Persepolis

Just saw Persepolis... it was awesome! I highly recommend it :)

fun websites for photos

Just a quick post today; here are two really fun websites that I've seen on other blogs that allow you to do stuff to your photos; the first "oldifies"/ages your pictures. Click right here for the link!It's actually in Japanese, but it was pretty easy to figure out where to upload and what buttons to press. Here's my example:

A lion dance from Chinatown, Honolulu, HI 2008

The other website is one I'm sure you're going to have hours and hours of fun with: it's called tiltshiftmaker, and it allows you tilt shift your pictures (which will make it look like a toy model set. I personally love this type of photography! This website is awesome too; they have a flickr group where you can post your tilt-shifted pictures. Some advice; choose your pictures carefully; some will look better tilt shifted than others... I guess you should just experiment :) Have fun!

The Forbidden City, Beijing, China, from my trip to China in 2006
View of Xian streets from the City Gate; Xian, China from my trip in 2006

Bear Lollipop Pattern- Edited!

--- I edited the written pattern to match the diagram; I've also added the Tips and Hints page: thanks Misty!

Yay! Here it is guys: a free bearpop lollipop pattern which you may use to make your own bear lollipops. It is actually a PDF with more pages, including a Pattern Information page and a Tips and Hints page. I would be emailing these to people who purchase them from my etsy shop. But you guys can have them for freegan, 'cause I love you so much! I only ask that if you are going to make and sell these on the internet or at craft fairs that you credit me (berrysprite), and even better, tell them about my etsy/ blog... it would be kindly appreciated! You can also post your pictures to the berrysprite amigurumi flickr group, so we can see how lovely your pops are!

Because this is my first pattern, I would love some feedback; if you use the pattern could you please leave a comment (its tres important!) on one or all of these things? Thanks so much!

1. pattern page- how does it look visually? Do you like the layout and the graphics, or do you think they are distracting (I tried to keep lots of colors off the page people would print out.
2. actual pattern- Is it easy to understand? Is it similar to other patterns you've seen? Are there any mistakes or is it unclear in a certain part?
3. Pattern abbreviations and diagrams: Are the abbreviations and diagrams easy to understand? Are they helpful?
4. Any other comments would be extremely helpful!

Thanks so much again guys, and I hope you love the pattern! Just click on the pictures to enlarge and print or follow the written instructions!


Abbreviation Guide:
R#= Row Number
sc= single crochet stitch
slip/st= slip stitch
dec= decrease
ch=chain
st= stitch
♥---♥= set of stitches to repeat while crocheting in the round

Head:
Begin: Ch 2, sc 6 in the second st from the hook; join ends with a slip/st in the first sc (6 st)
R1: ♥ 2 sc in each stitch around♥ , Repeat ♥ 6 times. (12 st)
R2: ♥1 sc in next st, then 2 sc in next st♥, Repeat ♥ 6 times. (18 st)
R3- R5: sc all the way around (18 st)
R6: ♥sc 1, dec 1♥, repeat 6 times (12 st)
R7: ♥dec♥, repeat 6 times until closed

Ears: make 2.
Begin: Ch 2, sc 4 in the second st from the hook; join ends with a slip/st in the first sc (4 st)


♥ ♥ ♥ After crocheting all the pieces, stuff the head with polyfil; then you can sew the ears onto the bear head, and use a bead of hot glue at the opening of your crochet to put the stick in your pop. Add the facial features last; it'll be easier that way! Finally, top him off with a kawaii little ribbon that you tie before-hand and glue on. ♥ ♥ ♥

Diagram Abbreviations:
˄= increase
X= single stitch
˅= decrease
st= stitches


Pattern Diagram:
Head:
Begin: Ch 2, sc 6 in the second st from the hook; join ends with a slip/st in the first sc (6 st)
R1 ˄ ˄ ˄ ˄ ˄ ˄ (12 st)
R2 x ˄ x ˄ x ˄ x ˄ x ˄ x ˄ (18 st)
R3 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x (18 st)
R4 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x (18 st)
R5 x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x (18 st)
R6 x ˅ x ˅ x ˅ x ˅ x ˅ x ˅ (12 st)
R7 ˅ ˅ ˅ ˅ ˅ ˅ (6 st)

Ears: make 2.
Begin: Ch 2, sc 4 in second st from hook; join ends with a slip/st in the first sc (4 sc)

Winners!

Hee hee, you guys know me and my secret prizes! Besides announcing the winner of the seal plush, I would also like to announce another winner for a special pack of mamegoma seal buttons!

Thanks so much everybody for leaving a comment and for entering the giveaway... I hope you guys had as much fun as I did! And while not everyone can win a mamegoma seal plush, I will be posting a free crochet pattern on my blog around Sunday. Wanna know what it is? Here's a big hint... think of lollipops! It'll partially be a test of my pattern writing skill, especially since I will be switching my etsy shop berrysprite to exclusively be patterns while I'm in DC. However, it's mostly going to be a special thank you for everyone who hearts me, has visited, or who has commented ever. (I think of you guys as my web buddies!)

So without further ado my buddies, here are the grand prize winners of May's giveaway (picked by random number generator!

