Pumpkin Bars

I know these remind everyone of autumn get together but I tend to use pumpkin all year-long. This is an old recipe off the raisin boxes. I remember when raisins were rock solid coming out of the box.
I have added my changes to the recipe on the side. I like more raisins, and like a thicker, cream cheesier frosting.

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon ( I always add 2 tsp, because its so good for you.)
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cloves
1 cup vegetable oil
1 16oz can (2 cups pumpkin) ( the last pumpkin I bought was only 15 oz. )
4 eggs
1/3 cup chopped nuts ( I omit these)
1/2 cups raisins ( I add 1 to 2 cups softened raisins)
Frosting:
2 cups powdered sugar ( I add 4 cups)
1/3 cups margarine or butter ( I add 1/2 cup)
1 (3 oz) pkg cream cheese softened ( I add an 8 oz pkg, so I can taste the cream cheese)
1 Tbs. Milk ( I add a little at a time until spreading consistency)
1 tsp vanilla

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 1 15x10x1 inch baking pan.

Put your raisins in a microwave safe bowl and cover with water. Heat for 3 minutes and let set in water until you are ready to add.

Combine all your ingredients in your mixing bowl, except for nuts and raisins., beat at low speed until your ingredients are moistened. Increase your speed to medium for 2 minutes.

Drain you raisins, well. On low speed add your nuts and raisins until just blended.

Pour into your greased & floured pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.

Frosting: Combine your butter, cheese, milk and vanilla and beat until light. Add your powdered sugar, ( again I double mine). Beat on high until smooth and creamy.

Frost when cooled. Cut into bars. Store into refrigerator.
Yield is 48 bars.

If you are using a 9x13x2 inch pan, bake for 45 - 50 minutes.

Pink Worsted Seraphina Shawl

I needed something for the new grand baby's mother to curl up in when she breastfeeds during the night. She is always cold, so when we took up the rocking chair that everyone of our grandchildren has been rocked in, I realized she needed something for over her shoulders. I still need to block it before it gets sent off in the mail. I think I might try a pair of Luna's lovely slippers in pink to match.

3 Skeins of Hobby Lobby 4 Ply Worsted in #100 Pink

Size K Crochet Hook

Trying New Flavors of Cake Balls

I am addicted to making cake balls. I had graduations, birthdays and thought I will just make everyone different flavors. Then I got nervous, What if one turned out better than the others, so I made mixed pans. I took those throw away 9x13 inch aluminum cake pans with the lids, and filled one for each kid.
The flavors I mixed were:

Vanilla Cake Mix,( with 1/2 cup peanut butter added while mixing), Milk Chocolate Frosting and Chocolate Almond Bark

Party Rainbow Chip Cake Mix, Cream Cheese Rich & Creamy Frosting, and Vanilla Almond Bark

Lemon Cake Mix, Lemon Supreme Creamy Frosting, and Wiltons Yellow Candy Wafers

Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix, Milk Chocolate Frosting, and Chocolate Almond Bark

The Party Rainbow Cake Balls went first at the graduation.
You can find the recipe here

Blossom-Beaded Scrunchie

I am getting ready to make up some little girls purses for charity, and wanted a few things to tuck into them, so I thought I would design up a few scrunchies. This is the first.

Blossom-Beaded Scrunchie

Size G Hook

4 ply Worsted Weight Acrylic ( Use Your Scraps with this one)

Goody Elastic Ouchless Band

String 12 Pony beads onto your yarn.

Attach your yarn to a Goody Elastic Ouchless Band.

Rnd 1: ch1, 24 sc in your elastic ring. join.

Rnd 2: ch 5, slide a bead up again your last ch, ch 5 more Skip sc, sl st into next sc. * (ch 5, slide a bead up again your last ch, ch 5 more Skip sc, sl st into next sc) rep from *.

Rnd 3: Sl st into the first skipped sc on Rnd 2. ( stay to the front of your bead petals). 1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc in same stitch. You are making a shell in the one sc. * (Sl st into the next skipped sc, make a shell ( 1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc in this sc.) Rep from * until you have 12 petals. Join to first sc.

