It Must Be Bunny Love

I decided a few days ago that my grandchildren need 

knitted and stuffed bunnies for Easter this year.

Actually, 

I made them some last year.

Just the tiny, stripey ones that I showed in my last post.

The ones I call

 "Pocket Bunnies" 

on my 

Etsy Shop

They love them and still carry them around and play with them.

Hilary told me Archer enjoys making his hop.

His way of making this happen is to fling it onto the floor

and then stomp it half to death.

Hilary assures me he is in his sock feet...not his shoes.

{In case I was bothered by this abuse}

I told her it doesn't matter, that it's his bunny now

and he can treat it however he wants to.

Archer will be 2 this September...

So you see he probably really does think he is making the bunny hop

when he does this ;-)

This year however, I went on the hunt for a bunny 

that looked more like a 

Rabbit

And after scouring Ravelry and Etsy this is the one

 I fell in love with.

You can find this absolutely adorable pattern for sale on 

a beautiful Shop called

MadAboutColourPatern

If you are interested just click this link to go straight to the pattern.

I won't be knitting these darling fella's up for my own shop though

because Joanne, the shops owner and creator of this too sweet pattern,

doesn't allow her patterns to be used for selling purposes.

That's okay by me. 

Not only did I really just want to make them for my grandchildren,

I have great respect for the talent and hard work of other people

and feel strongly about honoring their wishes...ALWAYS.

I'm just thankful to have found her shop and her patterns.

This was so well written and worked up just perfectly.

I'll be making more purchases from her in the future.

The first bunny pictured in the basket

{the cute fella seated on your left}

is the one who will go to Archer.... my little stomper.

It's the second

bunny rabbit I made.

Look at that tail... isn't it the cutest?!!

The one sitting on the right was my first one...

my trial run, so to speak.

And although I do like him...

I don't necessarily love him. 

His flaws are not readily noticeable in this charming layout I configured

for Instagram but I can see them when I hold him in my hand.

He's knit from a fiber blend of 75% Acrylic and 25% Wool
 held single stranded

and I can 

see through the stitches to the stuffing...eek!!!

And NO!!!!

Also,

I'm not totally crazy about the embroidery work on his face.

Therefore,

this sweet guy will not be going to one of my little sweeties for Easter.

Instead...

He is destined to live out his days 

much more gently

right here with 

ME.

The one I prefer was made from 100% Virgin Wool 

held double stranded...

nice and tight...

no stuffing peaking out there!

And I'm a bit happier with the face...

still a work in progress :-)

There are more to be made, so I figure each one will get a tad better.

At first I was worried about using wool, thinking they should be washable.

Even though I really wanted to use this particular wool because

I love the color for a rabbit.

Then I showed it to my daughters and they both loved it too.

They said,

"Go ahead, we don't care about washing them anyway."

Well, there you go.

I guess if they get too dirty in the whole hopping/stomping 

process of their lives

I can always make more.

XO,

   XO,

Danette

Bunny Tales

On Saturday, having various errands to run,

and with our granddaughter Gabby,

 who had spent Friday night over,

in tow,

we took a little road trip for the day.

Just close around home.

It reached an unseasonable 61 degrees here that day.

So our first stop was the car wash.

While we sat there waiting to enter into the world of swirling suds,

I knitted happily away,

until I began to 

roast.

I couldn't figure out why on earth Scott would turn on the heat

on such a beautiful day.

Men are usually chomping at the bit to turn on air conditioning.

I finally said,

"What are you doing... I'm dying over here!"

"Huh?"

Long story short...

The dual control was malfunctioning so his side was kicking out his 

beloved air conditioning

while mine was cranking out some seriously high heat.

And here I thought I was having one of those 

Bad Baby Hot Flashes!!!

So...

Next stop was the car dealership.

Turns out our brand spanking new van needs a new part.

Anyway...

We continued on our way to Pekin, the next town over.

We wanted to take Gabby shopping, out to lunch

and to visit my father in law 

who is convalescing for a couple more weeks 

in a nursing home there.

