Sweet & Simple Baby Crochet by Kristi Simpson- REVIEW

Everyone was excited when the book came in! 

This is my first book review on here so I am going to try and keep it fun and less like a book report.  As promised this is my first of many blogs regarding crochet.  This book is very near and dear to my heart so it had to be the first crochet blog I posted.  (Shameless plug?  Not quite.  Keep reading.)  Sweet & Simple Baby Crochet by Kristi Simpson hit shelves in the Fall of 2013.  It was published by Stackpole Books and can be found on their website for sale here.  There is also a great preview of the book there was well.  Not a big online shopper?  No problem!  Michaels now carries the book as well as many major retailers!

My Crochet Experience
I think at this point I should cover my experience with crochet.  I am a VERY new crocheter!!  I know a lot of people have stories about learning when they were six from a dear loved one.  While my Grandma could crochet I never had the patience to learn when I was younger or the courage to ask her to teach me.  I was easily frustrated and after trying to learn twice as a teen I gave it up.  Then while living in NC I wanted crocheted items for my photography business.  I started buying props and was soon referred to RAKJpatterns.  I learned to crochet through YouTube and I started buying patterns.  Soon enough I made a hat, then two, then I was blazing through all of the new patterns!  I've been crocheting just over two years now so no matter where you are in your crochet journey don't feel intimidated.  For those advanced crocheters I believe you will love the sweet and creative patterns and their ease of use!

Breakdown of the Book
Back to the book!  Ease of use is a big deal for me.  I've read many, many patterns and just looked back at the photo and thought to myself "there is just no way".  I never had that problem with this book.  Or any pattern from RAKJpatterns by Kristi Simpson for that matter.  I have always been hesitant to buy crochet books because of a beginner book I bought as a teen that was far from beginner.  In this book it clearly explains each stitch and there are clear and concise directions on how to work up each pattern.  The book is set up really well and there is no confusion in finding the patterns you are looking for.  The photos are clear and there are full page photos which make it easy to see detail.  I know actually seeing the item is important to me and the multiple photos of each item makes it so much easier to work up correctly without second guessing myself.

My Projects From the Book
I've worked up many of the items from the book.  I think seeing someone else's work is often really helpful and makes me confidant that if someone else could use the pattern then I can too.  

I absolutely love this pattern.  This is the James Sporty Sweater.  I switched it up a bit and changed the colors and used cupcake buttons for my daughter. I was so afraid of trying to tackle this pattern but I wanted it so bad.  It didn't take very long at all and half of the sweater was completed!  It worked up so fast!

This is my daughter again a few months later in her Ruffle Skirt.  This is another pattern I could not live without!  The yarn was a new experience for me but it worked up easily and the end result is absolutely adorable!  I bought five more colors to add a bunch more of these sassy skirts to her wardrobe!

This is my son wearing the Happy Hippo Bib!  (Before his first haircut.)  He loves to try out new hats and play with all of the stuff I am working on.  He was as excited as I was about this bib and stayed up past his bed time to see it finished.  He still thinks it is his despite the fact he doesn't even wear a bib anymore!

Elephants are very revered in our family and aside from her wiggling out of her hat I had to get one baby photo in her wearing the Elephant Ears Beanie.  I added the little flower sitting on top just to show she is a little girl.  This worked up super easy.  Because the ears were so simple they are really easy to make duplicates that match which was something I was worried about.

I've made nearly all of the items in the book now.  I have to say it is the easiest crochet book I have seen.  The way the patterns are written is just like how you would tell a person verbally how to make an item.  There is little confusion and the use of complicated verbage is at a minimum and use of technical abbreviations are limited as well.  Reading from patterns in the more technical style is easier now that I understand more but it still makes it a lot easier especially when I typically crochet in the car or with my kids playing around me.  It is easy to follow without the need to highlight or mark my book as I go.  Another really awesome perk is if you buy a book you can send it to Kristi Simpson and she will autograph it for you.  (Get your autographs ladies and gentlemen!  She is up and coming and she may just be really famous one day!)  I really enjoy having authors autograph my books.  It was a huge perk that she offered to do this for her customers and fans!  Very awesome if you ask me!  

