V-day Owl

Design: Baby Owl by A Morning Cup of Jo

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Party Rich Red Sparkle
Hook: Size J
Notions: black, white, red, and yellow felt and DMC 321
Start/Finish: 1/27/2013

LOL If this doesn't illustrate my tension, I don't know what will! You see the hook size?!? Yep, talk about a tight tension, at least on smaller amigurumi patterns.

I had run out of 6mm safety eyes so I used black felt along with pink felt for the cheeks, yellow for the beak, and two white hearts for the tummy, which I blanket stitched together with DMC 321.

It would be really cute if I had made an envelope with a tiny heart on it that the owl carries in its beak!!

Until next time ^_____^

Snow Bunny

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Party Teal Sparkle and Snow Sparkle
Hook: Size H
Notions: 6mm safety eyes and blue felt heart
Start/Finish: 1/26/2013

For this pattern, I changed a few things as I was having a hard time with my tension and the stitch count required. On the legs I ended up shortening them a little bit and on the ears, I totally changed to another pattern to make them. I used the octopus pattern that I have and stitched 15 rnds to get ears ;)

The scarf was my idea when I thought this bunny would be cute as a snow bunny. I chained 2 rows of 25 stitches to get the scarf!!

LOL I love how the heart looks like it has been photoshopped onto the bunny's tummy! But it is cuter in person, I just wish I had a darker blue one!

I hope you're having a fun crafty weekend!

Until next time ^_____^

Tiny Owl

Design: Baby Owl by A Morning Cup of Jo
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Limelight
Hook: Size F
Notions: 6mm safety eyes, white felt, and DMC 3820
Start/Finish: 1/25/2013

My first attempt at stitching up one of Ms. Jo's designs. My friend Amanda has already stitched up one of these little owls which she has named Hedy (read her story here)! The fun part is that Amanda lives near Ms. Jo in CA! Isn't that nice? I would love to have a crochet buddy in Mobile, but none of my friends crochet though they are avid cross stitchers ;)

This design calls for a size F hook, but I forgot that I'm a tight stitcher so this little owl was tinier than it should have been! LOL I think the next time I make this pattern I will remember to use a larger hook!

Until next time ^____^

Lucky Cat

Pattern: Lucky Cat by Curls of Sunshine
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Party Rich Red Sparkle
Hook: Size H
Notions: camel and light pink felt, DMC thread 310 and 3607
Start/Finish: 1/23-24/2013

This little cutie is a gift for my best friend's mom for the Chinese New Year. Amanda asked me if I could make her mom a polymer clay snake charm for the Year of the Snake, but I didn't have the space in our dining room to do it at the moment so when I saw this pattern online I knew it would be a fun gift for her mom ;)

I think if I make this pattern again I would make the ears and paws smaller. I backstitched the face on felt and glued it to the amigurumi along with the inside of the ears.

It's almost Friday after a long week at work.........which shouldn't have been long since it was a holiday on Monday, but I've had computer problems at work and that always makes the work week longer!! Ugh....

Bright side, my sister and I are going to the first Mardi Gras parade of the season tomorrow night! Woohoo!

Until next time ^____^

Softly Silver

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Party Silver Sparkle
Hook: Size H
Notions: 9mm safety eyes
Start/Finish: 1/21-22/2012

Ugh......I always have a hard time deciding on which color of Caron's Party line that I love the best! This color of yarn is beautiful.....so much more lovely in person as the sparkles are pastel colors of blue, pink, and gold!!

For those who are interested, my little octopus is nested in a scarf that my aunt knitted me several years ago when I wanted a Slytherin scarf (yes, I'm a geek!). LOL

I wonder if I can get her to knit me a Sherlock scarf........hmm.............

Until next time ^_____^

Chubby Panda

Pattern: Chubby Panda by Hanako
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Black Sparkle and Snow Sparkle
Hook: Size G
Notions: 6mm safety eyes and black felt
Start/Finish: 1/20/2013

Another amigurumi today! My first attempt at stitching with two colors of yarn....

Okay, so I used the video tutorials by Planet June for changing colors, but when I was finished I noticed that I had two areas that didn't match on the back. Did I do something wrong? Or is it the pattern itself?

Is this normal or not? Any thoughts?

Until next time ^_____^

Tiny Onigiri!

