriage for both my husband and myself. We each brought our own children into the marriage and we were trying to find ways to create special memories that would help to blend our two families together.  I had already started some new memories and traditions with my children as a single mom, so it was easy to continue doing it as a blended family.  Today, ten years later, it is still a yearly tradition for all of us to get together and even though the kids are 25, 23, and 20, we still laugh and talk about the memories as we decorate the tree.  Sometimes we even get a little teary eyed over the ones that make us a little sad such as the memories of our family dog that passed away this past July. But one thing is for sure, he will never be forgotton!

This is also a great idea because it minimizes the junk around the house.  Everyone is always buying nick-nacks on vacations and has favors from various weddings and parties.  Get rid of all that stuff and choose the special ones to make into ornaments!  The memories are small, they do not sit on a shelf collecting dust, and they will be used (and actually remembered) once a  year!

Each year there will be more and more ornaments to add to the tree and the memories of all the things that you did will always be remembered :-)  Above is a picture of our family the night that we decorated our tree for 2015.  It's also another tradition to take a family picture in front of the tree after we decorate it and this years picture includes my daughters finance who we will now include in all our future memories!

It is never too late to start!
​Start today and by Christmas you will have memories of the entire year to share!

• Are you a grandparent?  Then start a special memory tree for your grandchildren as they grow!
• Are you single?  So what...start a memory tree of all the awesome things you have time to do with your friends!
• A new couple?  Those memories have already begun...document them on the tree and remember them each year!
• Young parents?  Well, then it's perfect timing to start that tree and family tradition!

Happy New Year! There is nothing more comforting on a cold winters day than a warm cup of homemade soup or the warmth and smell of oven roasted sweet potatoes.  Why not start this new year with some simple fresh and healthy recipes?
​
Oven roasting fresh vegetables is a great winter alternative to grilling on the barbecue and using the oven helps warm up the house too!  My homemade soup includes nice fresh vegetables, but it is also a great way to use up those leftovers from past meals as well.  Any little bit of rice, vegetable, or even meat that is left over but not enough to use for another meal goes in a baggie and into the freezer.  Then when I make my soup, out the baggies come and into the soup the leftovers go!  We do NOT waste food and every soup is different! 

Both recipes are simple, of course.  I hope you did not expect anything complicated...well, because that's just not me!

As with all my recipes you can click on the recipes shown or use the button below them to download the pdf file  and print one sheet of  8 1/2 x 11 cardstock paper.  Then cut out each of the 4 x 6 inch recipe cards.  They always come two recipes per sheet in an effort to not waste paper! 

Visit my Recipes Page to view or print out previous recipes (pdf files) or to download a FREE 4 x 6 Recipe Card Template (.dox file) for your own recipes! You can also check out my past Recipe Blog Posts here!

Enjoy!

These placemats are simple to make and simple to care for!  Made of 100% cotton, they can be washed and dried on the delicate cycle.  Why not treat yourself to a matching set or make it as a gift for someone you love?

Make the Placemats:
​Chain 46
Row 1: single crochet in 2nd stitch from end and then in each chain accross (45 total).
Row 2: chain 3 and turn work.  [This is the Crossed Double Crochet shown in the video below] Double crochet in second stitch from end. Double crochet backwards into the stitch you skipped. Repeat the cross crochet to end of row and double crochet in final stitch.  
Row 3: chain 1 and turn.  Single crochet in each stitch accross (45 total).
Rows 4 - 41: Repeat the row 2/3 pattern nineteen (19) more times.   Do NOT finish yet - continue on with the pattern for Border A or B (note that B is the same as A without the final row), or if you prefer, don't add any border at all!

Not sure of the Cross Double Crochet?  Then check this video tutorial on You Tube.

Choose A Border:
If you want to add a border, note that Border B is the same as border A without the 3rd row!

Border B:
Do Row 1 in the same color as the placemat as per instructions for Border A.
Row 2: change color and follow same instructions as for Border A but end after row 2 (so skip row 3). Slip stitch to finish off and weave all loose ends.

