Creating Your Own Blanket

 Today we are really going to look at what goes into making a blanket. The Mario graphs work well because the Mario Video Games are in what they call "8-bit". That means that it is all small little "box" that make up the image. And that is what a graph is. They are boxes coloured to make up an image. Those images can be small (like the Mario Graphs we are sharing this year), or quite large like a full blanket. But they all work on the same principle.

(Example of a Square Graph Grid)

Keeping this in mind, this will help you create layouts for your blankets with these Super Mario 2 Graphs. The main thing to remember is that you want to put the same sizes together. So if you are using a 25 x 50 landscape graph you need to match those measurements to make the blanket even. Now this doesn't have to be the exact same. For example, you can use two 25 x 25 graphs to make up the 50 side of the first graph. But you want to make sure everything lines up properly.

Easy Peasy Chili

 This month we are going to focus on recipes that are great for Leftovers or "Makeovers". Today we are looking at our Easy Peasy Chili. This one is when you really don't have time for anything too fancy and really aren't in the mood for doing the work a "good" chilli takes.

Ingredients:

1 Pound of Ground Beef

1 Chili Spice Packet

1 Can of Kidney Beans

1 Can of Diced (or Crushed) Tomatoes

1 Onion (Optional)

Directions:

In a pot on medium-high heat, add a Diced Onion to the Pound of Meat and cook until meat has browned. Add spice packet (and follow its directions - water-wise). Add canned ingredients (juice and all), and stir. Let simmer for 10 - 20 minutes (or longer if desired) and serve.

Thursday, we are going to use the leftovers from this Chili to make a whole new recipe!

Crochet Terms (For Beginners) Starting Loop

Sometimes the terms used in crocheting books and tutorials can get confusing. And even when you know what the term is it's hard to figure out what you should be doing. Here I will post examples of the terms I come across with hopefully some clear examples that will help.

Starting Loop: 
This is the loop you make to start the project. Really simple this is just a slip knot. Here is a How To Video.

Real simple, you just take the starting piece of your yarn and lay it over the rest of your yarn. Pull the longer end of yarn through the hole and it should create a loop. Place your finger in the loop and pull so the slip knot is tight around your finger. Replace your finger with the crochet hook, making sure the hook part is going the same direction as the yarn connected to your ball. Pull tight to the hook and you're ready to crochet.