Creating Me

Let Us Adore Him – February 2026 Christmas Card

Posted on February 24, 2026 by Anita

Hi friends,

This month’s Christmas card is clean and simple with the focus on why we celebrate. I used the stamp set called Born for Us from Unity Stamp Company to create my card.

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

My layout was inspired by the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmaker’s Sketch Challenge 66 over on Facebook. There is so much inspiration on the page for building up your stash of Christmas cards!

I stamped the image with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink on kraft card stock. I used my Misti stamping tool so I could stamp the image a couple of times to make it darker. Using the Pink Fresh Essentials Braided Oval die set, I die cut around the image. This die set sadly seems to be discontinued. 😔 This decorative oval die set is similar or even a simple oval die would work great.

To make the card, I embossed a piece of ivory card stock with a dotted lattice embossing folder (similar to this). I adhered the stamped image to the embossed piece, letting it overhang slightly on the left side, and then trimmed off the excess. The piece is then attached to a kraft card. I stamped the sentiment on kraft card stock with black ink, die cut around it with these Scalloped & Stitched Sentiment Nesting Dies, and attached it to the card using foam tape.

Sometimes simple is just the thing.

Have you started on your Christmas cards yet? I know it’s early but if you start now, you’ll be really glad later this year when things get busy (or even more busy). 😉

Anita

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Crochet Mini Easter Gift Bags

Posted on February 20, 2026 by Anita

Hi friends,

These cute little Crochet Mini Easter Gift Bags are super fun to make – and give! They are great for beginners and seasoned crocheters alike. 😊

I stitched up my gift bags using I Love This Yarn in the colors Pink, Key Lime, Mixed Berry, and Glacier with a G/4mm crochet hook. You can find the pattern below along with links to free PDFs – one with photos and one without – if you’d like to easily print it.

Crochet Mini Easter Gift Bag

Worsted Weight Yarn – I used I Love This Yarn in Pink, Key Lime, Mixed Berry, and Glacier

G/4mm hook

Stitches used – US terms:

Magic ring

Chain – ch

Slip Stitch – ss

Single crochet – sc

Double crochet – dc

Back loop only – blo

Bobble Stitch – Bobble

Special stitch: Bobble Stitch – Yarn over, insert hook into stitch, and pull up a loop. Yarn over, pull through two loops. Repeat 4 times – there will be 6 loops on the hook. Yarn over and pull through all 6 loops. Sc in next stitch to complete the Bobble stitch.

Make magic ring, chain one.

Round 1: work 9 hdc in ring. Join with ss to first hdc. Pull ring closed. (9 stitches)

Round 2: ch 1. 2 hdc in same stitch as ss and in each stitch around. Join with ss to first hdc. (18 stitches)

Round 3: ch 1. 2 hdc in same stitch as ss. *hdc in next stitch, 2 hdc in next stitch* Repeat from * to * around to last stitch. hdc in last stitch. Join with ss to first hdc. (27 stitches)

Round 4: ch 1. Working in blo, sc in same stitch as ss and in each stitch around. Join with ss to first sc. (27 stitches)

Rounds 5-6: ch 1. hdc in same stitch as ss and in each stitch around. Join with ss to first hdc. (27 stitches)

Round 7: ch 1. Work bobble in same stitch as ss. *sc in next stitch, work bobble in next stitch.* Repeat from * to * around to last stitch. sc in last stitch. Join with ss to first bobble stitch. (9 Bobbles)

Rounds 8-10: ch 1. hdc in same stitch as ss and in each stitch around. Join with ss to first hdc. (27 stitches)

Round 11: ch 1. sc in same stitch as ss. *Work bobble in next stitch, sc in next stitch.* Repeat from * to * around until last 2 stitches. Work one more bobble. Join with ss to first sc. (9 Bobbles)

Rounds 12-14: ch 1. hdc in same stitch as ss and in each stitch around. Join with ss to first hdc. (27 stitches)

Round 15: ch 1. Work bobble in same stitch as ss. *sc in next stitch, work bobble in next stitch.* Repeat from * to * around to last stitch, sc in last stitch. Join with ss to first bobble stitch. (9 Bobbles)

Rounds 16-17: ch 1. hdc in same stitch as ss and in each stitch around. Join with ss to first hdc. (27 stitches)

Round 18: ch 1. Work 2 hdc in same stitch as ss and in each stitch around. Join with ss to first hdc. (54 stitches)

Fasten off and weave in ends.

For drawstring, chain 60 and fasten off. Weave in and out between stitches of Row 16.

Finished Crochet Mini Easter Gift Bag measures about 5 inches tall and 3.5 inches wide.