Directions For Napkin Ring A:
Crochet 19 chains and connect into a circle with a slip stitch.
Row 1:  one single crochet (sc) in each stitch around for a total of 19.  
Row 2: Double crochet the cross stitch as follows (same as in the placemat pattern) - chain 3, skip 1 stitch and dc in next (2 from chain), go back and dc in the skipped stitch, then skip one again and dc in next stitch etc. Continue all the way around.
Row 3: sc in each stitch around.
​Row 4: chain 4, skip two stitches and sc into third.  Continue pattern all the way around. Slip stitch to connect when done.
Row 5: chain 3, sc into loop of 4 stitches, chain 3 single crochet into next loop, and continue around.  Slip stitch to finish and weave all loose ends in.

Directions For Napkin Ring B:
Crochet 19 chains and connect into a circle with a slip stitch.
Row 1: chain one and do one single crochet in each stitch around (total 19). Connect with slip stitch.
Rows 2-3: repeat row one changing colors after each row as desired.
​Border: using the same or a different color, single crochet in any stitch to begin, then chain 4, skip 2 and single crochet into third stitch from hook. Repeat the pattern all the way around.  Slip stitch to connect to first single crochet and finish off.  Repeat the same border on the opposite side of the napkin ring (so the top and bottom with have the border). Weave all loose ends.

It's that time again....a new year with new resolutions.  How many of us actually accomplished all of our resolutions from last year?  I know I didn't.  But this year I have a plan!  FIVE SIMPLE, yet life changing, resolutions!  Each of the 5 resolutions is simple and straightforward  so they should be easier to follow through with, right?  Well, hopefully! But the real plan is that they become lifetime habits that I eventually don't even have to think about!

​1. Eat Whole Foods - this is not a diet but if done properly should lead to losing weight and feeling more energetic.  Eating whole foods means exactly that: eating fresh vegetables, fruits, and meats instead of anything that is processed.  If the foods are all organic, then even better!  If the food required some sort of processing in a plant and has ingredients added for whatever reason, then it is OUT!  Need some help with this?  Then check out the following site:

• Five Foods You Should Never Eat - this is an excellent informative video by a nutritionist about why diets don't work and why eating whole foods does work.  Of course it goes into 5 foods everyone thinks are healthy, but really aren't.  The video is a little long and the goal is to get you to buy into their program at the end, but the information and inspiration makes it well worth watching!

2. Exercise - Five minutes a day is all that's needed to get started and it can be simple like walking to the store instead of driving!

• Check out 4 Simple Steps to Start the Exercise Habit.  They share a simple, and painless way, to get started now.  I started today!

3. More Quality Family Time - are you usually too busy for your spouse, children, or even your parents or siblings?  Then make time for them before it is too late!  It doesn't have to cost anything either!  You can simply make a plan to do something for 1-3 hours each week.  It can be as simple as playing a game like monopoly, or going for a nature walk at the local park.  The idea is to make it a priority and schedule it in if you have to!  

• Read How to Make Quality Family Time a Priority.  The article shares many great points about why and how to do this!
• Check out my Pinterest Page Inexpensive Fun for great ideas for spending quality time with anyone in your family this year!

4. Organize - get the house in order!  This will make everything so much simpler this year.  It makes it easier to clean, takes less time to find what you need (Don't you hate searching for something?), and of course frees up quality time to spend with your family!

• Check out The Household Organization Diet - this gives a list of 15 minute per day tasks toward cleaning, organizing, and decluttering your home in just 31 total days.  It was created for 2015, however I am pretty sure it will also work for 2016!
• Check out How to Become a Minimalist - yes, this is the new "buzz word" however, I think it is a great one and I truly live by it as much as I can. Why?  Because I believe in it.  I believe that too much stuff leads to stress (must protect and take care of that stuff), less time for other things (stuff must be organized, cleaned, and have other stuff to supplement it)....etc.  I think you get the picture!  You don't have to go to extremes, however less stuff = simpler life with more time for your family!  Not to mention you can save a lot of money....
• Check out our Pinterest Home Organization Page for more ideas!

5. Grow Your Savings - even if you have debt, it is important to have some money in a savings account.  Having money saved makes me feel protected in case of emergency like when our stove blew up last year.  I usually set a certain goal to reach each year. I don't always meet it, but it helps!

• Check out How to Grow Your Savings for basic steps to getting started.  
• Check out The Budget Diet - How to Cut Your Spending by $400 a Month - not all of these will work for everyone (For example where I live there is only one electric company.) however there are some great ideas that will definitely  help you to get money in the bank!
• For more ideas on how to save check out our Pinterest Board Household Debt/Budget.