Seeing as how we were en route even longer

than I originally thought we would be,

I was quite pleased with myself for having the foresight

to stock my knitting basket with several different colors of yarn

so I could just keep happily whipping out little bunnies 

all day long if need be.

But as I finished up the very first 

little fella

"Oh NO!, I don't have a darning needle!!!"

Well thankfully I still had the circular needle I had used for knitting

the bunny ears hat down in the bottom of my basket

so I was able to transfer the first little bunny off 

the straight needle and onto it,

therefore freeing it up so I could continue on.

I ended up getting the first three ...

turquoise

pink

&

purple

bunnies done that day.

I found the effect of them all lined up together so charming however,

that I carried on when I got home.

Now I have several little bunnies

awaiting faces , ears and fluffy tails. 

There's just one last bit of my 

Bunny Tale

I want to share with you...

As we rounded the corner that finally landed us on 

the street that would take us to visit my father in law

this was the conversation

as I was knitting with ever increasing speed 

to reach that "perfect stopping point"...

Man Behind the Wheel...

"Okay, We're almost there, Better go ahead and pinch it off."

{WHAT??!??!! I mean really only a man would say such a thing}.

Lady Who is Speed Knitting...

"Actually, I'm going to cut it off."

Man Behind the Wheel...

"Well there's no reason to be violent about it."

XO,

  XO,

Danette

It's Bunny Making Time Again...

Just a few days ago, while looking through the calendar,

I realized that Easter comes early this year...

as in March instead of April.

Who knew?!!

Not ME!

Which means it's time to kick it into high gear 

for my usual bunny hop,

not only for my Etsy Shop

but local customers as well.

So a couple of nights ago, as you can see,

 I began to gather some supplies.

Because I love making bunnies 

So Much

I keep a particular basket well stocked

with nothing but 

bunny making paraphernalia.

In the Springtime my LYS owner

places a huge order for me of all the colors I need of

Jeannee 

made by Plymouth Yarn.

It's a fiber blend of 51% Cotton & 49% Acrylic.

I love it!

It has beautiful stitch definition.

It's soft and it's machine washable and dryable.

Just perfect for baby items.

Here's my first born bunny for this Spring.

Straight off the needles today.

This one is already sitting pretty on my

Etsy Shop

I like to leave the ribbons off for one picture

in case someone out there

prefers a little less frill.

I can't help myself...

I just love that little pom pom tail.

Another tiny little bunny has already hopped 

onto my needles this afternoon.

He'll grow up to be a 

Pocket Bunny

like this one from last Spring

{who is long gone...}.

I knit countless amounts of these every Spring.

Not only do they go online

but I have so many local customers who order them

that I can barely make them fast enough.

Surprisingly, they even sell in the Fall

when I take them to the Craft Fair

at the Pumpkin Festival.

Guess I'm not the only 

Bunny Lover

out there ;-)

XO,

   XO,

Danette

Lacy Crochet and Red Cinnamon Cake

Many of you out there know and love Olga

from her beautiful blog

Lacy Crochet

&

her lovely Etsy Shop

Olga's Crochet Frenzy

From time to time I just have to crochet one of her creations.

Olga makes such exquisite items and her patterns are clearly and professionally written,

 aided by the loveliest pictures.

This is just the beginning of her

Oversized Infinity Crocheted Scarf

After crocheting to 50 inches you flip it to form a twist,

creating that ever popular Mobius effect.

I actually have at least twice as much finished now 

since I snapped this picture yesterday morning.

It's a very soothing piece to crochet and grows under your

hook and fingers as if it's magic.

But now...

Let's have a little Cake with our Lacy Crochet...

Red Cinnamon Cake

1 Cup Crisco

{Yes I know it's really bad stuff...so don't live off it}

1 1/2 Cup Sugar

2 Eggs

1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla

1 Ounce Red Coloring

Cream first 5 ingredients together.

Sift together the following ingredients:

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

1/4 Teaspoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

{Yes I said a Tablespoon}

*Add Sifted ingredients to creamed mixture alternately with

  1 Cup of Buttermilk 

saving last portion of buttermilk back.

