Knittin' Mittens

This has really got to stop.

2011-11-08T05:49:00.001-08:00

So, after a weekend with no internet other than the measly browser on my phone.

[I felt like i was grounded or something...I haven't been sans internet since like....2004?]

ANYWAYS

I have a TON of stuff to upload, as I wasn't wasting time on Facebook, Twitter, Photobucket, Flickr, Tumblr, Reddit, and Craftster, I ended up spending much of my weekend crafting.

[wow, i need to go outside more]

But as it is now November, and I just saw the first Christmas themed commercial.

[TMobile, by the way, is now on my shitlist]

And yesterday I saw my first Salvation Army Bell Ringer of the year

[cue: homicidal mania]

But I would like to propose this first:

This year, and in years past, most of my gifts are handmade.

Not necessarily by me, but by someone that the profits of said purchase go directly to.

In today's economy, it is really difficult to get ahead as a small business owner. I'm working on setting up a shop of my own, and it is difficult.

But I found this:

And I just have to pass it on. I've taken The Pledge, and I think you should too.

In light of recent weather...

2011-10-29T19:51:00.000-07:00

I leave you with this:

For a while, I really didn't like Martha Stewart. I associated her with that show my grandmother made me sit through when I was home sick.

But you know what?

She's so freaking awesome.

New Pin Cushion

2011-10-26T10:35:00.000-07:00

This is one of those crafts made out of necessity.

I NEEDED a pin cushion.

But the ones that they had at the fabric store were all boring tomatoes.

So I made one.

Materials:

Empty cardboard ribbon spool (a toilet paper or paper towel tube would work too)

1 lonely sock (or other fabric)

Something to weigh down the pin cushion (so it doesnt get knocked over)

Something to decorate the outside of the tube (I used some cheetah print duct tape)

Stuffing

Scissors

String

How-to:

So the main part about this is that I used what I had lying around, so anything here can be replaced with whatever you have around. [Except maybe the stuffing]

1. Gather everything together.

I used some of those decorative glass pebbles to weigh down the pin cushion.

2. Decorate the tube.

3. Put something in the tube to weigh it down.

(If you're using a paper towel/toilet paper tube, make sure to seal off the bottom somehow)

4. Make the pin cushion

And here is the finished product:

The Mitten is a Lie

2011-10-23T13:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, so truth be told, I don't really knit.

I don't really like mittens, either. (well, I do, but I'm ill prepared for life most days, so I don't wear them often).
But I did make an oven mitt this weekend!

Well, It's technically a pot holder...

That's not actually a mitten of any sort. It just looks like one.

I'm currently working on a quilt (when am I not working on a quilt?? oh, right, never...)
Specifically, a T-Shirt quilt, and those create a LOT of scraps.
Rather than throw them away, I traced a mitten shaped thing and sewed 7 layers together.

Next?
Cutting up more scraps for a small braided rug.

I'm BA-ACK!!!!

2011-10-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

Sorry about that folks!

Its been a crazy week!

But in return, I have several crafts to put up.

So I'm hoping you'll forgive me.

First! There was some crafty business going on at UMass Boston, and its a craft I don't do, so I took the opportunity to check it out!

Glass Etching:

Glass etching is this really cool procedure, mostly because it is a little bit dangerous. You get to work with ACID!

okay, its not quite mad scientist stuff, but involves applying an acidic paste to glass. This roughs up the surface and you use a stencil to get your desired effect.

Here is my finished product:

So, first things first: GO BEACONS!

Anyways, the stencil process for glass etching is really cool. First, you apply the stencil and tape it down.

That popsicle stick is then used to rub the stencil until that blue stuff comes off of the plastic you see there.

That becomes the official stencil.

Once that is done, you remove the plastic, tape around the area, and start applying the acidic paste.

You let that sit for a bit, and then wash it off. Removing the tape is the easy part. The stencil is a bit more stubborn. That said, it was a lot of fun.

The Neverending List

2011-10-10T21:14:00.000-07:00

'Bout time I got this over with.

I've been keeping links/photos/notes on all the crafts I hope to make someday.

Here is the beginning of that list.

This is only what I have from the netbook I just got this September.

I haven't even gone to the bookmarks page of my laptop I keep at home.

oy vey.

Well, here goes nothing...