The winners are:
cuteboo- mamegoma seal plush!
joanna- mamegoma button pack!

Will the winners please email me their mailing addresses (to berrysprite@yahoo.com)? Thanks so much!

PS. I use inkscape to do the banners!

Haupia

Here is a quick and easy recipe for Haupia; a coconut desert that has the consistency of Jello and is really popular at local parties and luau (because it's so `ono/ delicious!).

Ingredients:
2 cans of coconut milk
8 tbsp of cornstarch
10 tbsp of sugar (white, granulated)
1 1/2 cups of water

Makes: 8x8 pan or about 16 really thick pieces or 9 really huge pieces

Directions:
Mix sugar and cornstarch together in a bowl. Stir in the water, a bit at a time. Stir in the coconut milk. Add contents of bowl to a heavy pot on the stove on Med-Hi heat (leaning more towards high heat), stirring constantly. Keep on stirring until mixture is very thick (approximately 10 minutes) and has a thick pudding-like/ thick syrup texture. Pour hot mixture into baking pan; cover and chill overnight. To serve, cut using a butter knife and use a fork or spatula to scoop it out. Yay!

Giveaway!

I'm soooo close to the end; finals to grade, one exam to take and one to proctor (hee, hee... proctor). I can't wait!

To celebrate the end of school, I've decided to do a giveaway! If you leave a comment between now (5.14.09) and next Wednesday (5.20.09), you'll have a good chance to win this little mamegoma plushie! They're adorable, see; they have little accessories that come with them! The one you guys can win is especially cute... he comes with little bunny ears. I'm going to announce the winner on Thursday, who will be chosen as usual by a random number generator :)and then notify the winners, who will need to provide me with an address. Then he'll be on his way to his new home!

Happy Mother's Day

Oahu/ Honolulu Shopping series #2: Shirokiya

This past week was Boy's Day, but it went by so fast that it was hard to notice! I only really noticed when I went to Shirokiya, a Japanese store in the Ala Moana Shopping Center (1450 Ala Moana Boulevard is the address of the mall; Shirokiya is on the mauka or mountainside next to Macy's). This store consists of two levels of Japanese goodness; the first level is on the mall level and features Japanese jewelry, makeup, Kimono and accessories, furniture, a Japanese bakery and sweet mochi shop, an electronics section and a book/ stationary section. The second level features Japanese grocery items, candy, kitchen supplies and an eatery featuring many different stations that serve up hot Japanese bento and other delicious food (like takoyaki...yum!) Although Shirokiya in general isn't cheap, there are some really great items and it's super fun to look at!

My favorite part of Shirokiya has got to be the re-ment section, next to the Japanese books and magazines. Although they recently raised the price on their re-ment, Shirokiya has a huge selection! I also love the accessory section where you can get chirimen coin purses, keychains, and lucky charms... so fun!

Well, for Boy's Day there was a great deal of featured items and celebratory products that were flown in special from Japan. Koinobori, or koi fish shaped flags are traditionally flown for all the boys in the family. There was a huge selection of special mochis too! I took some pictures for you guys; hope you don't get overloaded from all the Japanese goodies!

Japanese stationary items (look at all the cute clips!)

Japanese solar toys nohohon (these are my fav!)

bags and accessories

Origami selection

Candy bentos

Caplico drinks

Mochi selection!

Closeup of the intricate mochi; these are persimmon shaped!

Yummy!

One option for food at the eatery in the upstairs section of Shirokiya

Koi flags for sale!

Hope you and yours had a happy Boy's Day!

May's calendar!

Thanks so much again for all the comments (in general) on my blog, and for all the congratulations on the DC trip. I had to share this card I got from my good friend Nia who also sells cards and other goodies in her etsy shop, check it out! Isn't this one adorable? She's sewn all the letters in and added kawaii buttons for all the circles... ingenious!


In other news, May's calendar is here! It features space bearlet, with his alien chicken friend and helmet; I know I know, he's not a needle-felted bear, but I ran out of time:( He'll be available shortly in my shop (probably when I get to the blue background color scheme in my shop... right now I'm on orange). I haven't even thought of a story to go with him yet!

To download, visit my flickr or photobucket (link for photobucket in the top right hand corner). Have fun!

so busy!

This is what I'm doing instead of making May's calendar. No, I'm not watching SNL's truly hilarious skits of jeopardy with Will Farrell and assorted guests (including the ever-awesome Sean Connery). I'm making jeopardy for my students; it's their final review.

Daily Double: In Russia, this tsar's attempts to alleviate class tensions by ending serfdom would later backfire when he refrained from fulfilling his initial promises, eventually leading to his assassination in 1881 by a radical group known as "The Will of the People." Who was he?

If you can answer that, you've just won 800 points for your team! Yay! (their prizes are lollipops) Uggh, just 2 more days of class, 1/2 a day of volunteering, and 1 ten page paper to go before the end.... oh, and plus 30 final exams to grade. I expect that's all going to be totally finished in about 2 weeks. Then I can get back to crafting for real! Don't worry though, the calendar will probably be up by Wednesday!