Time to update :-)

The last couple of days I have been at Ravelry... I started a new group called Belle Epoque.
It is supposed to be of all things Edwardian and BEish. Like Art Nouveau, Jugend, Arts and Crafts movement (a little early but well fitting), Mucha, the great illustrators, like Arthur Rackham and Edmund Dulac, Kay Nielsen, Rudolf Koivu, John Bauer; the couple Mackintosh and the couple Larsson; Ballets Russes and Leon Bakst (a little late, but ok), Erté etc. connected to crafts; knitting, crocheting, dyeing and other crafts.


So - I have already designed a jacket inspired by Leon Bakst's costumes for the ballet Firebird; a sock pattern by Mackintosh rose; a crochet jacket inspired by pines; a variation of a free jacket pattern online... I want it fitted and with open neckline.

I have also got tons of things on my "want to" list...
Horst Schulz' African Adventure;
Meg Swansen's Giant Latvian Mitten Cardigan - why didn't I think of using the mitten patterns on sweaters? I don't use mittens, I don't like mitten, I won't knit mittens, but the patterns are great. I love Norwegian type sweaters though... I want the fox sweater as well...

*sigh* I also joined the Village Hopelessly Overcommitted... So much to do, so little time...

Some socks

Very orange post :-D

February Lady Socks
Arthurian Anklets

I am a horrible snob...

I was reading the messages in a group of people who hate acrylics, and someone asked what we have used acrylics for... and someone said she has knitted A PONCHO of acrylics... now, I don't know about you, but ponchos are like a swearword in the knitting community... at least in the snobby better-than-though knitting community I am a member of. (Not proud of that though... I am really ashamed of that, but - at least I'm being honest.) Anyway, I almost screamed of horror. Someone in yarn snob group admits having knitted a PONCHO of ACRYLICS and she didn't seem to be the least ashamed of this confession!!!

In fact, she shouldn't. But I should... just for thinking that she should, just for thinking that she shouldn't share that kind of information, or another member shouldn't be sharing her projects which are not very well done nor advanced... I should be ashamed of myself. These people are doing things! That's reason enough to be proud of oneself, reason enough to be sharing that fact. It's wonderful! These people are doing the best they can, they should be proud of that and sharing that!

To another thing. I have almost constant pain in my joints, I should be walking to get more exercise and better condition than I do, but it hurts too much. This morning I was thinking that it feels as I was being hit on my legs with an axe, and then I thought that I don't know what that feels like, so I can't say that's how it feels. It feels as if I had training pains, growing pains AND I have twisted ankles and knees. And then something else... possibly sciatica. Though I can't tell because I have never had that either.
I have also occasionally fever, just a little, just enough to make me feel sick, just enough to strain all energy... and it is possible that I have Lupus. I might have hypothyroidism. I might have high bloodpressure due to sleep apnea. I have something... and something I DO have is pain.

*sigh* The doctors are working on trying to find out what it is. As for now, no-one knows.

Anyway, I love you all as always :-)

Ket

I very much want to do the following things:
little sheep
Little Cotton Rabbit's free patterns - the tiny animals are cute :-)
wee tiny elf sock
Alla's garden shawl
North Roë
Laura Martos' Serenity (see the list of free patterns on right)
Nutty Irishman's Juniper Mitts and Sourwood mountain mitts
Roman Sock's square chicks
Monkey Toes' socks and paraphernalia socks (you find those too in the right side link list - or at Ravelry)

BTW, here's Duduza dolls... I was talking about those some time ago :-)

Happy birthday to me :-)

I got a laptop to birthday present! YAY!!!
One of the biggest and best blessings in my life is my family :-) It's the best family anyone can have, and it's MINE! YAY!!! YOHOO!!! YIPPEE!!
I really love them to bits, and not just because they gave me a laptop :-D I would love them to bits even if they didn't give me anything but their lovely company :-)

My knees hurt like hell and I am not going to walk tomorrow, but it was worth it. I spent a lovely day with my sister, cousin and mother in the city, we saw the Pre-Raphaelite exhibition at Nationalmuseet and visited a little chinese shop (I'll add the link when I find it), and yesterday the whole family was here - or my parents, my sisters, my cousin, two nieces and a nephew :-) I love them so much :-) It was lovely and I am full of love to them :-) And I love my laptop too LOL (my preciousssss....)

Anyway, here's some freebies I like:
chick bookmarks
cat eating fish pouch
teahouse
magazine reed box
how to make paper straw stars

Two weeks to Beltane

and here's some crafts for you:

paper bird mobile - translated from French
Cinnamon bird ornaments

bird's nest

bird's nest earrings

eggs in the nest felted centerpiece

paper flowers on a tree branch

flower pen

fascinator - curly felted dahlia

pretty flower doily or tablecloth

"turn your used light bulbs into hanging vases"

tutorial videos on how to make paper flowers

crochet pattern central list of free flower patterns
ditto for knitting patterns

Robin Foot slippers

Paper is fiber too

Now follows a little whining and ranting.

I have been looking at some inspiration for ATCs (Artist Trading Cards - miniature art works in size 2 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches. I have been at Flickr and most people there make their ATCs in collage and using many different techniques and mixing different media. Most of the people are very creative and produce art. I am really bad at this sort of art. My collages just don't work. My Dearest Husband is very good at this. He just throws together a bunch of pictures that don't seem to have anything in common, and the result is amazing... my sister has this talent too. I don't. I am really envious to all these people, simply because I don't have it... And I have been sitting here, looking at the wonderful collage ATCs and feeling poor, untalented and miserable...