Pattern: Onigiri sushi freebie by Ami Amour
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Sparkle Snow
Hook: Size H
Notions: 6mm safety eyes, pink and black felt
Start/Finish: 1/20/2013

I started this little freebie after coming home from shopping this morning. It calls for the nori part of the amigurumi to be crocheted, but my chain stitching never comes out right. I must be missing a stitch or doing something wrong when I attempt to stitch in chains! My edges are always wavy instead of straight. So to solve the problem, I cut a piece of black felt and sewed it to the onigiri as the nori.

I liked this pattern, but it wasn't correct towards round 11 when you start to stitch in the back loops. Since the count didn't turn out correct no matter what I did, I ended up stitching it as suggested and weaving the bottom closed.

Overall, quite a cute little pattern. I love the size of the onigiri as it fits in the palm of your hand. In the picture, I have it standing against my Mason jar that I use as my crafting jar to hold my crochet hooks, paint brushes for clay, rulers, etc.

I hope you are having a good weekend!

Until next time ^_____^

Ghost Octopus

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Party Snow Sparkle

Hook: Size H
Notions: 9mm safety eyes
Start/Finish: 1/19/2012

This is a little ghostie octopus! She isn't suppose to be so small....I used the same hook size as I did on the royal blue octopus. But since the yarn was white, I found it harder to see my stitches so my tension was tighter!

Still another cutie to add to my rainbow colors of octopi! Since white isn't a color of the rainbow, she's an honorary member!

Until next time ^____^

Under the Deep Blue Sea.....

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Party Royal Sparkle

Hook: Size H
Notions: 9mm safety eyes
Start/Finish: 1/18/2012

Kawaii Needlebook!

Flower Needlebook
Fabric: Wisteria, Green, White, and Light Pink felt
Notions: Fuchsia buttons and 1/4" light pink satin ribbon
Threads: DMC 304, 605, 700, and B5200
Start/Finish: 1/17-18/2013

This morning I put the finishing touches on my first attempt at a felt needlebook. Last night when I got home from work, I had a package waiting for me from an Etsy seller whom I've ordered from before. I had needed larger sheets of felt to work with the larger diecuts on my Sizzix machine. I had ordered some basic colors such as purple, pink, blue, white, and cream. I started on this needlebook once I cut the shapes I needed.

I used white felt for the inside of the needlebook. I used pinking shears on the felt to give it a decorative edge.

I secured the felt inside with backstitches in the middle of the book. The scalloped edges of the book were stitched with blanket stitches in pink thread.

The front of the book is decorated with diecut flowers in light pink and white with green leaves. The flowers were secured in the middle with small fuchsia buttons and the leaves secured with backstitches.

I really wanted to use some snap buttons as a closure for the book, but I couldn't find any in different colors at HB. I might have to stop at a fabric shop to find some. I decided to use pink satin ribbon attached to the ends for the closure instead ;)

What do you think? I was thinking about putting it up for sale in my Etsy shop.......hmm....

Until next time ^______^

A Sweet Surprise!

This week I received a lovely package from my friend Amanda in CA. She had made my sister something as a graduation gift! (I won't know what it is until my sister gets back from Huntsville.) And she also included some yummy goodies inside for me to share with my friends at work!

She sent two bags of some SCRUMPTIOUS chocolate chip cookies (one of them is already gone!) and lots of cookies and two pineapple cakes that her cousins from Taiwan had brought back to her.


Don't you love the wrapping paper?! So classy and elegant. I love the bow on top of the paper.

 Also included was a kawaii little fabric bunny! (Another to add to my collection of cute amigurumi/plushies that she has given me over the years!)

Thank you darling for such a fun package of goodies!

Until next time ^_____^

Mardi Gras King Cake

Good morning, everyone! My sister has been pestering me for years to get a King Cake for the Mardi Gras season from our favorite place to go in New Orleans, Sucre....a delicious confectionery/bakery shop. I finally decided to order one this year, a plus in their favor...they deliver!

Our King Cake came in yesterday by FedEx! Woohoo!

 

Don't you love the box it came in? And inside was well wrapped King Cake complete with strands of beads in the traditional Mardi Gras colors, a card describing the history of the Kind Cake, and even a tiny purple baby charm in case you are taking the cake to a party and wanted someone to find it in their slice;)

Some would say that it might be a bit pricey for a cake, but I've only had one other King Cake in my life from a local bakery and it pales in comparison to the yumminess of Sucre's creation!