Things I have links for:

Other things I don't have links for:

Hobo bag
Book netbook cover
Tootsie Roll wrapper pouch
Yarn bombing
T-shirt quilt*

Perler Bead stuff:
floppy disc coasters
pikachu and as necklace
1up
rubix cube coasters
gameboy magnets
mario mushroom coasters
"you complete me" tetris thing
and so many more...
Halloween bobby pins/bows
Portal cut out bookmark
Dr. Who character cross stitch
WhoMD shirt
Seal of Rassilion necklace/hair pin
Candy pouches
River Song kindle cover
Globe lamp
Crayon wreath
Mini-fez hat, and hair clip
Dr. Who bookmarks
Old frame jewelry display
Harry Potter pillow
Cardboard tubes to organize pens
Upside-down bottle plant feeder
Lego key chain holder
Animal head coat rack (okay, this one sounds creepy, but its super cool. Promise!)
Record bookends
Wings for the Converse
T-shirt braided bracelet
Rolled up newspaper placemats
Dr. Who skinny scarf
Pokemon "home sweet home" sampler
"I'm not going to Raichu a love song" sampler
3D papercraft hot air balloons
Rolled newspaper photo frame
Jenga piece keychains
"Bless this motherfucking home" sampler
Playing card hair pin
Return address labels (I just REALLY need these, not planning on them being very crafty)
Weather embroidery PDF Download
Felt friendship bracelet PDF Download
Mystery braid leather cuff

*denotes I have started this project already

This post will be added to from my laptop at some later date.

Business Cards

2011-10-08T16:19:00.000-07:00

I make a lot of random things, and a lot of people have told me I should start selling my crafts.

I haven't decided if I really will go through with starting a shop, but I like pretending.

SweetlyScrappedArt is another one of my blog crushes that has some wonderful business cards that can be printed out/modified. (Link will take you to that post)

I would, however, like some feedback. Which business cards do you like?

How did I get into crafting?

2011-10-04T19:23:00.000-07:00

When I was little, my favorite class was art.

blah, blah, blah.

You don't want to hear all that.

The short of it is, I got really involved with crafts, and interacting with other crafters online through one website, and one alone.

Crafter.org

I recommend you check it out.

It's a blog site where people post their projects, can ask questions, and discuss techniques and anything else craft-related that they feel like doing.

Travel Pillow for my way to Ithaca

2011-10-02T19:16:00.001-07:00

When I found out I'd be going to Ithaca, I had no time to run home and grab my travel pillow that I bring with me. Its technically a camping pillow that is full of memory foam that expands (usually it sits rolled up in the corner of my garage with all my camping equipment). Its nice and soft and the only way I can sleep while cramped up on a Greyhound bus.

Looks like this:

and I was not going to REI and paying for another one.

I resolved to make one. I had some awesome flannel that I didn't know what to do with yet (as with half of the things I own).

I knew this would be the perfect project.

A small travel pillow with a tie on one corner so that I could tie it to my backpack while traveling.

First, I made the pillow itself.

I had some scrap jersey cotton from a tshirt quilt that I am making, and used that to make the pillow.

Jersey fabric is good for this because it stretches, and that meant I could over stuff the pillow, but it would still be soft and squishy.

This was a square, which I sewed three sides of, and then 2/3 of the 4th side, basically so there was an opening i could use to stuff the pillow.

Now, usually, when making a plain pillow, you sew the fabring RSF (Right Sides Facing- this means that you put the colorful sides of the fabri together, sew it, then turn it inside out. What this does is hides all the ugly seams and threads on the inside). However, because I was going to cover it with a case (flannel is nice and soft, and if it got dirty I could wash it), I didn't really care too much.

So after stuffing it, I sewed it up and set to work on the case.

I bought this wonderful flannel fabric with dinosaurs on it.

When I bought it, I had no idea what I could/would do with it.

[yes, yes, I'm an impulse buyer and a hoarder, call TLC]

but c'mon, they're dinosaurs!

so anyways, I dont believe in measuring tapes, [read: have 4 or five and can never find them and then get impatient]

so instead of measuring, I held the (still unstuffed) pillow against the fabric, and cut out the height and then 2 and 1/2 times the length.

then i folded it to make the case.

remember how i said you have to do nice things inside out?

so the pillow case before sewing looked like this:

(please excuse the glare)

anyways, you can see that the pillowcase is inside out with 1/2 extra facing up like that.

