Lego Cake

Our son requested a Lego Cake for his 5th birthday.  When asked what flavor, he said he wanted strawberry cake. Do you know how hard it is to find a good strawberry cake recipe that does not require strawberry flavored Jello?

After exhaustive searching, I found this wonderful recipe at A Dash of Sass.  It was tender and delicious and so stinkin' easy!  

I wish I could say as much for the construction of this bad boy.  The icing is a standard cream cheese-buttercream with about a gallon of food coloring.  So much for keepin' it natural.

Trees need love, too

The "Big Snow" of 2010 happened here in North Carolina this past weekend.  Some chose to go sledding, some chose to go on walks through the winter wonderland.  I chose to sit on my butt and crochet like a fiend.  Many visits to Lucy's place over at Attic24 had inspired me to bring some color to the cold, harsh gray.

Deedle Dee Baby Hat

I'm having so much fun with this cute, ribbed hat pattern.  Below I've presented the basic instructions for a 0-3 month baby hat.  

What you do to embellish it is all up to your imagination.  

Deedle Dee Baby Hat

1 skein Vanna's Choice Baby in color (A) of your choice

1 skein in complementary color (B) for embellishment

size J hook

Special instructions:  After foundation row, all stitches are worked into back loops only

Pattern is worked vertically.  The sc stitches at the one end will provide the shaping for the top of the hat.

Body of hat

ch 23

row 1: dc in 3rd ch from hook, (counts as 1 dc). one dc in next 18 ch.  1 sc in each of last 3 ch.  

 ch 1, turn

row 2: working in back loops only from here on out, 1 sc in first 3 sc.  1 dc in each dc to end.  ch 3, turn.

row 3: 1 dc in next 18 dc, 1 sc in next 3 sc.  ch 1, turn.

Repeat rows 2 & 3 until 23 rows are completed.

Finish off, leaving a long tail, approx 24"

Using a running stitch, cinch up the top and then whipstitch down the side.  Weave in both ends

Curly PomPom: (worked in complementary color)

round 1: ch 9, 3 sc in first ch from hook and in each ch to end.

round 2: ch 9, 3 sc in first ch from hook and in each ch to end. sl st anywhere into base of the curlycues.

Repeat round two 3 more times.  Finish off, leaving a 12" tail.

Sew pompom to top of hat.

For extra cuteness, blanket stitch around bottom.