Little Tikes Giddy Up 'n Go Pony (Ends 2/14) US

Bounce up and down and really go for a ride! With real pony-like features, Thunder, Giddy Up N’ Go Pony allows children to put their bodies and imaginations in gear and drive to the next level of active and creative play!

Product Features Include:

• Realistic pony-like features
• Bounce up and down to make the pony go
• Ergonomic saddle
• Fur Fabric mane and tail
• Head moves right and left
• Integrated footrest
• For ages 2-5 years old

One lucky winner will receive a Little Tikes Giddy Up 'n Go Pony.

Organized by: Mom to Bed by 8.
Giveaway ends February 14th at 11:59pm. Open to US residents, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck.

If you like to enter giveaways, be sure to check out this page!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: The participating bloggers, including The Philosopher's Wife, were not compensated for this post. We are not associated with any of the companies named above. No purchase is necessary to enter. One entrant per household. Void where prohibited by law. The odds of winning are based on the number of entries received. Confirmed Winner(s) (by Random.org) will be contacted by email. Winner(s) have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. The sponsor(s) will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of this sweepstakes. My blog is not responsible for product shipment/delivery. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. This disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Contact theiowamom@gmail.com if you have any additional questions or comments.

7 Quick Takes

For more Quick Takes visit Jen!

1. I think I've developed a slight obsession with Red Velvet Cake this pregnancy.  I think the last ten pins I've opened on Pinterest have somehow involved Red Velvet something (cookies, brownies, cheesecake, cheesecake brownies, etc.).  I haven't actually eaten anything with "Red Velvet" in it's name this pregnancy, but if anything that has only increased my desire!

Rachel: The Philosopher's Wife

2. How many times have you read Peter Rabbit this week?

3. I love the smell of baking bread.  I also love having a bread maker.  I've done absolutely minimal cooking this pregnancy, thanks to just about everything making me sick, but I did manage to throw together a loaf of bread yesterday and it was delicious.  (My husband has been really wonderfully understanding with my inability to cook and has been phenomenal about getting home from a long day at work and then getting dinner together -- thanks, Honey!)

Image Source: Free Digital Photos

4. Getting ready for the second child is really very different from preparing for the first.  Or, at least, I'm going about it completely differently.  I most likely will be having a c-section in seven weeks or so (32 weeks along right now!), so I'm starting to pull things out, wash baby clothes, count diapers, figure out where to put all of Porcupine's things, etc. It feels much more relaxed and laid back than prepping for Catherine's arrival.  Was the second child easier to prepare for for you?

5. The most difficult thing we need to do is convince Catherine to give up the crib mattress.  She has a "big girl" bed (complete with a nice mattress of it's own), but she much prefers sleeping on the crib mattress on the floor.  Since she actually sleeps quite well this way my hubby and I didn't really care, but the poor girl now has a time limit.  (She also can be a bit of a wild sleeper . . . but that's another issue entirely.)

6. I started making a leather wrap bracelet yesterday, but it turned into a complete fail.  It is a salvageable fail, but for yesterday it counted as a complete and utter fail.  My beading needle was too thick -- I just need to finish unpacking and cleaning my craft room.  I didn't have suitable workstation -- I felt sick and was working on the couch.  I didn't have a clamp to hold my work steady -- even a clipboard would work, I just felt too sick to find one.  All of these are easy things to fix, and once my "morning" sickness goes away I should be just fine.  Knitting and crocheting make better couch crafts.

At first I was going to use some basic pearl beads for my (failed) bracelet, but then I thought that these Coke Bottle Recycled Glass Beads from Happy Mango Beads would be much more unique.  (They are the ones in front of Catherine's mouth. Isn't she a Silly Goose?)

7. I'm super excited about the Valentine's Day Giveaway that I will be hosting!  It will start next week and the prize is from Origami Owl!

What I Wore Wednesday: 32 Weeks Pregnant

This post contains affiliate links. 

I almost didn't do a What I Wore post today.  All of my maternity shirts are in the wash.  (Whoops.)  Baby Bumps somehow aren't quite as cute under "regular" clothing at 32 weeks, but then I realized I really did want to document this special time, so here's what I'm wearing!

• Pink T-shirt: Who Knows Where? I've had it forever. 
• Button Down: Lands' End Canvas I actually purchased it from the "Not Quite Perfect" section and have yet to find anything wrong with it.  My only complaint is that it needs to be line dried.
• Lounge Pants: Old Navy They are super comfortable.  I wear them around the house without any apologies.  

Without further ado, here's the whole ensemble, Baby and all:

Even if you can't really see them in any of the pictures, I am wearing the same earrings as last week.  (I was looking for these this morning, but couldn't find them! Boo!)