Weave in ends. Now make another for your favorite charity.

Crochet Superstar Baby Blanket Tutorial - Part 1

PART 1

Crochet Superstar Baby Blanket Tutorial

So many of you have been writing me needing a bit of help with this pattern. It is poorly written and gave me some trouble too. The first afghan was made using Bernat Softee Baby ( which I Love for baby, but in this tutorial, I wanted you to see the stitches clearly so In This example I used:
Less than ½ skein of Lion Brand Pound of Love in # 157 Pastel Yellow and 2 Strands of Hobby Lobby's Baby Bee, Sweet Delight Pomp in #2106 Sweetpea Held Together.
You use 2 Colors: MC = your main color
A = your contrasting color

Step 1: Chain 5 and join into a ring.
Rnd 1: Ch3 ( Will count as one of your dc here and from now on), 19dc in ring. Join to the top of beginning ch3. (20dc)



Rnd 2: Ch1, 1 sc in same space as last sl st. *Skip next sc (3dc, Ch3, 3dc) in next sc – shell made. Skip next sc, 1 sc in next sc. Repeat from * around omitting sc at end of last rep. Join to first sc.

You should have 5 points. Count them now, and adjust this round.

Rnd 3: Sl st in the next 2 dc. Ch3 (counts as a dc) , 1 dcin next dc. *Shell in next ch-3 sp. 1 dc in next 2 dc. Skip next dc, sc and dc. ** 1 dc in next 2 dc. Repeat from * around ending at the **. Join Color A to the top of ch 3.





Rnd 4: With Color A, sl st in next dc. Ch3, 1 dc in next 3 dc. *Ch1, 5 dc in next ch-3 sp. Drop the loop from hook. Insert hook into first of 5 dc and pull dropped loop through – Bobble made. Ch3. Bobble in same ch-3 sp. Ch1, 1 dc in next 4 dc ** Skip next 2 dc, 1 dc in next 4 dc. Rep from * around ending at **. Join MC to top of ch3.

Note: After your second bobble, one of your dc will try and hide itself under the bobble. Make sure you have 4.

Rnd 5: With MC, sl st in next dc. Ch 3, 1 dc in next 2 dc *1 dc in next ch-1 sp. 1 dc in next bobble. Shell in next ch-3 sp. 1 dc in next bobble. 1 dc in next ch-1 sp. 1 dc in next 3 dc. ** Skip next 2 dc. 1 dc in next 3 dc. Rep from * around ending at **. Join to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 8 dc on each side of your point. (8 dc, ch 3, 8 dc, skip 2)

Go On to Page 2

Crochet Superstar Baby Blanket Tutorial - Part 2

PART 2

Rnd 6: Sl st in next dc. Ch 3, 1 dc in next 6 dc. * Shell in next ch-3 sp. 1 dc in next 7 dc. ** Skip next 2 dc, 1dc in nect 7 dc. Rep from ** around ending at **. Join to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 10 dc on each side of your point. (10 dc, ch 3, 10 dc, skip 2)

Rnd 7: Sl st in next dc. Ch3, 1 dc in next 8 dc. *Shell in next ch-3 sp, 1 dc in next 9 dc. **Skip next 2 dc. 1 dc in next 9 dc. Rep from * around ending at **. Join color A to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 12 dc on each side of your point. (12 dc, ch 3, 12 dc, skip 2)

Rnd 8: With color A, sl st in next dc. Ch3, 1 dc in next 10 dc. *Ch 1. (Bobble, ch 3, Bobble) in next ch-3 sp. Ch 1, 1 dc in next 11 dc. **Skip next 2 dc, 1 dc in next 11 dc. Rep from * around, ending at **. Join MC to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 11 dc on each side of your point. (11 dc, ch 1, Bobble, ch 3, Bobble, 11 dc, skip 2)




