Tipsy Grasshopper Cocktail

St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner, so we thought we'd share with you a green cocktail recipe that's THE one you'll want to have in your hand when you're celebrating. (It's THAT good.)

This St. Patrick's Day, we are mixing up Tipsy Grasshoppers in the Harris Sisters' kitchen. We love a sweet drink with a little kick to it, so we thought this festive green one would be just the ticket for the occasion. And if you're a fan of mint and chocolate together, then this drink is for you!

We gathered our ingredients together (and sprinkled a little confetti for good measure). Here's what you'll need to make each drink:

Tipsy Grasshopper

1/2 oz creme de menthe
2 oz white chocolate liqueur
1 oz vodka
gold sugar crystals (to rim glasses)
light corn syrup (to rim glasses)

1. Rim glasses with gold sugar crystals if desired (directions follow).
2. Mix creme de menthe, white chocolate liqueur, and vodka in a shaker with ice and strain into the decorated glass. 

What St. Paddy's Day celebration can be complete without a little gold? If you really want to be fancy, you can rim your glasses with gold sugar crystals like we did. Decorated rims are easier to make than you might think.

How to Rim a Glass

1. Cover the bottom of a medium plate with light corn syrup.
2. Cover the bottom of a different medium-sized plate with gold sugar crystals (or other garnish).
3. Flip your glass upside-down and dip the rim into the syrup on the first plate.
4. Then, dip the sticky rim into the garnish on the second plate to coat.

Cheers! And Happy St. Patrick's Day from The Harris Sisters!

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Granny Mandala Ottoman Cover

Seems like it's been a while since we've checked in with you guys. We've been taking down Christmas decorations and clearing clutter just like everybody else! But now that things are starting to get back to normal, I wanted to share a quick crochet project with you. It's actually one that I had put on my craft wish list last year, but then I decided to devote all of my extra crafting time to crocheting afghans for charity. So I back burnered all of the crafting items on my wish list so that I could devote more time to that project.

Hopefully, I'll be able to get to a few more of my back burnered craft projects this year!

This is the first one and I'm so happy with how it came out. It's a crochet granny mandala ottoman cover. I love it for two reasons. First, I was able to upcycle a very old ottoman that I had squirreled away in Jaxon's room. He used it as a step stool to reach things when he was younger, but this is actually MUCH older than Jaxon. (HINT: The hunter green color should be giving off a strong 1990s vibe - I purchased this when I was in college.) Here it is in all its pleather-y glory. Soak it in, it's just too good:

Second, it's always fun to crochet a quick and colorful project during the dreary days of January. This colorful ottoman is going to brighten up our sunroom.

What Is a Mandala?

For those of you not familiar with the term mandala, it's basically a doily with a few minor differences. While they're both circular, mandalas are usually colorful and they're usually made out of yarn instead of thread. But if you find a vintage doily pattern that you like, you could probably convert it into a mandala pattern easily.

Pattern, Hook, and Modifications

For this project, I started with a free crochet granny mandala pattern and then I worked the pattern as written through row 12 with a size K crochet hook, which gave me a flat circle the same size as the top of my ottoman. Then, I switched to a size J hook and stopped increasing while continuing rounds until I had enough rounds to cover the sides of the ottoman. I switched crochet hook sizes to make sure that the cover would fit snugly to the ottoman.

If I were to do this project again, I might try not increasing on row 12 and then working the entire pattern with one size hook. You will need to adjust the pattern for your size ottoman specifically, trying the work on your ottoman periodically to ensure it fits correctly.