I realized the other day that I should take advantage of wearing necklaces more before Porcupine arrives, so this is the one I'm wearing today.  I actually won it in a blog giveaway (more on that here).  It's from Designs by Tahra, an Etsy shop that I would definitely recommend! 

Photo Source

I have to mention how much I am loving these boots!  Aren't they just adorable?  I've been wanting a pair of grey slouchy boots for a long time and these fit the bill perfectly.

I'll be linking up at The Pleated Poppy and I Feel Pretty.

 

Rachel: The Philosopher's Wife

WIPS: Purple Cowl, Poncho/Cape Update, A Finished Crochet Project

Yesterday was a lovely snow day, which was perfect for knitting and crocheting.

I haven't made a whole lot of progress on Catherine's Poncho/Cape (I just can't decide which it is!), much to her dismay.  I got distracted by other projects.  (Yes, I have crafting ADD.)

My Purple Ribbed Cowl is finally coming along nicely.  Seriously, it looks a lot better in person.  I simply can't photograph this yarn well while indoors.  I am undecided how tall the cowl should be.  I am thinking just a couple more inches then I just have to cast off!  In your opinion, what is the perfect sized cowl?

I did whip up this cute crocheted headwarp this week.  (Read all about it here.)  I look rather strange without my glasses, don't I?  I do have a favor to ask, if you like my headwrap, could you like this Facebook post?  

What crochet and/or knitting projects have you been working on this week?

I will be sharing this post at the following:

Frontier Dreams with Nicole

Work In Progress with Tami

Yarn Along with Ginny

A Crochet Project: My Version of the "Easiest Headwrap Ever"

Check out this giveaway for a hand dyed skein of yarn! (Ends March 16, 2014)

I crocheted this headwrap in less than an afternoon -- even with morning sickness -- so I suppose that qualifies as "easy".  (I even wove in all the ends!)  I think it turned out pretty cute!

I used a bright coral button to contrast with the periwinkle blue.  (The button was from a pack that I got on super clearance at Jo Ann's -- always check those clearance bins -- the whole pack was twenty five cents!)

 

While I enjoyed this pattern, I think I might try my hand at creating my own headwrap, or ear warmer, pattern soon.  They make great projects both because they don't take a long time to finish and because they can use up those random half balls of yarn running around.

Do you like to crochet headwraps?  Do you like to wear them?

Don't I look silly without my glasses?

Pattern Notes

Yarn: Red Heart Classic in Light Periwinkle (By the way, often this yarn can be a little scratchy, but it softens quite a bit after washing and drying.)

Hook: H

Pattern: Jonna is the creator of this pattern, which can be found {here}.

My Opinion and Changes:  Overall I do like this pattern very much.  I followed the pattern pretty closely.  Really the only difference that I did was that I worked the hdc (that's half double crochet, in case you were wondering) the regular way.  Jonna likes to work the stitches slightly differently, but I decided not to do that.  I did also add just a couple of rows to the middle.

 

Rachel: The Philosopher's Wife

Here's some of the places where I like to link up!

7 Quick Takes: From Catherine's Point of View

This morning I had zero inspiration for today's Quick Takes.  So I turned to my three year old, Catherine, and asked her what I should blog about today.  Here are the topics that she suggested:

1. Glitter Crayons.  Seriously, why were these not around when I was a kid?  These are awesome.  I don't know where my sister picked them up, but I'm glad that she gave Catherine multiple boxes of them for Christmas. 

2. Dora Coloring Pages. Catherine has two modes of coloring: crazy and meticulous.  (I suspect lots of three year girls are like this.)  I might have helped on some of the diamonds.  Hey, I wanted to color with those cool glitter crayons.

3. Red Flower.  This is one of the flowers from her flower girl bouquet. She loves to carry the flowers around pretending to get married.  (Always wearing a princess dress, of course.)
 

4. The Feast. Catherine received some play food and dishes for Christmas this past weekend.  We've had some pretty amazing make believe meals.

5. Teeny, Tiny Mouse.  This is one of Catherine's go to books.  (Please ignore the fact that I haven't done her hair yet this morning.  We were discussing what to blog about before seven in the morning.  We're not all put together at that time of day.  Especially since I still have morning sickness pretty badly for a couple of hours in the morning.)
 

6. Doctor's Kit.  I don't think I can tell you how many times I've been to the "doctor" this week.  I had my 31 week checkup this week and she didn't understand why I needed to go since she already checked me.

7. A Little Puppy.  This little guy has been Catherine's faithful companion this week.

I'll be linking up with Jen, stop by if you'd like to see more quick takes!  

(Mine will probably be the only ones dictated by a three year old.)

WIPS: Christmas Gifts, Updates, and a Crochet Pattern

This post contains affiliate links. 

Well, I'll be honest, I haven't made much progress on any of my projects since last week.  My parents came for a (Christmas) visit and there simply wasn't much time for crafting.  I think that I only added two or three rows to Catherine's cape/poncho since last week.

