The problem with vacations is...

You never get everything you want done! If you did, could it technically be called a vacation? I'm not so sure. So, while I had a whole week of no school and no grading (I got all my student's midterms done right before break) and I still managed to do ABSOLUTELY NO SCHOOLWORK. That's right, I put myself in the danger zone! I went into the last couple of weeks before break telling myself, "Okay, so during break you are going to write at least two papers, research for your other paper, and do a huge amount of work so that you can cruise for the last 6 weeks of school before summer." Did not happen in a major way. But, I had a lovely, craft-filled break.

Although I crafted a whole heap, I really didn't get that much done; I was working on new designs which are technically done, but not photographed or tweaked the way I like to do. I basically sewed the entire break, and kinda neglected my crocheting. Plus, I am finding it increasingly hard to motivate myself to pack things up for shipping in the middle of the night after I finish all my work and before school... I'm just too tired now. So, I am taking a mini hiatus from berrysprite by not listing very many new things and saving my newest designs for after school is ended.

Like I said, I haven't had much time to photograph, so here is a photo not of something I made but of something I had to have. Oooh, those ingenious Japanese and their irresistable packaging! This was a little pot (I say pot because it has a little lid like a pot!) that came with only 5 pieces of peach gum, but I had to buy it!

Haha, I am no moderator

Yessiree bob! I haven't gotton the hang of this comment moderator thingie, so sorry guys! I actually did it because I was getting weirdo comments like "see here or here" and then it would be some bizarre spam! So thanks everyone who has had a comment waiting in the wings, and for reading my blog... I really appreciate it!

Also, Happy Easter! Spring Break has just begun, but already I feel like it will not be long enough... I've been working on some new amigurumi designs (tell you guys later, hee hee) and also a new pouch design, which will be between the zippered pouch and the clutch size, but with the same cute stripe and buttons!

Because I haven't been photo-ing lately, here are my finished sushi amigurumi (some of you may have already seen them in my shop: 1.) Tobikko nigiri- caplin roe 2.) Ebi nigiri- shrimp 3.) Ocean salad nigiri- seaweed 4.) Tako nigiri- octopus 5.) Ahi nigiri- tuna 6.) Unagi nigiri- eel 7.) Tamago nigiri- egg 8.) Idako- seasoned baby octopus

What I love, what I wanna make

So, I am now 23 years old, going on 24 (in a couple of months anyway). I still love baby stuff though! I really enjoy crayons, stickers and erasers and sometimes I just like coloring in a coloring book (I think it may be weird, but it's too calming and fun to give up!). Also, I like reading Harry Potter, but I think there are enough adults who also like reading Harry Potter to make it safe to say that it is really just a "human" activity. One of the little kid things I do is play video games. I don't really play any shoot 'em up boy games (there's a little too much machine gun/boobage for my tastes anyway) but I really love the mario games, and especially...

Zelda! I've been a faithful player since it first came out, like in the 80's! And the newest one (Twilight Princess), let's just say that it is the BEST GAME EVER ANYWHERE. I loved it. But with school, I really don't have any time to play video games, and today my sister was playing Phantom Hourglass on her Nintendo DS. I was having withdrawals. Anyway, the animation for Zelda is superb, especially for Windwaker; there are these really cute seagulls. Long story short, I wish to make an amigurumi seagull! (Sometime in the future at least, hee hee!)

bento

So, I've started this thing where I make bentos for my lunch as a way of bribing myself into going to school everyday. I've always tried to make home lunch, because as teaching assistants we get a lounge with a mini fridge and microwave, so there isn't really any excuse for settling for a boring sandwich everyday. Plus, you save loads of money and you can eat up leftovers so you don't waste food.

Photo by Luckysundae

I am really inspired by this group on flickr, have you seen them? They do amazing things with food! My favorite has to be luckysundae, she makes awesomely cute bento for her boys!
I went on this whole shopping spree before term began because I was inspired by her bentos; I got two bento boxes, a variety of sushi/musubi shapers and some really cute cut-outs for veggies, meat, anything that can be sliced easily. I'm also using these little shoyu (soy sauce) holders that look like mini vegetables that I bought a long time ago, I think I blogged about them before.


Anyway, here are two of my more recent attempts; a gyoza dumpling lunch with musubi rice and pickled vegetables and a veggie tempura patty with two cucumber miso handrolls. Today I had the tempura one; it was so delicious that I felt like I had to shut the door to my office so no one would see me eating it! The gyoza one was good too, but that one I ate last week and I had to eat it as I was running to class (my class is pretty far away, so I got a head start in my office but then I had like 10 minutes to cross campus) so I walking with my little box held up to my mouth and my chopsticks moving a mile a minute (I can only imagine how I looked)! I need to practice getting more vegetables in there; the only thing is we don't have a lot of yummy vegetables right now! Also, it's kinda hard because I have really small bento boxes; I can't eat too much because I usually teach classes right after and I might be sick in front of my students if I I eat a lot! Here is a bento box I really want from shopkawaii; it has two levels so I'll be able to fit more in there! I'm also thinking about making bento bags for my etsy, but it will probably have to wait until summer :)

yay for holidays!

There are so many holidays in March this year! Easter, St. Patricks Day and.... well, I've already missed girl's day, boo! Usually, I like to have some holiday themed stuff in my shop, so I made some easter bunnies, a leaf bearlet and a clover clutch with some great Alexander Henry (I think) shamrock fabric.

I've actually made more drawstring pouches too, but my birds commandered one; they like playing in little holes and "caves," but they really like being able to see the light through whatever it is they are hiding in- then they pretend they are little cats and pounce on whatever comes by! So, I had this little blue pouch on the ground right before I was going to put in the drawstring, and the next thing I knew, they were both inside of it peeping out at me. I decided to give it to them as an early easter present ^__^

Last post of February

Whew, February 29th! I'm so glad I have another day to post in February, as it is I've only posted 4 times total this month (how sad...). I like February 29th, I kinda wish I was born on it; imagine the bureacratic nighmares and rigamaroll you'd have to go through! My friend was born on February 29th, and I think he is like 5 (ha ha, I love it!)

Anyhow, I've been extremely busy trying to fit crafting into my schedule, but I've managed. I think it's the best compliment in the world when your etsy says "sorry no custom orders" and you still have a bunch to do anyway! It means you are loved (or that people are addicted, or both). Anyway, it's a pretty nice feeling.

I don't know what's been up with flickr for the past few days, but I've held off on posting new pics of my amigurumi because of it. I've also decided that I will be posting other pictures; before I tried to limit it to amigurumi, but now I think I'll put up all of my other stuff too, as well as pictures I take that I like (maybe people will get a better view of me and my work, :)

So, without further ado, here are my newest amigurumi; the cat and the piggy cupcake were special orders, and the chicks are just my favorite things in the world. The bear was an experiment... not sure if I'll be making them in the same style...