Here are the links for the free PDFs…

Crochet Mini Easter Gift Bag pattern with photos

Crochet Mini Easter Gift Bag pattern without photos

These Crochet Mini Easter Gift Bags are the perfect size for little Easter plushies, stickers, little toys, and of course sweet treats. 🐰

Anita

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Sweet Birthday Wishes – Handmade Card

Posted on February 18, 2026 by Anita

Hi friends,

I love this Winnie the Pooh: Special Like You stamp set from Unity Stamp Company! Winnie the Pooh has always been a favorite of mine. 🙂 The set also includes 3 sentiments for making cards for different occasions.

My card is a 2nd birthday card for a sweet little girl. I stamped the image with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink on white card stock and colored it with Copic markers. I stamped a “2” in the balloon with black ink.

Using these Scallops & Rectangles Nesting Dies, I die cut around the image. Then I die cut 2 different patterned papers and layered them to a white card with the stamped piece on top. The sentiment is from the Bitty Birthday Bash stamp set. I stamped it with pink ink on white card stock. I die cut around it using these Scalloped & Stitched Sentiment Nesting Dies and attached it to the card at an angle.

This stamp can be used for so many different things just by changing the color scheme. A couple of the sentiment stamps in the set will work great for a thinking of you card. You probably have other sentiment stamps in your collection that would be great with this image, too. 🙂

Anita

Posted in Cards, Stamping | Tagged Cards, Stamping | 2 Comments

Loaded Cauliflower Soup

Posted on February 17, 2026 by Anita

Hi friends,

I love potato soup! But it is loaded with carbs and we’re trying to be better about watching our carb intake. I found this recipe for Loaded Cauliflower Soup and thought I’d give it a try. The site has several soup recipes, just scroll down to the 3rd one for the recipe for this soup.

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

It’s super easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. The recipe says to use an immersion blender to make the soup creamier, but I don’t have one so I just took some of the soup, put it in my regular blender, and added it back to the pot. I left some chunks of cauliflower in the soup for added texture and to mimic chunks of potato.

For serving, add some crumbled bacon, chopped green onion, and shredded cheddar cheese to each bowl.

Add a side of crusty bread, roasted veggies, or a green salad for a yummy weeknight dinner.

Anita

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Happy Valentine’s Day 💕

Posted on February 14, 2026 by Anita

Hi friends,

Popping in to wish you all a very Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤️ Sending you all love and hoping you treat yourself to a little chocolate – or your favorite sweet treat – today.💕

Thank you to all of you who stop by my little corner of the internet! It truly makes me smile! 🥰

Anita

Posted in Cards, Stamping, Valentine | Tagged Cards, Stamping, Valentine | 1 Comment

Crochet Washcloth Bunny

Posted on February 13, 2026 by Anita

Hi friends,

Did you know you can make a cute little Crochet Washcloth Bunny using any of your favorite crochet washcloth/dishcloth patterns? I show you how below – super easy and cute. 🐰

You’ll need to stitch up a washcloth using cotton yarn and your favorite pattern. I used my Crochet Floret Stitch Dishcloth pattern from this post.

Begin rolling up your washcloth from one corner to form a tube as shown in the photos below.

Fold the ends together and tie them with a cute ribbon or twine. The ends of the tube form the ears.🐰

These would be so cute to add to a little one’s Easter basket along with all the treats. They would also make a fun hostess gift – tuck them into a little basket with a bar of handmade soap. To use the washcloth, simply untie the ribbon and you are good to go. 🐰

Anita

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Birthday Fun – Handmade Card

Posted on February 11, 2026 by Anita

Hi friends,

How much fun is this Mousin’ Around: Mouse Party Palooza stamp set from Unity Stamp Co?!?! 🎈I love the classic Mickey Mouse and he makes such a cute card. The set also includes a 3-tiered birthday cake and a sentiment stamp.

Disclosure: Some of the links on my site are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I stamped Mickey using Memento Tuxedo Black Ink on white card stock and colored him with Copic markers. I die cut around the image using these Deckle & Stitches Nesting Dies. Then I layered it to black card stock die cut with the same set. This card was for a cute little boy turning 2 so I stamped a “2” with black ink inside the balloon.

To make the card, I used the Deckle & Stitches Nesting Dies to die cut a piece of red polka dot patterned paper (I used this paper pack) and attached it to a white card. Then I attached the stamped piece to the lower right corner of the card. I stamped the sentiment with black ink on white card stock. I die cut around it using these Scalloped & Stitched Sentiment Nesting Dies and attached it to the card using foam tape.

This is a simple card that comes together quickly, but it sends lots of fun birthday wishes!🎈

Anita

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Valentine Treat Mix ❤️

Posted on February 10, 2026 by Anita

Hi friends,

This is a super easy, last minute treat to mix up for your Valentines. ❤️ It will take just a couple of minutes and it has raisins and cashews so that makes it healthy, right? 😉

You’ll need cashews (I used halves and pieces in sea salt), raisins, white chocolate chips, and Valentine M&M’s. Not a fan of cashews? Make this tasty treat with your favorite nuts – I would recommend using salted nuts to get the salty/sweet taste that is so yummy.

