Are you bringing dessert to the 4th of July picnic this weekend? Looking for a quick but fun and festive recipe? These Patriotic Sugar Cookie Bars might be just what you are looking for! 🇺🇸
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I found the recipe here at Upstate Ramblings. The dough mixes up in just a few minutes and then you bake the whole batch of cookies at once in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan – I love that! After the cookies cool completely, you will frost them with yummy cream cheese icing and add plenty of fun patriotic sprinkles. Cut them into squares and enjoy!
Here’s the dough ready to go into the oven… It’s a thick sticky dough so I lightly sprayed my clean hands with cooking spray to spread it out and pat it in the pan that I lined with parchment paper.
And fresh out of the oven… It smells so yummy!
After they are cooled, frosted, and sprinkled…
The cream cheese in the dough and the icing adds a whole new level of flavor to these tasty sugar cookie bars. I stored my cookie bars in the refrigerator just to be safe due to the cream cheese icing. Simply take them out an hour or so before you want to serve them – or you can serve them cold right from the fridge, too!
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The book begins with the tools and equipment for crocheting and continues on to the basics of crocheting. Next comes 70 pages with different stitch tutorials from beginner to intermediate to more advanced stitches. Then 44 pages of squares and shapes followed by a few pages of edgings and borders. She also includes 3 projects to practice using a few of the stitches you’ve learned.
The book is written in US terms with UK terms in parentheses in each pattern. There are beautiful photos showcasing each stitch, square, shape, and edging. I think this is such a great book to have in your craft room. Whether you are just beginning your crochet journey or having been crocheting for decades, you’ll love having Bella Coco’s Crochet Stitch Library at your fingertips for quick reference when starting a new project. 🧶
Need a quick and easy card? This card comes together in just minutes and it’s so simple to make!
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My flower silhouette stamp is from a discontinued set called Insightful Meadows from Unity Stamp Company. This set called Serene Silhouettes has several stamps that would work beautifully on a card like this. My sentiment stamp is one I’ve had in my collection forever.
I attached lavender card stock to a white card and attached the stamped flower piece to the card. The sentiment is attached to the card with foam tape.
This card can be used for any occasion. You can change the sentiment or even leave it off completely. And you can make it in any color.😊
This month’s Christmas card is super quick and easy! 🎄 I was inspired by the BYSHC Sketch Challenge 58. Lots of great inspiration on their Facebook page.😊
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My background stamp is a discontinued stamp from My Favorite Things called Christmas Greetings Background. You can use any fun Christmas background stamp or even patterned paper. The Christmas tree stamp is from the 2024 Advent calendar from Unity Stamp Company. Any small Christmas themed stamp would be great in this layout.
I stamped the background with green ink on white card stock. I trimmed the piece to measure 5 by 3.75 inches, cut it diagonally, and attached it to a red card leaving a small space between the triangles.
I stamped the trees with green ink on white card stock. I used these Scallops & Circles Nesting Dies to die cut around the image and layered it to red card stock die cut with the same set. The piece is attached to the card using foam tape.
This card comes together so quickly! And I love the simplicity. 🎄
If you’d like to see the other monthly Christmas cards I’ve created so far this year you can find them here: January, February, March, April, and May.
Looking for a quick and easy crochet project on these hot Summer days? 😎 Spa cloths work up quickly and are fun to make.
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I stitched up my Crochet Cluster V-Stitch Spa Cloth using I Love This Cotton Yarn in Ivory and Serene Spa and an H/5mm crochet hook. You can find the easy pattern below along with links to free PDFs – one with photos and one without – for easy printing.
Crochet Cluster V-Stitch Spa Cloth
Worsted weight cotton yarn (size 4) –
I used I Love This Cotton Yarn in Ivory and Serene Spa
H/5.5mm crochet hook
Stitches used in US terms:
Chain – ch
Double Crochet – dc
Cluster V-stitch
Double Crochet 2 together – dc2tog
Slip Stitch – ss
How to make Cluster V-stitch: dc2tog, ch, dc2tog in the same stitch
How to dc2tog: yarn over, insert hook in stitch. Yarn over pull up loop (3 loops on hook). Yarn over, pull through 2 loops (2 loops on hook). Yarn over, insert hook in same stitch. Yarn over and pull up loop (4 loops on hook). Yarn over, pull through 2 loops (3 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through last 3 loops.
Chain 29.
