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This last year, we welcomed our son Sawyer into the world. And life is awesome with him. I had no idea how much I'd love the job of "mom". When we first found out we were having a boy, my husband was elated! He had a little guy to teach all his "guy" stuff to like working on cars and... whatever else guys do. haha. But I, on the other hand, was honestly a little upset because I just knew it was a girl!

Because I just love girl baby things!!! Girl stuff is just so cute. The dresses. The headbands. The bows. The everything.

I mean, that's not the only reason I was wanting a girl, of course. I just dreamed of having a strong bond and relationship with a daughter

I had no idea I'd really love being the mom to a boy though. Sawyer is great, and I love the bond I have with him, it's so unique-- and I just think it's the best gift!

So I say all of this because here lately I've had the hankerin' to create little girl things! And no baby girl to model them, just my son. ha! This is him in the headband (he's gonna hate me one day...):

I did get the chance to put the cute headband on my cousin's baby, Rory. And she rocked it! She's too precious. And those blue eyes!

This headband is pretty darn simple. And you can easily put it together in less than an hour. It's definitely beginner friendly! And not to mention the perfect photo prop for your baby photos :)

What you'll need:

Size F (3.75 mm) Hook (a set like this would be perfect for a beginner)
Worsted weight yarn of choice (I used Red Heart Super Saver in White, Cafe Latte, Honeydew and Gold and I Love This Yarn in Soft Pink)
Tapestry needle

Abbreviations:

st=stitch sc=single crochet ch=chain fsc=foundation single crochet dc=double crochet tr=treble

Pattern:

HEADBAND (use Cafe Latte)
*For additional help with sizing check out this cool and handy graph for hat sizes on Tot Toppers)
Newborn: work 52 fsc
3 Month: work 58 fsc
6 Month: work 62 fsc
12 Month: work 66 fsc
24 Month: work 70 fsc

After working the fsc, finish off and leave a long tail for sewing the ends together. Using your needle, connect the headband at each end with a few stitches to make sure its secure. Weave in the ends.

LARGE FLOWER (use Soft Pink):
ch 45
in 4th ch from hook, work 2 tr
sk st
sl st in next st
*ch 3
work 2 tr in next st
sk st
sl st in next st

repeat from * to the end of the ch, you will have 14 "petals" total

finish off, leave extra long tail for sewing. starting with your first petal, roll the petals up to form the flower (see photo below -- also note I used a different color for the flower in the photos below).

using your needle and long tail, sew the bottom of the flower together making a few passes back and forth. Don't weave in end yet, you will use the remaining tail to sew to the headband

SMALL FLOWER (use white and gold) *make two
ch 21
in 4th ch from hook, work 2 tr
sk st
sl st in next st
*ch 3
work 2 tr in next st
sk st
sl st in next st

repeat from * to the end of the ch, you will have 6 "petals" total

finish off, leave extra long tail and repeat the same steps as the large flower to assemble

LEAVES (use Honeydew) *make two
ch 6
in 2nd ch from hook, in back loop only: sl st, sc, sc, dc, 3 dc in last st.
then working on the other side of the original ch 6: 3 dc into first st, dc, sc, sc, sl st into last st

fasten off, leave long tail to sew to headband

To attach the flowers/leaves to the headband, sew the large flower to the headband first on seam of the headband using needle and tail of the flower. Arrange one leaf on the side of the large flower, then you'll sew one of the smaller flowers on top of the leaf. Then secure the leaf to the headband. Do the same process for the other side of the large flower, then weave in the ends.

Now you've got a super cute baby accessory!

Enjoy,

Meg

P.S. This headband goes GREAT with my baby moccasins pattern you can find here.

Here awhile back, I did a giveaway over on my Facebook page with these crochet-inspired mugs I made using the ever-popular sharpie method. Although these sharpie mugs are totally old news, this was my first time actually doing it!

I did quite a bit of research on the topic, because I really wanted these mugs to work. I found out that using an oil-based marker was key, as well as baking at a high temperature.

I loved the designs I chose to put on the mugs. The "hooker" mug was inspired by the Rae Dunn mugs I've seen everywhere lately. And I saw a similar drawing of a yarn ball not too long ago, and thought it'd go perfectly on a mug!

In this tutorial I give a tip on how to help you write on the curved surface of the mug, because it can take some getting used to. My first attempt was a fail and I had to wipe it off with alcohol and cotton ball- ha! Which is awesome because it takes the pressure off of making it perfect the first time.

Anywho, I'm done talking and here's my take on the "Sharpie mugs":

First get your supplies:

White coffee mugs (the cheaper the better. I got mine from Walmart, the two round ones were 89 cents! And the other one was a little over 2 bucks)
Rubbing alcohol
Cotton balls
Oil-based Sharpie (I got these)
Optional- paper, scissors and tape
-you'll need an oven to set your artwork

First, you'll prep your mugs by cleaning them with alcohol and cotton swab. This gets the oils and dirt off the surface, and ensures your design will stick.

This trick is optional, but it would help you get used to writing and drawing your design on the curved surface of the mug. Cut a small piece of paper and tape it to the mug, then practice your design. By the way, my sharpie had instructions on how to get it activated, which involved depressing the tip with my finger first, then dabbing it on paper until the tip was saturated with paint. It took quite a few "dabs" on paper to get it going. I'd suggest practicing on a scrap paper first.

Then once you've got your design down you're ready to draw it on the mug. And don't worry if you make a mistake, it will come off with rubbing alcohol if you do (it just takes some elbow grease to get it off).

After your mugs have their pretty designs on them, you bake em. I put mine upside down in the oven on a cookie sheet, because I read the rims could brown (also please don't judge my dirty oven). It's important that you put the mugs in before you preheat your oven, so they warm up with it. This reduces the risk of cracking.

I baked mine for 30 minutes at 450 degrees fahrenheit. Then once the 30 minutes were up, I let the mugs cool off in the oven, so they didn't have a harsh temperature adjustment.

Also note, that they kinda stink while baking. I opened the windows and had the vent and fan going to help get the air flowing. Although I do wonder if the smell was so strong due to my husband dropping a pizza in the oven a few days prior... lol!

Overall, I was happy with how the designs came out. After baking, I noticed there were some spots on the mug that were a little bit brown, and it wouldn't come off when I was hand-washing them. So what I ended up doing was getting the mug wet, and then taking some baking soda in my hand and rubbing it on the areas that had browned, and that did the trick!

I've read a few places where people have run them through the dishwasher, but I didn't try it. I think I'd stick with hand washing!

Now you get to enjoy your cute and cheap mugs, which totally make the coffee taste better if you're wondering. ;)