Rnd 9: With MC, sl st in next dc. Ch 3, 1 dc in next 9 dc. 1 dc in next ch-1 sp, 2 dc in top of next bubble. Shell in next ch-3 sp, 2 dc on top of next bubble. 1 dc in next ch-1 sp, 1 dc in next 10 dc.**. Skip next 2 dc. 1 dc in next 11 dc. Rep from *around ending at **. Join to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 16 dc on each side of your point. (16 dc, ch 3, 16 dc, skip 2)





Rnd 10: Sl st in next dc. Ch 3, 1 dc in next 14 dc. *Shell in next ch-3 sp, 1 dc in next 15 dc. ** Skip next 2 dc. 1 dc in next 15 dc. Rep from * around, ending at **. Join to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 18 dc on each side of your point. (18 dc, ch 3, 18 dc, skip 2)



Go Back to Part 1


Go To Part 3

Crochet Superstar Baby Blanket Tutorial - Part 3

PART 3

Rnd 11: Sl st in next dc. Ch 3, 1 dc in next 16 dc. *Shell in next ch-3 sp, 1 dc in next 17 dc. ** Skip next 2 dc. 1 dc in next 17 dc. Rep from * around, ending at **. Join color A to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 20 dc on each side of your point. (20 dc, ch 3, 20 dc, skip 2)

Rnd 12: With color A, sl st in next dc. Ch3, 1 dc in next 18 dc. *Ch 1. (Bobble, ch 3, Bobble) in next ch-3 sp. Ch 1, 1 dc in next 19 dc. **Skip next 2 dc, 1 dc in next 19 dc. Rep from * around, ending at **. Join MC to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 19 dc on each side of your point. (19 dc, ch 1, Bobble, ch 3, Bobble, 19 dc, skip 2)

Rnd 13: With MC, sl st in next dc. Ch 3, 1 dc in next 17 dc. 1 dc in next ch-1 sp, 2 dc in top of next bubble. Shell in next ch-3 sp, 2 dc on top of next bubble. 1 dc in next ch-1 sp, 1 dc in next 18 dc.**. Skip next 2 dc. 1 dc in next 18 dc. Rep from *around ending at **. Join to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 24 dc on each side of your point. (24 dc, ch 3, 24 dc, skip 2)

Rnd 14: sl st in next dc. Ch 3, 1 dc in next 22 dc. Shell in next ch-3 sp, 1 dc in next 23 dc.**. Skip next 2 dc. 1 dc in next 23 dc. Rep from *around ending at **. Join to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 26 dc on each side of your point. (26 dc, ch 3, 26 dc, skip 2)

Rnd 15: sl st in next dc. Ch 3, 1 dc in next 24 dc. Shell in next ch-3 sp, 1 dc in next 25 dc.**. Skip next 2 dc. 1 dc in next 25 dc. Rep from *around ending at **. Join color A to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 28 dc on each side of your point. (28 dc, ch 3, 28 dc, skip 2)

Rnd 16: With color A, sl st in next dc. Ch3, 1 dc in next 26 dc. *Ch 1. (Bobble, ch 3, Bobble) in next ch-3 sp. Ch 1, 1 dc in next 27 dc. **Skip next 2 dc, 1 dc in next 27 dc. Rep from * around, ending at **. Join MC to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 27 dc on each side of your point. (27 dc, ch 1, Bobble, ch 3, Bobble, ch 1, , 27 dc, skip 2)

Rnd 17: With MC, sl st in next dc. Ch 3, 1 dc in next 25 dc. 1 dc in next ch-1 sp, 2 dc in top of next bubble. Shell in next ch-3 sp, 2 dc on top of next bubble. 1 dc in next ch-1 sp, 1 dc in next 26 dc.**. Skip next 2 dc. 1 dc in next 26 dc. Rep from *around ending at **. Join to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 32 dc on each side of your point. (32 dc, ch 3, 32 dc, skip 2)