One of my Christmas gifts was An Idiot's Guide to Knitting.  Last night was the first night that I was able to cuddle up with it.  I read every word of the first six chapters.  A lot of it was review of what I've gathered from the internet, but I think that it was good to read and it's so nice to have it all in one place.  It's going to be a cold day today, so I plan on cuddling up with both my book and one of my projects later!

Another Christmas gift was a lovely blue yarn.  I'd like to make a baby blanket for Porcupine.  I'm thinking maybe a knit one with cables.  (But it would have to be pretty easy since I'm a newbie.)  I do have a free class coupon from Craftsy, maybe I should take the Explorations in Cables, Patty Lyons class. . .  Have any of my lovely readers ever taken a Craftsy class?  Or do you have any pattern suggestions?

I am frogging my purple cowl and am going to start again.  This time it's going to be a simple rib from the start.  (A lot like this Ribbed Cowl from Lion Brand.)  I am curious to see how the texture of the yarn will work up in a rib.  (Wow, is that yarn impossible to photograph!)

I did put together a blog post yesterday that some of you might be interested in, it's my Crochet Shell Stitch Baby Blanket Pattern.

I will be sharing this post at the following:

Frontier Dreams with Nicole

Work In Progress with Tami

Yarn Along with Ginny

What I Wore Wednesday: 31 Weeks Pregnant

Welcome to another week of What I Wore Wednesday! I decided that I don't really have a great sense of style but that I really like having Baby Bump pictures, therefore, I will participate in WIWW for at least of couple of weeks!  I don't really have many Baby Bump pictures from when I was pregnant with Catherine and that saddens me.  To my mommy readers, do you wish you have more (or less) Baby Bump pictures?

Please forgive the not-so-great-quality of my selfies.  I love this turquoise necklace!  I got it years ago from a roadside stand on a trip out west.  

I'm wearing maternity (of course!) jeans from Old Navy.  This pair is super comfortable.  (Every time I wear them I miss my Maryland thrift stores!  They cost me a whopping $3.50.  I got so many great deals there!)  Although, why is seemingly impossible to make a pair of non-over-the-belly maternity pants where the elastic part doesn't eventually fold over?

These earrings were a birthday present from my wonderful husband a couple of years ago.  

This shirt (the sweater and shirt are attached) is from Walmart.  I really like it, except that the inside shirt part simply isn't long enough.  I could have exchanged it for a larger size, but I don't think that would have helped too much and would have been quite a hassle.  Now, on the positive side, this probably means that I will be able to wear it when I'm not pregnant without looking like I am wearing maternity clothes!  Again, to my mommy readers, did/do you wear maternity clothes as "regular" clothes without anyone knowing?

I'll be linking up at The Pleated Poppy, DC in Style, and I Feel Pretty.

10 Character Valentine's Day Coloring Pages

All of these printable coloring pages are free.  All of the following links will take you away from The Philosopher's Wife blog.

Dora and Boots

Piglet

Winnie the Pooh

R2-D2 and Yoda

Eeyore

Clifford the Bid Red Dog 

Elmo 

Hello Kitty

Snoopy 

Tinkerbell 

Crochet Shell Stitch Baby Blanket Pattern

With Porcupine's arrival getting closer every day, I've been thinking a lot about baby items.  Then, while I was organizing photos, I came across these pictures of a crocheted shell stitch baby blanket that I never shared with you!  

This particular crocheted baby blanket is an older project, I believe that I completed it shortly after my Baby Blanket Fit for a Little Diva (which is roughly the same pattern).  The yarn is 100% cotton, which believe it or not, I had found at my local dollar store!  I can't remember what hook I used, but I bet it was around an I.  

I have only used this crochet shell pattern for baby blankets, however, I think that it would really well as a larger afghan or throw.  (In fact, that just might be an idea for my next big crochet project . . . )

Crochet Shell Stitch Baby Blanket Pattern:*

Chain your desired amount.  (I can't remember exactly how many I did, but I am pretty sure an odd amount works best.  Although, it is not a problem to have extra chains -- they can be unraveled or tucked in.)

Row 1: 2 double crochet (dc) in 4th chain (ch) from hook, *skip 2 chain (ch), 1 single crochet (sc) in next chain (ch), skip 2 chain (ch), 5 double crochet (dc) in next ch *. Repeat from * to * until 3 chain (ch) remain, skip 2 chain (ch), 1 single crochet (sc) in last chain (ch). Chain (ch) 3, turn. 

Row 2: 2 double crochet (dc) in the first single crochet (sc), * 1 single crochet (sc) in the 3rd double crochet (dc) of 5 double crochet (dc) group, 5 double crochet (dc) in single crochet (sc) *. Repeat from * to *, end row with 1 single crochet (sc) in 3rd chain of previous row.