This is so when I turn it inside out, that extra 1/2 will work as a lip to catch the pillow and I wont have to sew in buttons or Velcro, but the pillow can come out so that I can throw the case in the wash if I am in so inclined.

before I sewed this all together, I made a small string to attach to one corner, so that I could tie it to my backpack and not lose it [an ironic statement, as I've already lost it somewhere in Dillingham].

what you can sort of see here is that I've folded it in half, and then in half again.
good little sewers (people who sew, not the drainage system) [not me, on both accounts!] actually IRON things before they sew them. But I walk on the wild side [read: didnt have an iron until last week, dont actually follow the rules]

so you wont see any sharp corners, and thus its a little [lot] crooked.

whatever. its not a gift.

this was sewn into the corner, with the strings facing inside, so that when i flipped it, they were on the outside.

[yes, ive done that the wrong way HUNDREDS of times. do i pin things and then flip them to see if its right? Of course not.]

so when the pillow is stuffed and the case is on, it looks like this:

So yeah, it was a life saver for the way to ithaca, (1am bus ride to NYC)

but now ive lost it. so well see what happens on the way home, thankfully that will be in daylight.

ive got some news

2011-09-30T14:45:00.000-07:00

So, I had to make an emergency trip up to Ithaca, NY to visit my friend at Ithaca College,

which has given me ample traveling time (I took Greyhound).

The good news is that means I've ample time for me to craft.

The bad news to that my SD Card reader and I got into a bit of a spat last night.

So I have two crafts that I have completed,

but you'll have to trust me until I can get the photos up.

I'm gonna go work on that now.

But in the meantime, please enjoy this wonderful craft blog I've been crushing on for the past week.

http://wildolive.blogspot.com/

So, planning time

2011-09-22T11:48:00.000-07:00

my plan for this blog is to actually start using it.

and also, to de stash myself.

what is destashing?

well, My name is Lysha, and i am a hoarder.

specifically a craft hoarder.

im pretty sure i have a hardwood floor in my room, but i may never know, because its covered in clothing.

because my drawers and shelves and closet space is filled with craft supplies

i have a particular fetish for origami paper (not an actual fetish)

ANYWAYS

right now im pretty sure i have pneumonia or legionaries disease or some other cough relate malady.

cuz ive been hacking up my lungs for the past SEVEN DAYS

[pretend not to notice the likeness to that creepy movie about the girl who pops out of the video cassette]

so i have a few things done [and by that i mean theyre in the works]

so i promise ill start making this blog pretty with pictures of crafty/nerdy goodness as soon as i can breathe without a vader esque sound quality

that being said, im not on my way to Health Services. which i would like to point out is the WORST EXCUSE FOR A HEALTH CENTER I HAVE EVER BEEN IN

tuesday, they charged me $20 for some "suck it up and take some cough syrup" advice.

erm, thanks, but

1)im asthmatic. i aint fightin this one off on my own

2)im stubborn. if im here, it means ive FRAKING TRIED THAT YOU IDIOT.

not that i would ever say that to them

what i actually said sounded more like *whimper* *shiver* *coughs uncontrollably* "I think i might throw up" *shivers again* *tries not to look pathetic as the entire waiting room*

EDIT: i realized that i never actually said what "destashing" is. basically, its using up all the stuff i have, cuz i have waaaaaaay too much of it.

oh, wow. never thought id need to use this

2011-09-17T18:56:00.000-07:00

so im taking a journalism class for my english major this term

its titled "writing for the media"

im really enjoying it so far.

and one of the long term assignments is to start a blog.

so here goes nothing...

2010-10-25T17:48:00.000-07:00

Bill Gates, The New York Yankees
Circle I Limbo

The Pope
Circle II Whirling in a Dark & Stormy Wind

George Bush, Objectivists
Circle III Mud, Rain, Cold, Hail & Snow

Parents who bring squalling brats to R-rated movies, Militant Vegans
Circle IV Rolling Weights

General asshats
Circle V Stuck in Mud, Mangled

River Styx

Republicans, Steve Jobs
Circle VI Buried for Eternity

River Phlegyas

Bernie Madoff, Creationists
Circle VII Burning Sands

Rednecks, Scientologists
Circle IIX Immersed in Excrement

Hipsters
Circle IX Frozen in Ice

Design your own hell