So?  About That Near and Dear Part:

I was very fortunate to be a pattern tester for this book.  That is part one.  Part two is I worked with the author during the making of this book and two other really awesome ladies who tested as well.  It was a really great experience.  I had the least crochet experience out of the bunch and I easily followed these patterns.  Part three is the best part.  The author, Kristi Simpson, is really amazing.  She has built her business from the ground up and has gone from learning crochet to designing her own patterns that she sold online to being published.  Her patterns are honestly very relevant and she has classic style and there is no lack of creativity.  I've always valued the fact that she, and her brand, are original and innovative.  The fact she can combine simplicity and creativity in design never ceases to amaze me.  I am all for elegant, cool, creative, chic and EASY!  I really love supporting small businesses and while RAKJpatterns is growing in size it is still fully operated by a wife and husband team who are tentative to their customers and they connect well and communicate effectively with not only their customers but their growing fan base!

So all in all am I biased?  Not one bit!  If I had no experience with the company I would become a frequent customer and fan after buying this book.  I am after all a long time customer because the patterns I bought from RAKJpatterns were easy to use and always worked up correctly without a hassle.  I also utilized the RAKJpatterns Facebook page and their amazing customer service if I ever had a question.  Good service and good products will forever be good service and good products.  (You can find RAKJpatterns on Facebook here.

Not Just Fondue~ You Gotta Velata!

Looks good doesn't it!  Oh yes!  What is Velata you may ask?  Velata is a family-friendly, fun way to enjoy chocolate fondue and cheese dips.  This year Velata also introduced the Raclette grill to their line up!  That brings dinner straight to the kitchen table!  More about that later.  Velata is a Scentsy Family brand.  That means it is a direct sales company so you won't find it in stores but you have the opportunity of hosting a party which earns you half priced items and free product credit with a qualifying party and the opportunity to sell the products as an Independent Consultant.  I am plugging myself here:  I am an Independent Scentsy Family Consultant.  I sell Velata, Scentsy and Grace Adele.  I have personally purchased these products for myself before I started selling them and I was so happy with the product, the customer service and actual family experience from being a customer that I signed up to sell them myself.  So, for the most part this blog introduces you to this brand kind of in the same way as a party.  Without getting to taste all of the amazing flavors and combinations of the chocolate, cheeses and edibles cooked on the grill.

The Chocolate

Velata chocolate comes in four flavors; Milk, Caramel Milk, White and Dark.  The chocolate is premium Belgian chocolate.  The finest in the world.  The chocolate is all gluten free and peanut and tree nut free and is processed in a nut free facility!  This is a big plus for us.  The dark chocolate is dairy free but it is processed on machinery that processes chocolate containing dairy.

The packaging is ultra convenient.  It has a rounded bottom that allows it to stand, a pour spout and is made from a great quality material.  You have two options on how to warm the chocolate.  You can microwave the pouches for short periods of time (15-30 seconds at a time depending on microwave power) stopping to squeeze the bag in between.  Once most of the discs are melted kneed the bag to incorporate the smaller pieces- the heat from the rest of the chocolate will melt them quite easily.  Then remove the lid on the spout and pour the chocolate in to your warmer dish.  The other method is to cut the top of the bag open and pour the chocolate in to the warming dish and set the dish on high, stirring often.  It doesn't take long using the disks in the warmer but if time is not on your side you do have the option of using the microwave.  (Word of advice- if you use the microwave be sure that the chocolate is evenly distributed in the bag and you stop every 15-30 seconds to kneed the bag.)