I highly, HIGHLY recommend Sucre for King Cakes! Not to mention all their other deletable goodies at their shop in New Orleans!

Cherry Blossom

 

I was at work yesterday when my sister sent me this picture of our cherry tree in the front yard! I love the misty dew on the blossoms. As you can tell, we've have some odd weather lately.

We planted this Taiwanese cherry blossom recently and it finally decided to blossom this year. Perhaps it is due to the strange weather or maybe the pine straw we put at the base of it to protect it from cold snaps.

They call it a 'red bud' tree in South. I'm not sure why.....probably because from far away, it looks like a million little red blossoms on a tree when they are grown.

Until next time ^_____^

A Kawaii Winter finish

Design: It's a Kawaii Winter Wonderland by Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery
Fabric: 28ct tea Monaco by Charles Craft
Threads: recommended DMC, substituted DMC 3820 for metallic gold
Start/Finish: 11/2012 - 1/13/2013

A SUPER HAPPY DANCE! I was determined to finish this design this month and woohoo, I put the final stitches on my last square this morning ;)

The original design had numbers of the 25 days of Christmas in the corner of each square, but I opted to not stitch the numbers. I ended up centering each design in its square instead.

Now I'm debating on whether to have it framed or make it into a large Christmas pillow!

I'm off to watch last week's Downton Abbey episodes that I missed!

Until next time ^_____^

Sukoshicon 2013

Yesterday, my friends and I drove to Fort Walton Beach for Sukoshicon, an anime convention. It was quite a fun day despite the cold, dreary, and rainy day! Sadly there weren't a lot of panels scheduled and those that had been scheduled were canceled. And the dealers' room which boasted 32 tables only had fifteen or so.

Since there weren't any panels to go to, my friends and I drove over to the local mall to look around. Guess what I found?

Yes, that's right! Boba (bubble) tea! SWEET!!! I was so excited. You would have thought it was another Christmas or something. Boba tea shops are rare in the South so when one magical appears, I get giddy as a kid. I got my friends to try it too. They had black tea with boba and I had almond tea with boba.

While wandering the mall, Nicole and I took a picture of this:

You would have thought we were crazy tourists, but in our defense, we'd never seen one before!

 

Did we get any? Nope, it was $3.00 for two scoops of candy.....egads!

Coming back to the convention, we decided to wander the halls to take pictures of cosplayers. This is a cute little girl dressed up as Psy. She was Gangnam styling it all around the convention.

The convention hosted a Lolita meetup so there were some lovely ladies and gents dressed in Gothic/Lolita styles. Too cute!

My friend Nicole and the Joker. He did an amazing job on his makeup!

Poison Ivy and Captain America!

Pikachu.....I've never been a fan of Pokemon. But I loved this girl's costume. She even added lights on her tail!

I stopped this girl at the end of the cosplay contest before we went off to eat dinner before a concert. She's dressed as Sephiroth from FFVII. I love her Moogle doll ;)

My friend Kristina wanted to see a concert that the convention was hosting later in night. They are called Final Weapon and have a great sound, rock/metal composed around video game themes.

A convention isn't a convention without a stash of goodies that you come home with!

I bought two owl plushies in the Artists' Alley, one steampunk and the other is a pirate. I might have to make some alterations to the steampunk owl. It is cute, but I don't like how the artist used glue on the 'eyeglass' that didn't dry clear. So I might have to take it off and redo it ;)

Also purchased something FANTASTICAL!!

Yes, more geekiness! I've always, ALWAYS wanted a pocket watch, but never saw one that I liked. One of the vendors in the dealers' room sound vintage watches and antiques. I couldn't resist the pocket watches. All of them were made to show the front and back gears moving.

Front of pocket watch. I was debating on this one and another one. Kristina and Nicole said the ornate one was better so it came home with me.

Back of pocket watch. I love seeing the gears move ;)

Overall, it was a great day with friends despite the late night driving back to Mobile (2 1/2 hours!). We should do it again >____<

Until next time ^____^

Oh, Canada!

Last Thursday I finally got my friend Constance's package in the mail. You would think that a package from Canada wouldn't take so long since it's just above us......go figure on the postal service.

The two packages I sent to her got there last week too! I loved the fact that when I tracked the package online it said it was in Miami before waiting to go to its destination. Why does it go down to go up? I have no idea!

Constance sent a lovely package full of things from Canada and New Zealand.