Then I got the idea of looking elsewhere... I googled "ATC" and "ACEO" and found out that the original form of these little artworks was indeed a miniature artwork. No, I don't do collages, but I can draw and paint. Now I feel relieved - and very stupid :-D
I have also made my first ATCs :-)

But - even though the majority making ATCs ARE artists, there are people who are not. I get angry when I see the "ATCs" made by taking a picture of an existing artwork, fitting it into the format and then claiming that's "my" ATC. Some people do "try to hide" this fact by embellishing the picture a little, but one of the worst examples of this I have seen was a picture cut from a calendar, glued on a 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 piece of cardboard and that's it. The person didn't even glue on any flowers, rhinestones or glitter... At least she admitted that that's what she did.
I also don't think it's art to cut a person from a picture of a well known artwork and glue it on pretty paper, but it's better than not even do that. Nevertheless, there are some copyright issues with this too... It's one thing to do that with 19th century (and older) art and a totally different to do that with a contemporary artist who's trying to get a living with her art...
I am not sure what I think when a person prints the picture on fabric and enhances it by embroidering the flowers and adding some beading and such... I suppose it is skillful and the cards are very pretty, but... I'd still want the person to create an own picture.
I also don't think it's art to cut a photo from a magazine, glue it on the cardboard and add a quote or something to it. Unless, of course, it's your photo - meaning, you photographed it.
Also, taking some pretty paper and stamping a pretty stamp on it... that's really not art either.
Or just whacking some color on paper and writing with your own handwriting the color's name on it... Er... That might have been art like 40 years ago. I really wish people would put a little more effort on the things. Especially if it's a question of a swap. Some people actually do a lot of work and try to make the receiver happy. Now, if the taste is different, that cannot be helped, but don't send anything you wouldn't be overjoyed to receive. I wouldn't even bother making such an "ATC". (On the other hand, I know how to make calligraphy as well... such an ATC made by me would be worth it... ;-))

The thing with ATCs is that they are supposed to be ART.
*sigh* But I suppose there's room for everyone and every idea. If making "ATC"s make people happy, go ahead. I can fully understand that some people create very beautiful images and it would be lovely to have them with one in a handy pocketsize version. I also understand that some people are more creative, artistic, imaginative and inspired than others, and when it takes a lot of work for some people to embellish a pretty image taken from a magazine, it really IS one's "own work" after that... I shouldn't be using myself as a measurement on others' creativity and work. Besides, I'm not supposed to be some art police and tell people what is good taste and art and what is not. If they are happy with their work and publish it, good for them.
Nevertheless... *sigh* Sometimes I wish people would take art a little bit more seriously and allow the artists to get the appreciation they deserve and leave the art making to artists.

Stones might break my bones

but apple streusel cheesecake bars will break my diet :-D

I am thinking about Project Spectrum and green stones. There are so many green stones...
I have tried to find the different stones from Etsy to give some advertisement to the sellers.
I don't necessarily think the item is pretty, you might, and you might find other items you like.
Also, check who has the item and the seller as favorites, you'll find other things you'll like, and other sellers :-)

1. Row:
1. Grossular Garnet - judithguajardo's necklace
2. vesuvianite - JPGemJewels' earrings
3. Andalusite - BebesBaubles' earrings
4. Green amber

2. Row:
1. Olivine and green turquoise - fantcastle's necklace
2. Lemon Magnesite - fantcastle's necklace
3. Prehnite and tourmaline - JenniferCasady's necklace
4. Labradorite - HillCountrySilver's pendant
(There is an especially colorful and fine variety of this stone, Spectrolite, which exists only in Finland :-)

3. Row:
1. Turquoise - SilviasCreations' necklace
[I think the green turquoise is interesting... of course, it's not turquoise (which BTW means "Turkish" ;-)]
2. gaspeite - ljmoreau's bracelet
3. Pyromorphite - CreativeByNature's pendant
4. Seraphinite - BroadwayBeads' necklace

4. Row:
1. Verdite - RainbowRiver's earrings
2. Gaia Stone - green vulcanic glass, from Mt. St. Helens also called Mt. St. Helens' Emerald
3. Green Kunzite (Hiddenite) - mandalarain's pendant
4. rainforest jasper (rhyolite) - bijouxbead's necklace

1. Row:
1. Moss Agate - pacifixe's prayer beads
2. Aventurine and African Jade - The BeadingBestLLC's necklace
3. jade - mcrdesigns' earrings
4. larimar stone - bpdesigns7

2. Row:
1. Nebula stone - peacejewelrydesigns' pendant
2. Moss Jasper - DnJDichroicArtGlass' earrings
3. Kambaba Jasper from Abetterbead
4. Amazonite - starsb117's pendant

3. Row:
1. Vericite - RosemaryLane's necklace
2. Ajoite
3. Malachite - CreativeByNature's pendant
4. Zoisite - MaggieMcManeDesigns' necklace

4. Row:
1. Smithsonite - Nomeworks' pendant
2. Unakite - AnneMarie1025's necklace
3. Zinkite from Crystal Tech Creations
4. Epidote - blindeyeboutique's necklace

1. Row:
1. peridot pebble, teal green apatite and chrome diopside - bellajewelsII's sculptural pendant
2. peridot and tsavorite garnet - bellajewelsII's sculptural pendant
3. Andamooka matrix opal from opalgems
4. green amethysts (green-quartz, prasiolite, vermarine), vesuvianite garnets, emeralds - alittlebitvintage's earrings