Row 1: working in back bump of ch, dc in 4th ch from hook. (3 skipped ch count as a dc). *Skip 2 ch. (dc2tog, ch, dc2tog) in next ch (cluster v-stitch made).* Repeat from * to* across until last 4 ch. Skip 2 ch. dc in final 2 ch. Turn. (7 Cluster V-stitches and 2 double crochet at each end)
Row 2: ch 3 (counts as dc). Skip first dc. dc in next dc. *work cluster v-stitch in ch space of cluster v-stitch of previous row* Repeat from *to* across to last 2 dc. dc in last 2 dc. Turn. (7 Cluster V-stitches and 2 double crochet at each end)
Rows 3 – 10: Repeat Row 2
Do Not Turn at the end of row 10.
Work border around spa cloth.
Round 1: ch 1. sc crochet evenly around, working 3 sc in each corner. Join with ss to first sc.
Fasten off and weave in ends.
Finished spa cloth measures about 7 by 6.5 inches.
These little spa cloths can be worked up in any color of cotton yarn. They make great gifts. And because they are stitched up with cotton yarn they can also be used as dishcloths. 🙂
I’ve created a couple of PDFs for simple wrap labels for gift giving or market makes. One is labeled for spa cloths and the other for dishcloths.
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I die cut around the image using scalloped rectangle dies similar to these and layered it to patterned paper die cut with the same set. I attached a piece of green card stock to a white card and then attached the stamped piece. I stamped the sentiment with black ink on a strip of green card stock and attached it to the card with foam tape.
This stamp can be colored up in so many different ways. The card can also be used for so many different occasions – just change the sentiment – or even leave it off completely.😊
Lemon is the perfect Summer flavor! 🍋 This Lemon Dump Cake is super easy to make with only 4 ingredients – it’s a tasty lighter dessert option.
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Fresh from the oven…let it cool a bit before digging in.
I shared this cake with a friend so I wasn’t able to take a photo of a single serving, but I have to tell you that it smelled amazing! If you love lemon flavor as much as I do, you might want to give this recipe a try. I think it would be so good with a dollop of whipped topping. 🍋😋
I found this fun I Love This Cotton Yarn in the color way called Walk in the Park at Hobby Lobby. I thought it make a fun can cozy for the Summer. 😎
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I stitched up my cozy using an H/5mm crochet hook. You can find the pattern below along with links to free PDFs for easy printing…one with photos and one without.
Crochet Bobble Can Cozy
I Love This Cotton Yarn – I used the color Walk in the Park
H/5mm 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)
Round 8: ch 1. hdc in same stitch as ss and in each stitch around. Join with ss to first hdc. (27 stitches)
Rounds 9-10: 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)
Round 12: ch 1. hdc in same stitch as ss and in each stitch around. Join with ss to first hdc. (27 stitches)
Rounds 13-14: 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)
Round 16: ch 1. hdc in same stitch as ss and in each stitch around. Join with ss to first hdc. (27 stitches)
My brother-in-law just turned 70 – so of course he needed a special card to celebrate the day!
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.
Just a tip for stamping larger stamps. I like to use my Misti Stamping Tool. Then if it doesn’t quite stamp evenly, you can just re-ink the stamp and stamp it again. I also love using this Stamp Pressure Tool with my Misti.
We recently took a road trip up to northern Indiana and southern Michigan to visit family. I snapped a few photos while we were there and wanted to share the simple beauty with you. 😊
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The 4 photos below are of beautiful Lake Michigan. If you get a chance to visit any of the Great Lakes, I encourage you to go. The vastness, the lovely beaches, and the sound of the waves are so calming. Although the waves can really kick up during winds and storms and the water can be dangerous so don’t underestimate the power of the lakes! The water also gets very cold, including ice floes in the winter. The water temp was only 58 degrees when we were there – way too cold to go for a dip! 🥶 But the weather was perfect for a walk along the beach.
We also visited Shipshewana, Indiana which is Amish and Mennonite country. The roads are shared with Amish buggies pulled by beautiful horses. They trot along at a pretty good clip and I love the sound of their hooves on the pavement. The town of Shipshewana has several shops and eateries on its quiet downtown streets. Also there are amazing murals painted on the sides of some of the buildings – there are a couple of them in the photos below.
We took a ride up into southern Michigan and went to Holland. Sadly, we were just a little too late for Tulip Time, but there were still plenty of beautiful flowers in bloom as we strolled the downtown area.
This was a photo I snapped as we were driving along the Michigan countryside. It was an absolutely gorgeous day!
I wanted to share this with you to encourage you to Take the Road Trip! It doesn’t have to be far or elaborate – it can even just be a Saturday afternoon drive in the country. You never know what you might discover and it’s a great break from our busy lives. 😊
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Creating Me 