Repeat row two over and over and over . . .

Once the blanket has reached your desired size single crochet around all of the edges.

Now, you can consider yourself finished with your baby blanket, or you can add a decorative edging.  On this blanket I added a edge based on the shell pattern used in the body of the blanket.

*This shell pattern, while a basic shell pattern, is one that I originally discovered at Project Linus.

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I love sharing my projects around the web.  {Here} are some of my favorite places to party.

Craftsy Flash Sale this Weekend! (1/18/14 - 1/19/14) AND Stella & Dot Deal!

This post contains affiliate links. 

This year, turn your resolutions into reality with Craftsy! For the next 48 hours, choose from over 50 classes in 14 categories that are up to 50% off and start learning from the comfort of your own home. Categories include cooking, photography, sewing, quilting, fine art, knitting, and more! Check out the flash sale here: Craftsy Flash Sale 1/18-1/19

Here's another great deal if you're looking for a way to make some extra money this year!

It's here! Stella & Dot's 2014 Spring Collection has arrived! Featuring fresh colors and a dazzling amount of sparkle, If you're looking for a hint of sparkle to brighten up your wardrobe, then you are in luck, these new pieces are amazing! But wait, there's more! 

It's a new year and is one of your resolutions to make a little extra $? Well with so much exciting new beauty to share, now is the perfect time to become a Stella & Dot Stylist For the month of January, Stella & Dot is offering a stylist signup bonus: If you sign up today, you will receive $450 in free accessories (instead of $350) for only $199, how cool is that!! For more information, visit: http://www.stelladot.com/stylist

7 Quick Takes

1. Ah, the pregnancy insomnia.  You have to *love* how everyone always comments, "Get your sleep now, dear, you're going to miss it."  I already miss it.  I'm just praying Porcupine sleeps better than his sister.  She was a terrible sleeper.  It doesn't help that I've been having a plethora of bizarre and just plain odd dreams.  Last night I dreamed I was at my childhood library -- which hasn't even been a library in over a decade (maybe longer).  I think the last time I visited my hometown it was a carpet store, but I could be mistaken.  Other dreams are downright creepy.

2. I have a small gripe with Disney.  My daughter received some very awesome princess dresses and accessories for Christmas from various generous family members.  Many of the jewelry pieces are falling apart.  (It hasn't even been a month yet!)  Let me be very clear, this is not from misuse or abuse.  The inlaid "gems" and such just simply fall out.  Obviously, these are all easy fixes and once I get my craft room under control I'll use my craft glue and they will be better than new.  (Literally, since I'll use a small dab of E-6000 and that stuff is permanent, unlike whatever was originally used.)

3. I'm going to frog this cowl today.  I just don't like the way the edge curls.  I am going to re-do it entirely as a rib knit.  I know that it only curls up just a teeny bit, but this is something that I want to wear and I just don't think I'd wear it much if I'm not completely happy with it.  (Like my Neon Flamingo scarf that I showed you on Wednesday -- I'm going to turn that one into an infinity scarf.  It will take five minutes and I'll wear it more often because I'll be happier with it.)

4. A random fact about me: I just might be a little bit addicted to Wii Tetris.  Anyone else out there have a similar confession?

5. Yes, the following is an affiliate link, but I do want to share that Craftsy will be having a flash sale this weekend.  This weekend you can choose from over 50 classes in 14 categories that are up to 50% off and start learning from the comfort of your own home. Categories include cooking, photography, sewing, quilting, fine art, knitting, and more! Check out the flash sale (tomorrow) here: Craftsy Flash Sale 1/18-1/19.

6. Here's a snippet of my day yesterday:

Catherine: "I got marker on my hands."
Me: "That's fine.  When you're finished coloring you can wash your hands."
Catherine: "I'm not coloring.  I am marking."
Me: "Well, yes . . ."

Later:

Catherine: "Do you want to take another shower today?"
Me: "No.  I'm fine.  I had a shower this morning."
Catherine: "Did you wash everything?"
Me: "Yes, dear."
Catherine: "Are you sure you washed your face?"
Me: "Yes.  Why?  Is there something on my face?"
Catherine: "No.  I just wanted to watch another show." 

(She is allowed to watch something on Netflix -- no commercials and I know exactly what it is -- while I shower.  It keeps her safely occupied and I generally get an uninterrupted shower.  Totally a win-win in my book.  I just completely didn't see where she was going with this conversation!  Especially since I've been rather generous in allowing her t.v. time this pregnancy.)

7. My parents are coming to visit this weekend and we are going to celebrate Christmas!  Personally, I rather love how this naturally keeps us in the Christmas spirit throughout the whole season.  (I know that technically the Christmas season ended Sunday.)  We still have all of our decorations up.  I'll probably work on putting it away next week.  When do you pack all the Christmas stuff away?

For more Quick Takes visit Jen!