Saturday, February 16, 2013

Panda Giveaway

My friend Amanda is having her first giveaway over at her blog, The Crystal Panda. Please check it out. She is an amazing crafter and crochet guru!!!

She is giving away a cute little duckie amigurumi...........sounds perfect for the Easter holidays or for an amigurumi collector!

Until next time ^____^

Birthday Gift Amigurumis

Good evening! I have been reading lately instead of crafting, but I did find the time to make two amigurumi plushies.

New Pattern: Geisha from Nelly Pailloux' Crobots book and onigiri pattern from previous post
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Party Rich Red Sparkle, Snow Sparkle, and Black Sparkle
Hook: Size H
Notions: 6mm safety eyes, pink and black felt, and 3/8" red grosgrain ribbon
Start/Finish: 2/10-12/2013

I made these two plushies for my friend Nicole for her birthday. Her birthday was actually earlier in the month, but we are going to celebrate it later this month when we can get all together. I attached jumprings and lobster clasps to make them into keychains for her purse, etc. ;)

To add to her gifts, I'm thinking of getting her some sort of Dr. Who merchandise since she LOVES that series :)

What's up next in crafts? Not sure, but I'll think of something!

Until next time ^____^

Panda V-day Package

I sent a package to Amanda for Valentine's Day and the Chinese New Year! Here is what I included:


As always, I include a card from my favorite stationery company, Papyrus. For the Chinese New Year, a fun New Year's gift card to Starbucks.


A box of fortune cookies! They had a friendship themed box this year ;) And for her mother for the New Year, the lucky kitty amigurumi that I made.


When I was at Sukoshicon in January, I found two cute items for my panda loving friend! A panda decal and a doe-eyed panda print from the artists' alley.


The two panda amigurumi pandas that I had made! And the first book in the Garcia/Stohl series that I like and thought Amanda would like too since it is a Southern Gothic themed novel.


A collection of stationery from Target's dollar section! Always a fun place to browse for cute items for gifts!


Craft goodies: a cute earring kit and a Valentine's themed stamp kit.


I think I might have heard a squeal of delight all the way over here in Alabama when Amanda opened her package to see several skeins of Caron's Simply Soft Party line of yarn. I grabbed as many colors as I could get my hands on while at Wal-mart. They are the only store in Mobile that sells that line of yarn. According to Caron's website, Joann's Fabrics is supposed to carry it, but they don't :*(

I can't wait to see what Amanda makes from those glittery skeins of yarn!!!

Hope you enjoyed it all! Love ya!

Until next time ^____^

Pink, cute and nerdy!

I received a lovely package from my friend Amanda in CA this week celebrating both Valentine's Day and the Chinese New Year!

Look at all the goodies!!


First off, super cute and lovely packaging! I always love her wrapping....don't you love the red/pink heart paper?!


From both Amanda and her mother for the Chinese New Year, a lucky dollar bill which includes an explanation of the Year of the Snake. Hope it gives me good luck in the New Year!


Amanda was telling me that a new Japanese dollar store opened up near her house! Look at the swag she scored for me! A Popin' Cookin' kit, a plastic pink piggy bank full of jello snacks, a small plastic heart-themed container, two bags - a blossom shopping bag and a pencil pouch (perfect for crochet hooks!), an iron on bunny sticker, and a lucky cat charm!

Update: Ms. Amanda has informed me that the bags were bought at the Japanese dollar store. So where did she get the rest of the awesome swag? I have no idea, but I might have to check out her sources of cute merchandise the next time I'm in CA :)

SO CUTE!!!! LOL

The trouble with being a booklover in a big/small town is the fact that well-known authors don't do book signings here and when they do it seems to always be across the bay...........sigh..............but guess what? Amanda hooked me up!

I had mailed a few of my Gail Carriger books to her over the summer to get them signed at Comic-Con. Sadly, she wasn't able to make it, but the author had a signing at Mysterious Galaxy bookstore last weekend!

She got my books signed!! Woohoo!


I had mailed her my two paperbacks and she bought me the latest novel by Carriger while at the signing, Etiquette and Espionage. Squeal...................

Sorry.............geek moment! Ms. Carriger is one of my favorite steampunk novelists. Her witty and fun writing reminds me of Elizabeth Peters' Peabody novels ;)

Thank you darling for the super cute package!!! I love it all!

Until next time ^____^

Sunday, February 3, 2013

White Rabbit in Wonderland

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Party Snow Sparkle and Red Rich Sparkle
Hook: Size H
Notions: 6mm safety eyes, white and red felt, and 1/4" white double face satin ribbon
Start/Finish: 2/3/2013

I couldn't resist the thought of starting another bunny, but instead of a snow bunny I wanted a white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. Since I was out of smaller safety eyes, I ran by the store this morning and picked them up for this project.

I think my favorite part of making this amigurumi is the costume. I used white felt and for the hearts (on the front and back) I used felt stickers. On the white ribbon, I used a running stitch to gather it into a bunch of 'lace' for the collar.

I hope you having a great day crafting too!

Until next time ^____^

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Balthier

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Party Silver Sparkle and Black Sparkle
Hook: Size H
Notions: 9mm safety eyes, brass-colored gears, and red felt
Start/Finish: 2/2/2013

My sister named this little steampunk cutie Balthier after one of her favorite FF characters. A fitting name for a gear loving gentle-bunny.

Until next time ^____^

Snowdrops


My mother's snowdrops! Always a beautiful sight ;)

Until next time ^____^

Jasmine in winter


Good morning! We've got some odd things blooming this year when they aren't supposed to! I blame it on our crazy weather which has gotten into the 60/70s for the last week or so when it is clearly 'winter' according to the calender! Right now, it is back to the 30s.........go figure!

This is a photo of my sister's jasmine that has started to blossom. I love jasmine. It smells divine!

Until next time ^____^

Friday, February 1, 2013

Little Panda

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Party Black Sparkle and Snow Sparkle
Hook: Size G
Notions: 9mm safety eyes and 15mm safety nose
Start/Finish: 1/31/2013-2/1/2013

My first amigurumi of the month, a cute little panda! Love the sparkles!

Until next time ^____^

January Recap

Recap:

Read:

1. The Perils of Sherlock Holmes by Loren Estleman
2. Kaoru Mori: Anything and Something
3. Queen Sheba's Ring by Henry Rider Haggard
4. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
5. Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
6. Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin
7. Soulless Volume 2 by Gail Carriger and Rem

Stitched:

1. It's A Kawaii Winter Wonderland by Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery

Crafts:

1. Felt scalloped flower needlebook
2. Dark blue octopus amigurumi
3. White octopus amigurumi
4. Onigiri amigurumi
5. Silver octopus amigurumi
6. Chubby panda amigurumi
7. Lucky cat amigurumi
8. Baby owl amigurumi
9. Snow bunny amigurumi
10. Valentine owl amigurumi
11. Red octopus amigurumi

Plans for February? I will admit that I have no idea! Just whatever catches my eye!

Until next time ^____^