The Cheese

Velata cheese dip comes in four flavors: Cheddar, Bacon Cheddar, Smoked Gouda and Fiesta Queso.  The texture is thick and creamy and all you could expect of a good quality cheese product.  The flavors really encompass the different likes of many people.  Even a fromage impresario would be happy with the Smoked Gouda.  Each flavor has a distinct robust taste.  The cheddar is described as "Bold, creamy and wonderfully nuanced" and I couldn't agree more.  The bacon cheddar starts with the cheddar cheese and then they add smokey bacon.  The pieces are just the right size to give you a creamy uniform taste with the added kick of the bacon in each bite.  The Fiesta Queso is a sharp cheddar with a kick of garlic and jalapeno pepper.  It is adds a little kick to any party.  My favorite paring is on nachos!  Absolutely perfect!  Smoked Gouda is definitely my favorite by far.  It is an old-world Dutch heritage style that is smooth and creamy and has wonderful smokey undertones.  It is great with everything from fruit to crusty bread.  I really love it on toasted turkey sandwiches and in Loaded Baked Potato Soup.  (Don't judge- it is seriously that good!)  The cheeses can be used for much more than just a dip.  You can use them in recipes and on favorite dishes as well.  I hear au gratin potatoes with the Gouda is amazing!

The Warmers

There are four different types of warmers right now.  They are the Curve, Pedestal, Color and Party style warmers.  Every "fun sized" warmer is a ceramic base with specially placed vent holes to allow the perfect combination of heat and ventilation to keep the chocolate and cheese at the perfect temperature without scorching or it becoming cold.  The Party sized warmer utilizes a metal warming element in it's base to perfectly heat the dish.  Each dish is silicon food safe and dishwasher and microwave safe.  They are different than Scentsy warmers but are still the awesome quality.  (Please do not use a Scentsy warmer for food- they are not food grade warmers.)  Velata uses a patent pending technology to safely warm the chocolate at the perfect temperature- even for hours- without damaging the chocolate, scorching it, keeping it just warm enough.  They have a dimmer switch on their cord so that you can adjust the light warming the dish accordingly.  Once everything is melted and heated through you just turn it down and it stays at the perfect temperature until you are done using it.  Each fun sized warmer comes with a set of four matching fondue forks.  Fondue forks for the Party sized warmer are sold separately.  The Curve, Pedestal and Color warmer dishes hold a package of chocolate or tub of cheese perfectly.  The Party sized warmer can hold up to three bags of chocolate or two tubs of cheese at one time.


Curve Collection:  The Curve collection are "fun sized" warmers.  It is the square version featured above.  It comes in many colors suitable for many different tastes.  The warming dish is removable and has a lid that can be purchase separately to cover the chocolate or cheese to store it.

Pedestal Collection:  The Pedestal collection are "fun sized" warmers.  It is the round version above.  It also comes in many colors to suit everyone's individual taste.  A matching lid can be purchased separately for this warmer as well.  The dish is removable.

Color Collection:  The Color collection are "fun sized" warmers.  They are come in a variety of solid colors to suit everyone's individual taste or decor.  The dish is removable and has a matching lid that is available separately.

Party Collection: The Party collection are two large "party sized' warmers.  They come in Rouge or Noir (red or black).  They are a little more squat than the fun sized warmers and have a large bowl instead of a shallow dish.  It is the perfect size for a larger gathering so you don't have to refill the dish as often.  It is also absolutely perfectly sized for dipping treats to share.  (Think Christmas berries, football berries, chocolate dipped pretzel sticks, carrot berries for Easter, red, white and blue berries for Independence Day etc. as it gives you a lot more room and depth to work with.)  The cord fits perfectly in the base which makes it ultra portable and easy to store.

There is also a tray that fits perfectly around the Party Collection warmers that holds plenty of dip-able treats.

This is the Party sized and Fun Sized warmers together.  The black warmer on the left is a Noir Party Sized warmer and the red on the left is a Rouge Color Collection warmer.  The Party sized warmer is $50 US and the fun sized warmers are $40 US respectively.