2. Row:
1. Central emerald from the Spanish Inquisition Necklace at Smithsonian Institute
2. Uvarovite - Master69uk's pendant
3. Mawsitsit - AccentsbyDave's pendant (which, btw is NOT jade)
4. Aventurine and Green Topaz Quartz - JillMcCrystalJewelry's knottet necklace

3. Row:
1. tsavorite garnet - handmadethings' necklace
2. Variscite - sandrawebsterjewelry's necklace
3. Emperor Stone from wlj beads
(I don't know what this "emperor stone" is supposed to be... is it jade in matrix or variscite? Or aquaterra jasper?)
4. Peridot - glassgoddessjewelry's tree pendant

4. Row:
1. fluorite - CoryellDesign's bracelet
2. Green Peruvian Opals - jdeandrade's bracelet
3. Green African Amber and Kyanite - BondsJewels' necklace
(it seems that this "African amber" is actually vintage faux amber, bakelite or something similar, not real amber, but some sorts of African Amber ARE actual copal, naturally polymerizated resin, not just as old as Baltic sea amber.)
4. ruby fuschite and malachite - BroadwayBeads' bracelet

1. Row:
1. Aquaterra Jasper - MangoTango's Anklet
2. Dioptase - GlobalPathways' pendant
3. Chalcedony and Aqua Quartz - Jenalynscreations' necklace
4. Green Russian Serpentine - AnneMarie1025's necklace with pendant

2. Row:
1. Infinite Stone - Verdasmuse's pendant
2. Hemimorphite - glitterbug's stitch markers
3. Afghani Turquoise l. Mystic Jasper - jewelrywirewrap's necklace
4. Apatite - catrocks' bracelet

3. Row:
1. Maw-Sit-Sit - squawisland's necklace
2. Chrysocolla - catrocks' bracelet
3. Mosaic Turquoise - febrarose's earrings
4. Peru Chalcedony with Apatite - yanis07's earrings

4. Row:
1. Emerald - Loreleisatelier's necklace
(there's very little real beryls; emeralds and aquamarines, in etsy. Naturally, due to the high price. These are quite raw and flawed, but still real emeralds.)
2. Tourmaline - Philip Crow's pendant
3. Aquamarine - selinavaughan's necklace
4. crazy lace agates - wlj beads
(also, most blue agates are dyed. It's irrelevant when you use the stones to make artwork, crafts and jewelry, but not if you wish to use the stones for their magical properties.)

I keep forgetting...

I have actually made some stuff. I just keep forgetting the updating.

This guy is Judah Maccabee. I started knitting him for Chanukkah, and finished him a couple of weeks later, so you can understand that he has been sitting there on the shelf for a couple of months.

He is made by a pattern of knitted family father from a book from 70's, the moles, clothes and kippah (of course he has one) I knitted "free hand" and I have stitched him some toes, kneecaps, buttocks, breast muscles and nose ;-) Eyes, eyebrows and hair are embroidered.
(Behind him are Boris and Doris, my stoneware "staffordshire spaniels", the Chanukkiah, on right is an art plate with Russian lacquer box art and on the left is a moon landing memorial plate. I was born 1969 and I feel very connected to that event :-)


This is Manta. It was supposed to be in my Beloved Husband's Pesach Egg Surprise Calendar, but I didn't manage to finish the egg shells. I am making them of papier mache. I have three egg shells that need to be sanded, painted and decorated. I need like a dozen more.




This is my green camisole. It looks better on me, but I need a skin colored top (or a top of a color that goes with this green) to wear it. I am not comfortable showing my bra to everyone, and my tummy skin is rather private that too. But it's very nice :-)

Martha Stewart (yuk) has published an idea of yarn covered styrofoam eggs. I am thinking of temari eggs... I know which counts higher in my book. Yarn covered styrofoam eggs are so 70's.

Bakerella has a problem. She can't stop making cake pops. Good, I say. I love her cake pops.

Kate gives a tutorial on how to turn a small tin into a helper tin and here's a perpetual calendar. Wonderful idea. My Dearest Husband keeps wishing for somekind of a clock where he could see which mood I'm in. Now, that would be a solution :-D

Pretty checkerboard scarf.

April

Here's a little bunnyrabbit for you as an Easter gift.
(Here's a knitted bunny toy and here's a crocheted bunny toy in PDF file)

I don't sleep well nowadays. Yesterday I slept like 4 hours, then I went to bed at 7 and slept 9 hours. Now - 3 hours later - I'm still tired. Well... I've been awake since 3 A.M.

Here's a Japanese site... I can't make heads and tails of it, but the photos are nice and her work is inspiring.

Hard Rock Zombie has some interesting blog entries about knitting. Among them I found this other Japanese site.

"CAT PRIN -- the tailor for a cat you know -- it is -- fact which will become dearer than former if a cat has clothes on

Don't you doubt? "Although I want to dress with dress extravagant with my cat, doesn't a cat dislike having" clothes on?
It is impossible that continue for time long to be sure, and you continue dressing a cat. But about [ to which you dress a cat and take a commemorative photo on special days, such as a birthday of a cat, ] is OK.

1. You need to dress a cat. And you will say to a cat together with a family. "It has changed just for a moment". [ "it being very dear" or ] You will pass pleasant one time.

2. If a family and a cat become fortunate, you will take a commemorative photo! Therefore, please photo your cat lovelily with much trouble.

3. If it finishes taking a photograph, you will make it remove clothes from a cat immediately. You will say then, without forgetting the language of gratitude to a cat. "-- be flooded -- a way -- good -- having done one's best -- ! -- " "

Frankly, having a cat collar that looks like a frilly blouse isn't too bad... but - I think the Scottish Fold Cat is one of the ugliest things I have ever seen. I know that the Scottish Wildcats have folded ears to protect the ears, but why - OH WHY - did some idiot cat breeders need to promote that feature on a breed?