Rnd 18: sl st in next dc. Ch 3, 1 dc in next 30 dc. Shell in next ch-3 sp, 1 dc in next 31 dc.**. Skip next 2 dc. 1 dc in next 31 dc. Rep from *around ending at **. Join to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 34 dc on each side of your point. (34 dc, ch 3, 34 dc, skip 2)

Rnd 19: sl st in next dc. Ch 3, 1 dc in next 32 dc. Shell in next ch-3 sp, 1 dc in next 33 dc.**. Skip next 2 dc. 1 dc in next 33 dc. Rep from *around ending at **. Join color A to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 36 dc on each side of your point. (36 dc, ch 3, 36 dc, skip 2)

Rnd 20: With color A, sl st in next dc. Ch3, 1 dc in next 34 dc. *Ch 1. (Bobble, ch 3, Bobble) in next ch-3 sp. Ch 1, 1 dc in next 35 dc. **Skip next 2 dc, 1 dc in next 35 dc. Rep from * around, ending at **. Join MC to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 35 dc on each side of your point. (35 dc, ch 1, Bobble, ch 3, Bobble, ch 1, 35 dc, skip 2)

Rnd 21: With MC, sl st in next dc. Ch 3, 1 dc in next 33 dc. 1 dc in next ch-1 sp, 2 dc in top of next bubble. Shell in next ch-3 sp, 2 dc on top of next bubble. 1 dc in next ch-1 sp, 1 dc in next 34 dc.**. Skip next 2 dc. 1 dc in next 34 dc. Rep from *around ending at **. Join to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 40 dc on each side of your point. (40 dc, ch 3, 40 dc, skip 2)

Rnd 22: sl st in next dc. Ch 3, 1 dc in next 38 dc. Shell in next ch-3 sp, 1 dc in next 33 dc.**. Skip next 2 dc. 1 dc in next 33 dc. Rep from *around ending at **. Join to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 42 dc on each side of your point. (42 dc, ch 3, 42 dc, skip 2)

Rnd 23: sl st in next dc. Ch 3, 1 dc in next 40 dc. Shell in next ch-3 sp, 1 dc in next 41 dc.**. Skip next 2 dc. 1 dc in next 41 dc. Rep from *around ending at **. Join color A to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 44 dc on each side of your point. (44 dc, ch 3, 44 dc, skip 2)

Rnd 24: With color A, sl st in next dc. Ch3, 1 dc in next 39 dc. *Ch 1. (Bobble, ch 3, Bobble) in next ch-3 sp. Ch 1, 1 dc in next 43 dc. **Skip next 2 dc, 1 dc in next 40 dc. Rep from * around, ending at **. Join MC to top of ch 3.

Note: Make sure you have 43 dc on each side of your point. (43 dc, ch 1, Bobble, ch 3, Bobble, ch 1, 43 dc, skip 2)

Continue in this manner ( working 1 rnd in Color A with Bobbles at the ch-3 Points) and 3 rnds in MC until your blanket measures approximately 20 inches from center to tip of one point, ending on rnd worked with A.

Fasten off.

Ready For Edging.



Edging: (RS) Join MC in any ch-3 sp. Ch 1. 1 sc in same sp. *Skip next bobble, 5 dc in next ch-1 sp. (Skip next dc, 1 sc in next dc. Skip next dc. 5 dc in next dc) 16 times. Skip next dc. 1 sc in sp between last dc and next dc. (5 dc in next dc. Skip next dc. 1 sc in next dc. Skip next dc ) 16 times, 5 dc in next ch-1 sp. Skip next bobble. 1 sc in next ch-3. Rep from * around, omitting sc at end of last rep.

Join.

Fasten Off.




Note: I had 11 shells down the side, skip 1 dc, 1 sc in the sp, skip next dc, (5 dc in next dc, skip next dc) rep 11 times. Sc in ch-3 sp. Ch 1. 5 dc in next ch-1 sp. If your count has become muddled, just determine your scallop count on the first one, and make all points match. Please note, there is no scallop at the end of the points.

Back to Part 2