Chocolates and cookies, all maple flavored! Yummy!~

I thought the name on this tin was hilarious!

More yummy chocolates!

Two craft sets, one for a bracelet and the other is for a flower felt brooch.

Also included was a set of bath salts, a beautiful wooden bookmark from New Zealand and an Native American themed photo album from Ontario.

Thank you darling for the lovely package! I divided the chocolates/cookies up on Friday morning and took some of them to work for my coworkers to try. They loved it!

Until next time ^_____^

December Recap

Recap:

Read:
1. Lord of the Silent by Elizabeth Peters
2. Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland's History-Making Race Around the World (ARC) by Matthew Goodman
3. The Wanderer's Necklace by Henry Rider Haggard
4. Morning Star by Henry Rider Haggard
5. Arsene Lupin by Maurice Leblanc
6. Arsene Lupin versus Herlock Sholmes by Maurice Leblanc

Stitched:
1. Puppy design

Finished:
1. 12 Sweet and cake charms
2. Happy Holidays pinkeep
3. Puppy pincushion

End of Year numbers:
Books read: 94..........42 of them on my Kindle
Stitched: 10 designs, 2 of which were larger designs
Finished: Oodles and oodles of felt, polymer clay, and amigurumi crafts!

Not a busy year in terms of stitching, but I had a lot of crafting going on for sure! Thanks to my family and Amanda for tips on learning how to crochet!

This year: Right now, I'm still working on the Kawaii Winterland design. I'm 95% finished so hopefully I'll have pictures of it soon for you guys.

Plans for this year: I've got two WIPS to finish, the 4 Saisons sampler and my aunt's Horn of Plenty pattern. So sometime this year I hope to finish those!

After that, I'm not sure.........having fun with my Big Shot machine and crafting ;)

Wishing you a Happy Year of the Snake!

Until next time ^_____^

Squeal...............

I got a Sizzix Big Shot machine for Christmas! Woot! Before Christmas I had gone through all my cross stitch and craft magazines to see which ones I wanted to give to my friends for them to lovingly 'fight' over. In one of the magazines I came across an article on die cut machines and which ones were best for certain materials. The Sizzix Big Shot was mentioned for being great for cutting felt and so I added it to my wishlist.

After Christmas I went by Michael's and bought a flower die cut and this week I went by HB and bought a larger scalloped envelope die cut. I plan on making some needle books out of them ;) 

Aren't they adorable?! I love this machine! Though I do wish one thing.......that my friend Amanda was here to play with it too because it is fabulous for scrapbooking and cardmaking!

Maybe one day!

Until next time ^_______^

Family Christmas

Hi, everyone! Did you have a good Christmas? I know we did despite our lack of a Christmas tree this year. We spend Christmas morning over at our aunt's house to exchange gifts and later that evening had Christmas dinner.

Be forewarned, lots of geekiness ahead!

I received several DVDs this year including the PBS adaptation of Edwin Drood, Dumas' Camille starring a very young Colin Firth, Victoria and Albert, and one of my favorite 1980s series Beauty and the Beast. I used to rent it from the library all the time before they added rental fees to the TV series. (sigh) So I'm glad to have the set. I'll definitely be watching it while cross stitching ;)

My aunt bought me two books that I haven't read before (Middlemarch and Gulliver's Travels) to start my collection of Penguin Classics designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith. I would love to collect all of her designer books. Each book's cover has something to do with the theme of the book, etc. What a geeky and fun idea!

Also from my aunt were these lovely crafting supplies! Don't you love the wooden bunny thread holder?!?!? It's adorable. She also got me a sewing set with a pair of embroidery scissors, thimble, and measuring tape.

An assortment of gift cards to Starbucks, BAMM, and Fandango! They know me too well! My sister bought me several brooches earlier in November when we went to the Mobile Rock and Gem show. So they weren't surprises, but I love them anyway! I'll have to take closer pictures of them for another post on those additions to my collection ;)

My aunt bought both my sister and I a set of 'lucky coin' jewelry that are made from sixpence. So I have a set of leverback earrings and a pendant, which I'm going to attach to a cell phone lanyard for my phone ;)

Not pictured is a book that my mom got me called Super Cute Felt. I've got my eyes on several of the patterns in it already ;)

My aunt also got me some pajama tops and something super special! A Big Shot machine! I've already bought some diecuts for it!

Thanks everyone for the wonderful Christmas!