Kyo and Yuki Battle!

These guys might be too cute to actually battle one another!

Until next time >____<

LHN Plant Your Seeds

Pattern: Plant Your Seeds by Little House Needleworks
Fabric: 28 evenweave antique white linen by M.C.G. Textiles
Threads: recommended DMC
Start: 6/28/2014

I had an urge to stitch something new so I pulled out my cross stitch stash last night. I had completely forgotten how much stash I actually had since I haven't been cross stitching as much lately, having discovered other crafts.

I ran across two designs that I wanted to stitch up so I went by HB today and bought some fabric and the threads I didn't have in my stash.

I started the design this morning. I'd forgotten how much I love stitching Little House Needleworks designs.

Until next time >____<

Summer Blueberry Cobbler

Good afternoon!  Using our summer blueberries, I made this blueberry cobbler an hour ago.  I used this recipe. It turned out quite well especially considering my previous baking disaster with blueberry cobblers.

I hope you have a lovely weekend baking, reading,  or crafting!

Until next time >____<

Asian Food Adventure: Pejoy Pocky

I found these over the weekend while I was at the World Market. This brand of Pocky is made in Thailand.

My coworkers and I agree that they are quite yummy! More chocolate flavor than the regular chocolate Pocky.

Until next time >____<

Kawaii Poptart Deux

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft autumn maize and watermelon
Hook: size H
Notions: Mill Hill white glass beads, 9mm safety eyes, and DMC 310

My last Poptart finish ~•^

Until next time >____<

Kawaii Poptart

I finally finished the stitching on this adorable Poptart.  I crocheted it earlier in May and was hoping to make it into a pouch but my zipper skills are quite poor. I carefully removed the zipper and put it to the side until today. I decided to make it into a plushie.

Pattern: none, basic sc in rows until row length/height is achieved
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft white and autumn maize
Hook: size H
Notions: Fuchsia straight bugle glass beads, 9mm safety eyes and DMC 310
Start/Finish: May 2014- 6/23/2014

I think I might add a bow button to her but I'll have to wait until I can stop by the craft shop.

Until next time >____<

Summer Solstice

Good afternoon. I hope you all are enjoying the first day of summer. I spent the morning picking blueberries and working in the yard. I managed to take the time to get some pictures of some of the flowers blooming in our yard.

Hydrangeas,  paper whites, and beautiful pink hibiscus!

Until next time >____<

Sleepy Panda

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft black and white
Hook: size H
Notions: black and pink felt
Start/Finish: 6/14 & 16-17/2014

A fun finish tonight, a kawaii panda!

Until next time >____<

Once Upon A Time June Progress

Start/Finish: 6/9-14/2014

This month's design is the Princess and the Pea. My favorite motifs were the crescent moon and the chandelier. 

I can't wait for next month's block!

Until next time >___<

Gemini Bday!

My friend Kristina and I are having a bday party together this afternoon with our friends.

Here are the gifts I got for Kristina:

She loves foxes so I got her two items from Paperchase's fox stationery/accessory line, a mug and fold away bag.

While at Mobicon, I ran across a lovely artist who creates art in a gorgeous Asian-inspired style. I ended up buying one of her prints because Kristina's house is a mixture of Egyptian and Asian themes.

I think Kristina's love of mysteries eclipses everything else so when I saw that Penquin was releasing the Nancy Drew series with new covers, I had to get the first book for Kristina to add to her collectible books.

In terms of amigurumi,  I went small. I had found a pattern for Chinese paper lanterns but never got around to making them. I decided to make one for Kristina's bday ;)

I hope she likes everything!

Until next time > _____<

Artwalk Fun!

Hi, everyone!! Kristina and I had a lot of fun last night at LODA Artwalk downtown. I'm so thankful that a few of my amigurumis had found new homes! Sir Octavius and Kyo found new owners along with Twilight Sparkle and bombomb :)

I'm glad the weather was lovely yesterday. We thought for sure that we would be rained out. But luck was with us :) It even brought out the Azalea Trail Maids!!

Until next time >____<

Fruits Basket Kyo

Pattern: Luna by Tsukeeno
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft pumpkin
Hook: size H
Notions: black and white felt and pipe cleaner
Start/finish: 6/7-8/2014

I love it when patterns give you endless possibilities.  I stitched up this little Kyo kitty yesterday and finished up the tail and added the felt features today while at our weekly anime night.

My friend Kristina has made attempts to steal him!! >○<

Until next time ^_____^

I ♡ Luna

My friend Kristina found a pattern on Ravelry that she wanted me to make for her so I've been working on that this week.

Pattern: Luna by Tsukeeno and sphere pattern
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft Plum Perfect
Hook: size H
Notions: pipe cleaner and felt in yellow, pink, red, and white

The pattern is quite easy though I will say that either my stitches were too tight or the instructions for the head were wonky because the head came out way too small for the body. I ended up stitching another head using a sphere pattern which worked well with the body of the cat.