"It's very important to only breed fold ear cats to straight ear cats. This produces litters with 50% straight and 50% fold ear cats. If a fold ear cat is bred to another fold ear cat, this can lead to kittens with degenerative joint disease."

DUH! If your cat is born with folded ears or bulldog bite it HAS a degenerative genetic problems!
Frankly, the Persian cat and the shorthaired variation, modern British Shorthair, are ugly. Cats SHOULD have "noses "rather long than short"; "long and slender" necks; and "narrow. . . graceful" bodies" - like the European Shorthair has today. The original Persian Cat, the Angora, looks still today what the Persian Cats are supposed to look. Looks like a proper cat, with "long" nose, slender body and neck, with silky, soft hair... But one can go too far on the other side as well. Siamese should look like a cat, not like a coathanger spook. Sure, it's not the cat's fault how she looks, it's the breeders' fault. That "new style" Siamese in the second picture must have health problems due to the excessive breeding. It cannot be good for a cat to have so narrow face - and if it does have a narrow face, what other problems does it have? Cannot give birth naturally due to too narrow hips? Breaks bones easily? Reminds me of Ekhnaton.
Enough with ranting :-) Make yourself a siamese coat hanger in stead :-D

Smariek knits has really nice patterns.

Knit something green...
Pretty tatted shamrock I, II and more
Shamrock washcloth
Why shamrocks? Well... It's the green bimonth at Project Spectrum, and I'd like to knit me a shamrock lace shawl. No, I don't know what I do with it, I don't use my huge red silk shawl either, nor my beautiful white silk butterfly shawl, and I just gave the mystery shawl to my sister - because I don't use it. But it's fun to knit and very posh :-D The main thing is that I happen to like clover. It's friendly.

BTW, here's Heather's Mittens by Spillyjane, Latvian mittens from distric of Kurzeme (graph 117) by Lizbeth Upitis and mittens from Jalasjärvi (graph 81) by Eeva Haavisto

Here's some patterns you can use to knit mittens. (click the "cimdi" on the list on left, and click on the tiny images)

Nezumi world is always interesting

A reality check...

The World's Largest Collection of Smalls

Finnish blogs I visited, but that's not much fun for the non-Finnish speaking audience of this blog. Nevertheless, Henri, the knitted bear, seems to be very popular... (My Dearest Husband is Henric and he loves bears... Guess what is going to happen in this household soon LOL)
Also, shopping totes made of fabric are quite popular too. "I'm not a plastic bag" was fun :-D I liked the "Farewell to Plastic Bags" too. One could use the Sublime Stitching's bag and embroider the message ;-)
(Earth Day Market Bag)

Some fun German sock patterns.

Lacefreak - who introduced me to a very striking eufemism: Conga-Line of Death (AKA future projects)

At Kayray.org P.G.Wodehouse's Sally is being read. You can listen to it and knit some of Kay's projects :-)

I love Kayla coo's embroidery and Jackie's embroidery

Little House in the Suburbs has really nice tutorials and instructions... like for liquid soap and stick deodorant... I really should start doing soaps and stuff. *sigh*

Sharon's Pin Tangle

Tottie talks craft

I really like this columbine square, these popcorn pillows, frog tongue bookmark (well... I don't actually LIKE it, not that I dislike it either, I think it's really funny :-)), this felted snowman, this card pocket (no, I don't play this specific card came - but I used to play Magic the Gathering, and if not straight out, then with minor modifications, this would make a very nice pocket for Tarot cards or ATCs.) and this backscrubber.

And I really, really, really LOVE these knives... Well... I'm a Jensen too :-D

BTW, we switched out all the electricity on Earth Hour. Earth Day is April 22nd and there's some projects being done for that too... Fits well for the Project Spectrum idea too. ;-)

Fantasy and Craft

were the two last words of the National Crochet Month Crochet Along. Good words, together :-)

Today is April first, the April Fools' day, and I have got some good laughs today :-) GOOD laughs, not laughing at people, at people getting hurt, at people getting their food, clothes, humor and day destroyed. We haven't done anything special today, as I planned, but it's an ok day :-)

Today's blog entry will be about Fantasy and Craft. I am a bit bored and I got an extra day with the computer, you see, we share the computer, Beloved Husband and I. So we have shared the week in two, both get three days and none gets the computer on Saturdays. We will hallow our Shabat and spent it together, doing things together, things we both like :-) But today he's tired, sad and wants to sleep, so I get the computer. I use the day to surf the internet, visit all the hundreds of nice, inspiring blogs I love and celebrate the fact that the world is a small and wonderful place - I have it at my fingertips through the Internet. I think that's the best invention ever! :-D (No, it's not. I actually prefer plumbing and harnessing electricity, and nothing of this would have happened, had not someone invented the wheel LOL)

I promised to promote the Crane Project. I think the idea is lovely, to turn the death into something beautiful, but still remember it - thousands of human lives lost for nothing much... So, go and fold a couple of cranes and send them to Judy. Fold 1000 and Gods will fulfill your wish.