These are the lids for the warmers.  Perfect to save your leftover chocolate in the dish right in your fridge.

The Party Bowl fits perfectly around the Party Warmer and has plenty of room for lots of dippables! 

The Raclette Grill 

The Raclette Grill is awesome, to sum it up in one word.  A perfect aluminum grill pan with a flat griddle and a ridged grill side, a 100% natural granite stone that you can grill on, use as a pizza stone in your oven or even freeze and use as a cold stone for mixing ice cream or making chocolate shavings!  Talk about versatility all in one product.  Each grill comes with eight dishes that perfectly sit underneath the grill to warm your cheeses to perfection while you are cooking atop the grill.  It also comes with eight spatulas.  It brings fun to the kitchen and dining room.  It adds oomph and interest to parties.  It is definitely a conversation piece for sure.  As in, sit around it and cook up a great meal and have an actual conversation!  It is so fun to use!  It does get hot so be careful of little fingers.  It has an adjustable temperature gauge to dial in just the right amount of heat for your cooking needs.  Grill meats, veggies, fish or any other grillable food right at the table.

The grill is a perfect gift for anyone!  It is easy to cook with so even the most culinary challenged will love it!  It is $140 US respectively.  Remember though that with a qualifying party you can get this sucker half priced or even FREE!

The Rubs

The perfect compliment to any grill is of course the rubs, right??  Season your grillable selections to your liking with the choice of four perfectly blended rubs.  The flavors include Coriander Herb, Smoked Paprika, Santa Maria BBQ and Lemon Garlic.  A great selection of flavors to try or even combine to make custom flavors.  Take your grilling to a bold new level!

The Serveware 

No kitchen collection is complete without serveware!  Velata has a line of plates and serving dishes that perfectly coordinate with the Velata line.  From chic squares to whimsical circles display your dippables in style!  Each set comes with a set of removable silicon non-slip bands.

The Tools

Velata tools are straightforward.  You can get extra fondue forks in beautiful vibrant colors to add more fun to the party.  The colors help people keep track of their own fork as well.  The spatula is a great little multi-tool.  Like a sexy little Swiss Army knife for the gourmet!  You can use it as a cheese spreader or scoop to get every last drop out of your warmer.  It becomes a handy little kitchen gadget when you think outside the Velata warmer and use it for juicing citrus, using it for making treats to dip in your Velata chocolate, to push the sides down in a small food processor or blender or even wipe the blades to keep your fingers (and other metal tools) safely away from the sharp blades.  I could use this for 100 things in my kitchen, honestly!

The Experience  (My Experience)

Seeing the perfect photos that were done in a test kitchen is nice and all but how does everything work in a REAL kitchen?  One with little kids who want to touch everything.  A kitchen that is full of family and friends and love.  Or a kitchen with a bottle of wine that needs a friend after a long day.  Girls nights, date nights, kids parties, rainy stay at home parties, nights with the guys (yes, even with the guys!) this brand offers something awesome for everyone.  You can even use it to easily make chocolate covered treats to share later.

<-- Strawberry shortcake (with angel food cake chunks) topped in whipped cream and drizzled in Caramel Milk chocolate- straight from the bag!

I've personally used Velata products and I wouldn't sell them if I was not in LOVE with them.  The chocolate has a wonderful taste and is nice and velvety smooth.  The cheese has a good texture and each has great flavors and it's own kick.  The warmers are so easy to use and FUN to use.  My son absolutely loves ours.  He is quite a fan of chocolate and likes to dip his own treats.  Which is a ton of fun for kids- with supervision.  There are a ton of options for fun nights with kids too!  Do a pretzel party or a cookie party and let the kids dip their pretzels and put out a buffet of sprinkles and toppings and they will go crazy!  It is so much more fun to have a hands on and fun dessert.
Chocolate dipped strawberries (Milk) and Chocolate dipped strawberries with graham cracker crumb bottoms and whipped cream!