I cut the felt freehand until I came up with something that resembled Luna's features.

All in all, a great pattern!

Hope you ladies and gents have a great weekend! If you're on the Gulf Coast, stay cool!

Until nnext time >____<

Taiwanese Goodie Box

My friend Amanda sent me a package from her recent trip to Taiwan with her mother! The package arrived today and I just got finished opening it >___<

I love the packaging!

Inside the big box was an adorable label! Pandabox!

It contained an amazing array of Taiwanese snacks! *drool*

A beautiful packet full of more goodies!!

*squeal* Kawaii deco tapes, postcards, sticker, and cell phone straps and charm! And a little Starbucks cup featuring scenes from Taiwan!

Thank little panda!!! I love receiving my 'pandabox'!!

Until next time >____<

Skoshbox June 2014

Favorites: (in order)

1. Bake-Choco (chocolate cake bites with warm chocolate filling): This chocolate snack is microwavable. After about 20 seconds or so, you have a warm chocolate morsel. You don’t think much of the outside of the snack, it is much like a crunchy chocolate cookie, but you are in for a surprise! The chocolate filling inside of this snack reminds me of chocolate lava cakes.

2. Kit-Kat Bake-Pudding (crème brulee flavor): After reading about these snacks on Rocketnews24, I wanted to try them. I was so excited to see them in my Skoshbox this month. Sadly, it requires either an oven broiler or toaster oven and while I have both, the broiler has never been used (>O<) so it’s questionable and my toaster oven is used for baking polymer clay, which means I can’t use it for its intended purpose, i.e. cooking real food. Both luckily, Kit-Kat has made these so you can eat them ‘as is’ if you don’t have a means to bake them. Since I had two packages of these in my box, I was able to bring the second package to work to share. It was a winner!

3. Matcha Mochi Choco Square (green tea chocolate with mochi center): Yet another deceiving snack! The chocolate isn’t quite green tea flavored and if it is, it’s either quite faint or the flavor of mochi inside masks the chocolate. Either way, this chocolate is fantastic. I might have to see if my friend Amanda can find them in CA in one of her Japanese markets or Daiso.

4. Corn Potage Umaibo (creamy corn potage puffed corn snack): Does anyone else find it amusing that the puffed corn snack is flavored with creamy corn?! I quite enjoyed this umaibo, its flavor reminds of the corn puff snacks from one of my previous visits to my local Asian market.

5. Takoyaki Umaibo (octopus ball puffed corn snack): A little spicy, but quite good. I’ve never had takoyaki so I can’t compare it to anything, but I’d still pick up this snack if I saw it in an Asian market.

6. Harvest Green Tea Crackers (baked sweet green tea crackers): Not my favorite, but not a complete failure to capture my taste buds either. I like that the green tea flavor isn’t overpowering in these crackers. The brown sugar helps to balance it out.

Dislikes: (in order)

1. Matcha Okoshi (matcha puffed rice snack): The ground green tea in this snack was off putting; too strong for me.

2. Wasabi Kakinotane (basked spicy wasabi cracker and peanut mix): four words – wasabi, not my friend.

Another great package from Skoshbox…….how many days until the next one? Twenty-eight days?!?! Egads……

Until next time ^____^

Asian Food Adventure: Hitokuchi Monaka Cookies

Hmm……a hit or miss. I love red bean, but my friends do not. I really should have read the ingredients on the package before I bought these since I had already put a box of red bean mochi in my basket to buy to bring to work for my coworkers. These cookies have layers of waffle with red bean paste in the middle. Quite yummy if I say so, but not so much with my friends. I’m sure my coworkers won’t mind another box of red bean snacks!

Asian Food Adventure: Saya Snow Pea Crisps

Not bad, not good. There isn’t really a way to define the taste of these crisps. They didn’t have a taste to speak of, more like an aftertaste that I can’t describe. I’ve brought the leftover crisps for my coworkers. >o<

Asian Food Adventure: Hot Pepper Paste Chips

Last night my friends and I met up for our usual anime night (Asian drama night). Beforehand, I had stopped off at my local Asian market for some snacks to bring along. I decided to pick up a few items that I hadn’t tried before so my friends and I could be guinea pigs for the night.

These chips were quite good, but the product needs a name change. They weren’t hot at all, unless hot pepper paste in Korea isn’t hot at all. My friends and I all agreed that they tasted more like sweet barbeque chips than hot pepper.

I would definitely buy these again!

Dr. Hooves Amigurumi

Good morning everyone! I was able to finish up this MLP amigurumi last night. It's cute! I'm still deciding on whether I like the mane or not...

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft autumn maize
Hook: size H
Notions: black, blue, white, and yellow felt
Start/finish: 5/31 & 6/1/2014

In other news, I'm actually glad it's Monday because we get to sample June's Skoshbox on our break. I hope to have that post up soon :)

Until next time >____<