Angry Chicken got inspired by a fashion photo and finally found use to a small scrap of very pretty fabric. There's also some words about small pies and about the art of papercutting... That's another form of art I'd like to do. I have good lines, but my coloring skills suck :-D
I have one piece of papercutting on my wall, someone had thrown it in the carbage, because the glass had broken... (Some time ago, two papercuttings by Eva Schönberg went for 100 dollars a piece at eBay... lucky me.)

iHanna has made a book of her blog :-) Actually, she did that already a year ago, I just found out right now... There you see how often I visit her blog, even though I love it :-D

She lead me to Katie's little books, which reminds me of the amazing Arbouricon made by Lana. Lana has had some problems with her eyes, but her work is wonderful.

Then we have Art for Housewives. It is a bit confusing, but focus on the text you are reading, follow the links and enjoy. :-)

Then there's Woof Nanny's the purse project. It's like "Tie One On", but with bags, purses and totes. So - if you are into crafting bags, join the project :-)
In her blog was an entry about vintage weave-it loom - what to do with tiny woven squares. You can actually use pieces of MDF and nail nails in it, as close to each other as you can, in the shape of the piece you wish to weave, and use the technique to weave bigger pieces - like scarfs, bags, vests...

wonderful bag blog :-)

Aren't these plastic bag animals cute? I especially love the chicken :-)

I love this calendar. I thought the buttons were slotted, not fastened with velcro... you know you could have the days in long slips and button them. You could also make a big pocket with see-through plastic front on top, so you can add pictures to your calendar :-) For example your favorite photo, or some things from nature you found...

pod bead tutorial - you can do it with any form... and bigger ones become cute ornaments.
Kusudamas are really cute too.

The Folding Tree lead me to this Drawer Divider tutorial. I just don't see why they didn't paper the divider too... I don't think brown corrugated cardboard looks good nor tidy. The idea is good though. (Ehrm... I have used the idea in my kitchen drawers for several years now...)

Then some fun: Google knows... (Not really... but I found another Sanna...)

Everything your mama made and more

meet me at Mike's (not "meet meat-Mikes")


I like the idea of a magical thinking jar and wishcasting blog... but I don't like the realization... I think I would like a wishing well jar or so, write the wishes in pretty paper strips and fold them into stars and fill a decorated jar or bottle with them, and trust that the Universe fulfills my wishes...

I'll continue this tomorrow :-) Beloved wants the computer :-D

Neighbors and partners

were the prompts for the weekend at NaCroMo CAL.

I just wrote a little rant about April Fools' Day - which is on Wednesday. *yuk* I really hate practical jokes and pranks and such.

Pint sized pocket pillows (pals?)

file folder organizer... er... I really don't know what to call it, but I like it :-D

knitted daffodil

Bird Brain Designs - with a cute freebie Easter egg embroidery design

Handmade Hankies - use less paper, make reusable handkerchiefs. Here's a great idea and tutorial on "clean" and "used" fabric bowls for the fabric hankies, instead of tissue boxes.
Making fabric hankies is not rocket science - you just use thin, soft, washable fabric, like cotton, take a square and sew the edges in any way you like. Hankies made of terrycloth, flannel or organza don't work well, but old bed sheets and old shirts become perfect hankies :-)

What's your name...

It's the challenge at NaCroMoChallenge.
Perhaps letters, perhaps the meaning of your name.
Perhaps an image of what you think when you hear your name. Sanna comes from Shoshanna and means rose or lily. It's generally said to mean "lily", but then someone said this flower has 5 petals, and lilies have 6, so it must be rose then.

Nevertheless, I'm crocheting green; leaves and a camisole. Let's see what that will be.

I think these rest yarn bracelets are really cute :-)
Apartment Therapy has a tutorial on how to sew a pet bed of recycled sweaters. I really wish I had known one can actually do things of the felt :-D I have thrown away some quite ok sweaters destroyed by washing machine, never stopped to think the felt is good for use... *sigh*
Melody has a "Big bag tutorial"
Craftershock sells key ring notepads. Wonderful idea :-)
The Philosopher's Wife has a pattern on felted, knitted, lidded box :-) (Combine this with the old suitcase organizer idea from last blog entry...)
HomeSpun Threads has an illustrated list of several tutorials around the net
Thimbleanna's Purse Thingy

Remember, it's the Earth Hour day today. Let's make the planet go dark :-)

Z is for Zest

I thought it would be for ZigZag - something easy :-D

cute bookmarks from paper clips
cutest bunny basket
mobile studio suitcase
spring cleaning dust mitt
reusable sandwich wrap and reusable brown paper lunch bag - facts about wastefree lunch
felt eggs... you can make them of pastel colored felt and fill with surprises for Easter
really pretty jewelry :-) - don't get alarmed by the fact that the blog is partly in Estonian ;-)

Y is for Yellow and March/April is Green

I'm very inspired by the project spectrum... I don't know why, I have never before been so fired up by it and it has been around for some years. I think as long as I have been blogging!

Anyway, I have already a pile of papers on which I have been doodling (or, if you wish, designing) things.

I want to make a sort of advent calendar. It is a piece of cardboard with trees made of forms cut of colored papers. On these trees are matchboxes covered with the same paper and inside the boxes is a surprise... like, a picture of a bird's nest and a tiny little bird that can stand on the matchbox. Or a picture of a squirrel's nut collection and a little squirrel. You get the idea. I got the idea from Moline's spring matchbox swap.

I have wanted to make my own altered, remodeled, customized fashion doll, and with the theme "green", I have decided to make a Green Fairy (Absinthe) and Poison Ivy, and I am interested in making Malachite Mistress as well. I have been looking at the barbie dolls at Tradera. I think I can get all three quite cheap from there. Then I just have to figure out how to do the rest, rerooting hair, remodeling their faces, painting, clothes... I haven't quite figured out how to make the tights... I haven't seen such thin fabric anywhere. Perhaps organza would do? Or perhaps I need to go and buy a pair of green socks. Well... the time the sorrow.