Chocolate Drizzled Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs 

Then the grill.  Where do I start?  I bought one for my husband as a gift (and for me to show as an example of course).  He easily set it up and in very little time we were gathered around the table laughing and talking while we grilled our dinner.  I loved the little trays to heat my cheeses.  You can put as much or as little as you want and test things out.  It heats to a perfect temperature and if you leave it a little longer you can even get a nice bubbly effect which is so awesome with crusty breads!  I love the Gouda.  I never tried it before Velata and I was unsure but it is so great!  You can dip sweet or savory in to it and the combinations come out different and awesome every time.

I cannot wait until the next time we use our grill.  I really loved the experience of being around the table and not sitting in the kitchen cooking alone.  It opened up conversation about our food and the different grilled veggies- especially right now during the winter months- was an amazing change!

My nachos were amazing by the way!

Buy, Host, Join

Like I stated before, I am a Scentsy Family Independent Consultant.  I do sell and represent each of the Scentsy Family brands.  If you are interested in more information about any of the brands please do not hesitate to contact me.  My website is: http://www.aascott.scentsy.us.  All of my contact information is there.  Also, you can host a party (for any brand) anywhere in the country through my online site or by telephone or even Skype.  If you are local I can bring the party to you!  Interested in a job that you will love?  Join the family!  You can enroll for any of the three brands as part of my team.  I belong to a huge group of Independent Consultants that stretch the globe from Japan and Canada and from the US West Coast to the East Coast!  We are Scentsy sisters and we utilize a group on Facebook to keep in contact with each other.  New consultants are added to our ever expanding group and family to provide support, relay information and share about our businesses.  Together we make a LOT happen!  I absolutely love the team and group I am a part of!  

Bonjour Jolie February Box!

I was really excited last month to receive my first Bonjour Jolie box.  My second box came this week. It definitely did not disappoint!  This month's theme was "For the Love of Chocolate".  Can you argue with that?  Umm, NO!  "This February, indulge in chocolate.  Bathe in it, drink in it, eat it!"

Down to it.  If you missed my last post about Bonjour Jolie you might wonder what the fuss is about. Bonjour Jolie is a premium subscription box exclusively for women to be pampered on their period. Pretty awesome if you ask me!  No more last minute crazy runs to the store, have everything you need shipped right to your door!  Convenient, affordable, awesome and the perk you need during your cycle!

Here is the open view!  It is shipped in a discrete envelope to ensure your privacy.  Even the box is discrete.  I kept last month's box and filled it with my supplies to put it under the sink in my bathroom.  I am doing the same this month.  One more bathroom to go then a box for the trunk of the car!


The Gift
Silver Heart Locket Necklace
This lovely silver locket necklace is perfect to wear alone or showcase your favorite picture inside!  MSRP $16

The Edibles
Russell Stover Chocolate
This heart is for the true chocolate lovers in your life.  It's a chocolate explosion in your mouth, covering a decadent fruit cream or truffle center.  MSRP $4 RussleStover.com

Double Decker Moon Pie
DId you know Mardi Gras is celebrated over two months in the south?  For over 50 years the Moon Pie has been a traditional sweet eaten during Mardi Gras and an American pastime.  It consists of two thick graham cracker cookies sandwiched between a gooey marshmallow filling and dipped in dark chocolate.  MSRP $1.50.  MoonPie.com

Stash Chocolate Teas
In earlier centuries, tea was a valuable commodity traditionally transported by clipper ships.  The ship's captain often was presented with some of the finest teas for his personal use.  this supply was his "stash" stowed carefully as his "private reserve".  MSRP $1.50 stashtea.com

The Pampering
New Zealand Chocolate Truffle Bath Salts
Made with 100% pure NZ Pacific Sea Salt harvested from the Cook Straight between NZ's North and South Islands.  The water is evaporated using the natural process of sun and wind, then at the end of each summer the salt is gathered for use.  MSRP $3  bonjourjolie.com/shop