Then just mix them all together in a big bowl and your Valentine Treat Mix is ready to eat!

I used a 16 ounce can of cashews, an 11.5 ounce bag of white chocolate chips, a 10 ounce bag of M&M’s, and just added raisins until I thought I had enough – maybe 1.5 cups.

You can fill up a clear treat bag, tie it with some red and white twine, and gift it to your family and friends for a sweet Valentine treat.

But…you may need to make a double batch so you’ll have plenty to keep at home, too! I have this fun extra large mason jar that I like to store my Valentine Treat Mix in – it looks so cute on my counter. 😍

I think dried cranberries would also be tasty in place of – or along with – the raisins. You could even add some chocolate chips if you want even more chocolate in the mix. 😊

Happy ❤️ Day!

Anita

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Crochet Valentine Bobble Cup Cozy ❤️

Posted on February 6, 2026 by Anita

Hi friends,

Looking for a fun last minute Valentine crochet project? You can find the easy pattern for this Crochet Valentine Bobble Cup Cozy below. Pair it with a reusable coffee cup and a gift card to their favorite coffee shop for a great Valentine gift. You could even throw in a few chocolate hearts. ❤️

Crochet Valentine Bobble Cup Cozy

Worsted weight yarn – I used I Love This Yarn in Red

G/4.5mm hook (I love these hooks)

One 1-1/16 inch round white button

One 7/8 inch red heart button

Stitches used in US terms:

Chain – ch

Slip Stitch – ss

Single Crochet – sc

Half Double Crochet – hdc

Bobble Stitch – Bobble

Special stitch: Bobble Stitch – Yarn over, insert hook into stitch, and pull up a loop. Yarn over, pull through two loops. Repeat 4 times – there will be 6 loops on the hook. Yarn over and pull through all 6 loops. Sc in next stitch to complete the Bobble stitch.

Chain 28 and join to first chain with ss to form a ring.

Rounds 1-3: ch 1. sc in same stitch as ss and in each stitch around. Join with ss to first sc. (28 stitches)

Rounds 4-6: ch 1. hdc in same stitch as ss and in each stitch around. Join with ss to first hdc. (28 stitches)

Round 7: ch 1. Work bobble in same stitch as ss. *sc in next stitch, work bobble in next stitch.* Repeat from * to * around to last 2 stitches. sc in each of the last 2 stitches. Join with ss to first bobble stitch. (9 Bobbles)

Round 8: ch 1. sc in same stitch as ss and in each stitch around. Join with ss to first sc. (28 stitches)

Round 9: ch 1. sc in same stitch as ss and in next stitch. *Work bobble in next stitch, sc in next stitch.* Repeat from * to * around until last 2 stitches. Work one more bobble. Join with ss to first sc. (9 Bobbles)

Rounds 10-12: ch 1. hdc in same stitch as ss and in each stitch around. Join with ss to first hdc. (28 stitches)

Rounds 13-15: ch 1. sc in same stitch as ss and in each stitch around. Join with ss to first sc. (28 stitches)

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Layer heart button onto white button and sew onto cozy.

Here are links to PDFs – one with photos and one without – for easy printing. 🙂

Crochet Valentine Bobble Cup Cozy with photos

Crochet Valentine Bobble Cup Cozy without photos

Worsted weight cotton yarn also works great for stitching up the Valentine Bobble Cup Cozy. Of course you don’t have to crochet this in red! Make it in your favorite color. Change the button to a different shape or leave it off completely. Make it your own. 🙂

Anita

Posted in Crochet, Gifts, Uncategorized, Valentine | Tagged Crochet, Gifts, Valentine | Leave a comment

A Cozy Hello – Handmade Card

Posted on February 4, 2026 by Anita

Hi friends,

This little snowman looks like he is sending a great big hug! I think he makes an adorable Valentine card. ❤️❄️

He’s part of the stamp set called Hello Warm Fuzzies from Unity Stamp Company. The set also includes 2 cute penguins and several sentiment stamps.

I stamped the snowman with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink on white card stock and colored him with Copic markers. Using these Dashes and Frills Heart Nesting Dies, I die cut around the image.

I used these Zig Zag Rectangles Nesting Dies to die cut black and white striped patterned paper and attached it to a white card. Using the same die set, I cut red polka dot patterned paper and attached it over the striped paper. The snowman image is attached to the card with foam tape.

I stamped the sentiment with black ink on white card stock. I die cut around it using these Scalloped & Stitched Sentiment Nesting Dies and attached it to the card with foam tape.