To last portion of buttermilk add:

1 Teaspoon Vinegar

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

{this mixture will fizz}

Pour into entire batter and mix well for approximately 2 minutes.

Now here's where I start getting fussy about the whole process.

As far as I'm concerned

NO kitchen

{at least one that is Baked in}

can be properly ran without this wondrous thing called

Parchment Paper.

If you have trouble with cakes sticking,

and this particular recipe is prone to it,

your days of crying in your cake are 

OVER.

Trust me on this.

If you've never used parchment paper and you love to bake...

Stop whatever you're doing and run to your nearest store and purchase some

and never, ever be without it again.

Now...

Once you've lined the bottom of you're pans with this heavenly stuff

you still need to Spray it with cooking spray ...

all over the parchment paper and up the sides of the pan.

Then we pour in all that lovely batter and...

weigh it.

Yes I said 

Weigh it

Make sure you come out with the exact same amount of batter in each pan.

This ensures both layers will bake evenly.

***Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes.***

*This is the time it takes in my oven...

 but I recommend you check it after 20 minutes

and then again every 10 minutes until it's done.

See ... Perfectly even.

After 10 minutes of cooling in the pan

turn the cake layers out onto another cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

See how nicely that parchment paper peels off? 

Do be sure to peel it off slowly however, as the cake is still warm.

Now for the truly yummy part...

The Frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 Stick Unsalted Butter - softened to room temperature

1 - 8 Ounce Block of Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese -softened to room temperature

2 Pound Bag Confectioner's Sugar

1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla

2 - 3 Tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream

Mix all ingredients till smooth and creamy.

Use more or less cream according to your preference on the consistency of your frosting.

{I tend to like my frosting a bit on the stiff side}

Use a dash of milk instead of cream if you prefer.

I realize there are a whole lot of recipes out there for Cream Cheese Frosting,

this is just how mine has developed over the years.

And I have to add here...

When it comes to this lovely thing called 

Frosting

I am decidedly not

a

 "less is more"

kinda Girl.

When your cake is completely cooled do this first...

Smear a dab of frosting on the cake plate.

This will "glue" the cake in place to prevent slippage

 while you frost it and when you carry it about.

{Nobody wants their masterpiece sliding off into the floor!}.

And Voila'!

We have a Cake.

I sometimes use an Icing Comb

for the sides.

My Mother in law gave this to me many years ago

when I was newly married.

So now we're ready for a lovely bite...

*** Just a few more baking tips ***

Unless a recipe tells you not to sift the flour always sift the flour.

Use exact measurements - when cooking savory food we can fling things in willy nilly, 

not so with baking. 

Unless you want flat cakes, hard biscuits, runny cookies,

or

 cookies that could be used as weapons.... 

you get the picture.

Always use a timer.

If the recipe says to use butter don't use margarine 

{unless you wan't those runny cookies we already mentioned}.

Don't try to substitute to make things low fat/low sugar...

 just find a recipe that is already designed that way. 

Now don't get me wrong on this one -

There are a lot of us with health issues,

 Me included. 

I have 2 Rheumatoid Diseases and have to choose sparingly

when I decide to treat myself

as high fat and sugar flare me up!

I have been a Vegetarian and basically a clean eater for almost 20 years now...

but we all need an occasional treat.

And I'm talking about good 

old fashioned

full fat

scrumptious

baked goods

here.

 And for those who genuinely cannot ever have such things

Thank God

there are a gazillion cookbooks out there

 with professionally tested recipes with substitutions.

I know a lot of you out there are fabulous bakers.

I also know that many people love to bake but can't figure out why

they continue to encounter the same issues over and over.

Here's my secret to baking success:

For one thing I come from a long line of natural born bakers.

My paternal grandmother

Isal 

{she was Swedish}

was a truly phenomenal baker.

Growing up on a farm in Illinois,

she also settled on a farm as a new bride

where she raised her family.

When you entered her house and were enveloped by the 

divine smells of her baking

you thought maybe you were in heaven.

Then with the first bite

you knew you were in heaven.