Chocolate Lip Balm
Drench your lips in chocolate and cocoa butter!  This custom made lip balm will moisturize those chapped winter lips while bringing the scent and flavor of chocolate to your mouth.  MSRP $4  bonjourjolie.com/shop

Chocolate Decadence Candles
Hand poured soy candles scented in a deep chocolate scent.  The fragrance fills the whole house with the aroma of sweet chocolate.  MSRP $1

Chocolate Minted Hand Soaps
These hand soaps are hand made with natural ingredients, mint and chocolate essential oils!  MSRP $1  bonjourjolie.com/shop

Epille Feminine Wipes
Lightly scented to provide you with fresh and clean feel anywhere, anytime, especially during your period.  The flush-able wipes contain gentle ingredients and they are great for everyday use by the entire family.  Individually wrapped for on-the-go convenience.  MSRP $1 Kareway.com

The "Supplies"
You can choose what ever brand you like.  That is the point right?  All the awesomeness plus the supplies you need for the month.  You get 25 items of your choice.  Another great way to use the subscription is to test out new products!

I order SoftCups and pads.  I never know which pads to get.  I've used SoftCups for 10 years so the convenience of being able to have them delivered is absolutely amazing.  Sometimes they are a little hard to find so if I forget to pick them up sometimes it is a hassle.  This makes the subscription even more perfect!  They are wrapped in chic paper bags which is not only stylish but discrete.  Just pull them out of the bag as you need them!

Here is the list from Bonjour Jolie:

We strive to carry all commercially available brands sold in the USA. Including:

• Kotex
• U by Kotex
• StayFree
• Always: Always, Always Infinity, Always Radiant Infinity*
• Tampax: Tampax Radiant, Tampax Cardboard, Tampax Pearl, Tampax Active
• Playtex: Playtex Gentle Glide, Playtex Sport
• Ob Tampons
• Softcup: Disposable Menstrual Cups
• NatraCare Organic
  

There you have it!  I tried the Red Velvet tea and it was good iced!  You could definitely taste the cream cheese frosting coming through which I was very skeptical about.  It tasted more like Red Velvet cake than the last thing I tried from the commissary bakery! (Sadly not kidding.)  The box was filled with fabric rose petals.  I think it was a super cute touch!  I took a photo of them but the heart I made with them looked a little more like a blob.  My son immediately attacked my chocolate.  He loves hearts so hearts + chocolate= my son is in love!  I am typically not a jewelry person but this necklace is very pretty.  I plan on wearing it to dinner for Valentine's Day this year.  This year my husband and I are taking our kids out and doing something special for them.  Our little mini dates.  I can't wait to use the chocolate bath salts.  I am a sucker for sweet smelling bath products.  I plan on keeping one of my soaps for when we have guests.  The poor Moon Pie never made it past the kitchen counter.  I gobbled it up!  I never was big on them but I've been in love with S'mores recently and well, that is all a moon pie is really!  YUM!  The next best yum was the lip balm!  I always stick to two favorites that I have used for years because a lot of lip balms are either greasy, sticky or the flavor is horrible.  This lip balm is NONE of these!  It goes on nice and smooth and has an awesome light chocolate scent.  It works well and doesn't get sticky after being worn.  I am currently hiding it so my son doesn't steal it!  He approves too! Even my little daughter wanted to try a little!

The subscription is $16 a month.  You can have it set to arrive JUST when you need it.  They are shipping internationally too if you are out of the country!  Don't forget that they offer free shipping to military addresses!  E-mail them for more information.

If you are interested in subscribing too (and if you have a period you should seriously consider it) you can do so by going here:  Subscribe: Bonjour Jolie!

(My review is unbiased I am not compensated for my reviews of this product.  It is a subscription I received for Christmas and I LOVE it!)