Anyway, from OOAK (one of a kind) altered dolls to other kind of dolls one could be making for Project Spectrum Green. I found Elizabeth Ruffing and her amazing calico cats... Calico is plain, white cotton, rather thick, and perfect as painting base. They made dolls like this on the 19th century, of calico, painted on the underwear, shoes, faces and hair, but I have never seen dolls like these... reminds me of paperdolls my sister and I used to make when we were small. They were all animals, dressed in clothes just like Elizabeth's cats. Poodles and spaniels had all ribbons around their ears, of course, and animals with no "hair" had a bow on top of their head, like Minnie Mouse. It would be nice to make calico doll versions of those paperdolls. I wonder if I can find fine papier mache here somewhere of if I have to figure out how to make it myself... it shouldn't be too hard, but it must be fine paper mass to stay on place. The dolls must take some handling!
Then there's of course the ATP, art paperdolls. Did you know that in the beginning, paperdolls didn't have changable clothes, they were more like characters from a play, had the clothes they were "born" with from the beginning of the play to the end. I don't know when the first paperdolls with carderobes came, I suppose somewhere in the Victorian era, but the play dolls were popular to the 20th century. I love paper dolls, and I was really happy to find this Brazilian site. I love the Betsy McCall dolls!

Then there are the nesting dolls... Here's a sample of dogs and cats and here's an amazing forest animal serie... So I am bidding of nesting dolls too at Tradera. (The Swedish version of E-bay). I have some ideas. One of my ideas with nesting dolls was the Moomin characters. I haven't seen such a set, though I think it would be a huge hit. I would have loved that some years ago. Now I'm not too fond... Perhaps. Maybe. Maybe not. I like my other idea better though, but I won't talk about that before I have made them :-) I can say it's green LOL

Nesting dolls and Malachite Goddess (The Mistress of Copper Mountain) leads me to another thing, and that's malachite boxes. There's a malachite room in the Winter Palace in St.Petersburg, and I once saw a photo of a man who collected antique malachite objects... he had several malachite boxes, and I was so envious! I love boxes. Now, if you collect antique malachite boxes, you probably don't use them or put anything in them. I want things to be used, and antique malachite boxes are way too precious and fragile to be used by me :-D So - I thought of making myself faux malachite boxes. Either painting wooden boxes, cigar boxes or tins, or decoupaging/covering with malachite paper cardboard boxes. It would be fun to have a pile of boxes from shoe boxes and cookie tins to matchboxes, all covered with different malachite pattern...
(I would also like to learn to do things with polymer clay...)
(And narrowboat ware... Love those. And Khokhloma woodware. And I would really love to learn to make pysanky - the Ukrainian wax decorated eggs.)

Then I saw at the Project Spectrum Flickr group that someone had made small bags and in the mini-picture they looked much more fun than in the actual size picture... I wonder why it is often so? This is what I thought I saw... patchwork bags, small, the size of small plastic bag one gets when buying something small, big enough to fit a pocketbook, but not larger. Anyway, it would be nice to make those too. I think people would appreciate that size totes as well, not only the bigger, "normal size plastic bag" sized totes. Sometimes one wants only a sandwich and something else small. Tights and toothpaste. No need to get a bigger tote.


Somewhere was "little green leaf baskets" and of course I thought immediately of Anne's Spring flower paper basket. So I - still in the "March is the national crochet month" mode, so I thought of crocheting little leafs and sewing them together into little baskets, pouches, bags... bigger baskets and bags... Making a shopping net bag of green leafs Irish crochet :-) And two leafs sewn together with green silk lining and a zipper would be a perfect coin purse :-) (Talking about leafs one must remember Tikkun Tree project. Of course one must knit or crochet some leaves to Leslie.)

This idea of a little leaf basket makes me think of fairies, and it would be lovely to make a fairy castle... If I had a garden, I'd make it of wood and put it in the garden, leave small gifts for fairies near it and believe the fairies would live in it :-) I suppose it would become a home for several insects in stead, but - insects are mostly good in a garden :-)
Now I don't have a garden, so I was thinking (following the "march is the...") of making it of crocheted lace... Irish lace starched to stand up. Towers, domes, spires... I really like the towers, domes and spires of Copenhagen :-) And the Cathedral of St Vasili :-) I could copy those in crochet and make my air castle... starch it and hang it on the wall. *hmm* (Very Russian entry...)

I have been thinking of woven and braided bands.

I have been thinking of Easter grass. It's high time to grow it. It probably won't grow big enough in time for Easter, but it will grow to my birthday. (My 40th - 10 days after Pesach :-))
I have also been thinking about the plant terrariums... I have been wanting a cacti terrarium for some time now.

I have been thinking of green linen, bedding, table linen and Mad Hatter's tea party - in green.

I have been thinking stones.

I have been thinking about an easter applique apron. Easter is green in Finland, green and yellow. Pastels are ok, but 90% of colors are green, yellow and white. Eggs and grass.

I have been thinking about nature, ecological, green stuff. You know, stones, earth, green...
I have been thinking of recycling material and making new things of second hand finds (trift shop, charity shops, flea markets...)
I have been thinking of making a "save the planet" charm bracelet, Gaia shrine box, nature-eco-Gaia scrapbook and other such things. Filled matchbox with green eco theme?

I have been thinking about clothes. One of my 101 things was new wardrobe. Also, I need to make my costume for summer party.