I have yet to meet her equal in baking

{and a few other things, I'm sure}.

She definitely planted the seeds of interest in baking for me at a very

 young age.

The other thing is that I've had professional baking classes.

Years ago, along with my sister,

 I used to have a home based cake baking business.

Bridget is still in full swing and while her business has grown tremendously,

I have spent the last several years pursuing my true passion of 

Fiber Arts.

But I do still love to bake and hope you like my original cake recipe

and that you find some of my baking tips useful in your kitchen.

XO, 

   XO,

Danette

A Heart Full of Love

Happy Monday to You All!

I hope your Valentine's Day was filled with 

precious memories 

with

cherished 

loved ones

as mine was.

Scott and I stayed tucked in while the snow continued

to fall all around us throughout most of the day.

We treated ourselves to  homemade waffles for breakfast 

and coffee with real, heavy {fattening} delicious cream.

He gave me this lovely miniature

Rose Garden

in a clay pot.

I love the little trellis standing up behind it.

I gave him chocolates...

That's the way things are done here.

I get the flowers...

HE gets the chocolates ... 

{because, sadly I am allergic to chocolate...UGH!!!}.

Our other tradition is a cake I have been baking him 

since our very first Valentine's Day

as newlywed's.

Red Cinnamon Cake

with

Cream Cheese Frosting

So yesterday afternoon I baked a cake.

The house smelled so heavenly... all warm & cinnamon-y.

We spent the evening snuggled up by the fireplace watching a

Hallmark Valentine Movie Marathon...

&

Having our cake and eating it too!

In my next post I'm going to share the recipe for the cake and the frosting.

The original recipe is from an old cookbook but after I made it that 

very first time...

I completely changed it.

So you won't find the recipe anywhere but here, as it's truly my own.

I hope you like it.

It has been a family favorite all of my married life.

My youngest daughter, Chelsea, who has a February birthday, 

often requests it for her special day.

We will be celebrating her birthday next weekend.

I'm still waiting for her request for this year....

As for the darling little 

Hearts Around Doilies

pictured at the very top,

{which can be found here}

I made those for my Valentine gifts for my Knit Night Girls.

They meet here every Monday night.

We were meant to be having our 

Valentine Party

with one another tonight.

However, quite irritatingly,

I've come down with a case of the sniffles and body aches today.

So...

I'm staying cozy in bed with my doggies,

{for the most part}

drinking tea,

reading,

{this is my current read...it shouldn't take too long... just 977 pages ;-)  

but...

I do SO love Rosamunde Pilcher.

I've read 

September

oh... I don't know how many times.}

napping

&

looking out my bedroom window at snow covered trees.

Looks like I'll get to celebrate with my Knit Night Girls next week instead.

That's okay...

as far as I'm concerned

Valentine's Day

can last 

Forever.

XO

    XO,

Danette

A Little of This... A Little of That...

My friend Krista just became Grandma to her first granddaughter

Lydia Kathleen.

Every new baby needs to be swaddled in a snuggly soft blanket 

so when I found out Lydia was expected I grabbed my crochet hook and ordered this heavenly  yarn from Knit Picks.

It's 100% Organic Cotton.

The pattern is called

Keepsake Cover Up. 

It's from this Leisure Arts book I've had for ages...

published in 1994 it says.

It has a couple of pretty afghans I've made several times over the years for gifts.

Sometimes it's fun to pull these old books off the shelf.

I had to make a little something from a new book as well though.

A pair of pink crocheted baby mittens.

This darling pattern is in one of my favorite books.

I love them so much that I just had to make some more for my 

Etsy Shop

They're the kind for newborns with no thumbs.

And here's a totally unrelated thing I just have to show you because 

I absolutely love it.

It's a Tea Wallet

I found on the wonderful Etsy Shop

Felicities Crafts

I always carry tea bags in my purse

 {I like to be ready for a good cup of tea at all times}

 but .... well you know....

after we dig through our purses a million times...

those little tea bags in their packages get in pretty sad shape sometimes.

So Voila' problem solved!

