The Fruits of Spring Break

As Spring Break comes to an end, I'll use this time to reflect on some things that I have accomplished:

• Some custom orders (there are still some left, but I made some real progress)
• 2 pairs of shorts (which I saw online and copied sneakily)
  
• blythe items, including 3 little ami's, and 4 hats (could use the moola)
  
• some research for my thesis (most interesting thing stumbled upon: a book written entirely in Hawaiian titled Ke Keiki Pionea or The Pioneer Child, all about Abraham Lincoln in the late 1860s).
• fimo stuffs (product development >__<
• a lot of sleeping and walking around in the sunlight (am still ghostly pale)
  

Hilarious campy movie: Dororo
Movie which will change your perception of George Clooney: Burn After Reading

These are some fruits of my labor, if you will, which I made a while back for a store that I was potentially going to send my stuff to here in Hawai`i, but I ended up not going through with it because I don't think I 'm ready for that type of commitment! But can you imagine how awesome it would be to be at a craft fair? I'm excited for next semester, when I won't be teaching and a bonafide craft-fair will be a possibility (but I'm also scared that I should get a real job)!

Coming to my shop soon!

Ah yes, Spring break is almost finished, and I still have a few custom orders to take care of; I spent all day cleaning out my supplies and everything so it's nice and tidy. We actually had to raise my bed up so I could fit more things under it! Anyway, besides being busy custom crafting and cleaning, I also managed to photograph some of the things I've had done for a bit, including a bunch of stuff for blythe. Here they are, a small preview just for you guys; my favorite is the strawberry helmet (PS. I got my MSR a while ago, but I haven't properly introduced her... her name is Penn from her former mama, fishknees on etsy!). All for blythe: a pink bear, a magenta and white bear, a blue elephant, 2 gnome hats (one in cream and one in lavendar) and a strawberry helmet!

amigurumi craft series #3: turning

I've been making amigurumi for a while, but I've only recently started turning them inside-out; I think it's mostly a matter of choice. What do I mean when I say turning them inside-out? Here you go!
When you crochet in the round (as you do when you are making amigurumi parts), there is a significant difference between the way the stitches look on the outside, and the inside. I usually leave it as-is and stuff and sew the pieces together. However, I think many people like to turn those pieces inside-out; it makes a difference in appearance! On the outside, the stitches are more rectangular, but when turned inside-out, they appear rounder and fuller. In terms of aesthetics, turning them inside out means that your amigurumi's stuffing is less visible, such that the very same amount of stuffing in an item will show LESS in an item that is turned inside-out than in an item that is just stuffed right after you finish crocheting.

WIP

Work in Progress... this little girl is already promised to someone but she has yet to be named... I think I may have one but I don't want to say it out loud just yet (or write it.. whatever the case may be). These yarns are quite nice, I picked them up at a few specialty yarn shops around the island; I try to get as many colors as possible. Then one on the top left is a really bright blue bubbly yarn, the one in the center is like a periwinkle teri yarn with glitter and the little sweetie is made out of a seafoam green yarn that is SUPER soft... it's quite lovely actually!
So I'm loving specialty yarns, especially for the bearlets I do with needle felted limbs. However, I'm really bummed that my local Wal-mart has stopped stocking bernat softee chunky style yarn; now they only have caron super soft (in drab colors), red heart, and Vanna's choice. I've never tried Vanna's choice, do you guys find that it's good? I was a bit peeved because it only comes in these huge skeins and they are more costly than bernat was (the colors are nice though). I think a lot of craft stores are downsizing their yarn selections because of the economy (like I've heard rumors that Joann's is, and Michaels too) which makes me sad because I love a good yarn :) Luckily I have a huge stash of yarn which will last me for many more amigurumi :)

Spring Break!

Yay, spring break has started today; I finished my last class today at 4:00 (a bit earlier than usual for my seminar). Ohhh, the crafting I have planned! To celebrate, I just listed my bear lollipops in my etsy. I've talked about these pops since January, always building your hopes up only to make them crash right back down (so sorry about that!). At first I wanted to make just a few for Valentine's Day, but then I thought it would be awesome if I made a BUNCH. So I made a bunch, only to find that I ran out of time to photograph them; have to work on time management in the near future, hee hee. So here are the infamous bear lollipops now, at long last, huzzah!

Quick Addendum: seller appreciation picture!

Thanks for the comments guys! I guess I wasn't the only one who thought of this (rats!) but it was really great to hear that you guys think it's a good thing. I was so excited about it (and also I was procrastinating) so I made this as my first seller appreciation picture... hope you like it! So now, every feedback I leave for a customer will have this picture (or a similar picture, 'cause I'm not sure yet if I want to change them every month or every now and then!). Made with inkscape!