I also want to finally dive into the dyeing pot and start dyeing my own yarns. It would be lovely to dye own rowing and spin own yarn with beads and charms - green, of course, with ecological theme ;-) - and knit it into something... probably a scarf.
I also have found 4 interesting stitches that would probably be something interesting:
Clapotis, By the Sea, Dream Swatch and Drop Stitch Scarf. I don't know what yet, but perhaps a mile-a-minute afghan with sea theme? Make four panels with these stitches and knit a picture in the middle, of a ship or a mermaid... *hmm* One could embroider the mermaid in the middle. Yes, I think that would be a very nice afghan :-) Of green-blue Koigu, of course... X-)

I have been thinking about the puppet theatre I've been planning for 20 years now. I think it's high time to give it to me ;-)

Vwx

V is for Variety, W is for Worm and X is for Xanadu

I have been watching the "world's worst music video". The singer on the video tries to defend it, or himself or what ever. "It shouldn't be in English, the original was in Finnish (and...?), it wasn't meant to be a video but an opening number for the singers' tv show (so... one might actually expect it to be BETTER than a music video.); so it can't compete with modern music videos; and finally - the dance moves are copied from John Travolta and Saturday Night Fever. Poor John.
I love this version of it, anyway :-D Guys learned it during one afternoon! Well done, boys!

Coming from this makes me think of the movie Xanadu with Olivia Newton John. Really... not much better, don't you think? As you know, on Olympos the muses rollerskate around all days along...

But I think I take Coleridge's version.I think it's interesting that all this came to him in a dream, and there was a lot more, but he was interrupted, went on doing something else, and forgot the rest. ADHD?

Project Spectrum

Lolly Knitting Around just keeps keeping up the Project Spectrum. This year it's bi-monthly and the main theme is "cardinal directions". For March-April the theme is green, North, winter and stones. The creativity is free, which means, you can take any of the words and run with it, you can create one or twenty projects, and do what ever you like.

I made a Flickr mosaic of some green inspiration... as if I need any inspiration LOL I just love looking for it and getting inspired ;-)

But - if I was as productive as I wish I was, I would do something green with all the techniques I like, and try a couple of new ones, and combine and then empty a little my stash and my pattern stash too ;-) So -I would make green socks, green lace and green jewelry.
I would experiment with green polymer clay.
I would try the fabric art miniatures and do it with paper too. Like inchies and ATCs.
I would make green art, fabric art, sculptures and calligraphy.
I would make green origami stars and cranes - or something else.
I would make myself a green blank journal and fill it with "green" stuff, ecological, nature protection and such. And another about relaxation and inner peace and serenity.
I would make myself a charm bracelet like Inspirational's Catholic bracelets, but with ecological theme.
I would make a green ecological shrine in a cigar box and an altered book, and an altered matchbox and stuff it with green things.
I would make a fabric covered box, pin cushion, needle case, and scissor fob, and what not.
I would make myself a little curiosity cabinet filled with pretty, green things. Interesting, fascinating, puzzling, surprising, amazing and exciting things.
I would make a green whimsy jar.
I would make myself bags, pouches, sachets and stuff. I like those.
I would embroider myself a dress, or at least some accessories.
I would make myself a green outfit, green and self-made from top to toe.
I would make myself a couple of green pillows and green quilts. I would make myself a green crazy quilt. I would make myself a green granny square style afghan.
I would organize a green tea party.
I'd make myself a free crochet play garden and a fairy house...
I would crochet trees and make leaves and doves for project Tikkun Tree.
I would crochet amigurumis, like the chameleon.
I would sew dolls of green patchwork cotton.
I would weave things... probably a tapestry with spring theme... birds, squirrels, greenery, such. There's also a scarf weaving challenge going on... at least I think it's still on.
I would make a green man. Crochet leaves, or make them of paper... 3D embossed leaves. Nice. :-)
I would practice painting malachite on boxes and get myself a collection of malachite boxes :-)
I would make a peacock fan and a peacock costume.
I would decorate a room green.
I would try to make a copy of Ann Wood's votive ship.
I would make myself the green dragon pelt with papier mache skull and teeth and claws I have been thinking of for 20 years now. (I wrote a story about some children who went to a witch's house and there were all these rooms in different colors, with different themes, and one of them was a green dragon room with a dragon pelt. A real dragon pelt. Obviously, I'm not going to have a real one, so I thought of how I could get a fake one, and I thought of green fur, like rya, and papier mache skull...
And then something more. Perhaps. If I get inspired and have time ;-)

A big problem to me is the limits on materials and resources. I cannot just walk to the closest store and buy what I need, crafting materials are really expensive here (at least, I haven't found a cheap place to buy crafting materials from. Even second hand stores, charity shops and such are expensive. I haven't ever seen a carage sale. There's some flee markets, but I don't know where they are - and they aren't too cheap either. I haven't seen a dollar store since last millennium, and they didn't have much.

Another big problem is that I have this horrible fix idea, about not doing things that are not necessary, useful, needed, wanted, asked for... I really don't want to clutter the already filled household with ATCs, scrapbooks, fiber sculptures, fairy houses, shrines and dragon pelts. We just don't have any room for it. I could be doing something useful, necessary, like linen, table cloths, curtains, couch cover, cushions and such, but I can't do that with the material I have an easy access to... cardboard, newspapers and flour wallpaper paste, salt dough and water colors. The yarns I inherited aren't compatible enough to create things like afghans and cushions, and the colors aren't my colors. I don't like blue, lavender, old rose, purple and browns. I would like to have young rose, aqua, teal, green, red, colors of a peacock and phoenix, oriental nights, gold and fireworks.
And... this curse is double-bladed... the other blade is "not to spend money on new materials before the old is used".