Yarn Choices

The yarns and colorways that I used were as follows:

• Red Heart Super Saver Bright Yellow
• Red Heart Super Saver Pretty 'N Pink
• Red Heart Super Saver Pale Plum
• Big Twist Damson Purple
• Red Heart Super Saver Light Blue
• Red Heart Super Saver Light Periwinkle
• Red Heart Super Saver Royal (from Captain America Hat and Spiderman Afghan)
• Red Heart Super Saver Pumpkin
• Bernat Super Value True Red (from Captain America Afghan)
• Red Heart Super Saver Shocking Pink
• Big Twist Light Teal
• Big Twist Medium Teal
• Caron Simply Soft Limelight
• Caron Simply Soft Watermelon
• Red Heart Super Saver Aruba Sea
• Big Twist Buttercup
• Loops & Threads Impeccable Orange
• Vanna's Choice Radiant Lime (from Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary Baby Blanket)
• Vanna's Choice Fern (from Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary Baby Blanket)

As you can see, it's Smitty approved!

Notes:

This really was a simple project, so if you have a little ottoman or even a stool that doesn't match your current decor or that's seen better days, maybe consider giving yours a makeover too. It's really like making a very large hat for it!

My best tip for any project that uses a lot of different colors of yarn is to weave in your ends as you go. Weaving in ends is my least favorite part of any crochet project, but with 35 different pairs of yarn ends to weave in, leaving them ALL to the end of the project was not a good option. Weaving in two ends of yarn after each row made it into a manageable task that really seemed like no trouble at all.

I did not stretch it around the bottom and attach it (it's hanging freely), but you could easily do that if you'd like a more fitted look for yours!

If you like the look of colorful crochet projects, check out these past projects for a burst of rainbow inspiration!

Granny Square Scrap Afghan

The Lucy Bag

Color Block Toddler Dress

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'Twas the Site by Three Sisters - 2018

So the saying goes, it's the most wonderful time of the year. AND that means, it's also the time of the year that The Harris Sisters present to you our 2018 year in review in the form of a 'Twas the Night Before Christmas parody.

For those of you new to our blog, this is a Harris Family tradition that dates waaaayyy back (back before computers, and blogs, and social media, and such). Yes, these were originally created with good old fashioned pencil and paper while sitting at the kitchen bar on Christmas Eve night.

So, to keep this grand old tradition alive, we still bring these to you on Christmas Eve (albeit in a slightly more newfangled way).

We had lots of fun this year! We're so glad we got to "meet" some of our new friends and keep up with our old ones. We hope that you had fun reading along with us!

'Twas the Site by Three Sisters - 2018

Twas the site by three sisters, Two Zero One Eight

The fun we've had this year has been really first-rate;

In Spring we showed you some ways to garden so cheap,

In hopes they're ideas that you'll want to keep;

And then in May, we soon followed suit

with tips for planning a family photo shoot.

With an old truck and costumes, it'll come together in a flash,

Gather the kids and the grandkids, and you'll make a big splash!

Gather up your driver, ready for a cameo,

You'll recognize our driver - it's our Daddy-o!

More rapid than eagles his kiddos they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, DEANNA! now, MISTY! now, DONNA and JAXON!

On, CHARLOTTE! on EMMA! on, LEXI and AIDYN!

To the top of the truck! Photograph us all!

Now flash away! flash away! flash away all!"

And then in June we could not refrain

from telling you all about our ride on a train

From antiques to hiking to the old Warrior Motel, 

and a See Rock City Barn - so many stories to tell!

In September, Misty headed to a prom (second chance)

So you voted just what should she wear to this dance.

And once every tally and ballot was cast,

She revealed her 1980s look at last!

October - our costumes, Winifred, Sarah, and Mary!

25 years for the Sandersons, but these witches aren't scary.

And don't forget to stop in for a visit,

To our Halloween Home Tour  -  a video with it;

And then in November, we thought it was high time,
To give our blog a brand new design,
With a new look and feel, we'll bring you content next year,
We're already planning and preparing, my dears!

As January 1 nears - oh my, how time flies!
We wanted to make sure we acknowledge you guys,
To all who have followed, shared, commented, and liked,
"HARRIS CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!"

Merry Christmas from Deanna, Donna, and Misty! (and Daddy - we're pictured here in 1979)

Take a look at our previous year's Christmas Eve parodies.