And quite prettily, I might add.

My new friend Meryl also makes many other lovely items on her shop

 such as:

Wristlets

Cosmetic Bags

Coin Purses

Wallets

Key Fobs

Crossbody Bags 

&

Lavender Sachets

Plus, wait until you see her 

GORGEOUS

hand painted flowers

on some of her bags!

I am in awe of her talents.

On a more personal note ...

I have a very ill father-in-law at present who I am helping to care for.

My in-laws are near 90 and, thankfully, live next door to me.

This makes it so much easier to go back and forth as needed.

He had surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm in mid December.

During the surgery things didn't go well and he incurred spinal damage.

After a month in the hospital, he is now home and needing constant care.

I don't often mention things like this here thinking maybe I should keep this blog my

"Happy Place"

and a 

Place of Refuge

for those who read it.

We all carry our own burdens each and every day.

I like to make people smile and laugh and feel good and give them something pretty to look at when they visit my blog.

But then there is 

Real Life 

as well.

I appreciate your prayers for my sweet father-in-law at this time.

Thank you,

Danette

And wherever you are ...

May you be 

cozy

&

warm

& 

tucked in with your loved ones

with some crochet or knitting on your lap

{if that's your "thing"}

and a 

Good Cup of Tea 

within your reach.

Daisy Poncho made with Laurel Hill Crochet Hooks

Once the hustle -  bustle of the holidays

came to an end

I entered the New Year

with a fun new project 

and 

a Beautiful set of

Laurel Hill Crochet Hooks.

The set pictured is the

Variety Set

and can be purchased on my shop.

This lovely multicolored satin case is included.

The Daisy Poncho was a custom order 

and it was one of those 

"create as you go along"

pieces.

It was made for a regular customer as a surprise birthday gift for her sister.

It always makes me happy to be involved in surprises!

 I love the POP the Big Daisy makes...

And the flounce of the floral edging,

which was crocheted separately then stitched on.

{It took me 3 solid hours to hand stitch it on but it was worth it.}

The pattern for the edging can be found in 

Crocheting on the Edge

by 

Nicky Epstein

This is a fabulous book that I have used many times for finishing work.

The edging on this poncho is found in the "Flora" section.

It's called Honeysuckle.

I think it might be my favorite for poncho's,

as I've used it more than once over the years.

It gives that extra feel of femininity to have flowers

dancing around one's body.

And if you like to crochet flowers

 this book is a MUST HAVE.

You'll find the pattern for the daisy and leaves inside it's beautiful pages.

There is no actual "pattern" for the poncho itself.

It is constructed of a stitch I like.

I determine the amount of stitches I need for the desired width

then I make two rectangular panels of the same length.

Then they are hand stitched together and ready for any edging and embellishment

I want or a customer has requested.

I have also made this poncho many times using knitted roses with I-cord stems and leaves

vining around the neckline.

That's a favorite of mine.

The yarn I used throughout was Knit Picks Comfy Worsted

75% Pima Cotton

25% Acrylic

It is super soft against the skin and lightweight on the body.

Plus machine wash and dry.

The body of the poncho is done in the color Peony.

The daisy is White with a center of Creme Brulee.

The leaves are Jalapeno.

Since I am not fond of the little hole left in the center of a crocheted flower,

I usually prefer to sew a bead in.

This one has a creamy pearl bead sewn to the center.

But getting back to those exquisite hooks...

I am so excited that I am now being given the privilege of selling

these beautiful tools on my 

Etsy Shop

If you are interested in these gorgeous hooks

click on the live link above each picture.

The hooks are reasonably priced and made using the following 

Sustainable Exotic Woods:

Ebony

$10.00 each

Nam Oc

$9.00 each

Trai

$9.00 each

I have been crocheting for 33 years and during that time

I have searched high and low for 

the 

PERFECT

Crochet Hooks.

And now I've found them.

You can read my story of how I found them and why I love them

on 

the Laurel Hill Blog

here

For those of you who Crochet,

you just have to try them.

I promise you will

Fall in Love.

XO

    XO,

 Danette