Sigh.

I suppose I could organize a give-away, and give away all the stuff I make, which would be of wrong color to my liking, or too frivolous. There the problem is - again - money. I'd rather use the money to buy some materials to do something for me, than to pay the Swedish post the headless fees they want to transport packages.
I could sell my stuff, but I don't believe anyone would want to buy anything I make. If they want it, they will make it themselves, like I do.

So... I'll solve it somehow. Now I HAVE TO go and clean the kitchen. I have managed to procrastinate that for three weeks now, and all I do with procrastinating is worry about the thing while nothing gets done. I wish I won in some weird lottery and someone came and cleaned my house for me LOL (Without touching the clutter, of course... ;-))

And last, a political rant.
Don't read on if you don't want to have anything to do with politics and ranting :-)

I was looking for inspiration for Project Spectrum - Green - and searched Flickr with "green jewelry" - for some reason the -elry part fell off the search words and resulted in "Green Jew". The first picture that pops up with that search word is a Palestinian woman crying at the wall. Or I don't know if she is crying, "they" say she is, but "they" say a lot of things that aren't true. Now, what has this picture to do with green and Jews? Absolutely nothing.
But the person who posted the picture also posted a lengthy article where he spouts his antisemitism all over the place. The Jewish people did this and that, the Jews are racists, the Jews, the Jews, Zionism, "Racism is the lifeblood of Israel", "Jews the superior people"... you get the idea. I told the person that before he learns to say what he has to say without speaking of people's ethnicity, he's a racist too. In Israel-Palestine situation the problem is the government of Israel and its decisions - call those racist if you wish, but when you start saying things like "Jews believe they are superior to everyone else because they are God's Chosen People", you are just being an antisemite. The person also mentioned the "Green Line". So the picture pops up as "most interesting" photo connected to "Green jew"... I'm sorry, but that is offensive!

U is for underground...

and I'm sad again. *sigh* So fitting.

Easter is coming closer... yesterday was Ostara, Spring Equinox, in two or three weeks will be Pesach and Easter is couple of days later. I plan on making a suprise egg calendar to my hubby, but trying to find ideas I see the Easter baskets from the swap a year ago, and get reminded... *sigh*
It's really hard to get over it.

Thanks to the wonderful Debra and Terri, I "won" a little something (not so little... well... the package was little, but the joy was huge :-D) at OWOH, but I still keep bothering about the darned Easter basket.

Uh. Pois-pois-poissa!

Here's a pattern for "crocheted Passover yarmulke" or kippah as we call them here. Those I can make for my hubby, put one in each egg, and he'll be happy :-) He isn't too fond of the "classic" model, he prefers beanies, but those aren't too hard to crochet either. Or knit.

I found this nice "button showcase doily" - would be nice to showcase other buttons too. Or make it black to showcase orange buttons in Samhain, or green to showcase tiny eggs for Ostara...

I love this Valentine's Wand. You could crochet a daffodil to adorn it for Easter.
(Here's a daffodil afghan - you crochet the daffodils separately, which means you can use them to decorate anything...)
I love this daffodil pencil too :-)

Hubby likes daisies... he says they look honest flowers, not so posh, fancy and pompous as roses, peonies, poppies and other flowers I like :-)

PurlBee's hilarious Easter finger puppets :-) (Not hard to translate into crochet, but if you feel uncertain, here's a list of other crocheted finger puppets :-)

You could make the characters for a finger puppet play... with the theme "Underground" - you could reenact the story of Persephone, who has been under ground now the whole winter and has emerged and how her mother Demeter will adorn everything with flowers and pretty things to welcome her daughter :-)

Or you could crochet earth worms.

T is for taste and touch

I wonder how you could crochet something with taste... perhaps crocheting liquorice string?

Crocheting something for touch... I think about the crocheted farm, with different 3-D stitches, raised stitches, bobbles and others, to form cabbage path and other crops... And to use different kinds of yarn, paper, jelly, mohair, cut plastic bag strips etc. One could make a sort of "memory", "touchy", with two squares of each material put into a bag and lifted up together by touch...

Anyway, Kristin La Flamme has published a tutorial challenge in her blog with a HUGE list of tutorials and tutorial lists around the internet. I find it very inspiring, but my "to do"-list is already miles long, so I better stay away from the list.

I also found Tiffany Threadgould's plastic bottle craft ideas fascinating. If you don't have enough bottle caps of "right" color, you can always cover them with crochet or other material.
Here's the cutest little bottle cap pin cushions. It would be a joy to play with pieces like that :-)

S is for stone

Bella Dia loves stones and has a lot of ideas on what to do with stones
Crochet covered stones

Crochet "stone path hat"

felted stone rug - I love this one :-)

Soldier's Prayer Stone

Stepping Stones crocheted socks

"Hail Stone Stitch" - aka Solomon's knot

Skipping Stones circular afghan

Ooops...

It was 17th yesterday, not 16th... so - two today. Then we're on the schedule ;-)

Q is for Queen and R is for Russet...
I know the word "russet" means reddish brown, but I come to think about a pony breed, Gotland Russ.

But, here's a Queen of Nile crocheted dress for a fashion doll, and here's a crochet pattern for a horse.

Here's some Swedish patterns (in English), from Internet Archive, so hurry up and take what you like, because it might soon be gone. She is really talented designer and I love her stuff, and I wonder what ever happened to her...

I also find Beth Steiner's blog very fascinating...